Ben told his grandfather that he was going out for a couple of hours. When asked on where he was going, he simply stated "The Lab." Grandpa Max made no apprehension between returning to his morning paper and a cup of now lukewarm coffee. In Ben's hands was a small leather backpack. It was a gift from Julie from his last birthday. He reminisced how excited he was when receiving the gift. The reminiscing was short-lived and bittersweet for it served as the last days of Gwen's freedom. It would also served as the final days of her innocent childhood.

Ben rather not indulge into it for reliving the moments of the incident and her arrest following brought anguish to his heart. He tightly wrapped his fist, trying his hardest to not let that pain seep further into his psyche. On his worst days, only on his worst days, Julie acquired prescription pills to numb his pain. He had told her that his grandfather needed it for back pain.

He inhaled as much oxygen as he could before walking the few paces from his backyard to the place he had nicknamed "The Lab." The Lab was nothing more than a refurbished shed. What used to a place where the previous owner left his farming equipment or incomplete projects, Ben's father helped him turn it into a personal darkroom.

Since he was a sophomore in high school, Ben became involved into photography. When originally entering the club, it was out of a losing bet by Kevin. Since walking into those doors, he became entranced by the work of art that came from a flash of a camera. Ben remembered one afternoon after school when he stayed to help out his teacher. His teacher allowed him to go inside of his darkroom. When stepping inside, he became amazed the exposure of negative photos. In his eyes, it gave him an opaque view of the world. The world isn't always black and white. The world isn't always gray. The world is whatever you interpret to be. That was the prerogative of Ben Tennyson.

He closed the door before entering the silent abyss. The darkness consumed him as any presence of color. The darkness isolated him from the outside, consuming him in a temporary loneliness. It was the kind of loneliness he purposefully indulge. He embraced it, allowing it to take the form of whatever it desired. What form was he going to be today, he questioned himself.

He turned on the red light. It sort of help, but he couldn't see two feet in front of him. Being familiar with this room was a must. If not, someone would bump into things, including treasures that would make Ben flinch if tampered.

He placed his backpack on the chair. Inside, he pulled the gift secondary, yet special to Julie's gift. It was a Canon EOS 50D, a digital single-lens camera. He had received as a gift from both Gwen and Kevin. Kevin worked an assortment of odd jobs to acquire this gift. Although abrasive in personality, Kevin didn't explain how he acquired the funds. He knew that Gwen would do anything to give a gift to one of the more important people in the world. He wish he could tell Kevin that despite their relationship, there still wasn't a close tie to the relationship on what he and Gwen shared. A sharp pain hit his spine when the word shared came about.

He unrolled the reel of the camera and applied it to the water. He was careful not to create any damage. As a favor of his teacher, he was responsible for documenting photos for an upcoming gala for the mayor. The teacher normally wouldn't ask a student, but he thought this would be a great showcase to display his talented skills.

Ben didn't consider himself talented in photography. Of course, he proved himself through his ability as a superhero, but that wasn't his only position. Ben enjoyed just being a human. To live and breath and talk and sing like anybody else. Photography was supposed to be that. No talent for flashing a camera, he thought.

He smooth the edges as he was applying them into the water. He winced when he got in contact with certain oils. He had a paper cut. Normally, he would wear gloves, but for some reason, he didn't. To fill the void of the silence, he put on his music. Today, he was in a System of A Down kind of mood. He indulged in his works displaying whatever he had captured for Bellwood. Through the sweat of his forehead and through the cracks of hands, he was becoming dedicated into his work.

When he finished, he hang the negatives with a clothesline. He sighed as he displayed each picture. Each one gave him a deeper lump in his throat before the last. Even his ode to Gwen was beginning to twitch.

He observed the first picture. It was a picture of Madison Elementary School. The school served as its humble beginnings for him and Gwen. It was the school where he had spent all of his years. And the same for Gwen. This school served a very special purpose for him. If he did not have that fateful encounter with that bully, then the summer vacation may not would have happen. His smile was bittersweet, for it was not the same school when he had left. In fact, it was not the same school at all. What Ben took was Madison in the wake of its destruction. The school was unrecognizable, not even in the comparison of a tornado or the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. It was unrecognizable because the only thing that was left was its foundation.

He was instructed by his teacher to survey the campus. In one picture, it was a cafeteria worker. She was bending over her knees. She was frightfully sobbing. Snot and tears were irrecognizable. She beat her hands on the ground with her fist until her hands got bloody. She wailed before a relative or a friend consoled her. She couldn't leave. She wouldn't leave. In the midst of her sobs, she wailed, This was the school where I have fed my babies. This was the school that gave me a second chance on life. This is my school. In one swoop, it is gone. She took it. She took it.

It wasn't long when her eyes lingered on Ben. She snorted her nose before taking a lunge at him. Thankfully, another bystander grabbed her. Her eyes were on fire, displaying her hatred. It is her fault. Your cousin, she did this. How could you let a horrid monster do this? What did she do to us? She is a menace. She is a freak. How could you allow her to do this? I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. Ben watched in horror as the woman was unrelenting on getting her hands on him. He closed his eyes in despair. He covered his ears, wishing, crying, praying for it to go away. It wasn't long when his teacher came and got him away from the scene. By that time, more onlookers gather around the rubble of the former Madison.

A phone call interrupted his thought. Relieved, he reached into his pocket. He turned around, just in case if any of the light would expose the film. He saw that it was Julie. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hello," he said hastily.

"Hey, babe," she said.

"What's going on," asked Ben.

"Not much," said Julie. "I wanted to see if you want to go out for some burgers."

Ben felt the growing hunger in his stomach. "I can go for a burger. As soon as I am finished working on my project."

She sighed. "Of course! The one for Mr. Rosenthal's photography club."

"Yeah, doing a solid for Mr. R so that he could get his gala ready this month."

"The gala with the mayor on Bellwood."

"Yep," he sighed.

"It is close to the one-year anniversary," she said very faintly.

"It is," he respond. "And with perfect timing on her release."

"Does anybody know?"

"I am unsure, but I am trying to keep it that way." He sighed. "However, I won't be surprised that the secret might be out."

"I haven't told anyone, if that is what you are thinking."

"No, I don't. It is just that Bellwood is a town that always talks."

She was quiet, but Ben could tell that she was nodding in agreement.

"Guards, inmates, somebody from that joint knows somebody in Bellwood. I am already afraid what is to come when we get to town."

"Don't think of the worst. Bellwood is a community. They don't think that they all not the only that makes mistakes."

"Mistakes don't include damages of a town. Mistakes don't include the scars that were left. Need I say more?"

"No, you don't. Speaking of Gwen, how is she?"

"Confined in her room like a convict. She only comes out when she needs to shower or get something to eat."

"How is she treating Grandpa Max?"

"Indifferent. More of a warden-inmate relationship than grandfather-granddaughter."

"Her parents?"

"Aunt and Uncle have not paid one visit." He paused, remembering what he had heard in the conversation between his uncle and his grandfather. "My uncle is afraid that someone might be after him or worse." It was a perfect lie, but he did not want to tell her the truth. "This is not a good time for them."

"That is their daughter," she protested. "That is so uncool of them."

"We are not in their predicament," he retorted. "I am afraid that they will begin treating this like it is a domestic terrorist threat. And because I am the cousin of Gwen, then I am automatically involved."

"Are you fearful for Gwen?"

"I am."

"Have you spoken to her about it."

He inhaled and swallowed nothing. "I can if I get the opportunity."

"I see," she said. "So, the gala is approaching," she said while changing the subject.

"That's right. I have gotten a few things together. It shouldn't take long, but if it does, I can explain that things came up."

"You could use Gwen's release. I mean, it is a suitable excuse."

"No, I will try not to."

Ben put his finger on his lips as if he was trying to produce a thought. "It worries me to some extent."

"How so?"

"What I am getting ready for is going to take effect on me, Gwen, and Bellwood."

She was silent.

"It is like I am playing devil's advocate."

"Have you told them?"

"What?"

"Have you told Gwen and Grandpa Max about it."

He stood silent off of the phone for a few moments. It wasn't until Julie began calling his name.

"I haven't told them yet."

"How come?"

"Because it wasn't until a few days that the pictures I were taken were going to be used."

"Under the impression you gave me, you did."

"I was until I was notified that they were going to release her. Damn, what perfect timing."

"Ben."

He hit his head with his fist in frustration. "Damn, why did I even accepted this?"

"Ben."

"I don't know. Maybe it is not too late to back out."

"Ben."

"I don't want to further fuck up with little of a relationship I do have of Gwen."

"Benjamin Kirby Tennyson! Please fucking listen to me."

Ben was panting, but hearing the sounds of his frantic girlfriend, he was calming down.

"You are blowing this out of proportion. Breath, Ben, breath."

As directed, he took a couple of breaths. "Okay, okay."

"Go and tell them that you are taking photos for gala that is going to show pictures that neither of them want to relive."

"I don't want them to think that I wanted this."

"Explain that it was an accident. Or something. You didn't know this was going to be published. You were doing this out of a favor for the club."

"I don't know, Jules."

"I'd rather you be honest than finding out later."

"But…"

"But, what?"

"I don't want Gwen to hate me."

Ben hang up the phone and dropped it to the ground. He bended on his knees before watching his tears fall on his lap. He managed to find a spot before having a seat on the floor. He looked up to the darkroom before seeing another image that made his stomach churned.

The image next to the Madison Elementary School was a picture of a home. It had belonged to a single mother and her daughter. The home was purchased as a wedding gift from her husband before his death in the war in Iraq. The home was meaningful to the woman because her husband was part of the construction. That home was laid by his very own hands. Therefore, the home had sentimental value. The beautiful small home that took a year to build was splintered in a matter of seconds. What was a wooden home looked like a pile of toothpicks scattered. What was heartbroken was the woman was home when the incident happened. Her daughter was in daycare.

Ben and his parents were present when they attended the funeral of the single mother. It felt like the whole town was present that day. The melancholic music coincide with the tears for this fallen woman. In front of the coffin was the small child that lied over it. She kept asking for her mother to wake up. Wake up, mommy, she kept saying over and over. She continued touching her mother's cold hands. Why are you so cold, mommy, she kept asking.

Ben turned over and faced the bosom of his mother. He no longer wanted to see anymore.

In his leather backpack, he had a keychain that belonged to the single mother. Scrawled on the key was a message from her deceased husband. Let this key serve you to this home as it does in my heart.

He hoped to one day give it back to the girl when she got older. He had hoped because the child left Bellwood a few days later to live with her grandparents.

He rubbed Gwen's Ode smoothly, detailing every pattern of its design. He had kissed it just like the day when he kissed the woman on her forehead. In her ear, he had whispered for forgiveness.

It was later in the evening when Ben was sitting outside of the front porch waiting for Julie to pick him up. Grandpa Max was sitting quietly on the rocking chair. The air was thick between those two. Both looked at each other from time to time, as if they wanted to answer something, but were afraid to receive an unaccepted answer. Grandpa Max was reading the newspaper and Ben was on his cellphone.

Grandpa Max broke the silence.

"So, where are you and your girlfriend headed off to this evening," he asked.

Ben turned around. "The usual, Burger Shack and Mr. Smoothy."

"Just the two of you?"

Ben knew how Grandpa Max was asking that question. Under normal circumstances, he didn't mind it. However, since it won't be long until word of Gwen's release from juvenile hall, Ben knew that his grandfather was fearing for his safety.

"Yeah, just us."

Grandpa Max nodded. "Would you feel comfortable if Gwen came with you?"

Ben widened his eyes.

"I thought so," said his grandfather while sighing. He reached into his pocket threw the Omnimatrix at Ben. "Just in case if craps hits the fan, be prepared!"

"Thanks, Grandpa," said Ben. "You are not that worried, are you?"

"It is not you that I am worried. It is what the people might do."

"We have been playing it safe, have we?"

Grandpa Max put his newspaper down. "Understand that not everybody is going to think the same way. You know that. Remember how they gave you a hard time at the beginning? Now, you are a superhero." He took a sip of his iced tea he had on the table beside him. "The mass is either going to think of the best or the worst. There is no middle."

Ben looked at him in silence.

"They are not going to single you out like, 'Oh that is Ben. He is cool.' No." He scoffed. "They are going to look at you the say way they are going to look at Gwen."

"Grandpa."

"Prejudice is strong. It may not be in the eyes of race, religion, or other creeds in this town. However, prejudice is strong and true between humans and superheroes." He stood up before making his way to the front porch steps. He sat beside Ben.

"I got a call from your mother last night. She was very worried."

"What did she wanted."

"She had heard a rumor about a coalition being formed."

"A coalition," replied Ben with a hint of surprise. "For what?"

"She doesn't know much," he said. "However, she told me that there is a group of concerned citizens who are getting together. They are having secret meetings. She even heard that they are having talks with the mayor."

"Oh, my God."

"Yes, you should be aware."

Ben wiped the sweat off of his forehead while staring at the magnolia tree.

"Bellwood is not the same anymore. That is why I want you to be careful. One word of wisdom that your grandmother once told me." He took a cough before staring into Ben's eyes. "Just because they are in front of you doesn't mean they share the same ideals as you. And just because they listen to you doesn't mean that they are your friend. That is why I am telling you to keep one eye open. And that even means Julie as well."

Ben was taken aback. "Julie isn't like that."

"I didn't say she was," replied Grandpa Max. "I am telling you to be careful. You never know who she is talking to after she sees you or who is listening to your phone conversation."

Ben's heart skipped a beat the same time when Julie arrived in the driveway. She waved at Grandpa Max.

"Go ahead and have a good time," said Grandpa Max with his trademark smile.

"I will," said Ben.

As he got off the porch and headed towards the car, he was stopped by his grandfather. "Ben?"

"Yes, sir."

"No matter how this may feel. Don't forget that you are loved."

He smiled. "Love you too, Grandpa."

Ben got inside of Julie's car before backing away in the driveway. As he was driving, he was still thinking on the conflicting of his cousin and telling them about the gala. He had hoped that he was not selling his soul to the devil.