Chapter 7: Facing the Music

"Attea," howled Gwen? Ben gave her a sheepish grin. "It kinda just happened," said Ben. "Wasn't planned." Kevin howling laughter and all but rolling on the ground was starting to annoy Gwen. It was a distraction when she really needed to be focused. Her cousin was about to do the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life. She'd heard about his hook-up with Attea. That was the whole reason they were here in the park having this conversation. Kevin had been laughing about it for weeks–really since he'd decided to drop in on his 'old buddy, Ben'. He would never tell Gwen what he was laughing about, which was a sure sign that it wasn't something good. The fact that it involved Ben worried the Anodite girl enough that she'd finally beaten it out of Kevin.

Kevin had come clean with all of it–about how he'd suspected from the first that Ben had screwed Attea while they were stranded. He'd gone down to Ben's house to find out if it was true, and Ben had admitted it without a whole lot of pressure. Gwen had known immediately why it was that Ben and Ester were no longer a couple, and she'd been sad and proud of Ben for owning up to his mistake. He was growing into a man–something she wished Kevin could manage. She'd still been worried, though, and now she realized that she was justified in her worry.

"I'll bet it wasn't," growled the Anodite. Shaking her head, she crossed her arms and said, "but you plan to marry her? Ben... Even for you that's crazy." Now Ben got a little hot under the collar. "Gwen, for the first time in my life I'm going to do the responsible thing and you think I'm crazy," he howled?! "Take it easy, Ben," said Kevin Levin. "For you, responsibility is crazy." Ben blushed, but he had to admit that was true. Still, he'd been a good boy lately.

"Which is why I think you're crazy if you're planning on going through with this, cousin," said Gwen. Taking him by the arm, she dragged him over to a park bench and told him to sit down. Her eyes warned Kevin off. This was very personal to her. Much as she and Ben fought, she loved him. Settling on the bench at his side, she said, "Ben... I know we haven't always gotten along..." The understatement of the century. "...but believe me when I say that I care about you," said Gwen. "We've shared so much together. We discovered who we are together. The last thing I want is to see you make a dreadful mistake like this." Ben sighed heavily, but he gave as good as he got.

"This is the first thing that ever really felt right for me, Gwen," replied the hero. "Everything else has been girls who wouldn't give me the time of day or who never really fit with where my life was going. Crazy as it sounds, Attea gets me." Reckless or daring, whichever way you looked at it, Attea understood Ben Tennyson–and actually liked him just like he was. "Ever consider maybe she's conning you," asked Gwen? Ben laughed. Only like a thousand times. "I don't think she was planning this, either, Gwen," sighed Ben. "We weren't planning it..." His mind had been focused on getting off that rock and getting home, and he had gotten the impression that the last thing Attea was looking for was to get pregnant out of wedlock. She'd kicked him out of the pod for even suggesting they sleep together for warmth.

Laughing, Gwen admitted, "I guess maybe you two do make a good match, Ben. When she couldn't find somebody who worked for her, you were the first person she thought of. I guess. Maybe you're right. Maybe you are meant for each other. She was willing to take on the Tetramand armada for you." Ben chuckled. Now he had to tell grampa Max.

Leaving Gwen and Kevin, Ben headed into work. His badge got him into Plumbers headquarters, and he took the long trip down a few hundred feet into the bowels of the earth below Bellwood. As usual, Magister Max Tennyson was in his office just off the control room, going over the reports of all the Plumbers that reported to him. Ben walked in and shut the door, alerting his grandfather that something important was up.

"What is it, Ben," asked Earth's top Plumber? "I... kinda have a confession to make," said Ben. Max frowned. Coming from his grandson, that could be quite a doozy. "What kind of confession," asked Max? "It's kinda' personal, but it also kinda involves Plumber business," replied Ben. Max sat up and took notice. That was an odd turn of phrase, and it worried him.

Taking a deep breath, Ben let it go, as he tried to get his courage up. Deciding that he might as well go all in, he looked up and told his granddad, "I've got to marry Attea. I accidentally got her pregnant..." "What," howled Max, as he shot to his feet? Ben flinched back from that reaction. Calming himself, Max decided that this had to be a joke. Settling back into his chair, Max laughed, "very funny, Ben. You had me going there for a minute. "Face showing that he was all too serious, Ben rumbled, "I... wish it was a joke..." He told his granddad the little piece of information he'd neglected to mention when they were picked up from the ice-world.

Scrubbing at his face with his hands, Max Tennyson groaned in shock and horror. Attea in his family. "Attea," howled the old man? "Why does everybody say it like that," muttered Ben? Shaking his head, Max said, "son, are you sure you want to do this?" "No," replied Ben, "but I have to take responsibility for my actions. That's what you've been trying to drill into my thick skull for years, grampa Max. What if... What if my kid became the galaxy's worst criminal, and I had a chance to prevent it?" A lot of kids went rogue because they didn't have a father. In Ben's case, his kid going rogue was a helluva lot more dangerous than some gang-banger doing drive-bys.

Max shut his mouth. Ben had a point. More to the point, he now had influence on the greatest group of troublemakers in the universe right now. If he can keep it, thought the Magister. "Alright," muttered Max. "On one condition. We're going to be watching, Ben. If I think for one moment that she's getting the upper hand..." Ben nodded. He would turn over the Omnitrix himself before that happened.

With business out of the way, Max moved on. This was an important milestone in his life and that of his family. Gwen was already well on the way to being married and starting a family of her own. Now Ben had finally gotten himself settled down. "Congratulations, Ben," said Max. Ben grinned. He was kind of happy about this himself. Now he just had to sell his mom on the idea.

Ben went out and got to work on his own belated reports. He'd been back-sliding a little bit, putting aside some of the work that he was supposed to be doing. Now he took the time to polish off a couple of the reports he owed his grampa. After, he went down to the Plumbers' simulation room and went a few rounds with Vilgax and Malware before heading out to patrol Undertown. After a full day on the line, he was happy to get home and excited to see his future wife.

He was pondering how he was going to break the news to his mother as he made his way up the walk. Attea said she would meet him here, and that they'd go out after, and he was hoping to get her thoughts. He had an idea for the both of them to do it together. He was running a little late, but he thought they still had time. Likely Attea was already inside the house, waiting on him. As Ben opened the door, he found Attea sitting front and center there in the living room. Only Attea was sitting on the hot-seat as Ben called it. Ben had been in that chair a hundred different times getting yelled at for something he'd done. That's... not good, thought Ben, as he took note of her expression. She was embarrassed and looking afraid of something.

As Ben came through the door, he got a look at his parents. His dad was in his favorite chair with his nose stuck in a magazine, studiously ignoring whatever else was going on in the room. Coward, thought Ben. He always did that. Sandra Tennyson wore an expression like thunder. Uh-oh, thought Ben. It appeared that he'd spoken too soon. He'd thought he was having a good day until now. Ben shut the door and stepped into the living room, waiting for the explosion.

Almost immediately Sandra lit into him, demanding, "Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, is Attea pregnant?" Ben winced. Judging by the fact that she was using his full name, she already knew the answer to that question. Attea's face was flushed, showing that she'd said–or done–something to clue his mom in. Confirming that with a nod, Sandra Tennyson announced, "she started puking her guts out a couple of hours ago, Ben. It doesn't take a genius to put two-and-two together and figure out why a perfectly healthy girl does that in the middle of the afternoon...!" Ben's face went red hot.

Ben sighed and said, "it was an accident, mom..." "Don't the damn Plumbers have condoms, Ben," asked Sandra?! "Or did you think it was like some movie you saw where there's no consequences...!" Blushing, Ben stared at the floor as he explained, "it just happened, mom. It wasn't planned. We were trapped on that planet, and honestly it looked like we'd never get found." That did little to mollify Sandra. "What are you going to do, Benjamin," she demanded?!

With a shrug, Ben said, "I'm gonna' marry her. She's my girlfriend, mom. What else am I supposed to do?" Sandra stuck a finger in his face and said, "you were supposed to be going to college!" Ben almost snorted. As if. That was Gwen's thing. He liked being a Plumber more. Books bored him. He kept his mouth shut on that, though. He knew how much that meant to his parents. His mom turned around and stormed out of the living room. She went straight up the stairs and slammed the door to her bedroom. Likely she was going to go cry for a while. She did that when he screwed up and disappointed her.

"I-I'm sorry, Ben," sniffed Attea. "I-I... got back early, and your mom said it was ok for me to come in and wait..." "It's not your fault, Attea," said Ben. "It's mine... I-I should have stopped." Her eyes challenged that. She hadn't wanted him to stop. Truth was, she was happy she was pregnant. She was living her dream. Attea got up and came over to him and threw herself on him, while his father pretended not to notice.