(A/N: Ok a short chapter but the cliffy was just too good to resist. I was planning to update Saturday but having this just sitting on my computer was too much. So here's a chapter to brighten up the middle of your week. Tell me how you like it.)
Natural Disaster
Disclaimer: I own nothing! At least in regards to Ben Ten.
Chapter Thirteen: Family Ties
Ben and Gwen followed their grandpa back to the Rust Bucket. Ben kept Gwen's hand held tightly in his, after what Max had caught them doing there was no point in pretending.
The walk back was short, it turned out they weren't too far from their camp.
Once in the RV they sat at the table and their grandpa set two cups in front of them. He saw the deep look on their faces. "Don't look at it like that, it's just coco."
Gwen looked at Ben; his face was worried but determined. "Grandpa, what are you going to do?"
"Do?"
"About me and Ben. Are you going to tell us its wrong cause we're family? Tell my parents?"
Max sighed, "If I was going to do any of that I'd have done it when I first found out about you two."
"You knew!" Ben shouted.
"Yes, I did."
"Since when?"
"I saw you two making out in the pool at the resort from my room."
"So, you're ok with us?" Gwen asked.
"I've been across the galaxy, and one of the things I've learned is that love is love. Besides the two of you have saved the world a few times over this summer. You've both earned the rights to make your own choices about things."
They both relaxed. Gwen's stomach was still turning though. "Are you going to tell my parents about me and Ben?"
"No, that's something the two of you will have to do when you think the time is right. I do have a few rules. The first being please don't make out while I'm around. It's still a bit disturbing to see my grandkids kissing."
Ben was grinning like a loon. "We promise grandpa."
"Good, now go get some sleep, Gwen's parents will be here in the morning."
Ben left the bathroom ready for bed, until he saw Gwen sitting on her bunk staring out the window. He climbed up next to her. "Anything wrong?"
"I'm, kind of nervous about seeing my parents. And worried about if we should tell them about us."
Ben watched her, he couldn't do much to help the relationship between Gwen ad her parents but he could at least take away one of her worries. "Then while they're here just forget about 'us' and enjoy their visit."
"Really? You're ok with that?"
"Sure."
She threw her arms around ben. "Thank you!"
"Wow if saying you can ignore me is all it takes to get this you can ignore me any time."
"Sorry but it only works once."
"Guess I'll just have to get creative." Ben said. Then kissed Gwen on the lips and lingered a few moments. "Night Gwen."
"Night Ben." Gwen lay back in bed, and finally managed to fall asleep just a few hours before sunrise.
Ben woke up to the smell of pancakes, and not their grandpas but normal ones. He walked out of their room and found a stack of them sitting on the counter. He reached for one but a whisk swatted his hand away.
Gwen stood there in one of their grandpas aprons. It was too large for her and had to be folded over several times to fit. "Don't touch those, they're for my parents."
Ben sucked on his hand where she hit him, not because she'd really hurt him but because there was some pancake batter on the whisk and now his hand. He walked outside to find their grandpa cooking what looked like bacon over a small fire. He chuckled at Ben. "Tried to eat the pancakes too huh?"
"Yea." Ben said taking a strip Max offered him. "She's getting really worked up about them isn't she?"
"Well, Gwen's parents have always been a little distant from her. They work a lot and aren't around to often. I think she's just glad to see them and wants to impress them a bit too."
Ben nodded and took another bite then looked at the pan skeptically. "This isn't bacon is it?"
"Eel bacon."
Ben chewed it thoughtfully. He'd had worse.
A silver truck drove up to the Rust Bucket. Gwen jumped through the door and ran towards it. Her parents stepped out and walked calmly towards her. Ben thought he saw movement in the back of the truck's cab.
Gwen threw her arms around her parents. Gwen's mother put a hand on her shoulder in a welcoming gesture, but Ben noticed she also pushed her away slightly. Gwen ignored it. "Mom Dad! I'm missed you guys so much."
Grandpa Max walked over. "Frank Lilli, it's good to see both of you again."
"Come on I made breakfast." Gwen said pulling them along.
"Really Gwendolyn we've already had breakfast."
"Oh, well that's ok." She said. Ben didn't miss the disappointment in her voice but apparently her parents did.
"Actually we don't have long but we needed to speak with you." Her father said.
"Oh, alright. About what?"
"Well you see, recently we made a decision. We have adopted a young girl by the name of Piper."
Gwen was too shocked for a moment to speak. "You mean, I have a sister now? What's she like? How old is she?"
"She is the same age as you, but no you won't have a sister. You see, we have also decided to place you up for adoption."
(A/N: Well did anyone see this coming? I wanted to add the whole adoption thing for the drama but also put my own twist on it, a way to keep them cousins. I felt like making them unrelated at this point in the story would be taking the easy way out. So did it work?)