Chapter 26: Pain and Memories

He was feeling almost lightheaded as he headed back the way he'd come. He knew it was a combination of pain, the shock of Albedo's condition, and the fact that Kevin would be there at the entrance with Gwen. Each step grew increasingly difficult, and dread weighed him down. He did not want to do this. Not now. Not ever, really.

But he needed to.

Albedo hadn't mutilated himself. If Kevin knew anything of the situation, Ben needed to know, too. The problem was, that involved interacting with the slime who two weeks ago tried to rape him.

There was no way he was going to be able to fly back to DexLabs. Not even Chromastone, the slowest of the three flying aliens available in the Omnitrix, would be able to deal with the level of pain his shoulder was giving him. He considered his options. There was no way in hell he was getting into Kevin's car even if the offer was made. He could call his parents, but they thought he was in Downtown and it would be inevitable that his mother would kick up a royal fuss over him being injured. Gwen's parents would just as soon swallow paint thinner than let him drip on their car's leather interior.

In a defensive motion and to ease the pressure on his shoulder, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. As he did so his hand brushed the small gun Dexter had pressed on him.

What did I tell you, Benjamin?

Thanking the stars once again that his boyfriend was not only filthy rich but highly resourceful and possessed of a small fleet of vehicles, Ben pulled out his phone and hit the first number on speed dial.

"Are you all right?" were the first, anxious words that reached his ear. Anyone who might have overheard such a greeting would have thought Dexter was snapping at him, but Ben heard only loving concern. Knowing what he had waiting for him was like balm on a wound, and a sigh of relief escaped him at the sound of that accent.

"Sorta. I can't fly. Can you pick me up?"

"Immediately. Computress has pinpointed your location. A vehicle will be there within half an hour."

"Thanks."

"No. Thank you for calling. Will you be well until then? Are you safe?"

In other words, was Kevin nearby?

"Gwen's here with me. I'll be okay."

He was just outside the double doors in the entrance. He could hear Gwen talking. His cousin sounded impatient, but that was pretty common.

"I'll see you in a little while," he promised Dexter.

"Yes, you will," stated the Boy Genius, his stern tone bringing a small smile to Ben's lips. Imagining the fierce look Dexter surely must be wearing now as he rallied his forces, Ben found the strength to push the swinging door open as he returned to the foyer of the warehouse.

Kevin was leaning against the wall, eyes locked on the floor as he kept his gaze averted from Ben. There was a mark on his forehead from the neural suppressor, but he seemed unharmed otherwise. Gwen placed herself between the two young men, immediately asking,

"Did you find Albedo? Where is he?"

"Yeah, I found him. I let him go," Ben replied.

Kevin let out a growl and shook his head. "Bad move."

Ben ignored him completely. "Something or someone attacked him and he's holding me responsible."

"Who? Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know," he stated. "But stopping him wouldn't have helped the situation."

"You shouldn't have let him go."

As if he was in any shape to stop him. "He hasn't done anything, Gwen."

Kevin made a sound of annoyance. Gwen sighed as her cousin overlooked the obvious.

"Ben, we're here because he captured Kevin."

"And he did that because . . . why? Maybe because Kevin just wouldn't leave him alone."

The words came out in sharp, clipped bites. Instantly the Osmosian's temper flared.

"I was following him because he was acting weird!" defended Kevin hotly.

"And he also happens to be an exact copy of me. Convenient," he hissed.

"No! That's not -"

"Plumbers are not vigilantes. Acting weird is not against the law. Albedo was just looking for a place to hide and recover. He needs help, not to be harassed!"

Gwen motioned for silence, trying to keep them from going for one another's throat. Still not bothering to look at Kevin, Ben stared at Gwen, letting her calm influence his own emotions. He was trembling, his heart racing, and knew he had to slow his breathing or he'd hyperventilate. He'd thought he could handle being in close proximity to Kevin again. He was wrong.

"Kevin, had Albedo actually committed a crime or done anything threatening before you went looking for him?" she asked.

"If by threatening you mean scaring a lot of people, yeah," was the sullen reply.

"No, I don't," Gwen said. "Did he say what happened when he caught you?"

"Not really. He kept going on about getting back at . . . at Ben." The name of his victim didn't come easily to his lips, and his voice grew faint as he pronounced the diminutive. He spoke as if Ben wasn't standing ten feet away, which suited Ben just fine. "There was someone else. He didn't mention names. He just kept saying He wanted Ben."

A frown creased Gwen's forehead. "Albedo wants Ben?"

"No. Someone else. Someone . . . worse. The person who did that to Albedo. He's gunning for Ben."

"Why?"

Wrapping his arms tightly around his middle, Ben answered. "Albedo said whoever hurt him made it his fault that he's not me."

"It's obvious he's not you."

"I think he was grabbed on looks first, personality second."

Kevin stared at the floor. "Whoever had him messed him up pretty bad. Not just his face. The rest of him, too. His mind and his . . . body."

"What do you mean?"

Ashamed, he hung his head further, looking away from his one-time friends. "Gonna make me say it, Gwen?"

Closing his eyes, Ben looked away in revulsion and disgust, turning his back on Kevin. Sudden pressure on his chest made breathing difficult and he fought to keep his balance as a wave of dizziness swept over him. It felt as if the heat of his own body was draining out of him. He couldn't say if his reaction was for himself and the recollection of what had almost happened to him or for Albedo and what had happened to him. Albedo, his unwilling twin, trapped in a copy of his eighteen-year-old body. Did the Galavan even have an idea of how to deal with growing up and hormones and the natural drives of a normal, healthy, human male? Ben was lucky. He had Dexter as much for support as for release. Albedo had . . . nothing. And now, after being seized and tortured and . . . oh, god, had he been raped? Taken from that perspective, their conversation made so much sense. Albedo. He had started with nothing and now he had even less . . .

With effort he swallowed, looking up when Gwen touched his arm. In the dim light her eyes were filled with deep concern. "You should sit down. You're white as a sheet."

He stared at her, hearing what she said but understanding nothing. A sudden rush of memories drowned out the moment as the past tried to make sense of the present.

"He wants you. I want revenge. I'll get what I want before he does."

His thoughts were a chaotic blur and his emotions were no better. Who . . . ?

"That's when I realized that you were like air - I couldn't live without you."

The edges of his vision were murky. He must be passing out. He didn't have time for that. He made himself take a few deep breaths, trying to keep his shaky grip on consciousness.

"You have the habit of taking too much responsibility for events, Ben. People make their own choices."

Yes. He was finally accepting that. But he was missing something here. Something important. What was it?

"I think I know what I want better than you do . . ."

He tried to latch hold of Dexter's voice, but there were too many memories to single out just one. If he hadn't lived through it all already, he would have been lost.

"Payback time, Benji."

He shuddered, remembering Kevin was close by. What was the connection? He let his thoughts flow, flashes of images and scenes passing through his head, drawing him along, following a thread.

"If it's . . . the last thing I do, Tennyson . . . I will destroy what you love . . . just because you love him."

Red eyes, burning like coal and full of hatred.

"He wants you."

Red eyes. A twisted smile. Malice. Cruelty. Hunger.

"It's my Fusion! He's after you and the Omnitrix!"

The familiar voice changed, becoming harsh even as it retained that Soviet Bloc accent.

"Does he know what it's like to kiss you?"

And suddenly the answer struck him with horrifying clarity. Oh, god . . .

"Ben!"

Two voices cried out together as he dropped. A bark of pain escaped him as Gwen gripped his right arm, jostling his shoulder. He fell to his knees, the impact and agony working together to bring his thoughts into some semblance of order. Coming back to reality, he dragged air into his lungs, laboring to regain control of both body and mind. Fresh pain radiating from his shoulder yanked another small cry from him as he bent over. This was worse than when he'd fled the Sector T tree house. Much worse. He'd done some serious damage to his shoulder. He shouldn't have come back. He shouldn't have come . . .

"Hold on," breathed Gwen anxiously. "Don't move. Stay right there!"

"You're hurt!"

Strong and gentle hands were easing him back against the wall as carefully as if he was made of glass. Ben opened his eyes, blinking to clear his vision, and recoiled when he realized it was Kevin who braced him.

"Get off of me!" hissed Ben, struggling to escape his grasp.

Kevin looked at him squarely for the first time, and the anguished concern Ben saw in his dark eyes was genuine. Sternly he said, "I'm trying to help. I won't hurt you."

"Don't touch me!" he spat, wondering why Gwen wasn't intervening. Was she letting this happen? He tried to back up but with his back to the wall there was nowhere for him to go. "I don't want your help!"

"Well, you need it," argued Levin, keeping Ben from toppling over.

"What, just like I wanted you to attack me?"

Kevin winced, looking as if Ben had slapped him. "I - will you just listen for a minute?" he begged. "Please?"

"To you? No!"

"Well, fine! I'll say it anyway!" snapped the Osmosian, matching Ben's tone and level of tension. "I'm sorry for what I did, Ben. I am so goddamned sorry for trying to push you into telling me who you were seeing and trying to force myself on you and sorry that I ever, ever hurt you. I have no excuse other than that I'm a selfish bastard. I was scared and I felt jealous and threatened by someone I don't even know and I know you don't care and don't want to hear this now, but I'll never have another chance. I. Am. Sorry. I'm sorry and I hate myself for what I did you and your cousin. You're my best friend and my brother. I would do anything to make it up to you if I could."

His hands were trembling as he held Ben. There was no doubt in Tennyson's mind that Kevin's words and regret were perfectly sincere. He also didn't give a damn how sorry Kevin was. The damage was done. He was not playing this game. There was a rush of footsteps as Gwen came pounding down the stairs, a wet towel in her hands. She skidded to a halt at the sight of Kevin fighting to keep Ben from falling over.

Wrongly sensing a chance at redemption, Kevin softly pleaded, "Tell me, Ben. What can I do?"

And then from behind Kevin came a savage, heavily accented voice. "You can unhand him this instant, Mr. Levin."