Author's Note: Yeah I'm back! I own nothing.

15 Interrupted

The group split after that, Al and Jen off to Jen's house in Veraxi's car so she could change out of her smoothie stained clothes and throw them into the wash. They decided to head to the movies since Al had never been. He let Jen pick the movie, she went with a cheesy action flick she'd been wanting to see for a while now and had a blast explaining what was happening to Al. Apparently they had something similar to it on Apollo 1 but it was mostly used for educational purposes in the castle. Al had spent most of his time in the palace, learning the art of healing.

Apollonites were beings distantly related to Anodites and healed through the use of mana manipulation. No Apollonite was quite strong enough to actually manipulate mana the way Gwen did. There were a select few who could use their mana as a weapon and shoot it like arrows at an enemy, they were few and far between and were trained as warriors from the discovery of this ability onward.

Al was quite impressed when Jen told him about their recent discovery of their Anodite heritage.

"I would have loved to meet your grandmother and your grandfather. It's rare that an Anodite to interact with non energy beings. Your grandfather sounds like he was an extraordinary. Just like his granddaughter." They were outside the theater standing far to close. Jen blushed brightly as Al leaned even closer. They were inches apart when a loud honking sounded across the street. They jumped apart as Kevin rolled down his window laughing loudly. Jen glared at him and flipped him off as Gwen smacked him upside the head with the flat of her palm.

"Sorry." He rubbed his head. "We were going to that diner on the edge of town, wondered if the lovebirds wanted to join us." Jen's glare intensified.

"My treat." Gwen offered as a placation and Jen rolled her eyes, but she nodded and offered Al her hand. He took it with a smile and they got into the backseat of the car.

Kevin did try to make up for ruining their almost kiss at the diner. He paid, insisting on it when Gwen protested. He also acted like a complete idiot which made both girls laugh and confused Al which just made them laugh harder. It was only when a car alarm started blaring distantly that he sobered.

"I know that alarm." He bolted from the booth, Gwen not far behind him. Jen glanced at Al and nodded, following her cousin the alien prince's hand in hers.

They found Kevin's car at the bottom of a dead end cliff. Jen caught a glimpse of Cash and JT racing off into the trees at full tilt. The car itself was mostly undamaged, the back fender was dented and the trunk had popped when it collided with the tree trunk. There were a few things scattered here and there from the trunk, some of it leading off in the direction Kevin had chased Cash and JT. Jen picked up the small black box from that morning. Glancing around she frowned as Gwen looked over the contents of the trunk.

"Looks like they didn't get anything too dangerous." Jen shook her head.

"Gauntlet from this morning isn't here." Kevin swore loudly as he stormed back into the clearing.

"I'm gonna hurt them for every scratch on my car!" Gwen rolled her eyes and raised a hand. A pink ramp materialized under the car and Jen stepped up behind it.

"Come on, you can beat Cash and JT up later. Let's get your car back up to the road." Kevin grumbled but nodded. Al stepped up next to Jen. Between the tree of them, and Gwen's ramp, they managed to get the car back up onto the road in record time. Kevin grouched over the dent in the fender and the broken locking mechanism on the trunk. Jen frowned at him.

"Do you think Cash and JT could do something with the gauntlet?" Kevin shrugged.

"Probably not they didn't take the control box. I'm gonna have to replace that lock." Jen rolled her eyes.

"Why'd you take the control box anyway?" Jen asked, pulling the box in question out of her pocket.

"Wanted to know why a technodrone was out here. The control box is like the black box on an airplane. Should be able to find out what it was after with that." Kevin said shrugging. Jen tossed the box in the air and caught it again.

"Bet Ed would let you work on your car at the shop while I take a look at the control box down in the Hole." Kevin looked up at her and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan Jenny." Jen punched him in the arm, hard.

"You know I hate that nickname."

"I know" Kevin grinned. "That's why I call you Jenny." She glared at him as she turned back to Al, her expression softening.

"Sorry this date ended in disaster too." Al shook his head and took her hand gently kissing the back of it again.

"Not at all. As I said before, I very much enjoy your company no matter the context." Jen went bright red and Gwen grinned at her cousin.

"We should drop you back at your place Al. Then head to the Hole. No making out in my backseat though." Kevin said grinning as he secured the trunk closed with a few bungie chords. Jen's blush darkened and she hid her face in her hands as Gwen turned to Kevin frowning.

"What is making out?" Al asked innocently, clearly unaware of the meaning of the earth phrase. Jen squeaked and buried her head deeper into her hands. Gwen glared at Kevin for another moment before taking pity on the alien.

"He means kissing Al. It's a human phrase that means passionately kissing." Kevin was barely containing his laughter at this point. Jen was fully hidden behind her hands at this point and Al's cheeks were glowing brightly through his ID mask. Jen kicked Kevin in the shin, hard and got into the backseat as he swore and clutched his injured limb.

"Ow!" Kevin rubbed his shin as Al slipped into the other side of the backseat. Gwen glared at the Osmosian.

"You know you're really an ass sometimes Kevin." Without another word the redhead slipped into the passenger side and crossed her arm waiting for Kevin. He blew out a breath and rolled his eyes.

"I was just teasing them." He muttered as he slid into the drivers side and clicked his seat belt into place.