"Hi Gwen."

Gwen turned her head to see her friend, Stacy, walking toward her as she stood at her locker.

"Hi Stacy. What's up?"

"Oh, same as always. Trying to keep up with classes. Mom always has something to gripe about, the usual...You?"

"Same," she answered. "Including the part about mom. She's obsessed with college now." She mocked her mother's voice. "If gallivanting around with your cousin keeps you from getting into a good college then you're not going to be allowed to do it."

Stacy laughed. "But you guys do such amazing things. She would really keep you from doing it?"

"Oh yes. She knows her priorities.

Ben's lucky. His parents are all behind our hero work. Especially his dad."

Stacy smiled. "Well I guess he should be. He's part of Earth defense too, now isn't he?"

"Yup," Gwen chuckled, "followed in HIS father's footsteps. Ben practically did a cartwheel when he heard about that."

Stacy laughed too. Then she changed the subject. "Speaking of Ben..."

'Oh boy', Gwen thought. Stacy was playing with a lock of her hair. That was enough to tell Gwen where this was going.

Stacy continued. "I don't suppose you could, you know, find a way to get on the subject and maybe suggest to him to ask me out?"

Inside Gwen fumed. They knew this was going to be hard. Since that day she risked the first step and gave him that first kiss, they had known it, but she was getting really tired of the charade.

She made up an excuse like always. "I'll ask. He's got a heavy training schedule though."

"You're the best, thanks."

"You're welcome," Gwen said with what she hoped wasn't an obvious forced smile. "We've got to go though, class will be starting soon."

That conversation distracted her through the rest of the day. After the last class she found Ben as usual.

"Hi Ben?"

"How's my favorite dweeb?"

Gwen hesitated for a moment. "I'll tell you about that. Can we go somewhere and talk?"

Ben got the idea that this time that wasn't a euphemism for a make out session. "Yeah, should I take us to our usual place?"

He hoped his tone made it clear that he understood she really meant she had something to talk about.

She nodded. "Yeah, that'll be fine."

Ben transformed into Jetray, A new flying alien that he usually used when carrying Gwen since it didn't have the smell that gave stinkfly its name.

Sometime later they arrived at the spot where they often trained and spent some alone time without worrying about being caught.

"What's up Gwen? Is everything okay?"

She just jumped right in. "Stacy wanted me to fix her up with you."

"What did you tell her?"

"Just that I'd ask, but that you're pretty busy." She added. "You know, the usual."

Ben nodded. Modesty aside, he knew that some of the girls were interested in him; and Gwen...Well, she was one of the prettiest girls in school, THE prettiest in his opinion; And he was fairly certain that he wasn't the only one who held that opinion.

"I know what you mean. I've had a few of the guys ask me if you were going out with anyone. Wanted to know if they had a chance; asked me to try to talk them up around you."

She put her arms around his neck. "Well I do have a boyfriend, and there's no way I'm letting him go."

He put his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss. When they separated, he said, "That boyfriend of yours is a lucky guy."

She chuckled a little. "He's awesome, and a true hero, and I love him with all my heart."

Ben pulled her in for a few more kisses. He moved to her neck. She giggled and scrunched her neck. "Eeeehe, Ben! Stop, you know I'm ticklish."

"Well yeah," he said, adding. "Otherwise it wouldn't be any fun."

"And is that the only reason it's fun? You just want to tickle me?"

"Well not just that," he told her as they sat on the ground together. He asked, "So have any of them asked you out?"

"Yeah," she told him. "I always just come up with some excuse. Well except for one guy, Dwayne." she pronounced his name with a disdainful tone. "I just told him to buzz off." She added, "I'd sooner go out with Kevin Levin than that creep."

"That's a sick idea if I ever heard one," Ben said.

"Well, let me help you get that awful image out of your mind," she said as she nibbled on his ear.

"Forgotten," he said in a blissful tone. As she pulled away Ben said in mock alarm. "Wait, oh no, that image it's coming back. Help!"

Gwen giggled and leaned into a deep kiss, one meant to convey that he was her one and only. She wanted to fill his heart with love and have hers filled by him.

When they ended the kiss she asked, "There, did that get that awful idea out of your mind?"

"What idea?" he asked, earning another giggle from Gwen.

But he knew they had a serious matter to deal with, so he sat back and asked her, "So, what do you want to do about all of this unwanted attention?"

She sat back. "I'm not sure. I mean we knew that we'd have this kind of problem. My mom is starting to wonder why I haven't accepted any dates."

"Yeah, I'm getting the same thing from my parents. Although I think with mine, they may be starting to suspect why."

A puzzled expression came to Gwen's face. "Why do you say that?"

"Just little things," Ben said. "Like they never ask, 'how's Gwen?' It's always 'how's your cousin'."

Ben went to the thing that was worrying him. "Gwen...you're not...Are you thinking it's too much. Ya know, more than you bargained for?"

"WHAT? NO!" She wrapped her arms around him. She knew he sometimes questioned whether he was worthy to be loved. This was just a symptom of that.

"Ben Tennyson, we've been through way more than some outside social pressure for each other. No way, mister. You're MINE. And I'm never giving you up!"

He smiled. "Well, we have a couple of choices. Just keep dealing with this like we are. And hope people don't start to figure it out, or just come out with it ourselves."

"Yeah. Maybe...maybe we could risk talking to grandpa. Then he might have some advice."

Ben smiled. "Sure, you weren't reading my mind?"

"Yeah, I am. And this is what you want." She brought her lips to his for a little cuddle and make out time.

That Saturday the two went to see Max.

"Hi kids. How are things?"

"Great grandpa," Gwen said.

"Well, I'm glad you guys came to see me. I have a few things to talk to you about," he told them.

That caught the kids off guard. Ben said, "Um, okay, you go first."

"Alright," Max said. "Well there are two things." He hesitated. "Well, might as well just get it out. Kids, I wanted you to be the first to know, I just proposed to Xylene...and she said yes."