Chapter 76: Peace of Mind

So, this chapter marks the end of the Vreedle Brothers arc. It honestly dragged on a bit, but I still think it was necessary. And it was pretty fun to write this chapter, so there's that too.

Quick shout-out to my newest oneshot, As the Story is Told, which can be easily found on my profile. I wrote it for the 10th anniversary of Ben 10, and I'm honestly quite proud of it. Go check it out when you've got the time.

Also, I'm going back to school soon, which means work and classes and stress again. I should still be updating every other Saturday in the future, but if anything comes up, I'll let you know.

With that said, on with the chapter!

Sam stared in complete and utter horror.

"Here comes the train," Kevin sang, holding a spoon near her mouth. It would have been cute, but the shit-eating grin making itself at home on his face soured the entire thing.

She moved her head petulantly, holding a hand up to stop the spoon in its tracks. "I can feed myself you know."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"Boyfriend privileges?"

Sam glared at him.

"Fiiiine, I just wanted to tease you," Kevin admitted, setting the tray of food down on Sam's lap.

"Okay, you see, that's way more believable."

"Oh shut up."

Sam stuck her tongue out before she spooned chicken soup into her mouth. Curling herself up in the bed, she took a moment to quickly survey the hospital room and its cool blue walls and bookshelves. It was nearly identical to Evan's room when he had to get surgery on his leg; the only difference was that the bathroom was located on the other side of the room.

"Didn't think I'd be the one back here so soon," Sam muttered under her breath.

Kevin heard it anyway. Giving a shrug, he remarked, "Yeah, well, when life throws you a curveball, you roll with it."

"Such wise words, Mr. Levin."

"Oh, and who's teasing who now?"

"Dork."

He gave a short laugh, breathing air through his nose and smiling affectionately. "If you can tease back that means you must be getting better."

Finishing her soup, Sam said, "Yeah, well, absorbing all those forest fires numbed the pain. Didn't stop the bleeding, but it doesn't hurt anymore."

"A small miracle," Kevin said with a nod. And then he furrowed his brow. "Did they ever actually find the Vreedle Brothers?"

Sam thought for a moment, and then answered, "Not as far as I know. I don't think we'll be seeing them again any time soon. I hope. I just really don't want to deal with them anymore," she added as a groan.

"No one does."

"I just want to know why people hire them as repo men when they're clearly so incompetent." Sam nibbled on a cookie in contemplation.

Kevin shrugged again. "They do have a track record for killing off the things they're supposed to be repossessing."

She stared incredulously. "And people keep hiring them?!"

"Yeah, I don't know why either." Kevin rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"And with all the property damage they cause…" Sam moaned.

He quirked an eyebrow. "As compared to the property damage we do?"

She balled up her napkin and threw it at his face, gleefully watching his disbelieving expression when it bounced off his forehead. "You know we don't mean to cause so much trouble. It just happens. The Vreedle Brothers, on the other hand, deliberately destroy everything they touch."

Huffing playfully, Kevin said, "People don't look at it that way."

"Those people can suck it."

"Wow. So eloquent. Much impressed."

Sam gave a mocking shake of her head. "Why am I dating you?"

Kevin gave her a cocky smirk. "Because you love my roguish charm."

She paused for a second, her face indifferent, and then gave a loud snort. Dissolving into giggles, she wrapped her arms around herself to stop her arms from clapping like a seal. A moment later, Kevin joined in, his chuckles only slightly more subdued.

Five minutes later, the two of them finally quieted down, smiles still stuck to their faces. Kevin was idly petting Sam's hair, which was slightly messy from being spread out on a pillow earlier. Rubbing a lock in between his fingers, he said, "You know, I've been wondering about something."

"Oh? And what dastardly plot has preoccupied your thoughts as of late?"

"You sound like an English student."

Sam grinned. "I've been stuck here for a few days, bored out of my mind. Carter lent me books."

Kevin eyed the small stack of secondhand novels on the bedside table, right next to the yellow roses Gwen had brought when she visited earlier. "Obviously."

She raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you wondering about something?"

"Right, right." Twirling the lock around one finger, Kevin continued. "It seems like every time you're really hurt, your hair turns brown, but once you're healthy again, it turns back to this red-orange-yellow mess." He brought up the hair in between his fingers, which was a dull brown color.

Sam sat up properly, putting the tray away. "That's actually a pretty good question. I don't know the science behind it, but it's probably just an indicator that I've lost energy or something."

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, I already figured. What I want to know is why. Like, why red to brown?"

"Oh, well, that's easy to answer," Sam said cheerfully, despite the circles under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. "When redheads get older, their hair slowly changes into this brownish color. Like, you can still tell that it was red at some point and still is, but it's no longer the bright red they had when they were younger. That's why red hair is often attributed to youthfulness and vitality."

Kevin cottoned on. "So when you're not feeling energetic…"

"My hair is brown," Sam finished. Then she added as an afterthought, "Though it's mainly when I'm injured or hospitalized or something. Cause, I mean, I was lethargic after my final exams, but my hair stayed red, which was great because people would have started asking questions and that would have been really problematic."

Kevin finally let go of the lock of hair. "That makes sense. It also explains why your hair is starting to turn red again."

Sam blinked. "It is?" She gathered some of it and looked at the ends. Sure enough, bits of red and orange were poking through all the mud brown. She beamed. "This is awesome! I can leave the hospital soon."

"Yep, just a few more days," Kevin agreed happily.

"But I gotta get my stitches out first." Sam shuddered. "Not looking forward to that."

"No one does."

Sam turned to him questioningly. "Okay, now let's talk about what I've been wondering about."

Kevin leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "Okay, go for it."

"Did you and your mom ever celebrate about your GED? I know it came after that whole Vilgax thing, and then you had to go to Coda-Coda…"

A soft smile overtook his face. "We haven't yet, she's busy with work. But I did tell her." The giddy smile said everything.

Poking his cheek with a finger, Sam teased, "Momma's so proud of her little boy."

Blushing pink, Kevin swatted away her hand. "Shut up."

"No." She stuck out her tongue.

"It's not that big of a deal," he retorted weakly.

She raised an eyebrow, amused. "You got your high school diploma a full year ahead of schedule. Tell me again how that's not a big deal?"

"Okay, it is," Kevin admitted, "but we're not treating it as one. We're just going out to dinner at a fancy restaurant or something."

"That sounds really nice," Sam said sincerely.

"It does, doesn't it?" Kevin took her hand into his own and rubbed circles on the back of it. "I did promise we'd also celebrate."

"After you and your mom," she said sternly. "Family comes first."

"I know, I know," he said good-naturedly. "But how do you want to-"

He was cut off by a loud CRASH. Kevin jumped in his seat at the unexpected sound while Sam tensed and summoned a ball of fire in her free hand. A beat or two later, and she extinguished it, fingers curling over her palm.

"It came from outside," Sam said curtly, glaring at the window. She made to get out of her bed, but Kevin stopped her with an outstretched hand.

"Let me check," he stated, letting go of her hand. He walked over to the window and drew back the curtain slightly to peek outside. He scoffed and said, "We were worried over nothing."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Kevin fully pulled back the curtains to reveal dark gray skies. Heavy rain began to pelt the window, and thunder crashed again before the lightning in the clouds temporarily lit up the sky.

She visibly relaxed. "It's just a summer storm. Those end soon, right?"

"After a few hours, most likely," Kevin mused as he stared out into the dark afternoon sky. And then he went back to the bed. "Not sure how anyone's gonna drive in this weather, though."

Sam gave him an alarmed look. "Oh no, you are not driving in this. You can stay here until it lets up." She then drew back the blankets and made room.

Kevin snorted and shucked off his shoes. "I don't think the hospital would approve."

"Screw the rules, I want cuddles!"

"Fiiine," he drawled out, but his amused smile cut through any annoyance he could have had. Shifting to a comfortable position under the blankets, he hefted Sam on top of him, making sure not to bother her injured side.

"If someone walks in on us, I'm blaming you," Kevin teased, wrapping an arm around her.

Putting her ear over his heart, Sam said, "Go for it. It'll be worth it."

Meanwhile

"NEWTON JAUNE VALENTINE, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Startled, Gwen looked up from her book and took in the scene before her. Evan was running after Newt, who apparently had rocket powered combat boots on. And apparently, Newt had taken the opportunity to throw a pie at Evan from thirty feet in the air. And now Evan was chasing after Newt, who was flying farther and farther away from him.

Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her book. When she had accepted the invitation to check out Force Labs, she had been ecstatic. Now she wished she was back home in her bed, sleeping the storm away.

I'm an idiot.

"No you're not. Also, you should really pay attention to what you're saying."

Startled, Gwen whirled around to see Carter standing beside her, leaning against the wall. The redhead scooted down the bench to make room for her, and the Goth took it gratefully. The two of them took in the scene of people in lab coats at work stations, developing weaponry and small scale airships and what appeared to be a brand new video game.

The screams of Evan and Newt faded into the distance, and Gwen asked, "How're you holding up?"

"Pretty well, all things considered," the other girl said with a shrug. "Sam got the two of us money for medical bills, so that's pretty sweet. And it's storming, which is great in my book."

"Of course you like storms," Gwen said with an affectionate eye roll. And then she pursed her lips in thought. "But isn't that because you get energy from water or something?"

"Yep, and I already know where you're going with this," Carter said, cutting the redhead off. "I can get energy from taking a shower or diving into a river, but with the condition I was in weeks ago, it wouldn't have done much good. I would have been energetic, but I wouldn't have been able to use my legs, which would make it all kind of pointless."

"So there are some things you actually need to go to the hospital for, like when you needed to get your throat stitched up." Gwen made a humming sound. "Sounds like a pain."

"It really is," Carter agreed, slumping. "At least now my usual methods will work. And the storm is definitely going to help."

Gwen raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean?"

"There's something about old forces such as nature that really feel electric, you know?" Carter said, looking up at the domed skylight. Lightning was crackling, but the sound was nonexistent in the lab. "Cordelia always thought of it as a form of ancient magic, like untapped power from the beginning of time."

Gwen blinked, and looked up at the sky as well. "I never really thought of it that way. Cordelia actually does have some good ideas. Don't tell her I said that," she added sharply.

Carter gave a low chuckle. "I don't have to, she already knows. But I do wonder if you can tap into magic as ancient as that. I mean, it's all around us, like the sky and the ocean and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions."

"It also sounds incredibly unstable to use," Gwen argued back. "I'd rather stick with what I know."

She shrugged. "That's fair."

"…But it is food for thought."

That earned her another low chuckle. The two girls went back to staring at the flashing sky, imagining the sounds the storm was making. And then Gwen asked, "Hey, have you talked to Ben yet?"

Carter blew out some air from her nose. "I haven't yet. It's only been a day."

"True." She bit her lip. "I still think you're rushing into things."

The Goth gave a weak smile. "Isn't that what teenagers do? Go into things too quickly?"

Gwen had to smile at that, no matter how small it was. "I guess so. But, for what it's worth, I think you two are good for each other. I hope it works out."

Carter smiled gratefully. "Thank you. But," she added slyly, "I don't need your permission to date your cousin. I would've done it regardless."

Gwen rolled her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. "I know, but I'm giving it to you anyway. Take it or leave it."

"Fiiine, I'll take it," Carter said affectionately, giving the other girl's shoulder a squeeze. And then she stood up and stretched. "The climax of the storm is about to happen. I should go."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Is there a particular reason you need to be outside during the worst part of the storm? Can't you wait until it peters out a bit?"

"I could, but that'll make the energy transfer longer. Might as well get it out of the way. Besides," Carter added with a wistful smile, "storms are calming. Having some peace would be nice."

Gwen gave her a look. "I don't really consider storms peaceful or calming, but whatever floats your boat." She stood up and tucked her book under one arm. "I have to make sure my friend doesn't kill your cousin. See you around."

"Try not to get blood on your clothes," Carter said as she walked away.

Outside

You're stalling.

I know.

Then stop, and go already.

Ben was running- he seemed to be doing that a lot lately, but this time he was running towards the problem. He was going to solve this today, no matter what it took.

…He probably shouldn't have been running in a storm, though.

I'm an idiot.

I know. There was a fond chuckle tacked at the end of that statement.

Shut up, Ventus, you're in my head.

And I'm going to leave it for a bit, since you're almost at your destination. And the god was gone, but instead of a hollow hole in his head, there was a comforting warmth. It was the feeling of knowing that no matter what happened, at least one person was sure to be there for him at the end of it.

The storm was raging around him, and the rain pelted at his skin like cold metal hitting a car. It hurt and Ben felt the cold seep into his bones, but he couldn't get out of the tempest, not yet. He was near the menacing chateau-mansion hybrid, and he had someone to find.

The backyard garden should have been a soft, beautiful place, filled with roses and wildflowers and ivy laden trees that swayed to a gentle breeze. But now everything seemed muted, water dripping from feather soft petals and hitting the dirt, turning the ground into a filthy brown river.

Ben walked into the garden, grimacing as the mud squelched underneath his feet. For a moment, there was the nearly uncontrollable desire to shuck off his shoes and walk barefoot, despite the mud that was surely colder than ice and the rain which felt like bullets against his skin.

-tearing into his heart, blood dribbling down his chest, pain, so much pain-

Ben staggered forward, clutching at his heart. His throat closed in on him, and the taste of bile was in his mouth. His legs shook until he nearly collapsed. But then he took three deep, calming breaths, and slowly the memory faded away. He stood up straight, and on unsteady legs he made his way around the garden.

Truth be told, Ben didn't know why he was making such a detour. Carter's room was nearby, he could just go there and get it all over with. It wasn't like he didn't know what to say- he didn't know how to phrase it per se, but if he waited to figure it out too much time would pass. That, and Ben figured this was one of those things that, even if you plan for it, all the words would just fly away at a moment's notice.

He passed by a row of China tea roses, half of them bruised and destroyed from the weather. Petals plummeted gracelessly to the ground, stirring in the water before being swept away by the river. Ben passed the giant manhole covering, where blue and orange roses laid innocently about.

Ben gave a deep sigh and ran his fingers through his sopping hair. He probably should have grabbed an umbrella before heading out. But then how would he look, Jetray holding an umbrella? That would have just been ridiculous.

He was about to suck in another breath when he suddenly choked. His throat closed in on him again, and suddenly he forgot about the thunder booming in the distance.

Carter was standing before him, completely barefoot. She looked like a ghost, washed out and filmy in the rain. Her face was tipped towards the sky, eyes closed. And then they snapped down to look at him, and Ben could almost feel them piercing through him.

She made a gesture with her head, and he turned to look at the willow tree just a little bit away from them. It was impossibly large, the dense foliage creating a large shadow that could be seen even through the darkness of the storm. There was a bench just underneath it, hidden away by just enough leaves to give someone a bit of privacy.

Carter made her way over there, walking briskly and clearly expecting Ben to follow. And he did, settling down at the end of the damp stone bench, barely brushing shoulders with the girl. He took off his jacket and wrung some water just as she did the same with her hair.

He eyed her bare, mud-caked legs and asked in a surprisingly strong voice, "Do you normally go out in the rain barefoot?"

"Yes," Carter stated. "That's the only way to enjoy it."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "And if you get sick afterwards?"

"That's part of the enjoyment process, you know." She gave a sagely nod.

"I don't think there's a process for that."

"You'd be surprised."

There was an awkward silence. The repertoire had almost been like before, without any walls to break or heaviness to sift through. But now the problem was settling over them, and how in the seven layers of hell were they supposed to break through that?

"Rare to see you walking through my backyard," Carter said blithely, staring straight out towards the rain. The foliage just above them protected them from the weather, that was how densely packed it was. "Normally you just fly in to my balcony."

"I needed to clear my head," Ben replied, his voice low. He couldn't look at her, not yet. "This is a good place for it."

"That is why Cordelia had it set up."

"I would have figured Isaac, to be honest."

Carter groaned. "Knowing him, he probably did, but completely forgot about it when he got obsessed over some bit of research. And then Cordelia probably picked it up for him."

Ben leaned back, his jacket over his knees. "That sounds like him."

"How are you feeling, by the way?" Carter asked, peering at him from the corner of her eye.

He started. "What?"

"I thought you hated storms," she stated, this time looking at him right in the eye.

"Only at night," he mumbled, leaning forward and looking away. "Storms at night are the worst."

"At least you're honest about it," Carter said nonchalantly, leaning back and putting her hands on the bench for balance. "Just one of the qualities I love about you."

White noise filled his ears, stifling out the sounds of rain and thunder. His entire body felt electric. He slowly turned and asked in a voice barely above a whisper, "You do?"

"Well, yeah," Carter said, as if he should already know this (except how was he supposed to know, this was first time he was hearing this, what was going on). "I mean, you're stubborn as hell, and you have a hero complex bigger than the Milky Way galaxy, and you're kind of an idiot, but you're also the kindest person I know. Seriously, who else decides at ten years old that they'll use the most powerful weapon in the universe to help people?" The look she gave him was a mix between fondness and exasperation, and he didn't know how those two emotions could possibly coexist in one expression.

But Carter wasn't done yet. "You're kind, and you care so much for the people you love. You literally stepped in front of a gun and took a bullet for your best friend. Like, how amazing is that, seriously?" She threw up her hands. "You see the good in people when they don't see it themselves, and you just don't give up on anyone, ever. You mind telling me how I'm not supposed to fall for you? No, seriously, tell me, I want to hear the answer to that."

Ben opened his mouth, closed it, and it stayed shut. He put a hand over his mouth, his mind processing and processing and failing to compute. She had said all that in such an exasperated tone, as if he should know all this and why was she bothering to explain it? Admitting all that should have caused at least some embarrassment, and yet she didn't feel it. To her, it was just like stating a fact; everything she said had long since been engraved into her mind and heart, and there was nothing else for it.

He must have just been staring at her, because Carter gave a loud sigh and stood up, brushing wayward water droplets from her skirt. "Come on, we've been out here long enough. We should probably get you something warm before you succumb to pneumonia and die or something, though you'll probably still get sick at this point-"

"I love you."

It was said in a small voice, a little bit scared, but a whole lot more brave. She stopped what she was saying and turned to look at him. Ben couldn't read the expression on her face, but he thought it looked somewhat quizzical.

"I love you," he said again, his voice just a bit more steady.

Her expression softened, and she knelt down before him, removing his jacket from his knees and putting it right next to him. She gently brushed her fingers against his cheek and flicked something away. And then Carter smiled, not the sad, wistful ones she had been giving him recently, but a fond, almost shy smile.

"Isn't the girl supposed to be the one crying in a situation like this?" she wondered, an unsteady lilt in her voice.

Ben blinked, and he could feel the stinging in his eyes as hot tears fell down his face. His body slowly began to shake, and he could feel a sob beginning to climb up his throat. "I love you," he said once more, strong and sure, right before he clutched her arms for dear life.

Gently putting a hand behind his head, she put his face to her neck and wrapped her other arm around his back, holding him as sobs began to wrack his body. She ran her fingers through his hair and he gripped the back of her shirt, listening as she whispered, "I love you," into his ear over and over again, her voice as soft as a lullaby.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, him crying into her arms. But all he knew was that afterwards, the world somehow, just a little bit, felt right again.

I like the way I ended this chapter. I've never felt more at peace with an ending until I wrote this. I'm proud of myself for that. XD

So, thoughts anyone?