I only have like, the first four DVDs of Alien Force and I ain't too sure on where I am supposed to be around here, so I won't be adding anything from the episodes…at least not much... I'm gonna squeeze things in from 'Save the Last Dance', but only because the Baby Chills were adorable and it would give Ben a chance to get used to being a mother! XD Ok, I will try to add things in from other episodes, but we're going at this by my pace and whatever. Anyway, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10. Wish I did because it would be fun, but I don't.
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It was 'James this' and 'James that'. Kevin was ready to strangle James. The guy is too nice, it freaked Kevin out. It brought out the street kid in him, the kid that he used to be before he met Ben. He would probably be laughed at, but his conscience sounded a lot like his kid self from when he lived on the streets. He learned the smarts. Learned how to read people and never trusted many. He was exposed to the world's cruelty at an early age.
Ben and Gwen, on the other hand, have lived mostly sheltered lives. They probably weren't aware of how difficult the world could be before Ben got the Omnitrix and had to fight aliens on an almost daily basis. Even then, they only dealt with aliens and not with the bad side of humanity. He wasn't even thinking about Dr. Animo or any other mortal human enemy Ben has made over the years.
Everyone had a darker side, some more than others. Kevin himself was a good example, when he remembered all he did as a kid living on the streets. Never knowing the difference between right and wrong, or know yet choosing to do the wrong. Poor Ben and Gwen were so used to agreeing with good aliens and fighting bad aliens, they never took the time to realize that there is plenty of bad in humanity, mostly covered up or ignored.
Sometimes, Kevin wanted to thank his mother for dumping him on the streets. If she didn't, then he wouldn't have this sixth sense. And currently, as he watched James and Ben, that sixth sense was screaming at him.
What started out as a normal day at Mr. Smoothie's (talking about aliens, what they could be planning, then joking around just to make each other laugh) took a turn that made Kevin want to punch someone.
Namely James.
The guy was all over Ben! And Ben, being the nice guy he is, just invited his boyfriend to sit with them and James practically pulled Ben onto his lap. Yeah, Kevin can read this guy like a freaking magazine.
Gwen was completely accepting of the guy. Barely knew him yet she was fine with him wrapping himself around Ben like he was trying to devour him. Jealousy may play a big factor in the reason as to why Kevin doesn't like James, but the little voice in his head ordering him to keep an eye on the guy was a large factor, too.
"Hey, I'm gonna go get another smoothie, okay, guys?" Ben said.
"I'll go with you," Gwen stated as the teen rose to his feet. She stood as well and the two headed towards the building to order some more.
Ben paused for a moment. "James, got a specific flavor you want?" he called over his shoulder.
"Umm… Just a strawberry banana would be good," James answered with a small smile.
"Alright!" Ben exclaimed before the cousins continued on their way.
"Whatever you're planning, no one is going to let you go through with it," Kevin warned James.
James turned narrowed eyes to him and the smile he had fell into a tight line. "Who says I'm planning anything with Ben?" James asked.
"Who mentioned you were planning something with Ben?" Kevin shot back with a triumphant smirk.
James glared at him. "Well it's probably safe to assume that is who you are talking about, being his friend and all," James pointed out.
"First off, you know what the say about assuming," Kevin pointed out, lifting one finger. "It makes an ass out of you and me. And I don't like being made an ass out of." He lifted a second finger. "Second, I'm not his friend, I'm his ex."
James snorted. "No wonder he ditched you and got with me," the other teen commented.
"Cruising for a bruising," Kevin warned.
"Why do you even care what he does with whoever he wants?" James scoffed. "He left you. He's mine now. What we do is none of your concern."
Kevin glared. The way this guy said that really made him uncomfortable. "I'm just keeping an eye out for him," Kevin stated, shrugging his shoulders as he straightened up a little bit. "Besides, I bet there isn't a thing about Ben you really know."
"Oh really?" James drawled out with a challenging expression. "Try me."
"Favorite color?"
"Blue."
"Wrong."
"Huh?"
"Favorite show?"
"Sumo Slammers."
"I'll give you that one. Favorite sport?"
"Soccer."
"Nope."
"Now I know you're lying."
Kevin smirked. "I'm only proving how little you really know," he pointed out. "His favorite color is green, dipshit. What, don't notice what he's wearing? Or are you too busy mentally undressing him? And just because he plays soccer doesn't mean it's his favorite sport."
"Then what is?" James asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Classified," Kevin taunted before noticing the cousins coming back towards the table, both holding two smoothies each. "You know, normally it's the guy that is supposed to get the drinks," he told James before the Tennyson cousins were in hearing range. James glared at him.
"What's going on?" Gwen asked when she noticed James's glare and Kevin smug expression.
Ben sat next to James, handing him his smoothie. The glare vanished as though it was never there as James thanked Ben for the beverage and kissed Ben on the cheek. Kevin's smug look turned into a glare as Ben blushed and tried to hide his face as he drank his smoothie.
"Nothing," Kevin answered Gwen, taking the smoothie she offered him. "Jamsie and I were just having a talk."
"Jamsie?" James exclaimed.
"He gives nearly everyone he meets a weird nickname," Ben pointed out.
"You know that better than anyone, don't cha, Benji?" Kevin asked with a smirk. "And dude, that's my nickname for him! I called him that first!"
Ben looked up at this, a little surprised. Kevin rarely acted like this.
"Kevin, what is with you?" Gwen asked.
"Nothing!" Kevin defended.
Gwen gave him a hard look, then grabbed his arm. "We'll be right back," she told Ben and James, who were watching with wide eyes, amusement in James's eyes, as she dragged Kevin away for a talk. Kevin barely managed to protest before he and Gwen were next to his car and out of hearing range of the other two. "Alright, Kevin. Talk."
"What?" Kevin asked, feigning confusion. He suspected what she was talking about, but had to make sure unless he wanted to make her really mad.
"Why are you so hostile towards James?" she specified.
His suspicions were right. "I don't trust him," he stated. "He's way too nice. He was practically making Ben sit on his lap. And I noticed his hands keep going somewhere they shouldn't."
Gwen crossed her arms. "So what?" she said. "You think James is going to hurt Ben or make him do something he doesn't want to do?"
"Yeah, basically," Kevin answered with a nod. "Look, I learned to read people. Remember when I was a kid living on the streets? Just another freak running around with a power all my own. Every bit of kindness I got generally ended with me being hurt or abandoned or anything like that. After the first few times, I learned to read people. They can be all smiles and sunshine, but it's in their tones and their eyes. James is interested in Ben, but not in a good way. He's going to end up hurting him."
"Like you did before?" Gwen stated. Kevin flinched. "He loved you. And I can tell he still does now, but he thinks you don't love him anymore. What you did five years ago really did hurt him."
"Things happened! I couldn't keep contact!" Kevin exclaimed, ignoring the slight bit of hope there was for him and Ben to get back together. "Besides, this isn't about me! This is about those two over there!"
"Ben's happy now!" Gwen yelled at him. "And you can't stand that he's with someone else! He's better off with James than someone who would just leave him."
Kevin narrowed his eyes. "You're supposed to be the smart one," he pointed out before walking by her. "I may have left before and a lot of times before that, but do you notice something? I always come back."
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Their latest mission taught them a valuable lesson. Not all Plumber Kids were good. And it taught Gwen something as well. When Kevin's 'sixth sense' makes him not trust anyone or find anyone suspicious, there was a reason. Kevin did try to warn them that something was wrong with Michael Morningstar, but neither listened to him. Just like they won't trust him about James. Now, Gwen was starting to doubt herself.
Kevin said not to trust Morningstar, that just because someone has a Plumber's Badge doesn't make them a Plumber or automatically make them a good guy. They couldn't trust Morningstar. He warned them both, and they ignored him. After a while, Ben finally did believe Kevin about Michael. And after falling into Michael's trap, so did Gwen.
The cousins were dropped off at Ben's house and Gwen called her parents to let them know where she was and that she would be staying the night. She and Ben needed to talk.
"You sure you're alright?" Ben worriedly asked her as she sat next to him on his bed.
"A little tired still, but I'm fine," she assured him, patting his arm. "Ben, maybe I should tell you something important."
"What is it?" the other urged, grabbing a pillow and putting it on his lap. "Did Michael do anything else to you?"
"It has nothing to do with Michael," she told him. "It's about Kevin."
"So he was right," Ben shrugged off. "He notices things faster than other people do and he doesn't trust others very well. Remember?"
"That's exactly my point," Gwen stated. Ben was still confused. "Ben, Kevin was saying the same things about Michael that he's been saying about James, the Plumber thing being the only exception. Like you said, Kevin notices things faster than anyone else. And it takes a lot to earn his trust. He generally gives anyone he thinks is okay a chance, but he didn't with Michael. And he still hasn't concerning James."
"So what?" Ben scoffed. "You're starting to think James is bad for me, too? You were the one telling me to move on."
"I know, but maybe you should just be careful around him," Gwen assured him. "Think about this. When has Kevin ever been wrong about trusting certain people?"
Ben stared off to the side a little bit. So far, Kevin has been right about people. Way before Michael, he remembered the summer when they first met. During the time Kevin was with them, he kept an eye on Ben since he was too trusting. He didn't like Gwen much during that time, though he seemed to have warmed up to her lately. There were always a few people that Ben thought were okay, but Kevin always dragged him away from those people, saying something wasn't right with them. He was right then.
Why should he doubt what Kevin says? He was pretty sure his ex wasn't saying the things he's been saying about James just because he was jealous. He doubted Kevin was jealous at all. He most likely moved on a long time ago. Still, Kevin did have a good judgment on people. If he says something was wrong, then there was.
"Alright," he sighed. "I'll be careful around James, but I still think you guys are being a little paranoid."
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"Here," Kevin said, tossing the Tennyson cousins small devices. Both caught what was thrown at them. They looked like miniature Plumber badges. "They're tracking devices. In case either of you get into trouble, I doubt the bad guys would let you talk on the phone and call for help. Just press the surface button and anyone with a Plumber's Badge can track you. Or in Ben's case, the Omnitrix can track you." He pulled out a Plumber's badge while pulling out his own and handed one to Gwen. "Keep it on you."
"How long have you been working on these?" Ben asked, holding his small tracking device in the palm of his hand.
"A while," Kevin answered. "Just put it somewhere. Pocket or whatever. Just a precaution. We're not always going to be able to contact each other whenever we're in trouble."
"The Plumber badges already have tracking devices in them as well as communication devices," Ben pointed out. "Why did you make these?"
"Because they're small and hard to find," Kevin answered with a grin. "If any one of us is caught and our Plumber Badges are found before we can enable the tracking systems in the badges, we're out of luck. Yeah, the Omnitrix may have a tracking system in it somewhere, but we haven't found it yet. But these are so small, the bad guys won't be able to find them and they can be activated, no problem."
"That makes sense," Gwen commented, taking a closer look at the one she had.
"Just one thing, don't use them if you only want a ride to get a smoothie," Kevin playfully added with a smirk.
"Nah, we'll come bug you ourselves for that one," Ben assured just as playful, waving the older teen off.
"Ha-ha, you're killing me here," Kevin sarcastically stated.
"So, anything new about the DNAliens or the Plumbers yet?" Gwen asked before Ben could retort.
"Maybe," the darker teen answered. "I haven't checked." He turned around and headed towards his car, entering it and messing around with a few things inside. "Nope," he called out. "Nothing so far."
"Good," Gwen stated. "Then we need you're help."
"No smoothies," Kevin snapped at them.
"It's not that," Ben said solemnly. "My cousin and Gwen's brother is missing. We need some help finding him."
Kevin sighed heavily, but knew he could not deny the Tennyson cousins. He learned a long time ago that when they set their minds to one task, they would stop at nothing. "I think I can manage," he said. "Get in."
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Alrighty then. A couple of mentions from the early episodes and a few other odds and end. I will get to work on the next chapter as soon as I can, just give me time. Plz review!