Within the first hour, Gwen had already completed most of her homework that had accumulated over the past few weeks and was currently working on her assignments. Despite all that had happened, Gwen was finally happily relaxing into the depths of a good physics book. Alone and happy. Or so she thought.

She sighed as she heard her phone vibrate. Her grandfather had brought her a new one as a 'sorry you got blown-up' present. A Samsung galaxy S7 complete with a protective casing of course. She was surprised when she opened the packet and there wasn't a Nokia sitting there. She hugged, smiled and said thank you but she didn't really need an expensive phone. Max would always shrug his shoulders and say 'It'll help you fit in more at school'. By that he meant, it'll make you look a little more normal and maybe deter attention away from the fact that she was Ben 10's cousin. Yet, people still felt the need to remind her everyday.

"Yes Ben?" She answered her voice frustrated and stirred. He could already sense the venom dripping off her lips within seconds.

"Cooper called, said you were in trouble"

"Only disturbing the silence in the library" She muttered back sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

She could hear his nostrils flair as he attempted to be nice to her.

"Okay, see ya later, Dweeb" The phone went dead.

"Duface" Gwen narrowed her eyes before clicking off the phone and attending to her work. A small scribble in her notebook before she felt a familiar presence nearby. Her eyes lit up before she turned around only to find a man leaning over her.

"K-Kevin?" She stared shocked at him. Why was he in the library?

He stared down at her, surprised that she would actually be able to tell that he was so close. It was actually scary.

"Hey!" He chuckled nervously.

"What are you doing here?" She asked trying not to sound too rude.

"I-I...um...was looking for a book on the working of submersible engines"

She arched her eyebrow.

"Submersible engines?"

"...Yep"

Gwen thought for a moment, looking over the shelves of books.

"It may be in the back section, I think" She placed the pen behind her ear before she turned back to Kevin.

He shuffled in his spot, nervous by her lack of effort to jump into his arms and say 'my hero'.

"Could you show me. I'm not good with libraries"

"Sure" She stood up, removing her glasses on her desk and closing her laptop. Kevin was curious as to why she wasn't so esctatic as to seeing him. Truely, he felt disappointed. She quietly guided him to the last bookshelf where most of the books were 'how to fix a car for dummies'. Kevin frowned, being a little defensive to his predicament with the Tennyson. He was an expert at fixing cars; he didn't need a book he just wanted her. He wished she could see that but all he saw was the present scowl apparent on her face. She was obvious upset with something and he was hoping it wasn't him.

"Why do you look so pissed off?" The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could even stop himself. She stared at him shocked for a moment before placing a hand on her forehead and sighing loudly.

"My cousin doesn't stop following. Every where I go he needs to 'check-in'. I think he even hired Cooper just to escort me to the library and it's literally like a kilometer from my house"

She wailed her arms furious that he would go to such lengths as to keep an eye on her. Kevin was star-struck and happy at the same time. He thought she was annoyed and somewhat terrified to see him. Well, that was the casual look for most girls that approached him. He wasn't the smoothest with the ladies. Although, even he knew he was attractive.

He rubbed his chin thinking about Gwen's dilemma.

"We could...go somewhere else"

She looked up into his eyes wanting a further explanation for his idea.

"Like my garage or-"

"The park!" Gwen exclaimed surprisingly excited to Kevin's knowledge.

He just shrugged at her remark and nodded.

"Sure, I mean; whatever" He placed his hands into his pocket trying to look cool. Gwen just smiled, stifling a giggle before she walked back over to her equipment and began packing up.

"I haven't been to the park in ages" She smiled brightly at him as she whispered trying to avoid the librarians around the room. Kevin smiled back. Something about her smile always made him smile brighter. He read it in a psychology book once.

She walked over to him, bag slung over her shoulder.

"Ready?" She asked.

He extended his elbow towards her.

"M'lady" He joked. She just smirked shoving him lightly before linking arms with him gently.

Birds tweeted quietly in the Winter sunlight as a series of joggers passed by. The wind had picked up moderately but it didn't deter the couple from heading out for the day. They sat there in the park laughing and chuckling as they ate ice-cream together, chatting about their lives and watching as people passed by paying the two no mind. It made them feel...normal.

"So your cousin's teaching you to drive. Are you serious?" Kevin laughed his head off as Gwen blushed. It had been a problem for her in a sense. Ben had gotten his licence first due to grandpa teaching him before her. He had constantly insisted on teaching her but everytime she asked he would always say he was busy.

"Well suppose to be" She exclaimed thinking back to the many times she had accidentally hit his car on a series of obstacles and him never getting angry, just insisting that she pay for a round of smoothies at the end. It was a lot cheaper then paying for fuel.

"It's been months and he still hasn't taken me" Gwen muttered thinking back to her cousin practically dictating where and when she could go together. And Ben had insisted that they stick together, despite school.

"Why doesn't he take you"

Gwen sighed trying to think of an answer to excuse her cousin but as hard as she tried to think about it the same answer always came up.

"I don't know; I don't think he wants me to drive"

Kevin arched his eyebrow.

"I don't really stray that far from home. If it's not school, karate or the library then I'm always with Ben"

"No wonder you two go insane around each other"

Gwen shook her head.

"He's been over-protective of me ever since we lost our parents. I know he has good intentions but I can't even have friends over anymore without Ben interrogating them" She slumped over thinking about her predicament.

Kevin felt sorry for the girl; he really did. Losing her family then being stuck on a tight-leash with Tennyson. It couldn't have been easy. He was surprised by how much she puts up with it but then he figured; the two need each other.

"...I could take you if you want"

Gwen arched eyebrow.

"Driving; I could take you for a driving lesson"

"You would actually take me driving?"

He smiled down at her, as he nudged her lightly.

"Really?" She muttered back, eyes lighting up in excitement before polishing off her ice cream and throwing the wrapper in the bin. Kevin practically chugged his ice-cream down ignoring the brain-freeze he got before grabbing the keys to his car and passing it to her.

"Watch the pain-job" He threw her the keys. Gwen just shrugged. She wasn't insured on his car; she would have to watch everything.

"Okay, so this is the handbrake" Kevin pointed sitting in the passenger seat of his ride as Gwen sat in the driver side. She scanned all the equipment and extra buttons Kevin had in the small seat before she looked over to the main features he was pointing at. He was just going to take her for a spin around the car-park and then the block. Sounded easy none-the-less. It was something she could manage.

"Alright, that's pretty much all you need to know. Just keep it steady and don't kill us" He joked lightly making her roll her eyes.

"I won't" She adjusted the rear-view mirror before starting the car. She released the hand-break, placed the car into first and slowly removed her left foot off the clutch as she pressed equal pressure on the accelerator. The car took off slowly and in a controlled fashion. Kevin's eyes lit up shocked; she was a natural. She changed to second and to third as the car steadily drove down the narrow streets of the suburban area.

"Sure you haven't driven before"

She shrugged.

"I've read a few books on driving" She admitted. Kevin just laughed at her not surprised by her answer.

"This is actually pretty fun" She smiled brightly towards the window leaning back in the chair and getting comfortable.

"Yeah, she's a great ride"

"She?"

"Yeah, my car"

Gwen stiffled a giggle keeping her eyes fixated on the road.

"Whatever you say, Kevin" She smiled, changing to forth gear. Kevin couldn't help but watch her. It was moments like these he killed for. He wished she was her's again, back in his garage. Practically helpless. Like taking care of a baby-bird. He just wanted to keep it and be there for it. But she wasn't a pet or an animal for that matter. She had a family; she had responsibilities; she had a life. He frowned at the thought. He wished she could've just stayed round his longer than a few days. He would've spent more time doing whatever she wanted to do. It didn't even have to be fixing his car, the could just sit there and -

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT DOG!" Kevin screamed. Gwen instantly forced the breaks on, making the car turn a screeching halt. Kevin breathed out relieved but Gwen looked petrified at the animal. Kevin arched his eyebrow noticing her unstering gaze before he took another look at the creature noticing the orange hair, no eyes and above all; an Plumber symbol on the side of it's arm.

"Shit!" Kevin breathed out turning to Gwen.

She pulled the car into reverse and looked behind her.

"What are you doing?" Kevin asked.

She took one glance at him before she drove into someone's drive-way conducting a three-point turn.

"I can't deal with my cousin right now" She muttered back driving back up to the park and stopping the car. Kevin was silent by her actions, but it didn't surprise him that she would actually go out of her way to avoid him.

She parked the car, placing on the hand-break and shifting the knob into neutral before she pulled out her phone. Kevin couldn't help but ease-drop and noticed she had at least twelve miscalls from her cousin.

"Damnit!" She mumbled, wincing her eyes breathing out annoyed, checking the time. It was 3:30pm in the afternoon.

"What's wrong?" Kevin asked wondering why she was so worked up about her cousin calling her.

"I was suppose to be home by two" Gwen mumbled.

"Why?"

"That's just the time I told Ben and grandpa,"

Kevin's eyes lit up in shock. How could she care that much about being late. She was practically a prisoner from her own cousin. He practically ruled her life.

Kevin gently the grabbed the phone out of her hand and turned it off.

"What are you doing?" She arched her eyebrow before throwing the phone in her bag.

"Let me take you out to dinner?" He asked. He could see a shade of red attack her cheeks. She stunned.

"I-" She scratched the back of her neck take a step back.

"I don't know, Kevin," She sighed. She should really be heading home. That was before he grabbed her hand and practically begged her.

"Please, I promise. If you hate it I'll take you home"

Gwen's eyes lit up. She thought about it for a second. It would be nice to finally get away from her cousin for a little while longer. That and she still had a crush on the dark-haired boy.

"Yeah, okay" She smiled. Kevin couldn't be anymore happier.

It was a small restaurant. Something that doesn't normally grab the attention of passer-by's. It was more of an excluded oasis; it's outside covered in dust and muck in the bad part of the Bellwood, but on the inside it was lavish. Like a hidden diamond, covered in a layer of dirt. The food was amazing and of course the wine. As many times as Gwen had refused to say she didn't drink, it was nice to finally have her first taste with the man before her. She smiled brightly as he asked about her powers.

"So your an alien? No kidding and your cousin?" He asked chuckling imaging Tennyson as a flying ball of energy.

Gwen chuckled.

"Antodytes are female, Kev" She took a sip of her wine before looking back towards the man.

"Seriously? Man that's weird"

"Girl power" Gwen retorted laughing a little bit too much. Kevin smiled, knowing the alcohol had gone straight to her head. Kevin gave the bottle back to the waiter before turning back to girl noticing her stare towards him.

"Have I got something on my face?" He asked running his hand down his face. Gwen shook her head.

"No, It's just this is the first time I've ever truly felt..." She cut herself off.

"...Happy" She mumbled the last part so quietly but Kevin heard it. He placed a hand on top of hers, smiling back.

"Thank you, Kevin"

He couldn't help but blush before she leaned in. He caught her lips, kissing her back so tenderly. It was perfect. She felt the passion, the fire, the flash?

She opened her eyes to find, a few people taking pictures of the couple. Gwen's eyes lit up shocked knowing that her cousin would soon to find out. She felt her hand being tucked and Kevin escorting her out of the small diner as a few people tried to surround her and get a comment from her and the 'new boyfriend'.

Rocks skipped across the river of the lake as Gwen aimed her shots to be dead accurate enough to skim across the water by six steps.

"Papparazzi always follow you" Kevin asked trying to beat her but his rocks just ended up sinking to the bottom straight away.

Gwen nodded sighing.

"I didn't think they would follow me around all day" Gwen muttered annoyed at the fact.

"I wouldn't mind signing a few autographs but when they get into my personal life; it's just plain creepy" She threw another rock. Kevin thought back to earlier in the day when he had followed her all the way to the library.

"Bet Tennyson likes it" He throwing another rock into the water.

Gwen groaned thinking about the harassment she was going to face when she entered her house tonight. Her grandma wouldn't be too bad but her cousin. She just felt tired thinking about it.

"You could stay round mine tonight if your dead-set on avoiding Tennyson"

"No," She sighed.

"That would only make it worse and I'm pretty sure he would be blowing up your garage if that occurred.

Kevin just shrugged.

"Offer stands" He placed a hand on her shoulder blade catching her off guard. She turned round to him. He placed his hand in hers before leaning in closer to her. She smirked, wrapping her arms around him and leaning onto his chest.

"I should probably head back. See how my grandpa is"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'm sure I can handle my cousin on my own" She kissed his lips one last time under the moonlight before he held her close mentally preparing himself for having to let her go to his enemy.