((Author's Note: Hello, guys! Well… I'm really appreciating to write this fic for you! I'm really sorry for all those mistakes I'm doing, though! I have some problems with my English and I hope you guys get it! Please, read and review!))
Chapter V - Games
"Hm ... Kevin?" Gwen got up a little dizzy and looked around to see that Kevin was not at her side... Maybe she had dreamed about the whole thing. She stood up to stretch after a while and left the room walking down the hall down to the kitchen. When she reached the stairs, she could feel the good smell of toast. She descended the stairs and went to the kitchen.
"Mom...?" Gwen looked at who was preparing breakfast. "Hello... Mom!" she said, joking.
"Hello, Gwendy!" Kevin tried to copy a female voice as he stirred in another pan, making pancakes. "I hope you like pancakes..." he smiled, copying a woman's voice.
"Yes, Mom!" she put her hands around her waist. She approached her boyfriend and hugged from behind by putting her head on his back. Kevin blushed, but continued to do their breakfast. "But..." Gwen put away her head from his back "Where's my father and mother?"
"Ah" Kevin took a paper from the pocket of his black pants, gave to Gwen and said, continuing to stir the batter of pancake "You're mother stuck it into your door, I heard when she and your father stood up to answer the phone. This was very early... I got a little suspicious if they would open the door, but in the end they did not... Then they left."
Gwen took the note from the Kevin's hand, and read what was written:
Gwen,
your father and I got a call in the morning and we had to leave.
No need to worry ... We did not agree to warn you, as it was too early. We do not know what time we will return, it is more likely in the afternoon.
Love, mom.
PS: Sorry, but had no time to prepare food: I've let some money for you to buy something up to eat.
Gwen turned the paper and found nothing.
"Kevin?" she looked at him.
"What?"
"Where is it?"
"What?"
"The money, which should have been here, in the paper!"
"Oh, okay!" He got two $ 10 notes from his pocket and handed it to Gwen.
"Thanks." She replied sarcastically. Then she looked at the ticket again and was worried about her mom and dad... What happened?
"What?" Kevin asked, noticing that Gwen was not feeling well.
"I... Whatever! I think I was a little worried... but I think it is anything to fear." she put the ticket in her pocket and changed the tone of voice "What are you doing?"
"Pancakes, bacon and toast... Do not know if you really like bacon. But..."
"No! That's perfect..." she went to the cupboard and grabbed a bag of coffee. "Do you like coffee?"
"Yup"
She went to the coffee pot and began to prepare it, and then she put two cups on the table and poured the hot milk into one of two. When the coffee was ready, she put a little in the two cups and handed one to Kevin, who was putting the dishes on the table.
"Take it..."
"Thanks..." he took the cup of coffee and sipped along with Gwen. When Kevin looked at her, he began to laugh.
"What?"
"Nothing, sir... and... nice mustache..."
"Huh?"
She went to the mirror, which was fixed on the wall of the staircase, she saw that she had a mustache of milk around the mouth. Kevin laughed...
"Looks like a man!"
"Haha... Very funny" she went to the table and wiped her mouth with a napkin, sitting in her chair.
Kevin took another sip of coffee and grabbed one of the pancakes he had done, Gwen did the same and put a some chocolate syrup on top.
"Hm... that's very good... You must be an expert at it..."
"Actually... I am a disaster when I cook..." he twisted his mouth.
"Really? Me too... The only thing I know to do is fried eggs... and the strange thing is that my mother cooks very well..."
Kevin smiled.
"So do I... But you are not practically born knowing everything 'bout the kitchen ... I think I took my father's disaster too... Once when I was little, I asked my mother about my father and she said he was a catastrophe for cooking... He loved to eat some very strange dishes, just like your grandpa... I think this is common between the Plumbers." he took a last bite at the pancake and then took a bacon "Damn it!"
"What?"
"See? I am a disaster... I burned the bacon..."
"Stop it Kevin!" She took one with her fork. She placed in her mouth "See? It's not that b-" she felt like a kind of weird. He was right... The bacon was so burnt it. "Ugh!"
"I told you so" he took the plate with bacons and threw out "I still haven't learned to that."
Gwen tried to swallow what was in her mouth, and when she reached the cup of coffee with milk to make a little and get the bad taste, Kevin put his hand on her arm and handed a glass of orange juice.
"I think it's better for you to take a cold thing..."
She took the glass of juice and drank it all.
"Wow! Was it so bad?"
"Uh-Huh..." she said laughing; saying those things to Kevin did not affect his ego, as he even admitted that he was a bad cooker. "At least the pancakes are good..." she doubted a little ... Making pancakes for her was more difficult than doing bacons... She had already tried that."
Kevin said, as if he already knew what was on Gwen's mind:
"As I said... I'm learning ... My mother taught me how to make pancakes"
"But she didn't teach you how to make bacon?"
"I did not like to learn how to cook... then I just picked up the lesson of 'how to make pancakes', 'cause it's my favorite breakfast dish… or better... one of my favorite dishes...
"Even your mom's cook class you play truant?"
"You are talking about me." he sat on the chair next to Gwen and started to eat the toast when the pancakes were over. "At least I did the toast well... since it was a toaster that did 'em for me."
Gwen laughed. She finished her coffee, grabbed the last toast and ate it up. Then she picked up the plates and cups and went to the sink to wash them, Kevin went to Gwen's direction and kept staring at her; he realized she was still wearing the same pajamas yesterday. 'Man… Can't she put something decent?' he blushed.
"If you want to watch TV while it..." she replied looking at the dishes.
Kevin wanted to stay with her... but thought better not, for the simple fact that she was with that silly pajamas. He went into the room, took the control and started watching TV. Changing channels all the time to find the Sports channel.
"Ah! I finished!" she went upstairs and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Kevin came up behind her with a toothbrush in his hand.
"Do you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"Nope"
She left the bathroom when she finished brushing his teeth and waited for Kevin to go down with him.
"Wanna to see a movie?"
"Yup"
When they came into the living room, Gwen picked up some DVDs.
"How about... Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?" she asked jokingly.
"Next" he replied.
"Okay... Hm... Sleeping Beauty?"
"Next"
"Little Mermaid?"
"Do you only have cartoons?"
"They were mine first... But once in a while my little cousins come here and then I kept them..."
"Ok…Next."
"Hm... Cinderella?"
"You wanna Disney thingies?"
"I think so... Why?"
"Really?"
"Ah... If you do not want to watch it... It's been that long that I do not watch it, and I missed them"
"It's okay... Actually I've never watched those things..."
"Have you never seen Sleeping Beauty?"
"Not one of the others you spoke now..."
"Have you never been a child?"
"If you really think in this point... No."
He was right... Since Kevin was small, he was not what everyone could mean a normal child... Losing his father when he was only four-years-old, run away from home to live on the streets with eight years and being a bullying victim since then, with no one to help you is not even what might be called a nice "childhood". Since Gwen met him when she was 10, somehow she felt sad for what he went through.
Certainly, she could not bear what he had endured. Gwen said smiling to reassure him:
"Then you will feel a child again... Let's watch... Hm ... Beauty and the Beast, then Snow White... until you get tired of Disney."
She put the Beauty and the Beast DVD and sat next to Kevin. Kevin put his arm around Gwen in the armchair. Gwen pressed the button to turn on the DVD and the movie began. Gwen leaned her head on Kevin's shoulder. The two watched the movie without speaking much, as it was the first time he watched the movie. Kevin was kind of curious as to know how it was; when he was little, before running away from home, he was accustomed to watch several movies with his mother, but he never watched Disney; and this custom ended up quickly when he won a stepfather.
"Did you know you look like a character in the movie?"
"Can you tell me who?"
"If you be silent you will discover…"
"But it was you who started talking!"
"Sh!"
Kevin rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the TV. The two began to laugh at the part where Belle's father enters in the castle and meets the animated objects, but after the scene was shifting from happiness to fear when the Beast appears and puts him in the dungeon. Kevin thought for a few seconds and realized that Gwen spoke of Beast... Really? He had to admit that the beast is more hotheaded than he is; that was it and the fact that the beast cannot live in the form of monster... Damn! They are really alike... but was it what Gwen wanted to say?
"You're comparing me with the Beast?" He said half impatiently.
"If you watch it you'll understand why..."
"Hmpf…!"
The film was running, and Kevin felt a little sorry for Belle to see that she would be force to live with a person like... this. When the Beast showed impatiently for her, her new room and obliges him to dinner. The worst was when she was too stubborn to obey him, making Gwen laughs at the part where the Beast almost opened the bedroom door. In some ways, the two reminded when Gwen and Kevin were fighting and it was funny. The fight that drew most attention was that Belle had with the Beast when he saved her. Really... he really needed to control his nerves, but after that, Beast began to fall in love with her and her with him, and the final, one complete the other, she helped him with good manners and how to be more gentle and sweet, and his happiness has made her better.
As far as they danced, Gwen remembered when she and Kevin danced in the desert to lose the ball.
When the movie ended, Kevin understood what Gwen meant: he and the Beast were alike. For a small part, both were hot, angry, moody... The other part, according to Gwen, Kevin even being a hard-headed, he had a huge sweet and heart, making him want to protect anyone he liked at any cost, and that was why the residents of the castle were so loyal to him; they all knew how the Beast was affectionate, but needed a boost.
She got up and went to get other DVDs, then spread in the sofa where Kevin was.
"You choose this time..."
Kevin looked at his options: Cinderella, Snow White, Robin Hood, Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Mulan and Sleeping Beauty.
"What about… Hm…" Gwen said "If you choose one of these movies, after we watch it, then we watch... Hm... Terminator IV. Can it be?"
"Okay..." He looked at the DVDs and chose Robin Wood.
Gwen picked up the DVD, put the movie on the device and returned to the side of Kevin.
The two watched the movie, hugging each other... The weather had started to cool and the sky was overcast, threatening a rain. Gwen took a quarter of the covers and put on her and Kevin. When the movie ended, she took another DVD that was next and showed Kevin.
"As promised... Terminator VI." After loading the film, she went to the kitchen, made some popcorn and sat on the couch.
"Want some?"
He put his hand inside the bag and grabbed a huge pile of popcorn.
The film slowly passed, and the sky became increasingly cloudy. Toward the end of the movie drops low water began to fall and gradually became stronger. Gwen snuggled into Kevin's chest, getting to feel her breathing and heartbeats. 'So good...' she smiled. She began to feel Kevin's hand went to her neck and then to her chin, pulling her face to look at him. Gwen gave a kiss on his cheek and then went to his lips, and went off the movie... The two spent more time kissing than seeing the movie itself. None felt uncomfortable... 'Finally…! I was already tired of waiting.' Kevin stroked Gwen's waist, causing her to stop kissing him, Kevin was confused when Gwen started laughing.
"What?"
"Haha! Stop it!"
"Stop w-? Ahhhhh!"
Kevin smiled.
"No!"
"You have tickles..."
"No! Kevin... Please!"
He began spending his hand on the Gwen's belly moving his fingers, causing her to not stop tickling squirm.
"Kevin! Stop! Seriously! Hahaha! No funny!"
"For me it is"
"Stop! Hahaha!"
She lay on the couch trying to get away from him, causing her to inadvertently kick his belly. Kevin stopped tickling her and put his hands on the abdomen.
"Ouch!"
"Sorry!"
"I'm okay...". '... I think...'
"Excuse yourself!"
"Easy! I will survive..."
"If you do not get to tickle on me I would not have kicked you..." she crossed her arms sitting on the couch.
"If you do not start laughing in the middle of the kiss, that would not have happened..."
"Now! You and that little hand that have perverted the blame!"
"Perverted! I just can not touch my girlfriend does not?"
Gwen was silent... Clear that the two were joking, but even when she was joking, she did not like to lose, what just happened. Kevin gave a huge smile, satisfied to have won the battle. Gwen became angry, and to make Kevin forget the fight and not "files" in his brain since the two liked to fight just to prove to each other that they hate losing, she approached him and kissed him. Kevin blushed and realized what she was doing. He put his hands on her shoulders and walked away saying:
"You do not play fair?"
"With you, no... Since it was you who started..."
"Hm..." he did not understand the last part and without another word he kissed her, 'Fine... She won this time... but who wins the next I will... haha!' Gwen leaned her elbow on his shoulders and put his hands on top of his head as she knelt on the couch and Kevin was sitting, it meant that she had to lower his head, and he raises his. Kevin put his hands frozen on his face, and Gwen went into his neck.
"Gwen..." Kevin murmured between kisses.
"Hm?"
"Now it is you who is tickling..."
She laughed and did not separate from the kiss. They were kissing and hugging, as time passed. Gwen's stomach rumbled which left her with shame. Kevin smiled.
"Looks like someone is hungry..."
"Ah... Yes" she broke off the hug and went to the refrigerator "There must be some food stored here..."
"Huh? Didn't your mom let money to you?"
"I will not spend her money to have food at home... Furthermore... Have you seen the storm that's out there?"
"Come on, Gwen!" he went to the door "I'll take you, besides the time should not be so bad..." he opened the door; at the same time a cold wind blew into the house bringing a little rain drops that spilled over Kevin's face, followed by a roar of thunder appalling to him. On second thought - he shut the door while Gwen went to the kitchen "Homemade food is good!" he took a cloth that was on the stone table in the kitchen and wiped his face.
Gwen smiled, grabbed a plastic pot with chicken drumsticks and within a two-liter bottle of Coke.
"I hope you like the thighs of chickens" she showed him the pot "That's what we've got... The food here at home ends just too fast."
"Have you seen my mother's fridge? It's empty every day I spend there to visit her..." He ran his hand in his belly as if he was starving for weeks.
"So will starve..." she put the pot in the microwave to heat up the food, then took two glasses and put Coca-Cola on it.
"I don't think so..." he said, digging into the refrigerator. Gwen looked at him, with hands on hips.
"You are very face-to-stick..."
"What?"
"You're used to be digging in the anyone's refrigerator, aren't you?"
"It is not 'anyone'... It's my girlfriend's... And if you were in my house, I'd let you do that."
"After you attack the refrigerator and leave nothing for me."
"Hm… Yeah…"
"You do not have way." She went up to the microwave and grabbed the drumsticks chicken. "Shall we?"
Kevin picked up the glasses and went to the room. Gwen sat on the couch and put the pot on top of the coffee table. Kevin put the glasses on the table too, and noted that there was a leaflet on top. He took the paper and read.
"Van Croft?"
"Oh!" Gwen took the paper from his hand "It is a School..."
"For riches..."
"Hm... yeah... I have always wanted to study there... It is one of the best schools in the country."
"Aren't you studying at a school like this?"
"Yes I mean…almost ... It's just that I study in a private school too, but Van Croft is..."
"Better"
"Yes."
"Anh... Where is it?"
"Near the New York city..."
"New York? But how do you go there?"
"That school is a kind of internship one."
"You're kidding right?"
"Hm... No."
"But will you really move away?"
"I do not know... I have to go through a test first and…"
"This is not what I meant. You want to move there?"
"That's what I'm not sure. I do not want to drop my life here. My parents, Ben."
"So don't go"
"I don't know yet."
"What are the chances of you not go?"
"Sixty percent..." Kevin was speechless for a while, then spoke.
"Well.. It's a beginning."
"Until this doesn't happens..." She picked up some drumsticks and ate.
Kevin looked at the corners as he ate and saw that at the walls there were several pictures of her family.
"Your family is big."
"Yeah... My mother has two brothers and one sister... All married ... Wait I'll show you" she left the sofa and took various pictures hanging on the walls. "Look" she sat on the couch and showed the first photo: A woman of about thirty years old, red hair and blue eyes, she was very pretty and looked a little like Gwen but older, a taller man was beside her, he had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, he seemed to be much older than the woman. "This is my grandmother... Janet" she pointed to the red-haired woman "And this here is my grandfather Richard" She put the picture in a corner and went to the next: It was the same couple, now with four children in front. The first child was a boy, brown hair and blue eyes like the woman, but his appearance was like his father's "Uncle John, the eldest" On his side, a pretty girl with brown hair and blue eyes too, her features more resembled the father's too, she seemed to be a year younger than her brother. "Aunt Madison, she is the second oldest" After beside her, an underage girl, one year younger. She remembered almost all of Gwen when she was little, but her eyes were blue. "My mother, Lily" And the next to her much like Lily, except his brown hair, with the same blue eyes. "And my Uncle Richards, he is the youngest twin of my mother." She put the shot away with the other, and proceeded to the next "These are the sons of my uncle John, and his wife" On the photo a man about thirty years, which could easily be confused with Gwen's grandfather when young, a blonde woman with brown eyes to the side, certainly his wife. The wife was carrying a boy of about three years on her lap, had brown hair and blue eyes too, the father held a girl about the same age as the another baby, only she had blond and curly hair like his mother's, and eyes brown. "These are my cousins, when the two were small. Jake" she pointed to the baby on his mother's lap "and Anne, he and she are twins too" she showed another girl in his father's lap.
"Your family is too big," Kevin, said looking at the pictures.
"I know" she smiled and showed another photo, this time there was the girl with blue eyes and brown hair that appeared, older. "Aunt Madison with my cousins... She only decided to have children now, so they are the youngest ones." She pointed to three babies who were sitting on the floor with her mother beside her husband; he had dark hair with green eyes, and seemed a little short. The two first babies were more like her father "Fred, who has about three years" the baby had dark hair and had blue eyes "James... He has two years..." The baby had brown hair and green eyes "and the youngest... Michael" he was on top of his mother's lap and had blue eyes and brown hair. Gwen put another picture on the front "I, my father, my mother and brother..." She changed the picture "and Uncle Richard with his wife and their two daughters" a man of brown hair and blue eyes, his wife was a redhead and had green eyes, both carrying two little girls: one had dark brown hair like his father, green eyes, the other also had green eyes but was redhead. "This one is Rachel," she pointed to the dark brown head child "and the other is Madalane."
"Wow!"
"Hold on there's more!" She took the picture of the way and showed a great photo where there were seven teenagers of different ages and three babies in four years, all smiling sitting on a sofa "Let's see if you got it well..." She gave the photo to Kevin "These are all my cousins... You can start."
Kevin did a thoughtful way and said:
"This here is Jake" he pointed to the boy of seventeen, sitting on the arm of the couch with a Coke in hand.
"Right"
"Anne" it was the blond girl next to Jake, who just sat on the sofa with the same age as her brother, she was incredibly beautiful with an innocent face.
"That... They are the oldest along with Ken."
"Hm... These two are Rachel and Madalane" he pointed to two girls sitting across the couch than fifteen years, was a redhead and one brunette, both had green eyes.
"Continue, please…"
"You, Ken and Ben" he said looking at two redheaded brothers with about three or four years apart in he middle of the couch sitting next to them a boy of brown hair and green eyes.
"It's the hardest..." she laughed.
"And the babies that are on your lap, Ken's and Anne's are Fred" he pointed to the baby on Anne's lap "The one that's on Ken's lap is James... And what is on Ben's lap is Michael."
"Congratulations" She clapped her hands playing. Then she took the pictures and hung them back on the wall. Kevin looked at where she was and saw that there were more photos, many others relatives, like Max, Ben's and everyone else. 'It would be nice to be on these photos. Wait... What am I thinking?'
"If you think that my family is large…you have not seen Ben's mothers. She has two brothers that-" Gwen said as she returned to the couch. Kevin did not answer. "Kevin?"
"Hm. Oh. Sorry, two brothers?"
"Yup" she became suspicious, but did not call a lot and spoke again "What about your mom... Does she have any brothers or sister?"
"Yes, she does. She has an older brother and one little sister"
"Ah. So ... you have... cousins?"
"I have... two cousins."
"Ah" She went on, it seemed that he would not talk about it, and she would not force him to do so.
"We do not see much"
"Hm" she said, surprised.
"But it's more because of my mother and my father. My family does not like him very much."
"Anh. Kinda boring. But the same thing happened with my mother... My grandmother did not like her much, you saw it. That doesn't happen with you only."
"Yeah. Maybe."
Gwen put her hand on his shoulder to cuddle him. Kevin looked up at the clock and got up.
"I have to go before your parents arrive."
"OK" she got up and joined him in the room to get his bag with his clothes that he had left. Then the two went down to the room, Gwen said goodbye to Kevin with a long kiss.
"Bye" he said after separating from the kiss. He opened the door and stared at the rain.
"Want an umbrella?"
"Nope, I'm fine."
"Okay then. Bye."
"Bye" he turned out getting wet because of the rain. Gwen closed the door with a big smile, and then jumped on the couch, happy. She picked up what remained of the chicken drumsticks and ate while watching TV. She covered herself with cold and dozed off.
A noise woke him up at the door. She stood a little confusing. The door opened and her father and mother appeared wet.
"Mom? Dad?" Gwen got up when she saw that both were sad, very sad. Gwen looked at her mother's face and did not know if her face was wet because of rain or because she was crying. "What happened?"
Her mother could not answer. She was sobbing. However, she tried to recover, saying:
"My brother"
"Who?"
"Richard. He and his family suffered an accident."
"What? Are they okay?"
Lily did not answer, just leaned on her husband's shoulder and began to cry.
"What happened?"
Frank spoke for Lily:
"They were ... traveling and... Another car with a drunk driver struck the back of theirs. Their car crashed down the slope, the sea."
"WHAT?"
"The police didn't find their bodies... Moreover, the drunk driver disappeared. They think that the sea could have led them."
Gwen was in shock. How? It could not be true. She crouched on the floor and started crying. All this came so fast that she could not even have time to think straight. It was as if all she heard just was stuck in her throat. Gwen wanted to throw it out, but it would not come out. It wanted to get in her and make her face reality. She felt the hands of their parents relying on her backs, caressing it.
That was not happening.
"What?" The girl with red hair said. She looked around... darkness. She tried to stand but failed, she was tied by something that looked like strings. "Mom, dad?" She screamed desperate "Rae?" nobody answered. She heard a laugh... a laugh that gave chills. "Who's there?" she shook. The laughter grew as if approaching "Who's there?" She looked everywhere, desperate.
"Do not be afraid" a shadow came over her... and crouched looking at her green eyes. Madalane was more scared, looking at the dark eyes of man "Madalane... Right?"
"How do you know my name?" she shook terrified.
"I know your cousin" He put his cold hands on her chin "You look so much like her, besides being beautiful, if I may say."
"Where's my family?"
"You may see them... soon."
The man's hands were black. Madalane felt weak, her eyes closed ... she could not keep them open, her whole body was weak. She fell to the ground, motionless.
A few minutes before.
"Mom?" Ben got out of bed looking at the clock. Noon! He went to the living room. "Dad?"
"Ben?" Sandra said looking at her son, her eyes red.
"Mom, what was it?" Ben ran to her wondering what was happening to her, and the reason for her cries.
He looked at his father who was sitting on the couch with his head bowed, as if trying to hold back tears. "What happened?"
"Ah! Honey!" She embraced him sobbing, leaving Ben increasingly worried.
"Mom. Please tell me what happened!"
"Lily's brother... Richard."
"Uncle Richard?" he repeated hoping not to confirm what he already knew "What... What happened?"
"They... Suffered an accident"
"They?"
"Tanya ... Madalane ... Rachel. They... suffered a car accident." she did not say anything else, Ben had already understood, and at once began to cry at his mother's shoulder. They were not close relatives of Ben, but they were very dear. Carl was up and embraced both, crying along with them. This could not be true... but the reality was that; one time he would have to face. Someone slammed the door.
"Let me" said Ben unable to wipe the tears, as a new one ever took place, he went to the door and opened it.
"Hi, Ben! I arrived early to study because I... What happened?" Julie was frightened to see her boyfriend crying. "Ben, what happened?"
Ben gave her a hug without answering the question; Julie looked into the house and saw that Ben's parents also cried.
"What happened?" she sighed, hugging him back, knowing that it would not be easy.
"Rachel. Madalane. Uncle Richard, Aunt Tanya. They…" Ben tried to recompose himself. "died..." he said it as briefly as possible to get rid of the weight inside.
Julie's eyes widened. She had only seen them in pictures... but all the pain that Ben showed proved how much he loved them, and that made Julie cry together, trying to comfort him.
"You know I'm here if you need." Julie sighed again.
"Thanks." Ben said shaking her stronger. He took her into the house and looked at Ben's parents.
"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson." Julie said looking at the floor, wiping the tears "If there is anything I or even my parents can do"
"Thanks, dear" Sandra hugged her; happy to see how she was sweet "I think the best is if you stay with Ben, if you do not mind as we prepare some... things."
"Of course." she said taking Ben's hand. He put his arm around Julie's shoulders, as he did not want to release it.
"We will have to..." Sandra started talking like this is the hardest thing to do "talk to Frank and Lily to prepare everything. We will have to leave. If you want to go with us, Ben" she looked at her son. He did not want to go; it was stamped on his face. Wanting to go see the motionless body of someone who he loved was not what he had as an option. "Okay. You had better stay. If someone calls ... Let us know when we arrive. Right?" he nodded "Take good care of my son" she said trying to force a smile for Julie.
Julie tried to smile. Sandra gave a kiss on the cheek her soon, Carl said "Good bye" for them. The door closed, and Ben fell on the couch, put his elbows on his knees, resting his head in his hands. Julie sat next to him, his eyes expressing pure sadness. She gave him a hug.
"It's my fault." he said.
"What?"
"They called me to go along, but I did not. I should have been there. Why didn't I go?"
"No! That's not your fault, Ben! Never think about it. It is normal you feel so, but it's not true! You did not know this would happen! Never blame yourself for it!"
"What if…if I turn into Alien X? I could turn back in time" he began to tamper his clock.
"No! Do not do that! Last time ... remember what had happened when you told me? The two judges, or whatever they are. They did not allow you to do anything, and the worst! You were stuck on there for hours, and if they do not leave you out of there anymore? That would be horrible! Please!" Julie was desperate; she put her hand on Ben's trying to stop him from doing any nonsense. He saw how she was desperate and took the hand of the Omnitrix. Julie was relieved.
At the same time, the phone rang. Ben stood up and Julie was with him.
"Hello?" Ben said picking up the phone.
"Ben? It is Gwen" she also seemed very sad.
"Hi Gwen" He seemed daunting "So you do already know?"
"Yes" she replied sobbing.
"My parents just left. They are going to talk with yours…"
"Yeah I know"
"When will they bury them?"
"What did you about 'bury' them?"
"Bury their bodies!" Ben replied angrily, as if he thought Gwen wanted him to be repeating something quite difficult to speak.
"There are no bodies"
"WHAT?"
"Didn't you hear your parents? Their car fell off from a cliff straight into the sea. They found no body"
"So why there isn't anyone seeking for the bodies? And what if they are alive?"
"There is no way anyone would survive a fall like that. Have you seen the state of the car?"
"How did the cops found the car but didn't find the bodies?" Ben was nervous with each passing second. Gwen was nervous too, but tried to answer.
"The cops say they should have tried to get out before the car fell. However, they didn't make it and fell. They think that, as it was very windy, the water has led them to the sea, easily." Gwen began to sob.
"AND WHAT IF THEY ARE ALIVE! "
"Don't talk to me like that! Do you think you're the only one who is suffering with this? Well let me tell you one thing: No, you're not!" she began to cry. Ben was speechless.
"Sorry Gwen" se cried too.
"Okay. I have to hang out. My parents are calling me. Goodbye."
"Bye." The phone went silent.
"What?" Julie asked with a little fear.
"It was Gwen."
"What did she say?"
"There are no bodies."
"What?"
"It was a car accident. It car fell off the cliff and they tried to get out before, but in the end... They couldn't make it. And the sea took them."
"My God" Julie put her hands in her mouth and tried not to think how they must have suffered. Ben cried more; Julie came over and kissed his tears, then rested his head on his chest. She was a little embarrassed, because it was the first time she have done something like this since she started dating Ben. Both were too shy, and this was the first time that Julie approached her face so close to Ben, she was not anxious for nothing. In addition, she knew that neither Ben was, the two have just felt close to each other.
"I'm lucky to have you around." Ben said. Julie pressed her body against his to hear that. She felt all the despair in his voice, while all his comfort.
"So am I" She stroked her hair. A stomach growling noise interrupted them. "Are you hungry?"
Ben nodded.
"I'll make some fried eggs." she said. Julie went to the kitchen, got some eggs from the refrigerator, and placed a skillet on the stove. Ben went to her in the kitchen and watched, as she did food. Then she put two eggs in the dish and gave it to Ben. "Should I put anything else?"
"No, it's good like that." He took his plate and fork and began to eat. "Hm"
"Did you like it?"
"Uh-Huh. Thanks"
"No need to thank."
Ben smiled. That was good, considering all the situations that were going through. What good would it do to calm down and to deal with something else. Julie placed the other eggs in the dish and ate some eggs too.
"You woke up pretty late today" she said, looking at the green pajamas that Ben was wearing, while they sat on the couch.
"Hm. Yeah" he replied with his mouth full "I was studying all night yesterday."
"Really? It's amazing you say that. Because all the time you stayed up, you were watching special Sumo Slammers or who knows what!"
"Oh. Not this time. My parents kind of forced me"
"How?"
"They would forbid me to go out with you, Kevin and Gwen if I did not bear a good note. So you see how my situation is serious."
"Wow. Get out with me."
"Yeah, specially you" he was red.
'How cute!' She thought as she smiled. She ate another piece of egg.
"Hm. I bet my eggs are better than yours." she said trying to distract him again.
"May I taste it?" Julie almost choked with the egg she was eating. That was not what she expected of him. She expected him to say "No mine is better than yours!" and the two began to discuss how two children did as they always do. Anyway, what he said seemed to have a different sense.
"What?" she asked nervously.
Ben answered the question, approaching her face. Julie was staring at him, very nervous. 'Is he really okay?' Ben came over her. Julie leaned back... still nervous. It was the first time the two were doing it and she did not know even how to act. When he came closer, her body froze. 'And now? What am I doing?' Then a voice in his mind came as a very clear answer for it. Nothing, do nothing. In this time, Ben touched his lips on hers and she touched his waist. Julie started to get hot with shame and she could feel that Ben was also in the same situation. Still, that was what moved them to kiss. They hugged and seemed to want to drop more. Ben took his face in hers and said:
"Hm. It was even better than mine!"
"Dummy" Julie said, this time without any hint of shame; she kissed him back.
'Damn alarm clock' Kevin punched the button to sink it. He stood up giving a yawn and got out of bed to take a shower, then searched for a T-shirt he wore when he moved the car. He put his clothes and went to his green car parked in the garage. The car looked like it was somewhat dirty, because of the rain he had no chance to wash. It was overcast almost a month and it seemed that the rain would not stop. He entered the car and pulled out all the roles he met on his way to throw away. Occasionally he would get so distracted that he completely forgot to wash the car. 'Damn it!' He looked at the car window and saw a huge crack in the corner of the glass, probably caused by a brat who had thrown a rock and then ran off. As time passed, he realized that a shield would be the only solution, and money is the solution to pay for the shield, since he only had a few pieces of used cars. In a way he could get some easy money. Alien smuggling weapons. He did not care much if it would be arrested or not; he only cared for instant cash, but the only problem was... Gwen would not like that at all, she never passed when Kevin tried to get some money to get information about her grandfather sold some weapons to thieves space aliens or something, and the worst was when she discovered he was drinks a little bit. She was terrified to see the amount of cans and bottles of beer he had in the trash and the floor of his garage.
"And now? What else am I going to know? That you are some kind of smoker?" was what she had once asked him. Kevin almost fell back in laughter when seeing the face of outrage from Gwen. She had not found anything stalks, but after that, he stopped drinking... a little. It was easy for him to be distracted when he was near her, and that damn near a snack of smoothie. At the end he tasted one of the juices that Ben gave him, and remembered much beer, leaving Kevin sort of addicted by the drink. It made him buy the drink a million times. There was one of those times in which Ben said what they placed in the juice:
"Let me remember. Hm. I think they put on some sesame seeds of tropical fruits, mint, broccoli, and I think they put a little..."
At the same time, he heard the word "broccoli" Kevin splashed the juice out and tried to cough all that he had been drinking.
"Broccoli, sesame!"
"Yes, broccoli."
"Why didn't you say that before you retarded?"
"I thought you knew!"
"Do you think I'm one of those guys that likes broccoli?"
"Anh. No? But I thought you knew! I mean… everyone changes the taste from time to time! Furthermore, why do you liked it so much? Even I find it disgusting... I do not know why, but it has a strong taste of beer."
"That is why I…" Kevin looked around and saw Gwen closing the book she was reading when she heard Kevin's reply.
"You were saying…" she crossed her legs over the hood of the car and put her head on her hand, not happy.
"Ah! What's up? It at least is not beer!"
"But you have not broken the habit, it seems you still like to beer... Or at least liked."
And she was right ... After this episode, if he felt the smell of beer he'd get a huge urge to vomit for remembering Ben's juice. Broccoli is disgusting! He never drank a beer. Gwen said that Ben's juice had something useful after all. Kevin was not happy, but at least stopped from getting a headache after drinking.
While stirring in fines, he felt something cold at the bottom of the glove box: it was the disk holograms, he forgot there ... with a smile, Kevin took the disk to a closet where he kept some things that were "specials". There he saved the bag full of balls of different materials that Gwen had given him when he almost left the team. There was also the small key from the ship that belonged to Ragnarok, the monster who killed Devin; it had the lock that he always wore around his neck too, his father who had given it to him, and he said to never drop it from view. He never quite understand what his father meant by that, but obeyed. Kevin put the record straight on the shelf of the closet and closed at the same time returning to the car. He looked again the crack in the windshield. 'Shielding, shielding, shielding' But where he would arrange money? 'Job, job, job.' No way! He has worked as a mechanic, which was enough to pay some bills and buy food. Not that he stopped making some dealings with some aliens ... Or that he has seized the chance to get those crystals, which Vulcanus had forced him to absorb, and he has kept it all secret from Gwen and Ben. At least he stopped selling illegally guns. The only thing: he still is involved with the people who bought those guns. He hoped that Ben and Gwen did not discover his secret life. However, it was the only way he could find faster what he look for. Furthermore, what could happen? He went to the "sources" to get help. In addition, he did not have to worry about anyone and he could get away without any problem, or at least… almost no problem. He did things he never told to Ben and Gwen, things... that for him were just a game.