Author's Notes: Remember how a long time ago I wrote a version of Kevin's past, but I said that there were other versions that I had created? I finally decided to write one of them. This one is probably the most likely to have actually happened from all the various versions I've created. The reason I'm doing this now is because I've heard the season 3 of Alien Force shall finally reveal Kevin's past. I just have to get this on to paper before that happens. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10, never will. I also don't own the quote at the beginning.

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"Have you ever had that empty feeling inside like no one cares or loves you back, feeling as if you were to cry and no one would be there to wipe away your tears?"

~Anonymous

48. Childhood

"Mommy, can you tell me a story?" A 5 year-old boy asked. The boy was already tucked into his bed. The only light in the darkened room came from a lamp, which illuminated his dark eyes.

"What would you like to hear?" His mother began to move from the edge of the bed towards the bookshelf.

She was remarkably similar to him. Just like the boy, her skin was pale and she had raven black hair. However, her eyes were a light blue whereas Kevin's eyes were dark.

"No." Kevin shook his head firmly. His mother sat back down. "I want to hear about my dad."

"Very well." His mother was used to these requests. While she did read him fairy-tales sometimes, she usually would tell him stories about the father who shared his genes. "What would you like to hear?"

Kevin pondered the question for a few moments before replying, "I want to hear about when he first met you." It was his favorite story and one that he had heard countless times before, but it never ceased to amaze him.

His mother smiled at him. It was a bittersweet smile. A day didn't go by when she didn't miss the man who had captured her heart. Seeing his eyes on Kevin's face was always warming.

"I had stayed out late that night due to work. I didn't have a car, so I began walking home. There was a shuffling sound in the alley. I continued walking because I was afraid that it was someone very bad."

"Like a robber?" Kevin interrupted the story. His eyes were already wide-open, attentive to every detail of the story.

"Yes. I felt a slimy tentacle touch my shoulder. Before I could scream, it had wrapped around my mouth. The tentacle belonged to a creature unlike any found on Earth. It had a human figure, but its mouth was a swarm of long tentacles. It had no eyes and when I looked closely at its fingers, I could see there were suckers there. Fortunately for me, there was a young, handsome man walking across the street."

Her eyes had glazed over, lost in her memories. Kevin didn't dare interrupt anymore. He liked these stories because they told about his heroic father and it made Kevin feel better about being fatherless. However, there was another reason that he liked these stories. His mother's voice would always become so passionate when she told the story. There was emotion there and the experience of listening to the story was an amazing one. Far better than anything Kevin had ever seen on TV or in a book.

"He saw me struggling against the creature. Instead of running away like I thought he would, he ran towards us. There was a large flash from his hands. The creature's grip on me lessened. Then the man kicked at the creature and tore me away from its grip. I stood back as he fought with the monster. Eventually the monster was defeated.

"Your father had a small cut on his arm. When he turned around, I got my first good look at my hero. His hair was dark brown and he had eyes exactly like yours. We stood watching each for a while before I offered him some first aid for helping me out. It took a while, but he accepted." She blinked, realizing that she had been drifting off. Her eyes focused on Kevin who was watching her with large eyes.

"Your father was a very brave man and he was strong. He fought evil in an organization called the Plumbers. I laughed when he first told me that he was a Plumber. I thought he meant the regular plumber job, but that wasn't what he meant and I learned it soon. I remember that he always carried around a green badge. He was a hero." She paused, lost in her reminiscing about the man she had loved.

"Why did he leave us?" Kevin's voice was trembling as he asked the question. Kevin had always been too afraid of the answer to bring up the question, but the story inspired him to say it. "Was it because of me?" It was the secret fear that had rested heavily on his heart for as long as he knew.

"You must never think that Kevin." His mother grasped his hand tightly in her own. She sighed sadly. "The reason he left was that he had to go and fight crime elsewhere in space." Kevin could feel her hand shaking in his.

He had left and he had never come back. Kevin couldn't remember what his father looked like or even if he had ever been around after his birth. His mother was the only parent in his life, but it wasn't bad. While Kevin wanted to meet his heroic father, he was content with just having his mother around.

"It's okay Mommy." Kevin patted her hand with his free hand. There was a small smile on his face as he looked up into his mother's face. "I'll be brave until Daddy comes home."

His mother gave him a weak smile. "Good night sweetie." She kissed him on the forehead and walked to his doorway.

"Good night, Mommy." Kevin breathed a sigh of happiness before curling deeper into his blankets. "Please come home Daddy. I want to see you." He whispered softly as his eyes closed.

"I love you, Kevin." His mother whispered back.

She had the same hopes as Kevin, but she couldn't help wondering whether the man she had loved was even alive anymore. He could be dead, killed by one of the monsters he fought. It was hard being a single parent and she often felt the need to reassure Kevin that he was loved. Perhaps a man in the picture would do some good. She shook her head and began to close the door.

Just as the door slid shut, she heard Kevin say,

"I love you too."

--

"Can't I stay up here in my room?" The 9 year-old boy pouted. His arms were crossed over his chest and he stared at his mother defiantly.

"Your father wants you to be downstairs for the party." His mother, Tanya, leaned over to adjust the bow-tie Kevin was wearing. He scowled at her, causing the woman to flinch away from him.

"He doesn't want me. And he isn't my real father anyway." Kevin turned away from his mother.

Tanya flinched. She hated being reminded of the man who had left and never come back. Putting on a small smile, she put a hand on Kevin's shoulder. "Your father loves you a lot. He wants us to make an appearance together. As a family."

A few years ago, Tanya had remarried to a man named Royce Ordione. Royce was a successful businessman and he was hosting another party to celebrate yet another promotion. They were living in a spacious house in New York City. They were the perfect family, at least on the surface.

While Royce did love Tanya, he despised Kevin. The feeling was reciprocal. Kevin could not stand the man's demand that everything go the way he wanted it to. Royce could not stand Kevin's defiance. Kevin would never call this man 'father'. His real father was in space somewhere fighting villains and Kevin had kept his last name, Levin. It didn't matter that his real father might be dead. Royce would have preferred to get the woman without having the son, but things could not go that way. They dealt with each other. Arguments were common and they often had explosive effects.

A little after Royce had taken them to his house, strange things had begun to happen with Kevin. While arguing with Royce, he would cause a light bulb to explode. Or he would place his hands on an electrical outlet and energy would jump out from his fingers. It fascinated Kevin. Royce was revolted by this abnormal ability and it was a key factor in his hatred towards Kevin.

"He's not my father." Kevin wheeled around to stare at his mother. She looked away, unable to hold Kevin's smoldering gaze. "Can't I just stay up in my room and watch TV?"

"Sweetie," she sighed. "Guests are starting to arrive. They'll question why you aren't down there with your parents."

"Then Royce should tell them the truth. That he doesn't want me there." Kevin said simply, putting emphasis on his step-father's name.

"Don't be difficult, Kevin. It'll be fun. You can eat some good food and there may even be some other kids to talk to." Tanya reached over and took the boy's hand. He didn't resist until she started trying to drag him off.

With his heels stubbornly placed in the carpet, he replied, "I don't want to go. Royce doesn't want me to go. It'll be better without me!" He wrenched his hand away and ran over to one of the beanbag chairs in his room. The TV turned on.

Tanya walked over to the TV, turning it off. Kevin scowled at her and they began yet another staring match. Emerald eyes stared into obsidian eyes. The match ended when Kevin pressed the on button on the remote control he held.

"Kevin, stop acting like this!" Tanya raised her voice. She rarely raised her voice on anyone, but lately she had been doing it more and more on her son. Perhaps Royce had something to do with this change. "You are going to the party because I want you there. Don't you care what your mother wants anymore?"

Kevin watched the television numbly. Of course he cared what his mother wanted, but this wasn't a thing he could grant her. Despite his words, Kevin knew that Royce wanted him down there to show off his 'perfect family'. It was likely that Royce had convinced his mother to get him downstairs as he knew that Kevin would never do something if he himself asked. If Kevin was absent, the guests would create all sorts of rumors about why the son wasn't present to celebrate his father's promotion.

"Kevin, answer me when I speak to you!" Tanya screeched at him. She walked over and pulled the remote control out from Kevin's hands. The TV was flicked off.

"I don't want to go! All I want to do is stay here! I don't want to act like Royce's son." Kevin shouted. He was close to tears at this point. Why couldn't his father come home? Surely one annual visit would be okay in his Plumber business. And if he was dead, why hadn't anyone thought to notify his family?

"You'll go and you'll act like the son Royce expects you to be. You just have to give Royce a chance. He'll love it if you start calling him 'Dad'." Tanya reached over and grabbed Kevin's arm in a vice-like grip. "Let's go."

Kevin's skin crackled with electricity. The power scared him and he quickly closed his eyes. It was so close to breaking loose. What would happen if he fried his mother? A few tears trickled down his cheeks at the thought. Royce would do whatever he wanted if his mother ceased to be there. Slowly the power receded. His mother was safe from harm.

--

The party was held in the luxurious living room of Royce's house. All the regular furniture had been moved, so there was room to host the party. Banquet tables had been rented and set up. Aromas of a variety of foods mixed with the scented perfumes of the ladies attending. There was a sitting room where guests chattered. Another section of the room had been fenced off as the dance floor. Later in the night a disco ball would shine light down and music would play. For now, the lighting was based off some chandeliers. A makeshift stage was set up on one side of the room with a podium, ready for Royce's upcoming speech.

Kevin sat alone in a corner of the room with a plate of food by his side. He didn't want to talk with the other kids who were present. He had met them on previous parties and none of them made good friends. They didn't think highly of him either, so they avoided him. Adults also ignored Kevin unless it was to tell him how lucky he was to have such a successful father.

"Ahem." The sounds of a man clearing his throat silenced the chatty guests. They looked up in expectation at Royce, who had taken a place at the podium.

Royce was a handsome man. He had blonde hair that was stylized neatly. His blue eyes took in the crowd. While his figure could not be described as muscular, he had large shoulders that gave him a dominating presence. For the occasion, he was dressed in a suit.

"Greetings to all of you. I would like to start by thanking you for attending this party. It pleases me greatly to see how many of you turned up for my promotion party. I'd like to take this chance to drink to some very special people." Royce raised his glass of wine before resuming his speech,

"I'd first like to start by thanking all the people at the office. We're all friends here, so I hope you don't mind me calling you by your first names."

The crowd cheered. Kevin simply rolled his eyes. The words sounded false to him, the flattery of someone trying to weasel their way to the top. Royce began to go through a list of names, none of which Kevin took the time to memorize. At the end, the crowd chinked their glass with their neighbors and took a sip.

Royce cleared his throat once more. "I would next like to thank the president of our prestigious company, Mr. Pennyworth. Thank you for giving me this promotion and for allowing our company to thrive." Once again, there was the tinkling of bumping glasses and another sip to the old man.

"I would also like to thank my family. Without them to support me, I could never have gotten this far. Their love for me truly helped in the dark times and I'm forever grateful for them for being the light in my life. They gave the extra skip in my step that allowed me to work harder for them to ensure the best for them. I'd like to invite my wonderful wife Tanya and my dear son Kevin to the stage."

The crowd applauded so loudly that no one noticed the blanching Kevin. Love? Light in my life? Dear son? What was this? This was the lies that supported a perfect family. He wanted to yell at everyone that this wasn't true. There was no love except the one between Tanya and Royce. There was no dear son. There was only Kevin, the defiant freak of a son that Royce had to handle.

Tanya had already come up to the stage. When Kevin didn't follow, she began searching the crowds for him. Royce found Kevin first. His eyes narrowed for a few seconds before he chuckled,

"My son seems to be a bit shy." The audience laughed. "Come on up, Kevin, my boy. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Kevin's blood began to boil. What right did Royce have to call him these endearing terms? None. What right did the audience have to laugh at something that was a lie? None. They were just sheep, following their new manager.

The power he had previously sealed up jumped out of Kevin. He couldn't handle this facade of happiness. He wanted to show them the truth. The electricity he had previously absorbed jumped out and struck a chandelier. It swung for a few moments before dropping. As the crash resounded through the room, the laughter was cut off. The people stared at the shattered glass, at the flames that were spreading from tipped-over candles. Another bolt of electricity flew towards Royce. Fortunately for the man he ducked. The electricity collided with a curtain sparking a larger fire. The sight caused a woman to scream and that was when all pandemonium broke loose.

Kevin could no longer control the power. It controlled him. All the energy he had chosen to hide now leaped out. It hit into the curtains, causing them to burn. It hit into tablecloths, igniting them quickly. The thing was that this power felt good. It made him feel powerful. The people were yelling because of something he had done. He wasn't at the bottom, picked at by those who sensed he was strange. He was the one with the power now and it felt delicious.

The energy hit a man. The man fell to the ground, screaming in agony as the electricity coursed through his system. No one stopped to help the man up. They were all jostling towards the door. Eventually only four people remained; the old man, Royce, Tanya, and Kevin.

Royce's expression was murderous. He glared at Kevin as he stalked towards the boy. Tanya pulled at her husband's arm, whispering for them to run out while they had the chance. He ignored her pleas. Instead he bent down and picked up an ashtray that had been turned over on the initial run to the door.

"You brat!" He snarled at Kevin. "You monster! I told you never, ever to use those damn powers."

"Oh really." Kevin laughed. "That's what you get for marrying my mother, for lying to everyone, for hating me just because I'm a freak. You don't deserve parties. This was coming to you for a long time now. Everyone knows the truth now."

"How dare you! You deserve to die in here!"

Royce flung the ashtray towards Kevin. It hit Kevin's face, causing the boy to stumble back a few feet. The blow made Kevin disoriented. His vision swam in front of him and he collapsed to the ground. Kevin blinked, trying to see through the jolting pain that now ruled over him.

Royce stared at his fallen son with a pitiless expression. Finally he turned away and grabbed Tanya by the arm. He dragged the woman away by the arm.

"Kevin! Kevin!" Tanya reached out her arms. Royce ignored her cries and pulled her out of the burning room.

So this was how life would end. He would die here, burned by the fires he had started. Kevin laughed softly. Everyone would know exactly just what Kevin Levin thought of his father. They could truly say now that they had seen the real family situation in the Ordione household. Kevin smirked before replacing it with a scowl.

Royce wanted him to die. Kevin's eyes hardened. He couldn't allow himself to die here, at Royce's hands. Maybe his mother could finally realize that Royce was a monster and she would divorce. Things could go back to the way they were before Royce ever assumed the position of head of the family.

Pushing himself up on to his knees, Kevin felt a wave of dizziness hit him. The pounding headache from the ashtray was made worse by the smoke that filled the room. Taking a few breathes to steady himself, Kevin began to crawl. School had drilled the proper instructions for fires into his mind. Smoke rose, so it was necessary to crawl.

The air was hazy and Kevin bumped into a still body. It was Mr. Pennyworth. Rather than clambering over the body, Kevin crawled around it. He avoided the empty gaze of the man. Had he done that? Kevin could recall hitting a man, but at the time, he had not recognized who it was or if he had actually died. A part of Kevin was revolted that he had actually killed the man, but another part of him was thrilled. He had power and he could use it on others.

As Kevin crawled, he came to an extraordinary decision. His power was not something that should be bottled up and hidden from the world. It was supposed to be used. Kevin could do whatever he wanted with this power. He didn't have to be afraid of anyone because no one could hurt him. There were no consequences for someone with powers like his. His smile widened.

Rather than going to the front door, Kevin had crawled out towards the door to the backyard. He slid the door open, letting out a stream of smoke. Sirens could be heard. They would be here soon. Quickly Kevin scampered across the grass, glancing back only as he slipped into the street.

The house was burning. Part of it had fallen in on itself. The orange flames stood out in the overall darkness of the scene. People stood in small groups, muttering their fears aloud to anyone who would listen. Some of the people were crying while others just stared in shock. They were all thinking the same thing; how could this happen? How could a promotion party turn into such a mess?

"You!" A snarling voice spoke to Kevin. Kevin's eyes flickered away from the burning building to stare at Royce. The man was furious. Tanya drifted behind her husband, her emerald eyes stretched wide in fear.

"I'm not going to die here." Kevin glared at the man.

"You're a freak who deserves nothing but death." Royce spat. Spittle flew from his mouth and hit Kevin.

"And you're a lying monster." Kevin wiped away the spit that had struck him in disgust.

"Can't we all just make up?" Tanya murmured softly.

"Silence." Royce commanded. Tanya dropped back, whimpering. He turned his attention back to his son. "I want you to leave. Now! Run far, far away and never come back."

Kevin stared at Royce in surprise. Being thrown out was the last thing he had ever expected to happen. Living on the streets seemed like a hard life. He looked over at his mother, hoping to find some sort of solidarity with her.

"Mommy…" He hadn't called her that for a long time. "Please." He begged. "I don't want to live on the streets. Please." He wanted her to choose his side. He was disappointed.

"Your father is right. This world isn't meant for people like you. It would have been better for you to die in the fire." Tanya spoke softly. Her eyes were on the ground, as if she was disgusted by the sight of him.

Kevin felt his hope crumble up and die. How could his mother say this? He had always suspected that she loved Royce more than she loved him, but this was the final proof. Didn't she love him anymore? Didn't she remember the days before Royce when everything had been great? Yes, funds were hard to come by, but they had been so happy. Now… Now her love was directed towards Royce and whatever love she had for him was overshadowed by her husband.

"Run away and never come back." Royce stepped towards his son. Kevin stepped away. There was nothing he could drain electricity from and he was out of juice. He was helpless to whatever Royce did to him. "Never show your face to me again."

"Please just go." Tanya begged, hoping to avoid any mess. "I don't want to see you anymore."

It was the last straw. With tears pricking at his eyes, Kevin spun around. He took off into the closest alleyway. As he ran, he heard Royce yell,

"If you ever show your face around here again, I'll kill you."

--

It was close to midnight now. Kevin had finally stopped running. He was now in the city park. Kevin walked over to one of the benches and sat down on it. The pain in his head had lessened. There would be a bruise later. His legs were tired from running, he was cold, his stomach was empty, and his spirit was beaten into the ground.

"Why didn't you ever come back?" Kevin looked up at the sky. There were no stars due to the fact that the city lights obscured them all. The moon was only a small slice and provided little light. "If you hadn't left, this wouldn't have happened. If you had come back, I wouldn't be outside right now."

Kevin swung his legs as he spoke. "My mom would still love me. Royce would never have married her. Everything would be okay. I would have fallen asleep by now. You could have told me stories about your adventures. You would never have called me a freak."

Kevin paused before continuing in a softer tone, "Is it because of me? Did you think I was a freak too? Mom told me that you were an alien." His head dropped a bit. "Did you think it was weird that I was part-alien and part-human? Is that why you left?"

The startling revelation that his father might not have come back, not because he was unable, but because he didn't want to, hit Kevin hard. His eyes narrowed as he stared up at the dark sky. If his father was a hero, why hadn't he ever come back and helped them? Had he died? Or was it simply because he hadn't cared to come back? Maybe he hated his son just as much as Royce hated him.

Kevin pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep warm. Heroes existed only in stories. In real life, everyone had their own motives. In the end, it all boiled down to one thing; yourself. It was the only person you could rely on and the only person you worked for. His mother had wanted to keep herself safe and in lavish surroundings, so she had sided with Royce. Royce had wanted money and a good reputation, so he had tossed out his son and built lies around his life. Now Kevin would have to work for himself. He wanted to live, have fun, and wield power. With his powers, he could do it.

Tears fell from his eyes and he laid down on the bench. They would regret ridiculing him. They would regret throwing him out. If the world really had no place for a freak like him, then he would carve his own place in this world. No one was there for him, but it no longer mattered. He was on his own side, he was Kevin Levin, and he was going to show everyone.

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A/N: This was great to write! I've just got one question for all your readers. Would you like to see another part for this? Originally I was planning to put it here, but I just couldn't write it well at the time. I took the part out and now I'm offering you all a choice. The next part would be Kevin's meeting with his mom to show her the Plumber's badge he received (after the episode with Darkstar). The other option would be for me to write down another one of the versions I've got on Kevin's past. I can do both, but I'd like to know which you would rather I do first. Reviews are appreciated. Please tell me what you think and whether I should do the next part. If anyone's got any requests, I'll take those as well.

Twilight Phantom Dragon