A/N: Okay. I'm a little slow, but I blame that all on my parents. I'm convinced they're out to get me…

This one is a bit harder. Not quite a verbal argument, just one with themselves. Especially Kevin. He's pissed at himself and he's totally out of it and stuffz.

Breathe

He watched her for a moment. Her chest moved slowly, the air expanding in her lungs. Kevin sighed. Why did the world make everything so hard on him? He stared. He tried so hard. He'd risked his life. For what? Nothing. She didn't care. She never would. He was just some punky little teammate to her. That and a criminal.

The car felt so slow. Like he couldn't drive fast enough. He just watched her out of the corner of his eye, hoping that for only a moment, she would care about him as much as he cared about her.

Gwen smiled in her sleep. Kevin, she thought. She could feel him. So close, but still so far away… She breathed. Her eyes moved quickly to take in his features. His black hair, barely hanging in his sweet, dark brown eyes. His eyes never gave anything away, making her study him harder, as if he were a book in a foreign language. As if he weren't already foreign enough… He was strong. Those arms were always tight around her when she wanted them to be. So tight. So close. She could hear his heart beating in his chest as he breathed deeply, taking in that moment to memorize it forever.

Kevin wouldn't let her go. He made sure he had every part of her locked into his heart and sealed away with all his love. He cared too much some days. And this was one of those times. Her eyes were always seemingly worried about him. That perfect green. He adored it. He craved it. And he tried to make them sparkle with amusement, always ready with some kind of lame one-liner that he didn't even think were funny sometimes. It was easy. She made him happy. She completed him in a way she would never understand. She was the only love he'd ever been able to keep and give in return. He would hold her. And he knew, that they were meant to be together. The way she pushed her hair behind her ear. He loved it. It was hard to find something he didn't like about her. Gwen's laugh was addictive. Worse than her smile. She could just be so happy. If only she would always be happy around him…

She was good and she tried to do a little bad, just for him to prove that he was wrong. He knew it and tried to change for her so she didn't have to. She was too perfect. He was too damaged. He wasn't a very good choice to be near. Or to love. She loved him anyways. He was like a drug. She couldn't get enough, but it was so bad for her. So very bad…

His foot fell harder on the gas. The needle moved past eighty. His mind was racing. His eyes were on her. The desert on the sides of the highway flew past. They'd been out of town on a tech deal. Gwen wouldn't let him go alone. And there was no real need to involve Ben. The less he knew, the better.

She was amazing, but she loved the delinquent. The one that was the worst possible match for her.

He tried to turn himself around so he could be more like her. He was ready to become something better.

Maybe they could meet somewhere in the middle.

It was just hard to get there.

Air caught in his throat as bright yellow and white lights shone right in his eyes. He turned the car quickly, trying to avoid the inevitable. "Oh sh-" Kevin couldn't finish his words.

Metal crunched as the impact totally crushed the entire car.

Too fast.

Not enough focus.

His control was weak.

His mind was on her.

His heart racing.

Praying for a miracle.

Praying to save her.

Wanting to live another day.

She was too distracting.

She was his fate.

It was their destiny.

Gwen felt the pain running through her before she even knew she was waking. "Wha-"

Ben was by her side in an instant. He was babbling. She struggled to listen.

Something about Kevin.

A semi-truck.

His car.

Destroyed.

And that's what she was. Destroyed. He had saved her yet again. And it was the last time he ever would. Ever could. But he would still try. He always would. He was Kevin. He would never stop caring. Never.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Gwen drank in the air of the world without Kevin.

Ben was talking again. Something about a miracle.

A miracle? How could Kevin's death be a miracle?

"He save-"

"He-"

"Don't-"

"Gwen…" Ben just went quiet, understanding her pain. She wasn't going to listen for awhile yet, struggling to accept it all. He was feeling the same pain. Kevin had been doing better. He'd behaved more often. He'd tried harder to regain their trust after every incident of destruction and betrayal.

Her emerald eyes closed as more tears escaped. He wasn't gone. He wouldn't be. He couldn't be. He was Kevin Levin. The one who'd survived the Null Void. The one who had challenged the holder of the Omnitrix. The one who had teamed with Vilgax. The one that never backed down. The one that never died in a fight. And he was gone. He'd crashed. Not a fight, a crash. She never thought she'd see the day come. The day where she cried over Kevin.

Memories came back. She'd been searching the wreckage. Half the car had been blown totally off with the semi-truck. Kevin's half. Gwen's side had been pretty much crushed as she slept, out of harm's way.

His last second swerve had been the only thing between Gwen's death and survival. She'd still felt the agony of the windshield shattering across her, the glass embedding itself in her skin and clothing. Her side had been tossed a bit further away, rolling across the road. She was bruised and scraped, but that wouldn't stop her.

She'd gotten up, staggering out of the car, trying hard not to fall to the grip of unconsciousness that already had a faint hold on her. She moved slowly towards the tipped over semi and the other half of Kevin's car. Her heart ached as she breathed in the scene. The whole front end was demolished. His car was annihilated. How would he deal with it? That was her first thought. Then her second. Was he even alive?

He was Kevin. He had to be alive.

Racing faster, she tried to hope for a miracle. Just one little miracle. She wanted him to be alive. To be safe. To be Kevin.

She could picture the crash and how he had taken it all. His face echoed in her head. His brown eyes, pained. Light reflecting off his face. His panic.

One thing she'd never seen him do. Panic. It wasn't in his nature. It wasn't him. She just wanted him back now, criminal and all. That guy that she had wanted, but never had the courage to get.

Gwen stumbled over her own feet, falling forward. There was a voice. Only for a moment. Calling her name. Calling for her. In her memory, she knew the voice. But it wasn't the one she'd been so desperate to hear. It wasn't Kevin.

Ben was still beside her in the hospital room.

He was saying he was the first to find her.

That explained the voice.

He said that she'd be fine with some rest.

She asked about Kevin.

Ben only looked to the door, avoiding the question.

Gwen asked what had happened.

Ben explained quickly that the car was going too fast. Nearly a hundred miles per hour when it hit the semi. Kevin was speeding almost desperately. Neither driver was drunk, exactly. Except Kevin. Gwen was his drug of choice. She had taken over his whole being. He was drifting into the other lane and tried to avoid the crash at the last minute. It saved Gwen. It was the only reason she was still alive.

Then the door opened. Gwen was still lost in her thoughts and grief. Kevin was gone. He was gone.

"Hey, Ben, she awake yet?"

Her eyes shot open. That was the voice she craved. Just to hear it one last time.

And he was standing there.

Perfectly fine in every possible way.

His eyes were still brown. His body was still in one piece. He was still Kevin. And he would never change that. And she wouldn't try to. She cared about him too much.

Kevin smiled after a moment, seeing his favorite girl lying there, those emerald eyes open, tears spilling over. "Gwen, what's wrong?" he asked quickly, moving to be closer to her. He had to know she was fine. She had to be fine. If there was one little scratch on her perfect little head, he'd blame himself. He'd hurt her. He'd never forgive himself. He sat on the side of her bed.

"Kevin," she murmured, throwing her arms around his neck. She breathed him in. "Kevin, you're okay." The sound of his heart beating was a relief. He was alive. It wasn't a dream.

"Of course I am!" he laughed weakly, his arm snaking around her waist. He was still working out ways to explain why he had crashed. Then it occurred to him. Why had he crashed? Where was his focus? Why was he so careless?

"But how-"

He moved slightly and kissed her. All the words unsaid. They would stay that way. He was only glad she was alive. She wasn't going to leave him. Not today.

She promised herself that this would be everyday from now on. She'd hurt herself just to feel his lips against hers. The passion that he would never show was there. He had a heart. It was buried. But it was beating. Just another day. One more day of being with him. One more day of his stupid jokes. And another day near him. A little shiver ran down her spine.

Kevin pulled away shortly. "You're cold," he muttered softly, holding her close to his chest.

"No. I was just enjoying it," she sighed. She wished he hadn't moved an inch away from her. It'd be another inch she suffered away from him. "Tell me what happened."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "It was an accident. I was tired-"

"That's a lie. You were perfectly fine before I went to sleep."

"Fine in what way?" he laughed. Another one of those stupid jokes.

She rolled her eyes. He could be so… She couldn't bring herself to keep searching for something wrong with him. He was alive. That was what mattered. Gwen smiled. "In every way." She traced small circles on his chest, memorizing every inch of him. Now she understood. She finally knew why he had taken in every moment. He had known something would happen. Someday. Because that one moment may be their last. And he wasn't going to let it go for anything. She looked up, her lips desperately seeking his once more.

He was warm and comforting. Kevin's love was fierce. He was still memorizing so he wouldn't forget. His mind still stuck on how he had risked losing her. And her losing him. It wouldn't happen again.

Something occurred to her. "How did you survive? Your car was destroyed."

"I absorbed the roof. It was enough to cover me and you in the second the truck hit. So when you were rolling away, the armor was still protecting you a bit. And that's the only reason you made it. The truck would've crushed you…"

"Kevin," Gwen whispered, her arms tightly around him. Letting him go… It wasn't possible. "It's okay. We're fine." She leaned into him, wishing for more.

"No, it's not. You could've-"

"I could die in a fight with DNAliens, but you don't stop me," she pointed out. She kissed him again, knowing that he wouldn't refuse.

He pulled away shortly, still feeling guilty. "Gwen, I barely saved you."

"But you did."

"And if I had died?"

She refused to think of it. "Kevin, tell me something."

He blinked, waiting for a question.

"Why do I still hurt even with your shield and you're not even scratched?"

"The car tumbled a lot, Gwen."

"But you were crushed!"

"My armor was stronger. It's natural on me. It was all blown off in a few seconds, but it was long enough for me to get out. And I'm not totally unscathed."

Gwen stared up at him. She didn't know he could comprehend big words.

He squirmed out of her arms for a moment. Kevin pulled up his shirt a bit to reveal a large, deep cut across his ribcage. "It stings, but it should heal pretty fast."

"How do you know it's not serious?"

"I don't know. I didn't even think until…" He remembered the lights. "Gwen, I'm so sorry." Those words wouldn't mean enough. He wouldn't forgive himself. She could've died. Losing her wasn't an option.

"It's okay."

"And Ben said he'd help. But I told him we had to wait. He'd use all the Omnitrix's energy healing me and if anything happened to you-"

"Go find him."

"Why?" Kevin whined. He was finally enjoying a moment alone with Gwen. Already, she wanted him gone. He saved her life and was still risking his own to keep her safe. Why was it all so hard? She should be thanking him. She should be grateful. Yet he only wanted to agree. His drug was telling him to leave it…

Gwen touched the deep wound. It was still very red and threatening to bleed more. "Ben needs to fix this. Now."

"But you-"

"No. Kevin, I love you too much to let you be in pain any longer."

"But-" Then the words struck him again like being slapped in the face. Not pain, but it shocked him. Three out of fifteen words. I love you. They froze him for an instant. "Alright," he agreed slowly, beginning to wrap his mind around the concept. "But Gwen?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too," he breathed, kissing her forehead.

Ben was standing outside the door for awhile, fake gagging. Just the idea of his cousin and Kevin was disgusting. How would that affect the team?

He looked in the window. Gwen seemed happier than he had seen her in forever. And Kevin… His features were harder to read. But he looked relaxed. Almost peaceful. Ben had to breathe and think it over. Maybe this change between them was for the best. That didn't mean he exactly had to like it, but it was better than them fighting. Or worse. Dead. He sighed.

A/N: Okay, I would never in a million years kill off Kevin. He is waaaayyyyy too good to be killed!!! Especially in a crash!!! Although if he did die because of a crash, he'd probably be distracted by Gwen or the other driver was drunk. So I think it turned out pretty well and I was going to have their sentences all cut off halfway. Just for the fun of it. But I had to explain how they both survived. This took all morning. Hope you like it! R&R, plz?