Mantinas-OK, first off, I'm sorry this took so long but I was on vacation and then work and all this other stuff. This isn't as long as I'd hoped it would, in part that there is no Ben this chapter(Because at the time I didn't have much for him and wanted a smaller chapter for him then a time skip). But we have this(I thought it ended well where it was) and then another than an interlude then a time skip. You're gonna love/hate the time skip.

(X)(X)(X)

Kevin moved ten paces when he stopped. For a second he was shrouded in darkness when, mentally, he did something akin to a man pulling the table cloth out from under the good china. Light filled the room revealing the burgundy colored walls with jutting pillars with granite marble bases that appear to have sprouted from the floor itself, which, had the appearance of a compass out of black, tan, and orange marble. In front of him sat five elderly looking Illusciens. Three men and two women whose purpose was to go over with Kevin on his findings and see how he matured-if at all.

"Kevin," The woman in the center spoke up, the same lady who beckoned him in earlier. "I'm glad you've matured so fast. But please explain why you're here so early."

Kevin barely tilted his torso, just enough that you could see he was an obtuse angle in a show of respect when he recapped every incident he'd been through with Ben, never speaking their names, though he knew them, it would be unwise to do so during this process. How he placed the bike lock around his neck and it led him towards the Carnival where only Ben saw him and they were barely separated friends.

Of course, Kevin knew Ben seeing him was not fate. It was the luck of the draw. A scientist projected his mind to Earth where he examines expecting families and when the times right, he travels to Earth and back with a strand of human hair and they attach the DNA into the device. Luck was on his side when he received it and it was Ben's.

The second lady's eyes never left Kevin as he spoke. None of the others noticed what she did, but then again, she was more intoned to these sorts of situations.

"Kevin," Kevin lifted his head. "From what I'm seeing is that you cared a lot for this boy."

Everyone looked at her. It seemed as she were to be their speaker this time, for in this debriefing only one could speak for all at any time as not to overwhelm the returning child who only had one companion to talk to for years. Which meant many changes of speakers, but only if their silence went beyond a minute or they see fit to interject. Kevin knew from their stares that the others were sending her their comments and from her smile, he knew he would be okay.

"Yes, Kevin. They're pleased with your progress. Though we regret that you had to go through the Lovecraftian Clause. Even more so for Ben, for he has to endure that treatment even now."

Both she and he shared the same pained expression.

"But you did the right thing, Kevin. Humans can't last as long on our planet as they do on theirs." She paused. They both knew he knew of the story of poor Luis. "Which brings me to my proposal."

Kevin perked his head up at that. As far as he knew this was where it was supposed to end and he'd go back to his…could he still call it his house? His family was there, but again that empty feeling plagued him.

"Don't decide anything now. Your family wants to see you after all. But in a year's time, I want you to come back here with an answer to my question: Do you want to go back?"

Kevin tilted his head to the side.

"I'm sorry," He said. "But I didn't think this was possible."

"It's rare," She admitted, smiling gently. "But this council has asked a few others in the past."

"Do not answer yet," A bald male stated, taking over. "Wait a year and come back. I'm sure your family would love to see you first."

And with that it was over. Kevin bowed slightly and they tipped their heads in return. Turning to leave, he had so much he wanted to tell and see. But, in the forefront of his mind, he really wanted to see the lake at the back of the house.

Once he re-entered the hallway, he was met with two guards who offered to escort him home. Smiling, he nodded his consent and followed them towards a parking lot in one of the lower levels. One of the guards hopped onto a wheel-less bike and motioned for Kevin to hop on.

Once Kevin was seated behind him it lifted a few meters in the air and sped off into civilization, no longer unseen, he shuddered, finding the thought of being seen by millions to be more frightening than the concept of being seen by one. Though in the beginning he'd often forget about that, especially when Carl and Sandra talked to him to humor Ben.

Ben…

The bike hummed in midair, its thrusters on standby as the propulsion vents at the bottom worked to keep it up. Kevin spied the yellow, two story house at the end of the mile drive. Nothing's changed on the outside he notes as he hops off the bike. He waves and the guard nods his head taking off before performing a semicircle and speeding back from whence he came.

He wants to run. He wants to run down the drive and pound on the door where he'll be greeted by his mother and father. They'd embrace and laugh, mom would cry, and then his grandfather would hobble down the stairs and they'd be happy again. A family again…

But it has been many years. No telling what's changed on the inside. Because, of all the lessons he's learned, the most important one was that things change all the time.

He knocks gently upon the door. He waits for only a minute when the door opens and reveals his mother. Shoulder length black hair frame her beautiful,(gothic he thinks from all of the pictures he's seen) pale face. Her black eyes at first seem blank, but once they see who the visitor is they seem to sparkle like the void he just traversed. Her pale red lips turn into a smile.

"Kevin!" She embraces him. "My, how've you grown."

He feels relaxed in the hug, like a heavy load has been taken off of his shoulders. But then he realizes who's missing. He pulls away from her slightly, still entwined in her arms, and asks:

"Where is dad and grandpa?"

At this she frowns. Hugging him tighter she whispers in his ear: "I'm sorry, Kevin, but they died in an accident two days ago."

"What?" He screams.

"I tried to message you, but there was-what humans call-solar flares. It interfered with the transmission. You know how our sun is."

Kevin vaguely remembered how their sun worked anymore. He's been gone for years, thriving on Earth. All he remembered was that it's on its last thousand years and fading away. Not like they needed it personally, but their planet does.

"Now," She said, letting go of him. "Care to tell me why you're here so early?"

She doesn't bring up their deaths, for that would be no excuse for returning. Harsh, but the first to lay down the rules were scientists hell bent on expanding their knowledge of the only species similar to their own. Though most of the rules were now lax, and the point changed to center on the traveler's growth more than knowledge of a species that hasn't changed since the nineteen hundreds, this wasn't one of them. The reason behind it is unclear, though many think it's the old 'If I couldn't come back, then neither can you'.

Sighing, he asks if they could go inside. She nods and he walks towards the living room where he recaps his adventures with Ben and the council.

Unobserved by Kevin his mother's expression changes from amusement to shock upon hearing the council's deal.