July 4, 2016

Plumber's Outpost, Mojave Desert; 4:22 pm

It was quiet in the base, quieter than usual, at least. Headquarters allowed all plumbers who were not on an active mission to leave to see their families for the holiday.

Gwen hadn't seen Max since Dr. Beck cleared her, so she had become closer with Kai and, through proxy, Kevin. However, Kai, like many others, jumped at the opportunity without a second thought leaving the two to spend more time together.

Kevin had convinced Max to allow Gwen to go outside, so they were now walking the perimeter of the base. It would have been a nice gesture if they weren't surrounded by anything but dirt and sand. Still, though, it's better than being in her cell.

"Sorry that this is all I could do for you," Kevin said. "I'm on light duty until I get the clear from doc. Otherwise, I'd take you driving through the dunes."

Gwen knew that he was being nice, but she still felt uncomfortable being alone with him. How could she act calm after everything he'd done to her?

Kevin began to put some distance between them. He must have noticed her discomfort.

"I'm sorry," Gwen muttered.

"Don't be," Kevin replied, "I should be the one apologizing." He leaned against the perimeter fence and wiped the sweat pooling on his forehead. "I had a lot of time to think when I was in the Null Void. For a while, I was angry and fought with Vilgax, but then he escaped. After that, I'd pick fights with whoever or whatever I could find, but I always ended up alone again. My therapist says that anger is a surface-level emotion. It hides what we're really feeling, and when you're alone for that long, you start to really feel again." Kevin chuckled. "You probably think I'm pretty pathetic right now, don't you? Needing a therapist after everything I've done."

"No, actually," Gwen said. "I have one too."

That seemed to put him at ease, if only for a moment. Kevin continued walking as he spoke.

"I pushed and blamed everyone for what happened to me. It was so obvious back then, but I was so crazy with power that I didn't want to see the truth in front of me. It wasn't until I escaped the Null Void that I realized that. I was ready to finally kill you, your cousin, and everyone who wronged me."

Kevin stopped and stared at her. Gwen stood her ground, ready to defend herself. But all he did was stare and then continue walking.

"A lot changed while I was locked up," he said. "The world moved on, but I stayed the same."

Gwen couldn't help but resonate with his words. They were the same in that aspect. She watched as her family moved on to the next chapter of their lives while she was stuck in the intermission.

"And then the Plumbers gave you a chance to redeem yourself," Gwen said.

"I still have a lot to atone for, but every time I go out into the field, I make the world a little better," Kevin smiled. "It's a thankless job, but I'm happy doing it."

Gwen laughed, and all the anxiety and fear left her body.

"You look a lot better without the tough guy bravado," Gwen said. "God first Hope and now you. Next thing I know, Animo will show up with roses and a heartfelt apology."

Kevin gave her a strange look but then started laughing with her. The two continued their walk and then returned to the bunker. Just when they were going to say their goodbyes, Gwen stopped him.

"Hey," she said, "do you ever miss your powers?"

Kevin looked shocked but then rubbed the back of his head.

"I ran away when I was eleven," he said. "I gave my mom a lot of crap back then, and I was always causing trouble for her because of my powers. Eventually, she got sick of it. She told me to get out and never come back, so I did. After the Plumbers took me in, I asked Max to check on her, and it turns out she died while looking for me when I was stuck in the Null Void. So the first thing I did when I turned back to normal was visit her grave. Maybe she'd still be alive if I never had those powers." Kevin turned away from her and returned to his room without another word.

Gwen stood there feeling guilty for asking that of him. She started to walk to her room but then returned the way she came. Nobody was roaming the hall as she practically ran to the infirmary. She thrust the door open and was thankful to find it empty save for the solely occupied bed. Only once she stood over him did she stop to think about why she was there.

Ben's face looked thin and pale. Her mana could cure her better than any medicine, but she couldn't say the same for the Omnitrix. If anything, he was a handicap on the watch's full potential.

Gwen noticed that he wasn't wearing the watch. Their grandfather most likely locked it up after they arrived. It reminded her of the restraints she was in when she woke up.

What am I doing here? None of this would have happened if I had just stayed in Bellwood.

Gwen turned to leave when she heard a cell phone ringing. She checked her phone, but it was turned off. Looking around, she found the source of the sound coming from a backpack next to Ben's bed.

She dug through it and found a portable game system, his wallet, and strangely a book: The Girl In The Spider's Web. Digging deeper, she eventually found the phone and accepted the call, not reading the caller ID.

"Hello?" she asked.

There was silence for a moment.

"Hi," a girl said. "Who is this?"

"I'm Gwen, Ben's cousin. He's… sick and can't answer the phone right now. May I ask who's calling? I can leave him a message when he wakes up."

The girl seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm Julie, his girlfriend," she said.

Gwen felt her stomach drop. Right, he has a girlfriend.

"I just hadn't heard from him in a couple of weeks and was getting worried," Julie continued. "I know that he gets pretty busy and that there's not always the best reception when he's on these trips with his grandpa. How long has he been staying with you?"

He didn't tell her about me?

"Not long," Gwen said, "surprised it's been as long as it has."

It was quiet on the other end. Gwen wondered if the call had dropped when the girl finally spoke up.

"Can I ask you something?" Julie asked but didn't wait for a response. "I was talking with his mom not too long ago, and she said that he was going to join the military after he graduated. He always told me he would become a plumber like his grandpa. You don't know anything, do you?"

"I'm sorry I don't," Gwen said. "We're not that close…."

The silence settled back in.

"I understand," Julie said. "Can you let Ben know I called and that I hope he feels well enough to see the fireworks? I know how much he loves them."

"Sure," Gwen said.

The call ended, and Gwen stared at the blank screen. Why was she so upset that Ben didn't tell his girlfriend about her? In the end, it didn't matter. They would be going their separate ways soon. She put away his phone and noticed his body moving.

"Gwen?" he asked. His voice sounded rough and dry. Gwen filled a cup with water and handed it to him, but he seemed too weak to hold it.

"Open your mouth," she ordered. Ben did as he was told, and she brought the cup to his lips. "Take it slow. I don't want you to choke."

The two stayed like that until Ben finished drinking. Gwen smiled for a moment before the guilt settled back in.

"So I take it you won if I'm the one that ended up in the infirmary," Ben said.

"No, Ben," Gwen sighed, "neither of us did." She sat at the edge of his bed, thinking about what she would say next. "We need to talk about us. About what happened when we were kids."

Ben's face grew dark. Gwen tried to read him, but she bet that even he didn't know what he was feeling at that moment. She concluded that now was not the right time.

"I'll let you rest some more," Gwen got up to leave. "Your girlfriend called. She's worried about you."

Shock spread across his features at the mention of his girlfriend. It made Gwen more curious of their relationship. She made her way to leave but stopped at the doorway.

"I promised your girlfriend I'd show you the fireworks," Gwen said.

Ben looked at her confused, before she turned out the lights. Focusing on her mana, she conjured an illusion in the middle of the room. There was a small spark, then two, then a thousand. A myriad of colors and lights flew across the room, radiating a beautiful light.

Gwen watched as the life returned to his face. Then, for just a moment, she allowed herself to be happy again before slipping away to return to her cold empty cell.