July 16, 2016

Gulf of Mexico; 7:15 am

Gwen woke up feeling warm. There was a strong presence wrapped around her waist, lulling her back to sleep. With closed eyes, she reached down towards it and laced her fingers with theirs. Their breath against the back of her neck sent shivers down her spine. It was nothing short of bliss. And then there was a knock at the door, and it was over.

Before she could find the strength to open her eyes, Gwen felt someone rush out of the bed towards the bathroom. There was another knock at the door, followed by a voice. "Ben," Eddie called out. "Are you in there?" Gwen finally opened her eyes just as Eddie stuck his head inside. "Gwen? What are you doing here?"

Gwen looked at him, unable to comprehend his question in her dazed state. She took a moment to recall where she was. The events from the previous night began to flood her thoughts, and her mouth began to feel incredibly dry. She gave the boy a sheepish smile. "I… I must have ended up in the wrong room."

"I see." Eddie cleared his throat. "Breakfast is ready on the deck. Let Ben know if you see him." He took note of the redness in her cheeks and then left without another word.

Gwen let out the breath she had been holding in. "Breakfast is ready."

"I heard." Ben stepped out of the bathroom with a smirk. "You know we really need to stop meeting like this."

Gwen rolled her eyes as she made her way to leave. But as she placed her hand on the door to leave, she hesitated. "Can we talk about last night?"

Ben's face flushed. "What about it?"

"I just…." Gwen wasn't sure what to say or why she even drew attention to it at all. She could have easily acted like nothing had happened, but the guilt that had laid dormant deep within her had begun to creep its ugly little head again. This was the time when she should talk about it, about them. But then she hears Julie's voice and has to remind herself that Ben isn't hers anymore. But that doesn't mean she can't worry about him, right? "I just want you to know that I'm here if you need anything. You don't have to go through any of this alone."

Ben gave a half smile and a simple "Thanks." When it was clear that neither had more to say, he locked himself in the bathroom. Gwen could hear the shower turn on and took it as her cue to do the same.

Despite the humid heat outside, Gwen set the water as hot as it could go before stepping inside. There was an initial burn against her skin, but it soon became soothing. It wasn't long until she slid down the tite wall until she was sitting with he head between her knees as the water poured down onto her.

Eventually, the water went cold, and she knew that she couldn't hide in there forever. She quickly washed herself and threw on the clothes she had picked out for the day. She was then surprised to find Ben waiting for her in the hall.

"Still take forever to get ready, I see," he quipped.

Gwen felt her cheeks heat up. "You didn't have to wait for me." Ben gave no response, instead making his way towards the deck with Gwen following just a step behind. Gwen watched him from the corner of her eye. He seemed more relaxed than before. As if whatever tension had been holding onto them had been cut, at least on his end. She reminded herself that she needed to let go as well and took that final step forward to walk by his side.

Everyone had long since finished their breakfast by the time they arrived. There were some leftovers, but they were cold and soggy sitting out in the open sea air. Donovan assured them that there was plenty of food in the kitchen. So, with Eddie as their guide, the three left to prepare what Eddie called a "second breakfast."

"So, where've you been hiding, Ben?" Eddie asked while whisking eggs in a pan.

"I've been around," Ben said, flipping the bacon in his pan. "It's a big ship, and it's not like I can go anywhere else."

Gwen could see the smile on Eddie's face from where she was chopping fruit. The kitchen was huge. Large enough for the three to make their own food without disturbing one another. Once again, she was reminded how odd it was that there was no one else aboard. "So, why'd you decide to sail out here alone like this?" Eddie's smile faltered for a second, and Gwen felt as if she had asked something she should not have. "Sorry! You've been so generous to invite us along, and it's none of my business what you do, but-"

"It's fine, Gwen." Eddie gave her a much more genuine smile than before. "After the failure of my grandfather's underwater resort, investors were desperate for him to come up with a new, exciting idea. Long story short, he made a few more bad calls, and all of his investors pulled out. Our resorts make enough to be self-sustaining, but we can't afford to live as luxuriously as we have been before." His face turned dark. Gwen wondered what he was thinking, but before she could ask, he spoke. "My parents have been working with the board of directors to get my grandfather to relinquish his position as CEO. I've done everything I can to hold them off, but I'll be leaving for college soon. The only thing I can do for him now is become powerful enough to take back his company, and that's how I came up with my Magnum Opus."

"You mean the model city," Gwen said. She could see Ben's expression darken.

Eddie hadn't noticed and continued. "You've seen how brilliant my grandfather was. If we could take that ambition and creativity and apply it elsewhere, we could create something truly incredible." He finished cooking his meal, and though he looked upset, he also looked determined. "I'll head back first."

They were alone once again. Gwen had her plate of fruit and yogurt but waited for Ben to finish his. She watched him as he worked much slower than before. He looked like he was stuck in his own thoughts, unaware of the world around him. It was only when the burning smell hit his nostrils that he returned to his senses.

"Shit!" He exclaimed, tossing the contents into the trash. He grabbed the bacon from the fridge, and Gwen placed her hand over his to stop him.

"Let me," she said. Whether it was from the gentleness in her voice or just how overwhelmed he felt, Ben slumped against the wall in defeat.

He watched as she cooked the bacon and couldn't help but smile when she jumped back when the grease popped. And when she picked out the shell when she screwed up, cracking the egg. And when she frowned in disappointment when the yolk broke, and she had to scramble it to salvage her mistake. And when she presented the ugly plate of eggs and bacon, he graciously accepted it. It was under-seasoned and cooked unevenly, and he loved it.

"You're a terrible cook," he said, biting a piece of undercooked bacon.

"It's still better than Grandpa's." There was no malice in her voice. She smiled and sat next to him, plopping a juicy orange slice into her mouth.

"You got me there." Ben returned the smile and playfully tapped his shoulder against hers. "Thanks." Gwen bumped him back, and the two fell into peaceful silence as they ate.

They knew that the others were waiting for them. Max and Donovan wouldn't care; the two had done nothing but talk since they boarded. Eddie, however, would. Gwen was sure that he suspected something. What that something is, she can't tell, but it can't be good. Still, she didn't want to go back to being just cousins. Not yet, at least.

She placed her empty plate on the floor and laid her head on his shoulder. "I feel bad for them. Eddie and his grandpa, I mean."

Ben finished what he could of his plate and set it aside. "Yeah, they have it so rough not being able to pay staff to run their yacht."

"Don't be a dick." She gently smacked his chest. "Be honest with me, Ben. You want to help him, don't you?" He was silent, and she looked up to try to read his expression, but he was looking away from her. "I meant what I said last night. You're not like him, and you never will be. I know that we've been through a lot on this trip: some good and some… not so good." She could feel him slump further. "But through it all, I could see just how passionate you are. About being a hero, about grandpa, about me…." She felt him staring at her now, but now she was the one looking away. "I don't want that passion to die. So, it's up to you to decide what you'll do with it."

The silence returned, but the air around them felt charged. Ben was watching her like a hawk watches its prey. Was there more to her words, or was it just wishful thinking? He took a risk and inched his hand to hers until they brushed against one another. She flinched in surprise but did not pull away. Ben took it a step further and locked his pinky with hers. She was blushing now but still remained motionless and silent. Should he continue? Would she allow it? Or would she stop him and run away?

Before he could decide, Ben heard the footsteps approaching. He was on his feet carrying their plates to the sink in an instant. He dared to look at Gwen's expression for just a second and swore he could see disappointment. Then the door swung open, and it was gone.

"If I knew you were going to eat in here, I would have stayed," Eddie said with mock sadness. He carried the dirty plates from the deck and joined Ben in cleaning up.

Ben looked uncomfortable for a moment but found the strength to speak. "If it's alright with you, can I see the model city again?" Eddie was shocked by his request. Based on how Ben was acting, he was beginning to think that the boy hated him. He smiled, and after they finished cleaning, the two left for the office. Ben stole one more glance at Gwen before they did. She looked happy.

Ben spent hours looking over the model city. His memory of Omnitrix City was fuzzy at best, but seeing his future laid out before him made his pride swell. He'd give Eddie advice where he could, and the teen would graciously accept it, though he did question his keen eye. Ben felt a little guilty, but he told himself that Eddie would have made those decisions eventually.

It was late when he returned to the cabins. Quietly, he opened his door in case Gwen was already asleep. But to his disappointment, the room was empty. He wasn't sure why he had expected her to be there. After all, they weren't in the type of relationship to share a bed like that. The previous night had just been a fluke, and he had to accept that.

Instead, he found himself lightly knocking on her door. It was late, so it wasn't likely that she'd still be awake. He'd return to his room and forget this whole mess by morning. They'd eat breakfast, head back to port, and continue their grand adventure, their feelings locked away and forbidden.

"What the fuck am I even doing?" He leaned his head against the door, letting out the breath he'd been holding. Why does he continue to torture himself like this? She's just being nice, and once they get back to Bellwood, none of this will matter. She'll go off to college, and he'll be with Julie. That's just how it is.

Just as he turned to leave, the door opened. "Did you knock?" Gwen asked sleepily.

"Yeah, just wanted to say goodnight." Ben rubbed the back of his neck, feeling guilt for waking her. He couldn't tell her the truth now.

Gwen was too tired to see how upset he was. "Goodnight." She had a soft smile. The kind that says that everything is going to be alright. It was the kind that he would run through a battlefield on an alien planet to protect. And then she was back behind the closed door, and Ben remembered why he could never let her go.