Lie of Omission

by lightning bird

A/N After posting Absent, several people asked me to write another companion piece for Taken showing Ben's reaction to his grandfather's betrayal of Utonium and Dexter. This is the result, and it references events in both of those stories. The characters belong to Cartoon Network and their respective creators; Chip Morton was lovingly shanghaied from Irwin Allen's Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

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Part One: Lie of Convenience

"Um . . . he'll probably come off as really stiff and formal, but he's like that a lot when he first meets people. He'll probably call you Miss Yamamoto until you tell him to stop, too."

Julie smiled, as much as at Ben's nervousness as at the picture he was painting of his best friend. She twined her arm a little tighter through his, snuggling a bit closer on the chill autumn afternoon.

"And he won't shake hands. Don't even bother trying."

"All right," she promised mildly as he angled the umbrella he carried better to shield her from the gentle rain.

"And don't ask about his accent. He doesn't know he has one."

A small giggle escaped her. "Ben, you're taking all the fun out of meeting him."

He smiled, realizing he was on edge. "I just want to make it as pain-free as possible. Dexter is . . ."

"Your friend," she concluded for him, giving his arm a squeeze. "That tells me a lot right there. So what if he's got some quirks? Who doesn't?"

"Yeah, well, he's got enough quirks for eight people. Eight really weird people."

"Well, that just makes him interesting."

He glanced over at her, realizing even she was taller than Dexter. "Interesting. Yeah. Good way to put it. Um, also, he can't talk very loudly yet and Mandy told me that sometimes he just can't hear, especially if it's a wide open area."

They waited for the light to turn. It was Sunday so traffic was light and the rain kept many people indoors. Julie let Ben help her cross the street, indulging his gentlemanly impulse and enjoying his undivided attention.

"How has he been?" she asked carefully. It was a delicate subject. Ben had told her a great deal of what he had seen and his fight with Dexter's Fusion. It had rattled him through and through, and so she reasoned that Dexter must have been destroyed or nearly so. "Since you got him back from Pittsburgh, I mean."

Ben considered before answering. "Getting better. He's . . . quieter. I mean, the determination is still there but he's less apt to blow his top."

"Maybe that's because he can't yell like he used to."

He chuckled at the notion, finding it a very likely explanation. "Maybe. I haven't seen him for a month or so, but Blossom sent me an email saying he's in good shape, all things considered. She said this is the first time he's gone outside DexLabs since we got him home."

"Good. Did you tell him you were bringing me?"

"Yeah. I think he's excited about meeting you."

"The feeling is mutual."

"Yeah, but you don't work yourself into a frenzy like he does."

"Or like you are, Ben," Julie said, giving him a little nudge with her elbow.

He rolled with the playful push. "I just want you two to get along."

"If he's as good a friend as you say, he'll want the same thing."

"His social skills are lacking, especially outside his immediate circle."

"Taught him everything you know, huh?" she teased gently.

"Funn-nny," he responded sarcastically, though his smile gave the lie to his tone. "Almost there. You remembered the invitation, right?"

Her eyes grew wide. "I was supposed to bring it?"

"Ju- oh!"

He realized he was being teased again, and all things considered, it was what he needed to lessen his unease. They were attending the gala opening of Downtown High School's annual science fair and art show. It had been hyped up to a sizable event and students had been working on their entries all summer. At the eleventh hour Dexter had been asked to help judge the science fair, and Ben knew he probably agreed just to give his security staff a challenge. Ben was attending mostly to see Dexter, but Julie had voiced interest in the event and Dexter had sent her an invitation. Ben later learned that the sister of one of Julie's tennis teammates had entered the art show and that was why she wanted to come. Well, that and she latched onto any reason to spend time with him since he was so busy fighting the invasion and she was intensely curious to meet Ben's reclusive friend.

He had to admit – albeit only to himself – that he was anxious. He couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt and responsibility since the Ur-Dexter had mistakenly believed that Dexter had done an analysis of the Omnitrix. He and Dex had only been trying to flush out a spy at DexLabs. They had gotten a heck of a lot more than they bargained for in return.

The last time he had seen Dexter, his friend had been upright but just barely so. Being tortured in a pressure chamber by his Fusion doppleganger had done quite a number on him. More deaf than not from burst eardrums, able to speak only in whispers because he'd damaged his throat from screaming, his equilibrium shot, the kid had been a mess and the only reason Ben had left him was because the Royal Canadian KND were getting pasted and needed immediate backup. Since then Ben had been on the go almost constantly, but the odd email here and there from Mandy or the Professor or Dexter himself told him that the Boy Genius was recovering slowly. In truth Ben had expected him to get better a lot faster than this, forcing him to realize the full extent of Dexter's injuries. You didn't just bounce back from torture. Dexter was living proof of that, but at least he was alive to prove it.

The gala was being held at the high school which, like most of Downtown, was new, modern and designed with the natural landscape in mind. Other people were climbing the steps to the entrance, parents and children mostly, though Ben recognized a few guards from DexLabs Security trying to blend in with the crowd. They hurried inside as the rain picked up and showed their invitation and IDs to an extremely irritated and cranky-looking teacher who checked their names off a list. They didn't dare look at one another until they were inside, and when they did, both of them burst out laughing.

"Betcha she tangled with Dexter," snickered Ben.

"I take it he won."

Ben grinned. "I can't imagine him losing."

They drank punch as they ranged though the exhibits set up in the gymnasium. Ben kept an eye out for his friend and let himself be amused by what he was (and in all honesty, wasn't) missing since he hadn't attended school for ages. Not that he could have (or wanted to) accomplish most of the science projects on display. After hanging out with Dexter in his laboratory and getting used to what he called science, anything less seemed downright childish. He tried to imagine what his friend had done for his school science fairs. A working lunar landing unit didn't seem beyond the skills of the third- or fourth-grade Dexter.

From the corner of his eye he caught a flash of familiar purple latex, and Ben shifted back and forth a bit to see through the crowd and he spotted Dexter talking to some puffed-up-looking town fathers in dark suits – men who were forced to lean over and be silent in order to hear him. The flash he had seen was Dexter clasping his gloved hands behind his back, his standard maneuver at a gathering to avoid shaking hands with anyone. Ben found himself grinning, glad to see Dexter was his usual guarded, standoffish self and equally glad to see some DexLabs Security officers keeping very close by.

"Julie," he said to her, leaning close. "He's over here."

She smiled, straining to get a look, but she wasn't tall enough to see over the crowd.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand. "I know all his security guards. They'll let us through."

"He has bodyguards?" she whispered, her dark eyes wide.

"By presidential order," he murmured back.

She shook her head in renewed amazement. "How did you ever get close enough to meet him?"

"I busted into his laboratory."

"His what?"

He smacked his free hand to his head. "Lab. Sorry. He's got me saying it now, too."

She giggled as they wove through the crowd. Ben was relieved when one of the guards said something and Dexter turned and spotted them. He didn't smile – he rarely did in so public a setting, with so many strangers around – but by his shift in stance and the expression in his eyes Ben could tell his friend was very pleased to see him. Wrapping up his conversation with the suits, he nodded and said his farewells before facing them.

"Ben," he said. His voice was soft and hoarse, but even without a smile he managed to convey his delight.

"Dex." Ben grinned enough for them both. "How are you doing?"

"Well enough," was the deliberately vague reply. Ben knew the setting was far too public for this captain of industry to say more, so he got on with the introductions. He placed his hand on Julie's shoulder and guided her a little closer.

"Dexter, Julie Yamamoto. Julie, meet the owner of DexCorp International."

Just as predicted, Dexter did not offer a hand in greeting. He looked at her with great interest and bowed slightly in greeting. "How do you do, Miss Yamamoto?"

Julie smiled, liking what she saw thus far even though Ben had told her time and again that Dexter was quite the firebrand when roused. She could see why the accent amused Ben so completely. "I'm doing very well, thank you," she said. "I'm so glad to meet you. And please, call me Julie."

"How's the judging going?"

Dexter rolled his eyes at the question. He was rarely impressed by anything outside of his own creations. "It was mercifully simple and I was done half an hour ago. The juniors ruled the field." He blinked and tried not to glare as someone took their picture.

"I thought you didn't like to be photographed," muttered Ben.

"I don't." Dexter smirked faintly, smug as the cat that ate the canary. "I'm wearing a disruptor field," he whispered back, lifting one hand to display the oversized watch on his wrist. "I made it back in fourth grade and refined it slightly this week. The only thing that will come out in their photos is a blur."

"You little skunk," he teased in undisguised admiration. "I want one. Are you staying for the awards ceremony?"

"Hardly. Sgt. Morton is already getting nervous."

That last was directed at a tall blond man in a dark suit standing just a few feet away. He looked over at Dexter with a knowing smirk.

"That's what you pay me for, sir."

Dexter smirked back and said, "I'm meeting Dad and the girls for dinner at the Kiriban Steak House at six. Bubbles picked it out and we have a private room reserved. Would you like to join us? Dad was asking after you the other day and I'm sure my sisters would love to meet Julie."

Ben looked to his girlfriend. She seemed surprised at the invitation, especially to a restaurant as notoriously expensive and exclusive as the Kiriban, but Ben knew Dexter wouldn't have asked if he was not in earnest. Julie looked between the two young men and squeaked, "Really? That would be wonderful, Dexter. Unless you had something else in mind, Ben," she added, rather hoping he didn't.

"Nothing that exciting," he admitted genuinely happy with the suggestion. "Thanks, Dex. I – Grandpa? Grandpa Max!"

In the group of people beyond Dexter, he spotted a red Hawaiian print shirt that was as familiar to Ben as his grandfather's face. There couldn't be two shirts like this in Downtown. He blinked in happy surprise. Grandpa Max was the last person he expected to see here, especially since Ben had not seen or spoken to him for months since he had been kept so busy with Plumber business.

Max Tennyson looked up, as surprised as his grandson. A science fair was not exactly the sort of function he expected Ben to be attending, but there he was standing with Julie and waving over the crowd. He waved back and excused himself from the people he was with, heading toward Ben.

"I can't believe he's here," Ben gushed, delighted. "I haven't seen him in – Dex?"

Ben Tennyson stopped and stared at his friend in astonishment, his smile fading. What little color had shown in Dexter's face was gone and his expression had altered so radically it was downright scary. A hard, reserved look replaced the friendliness, and it was as if Dexter had iced over completely. Ben had never been on the receiving end of such a severe look and he didn't like it in the least. Dexter stared at him so fiercely that Ben suddenly knew exactly where the Ur-Dexter got his menacing disposition. What the heck?

Julie edged a bit closer, disturbed by this abrupt change. Ben glanced at her and then returned his attention to the younger teen.

"Dex? What is it? What's wrong?" He leaned close, confused and concerned, and softly asked, "Are you okay?"

The redhead stared harder still before he seemed to realize something. For a fleeting span the winter thawed and Ben caught a glimpse of his friend in a flash of grief that passed swiftly over Dexter's features. A moment later the bristling glare was back and found new focus as Max Tennyson joined their little circle. At first the Plumber had eyes only for his grandson, and he greeted him with boisterous enthusiasm that Ben could no longer match.

"Ben! It's been too long! This is the last place I ever thought I'd find-"

He broke off, spotting Dexter standing there so rigid and defensive with Morton barely a step behind him, and his good cheer evaporated instantly. Perplexed, Ben glanced between them, unable to understand what was happening.

"Mr. Tennyson."

Dexter's voice, low and hoarse, sounded so close to that of his Fusion double that Ben felt the twinge of a shiver up his spine. He faced his grandfather. What had happened to calling Max, Max? Ben was the only one that Dexter called Mr. Tennyson. To his surprise, Grandpa Max wasn't offended or even shocked by Dexter's attitude. If anything, he just seemed . . . sad.

"Dexter," Max said quietly. "I'm glad to see you're up and about."

"Are you?" Dexter shot back ruthlessly. "Really?"

"Whoa, whoa!" called Ben, stepping between them with his hands raised for calm. "Time out, guys. What's going on here?"

Dexter addressed Ben even as he stared at Max. "He hasn't told you, has he, Ben? How very convenient for you, Mr. Tennyson."

"What? Dex! Grandpa! Will someone explain to me what the heck is going on?"

"I don't believe it's my place," Dexter snapped, the challenge to Max obvious.

A soft sigh escaped the Plumber. "Dexter, I understand your anger-"

"No!" Dexter interjected harshly. He actually took a step forward, an unaccountably aggressive move for the boy genius who normally had to be threatened to go on the attack this way. "You have no concept of what I feel, Magister. Don't ever try to convince yourself otherwise."

If secret Plumber titles were being bandied about in public then things were worse than he thought. "Someone want to enlighten me about all this?" demanded Ben, lost in the middle. "What are you guys talk-"

"Ben! Ben Tennyson! Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here! Hey, Ben!"

"What?"

A small form tried to barrel into their space, heading right for Ben. Morton swiftly interposed himself between his employer and this newcomer, forcibly stopping the boy cold before he could get another foot closer to Dexter. Jimmy Jones gasped as he plowed into the security sergeant and found himself on his rump with a tall man glaring down at him and more people moving in to surround - him? No, someone else. He gaped at the sudden wall of irate people, his eyes pleading for Ben to do something.

Ben groaned. "Wait! Wait, Sergeant. I know him. He's harmless. Please, just . . . let me. I can deal with this."

It was a measure of Morton's trust in Ben that he nodded and backed off. Jimmy scrambled up and rushed to his hero, looking more than a little alarmed and intimidated.

"Ben, I -"

"Jimmy, this is not a good time. Not by a long shot," he added to himself in a whisper. He looked at Julie, and she gave him a little nod that was all sympathy and understanding for the situation in which he suddenly found himself. His grandfather still wore a sad, rather defeated look. And Dexter . . .

Dexter was gone. So were all the DexLabs Security guards, including Morton. Ben scanned the crowd for any sign of them, but they must have exited by a back door. He slumped, disappointed and none the wiser about what was wrong between family and friend.

"I'm sorry," Jimmy said, sounding it as he realized he had interrupted something important.

He sighed, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders. "No. It . . . it's not your fault, Jimmy."

"My mom made me come because my cousin did some art," muttered the boy guiltily. He looked up at Ben. "I was just really surprised to see you here."

"You're not the only one," Ben said, staring at Max. "I gotta go, Jimmy. I'll see ya."

Without waiting for the boy to say goodbye, Ben fixed his grandfather with a stern look. His green eyes reflected his determination to get to the bottom of Dexter's conduct and to find out what it was he hadn't been told.

"Grandpa?"

Max sighed. "We've got to talk, Ben."

That was an understatement.