Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 Alien Force and any of the characters.

A/N: Here's the first chapter of my new story, which can be read alone, but can also be a sort of sequel to my last fic 'Dinner Date'. This particular chapter takes place three years after the events on 'Dinner Date', and the story in general was inspired by Katy Perry's 'Thinking of You'. Hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 1

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Senior Year, Prom Night.

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"I hope you know, I'm only doing this because you want me to." Kevin muttered, as he adjusted the cuffs of his dress shirt and pulled on his suit jacket.

"Come on, you've never even been to prom before." Gwen replied, practically skipping. "It'll be fun."

"It's not even technically our prom." Kevin retorted, as the two of them got out of his car and walked towards the school gym, which according to the banner hanging above them, had been transformed into "Fairy Land" for the night. Kevin scowled.

"Stop being so negative." Gwen told him, as she smoothed out the flowing skirt of her light blue dress. "Do it for me. This is my last chance to actually attend prom." Prom in Gwen's prep school came a few weeks earlier than in Bellwood High. Unfortunately at the time, Gwen had contracted the flu, and had subsequently missed prom in the process.

Kevin sighed. "Anything for you, baby."

"Thank you." Gwen smiled, giving him a swift peck on the cheek.

They were actually going to Ben and Julie's prom. Julie, who was friends with the head of the prom committee, had gotten them tickets. Kevin, who had graduated the year before and had shunned prom on principle, only agreed to go because of Gwen.

"So how's Plumber training?" Gwen asked, making conversation. Kevin had been drafted for special training and proper orientation after graduation by the Plumbers. The past year for him had been spent teleporting to and from the nearest Plumber base to Earth, which in this case was a little way past Mars, hidden within the asteroid belt. Gwen rarely got to see him anymore, and was glad he had been given permission to come home tonight.

Kevin shrugged. "Ehh, it's pretty boring sometimes. I've seen more action than most of the new recruits, plus training there has more to do with learning the laws and customs of the alien races we're most likely gonna be meeting. They're teaching me to control my powers better though."

"Really? That's great! Like how?" Gwen wondered.

Kevin glanced around. "Well, you know how I used to, uh, channel some of Ben's aliens? You know, change into bits and pieces of them when I absorb their energy? The Plumbers are trying to get me to control that ability, so that I can actually change into any alien I touch. Once I master it, I won't need an Omnitrix like Ben, though I won't be able to hold a particular form for long, and I'll need to keep touching an alien to change into it." He shrugged again. "They think it'll come in handy whenever they need a spy to infiltrate some alien base or something."

Gwen frowned. "So they plan on using you as a well-camouflaged mole?"

"Kinda, I guess." Kevin muttered. "Apparently, my dad had that ability too. The Plumbers told me he worked as a spy for them when he was alive. Dunno where he got his power, though. From what I heard, he was human. Maybe I had alien grandparents like you."

Kevin looked sad. He rarely talked about his family, and Gwen was too polite to pry. She knew his mother lived with his stepfather somewhere in New York, and that they were still in contact with Kevin, but his real father… Kevin didn't like talking about him much.

Gwen squeezed his arm and gave him a small smile, which he returned.

"What about you? Princeton, huh?" Kevin said, looking at Gwen with pride. Gwen beamed at him.

"I'm taking up Astrophysics. It'll be interesting to study about what we've encountered in space."

"Sounds complicated." Kevin commented. "Sure you don't want to take the Kevin Levin route and skip college?"

"Ben's already doing that. He finally convinced my aunt and uncle that he was going to be wearing the Omnitrix forever, so there was no point in him pretending that he won't eventually become a fully-fledged Plumber."

"Yeah. He'll be joining me at training soon, just when I thought I could get away from Ben Tennyson, he shows up again." Kevin laughed, as Gwen nudged him playfully.

They were directly outside the gym now, where a big group of students were milling around, taking pictures and chatting. Finally, the people in front of them parted and the two were able to spot Ben and Julie, who were waiting for them at the entrance. Like Kevin, Ben was in a tux. Julie was wearing a pretty dress in rose pink.

"Prepare yourselves." Ben said in mock warning, as they handed their tickets to a committee member. "I heard the prom committee got a little carried away this year."

Ben wasn't joking. As they entered the gym, all four were sprinkled liberally with glittery "fairy dust" by girls dressed in floaty dresses with gossamer wings. Kevin grimaced as one of the girls tapped him with her wand and said, "Enter the magical realm of Fairy Land!"

He brushed off as much of the "fairy dust" as he could. "Augh… I think I accidentally absorbed some of the glitter!"

"Don't be silly, Kevin." Gwen giggled, as she reached up to brush off some of it from his hair.

"Wow." Ben said, as they got a good look at the gym. In keeping with the theme, the gym had been turned into a miniature forest, complete with papier-mâché trees and mossy boulders. The tables were decorated with paper lanterns, flowers and glittery butterfly cut-outs.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" Gwen gushed.

"I know!" Julie gushed back. Kevin scowled.

"We'll get drinks." Ben told them, grabbing Kevin while making his way to the food tables.

Once they were out of earshot, Ben said to Kevin in undertone. "Dude, prom's important to Gwen. It's like every girl's fantasy. Try to enjoy it, at least, for her sake."

Kevin sighed. "I know. I'm doing my best. I think the mere fact that I'm here shows how much I care for your cousin."

Ben nodded, then laughed. "You should've seen your face when that girl hit you with fairy dust."

"Yeah, I wanted to ram her wand up her…"

"Kevin! You're here!" a shrill voice shouted behind them.

Kevin turned around and groaned inwardly. "Hi… uh… Joanie?"

"It's Jackie." The girl said happily. "I'm here with Clay." She pointed to a big guy standing a few feet away, guffawing loudly with his friends.

"Uh… ok." Kevin muttered, wanting to get away.

"I thought you said you didn't do prom?" Jackie pouted at him. "If I knew you would come, I would've asked you this year."

Kevin gave her a faint smile. Jackie, who had been a junior the year before, had practically stalked him trying to get him to ask her to prom. Needless to say, she failed miserably. She batted her eyelashes at him. "Who are you with?"

"My girlfriend." Kevin replied, watching in satisfaction as Jackie's face fell slightly, although she recovered quickly.

"Oooh… is she pretty? Where is she?" Jackie asked innocently.

As if on cue, Gwen and Julie walked over to them.

"There you are! We were wondering what was taking you so long." Gwen said, putting an arm around Kevin's waist and smiling sweetly at Jackie. She had seen Jackie from across the dance floor, and the girl's body language had warned Gwen that some hussy was flirting with her man.

"Hi!" Jackie greeted Gwen cheerfully, albeit with a slightly strained smile. "I'm Jackie, a friend of Kevin's."

Gwen smiled right back. "I'm Gwen, Kevin's girlfriend of three years."

"Three years?" Jackie breathed out incredulously. "That's a pretty long time… I never knew Kevin had a girlfriend."

"He's very secretive." Ben butted in from behind Kevin. "He's actually a borderline sociopath."

"Thanks, Tennyson." Kevin said sarcastically.

"Come on, Ben. Let's dance." Julie said to break the slightly awkward silence that followed. She tugged at Ben's arm and the two of them made their way to the dance floor.

"Oooh… Save me dance, Kevin." Jackie simpered.

"Sorry," Kevin told her, taking Gwen's hand. "I promised my girl I wouldn't leave her side tonight."

"See you." Gwen wiggled her fingers at Jackie as the girl's face fell.

They wended their way through the dance floor, found a spot, and started to sway to the music.

"Your friend Jackie, huh?" Gwen commented, giving Kevin a wry look. "She seemed nice."

"More like annoying. She wouldn't leave me alone my entire senior year. I think she memorized my schedule." Kevin said, putting both hands on Gwen's waist and pulling her closer.

Gwen smirked. "And you never told her you had a girlfriend."

Kevin shrugged. "She always did all the talking. I just nodded, pretending to be interested, all the while thinking of ways I could get away so that I could make-out with my hot girlfriend instead" He winked at her.

Gwen shook her head in amusement, then leaned in close and rested her head near Kevin's shoulder, her arms around his broad shoulders. A new song started.

We watch the season pull up its own stage, and catch the last weekend of the last week…

Gwen closed her eyes as she moved with Kevin to the music, their arms around each other, their bodies moving as one… Everything felt just right.

You have stolen my heart…

Kevin tightened his grip around Gwen and breathed in the scent of the magnolia perfume she always wore. He smiled as Gwen raised her head to look at him and kissed her lightly on the forehead. They slowly revolved around the spot, while tiny lights around the gym twinkled. Gwen wished the song would never end.

You are the best one of the best ones…

As the last lines of the song played, Kevin leaned down and gave Gwen a sweet kiss.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, as they broke apart.

"This is the best prom ever." Gwen whispered, and stood on her toes to give Kevin another kiss. But before she could, something caught Gwen's eye.

"Kevin, your pocket's… blinking." Gwen said, confused.

Kevin looked down. "It's my badge." He looked confused as well.

Quickly, Kevin made his way under the bleachers, where there were thankfully no couples making out yet, Gwen behind him. He pulled out his Plumber's badge. It was blinking insistently. Kevin prodded it. A hologram of a blue-skinned alien suddenly popped up. It was speaking. However, the music around them was too loud for them to hear.

Checking to make sure no one was around, Gwen pulled Kevin deeper into the shadows and encased the two of them in a sound-proof manna bubble.

"Kevin Levin?" the alien inquired.

"Uh… yeah?" Kevin replied.

"I am Magister Hy'la'ar. I am responsible for Sector 68 in your galaxy. We have recently received intelligence on the possible whereabouts of your father, Ethan Levin."

Gwen's eyes widened. Kevin gripped the badge harder, his knuckles turning white. "My father's dead, Magister. Killed in action. That's what you people told my mother years ago."

Magister Hy'la'ar sighed. "His ship was indeed blown apart by an Antarrian Obliterator on his last mission. We believed him dead until we received a distress call from an uninhabited planet in my sector. The one who sent the call identified himself as your father."

Kevin looked livid. "WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE PLAYING AT?!" he yelled. "You go around telling families that people are dead without making sure?!" He was actually shaking in anger, the hologram becoming slightly blurred as he tried to keep his hand steady.

"All evidence pointed to that conclusion." Magister Hy'la'ar was unapologetic. "I contacted you today because it is Plumber policy to investigate all distress calls. Owing to the fact that this mission is of personal interest to you, and that you have already begun official Plumber training this past solar cycle, we are offering you the last slot in the small contingent we are sending out. Only if you want it, of course."

Kevin glared at the Magister. "When does this contingent leave?"

"Tonight."

"How long will this mission take?"

"Indefinitely. Travel to Sector 68 alone will take two of your Earth days at hyperspeed."

Gwen felt as though she were reeling. Tonight! Indefinitely?! She glanced at Kevin, who had a steely look in his eyes. He would go, she was sure of it. She knew how much Kevin had regretted the fact that he never really got to know his father, who left for a last Plumber's mission when he was three. Left and never came back.

Sure enough… "I'm in." Kevin said, without hesitating.

"We will await your arrival at these coordinates –" The Plumber's badge briefly switched to a grid map with a green pulsing light floating above a warehouse downtown, " – at midnight on the roof of this structure. Do not be late."

"I'll be there." Kevin confirmed determinedly. The badge went back to normal and Gwen retracted her manna.

"Kevin…" Gwen started.

"He's my father, Gwen. I have to know." Kevin whispered. Suddenly, he absorbed the metal bleacher and punched the concrete wall behind it, hard. "AAAAARGH!" he roared, letting out his fury.

Gwen looked at him fearfully. The last time she had seen him so consumed with anger was when he was a monster and still their enemy. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Kevin slumped against the wall.

"He could still be alive. I could actually meet him." He gave Gwen a long look. "You understand why I have to go, right?"

Gwen looked back at him sadly. "It could be dangerous. You're going much farther into space this time. We don't even know how long you'll be gone. At least when you were in training, you could schedule your returns to Earth." She sniffed. "What if… what if something happens?" Gwen's voice broke as she started crying.

"Hey, hey… shh…" Kevin said, putting an arm around Gwen and hugging her to his chest.

Gwen sniffled. "Midnight's only a few hours away." She looked up at him. "Could we... could we at least spend what time you have left together?"

Kevin gently brushed at Gwen's cheek with his hand. "Sure."

"There you are! I thought I saw some pink light coming from here."

Gwen and Kevin whipped around. Ben was standing just a few feet away with Julie, grinning.

"You guys better get out of there before the chaperones find you. There'll be plenty of time to make-out later." Ben suddenly noticed Gwen's teary eyes. "What's going on? Kevin, what did you do to my cousin?!"

Kevin glared at Ben. "I didn't do anything!"

"Then why's she crying? Did he hurt you?" Ben asked Gwen angrily. Gwen looked at him miserably and shook her head.

"Stop it, Ben!" Julie admonished. She turned to Gwen. "What happened?"

Gwen shook her head, unable to talk, so Kevin explained. About Magister Hy'la'ar, his father, the mission. Ben's face went from anger, to shock, to concern.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier, Kevin. I just wish I could help." Ben told him, his face drawn. Despite their differences, Kevin had actually become one of Ben's closest friends. He would be sad to see him go.

"S'okay. This is just something I have to do. For my dad." Kevin said quietly.

Ben nodded. Julie walked over to Kevin and gave his hand a quick squeeze. "You take care." She whispered. She then gave Gwen a hug. "You too."

"Oh, one more thing." Ben remembered, reaching into his pocket. He handed a circular object to Gwen, who took it without a word. "Just like you wanted." He then left with Julie, who said something about keeping the chaperones away from the bleachers.

"What's that?" Kevin asked, gesturing to the object in Gwen's hand.

Gwen showed him. It was a holo-disk. "I asked Ben to record us dancing, you know, so I could have a keepsake from prom." She pressed the button on the side, and a holographic image of the two of them dancing to Stolen was projected from the center of the disk, complete with sound. Kevin looked at the image wistfully.

Gwen turned it off. "I want you to take it. To remember me when you go."

"I could never forget you, Gwen." Kevin murmured. He reached for the holo-disk and pocketed it. "But thanks."

Gwen was still looking depressed. "What kind of aliens are Antarrians?" she asked.

"They're not a race. They're a group – the most notorious group of intergalactic terrorists in the Milky Way. I heard they once held an entire planet hostage." Kevin replied. Gwen looked stricken at the information.

Kevin cleared his throat. "I actually have something for you too."

He reached into his other pocket and drew out a small box. "I picked it up from a friend before I came to get you." He handed the box to Gwen.

Gwen took the box and opened it. Inside was a necklace, with a fine silver chain and a pendant set with a greenish crystal that looked familiar. She picked it out of the box and held it in her hand, her eyes welling up with tears again.

Kevin gently took it from her and made to put it around her neck. Gwen gathered her hair to one side to make it easier for him. He hooked the clasp and stepped back to see how it looked.

He took a deep breath. "I was planning on giving it to you for your birthday next week, but… I might not be here for that. Good thing I had it with me now, though."

"… is this?" Gwen started.

"Yeah, that's the crystal I absorbed when I… uh… 'borrowed' the Rust Bucket 2 a few years ago. It's one of the rarest and most prized substances in the galaxy. I kept a piece when those aliens chipped it away from me. I planned on keeping it in case I ever needed something valuable to bargain with, but then I decided to give it to you instead. Had to find a guy I could trust with the skill to set into a necklace." He looked at Gwen. "Do you like it?"

Gwen nodded, now crying in earnest. "It's perfect. Thank you." She touched the crystal, and her eyes briefly flashed pink. "It's full of your manna."

"Yeah… I figured as much. It did come off my body, after all. I guess it's kinda like giving a bit of myself to you."

Gwen gave him a watery smile. "Like I said, it's perfect."

Kevin suddenly grew serious. He reached out and clutched both of Gwen's hands in his own. "Gwen… I love you."

This made Gwen cry even harder. Kevin wasn't exactly the most expressive guy in the world, so any time he said those three words was a memorable occasion. In the course of their three year relationship, Kevin had only said 'I love you' a grand total of three times. Once, after she'd inadvertently blurted out that she loved him on their first sorta date, second was after they'd made love for the first time, and the last time was when both of them thought they were going to die in a difficult battle with the Highbreed. Kevin never used those words lightly, and him saying that he loved her was more meaningful than any necklace.

Gwen threw her arms around him, practically sobbing. "I love you so much…"

Kevin's eyes were wet too, as he held Gwen to him tightly.

"I'll come back, Gwen. I promise."

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A/N: What do you guys think? R&R!