Reconciliation

Chapter 19                                     

Resurrection

Azmuth, Max Tennyson and the physicians quickly accompanied Kevin back to the room where Ben and his cousin stood next to Albedo’s bed.

Gwen placed her hands on Albedo’s forehead and her eyes glowed violet as she probed Albedo’s mind. “I’m getting something, but it’s fuzzy, undefined.”

“Ben can you give me some help?”

“How?”

“Your manna is more in tune with Albedo’s than anyone’s, no one stands a better chance of reaching him than you do.”

Ben took the hand Gwen held out and his eyes started to glow blue, “I can sense him, Gwen but like you said it’s undefined, like looking at something through a fog.”

“Try to reach out and communicate with him, Ben,” Gwen’s disembodied voice said.

“Albedo, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Ben I can hear you, what of the child?”

“She was born prematurely, and is in an incubator, but she’s beautiful and the outlook is hopeful.”

“That is good, th-thank you, Ben Tennyson.” 

The last words Albedo thought to Ben seemed like a thin whisper.

Their connection was broken, and Ben blinked a few times to remind himself that he was still here in this darkened godforsaken hospital room.

“Gwen, why did you break the connection?!”

“I didn’t break the connection Ben, it was like we drew him half-way out of a coma, and then he slipped back into it.”

“That is essentially true, Gwen Tennyson,” Azmuth said.

“What do you mean, is he alive?” Ben demanded to know. He surprised himself once again by just how concerned for Albedo, his own personal ‘evil twin’, he was feeling.

“Yes, Ben Tennyson, he is alive, and in a hibernation cycle.”

Knowing that he’d have to explain, Azmuth patiently reminded himself that humans quested for knowledge, but by Galvan standards they were children, and Ben, his cousin and Kevin were children by Human standards.

But these three were special, the omnitrix chose Ben, despite it being meant for Max; and Gwen discovered her Anodite abilities far sooner than was expected. Kevin also had gained almost full control of his Osmosian abilities in spite, or perhaps because of his disadvantages.

“In times of intense physical or emotional stress our bodies will go into a hibernative state, like some animals on this world. It is more than sleep, but less than what you’d call a coma.”

“I think that’s what has happened to him.”

Kevin grew outraged, “And you didn’t tell Ben or anyone else this could happen, what good is bein’ the smartest guy in the galaxy if you forget about the people you say are yer friends!?”

“I did not know this could happen, his physiology is more Human than Galvan now, I had no way of knowing if Albedo would recover.”

“Alright, I get it, would everyone mind just leaving now, I’d like to be alone with my daughter, and Albedo, if he does eventually wake up.”

Before leaving, Gwen hugged Ben and said “All my hopes, Ben.”

Gwen walked away and Kevin clapped a large hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“Don’t go all domestic on me now dude, just because you’re a dad.”

“I don’t think there’s much chance of that happening Kev, but thank you for sticking by me, I know that this has been hard on you too.”

“Yeah,” Kevin said, then walked away. Ben pondered his best friend’s actions until he heard a burbling sound coming from the nearby incubator.

The baby was starting to come to life, thank God.