A story that came to me with inspiration from newbienovelistRD and her story "The New Year Brings New Possibilities". :)

Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. Celesto belongs to guestsurprise. I only own Rachel and Vampiro.

Wrapped Tight In Our Arms

Ben struggled hard as Psyphon stood over him. "This will permanently get rid of you, Ben Tennyson," the alien snarled. "Sending you back into time and erasing your memories on top of that. Vilgax will be so pleased with me and very happy that you are no longer in his way."

"No!" Ben cried out, struggling against the ropes that held him tight. He couldn't even reach his Omnitrix as Psyphon had placed a clamp over it to keep the boy from using it. He watched as the alien powered up a portal machine and tap a few keys before smiling evilly.

"Very soon, Ben Tennyson, you'll be nothing more than perhaps a wisp of memory," he said before seeing the portal was ready and going over to the bound boy and picking him up. The hero tried struggling, but as his arms and ankles were bound, his struggles didn't do much before the alien threw him head first into the portal. "Goodbye, Ben Tennyson."

Ben let out a scream as he renewed his struggles, trying to get the ropes loose and maybe get the clamp off the Omnitrix, but as he fell deeper into the portal, the ropes seemed tighter than before and he hung his head before gritting his teeth and trying to get free again, but again had no luck. And worst of all, no one knew where he was as Psyphon had kidnapped him from his home.

"Ben!"

Hearing his name, he looked up to see a familiar, gold-colored robot flying down towards him like a torpedo. "Clockwork!" He exclaimed, relief filling him. If anyone could reverse a portal, it was the temporal alien.

Seeing the boy was tied up, Clockwork rocketed down towards him and caught him in his arms, working on the rope around Ben's arms to free him. After a moment, Ben felt his arms were free and he wrapped them around the alien's neck. "Clockwork, Psyphon has this portal going back to the past!" He exclaimed.

"And wanted to erase your memory," the alien finished with a nod as he held Ben as if he was a young child and undid the rope around his ankles. "Big Chill followed you after Psyphon kidnapped you and he alerted us. He also froze that creep before he could run."

Clockwork now took the rope that had been around his friend's arms and gathered it like a lasso. "Ben, I need you to hold on tight to me and don't let go," he said. "I'm going to get us out of here."

Ben instantly did as he was told. "I'm so glad you're here," he said, tears coming to his eyes.

Sensing that the boy was relieved that there was a chance to escape and also happy to not be alone, the alien nodded and flung out the rope. Big Chill, who had been watching, caught the end and held on like an anchor, knowing one slip could mean both Clockwork and Ben could be lost forever.

As Clockwork began climbing the rope, he also made sure Ben had a good hold on him, but he didn't have to worry. As they were climbing, the boy was clinging to him tightly as he saw flashes of the past play around them. Knowing if they fell, it might mean being lost and separated, the hero tightened his hold on his friend, closing his eyes and holding on with all his might.

Clockwork and Big Chill grunted as the former finally made it out of the portal and the latter collapsed to the floor as the portal closed up and it became silent. The Necrofriggian looked up to see Ben was safe in the robot alien's arms, but was concerned when he heard faint sobs coming from the boy. Clockwork heard them too and began rubbing the hero's back gently, but the sobs continued softly. Nodding to each other, the aliens immediately headed for home. Rachel greeted them at the door and her eyes widened when she saw the state the young man she considered to be her brother was in.

"What happened to him?" She asked, concern in her voice.

"Psyphon was going to send him back into the past and erase his memory," Big Chill said softly. "He had just thrown Ben into the portal by the time Clockwork had arrived and jumped in to get him out."

Clockwork noticed Ben had gone still in his arms and he looked to see the boy had fallen asleep, absolutely exhausted from his ordeal. "I'll get him up to bed," he said, carrying the hero up the stairs and into the boy's room, gently tucking him in and then removing the clamp from the Omnitrix. Watching over him a moment, he nodded and quietly left.

Sometime during the night, Ben gasped awake and sat up sharply, looking at his surroundings and trying to remember where he was. His door suddenly opened and he couldn't help it. He screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Alien X and Celesto, who had been up and heard Ben get up and decided to check on him, jumped about a mile themselves when they heard the boy scream. "Ben, it's okay. It's us," Alien X said gently after Ben had stopped screaming.

The hero had fallen to the floor and was looking up at them with a mixture of fear and embarrassment. Celesto realized that the boy was also shaking. "Ben, you're shaking," he said in concern, going over and gently helping the boy up. Feeling the alien's gentle arms helping him, Ben surprised the Celestialsapien by hugging him and clinging to him hard. Celesto gently wrapped his arms around the boy. "Shh. It's alright. You're safe, Ben."

Alien X was very concerned. "What did that creep do to you, Ben?" He asked sadly. They had both heard from Clockwork and Big Chill what had happened, but they now saw that the encounter had done a number on their friend.

"He…He was going to…erase my memories. Make me forget…and he threw me…into that portal…to the…past," Ben managed to say through his shaking, his shoulders heaving as he tried to keep from bursting into tears.

Celesto picked him up in his arms. "Don't hold in that stress, Ben," he said gently. "Let it out. Alien X and I won't judge you."

That was all the boy needed before he broke down, clinging to the starry alien, who held him and gently rocked him as Alien X began gently stroking Ben's head, the gentle touches helping the hero to let out all his stress and draw on the comfort the two Celestialsapiens were giving him. After about an hour, Ben went limp in Celesto's arms, but was still awake. "I was really scared," he admitted softly. "And when Clockwork came…I'd never been so happy to see him like I was then."

He then clung to Celesto. "But…when I woke up, I was afraid…I was really…lost in the past."

Alien X continued stroking Ben's head. "It's alright now, Ben. You're safe. You're here at the Mansion with your friends. We've got you," he said soothingly.

Turning to him, Ben reached out to hug him and Celesto gently handed the hero over to Alien X, who accepted him and held him in a comforting hug. At the moment, the young man didn't care if he was being held like a small child. He was in the caring embrace of his friends and it was helping him to calm down after the terrible ordeal.

Clockwork then came into the room and grew concerned. "Ben, are you alright?" He asked in concern.

"Kind of," Ben admitted softly.

"Maybe you should see Frankenstrike."

To their surprise, the boy nodded and let them take him to the scientist's lab. The scientist alien was still awake and just putting away his finished work when they came in. "Frankenstrike, we're concerned that Ben's trip through that portal might have done some damage," Celesto said.

Nodding, Frankenstrike took Ben in his arms and gently laid him down on the exam table, rather surprised that the boy was limp and seemed very tired, holding still as the scientist gave him a checkup and sighed after he finished. "Physically, Ben's alright, but the experience has shot his nerves somewhat and is making him have mild hallucinations," he said.

"What do you recommend, old friend?" Alien X asked.

Frankenstrike looked worried. "Ben will need at least a week's worth of rest," he said. "Nothing strenuous. In fact, bed rest would be the best thing for him right now."

Ben looked up at him. "But…what about…any nightmares like tonight?" He asked.

The scientist looked thoughtful. "Is Vampiro here?" He asked suddenly.

"I believe he's sleeping right now," said Clockwork. "Why?"

"His hypnosis might be the one thing to help Ben sleep while he's recovering."

Rachel, who had woken up for some reason, was passing by when she caught the last of the conversation and came in, rubbing her eyes and squinting a little against the lights until her eyes adjusted. "What's going on?" She asked.

They brought her up to speed and she at once agreed that Ben needed a week of bed rest and looked at the young man. "Ben, would you be alright with Vampiro using his hypnosis on you to help you sleep?" She asked.

He looked a little nervous. "What's it like?" He asked. He had been hypnotized before by the Vladats, but never to fall asleep.

"It's similar to how they've hypnotized you before, but it's more soothing," she replied. "Whampire once used his hypnosis on me after I had to appear in court on behalf on my uncles who were accused of some ridiculous things. I was so stressed out that day that I probably wouldn't have been able to get a good night's sleep without him hypnotizing me. And then he and his brother hypnotized me another time after my ex-boyfriend came back to harass me."

Ben looked at her. "It really helps?" He asked.

She nodded. "Ben, you trust the Vladats, don't you?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yes," he replied before taking a deep breath. "Okay, if Frankenstrike says it'll help, I'm willing to let Vampiro hypnotize me."

Rachel nodded. "I'll go find him," she said.

"We'll get Ben to his room in the meantime," said Celesto.

Both he and Alien X, along with Clockwork, went back to Ben's room with the hero and got him settled in bed just as Rachel and Vampiro came in. The Vladat King instantly went up to Ben, placing a gentle hand on his head and looking concerned. "Next time I see Psyphon, I'll be sure to bite his neck hard," he growled out before letting out a breath and looking at Ben. "Ben, do you absolutely trust me? While my hypnosis can help you, I need to know that you trust me to do so. Do you trust me? Completely?"

Ben nodded. "I trust you, Vampiro," he said. "Frankenstrike has never been wrong before, especially when it comes to his friends and family."

Vampiro nodded and his eyes widened as he started his hypnosis, focusing on Ben's eyes, which now mimicked the telltale swirls of the Vladat's hypnosis. Ben realized Rachel was right. Being hypnotized to sleep was different from being hypnotized to calm down or when he was messing around with the Vladat brothers. It was soothing and it made his whole body relax as his eyelids began drooping and a small yawn escaped him. Vampiro gently smiled. "You're doing good, Ben," he said, gently squeezing the boy's arm comfortingly. "We're all here for you. You're safe and no one will get you with us around."

The soothing words along with the hypnosis did the trick and Ben closed his eyes, falling asleep peacefully. Vampiro stood up. "He might need someone to stay here with him to offer comfort while he sleeps," he said.

"I'll stay here with him," Clockwork said immediately.

"So will we," said Alien X and Celesto nodded.

Rachel smiled and hugged the three. "Goodnight, guys," she said softly. "Take good care of Ben."

"We will," Celesto promised her.

Morning, one week later…

Ben woke up and stretched, feeling like himself again. A week of rest and Vampiro's hypnosis to help him sleep, along with Clockwork, Alien X, and Celesto staying with him while he slept had done the trick to help him recover and he smiled as he remembered Vampiro saying he had gone and paid a special visit to Psyphon and left the alien cowering in his prison afterwards.

Movement to his left made him look to see Clockwork was waking up beside him and his door opened to reveal Alien X and Celesto coming in. "Good morning, Ben," Celesto said cheerfully.

"How are you feeling?" Alien X asked.

"Much better," he said. "Thanks to all of you."

Clockwork sat up and smiled. "Glad to see you're back to yourself again," he said, making the hero smile.

"That's also thanks to you guys," Ben said before hugging them. "If it hadn't been for you guys, I might have never recovered, or worse, I would have been lost deep in the past and wondering who I was."

"Ben, even if Psyphon had succeeded in sending you into the past, we would have come after you," Celesto said reassuringly.

"We would have moved mountains to find you and bring you back home," said Alien X.

"Because no one tries to separate our family and gets away with it," said Clockwork, holding Ben in a warm hug. "You're wrapped tight in our arms, Ben."

"No matter where you are, we'll always find you and be there for you," Celesto promised.

"No matter how long it takes," Alien X said.

Ben smiled. "Thanks, guys. I'm very lucky to have friends like you," he said as they joined in for a group hug with him in the center.

He was wrapped tight in their arms and grateful to have them as caring friends.

Your friends will always care for you. :)

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418