IMPORTANT NOTE AT END PLEASE READ

Family after losing Family

The eighteen year old Benjamin Tennyson, possessor of the Omnitrix, sits on the edge of a cliff looking over at the glistening city before him resting under its starry blanket. A heavy sigh escapes the young man and a gentle female voice says

'Are you ok Ben?'

Ben looks at his cousin her red hair hanging half way down her back, the wind gently playing with its silken strands, she had grown up, that much was for sure. She had many male admirers and just as many female ones too.

'I'm fine Gwen, just…thinking?'

Softly Gwen sits next to Ben and with the softest voice she could muster she says

'Don't over work that little brain of yours Ben.'

Ben throws a gentle punch at his cousins arm and says

'Ha ha very funny Gwen. I'm finally thinking and being mature and you make a joke about it.'

'Sorry Ben, so what are you thinking about?'

Ben looks back at the stars and sighs saying

'I got the Omnitrix eight years ago today. When I was ten I had so many plans for when I was eighteen, none of them involved fearing for you and Grandpa from Vilgax or the Forever Knights. Some times I think, maybe I should go it alone. Pack my bags and leave you all in safety while I travel the world being the hero. I already lost my parents, I don't want to loose any one else.'

Gwen looks at the young man sat next to her and says

'Remember when Jojo first showed her ugly face? You wanted to leave then, and you proved you need mine and Grandpas help.'

'I'm not some irrational, brash ten year old with a gung ho attitude anymore Gwen. I haven't been like that in five years, not since Vilgax killed my parents, when I wasn't fast enough, or smart enough or strong enough, when I was fool hardy and over confident. It is because of me and this fucking Omnitrix. Gwen, give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw myself off this cliff right now. My family is dead and it is my fault.'

Gwen grabs Bens left hand and holds up the Omnitrix

'Ben if you killed yourself right now, who would stop Vilgax or the Forever Knights from getting it and killing EVERYONE. Who would be the world's hero? Who would be MY hero? I know your parents death shuck you up badly but it wasn't your fault. Vilgax was careless, he was angry. His ships core had a melt down and it blew, a Tetramand (Fourarms) would have been killed. Only Chimera Sui Generis (Vilgax's species) could have survived that blast and he was in bad shape. Grandpa stuck him to an ICBM with a nuclear warhead, launched him in to the atmosphere, he survived the blast and the fall relatively in tact yet when we found him, he was almost dead. I know you wished you could have saved them and I think I know of a way for you to talk to them Ben.'

Ben spins on his spot to look Gwen square in the face and says

'How? What do I have to do? Please Gwen I need to say sorry for failing them.'

Gwen stands in a large circle of candles with her arms raised and begins to chant

'Pro penitus ostendo sum mortalitas. Carl Tennyson, Sandra Tennyson.'

Ban gasps as two figures slowly begin to materialize before his eyes.

'Mum, Dad is that you?'

A woman stands smiling, her short blonde hair whipping around in a long forgotten storm.

'Ben, you've grown up.'

A man with hair lighter then Ben stands next to his wife and says

'You are growing in to quite the handsome man Ben.'

Ben drops to his knees and weeps as he says

'Mum, Dad, I'm so sorry I failed you I'm sorry you were the ones who died.'

Both parents look at Ben and say

'Enough of that talk young man. Yes we have died, but it wasn't because of you. If you were there to get us then you would be dead as well. I know you think you failed us but we have never been so proud of you. We both love you so very much. We both want you to carry on being a hero; the world needs you, and no matter what we will still be there with you.'

Ben looks at them and yells

'Why the fuck should I go on? My family is dead, I am alone and hunted like some common vermin by every scum bag in the universe. I wish I could just be a normal eighteen year old who tries to fight peer pressure but I have to fight aliens. How the fuck is that fair?'

Sandra Tennyson looks at her son harshly and says

'Benjamin Tennyson you will stop having such juvenile thoughts, you of all people should know that life is never fair, just because you have lost us, you mustn't think that you are alone, or that you have no family. I dare say that you, Gwen and Max are all closer then we even were.'

Ben jumps to his feet and yells

'I don't care. You act like its ok you are dead but is it ok for a thirteen year old to see the ship his parents are in atomised? No it fucking isn't!'

Carl Tennyson steps forwards and slaps Ben across the face and yells

'Ben, of course we care that we are dead, beyond this circle we are gone. How do you think it feels having to sit on the sidelines watching our family grow up, I will never be able to hold my grand children (Poor Kenny); I'll never be able to be stood next to you when you get married and have you see my smile. I am going to miss out on the best parts of your life, but we don't want you to be some angst ridden, pathetic little slave to your loss. A hero has to make a sacrifice, and you are more then a hero. You are the hero of heroes. Your tenacity and bravery are synonymous to the point even other heroes idolise you. Think of Tetrax, he has lost his entire planet, or how about those of Cannonbolt's planet. That was digested by that parasite. Man, women or alien, you are idolised; I am not saying you should forget us, but I am saying you should stop mourning us.'

Ben steps over to his parents and pulls them in to a gentle hug as tears trickle from his eyes, as he slowly steps away he says

'I guess I have a few final things to say; Sorry I acted like an idiot for five years, oh and sorry for the swearing, it just sort of slipped out and finally…farewell, we might see each other like this but… I think it will be a while before I join you.'

Ben slowly steps out of the circle and a strong wind whips around the candles in the circles as Ben's parents stand, arm in arm waving their son, their super hero son a tearful farewell. Ben slowly turns to look at Gwen and says

'Listen, Gwen…Thanks for doing that for me…I needed to say goodbye to them.'

Slowly Ben steps forwards and brings his cousin in the a gentle hug and he says

'I think we are the closest cousins in the world short of those who are married. You and Grandpa are my family and I love you both.'

Ben steps back and smiles saying

'Now come on, we need to take over the Rust Buckets kitchen before Grandpa decides to make us jellied grub worms and octopus stew.'

Ben runs in to the rust bucket and Gwen watches with tears sliding down her cheeks and a soft smile on her face

'…I love you too Ben…'

A/N: I hope you liked this it is my first ever Ben 10 fan fiction. I wanted to start off easy and just do a one shot. How ever I do have plans for a series. Before I do any major work however I want to know what reader response is…see it as a bit of market research. I am considering placing Ben and Gwen in the battle of Thermopolyie between King Leonidas of Sparta and King Xerxes of Persia. Which people will be familiar with as the comic by Frank Miller and the Movie based on said comic called 300 named after the number of Spartans in the 5 000 strong force, against the insurmountable 5,000,000 plus forces on the half of the Persians. It would be dark and it would be an M (unlike this which is my first Fan Fic under M at T) just tell me in the reviews if you want to see Ben and Gwen alongside Leonidas in the hot gates.