Another excellent story from guestsurprise, who owns Gena and Shocks. I only own Rachel and the Grant Mansion and gave guestsurprise full permission to use them. Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action.

Emerging Feelings

Shocks was right in the middle of playing with his nieces and nephews when he saw Hope walk in looking dead on her feet. She was very tired because she had been on a few missions and she wanted to show everyone that she was no longer a threat. He gave her a small smile, but she sadly looked away from him.

"Hope? Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is fine Shocks." She said in a small voice.

"You don't look fine to me. Come on in and rest for a bit," he said as he invited her to come and chill in the living room. She gave him a smile, but gently shook her head.

"Thanks for the invite, but I can't. I have to go back on patrol in a few minutes."

"What?! You just got here!"

"I know, but…"

"But nothing!" Shocks replied as he jumped off the couch and walked over to her. Compared to Hope, he was a lot taller and a bit intimidating. He noticed that she was blushing deeply when he came closer to her.

"Hope?"

"Yes, Shocks," she said, still avoiding eye contact.

"Am I that ugly?" He chuckled.

"Of course not!" She said as she looked at him, her magenta eyes lighting up! She then felt embarrassed as he then got closer to her face and gave her a handsome grin.

"Why thank you. You're not so bad yourself…,"

"T-Thank you," She giggled as she tried to turn away, but she could not tear herself away from his handsome green eye. Shocks was indeed a very handsome alien. But something was keeping the two of them from expressing themselves. You see, Shocks was once in love with a female Conductoid. They were to be married, but she ran off to be with another alien. It hurt him deeply and since then, Shocks did not open up his heart up to any female. Hope had also been hurt! There was once a young man whom she told everything to, but rather than loving her, he dumped her and chose some other random girl. Heartbroken, Hope (she was Charmcaster back then) placed a spell on him that turned him into a rock monster without a heart. Back then, she was for revenge for anyone who broke her heart!

Both of them were having flashbacks about their previous love lives when all of the sudden they heard Rachel walk in and announce that a flash flood was heading their way. Even though the mansion was safely on higher ground, they all still needed to head to the attic for safety just in case. The attic was very large. Large enough for everyone to camp out in for the night after all the boxes and items were moved.

Hope saw Feedback and Shocks hurrying to move the boxes when all of the sudden they heard screaming! Rachel was being pinned by a large tree from the storm and Gena was using her electricity to keep the lightning from harming Rachel. But Gena couldn't keep the lightning away and move the tree!

"HELP!" Rachel screamed.

"RACHEL!" Feedback yelled.

"MOVE NOW!" Shocks bellowed as they both ran outside and helped Gena to fight off the lightning and move the tree. Once Rachel was free, they were about to head back to the house when suddenly two large trees were about to fall on them.

"NO!" Hope screamed as she used her telekinesis to stop the trees from falling on them! But because she was so weak from earlier, she was not strong enough to do that and move from the trees! Shocks turned just in time to see that Hope was in terrible danger of being crushed!

"HOPE, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY!" He yelled as he ran back and shoved her out of the way just in time before a large evergreen landed on his back and pinned him to the ground. He yelled and squirmed in pain, but he was trapped because he was in a bad position. Hope spun around and saw his terrible predicament.

"SHOCKS, NO!" She screamed as tears streamed down her face; she was so upset that she sent a large blast at the tree and broke the tree in pieces. But she was so upset that her emotions had caused her blasts to shoot out of control. Shocks was too hurt to stand, but he managed to crawl over to her and take her hand.

"Hey! Shh! Shh! Calm down! You'll put yourself in even more danger! Hope it's alright! I'm alright!" He pleaded as he tried to calm her down. He then managed to pull her down to the ground and shock her a bit with electricity. That snapped her out of her depressed state. Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked over at Shocks who gave her a weak and strained smile.

"It's alright…,"

"No, it's not alright…," she said sadly as she tried to turn away, but for an injured alien he had a very strong grasp.

"You're not leaving, Hope…you're injured too." He said firmly as he held on to her until the others came and took them back to the mansion.

A few hours later…

Hope and Shocks lay in the attic with the others, but in the area where they could heal from the storm. Shocks lay on his side and then saw that Hope was facing the wall and not looking at any one.

"Hey…," he said gently as he let his antenna poke her back softly.

"Please…I need to be left alone."

"C'mon, Hope…you helped save us all. Why are you upset?" He asked as he scooted closer behind her.

"Because I almost got you killed!"

"Hope…,"

"Please…just leave me…,"

"No…,"

"What?!"

"I said no…," he replied again. At that moment, she turned around and gasped as her face was all of the sudden buried in his dark green chest. He was so close that she could feel his body heat. She then looked up and saw him chuckling and grinning down at her as he leaned on his side. He then playfully popped his pecs and that made her blush deeply since they were really close to her face.

"Now, how about you cheer up?"

"Well, I…"

"Listen…we are family here. You helped save us tonight and there is nothing that will change that. Now how about a smile," he chuckled as he let his plugged fingers dance down her sides. Hope immediately squealed in laughter and that made Shocks laugh out loud. She then tried to get up, but he wrapped his tail around her legs and she landed across his back! She gasped and he cried out in pain. She then saw she made his wound bleed again.

"I'm so sorry, Shocks! See!? I hurt you without even meaning to!" She said as tears began to build up. Hope then weakly got to her feet and tried to walk off. Shocks saw her limping towards the door and tried to stop her.

"HOPE, STOP!" He said, worriedly after her. She turned to see him literally on his hands and knees trying to follow her. He looked at her with a pleading and sweating face from the pain. He held his plugged hand out towards her. "Don't leave…you'll get hurt out there. It was an accident. Please…come back over here so you can get well."

"I-I…,"

"Please…," he said as he held his hand out farther to her. Hope couldn't stand it anymore; she limped as quickly as she could back to him and held his hand and at that moment he used all of his strength to pull her to him in a hug. She let her hot tears slowly fall down his chest. He wrapped his arms and tail around her and embraced her to him tightly.

"Shhh…don't be upset…I've got you," he whispered.

"S-shocks…,"

"Shhh Hope…shhhh…just rest now," he whispered in her ear. Hope smiled and embraced him more and fell asleep in his arms. He then maneuvered her where they were once again lying on their sides on the warm carpet and he had her cuddled to his chest as he ran his fingers slowly through her silver white hair. He then felt a thump in his heart; was he falling for Hope?

Meanwhile Rachel and Feedback were watching.

"I have never seen Shocks act this way since…since…,"

"His past love?" Rachel said softly.

"Yes. I wonder if he will truly open up to Hope." Feedback wondered.

"It looks like they are opening up to each other," Rachel chuckled. No one knew what the future had in store, but something appeared to be brewing and emerging.

guestsurprise's words: Goldie, this was a treat for you!

To guestsurprise: Thank you very much! I love it! :)

To everyone else: Please leave guestsurprise a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418