Pushing the Limit

by Raiko Toho

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10: Alien Force.

Summary: Ben learns there are no limits when it comes to love.

Tseew! The horribly familiar sound of a laser pulse throbbed in her ears. Beside her, Ben ducked behind a rock as he waited for the Omnitrix to recharge. Booms and yells resonated across the plain that had become a battlefield.

With a grunt, she stood and flung a sheet of pink magic at the advancing horde, then blocked their return fire with a lustrous dome. The teen hurriedly found cover. This war can't last much longer, she thought desperately,peering out to fire potshots of natural power. Their allies were falling like tenpins.

Ben triumphantly became Swampfire and joined Alan in blasting DNAliens with fireballs, along with adding the meager plant life to their battle. Finally, the numbers were thinning...

They all groaned when a fresh wave of the tentacle-d aliens appeared over the horizon, and reluctantly returned to fighting.

--

Gwen staggered to her feet, wobbling as she heaved gasps of air into her burning lungs. She was covered in sweat, grime, blood, and even slime. Normally, she would have been disgusted, but right now, she was too exhausted to care. She concentrated on keeping her knees from buckling and dumping her back onto the reddish, blood-soaked dust.

"You okay, Gwen?" her grampa asked, holstering his laser lance. Decked out in a Plumber's exo-suit with a matching weapon, he had dominated in battle. She nodded tiredly.

"Just…" she wobbled again. Grampa Max reached out to steady her. She accepted his help with a nod of thanks, but regained her feet after a moment. He watched her worriedly, and was about to say something when a shout interrupted.

"Max! C'n you help me with this thing?" Gwen heard him call an affirmative and leave, shooting her another concerned glance.

"Hey, Gwen." Ben stumbled towards her, filthy and bruised, with a relieved smile on his face. "Some battle, huh?"

"I just wish we all made it," she answered quietly. Ben's grin slid off his face and he dejectedly sank to the ground.

"Yeah," he said. "They shouldn't have gotten involved. It's all my fault," he continued passionately. "If I'd been stronger, I wouldn't have needed their help."

"You can't help what forms the Omnitrix gives you," Gwen interjected. "Your limits are based on your aliens, not your personal abilities."

"But if only I'd pushed those limits, instead of sitting back and letting everyone--"

"Ben, don't--" Gwen stopped. Black spots were beginning to gather on the edge of her vision, but she plowed on regardless. "Don't blame yourself--" In a sudden rush, the spots multiplied, blocking out her sight, and the last thing she remembered before crumpling to the ground was Ben's shout, echoing as though he were miles away.

"Gwweenn..."

--

Gwen halfheartedly blinked her eyes open, finding the unwelcome sight of sterile hospital scenery surrounding her.

"Gwen! Are you okay?" Ben asked anxiously.

She sat up, oblivious to her cousin's attempts to keep her in bed. "What happened?"

"You fainted," he explained. "No warning, just collapse."

She grimaced. "How long?"

"A week, give or take." Ben evaluated her, then asked again, "Are you okay?"

The redhead shrugged. "A little sore, but I'll live." She took in the other teen's unkempt appearance. "What about you? You look like you've been through the mill once or twice."

Ben looked away self-consciously. "I'm fine."

Gwen studied him, contemplating pressing him further, but decided to let it slide. Instead, she asked the question that was burning to be asked. "Who..." she forced out. "Who didn't... survive?"

Ben frowned. "A lot. Some Enforcers. A bunch of Grampa's Plumber buddies. Even more are critically injured, with a low chance of recovery. And we lost you."

"What?!" Gwen asked in alarm. The frown deepened.

"Your heart stopped. The medics managed to restart it, but it was a close one."

Gwen shivered. It was frightening, knowing how close the thread had been to snapping. She mentally thanked whatever deities were looking after her. "You feel guilty." A comment, not a question. Ben avoided her eyes.

"Ben." Nothing. "Ben, look at me." He slowly raised his head. "It wasn't your fault. It was my choice--"

"A choice you shouldn't have made!" Ben burst out. "I'm the one with the Omnitrix, I should be the one who cleans up after it! You guys all took the fall, and it was me who brought it on!"

"Benjamin Tennyson, don't you dare think you have to handle this alone!" Gwen said heatedly. "You didn't want the Omnitrix, you had no choice at all! I wanted to fight, I wanted to make sure you'd be alright--"

"At what cost?"

"Whatever it takes." The words were said without hesitation.

All the fight seemed to drain out of her cousin, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'm sorry," he whispered haggardly. "I just-- what if next time we're not so lucky? I was so scared--"

Gwen reached over and wrapped her arms around his limp frame. "What if next time, it's you? What if it's both of us? Life is full of what ifs, and all we can do is weigh the risks and make a decision."

She felt him smile weakly into her shoulder. He broke the hug to ask, "What were you doing, anyway? What was it that made you..." He didn't seem able to finish the sentence.

Gwen leaned back again. "I think it was the magic," she said thoughtfully. "It's never really had any negative effects before, but I was using a lot more than usual. I suppose the strain of channeling so much energy..."

"Well then, no more magic for you, young lady," Ben teased. He quickly sobered. "I'm serious. Maybe if it has that kind of consequence, you should just stick to karate."

"Ben, taking away one of my weapons is going to make me more vulnerable," Gwen pointed out. He opened his mouth and she held up a hand. "But I'll try to maintain equilibrium." She laughed gently at his confusion. "I won't push my limit again. As long as you don't push yours."

"Okay," he agreed grudgingly. His voice dropped until it was barely audible, and Gwen had to lean forward to catch his next words. "'Cause I couldn't stand it if I lost you."

"Oh, Ben." She hugged him again. "I couldn't stand it if I lost you too."

--

A/N:

I don't really know where I got this idea from, but it wouldn't leave me alone, so I finally wrote it. Review, please.