cecebeec, who owns AK-18, Selena, Sun, Sirius, and Ariana, asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy!
Ben 10 belongs to Cartoon Network and Man of Action. I only own Rachel.
Now, before someone points out that none of the characters are from the Ben 10 cartoon, let me explain: Sirius and Ariana are a Celestialsapien and an Anodite respectively and both those alien races are from Ben 10. :)
Now, on with the story! :)
Finally Returned To You
Selena was sitting in her living room, enjoying some coffee while she waited for Sirius and Ariana to return from getting the groceries. After her family helped her escape from her enemies and an old friend joined the family, Magister Tennyson had given Selena a leave of absence from work and Sirius had also insisted that Selena take a week to rest. Of course, the others had instantly agreed and so, Selena sat back and let the aliens take care of the chores and such.
While most of her family were out, Sun was in school, and AK-18 was with Selena, guarding her and the house. The alien robot now walked into the living room.
"Inquiry: Selena need anything?" He asked curiously.
Selena smiled. "I'm good, AK," she said, calling him by his nickname.
"AK-18: Ready to get anything for Selena."
She smiled again. "Relax, big guy," she said and patted the seat beside her. Carefully, the robot sat down beside her and began rubbing Selena's back with one large hand. Whenever he sat by her, he had taken on this habit and she smiled up at him. "You doing okay, big guy?"
"AK-18: Working accurately. Emotion: Happy."
The black-haired woman looked at him, sensing something underneath his words. "AK, what's got you worried?" She asked. "And don't tell me you're not. I can tell when you're really happy or not."
"Selena: Always perceptive. AK-18: Worried about Selena."
At the robot's words, Selena blinked in confusion. "Why are you worried about me? I'm safe, AK, thanks to you helping my family get me out of there," she said.
Before the robot could form a reply, she held up a hand. "AK, it's okay," she said. "And I got you back as a result. Do you know how happy I was that you were back? That my protector who kept me safe all those years ago returned?"
Before she could say more, she suddenly felt AK-18 pick her up with the upmost gentleness and he hugged her very gently, holding her as if he'd lose her again if he let go. "Oh, AK," she said, hugging him back.
A knock at the door had the robot jumping up and setting her down carefully before pulling out his weapons. "Whoa, big guy," Selena said, laughing slightly. "Let me go see who's at the door."
She peeked through the peephole and saw Rachel on the doorstep and opened the door. "Rachel, hi!" Selena said with a smile.
Rachel instantly hugged the younger woman. "How are you doing?" She asked.
"Much better, except my family won't let me do anything."
Both women laughed together at that before Rachel saw the large robot come up behind Selena. "Correction: Family is concerned about Selena. Result: Family helping while Selena rests herself," he said.
Rachel smiled. "Who's this?" She inquired politely and curiously.
Selena smiled. "A rather clingy bodyguard," she whispered to the older woman, who tried to politely hold back her laugh, but succeeded only half-way.
The robot was about to retort when Selena placed a hand gently where his mouth would be. "Just teasing you, big guy," she said sweetly before turning back to Rachel. "This is AK-18, a dear friend of mine who's become part of the family. AK, this is Rachel Jocklin. Like us, she too has aliens in her family. She's even engaged to one."
Rachel smiled and held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you, AK-18," she said politely.
A large metal hand gently engulfed her hand and shook it very gently. "AK-18: Pleased to meet Miss Jocklin. Miss Jocklin: Very pretty and polite," he said.
Rachel blushed at the compliment. "My goodness, if I wasn't already engaged to my fiancée, I'd be swept off my feet with this handsome fellow's charm," she said jokingly with a smile.
Selena chuckled. "He is a charmer, huh?" She said. "Won't you come in, Rachel?"
"Thank you," the blonde-haired girl said and stepped inside. "Sirius called me and asked to check on you and AK-18. He heard a report that the Forever Knights were in the area and was worried. My fiancée gathered some of the aliens from the Mansion and they're patrolling right now."
"Oh, good," the black-haired woman said. "I don't think I'm up for another action-packed adventure quite yet."
Rachel chuckled, but nodded in agreement. "Anyway, how are you holding up?" She asked.
"Okay, for the most part," Selena said. "Still recovering a bit though."
"You did take some nasty hits," Rachel said in concern.
Selena suddenly felt tired and let out a gasp as she was about to collapse and Rachel quickly reached forward to catch her friend's arms. AK-18 was also there in a split second to catch Selena and pick her up, carrying her into the living room with Rachel following. The robot very gently placed Selena on the couch and placed a blanket over the girl's legs. "Inquiry: Selena alright?" He asked in concern.
She took a deep breath and smiled. "Yes, I'm okay," she said. "Sorry about that."
"It's alright, Selena," Rachel said, sitting in a chair beside her friend and reaching into her purse. "That reminds me. My scientist brother mixed this medicine for you, to help you heal and restore your strength."
The black-haired woman accepted the bottle of blue liquid from her. "Thank you. And please tell your brother 'thank you'," she said.
AK-18 sat beside Selena, wrapping an arm around her protectively, which made Rachel smile. An alert came to her phone and she politely excused herself to check it, reading the text that came in. "Good news, the Knights aren't in the area," she said. "Although, I'd say you're pretty safe with your protective bodyguard. He'd no doubt plow the Knights over like bowling pins."
Selena chuckled and nodded in agreement. "I believe he would," she said.
"AK-18: Would keep any enemies away from Selena and family. Objective: Protect and never leave," AK-18 said with conviction.
Rachel smiled and nodded. "Well, I shouldn't keep you from resting," she said, getting up. "The kids have been moving the Christmas decorations from the attic so we can decorate, so I better get over there before one of them either gets the lights or the garland wrapped around them in the process of decorating."
Selena chuckled in amusement and they heard the front door open, looking to see Sirius come in with most of the groceries in his arms while Arianna came in with some groceries on one arm while she carried Sun in her free arm. They greeted Rachel warmly and thanked her for checking on their family and the older woman extended an invitation to them all to spend Christmas dinner with the Grant Mansion family, which was enthusiastically accepted.
Later that evening, Selena was reading in bed when AK-18 came in, carrying a mug filled with herbal tea. Smiling, she accepted the mug and breathed in the aroma of the herbs and noted instantly that it was her favorite tea. "You remembered," she said with a smile. "Thank you, AK."
"Selena: Welcome. AK-18: Never forgot," the robot said, standing beside her bed and watching her.
Smiling again, the black-haired woman drank her tea and when she finished it, she placed the empty mug on her nightstand and snuggled under the covers, hearing the watchful robot come up and a moment later, feeling the comforter being tucked in snuggly around her and gentle arms hugging her goodnight. "AK-18: Wish for Selena to have a pleasant rest and pleasant dreams," he said.
"Thank you, AK," Selena said, returning his hug. "You too."
The robot stood up. "AK-18: Glad to have finally returned to Selena. Emotions: Happy and content."
She nodded. "Me too," she said before falling asleep and AK-18 powered down a bit, but stayed alert to keep the family safe. Now that he had finally found Selena again, he would protect her with his life.
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GoldGuardian2418