Back to the Beginning

Chapter 1: Back to the Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10 as I am most definitely not a man of action. Disclaimed.

"Ben!" Gwen cried in worry as her cousin fell to his knees clutching his side. She didn't know how she didn't se it earlier but the entire side of his torn up shirt was red, soaked from his own blood.

"I'm so sorry Gwen." Ben panted heavily, trying not to gasp in pain as he grabbed her hand. It was hard to believe that it had almost a year since they thought Vilgax was gone for good, his ship sunken to the bottom of the ocean when Ben got the Ultramatrix. He wasn't gone though, he came back more powerful than ever and his first victim had been Grandpa Max. Then the monstrous alien took Kevin away from them and took out one of Ben's eyes forcing him to wear an eye patch now.

"What are you doing?" Gwen gasped as she was pulled out of her memories that the fear of losing Ben was causing. She had lost so much and now Vilgax was taking her cousin away from her. They knew it was a bad idea to sneak on Vilgax's new ship but he had to try and get revenge for all those people Vilgax took away. Gwen could still hear Julie's cry as Vilgax rammed a blade through her back and right through her chest.

"What does it look like?" Ben gasped out as he was obviously growing weaker. He took the omnitrix off and slid it onto Gwen's arm as she realized that it was the reason Ben had been going over everything he knew about it with her, drilling every little bit of information he could into her head.

"Ben, I can't, we have to get out of here." Gwen said, her voice filled with urgency as tears began to flow.

"Run...Gwen..." Ben gasped out just before three shots from a laser gun slammed into him finishing him off before her very eyes. She spun around ready to avenge her cousin with her life just as strong, huge hands slammed a collar on around her neck. She could feel her powers draining quickly as the pinkish aura quickly faded out from around her hands.

"Give me the omnitrix girl or die like the rest of your worthless friends." Vilgax growled as he picked her up by the back of her badly damaged sweater and slammed her into the side of the corridor knocking the air out of her.

"Never you bastard." Gwen growled out, "You killed everyone I cared about! I swear I'll make you pay!"

"Tough talk little girl butt we have all the time in the world as no one is going to save you." Vilgax said laughing cruelly as he grinded her face against the wall. "I could kill you but I think I'll give you a chance to change your mind. If you give me the omnitrix freely I may keep you alive as my pet."

"Go to hell!" Gwen sobbed as she tried her best to reach the omnitrix but two of Vilgax's minions grabbed her arms, each one taking an arm and holding them away from each other.

"Strip her, make sure she was no plumber garbage on her and lock her in a cell." Vilgax ordered as he let go letting the two minions yank her roughly from the wall holding her arms painfully back forcing her forward a bit. "Chain her up and make sure she can't reach the omnitrix."

It could have been hours or even days as Gwen hung in one of the cells, the door's field not even activated as no one was coming to save her. The shackles held her arms above her head and spread out so she couldn't reach to activate the omnitrix. Her feet was hanging just off the floor making the strain and pain grow more and more the longer she hung there. And to make things even worse she was stripped completely naked making her feel so dirty as she was sure the things that was Vilgax's minions was leering at her as they stayed around under the pretenses of watching her.

"Now girl, have you rethought your position?" Vilgax asked, his voice was strangely softer than usual as he strode into Gwen's line of sight. He purposely walked up to Gwen and slowly caressed her face giving what she was sure was supposed to be a smile but it looked so hideous on the thing before her.

"Sure I have." Gwen said managing a small smirk, "Hell is too good a place for you."

"Filthy human!" Vilgax roared backhanding Gwen hard enough to make her ears ring. "I only have so much patience but I will give you another chance."

"That won't be necessary." A new voice said drawing the attention of both as it appeared right beside them. A little hope swelled in Gwen's chest as she realized who it was that was standing there. Maybe Paradox would be able to do something, anything to make this whole nightmare end. He could go back in time and fix things, right?

"I don't know who the hell you are but you will suffer for entering my ship." Vilgax growled as the man grabbed Gwen's arm. The sudden movement caused one of the guards to open fire on the man landing a direct hit on his chest just as he disappeared with Gwen.

"FIND THEM!" Vilgax roared as his assured victory vanished right under his nose.

Gwen stumbled a bit as she was freed from her chains but she could still feel the collar around her neck. She hugged herself as she felt tears start to fall again as relief from being away from that place as well as grief for everyone lost started to overwhelm her.

"There is no need to cry Gwen Tennyson." Paradox said as Gwen felt his lab coat get wrapped around her hunched over body providing a little bit of cover and modesty. "Though many things have been lost you still have a chance to find them again and set right the wrongs that happened."

"What are you talking about?" Gwen asked as she turned around to see a sadly smiling Paradox holding his side though there was several more wounds bleeding badly. His body started to slowly dissolve into bright light particles as the wind started to blow them away.

"No!" Gwen sobbed as the last of Paradox vanished just as she realized that he was dyeing also and leaving her alone. She collapsed and sobbed as she curled up into a fetal position hugging the lab coat around her. She cried until all her strength was gone and she was starting to lose conscious just as she saw two kids that looked so familiar coming close to her. The boy and girl was so familiar that Gwen knew she should know them butt she was so out of it she just couldn't remember.

"Grandpa Max, you might want to see this!" The boy cried out as he stared on in shock.

"Stop staring you pervert!" The girl growled angrily reminding Gwen of when Ben and her was kids. She wished that she could just see Ben one last time as she finally succumbed to unconsciousness.