Author's note: I don't own Ben 10.

Chapter 1: And to Think

Thirsty, Sandra Tennyson looked in the refrigerator for any refreshments. She took out the last container of juice and drank the last of it.

"Ben," she called.

"Yeah?" her son called from his bedroom.

"I'm going out to buy some drinks. Do you want anything?"

"No, mom." Ben called back.

"Okay," she grabbed her purse. "I'll be back in an hour." With that, she left.

With his dad at the bank, Ben had the house to himself. He turned up the volume on the TV, not caring much about his parents' departure, believing his parent's' trip was routine.

"We interrupt this program to bring you an important news bulletin," A newscaster reported from the TV.

Ben turned up the volume. It was about ten minutes since his folks left.

"There have been seven recorded fires in the local area. Reports say..." The scene changed to seven different buildings, one of them being the bank his father goes to, another being the market his mother usually goes to. The bank had completely collapsed, and the market was falling apart.

Without hesitation, Ben turned into Jetray and flew out his window, praying that his parents were okay.

Ben flew like a maniac toward the bank. He transformed into his human form, and ran to a cop. Tears were stinging his eyes.

"Excuse me, sir!" Ben yelled with a lump in his throat. "D-did you find Carl Tennyson?"

"Um..." The cop said. "Let me check. Hey, guys!" He called the rest. "Did we find a man named Carl Tennyson?"

"What does he look like?" Someone called back.

"What does he look like, son?" The police man repeated to Ben.

"Just like me. He's my dad," Ben said quickly.

"He looks just like Ben Tennyson, but older!" The cop repeated to the other officer.

Ben tapped his fingers on the officer's car in anticipation while he waited for the officers to find his father. He wanted to check on his mom, but he couldn't leave his dad.

"I... I can't wait around here all day! My mom's in one of the other buildings that were on fire!" Tears were threatening to overflow from his eyes. "I- just call me when you find him!" Ben turned into Jetray and was gone in a flash.

Ben hadn't gotten to the market a moment too soon. He changed to human form and ran to a officer next to an ambulance.

"Have you seen-" Ben stopped. He saw his mother being put onto a stretcher in the distance.

"Mom!" He yelled. Tears finally flowed uncontrollably from his eyes as he saw his mothers' condition.

Her clothes, skin, and flesh were burned severely in different places. She was unconscious and was wearing a breathing mask. He ran to her at full speed. "Mom! MOM!" He pushed aside doctors and policemen in his way. "Let me through! That's my mother!" He finally got through. "MOM!" He put his hands on her and shook her. "Mom! Please, wake up! Please!" The world around him seemed to fade. He was crying almost violently. "MOMMMMM! I'm sorry-" He suddenly felt someone grab his arms and pull him away. "NOOO! NO, PLEASE! THAT'S MY MOTHER! PLEASE!"

Beep... Beep... Beep...

Sandra Tennyson's slow heart rate echoed through the hospital room. Cousins Gwen and Ben Tennyson held each other's hands, though Ben never took his eyes off his mother. He sniffled. Officers had called him to identify a body, which he confirmed was Carl Tennyson. He already lost one parent, and he was losing the other.

While his mother was in the hospital, Frank and Lily Tennyson let Ben stay at their house. It was the least they could do.

In the same room was Kevin Levin, their friend. He, too, had experiences with losing a parent, but his mother was still alive. Even so, Gwen and his conscious told him to go and comfort Ben anyway.

The door opened, revealing a very worried Julie on the other side. "Ben?" She called. Ben's eyes were glued to his mother. Julie walked over to Ben and kissed his cheek.

"I could've saved them," Ben whispered. Julie looked at Gwen with a worried expression.

That's the fifteenth time he said that, Gwen mouthed.

Julie looked at her boyfriend. "Ben?" She repeated.

He was quiet. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened. "She's moving!" He yelled.

The rest turned to face Sandra, who was beginning to open her eyes.

"Mom! Can you hear me, mom? Mom!" Ben gently though anxiously tapped his mother.

She turned to her son. "B...Ben..."

He held his mom's hand in both of his. "...Mom?" Ben had new found hope in his heart, but it was short lived.

"Ben..." She whispered. "I'm not going to make it."

Everyone's heart broke.

"No..." Ben whispered. "No... No, mom, don't say that!"

"Ben, listen."

"No! You're going to make it! Don't talk! Save your breath!" He began to silently cry.

"Ben... please."

Ben's lower lip began to twitch. "I can't lose both of you," he whispered.

"Ben," finally, he became quiet. "Ben, I'm sorry for keeping this a secret all these years."

"What?"

"There's something I have to tell you," she paused. "I just don't know how." Ben leaned in closer. Sandra took in a deep breath. "Ben... in 1993, I got pregnant. Eight months later, the summer of 1994, I gave birth to a baby boy." She paused. "His name was Christopher."

"Christopher?" The summer of 1994 was when Ben was born.

"He had blonde hair and yellow eyes." She took another deep breath. "When he was one week old, he died." She closed her eyes. "The very next day, our doorbell rang. When I opened it, no one was there. It was just a box." Her voice was becoming fainter. "The box had 'handle with care' written all over it. I placed it on the table..." She stared at the wall in front of her. "...And I opened it." She looked at Ben. "Inside... was a baby boy." They all gasped. "There was a note in the box. It said how old the baby was, how much it weighed, and all sorts of information like that. It was similar to Christopher, only..." She paused. "His name was Benjamin." She took in her final breath, and closed her eyes for the last time.

Ben's eyes were wide with shock. He let his mother's hand slip from his own. He blinked once, and then squeezed his eyes shut. His expression was full of hurt and pain.

"...Ben-" Gwen tried to call, but Ben got up and ran out of the room.

And to think, all of this could've been avoided if Sandra and Carl chose another time to go out.