A/N: Good to know that you liked the previous chapter. Here's the next one. Read on…


Chapter – 2

Ben slammed down on his Omnitrix, and with a blinding flash of green was transformed into Humongousaur. "Gwen, Kevin, take care of the DNAliens! I'll take on the Highbreed!"

"Ok," chorussed the other two, and began attacking the masses coming down upon them.

Kevin, Gwen noticed, had again turned into that curious teal color. Wonder what he's absorbed this time. But wait, why the heck am I thinking of such an absurd thing at this point of time?

Shaking her head slightly, she concentrated on the encounter. She elevated herself into the air, and began shooting purple energy blasts at the aliens below. The tactic was going down well enough, till her eyes fell on Ben-as-Humongousaur, fighting it out against the equally powerful Highbreed.

Almost involuntarily, a cautionary call escaped her lips. "Ben, be careful!"

In spite of the unnerving situation he was in with the Highbreed right then, Ben couldn't help shooting a brief look at his cousin, to tell her that he'd heeded to what she'd said.

Gwen nodded at Ben, and then turned her attention to the aliens at hand. Blast after blast of purple energy followed, exterminating group after group of DNAliens. And with every blast, Gwen could feel her energy level drooping further and further. No, I cannot give up like this. My team needs me. Ben needs me…

With a deep breath, Gwen pulled herself together. I'm doing this for Ben. Ben… But another glance at Ben made her heart trip over in panic. The Highbreed Commander now had Humongousaur firmly under his grip, and was battering him ruthlessly.

"Ben!" she called out, but Ben was in no position to look at her.

Gwen swallowed in fright. She turned around to see Kevin engaged with some aliens. "Kevin!" she called, panic clear in her voice. "The Highbreed's got Ben under his grip!"

Kevin looked at Gwen, then at Ben and the Highbreed Commander. For a second, a look of worry crossed his face, but then it disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. He punched his fist into the face of the last DNAlien, and then turned towards Gwen. "I'd advise you not to worry for him. Tennyson can take care of himself."

"But just look at him!"

Without waiting for any further answer from Kevin – knowing it would be futile – she rushed to help Ben.

But she'd hardly reached Ben when the Highbreed Commander turned towards her. "Stop!" he cried, holding out a hand to emphasize what he meant.

Gwen didn't feel any need to listen to what he said. Using as much energy as she could summon up, she fired a great blast of energy at the Highbreed. Then she fired a second. And a third.

As thick smoke encircled all of them, Gwen felt her knees giving way beneath her. She collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.

By the time the smoke had begun to clear, Kevin was beside her, holding her tightly. She had regained sufficient energy to sit up, but she didn't feel like protesting against Kevin for holding her. Maybe she would…a bit later. All she cared for now was Ben…and his safety.

But as the smoke finally cleared, Gwen's eyes widened in horror. The Highbreed was still standing tall, not in the least bit effected. But then who…

"Oh my God, Ben!" Gwen cried in shock, seeing Ben lying unconscious in his human form at the feet of the Highbreed.

"Ben!" Scrambling to her feet, she rushed over to Ben. "Ben…wake up!" She frantically began shaking Ben, but to no avail. She quickly felt her pulse. He was still breathing…but very raggedly.

Gwen looked up at the Highbreed, eyes gleaming with fury. "What did you do to him?" she asked, steel in her voice.

"I didn't do anything to him. I just side-stepped. Your blasts did the rest of it."

"What?" Gwen's voice changed from anger to sheer revulsion. "I did this to him?"

She looked down at Ben, her face white. "I did this to him?" she whispered softly, almost rhetorically. "I did this to him…" Her eyes welled up with tears.

"Yes. And I'm gonna do the same to you."

"Oh, you won't get a chance to do that."

Gwen stood up. Her eyes were ablaze. "You did this to Ben, not me! You tried to snatch him away from me! You tried to kill Ben??? You're gonna pay for this!!!!"

Eyes glowing, she shot a gigantic blast of energy at the Highbreed. The vacant, tired feeling now replaced with venomous hatred, Gwen gave her whole being into summoning up whatever energy she had. Blast after blast followed, each blast compelling Gwen to shoot one more…and one more. He tried to kill Ben…my Ben! I'm not gonna let him get away with this!!!

"Gwen! Stop!"

Kevin's sudden shout shook Gwen out of her frenzied desire of lethal vengeance for the Highbreed. She stopped firing, and immediately collapsed once again into the ground, the thick smoke making her cough.

Kevin rushed up to her. "You okay?"

Gwen didn't answer anything. She didn't feel as if she had even an iota of energy left in her. She nodded disorientedly, her breathing becoming hoarse. Her head suddenly began to hurt horribly. The images in front of her eyes began to blur. She could faintly make out Kevin's form in front of her eyes. He was telling something to her, but she couldn't make out what.

She struggled to take a few deep breaths. She felt unaccountably dizzy. Sudden black spots began to appear in front of her eyes, blocking her vision. In a matter of no time, all she could see was darkness.

"Take…Ben…to…the…hospital…" was all Gwen could utter before blacking out.


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