Chapter 1

~Ben's Pov~

I finally have the last thing packed for the trip. It's been years since I last went on a road trip with Grandpa and Gwen. Six years to be exact. So much has changed since then. Gwen and I are no longer at each other's throats. No more fighting with random aliens that come our way and an old enemy is an ally. I hear the horn of the Rust Bucket, the original Rust Bucket. I close my suitcase and rundown stairs. I'm about to run outside when my mom's voice calls my name. I turn around. Both Mom and Dad are standing there.

"Aren't you at least going to give us a hug goodbye?"

"Right." I step over to them and I give them a hug. "I'll miss you guys." They hug me back.

"We'll miss you too. Be safe out there, ok?" Mom said. She worried about me a lot. It's understandable, I mean, if my child was going on a road trip across the country, I'd worry too. Though I don't have any kids yet and probably won't for awhile.

"I will." I stop hugging them. "I love you guys."

"We love you too Ben." Mom kissed my forehead. "We'll see you soon." I nod and head out.

"See ya." I shout back at them as I go out the door.

"Goodbye, Ben." I close the door and run over to my cousin and our friend.

"What took you so long?" Kevin asked.

"Had to say goodbye to my parents."

"Right, well, might as well not let this road trip get put off more than it already has. Let's go." I nod and we get on the Rust Bucket. Grandpa is at the wheel, of course. We're traveling everywhere like when Gwen and I were kids.

"I call shot-gun." I start to head over to the passenger seat.

"Oh no you don't, Pizza Face." I felt Gwen's magic power wrap around my waist and pull me back. She pulls me all the way to the back of the R.V. and she sits where I was going to sit. I guess some things won't ever change. I sit at the table. Kevin sits down too.

"Pizza Face?" Kevin asked. He's asking a lot of questions. I guess that's to be expected. There will probably be so many references to the past that he may not understand.

"That's a nickname she'd call me when we were kids."

"I see."

"I thought we grew out of the name calling, though." I say more to her than to Kevin. She looked back at me.

"I was trying to bring back old memories." Gwen said with a smile.

"It definitely brought back old memories for me." Grandpa said. I smile. This summer is going to be interesting.

"Where to first, Grandpa Max?" I ask

"To the woods nearby. The same woods six years ago. Basically we're just reliving the past. Which means this summer will be an adventure for your taste buds once again."

"What does he mean by that?" He has no idea…

"You'll find out." The drive is pretty long. We eventually make it. "I'm going to explore the woods a bit. I didn't really get a good chance last time."

"Wonder who caused that." Gwen said sarcastically.

"I was panicking. What would you do if you were suddenly on fire?"

"If I recall, you already realized you'd be ok and started throwing fire balls at trees."

"How can I remember? It's been six years after all."

"Just don't set the forest on fire again, ok?" She crossed her arms.

"I won't, you can trust me." I walk into the forest. I find the crash site where the Omnitrix came from. I remember how I freaked out when the watch grabbed onto my wrist. There's a snap noise behind me. I turn around. Suddenly, the forest is on fire. I quickly turn the Ultimatrix up and try to find big chill, but when I slap it down, nothing happens.

"Ultimatrix in reboot mode." It says to me.

"You have to do this now?" I look around. I don't want to let the forest burn down, but I don't want to die either. At least, if I head back, the others can help me put it out. I start running back and I hear a snap sound above me. I look up, but I don't move out of the way in time for a large branch to fall on top of me.

That hurt… I struggle to get back up, but I can't.

"G-Grandpa! Gwen! Help!" I fall back down on my stomach and try to fiddle with the Ultimatrix again, "Come on…" It doesn't work. Darn it! I've gotta… I'm suddenly feeling weaker… I see someone running towards me, but I can't tell exactly… I think that's Grandpa… I close my eyes and lower my head onto the ground.

I open my eyes again and look around, I feel much better all of a sudden. Wait… I'm in the Rust Bucket? I sit up strangely easily considering my back just got crushed under a large branch. I hear the door open and Gwen walks in.

"Oh, good you're awake." She walks over and sits down on the edge of the bed.

"What happened? Is the forest ok?" Her eyebrow raised.

"Um, what do you mean?"

"The forest caught on fire suddenly. The Ultimatrix was in reboot mode so I couldn't put it out. Is it still burning?"

"The forest wasn't burning this time, Ben."

"How can that be? What about the branch?"

"What branch? Ben, you're not making sense." I put a hand on my head.

"I think I'm losing it."

"Ben, you've lost it a long time ago."

"Hey!"

"Don't worry about it, ok? Grandpa said dinner will be ready soon."

"You do know what's for dinner, right?"

"I'm pretty sure I can guess."

"Why does he want to feed us bugs and stuff?"

"Because, Grandpa's weird."

"True." I stand up. "I hope nothing like that happens again."

"What?"

"The forest. It felt so real..."

"Well, just get some rest, ok? I'll come back for you when dinner's ready."

"Ok." Gwen left the Rust Bucket. I lay back down. I close my eyes.

"You can't run forever, boy." I quickly sit up… What was that…? I look around. I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around and there's nothing there. "Soon… Very soon… I'll wear you down…" I yell out and run out of the Rust Bucket. I get outside and fall to my hands and knees, breathing heavily because I was freaked out.

"Ben, what's wrong?" Gwen runs over.

"I… I don't want to go back in there…" My eyes are probably wide like bug eyes.

"What, is Benjie afraid of another forest fire?" I give Gwen a look. She shrugged.

"Guess he overheard." I look at Kevin.

"This is no joke, Kevin."

"What happened Ben?" Gwen asked. I stood up.

"I-" On second thought, maybe I shouldn't say. They'll probably just brush it off anyway. "Nothing… I just… it was another nightmare. Don't worry about it." Gwen gives me that look like she knows something definitely isn't right and wants me to tell her. I can't tell her… She'll probably think I'm crazy. I probably am crazy…

It's finally time for bed. I find a camper flashlight in one of Grandpa's cupboards. I think this will work. I go over to my bed and turn on the light. I set it down near my head. It lights up the whole area. I think I'll be able to sleep easily now. I'm a little afraid of being in the dark at the moment. That probably sounds pathetic of me. Ben Tennyson, the Great Hero of the Universe, is afraid of the dark. It's only temporary, I'm sure, I just… That voice… It was so haunting...

I lay down and I start to drift off when the light goes off. I open my eyes and I see Gwen had turned it off.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked her. She puts a hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow.

"Why do you need a light?" She knows I was never afraid of the dark before.

"I like having a light near my head." I turn it back on.

"Well nobody else can sleep with a light shining in their face." She turns it off.

"Well, I need light." I turn it on again.

"Why?" She turns it off again.

"I just do." I turn it back on and pick it up. I get out of bed and head toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm sleeping outside." I open the door and go outside. I sit down and rest against the Rust Bucket. She doesn't understand. I wish I could tell her. The light is right beside me. It makes me feel better having it. For some reason, I feel safe with it beside me.

I start to drift off when I get a whiff of smoke in my nose. I quickly stand up and look towards the forest. The forest's on fire! I look at my watch. It seems to be fine now. I turn it on and switch to Big Chill. I slam it down. I finally got the right one. "Big, Chill!" I fly up and head toward the burning part of the forest. I heard Gwen's voice, but I couldn't hear what she said over the roar of the flames.

I use the ice breath on the flames to calm them down. The fire is finally out. I fly down to the ground and change back. All the trees are scorched. It's so dark… I better get out of here. I look down at my watch and it's showing the reboot color… Oh no… I have to get back.

I start running, but there's a familiar snap noise. I jump out of the way, but I don't jump far. It caught my leg. Why did I go back to being human!? I can't get up. I hear footsteps. I look around. I can't see in this darkness… but he can probably see me… "S-Someone! Help me! Please help!" I look at my watch. It's still on reboot mode… I don't want him to get me… I feel myself being dragged along the forest floor, being pulled under the branch that caught my leg.

"No one will come for you. It's hopeless. You are safe nowhere, Benjamin."

"Ben!" I look up. Gwen's coming my way. She has the flashlight. "What happened to you?" I try to get up, but I can't. I'm dragged back again.

"Gwen!" I'm dragged again and I grab onto the branch, which stays in place since it was caught on the trees. I hold onto it for dear life knowing that if I let go I may not come bac. I don't know what this thing wants from me, but I can't let it take me. I hear Gwen fire up her powers and I feel a sudden burst of energy come from her direction. The pressure on my legs disappears and I get up and run to her. Gwen grabs me and puts her hands on my shoulders.

"Ben, what happened? What was that just now?"

"I- I don't know, I just, the forest caught fire and I turned into Big Chill to stop it a-and then I turned back and now my watch won't work and something's after me…" She looked at me sadly.

"Let's get back to camp. Maybe Grandpa has some advice or answers." I nod slightly and she grabs my hand. I feel so weak and vulnerable… We make it back to the campsite. She makes me sit on the picnic table. "Do you need anything? I could get you something if you like." I shake my head.

"N-No that's alright, just… don't leave me alone…" She sat next to me and put an arm around me to try and comfort me. I relax a little. Maybe as long as I'm with someone, it won't try to harm me. I hate feeling so scared, this isn't like me at all.

"Ben!" That's Grandpa's voice. Gwen and I both stand up and turn around. "What on earth happened?"

"Well, uh…"

"There's something in these woods and it's after Ben." Gwen said. "I saw him being dragged away by something, but I couldn't see what it was. I sent out a pulse of energy to scare it off and it seemed to work."

"I see." Grandpa strokes his chin seeming to be deep in thought. Kevin then comes running out of the woods. "Ben, what did it sound like?"

"Uh, well it was definitely male. His voice is very deep but smooth and calm. His touch is really icy, as if a block of ice is touch you."

"Does any of that sound familiar to you, grandpa?" Gwen asked. Kevin walked over and rests his arm on my head. I look up at it. Why do I have to be short?

"I'm afraid not, but if it's after you, Ben," I look back at Grandpa, "then maybe I should take you back home."

"I don't want to go back home. We've been planning this trip for weeks." Kevin removes his arm from the top of my head.

"I'm sorry Ben, but we just can't risk it."

"Maybe it's only here. What if we leave as soon as possible and go to our next destination? That's Washington D.C. right? Where we first met Dr. Animo?"

"Alright, we'll give it a try, but if anything should happen, you're going straight back home, you understand me?" I nod. Maybe if I stay by Gwen, everything will be alright. In fact, I'm sure everything will be alright.