A/N: And here's where the AU starts. The stuff after the intro-thingy takes place during the end of "Absolute Power: Part 2" of season 1 of Ultimate Alien.

Yes, I've decided to go with the original plan of two storylines in one story.

Warnings: Self-harming and mentions of drug use and suicide. Includes a few swear words, because Kevin is a potty-mouth.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10: anything. Please don't sue me, I have no money.

EDITED: 2/26/15: Added a line break.

Addiction

Chapter Three

Ben was… uncomfortable. All he asked was how Kevin felt when he absorbed energy, but now Kevin was telling him his entire life story! And in second person, too, which was a little weird. Ben couldn't deny that what he was hearing was interesting, and it did answer more than a few questions he's always had, but he didn't ask for this much information! The answers were… unsettling.

But he couldn't ask Kevin to stop; couldn't walk away. Kevin was pouring his heart out, going through memories he would have likely rather forgotten, just to explain to Ben why he was the way he was. Why he was, in Kevin's words, 'seriously screwed in the head'.

And Kevin couldn't stop, even if he wanted to. A weight that had been crushing him for years was finally being lifted from his chest. He was coming clean, and in Kevin's mind, Ben deserved to know why he did the things he did. Ben couldn't refuse to listen, he just couldn't. Kevin owed it to Ben to explain why he's tried to kill him over the years, and why he did what he did a couple of months ago and why it took a couple months for him to recover from it.

~(-_-)~(0_0)~(x_x)~

About four months ago, Ben and Co. lured Kevin to the abandoned military base to attempt to cure him of his physical and mental… issues. Once Ben, as Ultimate Echo Echo, took him out and placed him in the restraints, Cooper turned on the machine, hopefully starting Kevin's transformation back into his old self. As the light show started, Kevin began howling in pain as the alien energies were forcefully ripped from his body.

The process took a little over five minutes, with Kevin's screams becoming more human about halfway through as the sonorosian energy left his vocal chords. Limbs and spikes slowly retracted into his body; dark colors faded into flesh tones. Fur and scales disappeared as human skin took its place. And throughout it all, the shifting form remained rigid as agonized screams fled its chest.

Once his real arms and legs had shrunk enough, the energy field was the only thing keeping Kevin in place. After about thirty seconds of that, the machine shut off. Freed from the pain, screams were abruptly cut off, and Kevin flopped limply to the floor, unconscious. Once Michael was dealt with, everyone turned their attention to Kevin. Gwen was sitting criss-cross on the floor with his head in her lap, her hands glowing pink at his temples.

After a few moments, Kevin groaned, coming to. His eyes opened slowly, but they were blank, unseeing. Shutting them tight, he moaned again, body aching from the arduous procedure. He blinked rapidly, finally waking enough to notice his surroundings.

Everyone but Darkstar (tied in a corner) held their breath as they walked closer, hoping for the best yet fearing the worst.

Suddenly, Kevin's eyes opened wide, his breath quick and shallow. He squeezed them shut once more, before he started mumbling something under his breath.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no…"

Fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. His muscles were tense as springs under quickly perspiring skin. He was shaking like a leaf. Gwen's brows furrowed, the mana at her hands growing brighter. When she whipped her head up to glare at the people crowding around, everyone stepped back nervously. Nobody knew what was going on, save perhaps Gwen, and none were willing to break the tense silence as she returned her concentration to her boyfriend.

Without warning, Kevin's fists opened and his fingertips slammed into the floor. Concrete flowed over his body as he absorbed the material. Nobody knew what to make of any of it, except that it seemed the osmosian was having some sort of breakdown.

A minute of frozen agitation passed before Kevin's eyes opened. He lunged to his feet as though shot from a cannon, heading straight for an electrical socket on one of the brick walls. Nobody made a move to stop him, caught by surprise at his sudden movement. Nobody but Gwen.

A whispered 'somnus,' and Kevin fell, a mere foot from his target, stone draining from his body. Gwen calmly walked over to the now-sleeping teen and gathered him in her arms on the floor, hugging him tightly. Everyone else looked away from the sight, ashamed that they had failed to react.

"Cooper?"

The technopath started lightly.

"Could you…?" She tried to hold Kevin higher off the floor, struggling with his weight.

Rushing over, Cooper gently picked Kevin up and waited. Gwen whispered something to Max and Julie, who both nodded and left the building with Gwen. Cooper followed after them.

Outside, at a word from Julie, Ship melted from the battlesuit form into his natural shape, before bounding a few feet away from the group and transforming into a spaceship. Cooper entered the vehicle, strapping Kevin into a chair before getting off. Julie didn't even bother getting on, instead wishing Max and Gwen luck as the two boarded. Once they were on, the loading bay closed, and Ship took off, leaving Ben wondering what the hell he was going to do with Darkstar.

A/N: There it is. Next chapter will continue with this storyline, and will hopefully be up before 6 PM tomorrow.