His frame shook from either fear or the force of the growl. "I'm so sorry-" "Don't be sorry Kenny." Ben couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kenny had been holding this guilt and was pressuring his son while he was at it. He should have known better. His son wants to be a hero like his father. And he was pushing pressure on his child. Just like the pressure, he was under…at Kenny's age. He wanted to tell him off for saying such nonsense. Yet at the same time, he knew where he was coming from. Always trying to meet expectations. Being in the public eye, he couldn't afford to make any mistakes. When he did make one, he would get hassled by the other Plumbers for "making a mess for them to clean up"—hearing each statement like a blade being jammed into his chest.

"Can't you do anything right?"

"Stupid kid, I swear things would be much easier if they weren't here."

"Fairly unwise for Azmuth to leave that weapon to a child. I wouldn't be surprised if they get someone killed."

"Don't you ever think of what you are doing? Cocky bastard."

Ben shook his head. Kenny may not yet heard the slander or whispers behind his back from his teammates or the other recruits but he had no doubt words of self-sabotage played their part. Slowly egging on his insecurities and fears. Slowly eating him up. Second, thinking about every decision he makes.

Sometimes dark thoughts would peek through the open curtains and whisper their dark promises in hopes of relief.

Kenny looked up at his father's face to see his facial expressions or the loboan equivalent, only to notice that he was or appeared to be in deep thought. Kenny shifted as he felt his leg tingling. As if involuntary, he felt his father hold him closer to his chest and lean his head down to nuzzle his forehead. Kenny may not know it yet but sometimes the aliens on the watch tend their presence known with very acute subtlety. Like now, Blitzwolfer's instincts command Ben to coddle his boy and make him feel protected.

Ben, don't think about that now. Think about Kenny. He needs you. He needs his father, not Ben 10,000.

He smiled knowing that they were making their presence known again. Many would claim they were just DNA sequences and nothing more. Technically they were not alive. But to Ben, proving that they were alive. They can feel and have emotions as he did. He won't say it aloud but, he felt safe with them. Always showing some reassurance with some sort of sensation or movement. Like a tingle down his spine or involuntarily moving his alien forms like now with Ben holding Kenny closer while he was in deep thought. An act of reassurance for both of them.

Ben, you got this. Put your pride aside and show him you care. He may be your predecessor, yet he is still your son. Son first, the hero in training later.

"Dad? Are you ok?" Kenny reached his hand out to push his shoulder but he felt himself hesitating. His arm was shaking. As if expecting him to reach out and bite his arm off. His father raised his head and looked down at him. His green eyes were void of any pupils or white of the eyes. They were just large endless voids of green. Ben nodded his head. "I am fine. Just thinking." Kenny felt the dread creep down his chest. What was he thinking about?

"Dad…I-" "Don't say you are sorry Kenny. I can tell you already are. I am the one who should be sorry."

"What?"

"Kenny, I didn't mean to make you feel like this. Yet again, there should be no excuse for it in the first place." He held Kenny closer. He can practically feel the boy's small frame pressed into his muscular one. The loboan's large arms encased him. His large claws stroked his back, occasionally would stroke his son's head. "I could tell you were so excited the day you got your Omnitrix. You start the journey of becoming a hero yourself. Learning about all kinds of alien species and exploring new worlds soon enough." He sighed as he thought about what to say next.

"I was both proud and terrified for you." Flashes of memory passed over the old hero's eyes. Moments of glory and new chances of exploration of aliens that like many before thought they were only made up from pop culture. Or concepts for horror or SyFy movies. Planets he can see and smell, sometimes even taste. But there were also some bad memories he would rather forget but they still lived with him. Times when some of his mistakes nearly got him killed. Especially those closest to him. A glimpse of himself when he was 10 years old watching his grandfather being escorted to the hospital. Another is Gwen being taken away and he believes that she was killed.

Another memory popped up with Ben's father being held captive by Vilgax as the entire house was destroyed. Even the time the whole universe was destroyed by The Eliminator or whatever and had to recreate the entirety of the universe with Alien X. Those moments nearly broke him. And not just physically, but mentally as well. Pushing it all down and locking it away in a vault hoping it would never resurface again. The lock's broken, slowly creaking the door open. A flush of memories seeped through the small crevices. "As you know, when I was your age, I too acquired the Omnitrix. It was a terrifying and exciting experience for me. As well as a bit confusing." Kenny looked at him. He saw a few photos from his Great-grandpa Max when his father and Gwen were children. He had a clear resemblance to his father when he too was 10 years old, other than the tanned skin he acquired from his mother. He and his aunt looked so alike. It was a bit uncanny.

"When I first found it I was still learning how to operate it. Trial and error, you could say. But said trials and errors… they…" Ben sighed. He can feel his muscles tightening.

It's ok. You got this. Take a deep breath.

"They what, dad?" "They nearly cost me."

"What do you mean?"

"It seemed like fun and games at first, Ken. Capable of changing into any alien superhero you wish with the pound of your hand. Being in someone else's body, but it's still you. Mentally and emotionally. But at the same time, you can feel someone in that body with you, but it doesn't affect you all that much. It is like a second thought. It didn't matter all that much." Another memory flashed in his head as he recalled times he blacked out when Zs'Skayr, his DNA sequence of Ghostfreak for Tennyson, would take control and do what he did to scare or harm others. Even as going as far as to try to possess Gwen and nearly cause her to jump off a balcony to her death if Ben did not comply.

He was terrified to use Ghostfreak for so long. Afraid that he would possess him again. That he'd be forced to harm someone close to him. And this time, Zs'Skayr would force him to watch.

He took in a deep breath. And let it out. "As you know Kenny, we have a lot of enemies. Mostly for personal reasons. For example, Zambozo, Dr. Animo, and more. The ones I'm dealing with now seem fairly tame. But there will always be someone much worse than all of them combined. It doesn't matter how well you know or how to use your Omnitrix somehow they will find a way to get to you." His mouth became dry. "Worse than Vilgax?" His son questioned in a low whisper. The mere mention of that bastard's name made his blood chill and boil.

He would sometimes pray that tyrant is as dead as the day he finished him off. Never to hurt anyone again. Especially his family. God forbid if he ever got his hands on Kenny. "I am not saying this to scare you, but you do have to understand that even heroes can make mistakes. I made a few myself. I even did a few stupid things when I was your age. Like the time I set a forest on fire when I first transformed into Heatblast." He said with a chuckle. Kenny looked at him confused. "You set a forest on fire? On your first day with the Omnitrix? Oh man, that's bad." He laughed. He playfully poked his sides with the tips of his claws. "I was 10 alright." Kenny rolled his eyes and came back with a "Dad, I'm 10. How is that an excuse?"

Ben thought about it but he couldn't come up with anything. "Touch'e Ken." He cleared his throat. "Remember Ken, your mistakes help you learn. I am sorry that you felt guilty. I am sorry that I kept pushing you out. Like I said, there is no excuse for my actions but I hoped that you would never have to go through what I went through. I don't want to see you get hurt or scared for something I have done when I was young. You would not go through hell. But as I can tell, you seem capable of handling yourself in battle. Using Grey matter to take out the timer and utilized your own methods to deal with criminals. Even dealing with me when you thought I was an intruder. But your omnitrix figured to play a joke with you or something." He ruffled the boy's hair. "I am proud of you Ken. There is no doubt in my mind that you'd be a great hero. Hell, might even be a better one than me." "I doubt it. But thanks dad. I'll try to be more careful next time. Promise." A flash of green light shrouded the room as Ben was back to normal. "I guess the Omnitrix and Blitzwolfer got what they wanted." "What? What did they want?" Looking at his own and comparing it to his father's. "They know me than I know myself. They all do. No doubt you will get to know them as they will know you. Whenever in doubt, they'll be there. And So will I." He hugged the boy as Kenny hugged him back.

Mission Accomplished.

Both watches flashed.