Love through Time

(For the Love of Cousins Part Three)

As Ben and Gwen broke the kiss, they heard gasps from behind them. Ben slapped his forehead in aggravation as he noticed JT and Cash. Gwen turned beet red. How much did they see? Ben asked himself as JT answered the question for them. "Who was that squid guy?" JT asked them as Ben paled. Damn it! Ben growled in his head. Ben stared to pace in worry. Then, he saw Grandpa Max. Saved by the bell. Ben and Gwen thought in unison. Max had a worried look. "The Orbital Detection Network went nuts a few hours ago. What-" He then saw JT and Cash as Ben nodded subtly in their direction. His tone became friendly and official in an instant. "Boys, please come with me." Max said as he gestured for JT and Cash to follow him out. "What was that thing?" JT said in a scared tone. It was then Max noticed Vilgax trapped in a giant geode of teal tented Diamondhead crystal stained brown with extraterrestrial blood. "Ben…" Ben looked at where Max was and sighed. There was pain in the boy's voice as he spoke. "He attacked Gwen. I retaliated." Ben said as JT and Cash couldn't help but notice Ben's hand tighten around his girlfriend's as he spoke. Max nodded. "Boys, follow me." Max said as he led them to the Rustbucket to have their memories wiped. Gwen smiled at Ben and tried to sooth his worries."I'm fine, Doofus." She noticed Ben's far off look. The look scared her. His beautiful emerald eyes were marred by a fog as he looked at her. "Ben, come back to me, please." Gwen whispered to him as she kissed his cheek softly.

Ben shivered. He knew he did what needed to be done, but it still scared the living daylights out of him. Only Gwen's worried voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Ben! Are you ok?" Ben slowly nodded. "I will be.' He said as he smiled at Gwen. Max came back. "Kids, the repairs will take quite a while." Ben perked up at that. Max could see the question in Ben's mind before he asked it. "Before you start celebrating, only the cafeteria was obliterated in your fight. You'll just have to bring your own lunch. School stays in session." Ben's face fell. Gwen smiled at him. "School is cancelled for the rest of the day though, Doofus." He looked at her. "You have something planned?" Ben asked Gwen nervously. She just smiled sweetly. "It's a chance for us to spend more time together." Ben was instantly interested when Gwen said that. "What do you have in mind?" He asked, still apprehensive about her plan. Gwen smiled and playfully punched him. "After school Karate Classes are taking students now." Ben put his hand on the Omnitrix out reflex. Gwen noticed where his hand went and shook her head. "The Omnitrix is limited. You need to learn to defend yourself without it." As usual, she's right. Ben thought. "Alright, let's go." Ben said as he took her hand, and they walked out of the school together.

Ben would have never thought about it before, but the day was beautiful. The sunshine was warm, and birds sang in the trees. Ben could hear kids from his school laughing and playing as they ran home in small groups of three or four. Besides the fact that the school cafeteria was a wreck, it was the perfect day just to relax and enjoy. "Let's go to the park." He suggested as he pecked her cheek. "Registration will still be open when we get back." Ben assured her with a smile. She nodded and took off. "Race ya!" Gwen yelled back to him as she took off. Ben smirked and chased her with a broad smile. He was about to go XLR8 but decided against it. I need to strengthen MY body. He reminded himself as he pushed himself and started to close the gap as they neared the gate to the park which glinted slightly in the sun like a trophy that patiently waited to reward the winner. Gwen crossed the gate first, but Ben was a fraction of a second behind her. "I win." Gwen said as she smiled at him.

Somehow, maybe magic, Gwen was able to read Ben's life signs. His blood pressure was slightly elevated above normal. If she had to guess, she would've said 130/90. His pulse was in the 90s, and O2 saturation was 98%. Cool, but weird. Gwen thought. She shrugged it off but filed away the information in her mind because she knew information like that would help her track Ben's condition and function as a polygraph if she ever felt he was lying to her. What are you thinking? She asked herself. He would never lie to me! Gwen angrily brushed the thought away. She grunted as she was tackled to the ground. "Ben!" Gwen growled as she glared up at Ben's smile. "I'm just trying to have fun." He said with a smile as he pecked her lips. Gwen smiled at that. She grinned devilishly and started to tickle Ben until he rolled off her while he laughed like a hyena.

Ben and Gwen were broken from their laughter by the sound of a bank alarm. Ben sighed. He really wanted to stay there with Gwen, but the look she gave him made him get up and search out the sound. As they ran up to the bank, the cops were in a firefight with the robber, but they were clearly out gunned. Ben smiled and let his Loboan form out before he leaped from behind a parked squad car and tackled the robber. Kevin's twisted laughter echoed in Ben's ears. "What's your game, Kevin?" Kevin smirked and kicked Ben away. "Let's just say time is on my side." Kevin said with a twisted grin before he ran off with gold bars in tow. "Entrapar!" Gwen yelled as a magic cage surrounded Kevin. "Ah. I'm touched you thought of me, Gwen." Gwen shivered, and the cage faltered in response to her fear. Kevin then realized the cage was connected to her absorbed the energy that composed the cage as Gwen screamed. Ben heard her scream and caught her before she hit the asphalt. Ben whimpered and brushed her cheek gently. He was beyond relieved when Gwen smiled weakly and said, "That tickles." Ben smiled and helped her to her feet as the color started to return to her face.

Once Gwen recovered, she had a load of questions for Ben. He told her what happened and about what Kevin said about time. Gwen's brain worked overtime. Kevin was a small time crook. What would he want with gold? She asked herself as she pulled out her laptop and had it compile a list of robberies Kevin was likely involved in by comparing assailant descriptions. The list looked almost nothing like something Kevin would do. The list of stolen objects included computer components, quartz crystal, gold, and cable. As Ben studied Gwen's list, a terrible thought crept into his mind inspired by as much TV as the boy watched. "What if he's building a time machine?' Ben asked Gwen, scared. Gwen gave it some thought. In her research, Gwen found that the US government had backed a project to make a hole in time-space. Her eyes went wide in shock and fear. "Get Grandpa now!" She yelled.

Ben nodded, went XLR8, and shot off in a blur to find him. The tone in Gwen's voice told him they were in trouble. Ben almost blew the front door off Max's house as he blurred inside and found Grandpa eating. "Grandpa! No time! Kevin is making a time machine, and we need to find it." Ben told his Grandfather frantically. Max stared at his grandson in surprise. La Soledad... Max thought with a growl. "Get in. We'll pick up Gwen on the way." Grandpa Max told Ben as he jumped into the Rustbucket. Ben just looked at his Grandfather in shock. Max hit the accelerator and tore toward the park.

Gwen looked up at the sound of a familiar horn and lit off for the RV. "Gwen, buckle up." Gwen found a seat and strapped in. "How are we going to get there quickly in the Rustbucket?" Ben asked. Max just smiled and hit a sequence of switches. Motors wined and twin jet engines emerged out of the back before they shot off at almost the speed of sound. "How do you know where he's going Grandpa?" "I've worked there before." Max said calmly. About an hour later, they arrived at the abandoned base to see Kevin working on the machine diligently. Since when did Kevin learn about advanced Quantum Physics? Greymatter! Gwen answered for herself. To her surprise, Ben knelt by her and looked around, perhaps for a time to strike. "You're actually thinking a plan through," She whispered. "I'mimpressed."

Ben sighed. "Come on. Gwen, can you use a spell to draw Kevin away from the machine?" She nodded and recited a spell in her mind. The old pipes standing in the corner responded by falling over with a Clang! Kevin's head shot up toward the sound. "Benji, is that you, Buddy?" He asked with a dark smirk as he roasted the general area of the pipes. Ben's eyes widened. He maintained the Omnitrix powers? This just got ten thousand times worse. Ben thought. Then, Gwen had a spark of intuition. "Ben, claw the machine to bits." Ben gave her a questioning look. "Trust me." She said kindly. Ben nodded and ran at the bank of machinery. Then, he went wild and started ripping it to bits. The machine sparked and buzzed as it captured Kevin's attention. "YOU!" Kevin roared as he tackled Ben. Gwen tried to bind Kevin with metal bars, but he tore through them like paper as he barreled down on Ben. There was a loud BOOM! The machine exploded, and a giant hole opened up. With that hole came an irresistibly strong pull toward the hole. Only too late did Gwen realize the danger of the situation. "Ben! It's a black hole! Move your ass! Now!" Gwen yelled franticly as she jumped toward Ben. As she gripped Ben tightly, Gwen felt herself get sucked into the blackness.

As the air was sucked away and before Ben and Gwen could suffocate, the Omnitrix sparked and formed a green field around them. Ben looked at the Watch in surprise. The hourglass spun rapidly as if it was searching for something. Then the dial took a hard left, and the bubble Ben and Gwen were in followed suit as the children inside grunted at the sudden shift. "It isn't taking us back to Xenon, Ben." Gwen asked, panic in her voice. "Is it?" Ben looked at Gwen comfortingly. I'll tear this thing to shreds if it is. Ben vowed. The last time they were at Xenon, it was a month after Summer Vacation began, and Ben could still remember the trip vividly. Ben had used the Omnitrix after it had been hit with Dr. Animo's latest mutation machine. They went to Xenon to find Azmuth and get him to reset the Watch. On the way Gwen was almost killed by wild Florauna that Azmuth had put there to protect his lab. Ben still remembered the barely containable rage of that moment. He had let some out as he tried to get to Gwen, but the rage Tetrax didn't see Ben pointed at himself for not letting Gwen know how he felt when he had the chance. Ben could never describe the level of happiness he had when he looked up in the heat of an "I've Got Nothing Left to Lose" Battle Royale to see Gwen's smile. All Ben remembered from that point was the hug he gave Gwen. With the thought of that ever-precious hug in the forefront of Ben's mind, he and Gwen drifted to peaceful sleep.

They woke up slowly. Ben was the first to be fully alert. He looked around quickly as Gwen began to stir. They were in Bellwood as far as he knew. Gwen rubbed her eyes, yawned, looked around herself and thought, This is strange. She and Ben stood and were drawn to the sounds of auguring. "Kevin is too far gone." A voice said. Another voice, this one famine, protested, "…but this is the energy making him crazy." She said desperately to the other as Ben and Gwen approached…Gwen's house?! Gwen got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach as they scouted around the house and listened to the pair continue to argue. Finally, Ben and Gwen heard the guy leave. Before the teen could get in his car, a blue sphere of energy surrounded him. Gwen fought a scream of agony as she realized who the girl was. How could I date KEVIN?! Gwen's mind screamed in disgust. Then, she saw it. The Omnitrix, or its latest model, on the guy's wrist. Ben?!

The older Ben, or Benjamin, slapped down the Watch and became an alien that looked like an anorexic Diamondhead. Benjamin turned to the older Gwen and absorbed the shield with ease. "You know you can't stop Chromastone with your kind of powers, Gwendolyn." Benjamin said coldly before he shot her with enough force to knock her out. Ben was furious. That may have been a stupid version of his Dweeb, but somewhere inside Gwendolyn, Ben could see suppressed feelings for Benjamin. He saw it in the way she tried to stop Benjamin without attacking him. The Gwen Ben knew wouldn't hesitate to knock him out if she thought he was in the wrong. "Hold EVERYTHING!" Ben said as he and Gwen stepped out of the shadows. Benjamin had little choice than to hear his younger self out, so he powered down and waited.

Ben didn't even speak. He jumped up and punched Benjamin in the face. Benjamin rubbed his face in surprise and shock. "Since when do I know how to fight?" Ben glared at him. "If you would've cared to listen to Gwen, she would have taught you." Ben growled as he looked at Benjamin and saw realization in the teen's eyes. Gwen smiled. "What do you know? Older You is quicker on the draw." Gwen said with a kind smile as she punched Ben playfully. Instead of retaliating like Benjamin expected, Ben just smiled at Gwen. Something inside Benjamin shattered at the sight of his younger self getting what he'd always secretly dreamed of but was too afraid to admit. He looked at Gwendolyn and tears welled in his eyes. "What have I done?!" he said quietly as he ran to Gwendolyn, picked her up, and pushed some of his energy into her body. Benjamin always suspected he had the Spark, but he had never had the drive to unlock it…until now. Gwendolyn groaned but felt like she could lift a half ton pickup. "B-Ben?" Gwendolyn asked slowly as she looked into Benjamin's eyes. Ben couldn't help himself and smiled at the scene. "Is Ben Tennyson getting mushy?" Gwen asked as she kissed Ben's cheek. Ben just nodded. Then, he went into Battle Mode. "What's the plan?"

Benjamin and Gwendolyn stared at Ben in surprise. "What?" Ben asked. "We need a plan. Kevin's bigger and badder now. We barely got out alive when we were younger." Gwendolyn said with a shiver. Benjamin smiled. "We didn't fight as one back then." Benjamin reminded her with a smile. Then, his face became steely. "Let's bring this mad dog down!" Gwendolyn said the question that was on everyone's mind: "Where is he?" Ben smiled and went Wildmutt. Benjamin looked at the Vulpimancer puzzled. "Ok? Why did he do that?" "Boy, you really are stupid." Ben said in a series of growls and bark-like noises as Gwen giggled. "It's not so much fun to meet your older self. Is it, Mutt?" Wildmutt sighed and sniffed around for Kevin. "At least he's not that Ben 10,000 Buzzkill." Gwen sighed. "True." Gwen said calmly as the older duo looked on in shock and confusion. Gwen looked at her older self and returned the confusion. "Don't tell me you can't understand Wildmutt." Gwen said as she facepalmed and shook her head in aggravation. Gwendolyn sighed. "As we got older, I forgot how to understand him." Gwen nodded critically at her older self. "I've got the scent, but something's…wrong. He's all over the place." Ben whined. Gwendolyn blushed hard at this and was scared Benjamin would put two and two together and discover her secret. She shivered at the thought and pushed it away quickly. "Just do your best and follow the strongest scent trail." Gwen told Wildmutt with her famous comforting smile.

Ben did and found himself in downtown Bellwood. He stopped at a familiar arcade and froze in place as Gwen paled and the Watch timed out. A red flash later, Ben turned back into himself. Benjamin and Gwendolyn weren't far behind their younger dimensional twins when Gwendolyn froze. "That's the same arcade we met Kevin in the first time." Gwen said quietly as she looked at Ben, clearly scared. Ben pulled her into a protective embrace, "I won't let anything happen to you, Gwen." Ben promised as he kissed her cheek with a smile. The four of them entered the arcade slowly. Both Bens were set on alert as Kevin laughed darkly and said, "Your Manna is intoxicating as ever, Lovely Gwen." Benjamin looked at Gwendolyn pleadingly. She nodded and retreated.

"Looks like it's just us, Asshole. Come out and fight!" Ben growled. Kevin chuckled as he phased through the floor with Big Chill's powers. Ben jumped back at the sight of Ultimate Kevin. "I haven't heard a voice that squeaky since we were kids, Benji." Kevin smirked when he saw Ben and Gwen. "A two-for-one deal on kills? I'm the luckiest guy ever!" Ben gritted his teeth. "Let's make this a fair fight!" Ben growled. He slammed down the Omnitrix for Way Big but was still in the red. "Now, it's my turn." Benjamin growled as he slammed down his Omnitrix and became Way Big. Benjamin pummeled Kevin without mercy until his Watch timed out, and he went back to normal. Then, Benjamin's Omnitrix said or asked, "Commence Omni Energy acquisition?" Benjamin held the watch up as it reacquired the energy Kevin stole and revived the Andromeda Aliens in the process.

Kevin smirked as he groaned from the sudden loss of energy. Benjamin raised an eyebrow in confusion at Kevin's grin of satisfaction. "Get it through your psycho head! You lost!" Kevin chuckled until it became a roaring laugh. "I…shall we say...took Gwendolyn for a ride." Benjamin's blood pressure rose so high, the Omnitrix malfunctioned and gave him Master Control. Benjamin then ordered the Omnitrix to give him a time bending alien. He turned into Clockwork and rewound time to the day when he met Kevin again after five years (Ben 10 Returns Part 2), beat Kevin to a literal pulp, and returned to his own time. A flood of new memories of Gwendolyn and him flooded his mind. Their first kiss at that cheesy romance he took her to see. The first time she put him on his back when he decided to join her Karate classes and a whole lot of other "firsts" too numerous to name. The happiness Benjamin felt at that moment was indescribable.

"Now, how do we get you two back home?" Benjamin asked himself as he looked at his and Gwendolyn's younger selves. "I think there is a time travel spell in here somewhere that Ben 10,000 Timeline Me used." Gwen said as she flipped through Charmcaster's Spell Book excitedly. It only took her a few moments to read the spell. She closed her eyes and swayed as magic was pulled from her hand to create the portal. Ben gripped her free hand tightly, worried she might pass out. As their hands connected, Ben felt himself being drained as well. The portal suddenly and without warning sucked Ben and Gwen into it and spit them out again in their own time. Ben and Gwen smiled at each other and knew they would be together forever.