I have realized that when I write any sort of mushy squishy fluffy… err… fluff, the guys always come out so romanticized. Oh well! I guess I feel they need it.

~Monday, November 13: Night~

True to Gwen's word, the Forever Knights had built some kind of robotic dragon that spewed fire and the works. They also seemed to have built it out of alien metal and it was diamond hard. Nothing Gwen or Kevin could do was breaking it or even remotely close to damaging it. But, with the addition of Ben and the Ultimatrix and the slew of aliens it brought with it, it didn't take more than ten minutes for the trio's combined might to beat the dragon into a metal pulp. As usual, once their plan was wrecked and defeat was all that was left, the Forever Knights scattered like roaches under too much light.

Ben sighed as he powered down the watch and returned to human form.

Gwen put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about your date with Julie, Ben," she said gently.

"Yeah," was all he said, softly.

Kevin kicked part of the ruined metal and sent it skidding across the concrete. "I'd love to know what this stuff is."

"Something hard and alien, Kevin. How about some sensitivity?" Gwen snapped at him.

"For what?" he asked, biting at the shard of metal he had picked up.

"Ben had to drop his date with Julie—again," she said, exasperated.

"So?" he asked with an uncaring roll of his shoulders. "They're pretty much over anyway. Ben has screwed up one too many times."

Ben whirled on him, swinging a wild punch. "We are not!" he shouted at Kevin.

Caught off-guard, Ben probably would have punched Kevin square in the mouth, but Gwen was faster. Her pink mana wrapped around his arm, yanked him back, and deposited him neatly on his ass on the cold concrete floor. Ben just sat there, staring at the ground, and Kevin was still in a state of shock.

"Ben!" she snapped. What was wrong with boys? "Kevin!"

"What was that for?" Kevin demanded, breaking out of his stupor and advancing on Ben.

Ben was silent.

"Well, Tennyson! Explain yourself!" Kevin shouted.

Gwen put him in a bubble of glowing mana and left him floating there, beating on the shield and yelling. She pulled Ben to his feet, led him outside to Kevin's car, and leaned him against the hood as a sort of seat. Inside the Forever Knights' ruined warehouse, she could hear Kevin shouting mutely but ignored him. "What's wrong, Ben?" she asked her cousin gently. "It's not like you to lose your temper like that. Are you having another fight with Julie?"

Ben sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair. "It's not that. It's…"

"What?" she urged.

Ben met her eyes, the same green as his own. They shared a lot of things—bloodlines, family, countless summers together, pain and struggle, a birthday, fighting aliens—and no one understood him the way Gwen did. "It's everything," he murmured. "Being a hero like this and getting swamped by the media all the time, I just… I don't have enough time for everything! I don't have the time for school or for Julie… I'm just getting so tired."

Gwen hugged him.

For a moment, Ben resisted, but then he allowed himself to melt into her. He hugged her tightly in return, burying his face in her shoulder, trembling like a bird. Gwen hadn't hugged him in a long time and she had never realized just how thin and fragile her cousin's body felt. He wasn't like Kevin, buff and built and hiding away his feelings from the world. Ben was soft and gentle and he was hurting because Julie was hurting. He was that kind of person.

Gwen stroked his hair comfortingly. It wasn't often Ben even considered breaking down like this. He must really like Julie for this to happen. "Ben, I'm sorry about you and Julie," she said gently. "Kevin and I will do what we can to give you two more time together."

"Thanks," he murmured. He pulled away, his green eyes brightly red-rimmed, but he wasn't crying.

"Ben, have you considered… letting Julie join us?" Gwen asked.

He looked as if she had punched him in the gut. "No!"

"Why not?" she asked lightly.

"Because…" he whispered. "She's just a human. What if she gets hurt?"

"She has Ship. He can be her battle suit," Gwen suggested. "She's pretty strong like that."

Ben looked away. "No. I want to protect Julie. I want her to be safe."

Gwen sighed. She knew where Ben was coming from. She felt the same way about Grandpa Max, even about Kevin and Ben. Knowing all three of them could hold their own—armed or simply there for support, powers or no, watch on the fritz or not—didn't prevent her from wishing there was something she could do so none of them would have to fight and put their lives in danger. Everyone wants to protect the ones they love, even if it was stupid concern. So, she nodded in agreement with her cousin.

"You understand?" he murmured.

"I do," Gwen said. "Now, when I let Kevin out, he's going to be pissed. Why don't you turn into Jetray and head back to Julie? It's not that late yet. You could still spend some time together."

Ben smiled at his cousin, tugging his jacket absently. "Thanks, Gwen," he murmured. Then, he smacked the Ultimatrix, cried out the alien's name for the first time all day, and headed for home feeling much better than he had all day. Talking to Gwen was always good for that.

…

His parents were home, sitting at the island in the kitchen over a nice dinner of quesadillas and stir-fried vegetables, when he came in. By now, they were used to seeing him as all his aliens, though they weren't quite used to the idea of their son, niece, and Grandpa Max being intergalactic heroes and Plumbers. One thing at a time, Ben figured, smiling at them. Sandra and Carl adjusted to change almost as well as Gwen's parents, Frank and Natalie, which was not very well at all.

Julie wasn't with them though. Strange, usually, his mother brought her down for dinner even if Ben wasn't there and he often wasn't so Julie as quite used to eating with his family. So much for not making his girlfriend feel awkward. She spent more time with his parents than she did with him.

"Hey Mom, Dad," Ben said with a wave. "Where's Julie?"

"What do you mean?" His mother, Sandra, asked.

Ben's brow wrinkled. "Did she leave? She was here."

"She must have. She's not here now," Sandra said. "Would you like some dinner?"

"I've got to make sure Julie got home okay and apologize for running off on her," Ben said.

"Oh, and Ben, you really have to stop leaving your window open. Something could get in."

"My window?" he repeated. He knew he had left it open when Jetray left, but Julie always closed it after him if she was there. Why hadn't she closed the window? Suddenly, that feeling slammed into him sidelong—the feeling that he had had all week that something was going to happen. "No," he breathed. Then, he raced up the stairs, flung open the door, and scanned his room for a sign.

Julie's backpack was still here. That settled it. She hadn't gone home, something had happened to her.

Ben tore the blankets off the bed, looked under it, tore open his closet and flung out clothing, he even yanked open the drawers of his desk, but there was nothing. Without a trace, Julie was gone from his room and his life.

"No!" he shouted and slammed his fist into his desk. The skin on his knuckles split and blood dripped between his long thin fingers, splattering onto the cleared-off wooden surface. Immediately, the ransom words blazed up, bright and hideous red.

'Ben Ten, if you want to see the girl alive again, come to the pier, you know where. Come alone or she dies. Don't test me.'

Rage swirled through Ben's veins until it was all that he knew.

One of his enemies had taken Julie! What if they had hurt her? And it was all because of him. They would have hurt her to get to him, just like when Zombozo and his crew of misfits had attacked his parents to hurt him. Some hero he was… He couldn't even protect his girlfriend. He couldn't even protect his family. He had to do something! He had to find a way to stop this from happening and he already knew how, but first, he had to save Julie!

…

The sky was deep cobalt and black, speckled with bright stars and alien planets. The moon was a bright disk in the sky, heavy and full and casting deep silver shadows all over Earth below. The pier was cold at night, an icy breeze blowing in off the ocean. Normally, Ben adored the pier and the ocean alike, but tonight they only reminded him how many cultures in the world sent their dead to the next world—through the ocean… What if Julie was already dead?

As Jetray, he touched down, but immediately returned himself to his human body in a shower of green light. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Julie!" His voice echoed and bounced over the waves, but no one answered. "Julie!"

"Ah, Ben Ten," a cold voice spoke from the shadows.

He whirled, his hands tightening into fists. "Where is Julie?"

"Out among the fishes."

Ben's heart lurched. "What?"

Then, Doctor Animo, riding astride a gigantic crab, emerged from the shadows.

The relief that flooded through Ben's blood was so strong it almost sent him to his knees. Doctor Animo! It was only Animo. He could have laughed out loud. Animo was one of his childhood villains and he had always been one of the worst. Even at ten, without Gwen and Grandpa Max's help, he had been able to take down Animo single-handed. It was only Animo! He quickly gathered himself back together and stood tall to face the mad scientist.

"What do you want, Animo?" he demanded.

"You—dead!" The crab took a swipe at Ben, but even as a human, he could keep ahead of those monstrous pinchers.

"Where is Julie?"

"Don't worry. Once I kill you, I'll let her go."

"Where is she?"

Animo tilted his chin out to the ocean. Ben put his back to the madman to search for Julie. If she was in immediate danger, Animo could wait. It took him a moment to find her and then he almost sighed in relief again. She was tied to the buoy, tossing uncomfortably out among the waves. She looked cold and unhappy, but completely unhurt. Compared to the horrors he had been imagining, this was nothing. Hah, Doctor Animo! You think the stupid guy would learn that he was no match for Ben. He couldn't win when Ben was ten and he couldn't win now.

"Julie!" he shouted to her. "I'm here!"

"Ben!" she screamed, but she sounded happy to see him. Her hero was here to rescue her.

"Just hang in there," he called.

"Okay!" Julie shouted, her voice a little shaky.

"Where do you think you're looking, boy?" Animo shrieked.

The crab's claw came down just beside Ben's body, breaking the pier and the railing with a crash. Some planks splashed down into the briny waves and bobbed on the waves. For a moment, Ben just stood there, surprised with Animo, before the wooden planks broke apart beneath his feet and he crashed down into the icy water. He heard Julie scream his name in panic. Beneath the waves, Ben spun the dial on the Omnitrix and slapped it. Then, in a torrent of frozen droplets, he broke back to the surface.

"Big Chill!" he exclaimed. The moth-like wings enveloping him and chasing away the chill that the cold ocean had seeped into his human bones. Sometimes, he wished he had normal superhero powers like Kevin and Gwen, powers that didn't time out with the watch.

Animo's face balked in fear. He must have expected something in the water to destroy Ben, but what?

"Ben!" Julie screamed, panic edging her voice like he had never heard before.

He whirled, ready to freeze anything moving into a block of ice. Then, he saw it—a gigantic mutant shark created by Animo large and mean enough to rival Jaws.

Animo laughed out loud. "You've doomed her, boy! My pet won't stop until he feeds and you were meant to be his meal! The girl will die!"

Ben dove back into the water, freezing everything in his path. All he had to do was reach the shark before it reached Julie and it would be all over. One punch would take care of Animo and once Ben destroyed whatever he had used to mutate the animals, they would turn back to normal. But first—"Julie!"

The shark's massive head broke the surface just beside the buoy, teeth and yawning mouth prepared to eat her in one bite. Julie screamed, closing her eyes and turning her face away. Animo was laughing and Ben was only inches away. Big Chill had ghostly abilities so Ben dove straight into the maw of the shark and froze the creature from the inside out. When Julie opened her eyes again, the shark was frozen in the act of attempting to eat her and Animo was shouting in rage.

But, where was Ben? He hadn't really sacrificed himself to the shark, right?

A moment later, Big Chill appeared beside her, perched on a floating iceberg with his thick blue wings wrapped around himself, hooded and cloaked. "Julie, it's okay," he said gently and broke apart the chains holding her to the buoy.

She fell into his arms, slipping on the ice. "Ben!" she gasped.

"You're okay," he whispered, holding her close and stroking her hair. Her small thin body was cold, but he could feel her fast heartbeat. She was alive. Thank god she was alive. And for the very first time, Ben wanted to outright slaughter his enemy. How dare Animo put her in danger like that! "Hold on," he murmured. Then, he gathered her up against his chest, flew back to the broken pier, and landed beside Animo and his crab.

The crab took a swipe at him, but he let his body go intangible so the claw just passed through him.

Animo squawked in surprise and fear. He had never seen Ben like this. Maybe taking the girl hadn't been such a good idea. In fact, maybe it had been flat-out a very bad idea. He was about to beg for mercy when Big Chill breathed icy air on him and put both Animo and his crab on ice.

Big Chill returned to Ben, set Julie on her feet, and took off his green jacket. He wrapped it around her shoulders, rubbing her body with his hands to warm her up. Jesus, her skin was like ice. Holding her so close while he was Big Chill probably hadn't helped her much either. "I'm sorry, Julie," he murmured, rubbing her arms and shoulders.

She threw her arms around him and embraced him tightly. "I knew you'd come to save me," she whispered.

"Julie," he whispered and hugged her in return. This was so hard. He cared about her so much, but just being near him would put her in danger. She wasn't like Gwen, able to protect herself and others. Julie was just a human, sweet and innocent and so perfect for him. He didn't want to let her go. He would have given up the Omnitrix for her, but he couldn't give it up. He had duties to the Plumbers and to the universe.

She squeezed him tightly. "It wasn't your fault, Ben."

"Yes it was. It's because you're with me."

Julie cupped his face firmly between her cold hands. "Ben?"

He shook his head. "Let's get you home," he murmured. He considered between Jetray and Big Chill a moment—if he chose Big Chill, he could hold shivering Julie in his arms, but that alien was cold to begin with, but he needed his arms to fly as Jetray which meant Julie would be right out there in the wind. It was probably six of one, half a dozen of another. So, he chose Big Chill, gathered her up inside his wings, and took to the sky.

It was the thought that counts, Julie considered as Big Chill held her close. He was cold though and she only shivered harder, but Ben was doing all he could to keep her warm after being on the buoy had soaked her. She hugged his jacket closer, inhaling the warm scent of his body. Then, a little too soon for her liking, Big Chill set down outside her house, released her, and once again became Ben.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked him, standing close to soak up the warmth of his human body.

Ben wrapped his arms around her. "No. I've got to call Gwen and Kevin and pick Animo up before he thaws out."

"You can't spare a minute?" Julie asked softly, her voice breaking.

Ben couldn't tell her no. He let her bring him into her empty house, bid a quick hello to the little alien pet Ship, and finally up to her bedroom. She patted the space on the bed beside her and he sat down, pulling the blankets of her bed around her. "You should really get warmed up, Julie, take a hot bath or something," he suggested, watching her shiver.

"I will," she said, smiling. "After you leave."

It was then that he saw the dark mark on her face, a bruise, swelling swiftly into a black eye. He gasped, his eyes widening, and tenderly touched her face. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," she said, pressing her fingers absently to the damage. "That creep hit me when he took me out of your room."

"It's not nothing," Ben said softly, drawing his hand away from her face. "It's a black eye. What will your parents say?"

Julie caught his hand, holding tightly. "It's okay, Ben, really. I'll just tell them I got hit by a wild ball at tennis practice."

"It's not okay. I'm a hero, but I can't even protect my girlfriend!" Ben leaped up from the bed, pacing quickly to the window and looking out. "And I'm making you lie to your parents."

"Ben, you get hurt sometimes, too."

"I'm a hero. It's different for me."

"And I'm a hero's girlfriend. I expect a little danger now and then," she said gently.

"Not anymore," he whispered, so soft that she couldn't even hear him, just saw his lips move.

"Ben?"

"Julie," he murmured, keeping his back to her. "I… I don't think we should see each other anymore."

She felt like a gaping hole had been punched through her chest and she fisted her hands in the blankets of her bed, the ones Ben had wrapped her in. "W-what? W-why?" she whispered.

Ben opened the window. "Because…" He wanted to tell her the truth—that it wasn't safe for her to be around him and that all he wanted was to protect her, but he knew she wouldn't care about that and somehow cave his heart into staying with her regardless of the danger. But he cared too much for her to let her get hurt again. He was lucky it had only been Doctor Animo who had taken her and not someone unspeakably dangerous like Vilgax. "Because… there's someone else," he lied firmly.

Julie's toffee eyes narrowed. "Ben Tennyson, you are a liar."

"No, I'm not," he continued with the lie, his heart breaking for what he was doing to them. "There's someone else for me. I… I think I'm in love with her."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "W-who is it?"

"I can't tell you."

"You have to!" she shouted.

Ben flinched inside.

"Who am I losing you to?" she whispered.

"Julie, I… I can't do that. I'm in love with someone else and it's not right of me to string either of you along," he murmured to her. "We just can't be together anymore. I hope you find someone else." Then, before his emotions could choke him, Ben silently turned into Big Chill, became invisible, and was gone into the night.

Julie ran to the window and cried his name, her voice echoing against the stars.

Ben heard her shouting for him, her voice breaking with tears, and silently fought back his own. He couldn't go back. This was the best thing for her. It would make her safe again. This… It was the only way he could protect her, even though it killed him inside to break her heart and his own. He was a hero and it was too dangerous for her to love him when he had so many enemies. How did Superman and Spider-Man make it look so easy? In reality, it was so hard. He heard Julie scream his name again and winced at the pain in his heart.

~End Part II~

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