I don't own Ben 10...so DONT sue me.

Opposing sides

Act 2

Chapter 16

Maxwell Tennyson sat in his hospital room completely against his will. For the past two days he had been unable to convince his doctors that he was well enough to leave. When he had arrived they had told him that he had two cracked ribs and a mild concussion, which to him was nothing compared to the safety of his grandson. He was also worried about the girl that was on the alter, things had looked grim for her.

After he had been rescued from what was left of the old abandoned factory, Max was taken directly to the hospital. After he had been given emergency treatment and had some time to rest, the police stopped by to question him. However before they had even gotten in a word he had bombarded them with questions of his own.

"did you find my grandson. Hes about this tall." he had said holing his hand at the approximate hight. "twelve years old, brown hair, green eyes." the officers had only shaken there heads. "What about a young girl, about the same age, with orangy hair." again the officers had nothing to say. "did you find anyone else there?" he pressed on but the policemen had just asked him to calm down, and answer there questions.

His "interrogation" had seemed endless. "why were you there? Do you know what caused the explosion, do you have any knowledge of the criminals known as Hex and Charmcaster. If so what is your relationship with them? What are the articles attached to your belt for? Do you have any known aliases?" the questions came without end.

He had used every trick in the plumber book to maneuver his way through that death trap of trick questions. In the end the police thought that he was a photographer who was doing a piece on the old broken down factories, in the area. And that he had wanted to take a look inside for himself. From there on he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. As for his grandson who had accompanied him as a sort of apprentice, he had yet to be found.

He heard at some point that they had found Charmcaster in the ruins of the old factory. She had minimal injuries so they had taken her immediately to a juvenile detention facility, where she was awaiting a trial.

"Good riddance." was all he could say to that. He had seen his foes do some crazy things, but to sacrifice a little girl. That was just low... he expected things like that from the emotionless aliens he sometimes dealt with. But for a human to do that to its own kind.... it was just wrong.

Right now all Max wanted to do was go and look for Ben. After what he saw in the factory he, would definitely need someone to talk to. However until the doctors deemed him well enough to leave they had posted a couple of orderlies to keep watch over his room, they had also confiscated most of his plumber tech and were holding it in storage until he was cleared to go.

"Ben, I hope your safe." he said sullenly to himself as he sat at the end of his hospital bed and waited for his release.

Tammy had returned after about ten minuets with some breakfast for Gwen, it consisted of some toast with jam on it and a glass of orange juice. It wasn't much but as Gwen started on the meal she realized the older woman was right. Her stomach wasn't ready to eat more substantial foods.

As Gwen ate Tammy sat down on the end her bed and engaged her in conversation. She learned a lot about the woman in a short time. It seemed that her husband had passed away a few years back in a car accident and since then she had been living alone with her daughter, Lilly. She had taken on two jobs to pay the bills, which is why Lilly often went to spend time with her uncle who was Tammy's brother. When Gwen asked what she was doing about her jobs while she was here, she was pleased to know that she had managed to get a break as her bosses were friends of hers, and understood the situation.

Gwen had told the woman what she could of herself and what she knew of Ben. She had described her parents and her life before meeting Charmcaster and Hex. She had to make up some of it, like the fact that She and Ben had known each other since they were very little, and that she was going with them on there summer trip.

After they had chatted for about an hour Ben began to stir. It seemed there voices had finally made it impossible to sleep any longer. As he groggily opened his eyes, he blinked a few times to clear the tired from his mind. He looked at the two sitting on the bed for a good long moment. He then jumped from the chair to the bed so fast that neither of the girls sitting on the bed could follow his movement.

"GWEN!" he yelled much louder than was necessary, as he wrapped his arms around her. "Your ok..your awake." he was so exited that he hadn't even considered how embarrassing this would usually be for him, as he sat with his arms around her.

For her part Gwen didn't know what to do. She was glad that he was feeling better, but it had been a good minuet now and he was still holding onto her. The young girl's face grew warm as she made a slight coughing noise hoping to get his attention, however when that failed she tried using his name.

"B...Ben....Ben,you can let go now." she said with a little embarrassment in her voice.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing the young Tennyson backed away from Gwen quickly. But he didn't go to far. He stood only a couple of feet away, and began staring back and forth between the two women. It looked like an electric current was running through him, and not being able to contain it. He then lunged at Ms. Tammy. And gave her a hug as well.

"Shes ok...shes ok." he almost yelled in her ears. The older lady began to laugh a little as Ben continued to hug her. As he broke the hug he seemed to have used up his excess energy. He suddenly began to sniff the air, then he saw the tray containing the now cold breakfast. "is that for me." he said pointing to the food.

"it sure is" Tammy said as she smiled brightly and handed him the trey. "ill let you two catch up." the motherly lady said as she stood up. " and have some time to get your stories straight." she said with a wry smile, as she left the room.

Ben sat back in the reclining chair he had bolted from only seconds ago, and began to stuff the food from the tray into his mouth unceremoniously. Gwen couldn't help but laugh at the site of him.

"i knew it. When she said you were being all quiet and brooding, it couldn't have been true." She covered her mouth and held her gut as she laughed, her wound causing her some discomfort. Upon seeing this Ben, despite what she had just said began to slowly chew his food with much less enthusiasm. "Aww come on where did all that energy go." Gwen said turning to face Ben directly.

"I was really worried." the young boy said seriously. " when Charmcaster... did... that" he said motioning to her wound with his fork. "i don't really remember what happened afterward I tried to get to you then there was this blinding light. When it cleared we were in the middle of the field out there." he once again motioned with his fork. "you were cold and..." his eyes went wide with fear remembering the event. Seeing this Gwen tried to calm him.

"Its ok. For some reason my wound isn't all that bad. Right now its just a dull ache." she said trying to assuage his worries. "Besides you really saved me.. your still a hero." however instead of cheering him up this only seemed to sour his mood.

"Not anymore." Ben said taking a bit of his pancakes. "i think ill just stick with gifted individual." Gwen could tell by the look on his face that he still thought that her injury was his fault.

"Oh yes you are, otherwise I couldn't call you "Mr. Hero" mockingly anymore" the young witch said it like it was self explanatory. Ben sat for a moment and stared at her in mid chew, then a sliver of a smile touched his lips.

"okay then little miss villain, if thats how you want it to be." he said with one eyebrow raised.

"I told you im an Antihero, an antihero. Cant you get it through your thick skull. How many times am I going to have to tell you." she said trying not to laugh. However with her last statement Bens eyes went wide.

"Speaking of time, you just reminded me, we have a really really really big problem." he said looking at her seriously.

"What... ?" Gwen said as she saw him reach for something on the nightstand. What he picked up was regular morning newspaper. He unfolded it and held it so she could see the front clearly. She looked at the main article.

"Alien hero saves 10 from fire." she read aloud. " Okay so you saved some people from a burning building last week, I thought you weren't a "hero" anymore." The young girl said a little confused.

"Not last week." Ben said pointing near the top of the paper, on the date. "it was Two years ago last week." he said holding the paper closer so she could see. When she took the paper her eyes widened with understanding.

"Ben when did this paper arrive?" she asked already knowing the answer.

"Yesterday."