Promises: Get a Grip

By: ParamoreXO

A/N: THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed and added this to your favorites sooooo much! I really appreciate it! Sorry this chapter took a while to post! Anyways, here it is! ENJOY!

Guilt…it was boiling in my alien mixed blood along with anger. Maybe I'd been too harsh on Gwen? That broken look in her eyes…it just killed me. My heart felt like shattering to tell her to stay inside, locked up, away from harm. She wasn't a weak teenage girl. Definitely not the typical type, either. I liked it that way, though. She was perfect…too perfect to risk with that mutant thing that had attacked her family. I couldn't afford for her to be the next target. I would never forgive myself for not protecting her enough.

Gwen was a headstrong person, usually never taking no for an answer. Ever. So when she finally agreed to stay inside the ship where I knew it was the safest place around, it shocked me. There was always a little argument between the two of us. I didn't completely mind, though, coz she looked really hot whenever she was angry. Her silky, fire red hair always seemed to radiate more when she was bickering with me or Ben. The way her soft lips would twist and curve in frustration just made kissing her all that more tempting. It drove me crazy…but in a good way. The rush that surged inside my veins always came when I was around her, my hungry lips tingling slightly, missing her lingering kisses.

"Kevin, we're picking him up again on radar," one of the officers shattered my thoughts, holding his badge out to me. On the map, there was Ben's red blimp, blinking its way towards our location. "He's approaching fast. Should we ready for open fire?"

I squinted into the pitch black night, an icy chill glazing over the thick summer air. What was the use? I couldn't see anything, "Do you have any night vision tech on you?"

"Here," he pulled a rectangular device off of his belt, which was cradling his blaster that looked as if it were level five tech. How come we didn't get perks like that?

Holding up the strange device to my eyes, everything in front of me suddenly became visible. It was as if a light had turned on, piercing through the night. With each blink I took, the lenses adjusted and zoomed in, locked on a distant figure soaring through the night sky.

A flash of blue…my heart suddenly felt heavy. Gripping the device tighter in my hands, I tried to get a closer look. I didn't want to have to shoot Ben down. Even after all those times where I just felt like slapping his annoying mug, it wasn't anything compared to this. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

…Deep down, I knew I had to. Whether I wanted to or not, I just had to get a grip and be a man. Well, as close to 'man' as a half blood can get.

GWEN'S POV

I was thinking things I knew I should have never thought. The instant the tempting images wickedly flashed in my mind, I had to shake them out. The salty tears streaming down my cheeks weren't helping, either. If Ben really was possessed by the alien again, Kevin was going to shoot him down.

He could possibly kill him…Would it be without regret?

Get a grip! I scolded myself. Of course Kevin would regret hurting Ben. The two were like brothers. Sure, they always fought and bickered and really got on each other's nerves but they cared…way deep down…somewhere in their hearts…

I don't know what I want.

I want Kevin to be okay. I don't want Ben to be hurt. That much I knew. But if Ben really was being controlled, did I want Kevin to actually hurt him? Even if it was for the best?

I had to stop myself. Stop the thinking and just act. Do what Kevin told me to do: "Stay here". I couldn't afford being reckless. I had to help, be some sort of benefit to this team. Walking over to Grandpa Max's spot on the medical bed, I felt my manna rushing through my body, roaring like vicious waves that sprayed all over. I needed to let it out.

I was floating, hovering above solid ground. I did that every time I meditated or was tracing something. It helped me stay in a subconscious state, totally unaware of my surroundings. Sometimes, it was really dangerous to do but right now I needed an escape. I needed to get out of reality for a while.

I let my lids fall and block my vision. I didn't need sight; my powers would give me sight of everything. If I became one with my manna I could be everywhere. Manna was in everything, a part of the earth, each star system, the whole universe. For now, I only focused on one thing in the world. My senses were eager to broaden and take on the challenge of traveling each system but I couldn't. Not now.

Now, I had to focus on him.

XOXO

An internal battle was raging inside Ben…and I was caught in the middle of it all. Emotions clashed against another, one trying to take over the other. I felt an intense hatred trying to back down reasoning; sensibility holding against recklessness, hope towering over derange and malice. The instant I felt all that, I pulled away.

Opening my eyes, I gasped. The bright light from the medical center of the Plumber's ship was filling my wide eyes, blinding me for a moment.

"G-Gwen?"

I perked up at the weak whisper, heart already at an irregular beat, "Grandpa?" I unfolded my legs from my meditative position in the air and let gravity pull me back down to my feet. Rushing to the side of his stretcher, I instantly held his shaky hand in mine, "How do you feel?"

"Like…" His tired lids wearily draped over his eyes in concentration, "Like crap, as you teenagers would say."

A small smile slid upon my lips, "Well, you're well enough to joke around."

"Am I…in a Plumber's ship?" Grandpa Max asked, tired eyes traveling along the crisp white walls. Weird machines and a bunch of bazaar alien tech were surrounding him, reading his vitals. Nodding my head, I tried to wipe away the stains my tears had left on my cheeks before he could realize I had been crying. Yeah, right. This was Grandpa Max, big shot plumber and all. He noticed everything.

"What's wrong, Gwen?" He squeezed my hand, cerulean eyes crinkling as they filled with warmth.

I gave a small smile back, "It's the boys…" My sad gaze fell to our clasped hands. "Ben's being controlled over the same alien that attacked you and Kevin says he has to…" Oh no, not here! I can't cry in front of my own Grandpa!

"Hey," He forced his weak body to sit up, fingers turning my face to look at his, "Kevin's just doing this to protect us…to protect you. He really cares for you Gwen, I can tell. Every time I see him looking at you, it reminds me of your dad when he met your mom."

I giggled slightly, sniffling a bit, "Thanks Grandpa. I just hope Ben will be okay."

"Whatever happens, it'll be for the best."

Boy, I hope so.

KEVIN'S POV

All the time I'd spent in the Null Void had taught me a few things about the scum and cutthroat alien criminals that travel the universe. Some were just raving deranged. Others were vile, sick lowlifes who unfortunately reminded me of Argit. I had never met an alien like the one I was up against now. This seducer was…different. Made of a shocking electric blue liquid substance, it almost reminded me of Goop. The weird thing was that even though it appeared to flow and shift like water, its impact of punching me felt like I'd busted my chin open on a brick wall. Something to that effect.

What I couldn't understand was how it survived Gwen's blast. I thought that had finished it off for good.

Guess not…man, this thing was starting to tick me off.

That little blue blob that had blotted the horizon moments ago was now taking form of what had taken over Ben. The shock of glowing electric blue was piercing through the inky black night, closing in on us. I had no choice; we had to take him down.