A/N: On with the 5th chapter…
Chapter – 5
"Gwendolyn! Didn't I remind you a thousand times to be here on time today? And you just had to be late!"
Gwen stared at the floor. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Johns. Actually I –"
"I don't need explanations! I had an important appointment today – and now I'm late. Just because you didn't show up on time!"
Just take a look at the weather, Gwen felt like saying. You'd be late anyway. But instead, she pursed her lips and stayed silent.
"Now what you are you waiting for? Go right in. And you will not leave until I come back. You get that clear?"
Gwen nodded hastily. That was one mistake she couldn't afford to make again – leave before time. Just a few days back she'd left before Mrs. Johns had arrived, and her son had strayed right out and into her neighbor's house. No actual damage had been caused to anybody in person, but Gwen had been fiercely reprimanded for that.
"Good," replied Mrs. Johns, putting on her coat. "And oh, I forgot to tell you one thing. You'll have to baby-sit my niece too today. Okay?"
Gwen nodded again. She'd have liked to ask where her niece's parents were, but experience had taught her not to ask personal questions to anybody. Oh well…
"Have a good time," she called out as Mrs. Johns stepped out onto the sidewalk, holding the umbrella over her head. Not that my wish actually matters to her…
No sooner had she closed the door than a little boy of about six came running up to her. "Gwennie!" he cried out happily, latching himself onto her legs.
Gwen smiled at the boy. "Good to see you, Bill. But haven't you still gotten out of the habit of calling me 'Gwennie'?"
Bill shook his head vigorously. "Gwennie! Gwennie!" he repeated, a big grin on his face.
Gwen couldn't help laughing at this. "Ok, ok. Gwennie it shall be for you." She gently unlatched him from her knees, and took his tiny hand in hers, steering him towards the bedroom.
"Well Bill, I heard you've got company today?"
"Company?" Bill looked up at her questioningly.
"Well, your cousin is staying with you, right?"
Bill's face broke into a wide smile. "Oh, yes! You wanna meet her?"
Gwen nodded. "Sure do. Where is she?"
By this time, they had reached the bedroom. Bill quickly freed his hand from Gwen's, and ran up to the bed. A girl of about his own age was sitting on the bed, playing with a doll. Bill leaped up onto the bed, and flung his arms around the girl. "This is my cousin!" he announced enthusiastically to Gwen.
But before Gwen had a chance to reply, the little girl cried out, "Bill! Hands off me!"
"Ok, ok…sorry," said Bill, grinning sheepishly.
The girl turned to Gwen. "I'm Mel," she said, smiling. She snuck a distasteful glance at Bill before continuing, "Bill's cousin."
Gwen grinned on seeing the exchange between the two cousins. For a split second, she was suddenly reminded of Ben – and her. This was exactly how they used to bicker when they were younger. Ben…
Suddenly, Gwen could feel the familiar hollow rush of melancholy sweeping over her. Bits and pieces of her memories with Ben flashed in front of her eyes. No, no, no! I mustn't let this happen to me…not now! She closed her eyes, and bit down hard on her bottom lip, trying to will the memories to fade away.
"Gwennie…what are you doing?"
In the twinkling of an eye, it was all over. Gwen slowly opened her eyes. Both Bill and Mel were staring curiously at her. Wow. Some nice entertainment I was giving them.
"Uh…I was just…nothing, actually."
The two cousins looked at each other, and then back again at her. Finally, Mel broke the silence.
"Oh…ok. But…you're ok, right?"
Gwen nodded. "I'm perfectly ok," she said, smiling.
Mel nodded, smiling back. "Is your name actually Gwennie?"
Gwen came up to the bed and sat down beside the two cousins. "Nopes," she said, shaking her head. "My name's Gwendolyn. Your cousin's made up the name 'Gwennie' for me."
"Bad choice," said Mel, shaking her head. "Bill always makes bad choices."
"Hey!" Bill looked accusingly at Mel. "What was that?"
"The truth," retorted Mel, before turning back to Gwen. "So…do I have to call you Gwennie too?"
"That's your wish, sweetie. You can call me whatever you want."
"So can I call you Gwen?"
For a second, Gwen's composure was blown over. She inhaled sharply. Gwen… The very name brought back a deluge of memories surging back to her mind. Ben used to call me by that name… On shifting to Merryville, she'd introduced herself to people as Gwendolyn – not Gwen. That had been her own defense mechanism to wall off whatever memories the name brought back to her.
And now…after so many years…someone had called her Gwen again. Her barrier had been broken. Gwen…Somehow, because of the rhyming effect, the name instantly reminded her of Ben. Ben…
"Um…Gwendolyn?"
Gwen released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Yeah?"
Mel looked at her curiously. "Are you okay? I asked you whether I could call you Gwen or not…and then you just… You didn't answer my question yet."
Gwen nervously licked her lips. She didn't know what to answer.
"Can I call you Gwen?" repeated Mel. "Please?"
Gwen bit down hard on her bottom lip – so hard that she could almost taste blood. What should she answer? Which mattered more – agreeing to Mel's innocent request, or denying the girl her obvious right just to save herself from the affliction?
"Is something wrong, Gwennie?"
Bill's voice broke into her stream of thoughts.
"Wr—wrong?" Gwen stammered, hastily catching herself. "No…no…everything's ok."
She took a deep breath to regain her composure, and then turned towards Mel. "Yes, you can call me Gwen."
A big smile lit up Mel's face. "Thank you! You're the best babysitter I know!"
Gwen smiled on seeing the child's delight. It doesn't take much to make a kid happy. Wish I were a kid once again…
---
"Wish I were a kid once again…"
"Really? And why so?"
Ben looked up at Gwen, shrugging. "I don't know. Sometimes, I just…feel like it…that's all."
Gwen bit down on her lower lip and stared at her cousin curiously. This was one of those rare moments when Ben actually opened up to her, behaved nicely with her…and all that. It was one of those rare moments that they really bonded well.
"And how do you know that that's what you feel?"
Now it was Ben's turn to stare at Gwen with a puzzled look on his face. "Uh…I'm not sure what you really mean, but all I can tell you is this that…" he sighed softly.
"What?" prompted Gwen.
"Just this that I wish I could rewind everything back, and start afresh."
Gwen raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why? Is something wrong?
Ben shrugged again. "Not something that I know, but something that I fear may happen."
Gwen frowned. "From when have you begun to speak quizzically?"
Ben smiled feebly. "Hey, I'm thirteen. What do you expect?" The smile died out as quickly as it had come.
Gwen waited for Ben to continue, but seeing that he'd clamped up, she spoke up. "Something that you fear may happen? From when has Ben Tennyson begun to fear things? And what does this have anything to do with you being a kid again?"
"When you're a kid, you don't have to worry about…about so many things. You can just live carefree-ly. Love people without having to continuously think about their safety." He threw a forlorn glance at the watch on his hand.
Before he could explain further, Gwen comprehended his glance. "You…don't regret possessing the Omnitrix, do you?"
Ben looked at Gwen once again – straight into her eyes. He shook his head quietly. "I don't regret it. Heck, no. The Omnitrix has given me a new life. A life that I love living. It's made a hero out of a common kid. How could I ever regret possessing it?"
Gwen stared back into his eyes. They looked somewhat hollow to her. "Then…then what is it?"
Ben sighed softly. "Possessing this watch is a…sort of a constant threat –"
"To you?" Gwen interrupted.
"Hear me out, Gwen," said Ben, frowning. "I know that possessing this watch in itself poses a great risk for me. Of course, there is this constant threat to my life. But that's not what I'm worried about. And especially after last night's attack…"
Gwen flashed back to what had happened the night before. Some evil, and horribly powerful associate of Vilgax had launched a sudden attack on them, taking her and Grandpa as hostages. After what had been a long fight, Ben had been able to free them. But the experience wasn't one that Gwen wanted to submit herself to again.
The sudden throb of the gash on her forehead, resulting from last night's encounter darted her back into the present. She slowly put up a hand to her forehead in an attempt to stop the pain.
"See…that's what I'm talking about," said Ben, looking at her with a worried look in his eye.
"What?"
"This is exactly what I'm worried about."
"I don't—"
"I'm worried about you, Gwen."
"Me?"
"Yeah. I mean, you and Grandpa… But mostly, you."
A surprised look came into Gwen's face. This was one side of her cousin she'd never seen before. "But why would you be worried about…me?"
"Well…after last night, I couldn't help it. That gash on your forehead – all because some stupid alien got greedy for this thing latched onto my wrist. I'm…I'm just a danger around you guys."
Gwen sighed. "I thought we'd gotten over with this, Ben. Our first summer trip – Rojo – an injured Grandpa – you trying to run away…ring a bell?"
"I know, Gwen. I know… I just…"
This time, Gwen didn't prompt him. She just waited for him to continue.
"I just couldn't stand it if I lost you…"
Gwen opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. The sheer subtlety of the moment overwhelmed her. I couldn't stand it if I lost you…
Reaching across the table, Gwen slipped her hand over Ben's, and gave it a slight, reassuring squeeze. "You won't ever lose me," she said, smiling softly.
Ben stared at her for a while, and then slowly returned the smile. "Thanks, Gwen. I didn't think I'd ever say this, but…you're too precious to lose."
"You too. I never wanna lose you either…"
---
Sitting before the cousins, who by now were busily engrossed in a game of their own, Gwen couldn't help shedding a silent tear. As Ben's words resounded in her ears, a fresh flood of tears flooded her eyes. But I've already lost you…Already…
A/N: Ok, firstly, sorry for the late update. School's been real hectic these days. Anyway, just review and let me know what you thought of this chapter.