Death wasn't a foreign concept to Ben. In fact it was the most common outcome in his line of work; so much that the boy had become desensitized to it. When he was sixteen year old, Tennyson was involved in his first war and it certainly wasn't his horrors he witnessed during those times would stay with him for life. As Azmuth put it, "you can't save everyone", and he was right.

Ben gazes out at the rubble that was once Bellwood. Only a day after the "great battle for Earth", that's what the news was calling it. A place he'd known since his childhood. Gone. Within a day. He saw people trudging through the ruins searching for any sign of their previous life. A second panic fell in for those who were thrown into shock during D-Day. Most had no house or job, and dead loved ones. Others simply fell to their knees and wept, praying for their god to bring them salvation.

Tennyson failed his city and the world. He wanted to keep the suffering of war away from them. Nobody deserves to go through such torment. After seeing what conflict can do to a planet, he made it his goal to avoid such violence on Earth.

Ben hears footsteps approaching from behind and he glances back at the silver haired witch. Hope. The sorceress that fought by his side during the final battle against King, the strongest of the black ops Plumbers. The woman that had been chasing him across multiple galaxies in league with his cousin and friends. She had on casual clothes and her hair in a loose ponytail. Even then, she looked phenomenal.

"Gwen wants us downstairs to discuss what's going to happen next," she stated simply.

Of course. Because nothing was even close to over. People were still missing and the city was destroyed. They still had to be heroes, even if there were no villains to stop at the moment. Ben wonders what Gwen had in mind; she'd been carrying this resistance on her back this entire time. He hasn't even told her how proud he is of her. Pfft she wouldn't care he tells himself as he follows Charmcaster down the hall. Why would she need validation from someone like him?

When Ben reached the main lobby, everyone was gathered around a white board. His friends had grim expressions on their faces, and were running on fumes. Most haven't seen a moment of rest since rescuing Ben. Elena leaned against Cooper's chest, while the blonde supported himself against a pillar. Lucy stared out into space. Carly didn't even have time to change out of her bloody clothes. Tetrax stood by idly with his arms crossed. Gwen was at the head of the group with Hera by her side.

One look at any of them and you could tell they've been through hell the past 12 hours. Gwen takes a step forward and scans the room. Ben could feel her eyes glance over him and everyone in the room.

The redhead sighs, "We need to focus on our next actions."

"Can we get some sleep first? We haven't closed our eyes for several days!" Cooper announces, frustrated.

"And you'll get that but there are still people that need our help."

"Aren't you the general of this big army? There's plenty of people here to help. We did our part!"

"How can you say that when there's innocent people dying in the streets?" Gwen loudly argues.

Cooper scoffs, "with confidence that I'm not the reason behind it. We stopped the invasion, we stopped the threat. So what's next? We open up our own red cross?"

Things were getting heated between the two with Cooper saying what was on everyone's minds clashing against Gwen's heroic idealism. No one knew what side to take. Except for Ben, who had undergone this battle mentally ever since he was a kid. At what point do you stop caring for others and care for yourself? Does that truly make you any less of a hero?

"No…I'm done. I'm sorry but I gotta get away while I still have my mind intact," he says softly.

Cooper strides away with Elena in tow, who gives the group one last solemn look before following her lover. Gwen could only stare in disbelief at what she felt was abandonment. She's about to open her mouth to say something when Ben steps in.

"Let him go. He has no obligation to stay."

Gwen turns to her cousin in bewilderment.

"In fact," Ben turns to the group, "I don't expect any of you to stay. You weren't hired nor did you sign some sort of contract. So if you want to leave then I don't blame you."

Ben stares at the blank faces of the group. Nobody dared move. And he hated that. Move damn it. Go! You're free to go! They thought he was trying to test their resolve and loyalty to the cause like some militia. Ben didn't understand why they felt the need to help more than they already did. Cooper said it best, there were plenty of people to clean up the scraps.

"Well to be frank, I'm done with this bullshit. And if you're surprised. Don't be. We all have our limits," Ben declares sternly.

Ben makes it to the door when Gwen calls after him.

"Ben wait-"

"As far as I know, you don't need me anymore, Gwen."

And the door shut promptly behind him.

Ben spent the next several days traveling the world. Every hour was a different region, every day was another country. He sat on the sidelines, watching the entirety of the planet rebuild from nothing. Tennyson couldn't stay in Bellwood, or rather what was left of it. He was running as Gwen put it through her various texts and voicemails. Ben didn't deny it. But he was quick to get rid of the nagging voice by dumping his phone in the ocean. People recognized him around the world, so he had to hide in the shadows and come out under the curtain of darkness.

That was no problem with the watch wielder. He was a people-watcher after all. It was enjoyable to see how normal humans interacted on a day-to-day basis. At least that's what he told himself. In reality, he wanted to be like them so badly. Being a hero wasn't the special privilege people cut it out to be. Most times it was hell on Earth. During the fight with King that great feeling of helping others came back, and just like that the high disappeared. Now he was a hollow shell of his prior self.

Ben found himself sitting on the ledge of a mountainside within the pacific, near a string of Asian islands. The island was tiny and only had a population of 100,000 people. The nearby village had a total of 100 residents. A single street block in Bellwood probably housed more people. That goes to show how different the rest of the world was. But Ben had to admit they had a gorgeous mountain range. Nothing but green for miles. Ben felt the slight breeze pass through his hair. The setting sun puts a smile on his face. Then under the cover of darkness, his frown regrows. No matter what he did, or where he went. That sinking feeling followed close behind.

Ben Tennyson thought leaving the scene would fix things, but he was reminded of that scene in every major city across the world. Then he got away from the metropolis and retreated to rural areas. Ben saw broken families; wives without husbands, fathers with no children remaining, children that lost both parents. Memorials were set up in the town square with photos depicting loved ones that passed away. Seeing the board of missing folks made his stomach turn. Somehow people haven't given up hope. Idiots.

A green flash could be seen over the ledge before Jetray blasts off into the atmosphere in search of a place to bed down. Anywhere that he could comfortably lay his head down. No point in hotels with no money, not that he wanted to be near people right now. He didn't sleep more than four hours anyway, that's all his mind could take before the nightmares began. Horrifying visuals of past events mixed with images created from his twisted mind.

Ben settles on the continent of Australia. A random apartment rooftop within the city of Sydney. It was high enough to not draw attention from surrounding buildings. A bag of cement is his only pillow with no blanket to shelter him from the uninviting breeze. Ben stares out at the twinkling city skyline. He could watch it for an eternity. Eventually his eyes betray him and send the man off to dreamland.

Or rather the hellscape that tormented him night after night. He didn't know if it was a different future or fear of the coming future. But he hated every single second of it. An everlasting loop of hellish screams of the damned, who were being tortured relentlessly. Amongst the crowd of souls were several familiar faces; Max, Gwen, his parents, Cooper, Carly, and Lucy. It was clearly supposed to represent the group who was closest to him.

The scene changes to a thick darkness, but Ben could see clear as day, and within the shadows was one silver haired witch. She was crucified on an invisible cross with blood trickling down from her pink lips. Her eyes were closed and Ben couldn't register any sign of life from her. A gaping hole could be seen on her stomach, devoid of light like a black hole. Ben fails to understand the symbolism of this imagery. And it always ended with him looking down at his watch, but it wasn't the watch crafted by the genius of several galaxies. It was just a normal watch.

Why was he shown this every night? Was this God's way of punishing him for his sins during the previous conflicts? Regret ate away at him like tiny rats. There were events that he could've prevented. People he could have saved. Depression set into the cracks of the broken hero. Ben normally sat up and stared into the dark night sky after waking up, but this time he saw a floating figure about 20 feet above him.

Silver hair slowly waving in the wind with bright purple irises that glowed in the dark. Her normal burgundy attire, slightly wet from the drizzle that began, hid her crossed arms from view. Dark purple boots- though looking closer to black- touch the ground as she lands gracefully. Hope is in front of Ben with her signature poker face.

"Is this where you ran to?" she inquires sharply.

Ben gazes at the sorceress in shock; he hadn't been spoken to in a while.

"People are looking for you," she said, moving on.

"Tell them to stop."

"Tell them yourself."

Ben stands from his sitting position and sighs, "I can't go back there. I failed them."

"So that's your answer? To fester in your own self pity?" Hope calls out.

"Maybe," Ben retorts, stepping over to the ledge and looking down at the lively night streets.

"This isn't a fairytale; you're not going to win every fight, and you can't save everyone."

Hope was starting to become irritated by the man's wimpy responses. Charmcaster has known tragedy almost every day of her life, and she can confidently say that it doesn't have to be the end. One must take the first step, even if it's an inch at a time. The first step isn't the hardest. The will to continue moving forward is. That's the true test of your soul.

"I know. And even with all the shit I did over the years. I simply can not be content with that outcome."

Hope's eyes widen when she notices the man fidgeting with his watch. What was he trying to say?

"I quit."

"Ben, what are you talking about?" Hope mutters slowly.

"I'm not cut out for this and the recent conflict made that apparent. I thought maybe it'll finally come to me; the true meaning of all this hero shit. But it's been the same for the past 9 years. So I'm done. You can tell Gwen that I'm not coming back."

"You think I came here because Gwen told me to? I came back to get YOU! What about all the things you said in the city- during the fight? Was that all-"

"I-," Ben cuts himself off as he locks eyes with Hope. "-don't know what it was." He wanted to say more but couldn't bring himself to utter it.

Hope's eyes darkened at the moment. Ben immediately regrets saying anything; he already misses the light in her purple orbs.

"Forgive me," he whimpers.

"I'll forgive you if you come home," Hope snaps back. "I can help you. You don't know where you stand in the grand scheme of things; you're going through an identity crisis. I've gone through the same shit, I can help you!"

Ben stares at the ground in silence. He didn't know what to say to Hope.

The witch approaches Ben, and extends her hand for him to take, "Please. Let me help you," she pleads.

Hope notices the hesitation in his movement. She could tell he wanted to take her hand, but there was something holding him back. Maybe it was fear of returning to herodom, or the dread of facing his friends and family. She didn't force him to take her hand either; the woman wanted it to be completely up to Ben.

Ben watches Hope disappear from his sight, and yet again he is alone. Or so he thought. Hope continued to visit him everyday for the next two weeks. No matter where on the planet he was. And she offered him that same hand everyday. The man was beyond grateful for her intervention when it happened. He was senselessly moving towards the abyss until she stepped in, and without any doubt he would've jumped off that ledge.

Tennyson lost track of the days as he strolled through the back alleys of Jaipur, India. Though the sky was dark, crowds still wandered the streets like it was daytime. The only change being the sun had gone down. He had a leather cloak over his body, hiding his familiar features from the citizens. He could tell his presence stood out but it never went past the occasional glance in his direction. Ben licks his dry lips and moves off the cramped street into a convenience store.

The store clerk looks up from their phone and gives him a firm nod. Ben strides to the back of the store where the drinks are held. He grabs a fruit juice and a water bottle before heading to the counter. Ben reaches into his pocket and pulls out the remaining coins in his possession. The employee takes one look at the money before staring up at him.

"Not enough."

"That's all I have."

The clerk glances back at the money again, hesitantly grabbing it, before waving him off.

"Take it."

Ben quickly grabs his items and rushes out of the door. That was the last of his spending money. He was completely broke now. The man cracks open his fruit juice and takes a large sip. He sighs in relief as the cold liquid pours down his dry throat. Tennyson retreats back into the alley and squats down against the brick wall. He had been walking since he landed in the country four hours ago. Ben's head hangs down with his eyes on the sandy ground.

A set of footsteps could be heard approaching him. He could see military boots stop in front of him.

"Hey buddy, you can't loiter here," one officer said half in his native tongue and in english.

Ben stayed quiet hoping that they would leave him alone.

The other officer kicks his shoe and snarls, "Aye, didn't you hear him? Get lost."

"I don't have anywhere to go," Ben answers slowly, staring at the ground still.

"Not our problem," the second officer scolds.

Ben didn't move a muscle.

"I don't want to tell you again," he says as he reaches for his baton.

His partner grabs his arm and shakes his head at him.

"Whatever sir, just don't be doing anything dumb," the first officer states.

The pair of enforcers left the alley as quickly as they came.

"Thank you," Ben quietly speaks.

Tennyson hears another set of footsteps and he lets out another sigh, thinking it was the same officers returning.

"I said I didn't have anywhere to go."

"You and I both know that's a lie," a feminine voice calls out.

Ben's eyes widen at the familiar voice and he lifts his head to the silver haired witch staring back at him. It had been a week since she last visited him. He thought she gave up on him. One part of him wanted to ask where she'd been and another part wanted to believe she had better things to do than waste on him.

"Look at yourself."

Ben was a mess and he hadn't even realized it. A patchy beard had started to form on his greasy face. The stench coming off him indicated he hasn't showered the past couple days. Having changed multiple times on his travels, he has been roaming India with the same week old clothes. Weirdly enough, the only article of clothing he hadn't changed was his Ben 10 jacket; the stained and tattered jacket still clung to his body. Holes were starting to form in his shoes as well, making walking a difficult task. The blisters on his feet were evidence of that. He looked nothing short of homeless. The savior of the universe looked like a shady bum.

"Are you gonna roam the world until you wither into nothingness?"

Ben stayed silent in shame of his presence.

"This is the last day I'm gonna offer my hand…"

"So it's either I take your hand or I never see you again," Ben scoffs.

He figured that Hope would eventually give up on him. That was his goal; he didn't deserve her. Not after selfishly leaving her for weeks. It would be best for everyone if they just forgot about him.

"Of course not. Either you take my hand or I knock you out and drag you back."

Tennyson did a double take at her statement. What could she possibly want with a dirtbag like him? Maybe it was an illusion. Or a dream and he'd wake up with his head in the dirt again.

"Wha-what?" was the only thing Ben was able to choke out.

"Nobody gave up on you, especially me. You're the only one who lost hope. We're all waiting for you to come back. Like I said let me help you," Charmcaster explains with her hand stretched out.

Ben hesitates again like he always did. It's been so long since he walked out. Would it be okay for him to come back? Nothing would be the same; he was sure their trust for him went out the window. Tennyson glances at the watch attached to his wrist. Hope lifts his chin up with her index finger and gazes into his deep green eyes.

"Don't look at the watch. Look at me," she whispers firmly. "Come home."

**PAGE BREAK**

Ben Tennyson stood motionless in the shower, he allowed the warm water to run over his body. She was able to bring me home after all he told himself. He currently was at Hope's log cabin in the woods. At the moment, nobody knew he was back in town. Something he was eternally grateful for. He didn't want his friends and family to see him like this- broken and lost. The man massages his scalp with shampoo and lets out a low groan, a relief he hasn't felt in weeks. He raises the disposable razor to his face and begins to cut away at the gritty beard. Ben watches the hair wash away in the drain. Each hair being a day away from the place he called home.

He passes the washcloth over his skin, scrubbing away the sins of the past. Though a single shower wouldn't pronounce him a new man, it was a start like Hope said. Ben twisted the shower handle shut once he was done cleaning himself. Yet again he found himself motionless, watching the dirty water be swallowed by the drain. Ben reaches for the towel and dries his face first, before moving onto his body. The man would be lying if he said he didn't feel better.

Ben steps out from the tub and plants his feet on the fuzzy bath rug. He scans the room for a bit. A seemingly normal bathroom. Ben chuckles to himself; he didn't know what he expected besides a regular bathroom. Some hair products and lotions scattered around the sink counter but other than that it was extremely neat. Ben wipes the steam condense from the mirror and gazes at his reflection. Other than his untidy hair and the bags under his eyes, Ben looked like his old self. But he knew there were changes; his usual bright green eyes were hardened into a dark mossy green. The man's face looked more serious like he hadn't smiled in years. Probably not far from the truth.

Tennyson stares at the gray robe Hope gave him to wear. A quick flashback of her apologizing for not having anything else appeared in his mind. Ben's fists clench the towel. Why are you apologizing…I should be the one-. He lazily slips the garment on and hangs the towel on the bar. Ben peeks out from the bathroom and checks the hallway for any sign of Hope. The man steps out and tip-toes towards what he believes to be the living room.

The witch's house was very natural and instinctive with how wood made up most of the furniture in it. There were a couple of paintings he didn't recognize and the books on the shelf were written in a different language. But it was comfy for the most part. The only thing that threw him off was the staff hanging above the fireplace. It was obvious who it belonged to. Hex. And the sight of it brought up bad memories. Still no sign of Charmcaster. He was worried that she left him alone. He didn't want to be alone right now.

His nose twitches at the sudden delectable smell. A mix of herbs and green were boiling in some type of chicken broth. He looked towards the open kitchen to a pot on the stove. Whatever it was, it smelled good. He hadn't had a proper meal in weeks, forget a home cooked one. His stomach rumbles agreeing with his nose. He was about to take a step towards the stove when a voice called out.

"Looking for someone?"

Ben swings around to see Hope with a curious look on her face. She was dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and silk shorts that cut off at her thigh. Her moon colored hair was in a messy bun with two parted strands that hung in front. She looked gorgeous to put it in simple terms. Though at home in her PJs, she still had multiple articles of jewelry on. Which were most likely her protective trinkets.

"Uh. You actually," Ben answers.

Hope strides past the man to her kitchen. Ben manages to catch a wift of scented soaps and lotions emanating from her body as she passes by. She takes charge of stirring the soup. Ben follows her and sits at the counter on a stool. He didn't know what to say.

"You may stay here if you must, since I'm sure you don't have anywhere else at the moment."

Ben's fingers tap against the marble surface as he thinks to himself. Hope was extending yet another generous offer to him.

"Nobody knows you're here if that's what you're thinking," Hope begins wistfully. "I will respect your wishes to not integrate back into society yet."

Ben meekly rubs his arm, "I appreciate that."

"That is something you must do on your own."

Tennyson missed talking to someone. Rather he missed talking to her. She looked so carefree standing there stirring the pot. But Ben was smart enough to know her head must be full of worries.

"How is Gwen?"

"She's doing well. The woman dove headfirst into this reconstruction plan and nothing could pull her out now."

Ben felt a smile creep onto his face. He must admit that he was proud of his cousin for taking charge on so many things that he never thought to touch. The redhead is now helping people in more ways than one. But the second half of Hope's statement worried the man; Gwen is a hard worker and her dedication to being a hero is unquestionable. And that's exactly the problem, she was being sucked in by work.

"And the others?"

Charmcaster stopped stirring and turned towards Ben, "They're helping out in ways they know how. In their own way," she comments.

Ben didn't exactly know what that meant, but he was sure that Hope means well by it. After all, the witch wasn't one to sugarcoat things.

"Cooper and Elena are spearheading a project in nanotechnology to protect the planet from future invasions. They've been busy in the big city but they come back to Bellwood every so often. Lucy and Tetrax left the planet together shortly after you left. Gwen tells me Tetrax is organizing some type of group."

It was so good to hear that his friends were doing well. And the war didn't affect them like it did him. A frown appeared on Ben's face when he realized Hope didn't mention one person.

"And Carly?" he asks curiously.

Hope smirks, "Ah yes your little minx? She's doing fine. Gwen hired her as an adviser."

Ben's face turns red for a moment before calling out, "It's not like that!"

"Yeah?"

"Carly and I have been through some shit during our time in the Plumbers. I wasn't going to let her drown in that bloodbath," Ben explains sternly.

"I'm only kidding, B," Hope chuckles.

Ben blushes yet again in embarrassment. It was rather suspicious that he jumped to Carly's defense so quickly. But he was telling the truth; Carly is only a close friend.

"One goes and another takes their place."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ben questions with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh come on! You don't find it the least bit suspicious that she was your subordinate and now she is Gwen's bodyguard?"

Ben stood from the stool slowly; he did not like where this was going. Was Hope trying to accuse Carly of being some sleeper double agent bullshit? That woman has proved time and time again that she was 100% loyal to him, even after his many fuck-ups.

"No. I don't."

Hope's lips curled into a smile as she stared at the brown-haired man. Ben kept his own stare going until his stomach betrayed him, rumbling. Hope glances down at the man's stomach and back at him.

"Hungry?"

Hope scoops out some chicken noodle soup into a bowl and slides it towards Ben. She cut off a piece of the baguette and served it to him on a plate.

"It's not much but eat your fill."

Ben wastes no time diving into the food. Hope pours some grape juice and places the glass near him. She leans on her elbows as she watches the man devour her food. Ben couldn't contain himself; though it was such a simple recipe, it was made with zest and spice that satisfied every taste bud. The man slurped away like a madman.

"I don't know exactly what happened to Hera though."

Ben stayed silent as he didn't really know who that was, plus he was enjoying the hell out of his soup.

"Ya know, the chick that was fucking your cousin."

Hope could only smile as Ben chokes on the warm liquid. He places his hand over his mouth to keep from coughing up a lung.

Hope sips on a spoonful of soup, "Something wrong?" she taunts playfully.

"No. It's just I didn't think Gwen would start dating again after Kevin is all."

Hope immediately regrets saying the joke when she notices Ben's sour expression. I guess it's a sore spot. Ben avoids eye contact with the witch. He didn't understand why he was so upset; Gwen was or is happy. Some time after defeating Vilgax she would face-time him in absolute joy. She would reminisce about the times the three of them were together kicking ass. Then she'd go into how she was willing to do anything for that time back. It was great hearing Gwen's stories of their adventures. But it always ends the same way with her breaking out into tears when realizing that these stories were now just memories. And Kevin was not coming back.

So many nights of the redhead sobbing herself to sleep. Any normal person would end the call when things got awkward, but not him. Ben felt like it was his punishment for ending his best friend's life; to be forced to watch Gwen suffer day in and day out over it. Over his choice. There was nothing on this Earth that would crush his soul more than seeing Gwen cry. He apologized over and over again, of course she didn't acknowledge him on account of the intense weeping.

"I'm sorry if that's a touchy subject," Hope croaks solemnly.

"No, it's fine. I'm happy that she's happy."

The duo continued their dinner in silence. Hope stands to do the dishes but Ben offers his services and she happily accepts.

"The least I could do for the food," Ben thanked.

Hope puts away the soup and cleans the counter while Ben works on the dishes. They engage in small talk about Bellwood. Ben was curious to hear how his hometown was rebuilding. Charmcaster explains that the town wasn't back to its former glory, but it is getting there. The mayor swore to build it back bigger and better as a safe haven for aliens. Ben places the last spoon in the dishrack and yawns loudly.

"You can sleep here," Hope directs as she opens a dark room.

Ben steps in, switching the light on, and glances around the partially empty room. There was only a bed, dresser, and a mirror inside. The walls were painted a light gray like the rest of the house.

"I'll be down the hall if you need me," she says, closing the door.

Ben plops down on the bed after not feeling the comfort of a mattress in weeks. He lets out a loud groan as his body sunk into the bed. The man stares up at the ceiling feeling as if he was forgetting something. Ben supposes he truly was missing an important factor in all of this. Tennyson found himself in front of Hope's door with his hand raised. He knocks once. Silence. Twice. No response. Thrice.

"What is it?" a voice calls out from within.

"I just wanted to tell you something," he responds vaguely.

"And?"

"Thank you."

Charmcaster was silent.

"Good night," he ends, before walking away.

Ben immediately turns back and rushes back to the door.

"And I'm sorry for bailing on you and the others. Even if I don't consider myself a hero; it wasn't something a close friend would do. I don't know where we stand but I want you to know that I meant everything I said in that fight against King."

Ben retreats to his room without another word; his door shutting as Hope's creaks open. The sorceress sticks her head out into the hallway and glances at Ben's door. She sighs before closing her own door. I'm sorry Ben but I have other things on my mind. The woman leaps from her open window feeling the brisk night on her skin. She dashes into the dark forest, disappearing into a portal.