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A Charmed Life	By : GrayNeko Category: +1 through F > Ben 10 Views: 75607 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own Ben 10, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
"Hope…Hope…Hope..."
Charmcaster turned slowly, confused as much by the voice calling the name she was still getting used to as by her surroundings. Dense fog billowed around her, obscuring everything beyond a few inches in front of her. She had no idea how she got to this place or, she realized with a start, why she was wearing her old outfit.
"Charmcaster..."
She spun, her sense of unease growing as the voice seemed to come from just behind her. She only found fog, but now that too was changed, thin enough now that she realized she could make out a shape nearby. Cautiously, she approached it, her eyes darting about as her hand hovered at her hip.
The shape resolved into a pedestal that came up to her stomach, a large tome resting atop it. It was the book that held her attention, even though it was carved from stone like the rest of the pedestal she recognized the pattern on the cover. She had been given its miniature as a little girl with the promise that it would one day reveal all its secrets to her.
She tore her eyes from the Tome of Spellbinder, her father's book, and scrubbed at the tears that came unbidden. Her mind was racing for an explanation while she struggled to keep from drowning in a sea of grief that she thought had been drained long ago.
"Charmcaster..."
Her fist lashed out behind her as she turned, hoping to catch whoever or whatever was doing this. Instead, she met only air and had to catch herself on the pillar as she started at the sight of more pillars that she was sure hadn't been there a moment ago. Her fingers scraped painfully against the stone as fear crept into the edges of her sorrow, causing tremors in her hands that she desperately tried to still.
She swallowed back the tumult of emotions threatening to run riot through her before taking a shaky step forward. The pillars seemed to form a path, alternating on either side of her. Each one was topped by a stone monument of someone from her world. She recognized some but others were only vague recollections. She had been very young when she and her uncle had fled Ledgerdomain and her memories of her home were hazy at best.
"Vonahashila..."
Fear sent her heart into her throat, choking her as she spun wildly. There was only the bleak, grey mist and the markers, but she no longer cared as she broke into a run once she got her feet back under her. She had to find a way out of this place, knowing her true name meant that it could only be one person responsible for all of this.
It shouldn't be possible, but Charmcaster had learned long ago not to underestimate him. Her lungs burned even as the damp chill of the fog clung to her skin. She might as well have been running blindly for all the change she saw to the landscape around her. A glance over the shoulder at least showed that the pillars had been left behind.
In that moment something caught her foot and she went down hard. She scrambled to her feet, barely registering the sting of the various scrapes and bruises across her body.
The roots she tripped over, much like the tree they belonged to and everything else in this place, had come out of nowhere. She nearly broke into a dead run again, but something among the roots froze her in her tracks. It was the skull of a bird that few would be able to identify since its origins were not of Earth. A ring of tarnished gold pierced the eye cavities, and she could see just a hint off the well-worn staff it rested atop of peeking through the tangle of roots. She had buried this very staff before the tree that held her uncle's soul.
Her terror threatened to rampage through her unchecked as she raised her trembling gaze to the tree. At first glance, it seemed a shriveled, gnarled thing like any number of trees that might eke out an existence in a mire or swamp, but the longer that Charmcaster stared at it the more its twisted frame began to resemble a man in the throes of agony.
"TRAITOR!"
Her uncle's voice roared in her ears as the ground erupted in front of her. She fell back as she threw up her arms to shield herself from the dirt and chunks of roots. Before she could move, a hand, damp and cold as the grave, latched onto her neck, bearing her the rest of the way to the ground.
Charmcaster could feel Hex's weight pressing down on her but she couldn't make herself look at him, turning her head to the side as she squeezed her eyes shut. His hot breath washed over her, and it was all she could do to swallow back a scream.
"Rex, get off her!"
Charmcaster's eyes opened just as a wet tongue dragged across her face. Her hands came up to fend off the eager and overly friendly German Shepherd that the Tennysons called Rex.
"Sorry Hope, Rex has really taken to you," Sandra Tennyson said from the doorway of the guest bedroom of the Tennyson house, though if the current situation continued as it was it would be more accurate to say it was her room now.
"It's ok," Charmcaster said as she sat up with a stretch. She tried to recall the dream she'd been having, but found only a vague sense of dread when she thought about it.
The large dog stared at her with hopeful brown eyes, and she couldn't resist reaching out to scratch behind his ear. As he grunted contentedly, Sandra smiled at the sight of them before starting at something and hurrying down the hallway. The smell of something burning told Charmcaster where Sandra had gone.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, her other hand brushing her long locks of hair from her face. Rex happily trotted at her side as she caught sight of herself in a hallway mirror. The extra-large shirt she wore for a pajama top had slipped to one side, exposing her shoulder and revealing her lack of a bra, which she considered correcting immediately before deciding to simply readjust the shirt. That caused the hem to rise briefly, flashing the black short shorts that completed her sleepwear. She had told Ben's parents she could produce her own clothes, but upon seeing her utter lack of possessions beyond her bag and what she had on her back they had insisted on giving her something not conjured by magic. There had also been the promise Sandra would take her shopping for some more outfits in the near future.
She made her way downstairs with dog in tow, following the smell of burning, which quickly mingled with other smells of breakfast that wafted through the house. She found Sandra in the kitchen where Ben’s mother had cooked what looked like a small buffet's worth of food, and was currently trying to salvage some toast that had gotten jammed in the toaster.
"Good morning, Hope. Hungry?" the older, blonde woman asked over her shoulder.
"Yes, thank you. Anything I can do to help?" Charmcaster asked, forcing a level of cheerfulness into her voice she didn't exactly feel as she still tried to recall any of her dream. She couldn't shake the sense of unease it had left her with.
"Not unless you know a spell that can unburn toast," Sandra said with a chuckle that ended with a frustrated sigh as she managed to safely pry two charred chunks from the toaster.
"You'll be the first to know when I find one," Charmcaster said as she noticed the table needed to be set. Even with everything Gwen had tried to teach her about cooking, it was probably the one safe thing she could do in a kitchen.
Sandra smiled in gratitude and gave Charmcaster an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder as she passed. Little gestures like that constantly amazed Charmcaster. She would never have expected Ben’s parents to welcome her with open arms, especially after learning her whole story. But they had, and at times it almost felt like too much, like she hadn't earned this sort of life.
“Are you expecting company Mrs. Tennyson?” Charmcaster asked as she sat down at the table.
Sandra sat down beside her and began filling a plate before she answered.
“No, I just tend to cook when I’m worried.”
Charmcaster paused with a spoonful of scrambled eggs, prompting Sandra to reach out and squeeze her arm reassuringly.
“Just because I’m worried is no reason for you to be concerned,” Sandra started to explain.
“Even if it's about Ben?” Charmcaster asked hesitantly. Sandra's grip on Charmcaster's arm tightened, confirming the young sorceress’s hunch.
“You too, huh?” Sandra sighed as she folded her arms on the table.
Charmcaster nodded gently. She hadn't been so absorbed adjusting to this new life that she failed to notice something off about Ben since the hospital; just too busy to find a moment to talk to him about it without his parents overhearing.
“Let me telling you something, Hope,” Sandra went on, the barest hint of a smile turning up her lips. “If you’re going to love a Tennyson, you’ve got to know it’s not always going to be easy. Stubbornness runs in their veins and sometimes they can be downright muleheaded about things and…and,” Sandra sighed as she looked down, shaking her head. “I'm sorry, Hope, I thought I'd have a few more years before I would be having conversations like this. Ben isn't even in high school yet.”
Charmcaster managed not to frown, but only just so. She knew that amongst everything that Ben's parents had to absorb over the past couple of days, his relationship with Charmcaster had been the hardest thing for them to grapple with.
“He hasn't been himself. He seems distracted, like something is weighing on him,” Charmcaster said, hoping to brush past that particular topic.
Sandra nodded before her face pinched pensively, a sign that Charmcaster had learned meant she was recalling something.
“Ben once broke his arm falling out of a tree when he was seven,” Sandra said, her gaze shifting to see some distant memory. “It was all Carl and I could do to keep him from trying to climb that tree again, cast or no cast. That’s just how he is. Which is why I’m worried. If there really is something wrong, I'm afraid that he'll just stubbornly carry on as if everything’s fine until it all boils over.”
“What do we do?” Charmcaster asked as she started to realize that when it really came down to it, her knowledge about relationships was nearly non-existent.
Sandra smiled with the knowing confidence of a mother, “We’ll just have to give him time and support. Hopefully, he’ll remember that we love him and just want to help in any way we can. And if that doesn't work, a stern talking to because sometimes you just have to take that Tennyson stubbornness head-on."
Charmcaster nodded her agreement and returned to filling her plate. A part of her wondered if she should just jump straight to the stern talking to the moment an opportunity presented itself.
"So, I was thinking we should go shopping for some outfits today. Max said it would be good to enroll you in school in the meantime, so we’ll get some supplies while we’re at it."
It took several moments for Charmcaster to recover from choking on her orange juice.

***

Ben blinked blearily, wondering how he could possibly feel more tired than when he had gone to sleep. In truth, he knew the answer: nightmares. They'd been happening since he'd gotten out of the hospital, which didn't make any sense to Ben. He had resolved things with Kai, so why should he keep having nightmares that took what had happened between them and turned everything up to eleven.
Even worse was the unpredictable jumpiness he felt while awake. Sometimes a touch or just being around people had him on edge, ready to fight or bolt for no reason. Struggling with all this was a real sour note to end the summer on but Ben didn't want to worry anyone else anymore, not after seeing how miserable everyone had been seeing him in the hospital. He never wanted anyone to feel like that again because he wasn't strong enough.
The smell of breakfast proved a welcome distraction as did the clatter of claws on wood signaling the arrival of Rex. Ben absently pet his dog as they made their way to the dining room where he found his dad just clearing his plate.
"Morning son, how are you feeling?"
"Fine," Ben said half-heartedly as he began fixing himself a plate. He thought his dad would leave him to eat, but his father instead refilled his cup of coffee and settled in again opposite Ben.
"Your mother and Hope are out shopping so that leaves you and me to take care of things around here today. Think you're up to it?"
Ben looked up from slipping Rex a piece of bacon to shrug non-committedly. In truth he was glad to stay home, he was still pretty tired.
Carl Tennyson sipped his coffee and studied his son. It was clear Ben had something weighing on him but after learning about his son's summer of adventure it seemed impossible that anything could faze him. Still, pressing Ben was the least likely way to get his son to open up, so until he was ready to talk keeping him distracted seemed like the best course. Carl's eyes fell on the Omnitrix and an idea began to take shape.
"Say Ben, why don't you show me what that thing can do?"
Ben took a moment to process what his dad had asked him and then perked up immediately, "Really? But Grandpa always told me not to use it like a toy."
Carl nodded in agreement with his father's words, "Fair, but Grandpa isn't here right now and I bet you've got an alien or two that could make quick work of cleaning up around here. It'll be a secret between us."
Carl gave his son a reassuring wink and smile as Ben began to show the first real sign of excitement in days.
In short order the house was buzzing with activity as dozens of small black and white aliens saw to every imaginable chore that didn't involve going outside where the neighbors could see. Carl watched as one ran past him, splitting into two more identical versions of itself.
"So what do you call this guy again?"
"Ditto. He's not much to look at but makes up for it with numbers," one of the many duplicates said from beside him as it oversaw the others, though Carl had no idea how they determined seniority. He studied the little smiling alien that was his son as it directed its copies and marveled at how different his son seemed. He hadn't truly understood the scope of how much Ben had changed since he had found the Omnitrix but seeing him like this helped Carl begin to comprehend. It also made it that much more important to find out what was bothering Ben.
The sound of something heavy falling and something else shattering drew both their attention, but before Carl could take a step, the Ditto beside him was already on the move.
"I'll check it out and get it sorted. Hopefully it wasn't anything of Mom's," he said, adding the latter under his breath as he ran in the direction of the disturbance.
He ran upstairs to the second bathroom where a number of other Dittos were gathered around the door. He pushed through the throng to find two more Dittos grappling with each other. They had managed to knock everything off the counter including a soap dish and glass tumbler, which had both broken.
"What is going on?" Ben demanded of his other selves.
"He started it!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Did NOT!" The second Ditto shouted as he shoved the first one hard enough that his head smacked against an open cabinet door.
"Ow!" Every Ditto cried out as they felt the same stinging pain, the one downside to their duplicating ability.
"Ok, that is enough!" Ben said as he stepped between the other two. "Tell me what started this."
The Ditto that had been shoved continued to rub the back of his head as he glared at the other, "I just wanted a washcloth to keep cleaning and doofus over here freaked out when I reached past him to grab one."
Ben turned to face his other self, waiting expectantly for his side of the story. He wasn't expecting to find the other Ditto trembling and wringing his hands nervously.
"I'm sorry, the linen closet was dark and when I felt someone behind me I just, I just, I just... "
"You panicked," Ben finished for him softly as he began to figure out what happened. He could feel his other self's heightened emotional state through their shared sensory link, he was on the verge of a full-blown meltdown. Even worse he could feel the beginning of a feedback loop starting through all the other Dittos. Gently, he reached out and slowly pulled his panicked self into a hug. The other Ditto's breathing was still coming in rapid, struggling bursts but the aching tension was starting to drain from his body. Soon more arms wrapped around them as the other Dittos sought comfort until it was a massive group hug that spilt out of the bathroom.
Ben sighed as the waves of reassurance washed over him, barely aware of the alarm of the Omnitrix until the comforting crush of bodies disappeared. He opened his eyes to an empty bathroom and his dad calling up to him.
"Ben, are you okay? All of the other yous just disappeared, and they were acting strangely before they did."
Ben sighed again, this time in exhaustion. This brief moment had felt like an escape and it made his problem even more draining to return to.
"I'm fine Dad. Could you bring up the broom and dust pan?"
After they cleaned up the broken glass Carl and Ben got down to some yard work. For a moment it had felt like they were making progress but whatever had happened upstairs seemed to have been a setback. Carl hoped some real physical activity might help with Ben's mood.
Ben knew that arguing with his dad would be fruitless so he tried to lose himself in the work. He was soon sweating profusely as he pulled weeds and raked clippings and whatever else his dad directed him to do. As much as he often complained about doing chores, this time Ben found himself grateful. His dad didn't try to get him to talk all that much aside from his opinion on how the hedges looked and Ben really was too busy to think about anything.
The shock of cold water splashing across his neck and back broke him from his trance. He spun, his hand already going for the Omnitrix even as his dad's laughter reached his ears.
"Got ya," Carl said as he lowered the hose. "Good work Ben, but it's almost lunch time. Come in and get cleaned up while I fix us something to eat."
Ben was glad his dad hadn't noticed his moment of panic and he rushed inside before Carl could see the trembling in his hands that he couldn't quell. It got worse as he reached the stairs, his vision tunneling as his lungs began to burn. As soon as he was in his room, Ben gulped in air as his whole body trembled until it ached. He fell to his knees as he continued to struggle to breathe, pushing his head against the floor as he willed his pulse to stop racing.
As he lay there in a ball, the soft whimpering of Rex rang in his ear. He could just make out his dog from the corner of his eye, watching Ben from the doorway. Before he could even muster the strength to shoo Rex away, the dog was nuzzling at his neck, whimpering and whining in concern. Something about Rex's presence proved to be the perfect comforting distraction because before Ben realized it the attack passed. He managed a weak smile as he reached to pet Rex, only noticing after the fact that his right hand had been on the Omnitrix a moment ago. His smile faded. He didn't remember reaching for it during the attack.
He slowly pulled himself to his feet, still staring at the face plate of the Omnitrix. Ben had transformed under duress before, but in most of those cases he had still been in control. There had been no control this time, and a sour taste filled his mouth at the thought of accidentally turning into Heatblast and burning down the house. This just highlighted how badly Ben needed to figure out a way to deal with these panic attacks.
A shower provided no enlightenment on his dilemma and he was beginning to feel tired in a way that had nothing to do with the yard work. He joined his father for lunch and wolfed down his sandwich, not because he was particularly hungry but because he hoped to get away before his dad could find something else for him to do.
It almost worked as he excused himself and made his way to the front door, only to hear his dad call after him.
"If you're going for a walk, why don't you take Rex with you? I'm sure he could use it."
Ben wanted to object but he couldn't muster up a passable excuse. Plus, after Rex helped him earlier, taking him along didn't seem like such a bad idea. Ben smiled at the eager German Shepard, who had quickly approached the front door at the sound of one of his favorite words, and clipped a leash to his collar.
Despite Rex's eagerness, he didn't pull or try to drag Ben as they set off down the street, which Ben appreciated. As much as he wanted to solve his problem, he felt that stressing about it constantly wouldn't help either so his aim was to just relax. It seemed the universe had other plans as a voice called out to him.
"Tennyson!"
"I didn't do it!" Ben yelled reflexively in recognition of the voice. He glanced in the direction of the voice to confirm it was, in fact, Mr. Baumann, one of the neighbors.
He was surprised to see that Baumann wasn't looking at him with his usual scowl of barely contained rage. Even odder, he was beckoning Ben to come over. Ben cautiously crossed the street, wary of some kind of trap because if Mr. Baumann wasn't angry at Ben, then there was something wrong with the universe.
It wasn't that Ben had anything against the grey and balding shopkeeper, but the older man had long ago decided that everything bad in his life was somehow Ben's fault, and so the two had developed a mutual disdain for each other. There was none of that now as Mr. Baumann continued to regard Ben placidly while he watered his lawn.
"What's up Mr. Baumann?" Ben asked, hoping that maybe a summer without seeing each other might have cooled any animosity between them.
"I just wanted to see how you were doing. I heard about that awful accident you had. You seem to be recovering just fine."
Ben's free hand unconsciously travelled to his side where the scar from his stab wound was still tender and red.
"How'd you hear about that?"
"Who do you think your parents asked to look after Rex when they flew out to see you?" Mr. Baumann asked as he reached down to scratch the dog's ear.
"Oh, well thanks for that, Mr. Baumann," Ben said, unsure if he preferred the old cranky Baumann to this more friendly attitude.
"Actually, now that I've gotten a closer look, you seem tired my boy. Are you sure you're ok?"
Ben hesitated, suddenly torn between making up an excuse and telling Mr. Baumann, of all people, some part of the truth.
"I've been having trouble sleeping," the words came out of his mouth almost without him realizing it. "I keep having nightmares about-about-"
"About how you got hurt?" Mr. Baumann finished for him as he looked at Ben knowingly.
Ben nodded as his head started to drop, even without telling the whole truth, shame still roiled his gut.
"Nothing to be ashamed of about that. Especially considering how badly you were hurt."
Reassurance was the last thing Ben expected from Mr. Baumann, his grip tightened on Rex's leash as the surrealistic quality of it all left him feeling dizzy. Mr. Baumann must have seen Ben's moment of disbelief because he chuckled softly.
"I wasn't always a shopkeeper, my boy. I served my country just like your grandfather did, and I know a thing or two about dealing with hurt."
Even though they weren't exactly talking about the same thing Ben felt emboldened to keep going, his fear overridden by curiosity and a desire for a solution.
"Does the hurt ever stop? Not the physical pain, but the other kind? And what about all the blame I feel?"
Mr. Baumann's face wrinkled in concern. He clearly hadn't expected Ben to be so honest about his trauma but he wasn't deterred.
"Plenty of people blame themselves for things that they couldn't possibly be responsible for. It makes them feel in control even as it makes them worse off. As for the pain, well in my experience it rarely, if ever, goes away. But with time and maybe some help, it doesn't weigh on you like it did and you find you can get on with your life. You're not as scared of it happening again, though I imagine it should be pretty easy to avoid spelunking."
For a moment Ben forgot to smile along with Mr. Baumann as his words resonated with him. He slowly met the old man's eyes, Mr. Baumann showing just the barest hint of worry for Ben's wellbeing, and forced a smile and laugh.
"Yeah, uh, guess your right Mr. Baumann. Uhm, thanks for talking with me. I didn't realize how much I needed to and it really helped."
"You're welcome, and Ben? If you're ever having more trouble, you shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. There's no shame in it."
"I'll try to remember that Mr. Baumann. Thanks again."
Before Ben could turn to leave something caught Rex's attention and the large German Shepard lunged suddenly. Unprepared as he was, Ben was easily pulled off his feet, but even worse was the fact that Rex's leash had become looped around Mr. Baumann's legs. The two went down in fortunately separate heaps, and as Ben struggled to his feet while also contending with Rex, he discovered what had excited his dog.
While he and Mr. Baumann had been talking, his mother and Charmcaster had returned from their shopping trip. His mother looked on with amusement as she held several shopping bags while Charmcaster hurried across the street towards Ben.
She greeted the overly excited Rex first to calm him down before giving Ben a chaste kiss on the cheek once he made it fully to his feet, though with his mother watching even that may have been too much. For the first time in days, he felt at ease with her at his side, and it must have shown from the inquisitive look she was giving him. A sputtering cough made him realize what she was really curious about, and he spun in place to find Mr. Baumann wet and miserable. He had fallen on his hose and been thoroughly drenched as a result.
Ben sheepishly smiled as he gestured to Charmcaster, "Have you met my girlfriend, Hope?"
Mr. Baumann's displeasure was undercut by his surprise as he regarded Charmcaster with a cautious air.
"Nice to meet you, young lady, though for all our sakes let's hope this was an isolated incident."
"I'm sure it was Mr. Baumann. Anyway, I've got to finish walking Rex. See you around and thanks again," Ben said hurriedly as he grabbed Charmcaster's hand and pulled her along before anything else could happen.
"What was that all about?" Charmcaster asked as Ben continued his brisk pace.
"I'll tell you about it later but there's something else I need to talk with you about first..." Ben trailed off as he realized there was someone else who deserved to be part of this conversation. "You and Gwen both."
Charmcaster's smile was oddly impervious to Ben's foreboding tone.
"In that case, I've got a surprise for you," she said as she suddenly took the lead.
Ben was speechless as he followed. He had been dreading the idea of having this talk with anyone and had imagined it going a thousand horrible ways but this was definitely unexpected. Talking with Mr. Baumann had finally shown him he needed to tell those closest to him but Charmcaster's behavior was starting to make him lose his nerve.
He was so lost in thought trying to figure out what was happening that Rex nearly yanked him off his feet again. Only Charmcaster's hold on him kept from taking another tumble, and as he regained his footing, he finally understood why she was being so peculiar.
They were looking at a moving truck in front of a house several blocks over from Ben's home. Ben immediately recognized everyone carting boxes from the truck, but one person in particular held his attention.
Gwen turned at the sound of Rex's excited whining and smiled widely before setting down the box she'd been carrying and running over to them.
Ben had been expecting a warm welcome, but he couldn't hide his surprise when she threw her arms around him and Charmcaster. He nervously glanced around for her brother or parents, afraid this display of affection might raise suspicions since he and Gwen were rather famous for their antagonistic relationship.
"Well would you look at that. Guess Grandpa wasn't messing with us."
Gwen let go of them as they all turned to see her older brother, Ken Tennyson, approaching with a box in hand. Gwen fixed the Hawaiian shirt wearing teen with a withering glare.
"I showed you magic to prove he was telling the truth!" she said with a stamp of her foot.
"Yeah, and it's still easier to believe aliens are real and magic exists than it is that you two are suddenly best buds," Ken said, clearly delighting in teasing his little sister.
Gwen scoffed at her brother before he was called away by their father. She gave Ken once last dismissive sniff before looking back to Ben and Charmcaster.
"You're looking better Ben," Gwen said though there was the hint of an unspoken question in the way her eyes quickly shifted between him and Charmcaster.
How did girls do manage to communicate like that with just their eyes? It made Ben wonder if maybe his trauma and how it had been affecting him had been more obvious than he thought.
"I'm feeling better actually," he said. "But the thing I want to know is what is going on here?"
Gwen sighed as she looked back at her family, "Apparently Dad got offered a job here at the start of summer and they wanted to surprise me by having everything moved in when we got back. But since the trip got cut short, now I have to help move."
"Sorry," Ben said, flushing fretfully.
"Hey, you don't have to apologize, but if you want, I'd appreciate some help getting my room set up."
"Sure," Ben said after receiving a nod of agreement from Charmcaster. They let Rex loose in Gwen's new fenced-in backyard to happily explore while they set about getting Gwen's things from the truck.
Ben was not really looking forward to more labor, he was still pretty wiped from the yard work his dad had made him do, but finding out Gwen would actually be around made it more tolerable. Resignation gave way to surprise when the box he held suddenly floated up into the air. Turning to Gwen showed her looking equally caught off-guard and they both spun towards Charmcaster as more boxes joined the first in the air.
"What?" she asked as her eyes glowed purple. "This way is much faster."
"Just because my family knows that magic exists doesn't mean the rest of the neighborhood won't freak out," Gwen said, a hint of exasperation in her voice at having to explain.
The boxes slowly lowered until they rested on top of each other in a pile seemingly balanced on Charmcaster's hand.
"Fine. They can gawk at me all they want. We shouldn't waste time though. Ben needs to talk to both of us."
Gwen spun to face Ben as Charmcaster sauntered down the moving truck ramp with her tower of boxes. Ben flinched in frustration and before Gwen could start in with questions, he grabbed a random box and hurried after Charmcaster.
"What was that about?" he asked quietly once he caught up to her.
"Nothing. Just like you had nothing to tell me back at the hospital, only now you do."
Ben stopped momentarily, not because of the edge of anger in Charmcaster's voice but because he thought there was also a hint of fear. As he caught up with her, he decided to try and change the subject.
"How did you know Gwen had moved here?"
At first it seemed like Charmcaster wasn't going to let go of the fight she clearly wanted to have, but she finally stopped bristling with a sigh.
“Your mother and I ran into her and your aunt while we were shopping. We drove by here on the way back. I'm pretty sure your mom is going to have them over for dinner tonight."
"That sounds like something she would do. That would actually be helpful, they wouldn't notice if we slipped away after dinner to talk."
"Wait, first you need to talk to us but now it can wait until after a dinner that might not happen?" Gwen asked as she passed the both of them, directing them towards the room that she had claimed.
Before either Ben or Charmcaster could say anything, Gwen's mother's voice rang throughout the house, "Good news kids, Aunt Sandra has invited us over for dinner to welcome us to the neighborhood."
The stormy glare Gwen gave the both of them, daring them to say anything, caused Ben and Charmcaster to laugh. With their laughter came the cutting of tension that had been building and for the first time in days they were able to relax into each other, sinking down to the floor of her room as they continued to chuckle together. Gwen tried not to look jealous as their hands intertwined but the twinge was still very much felt.
"In that case, maybe you two should head back to help Aunt Sandra with dinner."
"Are you sure? That woman is a force in the kitchen. We'd probably just be in her way," Charmcaster said, turning her focus to Gwen as the other girl suddenly seemed withdrawn. The last thing she wanted was another mopey lover.
"Yeah, besides most of my stuff is here now so it's just a matter of unpacking. Plus, I'll have to get cleaned up before dinner."
"Ok, then we'll see you at dinner," Ben said as he got to his feet. He cast a glance back at the open door and the hallway beyond before pulling her into a tight hug and whispering, "I'm so glad you're going to be around."
It was a small thing but it was exactly what Gwen needed at that moment. She smiled and hugged Ben back just as tightly before turning to embrace Charmcaster. She walked them to the front door and watched the two of them and Rex walk out of sight around the corner before returning to unpacking.

***

Unbeknownst to any of them, the trio's reunion had been observed and now the observers followed Ben and Charmcaster as they made their way home.
"I don't understand. I don't remember any of this, so what are we looking at?" a woman said to two other figures as they floated along on a platform that was just as invisible and undetectable as they were.
"That is the question, my dear. I gathered you both as soon as I felt this schism in the timeline," said the taller of the other two.
"At least we know the likely source," the third figure said gruffly as he focused on Ben and Charmcaster's clasped hands.
"A good guess,” the taller figure mused. “But there is more at work than the young sorceress down there. I initially mistook this for another reality, an off-shoot, if you will. But upon further inspection, this is your past, and I can’t determine how this divergence has taken place.”
The second man grunted in surprise, “It’s not every day that you don’t have all the answers, or pretend to at least.”
“Indeed,” the taller figure said solemnly. “A fact that should concern us all. A timeline in such a state of flux is capable of collapsing in on itself, causing a temporal cascade that would consume everything, everywhere.”
“How do we fix this then?” the woman asked before the second man could come up with a sharp retort.
“Another confounding problem,” the tall figure said. “Neither of you can leave this time sphere. The instability would seize you both and turn you into future versions of your altered selves.”
The other two rounded on the taller figure but he kept talking despite their incredulous looks.
“Though perhaps we can use that instability to our advantage. Both of you, place your hands on the sphere.”
The other two did as they were instructed and almost instantly sparks flew from their hands and they yanked their hands back as if burned.
“Are you both all right?” the tall figure asked.
“I think so,” the woman said, pushing back the blue hood she wore as she raised a hand to her head.
“What was that?” the second man growled as he examined the devices he wore on his forearms, checking for any potential damage.
“A momentary temporal-telepathic alignment with your divergent younger selves,” the taller figure explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Did you see anything?”
Silence filled the sphere as the two exchanged glances before turning their attention to the taller figure.
“There was an Egyptian artifact exhibit in Louisiana, a month ago from this point. I think that’s where things diverged,” the woman said slowly, as if recalling details from a dream.
“Very well, let us be on our way then,” the tall figure said as he began to reach for the other two.
"No." The second man’s voice was hoarse and he coughed to clear his throat. "You should go alone. If we can’t leave this sphere, then we’re of no help to you. We'll stay here and continue to monitor for anything strange. If we find anything, I'll send you a chrono-pulse as Clockwork X."
"Hmm, yes that does seem more prudent given the circumstances. While I am at it, I shall endeavor to make it so you two can leave the sphere. Perhaps a pair of chrono-stabilizers... "
The tall figure's voice faded as he shifted through time, leaving the other two alone in the sphere. The woman hugged herself as she returned to watching Ben and Charmcaster.
“I take it you saw the same things I saw, Ben?” she said suddenly after watching them in silence for some time.
Heat rushed to Ben 10,000’s face and he purposely looked away.
“It feels like I'm going crazy, Gwen. Sorry, Gwendolyn.” The flush of Ben's cheeks intensified at his misstep.
Gwendolyn felt her own face flair with heat at that. He hadn't called her 'Gwen' in years, no one had. But that wasn't the reason for her blush. Thoughts and feelings that weren't her own, emotions from a life she hadn't lived, ran riot in her head. It had been all she could do to remain calm in front of Professor Paradox.
Gwendolyn glanced at Ben and caught him running his hand through his scruffy crew cut. It was strange, but in that one little motion he suddenly looked more nervous and flustered than she had seen him in twenty years, and that included his wedding day. Even stranger was the sudden compulsion to hold him, comfort him, kiss hi-
“Gah, what are these kids thinking?!” Gwendolyn cried out to cut off that thought. She began to pace, which quickly proved frustrating because of the sphere's limited space. She could feel the beginnings of a tension migraine forming as her jaw clenched tightly. Ben's hand on her shoulder made her jump uncharacteristically, a flush of embarrassment colored her cheeks as she looked to him. That simple eye contact made both their faces redden further and Ben's hand leapt away.
“I, uh, I don't know,” Ben said, at a loss for words given their predicament before he gave himself a shake and his features hardened. “But I do know I'm not going to sit around in this bubble when I could be doing something.”
“Ben, you heard Paradox,” Gwendolyn protested. “If we leave the protection of the sphere, we become future versions of those kids down there. No offense, but I'm not in the market for a new boyfriend, or girlfriend for that matter.” The last part was said to herself, quietly and full of incredulity. Before just a few minutes ago, Gwendolyn couldn't have conceived of a world where she and one of her greatest enemies were lovers, much less also in a polygamous relationship with Ben.
“We are two of the most powerful people on this planet, hell, in this galaxy. There has to be something we can do besides watching. What about that time travel spell you used once? Can you modify it in any way to help us?”
Gwendolyn nibbled on her lip nervously before remembering she had curtailed that particular habit years ago. She clenched her fists and took a deep, calming breath.
“Let’s say I did and we could safely interact with this timeline, what do you plan to do?”
Ben's face was stony determination as he looked down at young Ben and Charmcaster arriving back home.
“I don't care what Paradox says,” he said. “The answer to all of this has to do with her.”


Notes:
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A Charmed Life