I do not own Ben 10 Alien Force or any of the characters.

Monkeying Around

Ben sighed as the Omnitrix reported itself out of power. They were close. Only a handful more. He focused, tiny blue spheres of energy forming in the air around the Omnitrix, seeping into it for several moments before the Omnitrix beeped and turned green. Ben smiled, wiping a little sweat from his forehead before continuing, curing the last of the Null Guardians, having started with the normal DNAliens. Just as he cured the last one, the Omnitrix once again ran out of power. He sighed, destroying the last Xenocyte and turned to Gwen, who smiled proudly and nodded.

"This thing's too high-maintenance," Ben said.

"You did excellently," Gwen smiled, hugging him.

"Gwen's right Ben," Max smiled, setting his hand on Ben's shoulder once Gwen had released him. "Come on in. Let me make you dinner before you go."

"Uh, that's alright Grandpa, we really better get back," Ben said.

"Yeah, who knows what kind of trouble Kevin and that other me are getting into," Gwen added.

"Kids, it's going to be a while before we can see each other again," Max said, his tone hinting that he wasn't really giving them a choice. "Let me make you two dinner."

They glanced at each other before nodding and following him to his room. He motioned for Ben to close the curtain behind them and Ben did before Max set a cube in the center of the room, the cube opening into the corners, revealing a sphere in the center, which instantly projected a barrier over each wall and the curtain.

"This sphere's completely soundproof from inside out," Max said, "though we can still hear what's going on outside. So, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

Ben and Gwen stared at him. Both were confused and afraid. He couldn't really have figured it out, right? Or, maybe he had. They weren't very good at hiding it, apparently.

"What...are you talking about, Grandpa?" Gwen asked, doing an admirable job at not sounding as nervous and down-right terrified as she really was.

"No?" Max asked. "Ben?"

Ben simply shook his head, not trusting his voice. Max sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. After several seconds, he inhaled deeply.

"Alright," Max sighed. "I'll start. The other Gwen told me everything."

Ben and Gwen both paled instantly.

"She did!?" Ben gaped.

"Why!?" Gwen asked.

"Because I'm your grandfather and I have the right to know what my grandchildren do!" Max snapped, then sighed. "Look...I'm not angry with you. Honestly...I think I understand."

"You...do?" Ben asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yes," Max nodded. "It's...It's never pretty the first time you take a life. I understand how you feel, Gwen."

Ben and Gwen both relaxed visibly, both of them sighing in relief.

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you need to talk," Max said. "Just one inter-dimensional portal away."

Gwen smiled. "Thanks Grandpa. But, I think I'm okay this time. Honestly, my guilt was washed away at relief that I was able to save Ben and the other Gwen from that Highbreed."

Max nodded, face remaining serious. "That's good, but that won't always be the case. At least, it shouldn't be. A good cause doesn't always justify killing."

"I know, Grandpa," Gwen said. "You taught us well. I understand."

Max nodded, smiling. "Alright. You two better get going before the other two get into trouble."

Both nodded and Gwen opened a portal for them, both walking through as Max turned off his barrier projector. Once both were through, Gwen let the barrier close and they collapsed onto Ben's bed, Ben on his back and Gwen face down, Gwen groaning loudly into the mattress.

"That was way too close," Ben said.

"I could have sworn he figured out about us for a second there," Gwen said, rolling onto her side, her head landing on his shoulder, his arm slipping under her and holding her close.

"So did I," Ben said. "I love you, but I'm not ready to make it Facebook official yet."

Gwen snorted, jabbing him in the ribs. Both laughed for a few minutes before beginning to simply lay there, enjoying each other's presence. Ben's fingers began to drift up and down her upper arm and Gwen smiled, closing her eyes and allowing herself to slowly loose herself to the sensation. Ben watched as Gwen slowly began to drift off to sleep. She was so beautiful. In every way. He reached down, placing a feather-light kiss on her forehead and she scrunched her face up adorably.

"I was almost asleep," Gwen complained.

Ben chuckled. "Sorry. I couldn't help myself."

Gwen looked up at him, smiling, then reached up, kissing him. He sighed, kissing her back, and rested his hands on the small of her back. However, just as her tongue trailed across his lower lip, the door began to open and Gwen launched herself away from him, snatching up her book and opening it.

"Oh, you're back!" Sandra smiled.

"Yeah," Gwen smiled. "We just got back a few minutes ago, so we decided to rest for a few minutes."

"Alright, well, dinner's almost ready if you're hungry," Sandra said.

"Yes please," Gwen smiled.

"Sure," Ben agreed.

"Alright," Sandra smiled. "Go get washed up and head down to the table."

Both of them nodded and Sandra left, closing the door behind her. Ben and Gwen both sighed heavily.

"That was too close," Ben groaned.

"No kidding," Gwen sighed. "Come on. Let's go get some food that wasn't made by Grandpa."

Ben nodded and they both washed their hands and headed to the table to eat.

Ben ducked behind a tree as DNAliens poured out of the overturned prisoner transport. Globs of goo splattered all around him as they fired at him and Gwen.

"I told Kevin this was a trap!" Ben called to Gwen.

"Well with any luck, their job wasn't," Gwen called back. "You ready?"

"Oh yeah!" Ben grinned, turning the dial on his omnitrix before slapping it back down, transforming into Spider Monkey. "Let's finish this quickly. I'd like to get home in time to have some time with you before Sandra and my dad get home."

Gwen smiled and nodded before both took off, blasting the DNAliens with their Anodite powers as Ben also shot bursts of webbing out of his tail. Suddenly, a buss screeched to a halt on the road with them just in time for aliens to flood out of it. Ben swore as these ones began to fire at him with their laser guns, filling the air he was swinging through with lasers. He turned, using webbing to swing into the forest, half of the DNAliens followed. As he swung, he heard Gwen shout in pain. He narrowed his eyes.

"That's it!" he growled. "Now I'm mad."

He swung up around a branch, a laser blasting it before he shot back toward the DNAliens, launching a barrage of energy blasts into them and knocking them all out before swinging back toward the road as fast as he could. However, just as he swung out of the trees, he found Gwen watching a second Spider Monkey carefully, a couple dozen DNAliens fleeing in the bus, the group Ben had fought fleeing out of the trees and leaping onto it as it passed, one running after it.

"Gwen!" Ben called out, landing beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Gwen said. "This guy took out all of them before they could do anything."

Ben tapped the omnitrix symbol on his chest and deactivated the omnitrix. "Thank you for helping her."

"Oh my God!" the alien said. "You're the famous Ben Tennyson! I never thought I'd meet you!"

"Uh, yeah," Ben said. "Maybe you could help us stop those DNAliens."

"DNAliens?" the monkey asked.

"Those things that attacked us," Ben said. "You've never heard of-"

"No, and I'm sorry, I can't do anything more for you," the monkey said. "I've got something important I have to do."

"What's that?" Gwen asked.

"Oh, no, it's alright," the monkey said. "I'd appreciate it if you could just tell me where there's a cryogenics lab around here."

"A what?" Ben asked.

"It's not important," the monkey said. "I'll find it myself. Glad I could help you at least." He passed Ben, scurrying up a tree to a branch and turning back to them. "With any luck, my own mission will go as well!"

Then, he turned and left. Ben frowned as Gwen walked over to him, slipping her hand into his.

"You okay?" Gwen asked.

"I should be asking you that," Ben said. "It sounded like you got hurt."

"Just a kick to the back," Gwen said. "Thanks to him."

Ben nodded. "Come on. Let's get home while the house is still empty."

Gwen smiled and nodded, quickly teleporting them both home. Once they were back, Ben opened the door to his room, listening.

"Dad, Sandra, we're home!" Ben called out.

After a few seconds of silence, he grinned, closing and locking the door before turning to the bed, where Gwen was waiting for him. He walked over to her, kissing her before slipping his shoes off and climbing onto the bed, Gwen instantly straddling his hips and kissing him again, more hungrily this time. He let out a low chuckle as he felt how worked up she was, and slid his hands down to cup her firm rear. Gwen moaned as his hands squeezed and kneaded her, making her hips rock against him. After a few minutes, she pulled back from the kiss, pulling her sweatshirt up over her head before Ben sat up and recaptured her lips, hands leaving her ass to quickly undo the buttons of her blouse.

Ben dropped off the Spider Monkey that had saved them before, having just used Goop saved the monkey from being shot by a cryogenics lab's security while the monkey was stealing something, then stopping him from killing one of the security guards. Ben reformed beside the monkey and transformed back to normal, grabbing a few sticks from around them and set them up beside a cliff, lighting it on fire with his anodite powers. After a moment, Gwen joined them, having been waiting a little ways away in case they needed backup, but close enough that Ben wouldn't worry about her being taken by the Highbreed again.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" Ben sighed. "I owe you one, but you're just a common thief."

"How dare you!" the monkey said, two of his arms shoving Ben before he glared at him. After a moment, however, his glare faded to a look of shame. "I'm sorry. You're right. I am a thief, but not a common one. My name is Simian. Prince Simian."

"Prince?" Ben asked. "Now, wait a minute..."

"We call my planet, Arachna," Simian explained. "There's a legend we have about someone named Jefred. he was leading the Arachnichimps against an army of aliens. He was totally outnumbered. It looked hopeless, until he saw a light coming from a cave. Inside he found a crystal refracting light from enemy campfires. He saw that the cave was actually a tunnel leading to the enemy's rear flank. He led his troops through the tunnel on a sneak attack. They were able to drive off the aliens, and it never would have happened without that crystal. Jefred was crowned king of Arachna, and the crystal became the symbol of our monarchy. My father, the king, he died suddenly when I was finishing school, but just as I was about to be crowned, the crystal disappeared. The people thought it was a sign I didn't deserve to be king. A military dictator took over."

"What are you going to do?" Ben asked.

"Prove that I am worthy of the throne," Simian said. "I'm going to get that crystal back."

"Where is it?" Ben asked.

"Hidden in a fortress," Simian said. "That's why I need that equipment, to help me break in. And that's also why you can't interfere anymore. Understand?"

"Wait," Ben said. "You don't have to steal anything else. Let me help you."

"Are you sure?" Simian asked.

"Sure," Gwen said. "We'd be glad to help. But, I'm curious. If the crystal disappeared, how'd you know it was hidden in a fortress, much less where the fortress was?"

"As the rightful prince, I had the same connections that my father did, as well as some from when I was in school. One of my connections managed to point me in the right direction, and after a very long time of searching, I finally found it. However, I need equipment to get in. I came to this planet to get it from the plumbers. All of their best equipment, that is at a low enough security location to steal, is on Earth. However, even at minimal security, Plumber bases are...next to impossible to steal from alone. So instead, I decided to make do with Earth's less valuable equipment, since I'm already here."

Gwen nodded. "Fair enough. Where is it?"

"That's the other reason I came to this planet," Simian said. "The fortress is one your moon."

Ben stared at the moon, then at Simian. He nodded after a moment. "Alright. Give us about a day to prepare and we'll meet you back here."

Simian nodded, thanking them, then ran off. As he did, Ben and Gwen turned, beginning to fly home.

"I don't trust him," Gwen said.

"Yeah, I'm not sure I do either," Ben said. "I feel bad for him about his dad and losing his throne and all, but I don't know if I believe the symbol of his monarchy was stolen and taken to our moon, of all places."

"Exactly," Gwen said. "Are we really going to do this?"

"Yeah," Ben nodded. "If we're wrong, we help someone innocent. If we're right, we can stop him."

Gwen nodded and drifted over to him, wrapping her arms around him and smiling as they twirled slightly in the air. "Let's get a hotel room for a couple days after this. We can tell your dad and Sandra we're camping, or working or something. I want a couple days to ourselves."

Ben smiled, kissing her. "That sounds like a wonderful plan."

Gwen smiled and nodded, kissing him again, this time not pulling away until they were nearing his house.

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