Aaaaand we're done! It feels so weird having spent AGES working on it and then getting it posted so quickly :P I hope you've all enjoyed the ride and I would like to thank you all for your support :3

Disclaimer: Don't own Ben 10 or the Wizard of Oz

...

...

Nethersian was gone. All that remained of him was a pile of ash-like flakes that had once been his body and his tattered cloak, which now covered the small form of Ben Tennyson.

Gwen caught her breath slowly – that spell had taken quite a bit out of her already depleted reserves. When she was sure she could move without falling back down again, she slowly shifted until her hands were beneath her and pushed herself upright before crawling over to where Ben sat.

"Ben?" she asked gently, pulling the cloak off of him. Her breath hitched at the blood stain across his chest but forced herself to focus on the fact that he was still alive and breathing, even despite how pale he was. "Are you okay?"

The answer was an obvious 'no', but she needed to hear him speak, to reassure herself that there was still something there to be saved. She'd come so close to losing him again that she was shaking.

"I… I'm okay," he managed, all half-lidded eyes and blank faced, like he was reliving a nightmare or about to fall into one. She hadn't gotten a good look of the face behind the shadows but from the way he'd reacted it couldn't have been anything good.

"You're going to be fine," she reassured him. There were sirens blaring in the distance – someone had probably thought to call the police. That was good. They would be able to get him help. "Just try not to move for now, okay?"

He nodded numbly. "Thank you," he whispered.

"You're welcome."

"Very nicely done, Gwendolyn."

Gwen turned at the familiar, but unexpected voice. Professor Paradox stood beside her, surveying the scene. Nearby, Kevin and Syvux staggered to their feet and slowly made their way over.

"Paradox," she blinked.

"I thought you said the time-stream was too messed up or something for you to come here," Kevin remarked.

"It was then. This moment, however, requires my presence," Paradox explained.

"You sure that was an evil alien emperor and not the wicked witch of the west?" Kevin asked, looking down at the remains of the enemy that had caused them so much trouble.

"Very funny," Gwen deadpanned. Her eyes widened in realisation. "The other Nethersian–"

"Is no more," Paradox interrupted. "He and this Nethersian were of the same timeline, but one from the distant future. So when this one was destroyed, the other faded out of existence."

They were all silent as they took it all in.

"So… it's over?" Ben murmured.

"Yes, young Ben," Paradox said, leaning down so they were level and placing a light hand on his shoulder. "Now how about we get you fixed up and sent home?"

"Wait," Gwen knelt down next to him. "I want to say goodbye."

Paradox nodded. "As you wish."

"It was nice to see you again," Gwen told the hazy boy. "Even if I don't miss your attitude."

"You're a lot cooler than the dweeb," Ben half-grinned at her. "Thanks for… for coming to save me."

"Anytime."

"And don't forget, Tennyson," Kevin added, "if you get into trouble again we'll just keep coming back until you get it right."

"And you're a lot less homicidal than Kevin 11," Ben told him. "But that doesn't mean I like you!" he hastily added.

"Yeah, I don't like you either."

They were both smiling, though.

"At first I did not fully understand what it was that my other self saw in you that made m- him hold you in such high regard," Syvux said after a moment's pause. "But I think I'm beginning to see it now. It was good to have met you, Ben Tennyson."

"Yeah, ditto."

"Well, if you're all done, I think it's time to go," Paradox broke in. And in a flash of light they were gone.

"That deals with one problem," Paradox's voice called from where he stepped out from behind the display Ben had been leaning against. "Ben will wake up in the morning thinking it was all a ba dream. I took the liberty of putting the Omnitrix in the shoebox in his cupboard." He winked at Gwen knowingly. It was only then that she realised the piece of alien tech wasn't amongst the remains.

"You're really freaky, you know that?" Kevin told him. Paradox ignored him.

"I have already located and sent the Albedo you summoned home, and now I believe it is time to do the same for the rest of you. Kevin and Syvux will have to come with me, but Gwen, all you have to do is take off that bracelet."

"Take care, you two," Gwen smiled at the two companions that were both similar and yet still very different to the ones waiting for her back home. "And thank you for everything. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Yeah, well, it was more fun than dealing with whiny contacts," Kevin shrugged nonchalantly.

"Don't stir up too much trouble, Kev."

"No promises."

"And Syvux, I hope you manage to find your way home again. If your timeline is anything like mine, there are still people waiting for you."

Syvux nodded. "I hope you are right."

"All set then?" Paradox checked his watch.

"Yep, all ready to go," Kevin replied, taking one last look around.

"Very well then. This shan't take a moment," with one hand on Kevin's shoulder and the other on Syvux's, Paradox warped them away.

"My turn," Gwen murmured, feeling sad despite herself. It wasn't like she wasn't going to see them again; they were all waiting for her, Ben included. Even if they were different ones, they were still the same.

Preparing herself, she slipped off the bracelet and let the strands of time do their work.

If she were to describe the feeling of suddenly being pulled through time in one word it would be disorientating. But that sensation was quickly shoved to the back of her mind as she found herself clinging to the wide-eyed form of her sixteen year old cousin.

"Ben!" she cried, tears in her eyes as she wrapped him in a deep embrace. "You're okay!"

"Um, I think so?" Ben replied, sounding very confused.

"Someone want to explain to me what just happened?" Kevin asked, moving over to them as he dusted himself off.

Gwen released her cousin and hugged him, too. "I'm so glad to see you," she whispered.

"Why? Where did I go?"

Gwen just smiled cryptically.

"Where did Nethersian go?" Syvux gazed around suspiciously.

"He's gone and dealt with," Gwen said with relief.

The three boys watched her with raised eyebrows.

"Am I the only one who feels like they're missing something?" Ben asked.

"It's a long story."

"Okaaaay… you can tell it over breakfast," he turned and started limping away from the rubble around them like it didn't even exist. "I still want that smoothie!"

Gwen shook her head fondly and raced to catch up.

"Um, hello, my car is still wrecked!" Kevin gestured at the sad remains of the Challenger.

"And are we just going to ignore all this damage?" Syvux added.

"It's what we usually do," Ben told him over his shoulder, gesturing for the two of them to hurry up. "And Kevin, your car's been wrecked so many times now I bet you could put it back together blindfolded."

Kevin just scowled at him.

Gwen savoured the moment; relieved beyond belief that everything had gone back to normal. Well, normal for them, anyway. But she still had something to do.

"Hey, Kevin? Where can I get a spaceship?"

...

...

Gwen knocked on the door to the rebel base, Paradox by her side. At first she'd been surprised that the timeline her world had turned into still existed, but Paradox, upon his return, had reassured her that there were an endless amount of different timelines and dimensions and that they wouldn't cease to exist altogether. It took a while, but eventually the door swung open to reveal Grandpa Max, a large blaster in hand as if he'd been expecting a more hostile visitor.

"Gwen?" he frowned in confusion.

"Yeah, it's me," Gwen smiled. "Well, the other me."

Max stepped aside, gesturing for the two of them to come in. "What are you doing here? Did something go wrong again? And who's your friend?"

"I would be the transportation," Paradox said good naturedly. "It's a lot harder to use mana and natural energy to transport technology across dimensions and time-streams, after all."

"His name is Paradox," Gwen explained. "And no, everything's fine. I just have a promise to keep."

"Oh?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me where to find Kevin."

"He's here, actually," Max said, leading them through the twisting hallways. "When he and your plus one got back they were somewhat inspired and started a plan to take down the emperor. Everyone here and the base were more than willing to hear them out and we figured it was worth a shot."

He entered a short code into the panel by a metal sliding door, unlocking it. As soon as it opened everyone inside paused what they were doing and looked up.

She would never get used to looking at herself, Gwen decided as she locked eyes with the her from this timeline. This Gwen was a little different from her – shorter hair and wearing more suitable clothing for the sneaking around and rebel-things that she no doubt took part in.

"Um, hi," other-her greeted.

"Hey," she smiled back.

"Don't tell me he messed up again," Kevin groaned, and Gwen looked over at him. He was standing behind the large table in the centre of the room, going over some kind of map or diagram.

"Actually, I came back to give you this," she pulled a pair of keys out of her pocket and threw them to him.

Kevin caught them easily and stared at them in confusion. "Keys?"

"To your spaceship."

His head shot up.

"A promise is a promise," she shrugged.

He looked like he wanted to spin around and do a dance, but instead contained himself and raced out of the room towards the entrance, calling, "Where is it?!"

"This way," Gwen directed, leading him and all the curious rebels out of the base. "So you're going to take out the emperor?" she asked as they walked.

"Well, the two we beat up weren't the one from here, and now we know what his weakness is, we figured why not? It's not like living this way is fun for any of us, right? It would probably be easier if we had our own Ben, but not much we can do about that, right?"

"I'm really the wrong person to talk to," Gwen sighed, glancing back at Paradox who was conversing with the other her. "Time travel is confusing," she grimaced.

"I'll say."