A/N: Okay…when I first began writing this thing (like a year ago) Ben 10 Alien Force was still in DNAlien stage, so my original storyline included issues involving that club. In other words (so I don't have to change my last few chapters-because I'm not) we are all just going to pretend that we are still in the first two seasons and that DNAliens are still an issue. Everybody got it? Good, let's continue-

Disclaimer: If I owned Ben 10 there'd be a lot of things on there that you can't show on cartoons. My version would probably be worse than a soap opera.

Chapter 9

I didn't sleep at all that night. My mind kept…trying to think of a way to work things out, to make it all better. It wasn't until the early hours of the next morning that I actually gave up hope. I finally realized that Kevin and I could not be together…and there was nothing at all that I could do about it.

Sure I could pitch a fit, sure I could run away…but what good would it do? If I ran I would be caught, and if I resisted Kevin would suffer. I was underage, and I was stuck. It was as simple as that….

Because I wasn't eighteen my opinion didn't matter. Even if I was right and everyone else was wrong, in the world's eyes I was still a child…a child who didn't know any better and who was better off consulting to their judgment.

It was most likely then that I lost my innocence, because despite the battles and wars I had seen, the good still always triumphed over evil. It wasn't until then that I had seen how unfair the world could truly be.

My alarm clock went off at five a.m., unaware of how much I was dreading the day. I got up and dressed lethargically, went along to my morning routine with little an effort. I didn't eat breakfast; I didn't speak to my parents. I walked to school in tears.

…

When I got to the building, I didn't expect it to happen.

Well, to be honest…I wasn't exactly sure of anything that was going to happen. I planned to keep my head low, just go on to class, but then I saw her. I saw her giving me this sick, triumphant smile….

And I lost it.

My muscles clenched in sync with my fists, and I could feel the mana around me at an intensity I had never known before. My eyes began to glow without my consent…and before I knew it, Stephanie Clements was pinned against a nearby wall.

I could hardly hear the shrieks of people around me, could hardly see the students retreat. My concentration was fixed intently on the cold blue eyes in front of me, eyes that if they could themselves would scream. Stephanie was terrified beyond her wits, and I was glad-no-I was ecstatic. In fact…I knew that I would feel even more ecstatic if the mana gripped around her neck was just a little tighter….

"Gwen, what the Hell are you doing!?"

That voice? I turned… releasing Clements from my grip as I saw Kevin's concerned face. The shaking girl now fell no the floor, scared to do anything else but stare at us.

"W-what are you doing here?" I asked, unable to move, barely able to speak.

He hesitated for a moment and then looked at Stephanie. "Get out of here," he said, watching her closely as she ran down the now nearly vacant hallway.

"What are you doing here, Kevin?" I asked again, this time with a slightly more sturdy voice.

"Why do you think I'm here, Gwen?" he replied, looking at me with a face that could almost be disgust. "I drove by the school, and people were running around like crazy. Some were screaming 'monster'; some were screaming 'aliens'. As a plumber it's my duty to help, but…," He looked at me a moment more, "I didn't' expect this."

I didn't know what to say. Reality was starting to set in, and I didn't like it. The longer Kevin looked at me the more I came aware of what I was capable of doing…of what I was about to do.

"Oh my God," I breathed out, collapsing to the floor. "I…I was about to-"

"What happened Gwen," he asked me, kneeling down at my side. "I…I've never seen you-"

"She just looked at me, Kevin. She just looked at me, and I snapped." I stood up, entire body shaking. "Everyone's right, I am a monster!"

"You are not a monster, Gwen-"

"Yes I am! Kevin, I was going to kill her."

He looked at me a moment, as if unsure of what to say, but when he spoke…the words were chosen well. "Gwen if you're a monster so am I."

"…Kevin-"

"No, Gwen. If you're a monster so am I. Now I've done plenty worse things than you, and you still insist I have a heart of gold. Now tell me: am I a monster?"

"No, but-"

"No buts, Gwen, and I don't want to hear another word on the subject."

"You just don't-"but my words I couldn't finished, for a crash of enormous size echoed around us. Kevin and I both looked around, eyes settling on a tall, white figure that had just emerged from a collapsed wall.

"Gwendolyn Tennyson," spoke the highbreed, "you're carelessness has exposed us all, and now the consequences shall be severe."

A/N:…you know….when I started I didn't exactly plan on Gwen to go crazy. It just happened like that…but it gave an excuse for the highbreed to barge in. Please read and review