"Hold them off Ben."
The brunet looked at his red haired cousin tiredly. He had been through so much lately. His cousin had died before his very eyes, his only friend had been turned into a mindless monster, and he had been frequently tortured in a very sadistic and sometimes even perverted way by a certain silver-haired witch.

He was tired, so tired of it all, he just wanted to sleep, to sleep and dream about how it used to be; just hanging out with Kevin, and kicking alien butt. Gwen was there and of course Grandpa Max and the plumber kids.

"I need time to cast a spell," she said. "And that will fix everything?" He asked.
Her eyes gave him all the answer he needed as tears began to form in his cousins green orbs.
"Do what you can. I trust you."
She took off, leaving her cousin to fend off the approaching wizard and witch.

'Bring it on.' The brunet eyes seemed to say as he slammed his hand down on the omnitrix. With a bright green flash, the slender teenage boy transformed into a large Petrosapien. "Diamondhead!" It shouted. And with a fierce battle cry he shot several fists worth of crystal at Hex. "You will pay for everything you have done!"

The enchanted Kevin E. Levin tried to grab him from behind and break his neck, but the teen gone alien threw him over his head and right into Charmcaster. The other rock monster pounded him in his face forcing him to take several steps back. The creature tried to take advantage of the moment to punch his face again, but Ben caught his fist with his hand.
The larger rock creature seemed to have to upper hand, but suddenly got a worried look on his face.
"I've seriously had it with you guys." The monster shattered into a thousand pieces as Ben grew crystal through its body.

"Aaaahhhhhhh!" He cried out as he was caught of guard by one of Hex's energy blasts. It hit him right in the chest, or on the omnitrix to be more exact. With a red flash he turned back to his human form and sank to his knees. "Just you wait. Big Chill would like to… NO!" As he looked down on his alien watch, he saw the green light going out.
Before he could react, the green glow had faded completely and the omnitrix fell of his wrist, no longer functional. He desperately tried to put it back on, to twist the dial and transform into an alien. Any alien would do right now. He just needed to buy Gwen a little more time.

"Humph. So much for the great 'Ben 10'" Hex sneered. "Charmcaster. Finish him off. I'm going after the girl." "Gladly." She grinned evilly. Hex flew off and Ben tried to stop him, but Charmcaster was not going to let him. She pulled him back with a mana leash and threw him on the floor. "Hehe. Where do you think you're going? It's not polite to just leave like that you know. Kevin dear, teach him so manners would you."

Kevin just growled as he turned his hands into blades. Charmcaster's spells hadn't affected his morphing powers. He charged at his friend, the only one who had really cared for him from the beginning, the only one who liked him instead of considering him a freak. Ben tried to fend him off to the best of his abilities with a metal pole, but in his current condition he wasn't really capable of fighting, let alone Kevin.
"Kevin!" He cried out to the brainwashed teen but to no avail.

It wasn't long before the pole was cut into tiny pieces and Ben lay sprawled out on a pile of rubble, panting heavily. Blood flowed out of numerous cuts covering his body. "Hahaha" Charmcaster cackled. "Had enough yet? You are just pathetic Tennison. You definitely aren't the hero you used to be. You know, I actually kinda liked you back then. Strong and brave, even if you're a bit small. But now? Now you're nothing. Finish him." Her last two words directed at the enslaved rock-covered raven.

The tall teen walked toward Ben menacingly, his muscular body clad in rock. Ben stood up and his eyes were almost empty, as if he didn't care anymore. He had lost this fight. Twice. He just needed to say one thing before it ended.
"Kevin wait. He walked toward the elder, who had surprisingly stopped. "Kevin, I don't know if you can still hear me in there, but if you can, I want you to know that I… that I love you," he said, gently wrapping his arms around the cold rock torso.

He finally said it. After all these years, he had finally confessed his love for the handsome raven. "I always have." He almost whispered as he stood on his toes, moving his arms up to Kevin's neck, reaching that little bit further. He kissed Kevin, but his lips were cold and he was wearing the same emotionless expression he'd had since that damned witch had put her spell on him. But Ben could have sworn that, though cold, his lips were still soft. Relishing in that feeling, he closed his eyes. If he could die with Kevin's lips against his, he would die happy.

Kevin remained unphased by Ben's actions. He raised one blade and struck Ben in his side. Ben's eyes opened, shocked by the sudden pain, but maintained their kiss. A small stream of blood came from the corner of his mouth.
The combination of blood loss, fatigue and days of torture became too much for him now. He struggled to keep standing and held on to Kevin's strong arms as his legs could no longer support him.

Surprisingly, Kevin held on to him and looked him straight in the eyes. A tear rolled from the pink glowing eyes that were once a deep dark brown. And at that moment, either because his life was flowing out of him or because of some god-given miracle, he could see and feel Kevin as he used to be. Kevin dropped to his knees to support Ben better. Ben used the last of his energy to gently touch Kevin's cheek and rub his tear away.

"Don't cry Kevin." He struggled to speak and sounded weak. He was dying, and every word spoken brought him closer to that sweet endless sleep he now longed for more than ever. "It's going to be alright. I will find you again someday. I promise… so don't cry for me." Kevin took the brunette's hand, which was still on his face, into his own and held it tight. So tight it hurt, but Ben didn't care. Kevin had heard him!

Kevin kept crying and struggled with the spell that bound him. "B-Be-Ben." He finally managed to speak. "You're right. We will find each other again someday. I'll wait for you. I've always waited for you." Kevin's eyes returned to their original dark brown, but the spell was not completely broken as the rock and pink runes remained on his body. He stared down into those intoxicating green orbs, already devoid of their usual shine. The looked dim, like dying candles, about to go out completely. God how he hated to see the young hero like this, how he hated himself for being the one that killed him.

No. He would have never done that. Not even five years ago when they were enemies. Even if he had gotten the change, something inside him would have stopped him from killing him. Back then he was just too young to understand exactly what it was that stopped him. It was Charmcasters fault, she made him do this. He would destroy her no matter what. But right now, there was something more important than revenge, and that was the weakening boy in his arms and their last moments together.

He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against the soft pink ones he longed for so badly. "We'll find each other, but for now… why don't you rest a bit. You look like hell Benji," he said jokingly, earning him a small chuckle from the young hero. "You're right. Sleep sounds so good right now. Goodbye Kevin." And with a smile, his eyes closed. He couldn't keep them open anymore and the warm and inviting darkness behind his eyelids called out to him stronger and stronger. He could see the light behind the shadows.
Everyone he had ever loved or cared for was there, waiting for him, smiling. His parents, Gwen, her parents, Grandpa Max and Verdona, his cousin Ken, Julie, Ship, and the plumber kids, even Azmuth, Reinie and Paradox were there. Even Kevin's parents were there for a reason Ben could not yet comprehend.

"Ben?" Kevin asked. But he knew it was already too late. His tears now flowed without restraint as he held on to the lifeless body tightly.
"Ugh. This is disgusting. I hate this romantic crap. And now that the spell doesn't work properly anymore, you're of no use to me either.
Tempest Inferno"
A ball of purple fire shot at the two, making Kevin cry out in pain, even with his rock skin. "Ha. Even your rock body will be reduced to ashes. My Hell Flame will keep burning until its target is completely disintegrated."

"Good to know." Kevin said as he broke a piece of his rocky skin and threw the burning sliver at the silver haired witch at full force. She was caught completely off guard as the piece struck her in the forehead. The wound was deep enough to draw a considerable amount of blood, but wasn't fatal.
However, a second after it struck, the flames exploded from it, consuming her entirely. Her hollow screeches echoed of the cold stone walls, but quickly subsided as the fire consumed her, fueled by the magical power within her.

Silence fell and Kevin turned his thoughts back to Ben. He didn't look at him, he couldn't, so he just held on to him. He didn't even feel the pain anymore, he didn't feel the fire. He felt cold, as if Big Chill had just passed through him. Darkness came over him and he gave in to it.

He felt a slight breeze on his bare chest. As he turned toward it, he saw a light in a shadow, like a tunnel or something. He found some sort of meadow on the other side of the light. And sitting by a stream, soaking his feet in the cool water, was Ben.
"Ben!" He called out. The young teen hero turned around and saw Kevin running toward him.

The raven came to a full stop in front of the younger teen. He carefully reached out, as if fearing that he wasn't real. He poked him lightly in the stomach. "What are you doing Kev? That tickles." He moved his hand up to his face and gently caressing it, moved closer until their noses were almost touching. "It's really you." "Well duh. Did you hit your head or something?" Ben gave him one of the puzzled looks only he could give.
Leaning over, the raven whispered into the slim boy's ear, "I told you I'd find you." Ben's confusion was replaced with concern.

"Kevin, you…" "Yeah, but it's ok, cause I'm with you now." "That's not all, everyone is here. You wanna say hello?" "Maybe later. Right now, I just want this." Kevin closed the gap between them and when their lips met, the brunette wrapped his arms around the raven's neck, deepening the kiss. Not until both their lungs were screaming for air, which was odd considering their condition, did they let go.

Intoxicating green stared into endless brown as Kevin rested his forehead against Ben's. "I love you, Ben." "I love you too Kevin."

And when Gwen succeeded in undoing her undoing the past and restored the future to present form, the resulting time ripple would send back a reflection of a future that once was but never will be, as a dream.
A dream two young heroes found just as confusing as comforting for it gave them both the feeling they would never, could never, be separated.

A/N: Woo-hoo! My first actual fanfic. Way overdue, but still. Yay for me! *does happy dance*
Honestly, I didn't intend to make it this long, but when I started, it just wrote itself. That happens a lot. XD
And they DIE! How could I have let them die?

Paradox: "Because the future was about to be rewritten, meaning they would still be alive after all, and because you were slightly down when you wrote it."
Me; "How did you… never mind."

But even in death, they will be together. And I punished Charmcaster for hurting the boys. :D
Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
And yeah, that last part is meant to be confusing. ^_^
Review to let me know what you thought of it.

UPDATE: Made a few tweaks on suggestion of my wonderful beta: happywanderer2
Thank you for all your help! ^_^