Modern Day

"Wait!" Ben said while reappearing in the Plumbers station.

He tried to go back but the teleporter wouldn't recognize the coordinates for the lab. He also tried coordinates for different locations on Galvan Prime but none worked.

Ben ran towards the control center of the station to talk with Max when an alarm suddenly went off, flooding the station in red light.

"All available personnel to the war room now!" Grandpa Max's voice yelled.

Taken aback for a second, Ben's thoughts of the broken teleporter was pushed to the back of his mind and he switched directions.

When he reached the war room, a school gymnasium size room with chairs filling it, he quickly made his way to the front where giant screens covered the wall and a mini stage lay beneath.

"What happened Grandpa?" Ben hastily asked the now graven faced man on the stage.

"...Galvan Prime has been destroyed," He muttered.

-------------------------

"What?" Ben yelled, suddenly sitting up, his body covered in sweat.

Looking around, he noticed that he was in his bedroom in his house, present time.

Glancing at his clothes, he saw them covered in Aggregor's blood. His breath caught in his throat, he held his hands towards his face. They were covered in dried blood and the smell engulfed the entire room. Ben brought his knees to his chin and gripped the back of his head, groaning.

Before his mind darkened further, he heard a loud knocking outside his door.

"Ben? Are you awake?" Gwen's voice made his thoughts dissipate.

Unfolding his body, he realized that he was wearing a completely clean white t-shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. No sight of blood anywhere on his body.

"Yes. Come in," He replied as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up.

Gwen entered the room with a glass of water, a slight worried look on her face.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she offered the glass, "We heard you yell."

"I'm fine, just had a bad memory," He replied, accepting the water.

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not now."

"Okay," Gwen sighed before she smirked, "mind telling me about the beauty in the magician getup downstairs?"

"What?" Ben exclaimed, "Zatanna's here?"

"Yep. Paradox brought her. She's chatting with everyone downstairs," She smiled, "Soooo, is she your new girlfriend?"

"I was gone for a day or two, Gwen," Ben said.

"So? Only a day but she's worried enough to be here and I saw that look when I told you she was here," Gwen teased.

"I-I don't know," Ben sighed, "I find myself drawn to her for some reason."

"Hmm. Well, nothings going to happen by just sitting here. Let's go downstairs."

Nodding, Ben followed her downstairs where he saw Kevin talking to his grandparents and Zatanna playing with Donna. A smile formed when he saw the magician floating Donna above his couch.

Gwen hid a grin when she saw his expression and walked to Kevin. Zatanna didn't notice Ben so he decided to talk to his grandparents first.

"Hey g-," They hugged him before he could say anything.

"How are you kiddo?" Max asked after releasing him.

"I'm fine, really," Ben tried to assure them but they remained worried.

"Are you sure?" Verdona asked.

"Yes, we can talk more later if that's what you guys want?" He proposed, to which they agreed.

Gwen nudged Ben's side and sneakily looked towards Zatanna who looked like she wanted to jump in on the conversation but was too nervous. Donna however, had no such reservations and leaped at him.

"Uncle!" She yelled as Ben lifted her up and placed her on his shoulders.

"Hey there munchkin," He laughed, "How's it going?"

Donna bent over and tried to whisper in his ear.

"I accidentally told Mommy and Daddy about the food trips," she whispered.

"Haha," Ben chuckled when he remembered the call from Gwen when he was in the Forge and she was sending him a glare again, "It's fine, Donna."

*We'll just have to do it even more secretly from now on* He sent telepathically to her when he noticed her pout.

Her face quickly beamed in happiness.

"Now," Ben started, handing her to her suspicious mom, "How about we all meet up later?" He said to all of them aside from the magician.

They all nodded and said their goodbyes, Gwen's hinted smile and Kevin's secret thumbs up being his last sight of them.

Closing the door behind them, Ben turned to a sudden hug from Zatanna. Smiling, he hugged her back and caressed her back and hair as she buried her face in his neck.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"That's what I should be asking you," Her voice muffled.

"I'm all good. I'm sorry about leaving without a word."

She squeezed him tighter as he talked.

"How did you get here?" He asked her.

"I asked Paradox to take me when he said everything was resolved," She said, backing her face up to look Ben in the eyes, "I was worried when you didn't come back," She said, slightly pouting.

Ben felt his heart pounding when Zatanna's emerald eyes locked onto his. He tilted his head down until his forehead met hers.

"I'm here now," He whispered.

Not waiting any longer, Zatanna locked his lips with her own. Without hesitation, Ben responded in kind. Gripping her hair, he pushed his tongue through her lips and she did the same, their tongues dancing around as they held onto each other.

Their lips separated for a second so they could catch their breath.

"That was amazing," A blushed Zatanna said, panting.

"Do you want to continue?" Ben asked, his eyes filled with lust.

Zatanna nodded.

Ben wrapped his hands around her lithe waist and picked her up with ease. She instantly wrapped her legs around him as he teleported them to his bedroom.