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Ben groaned as sunlight hit his face. Blinking awake, he could feel his head throbbing, and his throat burning...Clear signs he was getting sick. Sitting up slowly, he got up from bed, and his legs buckled underneath him. Getting up, he made another attempt to stand, swaying where he stood, making him need to grab the nearest chair for support.
Nope. Not sick. Definitely not sick. Heroes don’t get sick! Ben gritted and blinked the whooziness away. Taking a steady breath, the teen finally managed to get his clothes on, and he headed down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. To his relief, there was no one in the kitchen at the moment, so he wouldn't get questioned. At the sight of food, Ben ate slowly, starting to feel a bit queasy on top of his already bad symptoms. Thinking it over, he pushed the plate sideways and decided maybe food wasn't his top priority for the moment.
Suddenly, the teen's Omnitrix beeped, and Rook's voice came on. "Ben, you awake? Im waiting for you at the plumber's base, so get here as soon as you can."
"Yeah, I'll be there in a few," Ben responded, wincing at the energy it took from him to sound normal despite his sore throat.
A few minutes later, Ben had gathered his belongings and left the house, making his way downtown toward the plumber's headquarters.
What am I gonna do...They'll know im sick immediately! Ben frowned, knowing the outcome when he would step into the base soon. Rook might be oblivious for a while, but the teen knew that if his grandpa or Gwen saw him, they would send him straight home for the day, and he didn't want that. He wanted to fight villain aliens!
"Ben!" Rook's voice suddenly called out to him nearby. Ben froze, staring at his alien partner. How did he arrive at the plumber's base so quickly?!
"Oh...H-hi Rook," Ben stuttered, feeling his throat burn up at the strain of using it through his oncoming sickness. Approaching the teen, Rook gave one look at his partner and figured something was off-putting with him.
"Are you okay? You look a little bit pale..." Rook hesitated, reaching a hand out toward Ben's face, making the teen recoil. "Whoa, calm down, it's just me!"
Seeing the half-hurt yet worried look on his partner's face, Ben felt bad. Rook was just worried, but it was unnecessary.
"Im fine, I told you. Now, let's go capture some alien villains." Ben snapped, turning away before he could show the pained grimace to his partner. Accepting this, Rook just followed the teen into the base, towards the briefing room where many plumbers were gathered. Looking around, Ben got nervous. Anyone with a right sense of mind could see the teen was sick, but luckily, no one had noticed yet, so Ben figured he might get away with it.
"Rook, Ben! Finally!" Gwen said, approaching the two with Max in tail. Seeing the two come up to the teen and his partner, Ben suddenly got a last-minute idea and slapped his Omnitrix to a random alien.
In a flash, Ben turned into Four Arms and stood awkwardly waiting for the rest of the gang to react.
"What was that for?! You had no reason to turn into an alien already. You just wasted a power-up!" Max huffed, clearly annoyed, but didn't say any more than that.
"Sorry, I just felt like it..." Ben muttered, surprised his throat felt better in his alien form. That's good, then I have a solution to avoid being put on bed rest for today!
"Whatever. I need you two to head over to the Bellwood park. A lowlife alien has been spotted there, and apparently, he's stolen a purse or something." Max explained, showing the details on the screen.
Nodding eagerly, Ben and Rook headed out. "We're on it!" Ben said, quickly turning away with Rook in tail. "Let's go!"
Not letting Rook get a say in the matter, Ben dragged his partner with him to the prototruck and got in before his Omnitrix beeped, and he got changed back. Sighing, Ben stayed quiet the whole way to the park, so as not give Rook any reason to get suspicious, and to his relief, his alien partner too felt the silence was relaxing for the time being.
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The park came into sight quickly, and Ben started looking through the aliens on his Omnitrix to be ready.
"Ben, is there something youre not telling me?" Rook suddenly asked, slowing the truck down. Ben froze in his silent scrolling and didn't dare to meet his partner's gaze. "I know something's up with you, I can feel it."
"I told you, Im fine. Now, let's focus on the alien!" Ben forced his voice out, holding in a pained whine as his voice felt like sandpaper grazing his throat. The headache he'd had since that morning was also only becoming worse, but he wasn't gonna show weakness.
"If you insist, then let's go." Rook gestured for the teen to get out, and he followed. Standing side by side, Ben transformed and turned into Heatblast. Something he hadn't expected when he transformed was that he started freezing...
Usually Heatblast makes me feel like Im sweating bullets, but now it's totally opposite!? Ben panicked, feeling that the coldness was making his movements slow. Rook might pick up on his odd behaviour if he didn't get back in the game. Come on, Ben, you can do this!
As if on cue, the alien villain the two plumbers had been sent to catch appeared behind a tree further down the park. "There he is!" Rook yelled, starting a pursuit, with Ben sluggishly in tail. "Hurry up, we're losing him!"
Gritting his teeth, Ben used his remaining strength to corner the alien and launch Heatblast's entire weight on top of him, making him go splat on the ground.
"Got him!" Ben announced, yanking the alien up. Rook came over and took charge of the alien, guiding him back to the containment cell in the back of their prototruck, while Ben transformed back.
The second Ben changed back, his mind went black for a second, and the teen collapsed on the ground. Rook, having just locked the alien up, heard the thud and glanced over. "Ben!?" Running over, Rook hovered worringly, seeing that something was wrong with his partner.
"I just got dizzy after transforming, it's nothing." Ben protested, feeling his partner helping him up from the ground. Rook raised an eyebrow. “Benjamin, you are ill. You are sweating, your eyes are glassy, and your voice is hoarse. I knew something was wrong with you.”
The teen waved him off. “Trust me, Im fine! I just got dizzy! It happens!" Ben snapped, wincing as his voice sounded even more hoarse now than earlier.
“You are not fine,” Rook said calmly. “You are clearly sick and need to rest.”
“I don’t have time for rest! There are villains who need to be captured!” Ben argued. A second later, as if his energy had been spent, his body stumbled forward. Hadn't Rook been standing there ready to catch the teen, Ben would've been lying sprawled out on the ground again.
"No more negotiating, we are going back to the Plumbers' base, and you're going to rest," Rook ordered, helping the tired teen back to the truck.
Ben had barely just been placed in the passenger's seat when the truck shook violently. Panicked, the teen was alerted and slapped his Omnitrix at random to transform.
Unfortunately, as he tried to transform into an alien, the Omnitrix just flickered and nothing happened. It was as if the watch knew he wasn't in the right condition to transform....plus, it needed time to power up; time he didn't have.
“Seriously?!” Ben questioned. Quickly rethinking his action, he got out of the truck, but tripped over his own feet, catching himself just in time.
A shot was then suddenly fired at him. Dodging clumsily, Ben lost his footing again, and he stumbled, this time not as lucky. Rook intercepted the blast with his Proto-Tool and shot the escaped alien in a controlled, precise maneuver.
“Ben!” Rook barked. “Step back! You’re sick, and your Omnitrix clearly isn't working! I'll handle this!
“I’m fine!” Ben insisted, though his voice cracked. “I’ve got this!” Attempting to leap at the alien in his human form, Ben only managed to stumble again and land painfully on the pavement underneath himself.
Rook’s jaw tightened, gazing down at his winded partner. Feeling enraged, Rook blasted the alien down and shoved him back into the back of the truck before coming back over to the teen on the ground. “It's clear you've not got it,” Rook muttered, helping Ben into the truck so they could get back to headquarters, despite his many protests.
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Back at headquarters, Rook was attempting to steer Ben towards the infirmary, but the teen had other plans.
"Ben...Why are you walking toward my room?" Rook asked.
"What...I am? I just thought that your room would maybe be better for me to rest in since I don't have my own room in the Plumbers headquarters...?" Ben suggested, feeling relieved that his partner didn't seem to argue with that idea. A moment later, the two arrived at the aliens' quarters, and Rook set the teen down on this bed. "Will you promise to stay in here and rest for the remainder of today?"
Getting a slow nod in response, Rook sighed in relief and felt well enough to leave the teen to rest on his own. Before leaving, Ben cleared his throat, catching Rook's attention.
"Don't tell Gwen or Grandpa Max...Please?" Ben pleaded. Thinking it over for a second, Rook nodded and made a promise to himself that he would tell of the teen's condition worsening. "Oh, by the way...Can you maybe get me some tea? My throat is killing me."
"Sure. I'll be right back." Rook sighed, closing the door behind him to go back to the base briefing room. On the way there, he met the two people he didn't want to meet, thinking back to the promise he'd made with his partner.
"Rook...? Where is Ben? I saw he came back with you before." Max asked, arching his brow in confusion. Gwen looked equally as confused, also having seen the teen come in with him earlier.
"Oh, he...Uhh..." Rook gulped, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with lying to his partner's family about his health. "I was on my way to the kitchen, actually, to look for him?"
"Well then, when you find him, you can tell him that I want you two out for mission report sooner rather than later." Max snapped, annoyed with the lack of responsibility his grandson had.
"Will do," Rook affirmed, then headed to the kitchen before Max could say anything else.
Entering the kitchen, Rook quickly made some tea and headed back to his quarters, where he found Ben lying half asleep on his bed. Handing him the cup, Ben took small sips, and Rook could see that the teen's face looked more relaxed, figuring the warmth was doing what it was supposed to for his sore throat.
"Im feeling better already!!" Ben said, sitting up, and attempted to look like he was telling the truth. Rook was just about to argue with him when the teen hurried out of the Revonnahganders' room and out to the briefing room.
"Ben, what are you doing?!" Rook questioned, sprinting after him. Unable to stop him in time, Ben had entered the Plumbers' briefing room and came up to Max, who looked annoyed.
"You sure took your time," Max stated, gazing at the teen and his partner, who was hurrying after him. "Now then, mission report. What happened?"
"We took care of the villain like we always do. " And then-" Ben gloated, when Rook suddenly cut him off.
"Spare your voice, I'll talk." Hearing this, Max gave his grandson a confused look, then his face turned into concern when he finally saw the sweaty, ghostly paleness in Ben's face, and the fact that he looked like he was about to topple over any second.
"Have you been sick this whole time and not said anything?!" Max questioned, giving both Ben and Rook an icy glare.
The old man was pissed.
"No! Im fine, it's just a sore throat!" Ben argued when a hand was suddenly slapped onto his forehead.
"You have a fever," Max stated, his voice even more icy now. "How could you go around with this without doing anything about it?! This idiocy is just the kind of mistake that gets you killed in the field! And Rook, you should have done something immediately, not let this fester!"
Getting scolded was well deserved, and Rook could only look away in shame. "Yes, Magister Tennyson, I know, and I apologise."
"Now then, I hope youre aware what needs to be done?" Max asked, gazing coldly at Ben. The teen nodded but didn't make any effort to move. "Rook, some assistance."
The next moment, Ben found himself being forcibly dragged toward the infirmary again by his partner, this time, with no reroutes.
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By the time they arrived, Ben was panting, flushed, and pale. The medics looked up in concern when they entered, seeing Ben did not look well. The head medic approached quickly, guiding the teen over to the closest bed. Pulling out a thermometer, he scanned Ben's forehead and frowned. “You’re running a serious fever, Tennyson.” The medic sighed worringly.
The teen coughed weakly in response. “I’m fine.” Ben protested, attempting to sit up on the bed. "And I don't need all this fuss over nothing!"
The medic raised an eyebrow. “Yes, you do, Tennyson. Since you clearly can't take care of serious symptoms like this high fever, you will be kept here and treated.”
Ben shook his head. “I don’t need that!”
Rook stepped in, hands on his hips. “Ben, you are not cooperating, and you are at risk. The medic will ensure you are treated quickly so you can get back to catching villains in no time. Just relax."
"Now, can I trust that you stay put while I insert an IV? You need one to get your fluids back up." The medic asked, turning around to grab the supplies. Ben just stayed quiet, giving Rook a pleading look not let this happen.
"Don't worry, partner, it'll be quick," Rook reassured,n placing a comforting hand on Ben's shoulder.
The medic, on the other hand, didn't have a second to react before the teen rolled off the bed and tried to get out of the room.
"Benjamin Tennyson, don't be ridiculous. It's just a tiny little prick, and it's for your own benefit." The medic snapped, gesturing for Rook to get his partner under control.
"No!" Ben yelped, but it turned into a coughing fit, as his voice gave out. Rook took the opportunity to grab the teen and quickly hoist him back onto the bed.
"Quick, restrain him before he can use the Omnitrix!" Rook panicked, seeing the medic grab restraints in a matter of seconds. No amount of struggling helped after that. Ben was restrained before he had the chance to react to what was happening, so the medic and Revonnagander could breathe easy.
“Temporary and safe,” The medic said firmly. “You left us no choice.”
Ben grumbled and scowled, glaring at both of them, while the medic proceeded with inserting the IV into the teen's crook. "Ow..." Ben whined, but at least now it was over.
Half an hour later, Ben was wrapped in a thermal blanket, finally resting. His fever had started to drop.
Rook sat nearby, arms crossed, watching silently. “You are exhausting,” he murmured.
“And you’re the worst," Ben responded.
Rook gave a faint smile. “I am aware.”
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The next morning, Ben woke up and found he was still restrained in the infirmary. Trust issues much? Ben sighed, yanking the restraints to see if he could get loose. To no avail, the teen gave up and eyed the room warily in case the medic was preparing another concoction, or if his partner was nearby to give him an earful. To Ben's demise, the person sitting next to him was no other than his grandpa.
"Good morning, Ben, how are you feeling?" Max asked. The Omnitrix wielder gulped, knowing his grandpa was not impressed with how he'd acted the prior day.
"Im fine. Can you let me go now?" Ben asked, a pleading glint in his eye. Max shook his head and gave his grandson a glare back.
"You are not going anywhere until you've apologised to everyone you've inconvenienced yesterday." Max huffed, gesturing to the medic who'd just entered. Rook followed close by, and Ben suddenly felt shame wash over him.
"I...Im sorry? I just thought I could deal with it, you know! It wasn't even that bad!" Ben argued, but quickly shut up, realizing that this arguing was not helping his case. He flinched when the medic came over to him and checked that the IV was sitting comfortably. It was then he realized the man wasn't gonna take it out.
"And...?" Max urged. Ben sighed and glanced at his partner.
"Im sorry, Rook, for being an inconvenience and making you lie for me...And I'm sorry, Grandpa, it won't happen again." Ben muttered, feeling the shame only grow. Max sighed and gestured for the medic to undo the restraints, and the teen could finally sit up.
"Tsk tsk, no touching or you'll be restrained again." The medic snapped, seeing the teen start poking the IV in his arm. "I'll take it out later today, so just be patient."
"Fine..." Ben responded sourly. He hated the fact that the needle was still lodged in his arm, but he figured he could live with it for a few more hours.
"Now then, let's go get you something to eat." Rook cheered, helping his partner out of bed. Awkwardly, the teen followed, cursing at the thought of needing to drag the IV pole with him. As they headed to the cafeteria, he got many eyes on him, and he felt more and more awkward.
"Im not that hungry actually...Can't we go do something else?" Ben suggested, turning around to escape the stares. Rook quickly figured out why his partner was turning heel and dragged him back.
"Nonsense, Ben, you need to eat to get your strength back up. You've been sick, if you remember." Rook reminded him, sitting the teen down at a table. In a matter of moments, the Revonaghander had come back with a plate full of food and set it down in front of the teen. "Now eat."
Dutifully, Ben had no choice but to eat, and it took no more than a few bites for him to realise how hungry he actually was. When his plate was cleared, Rook cleaned it away and the two headed to the Plumbers' briefing room, where Max and Patelliday were conversing.
"Ah, the famous escape artist. Heard you gave everyone quite the inconvenience yesterday..." Patelliday grunted, not at all impressed with the teen's whole situation.
"Drag the story on a bit longer, I don't think people have heard enough about it yet." Ben snapped back sarcastically, starting to get annoyed with everyone in his reach, bringing it up. He felt bad enough about it already.
"Ben!" A feminine voice suddenly called to him. Turning around, the teen could see Gwen running up to him. "Are you feeling better?" Sighing, Ben nodded in response, and he saw her face relax. She must have been worried for him...
"Oh, would you look at the time. Time to go back to the infirmary." Rook suddenly pointed out and steered his partner back towards the hallway they'd just come from.
"But didn't the medic say he'd remove it later today?" Ben asked, confused, why his partner was steering him back already.
"Yes, well, I think now is a good time as any. You've suffered enough already, and im itching for us to go kick some alien villain ass." Rook chuckled, swinging up the infirmary door to see the medic by his desk.
"I knew you would come back early." The medic huffed, but didn't seem reluctant to make good on his promise. "Come and sit down, and I'll take it out."
Ben shuffled over and sat down on the bed, extending his arm so the medic could pull the IV out. This is gonna hurt as much as it did to put it in...Ben winced, feeling the medic start tugging at the needle lodged in his arm.
"Ow!" Flinching at the final tug, Ben whined as the area where the needle had been started burning. Looking down, he saw a small trickle of blood well from the pricksite, and the teen was handed a cotton pad to soak it up.
"See, not so bad, huh? Now it's finally gone, and we can go back to missions!" Rook smiled, patting the teen on his back.
"Not so fast. Youre not doing anything more than resting today. You can start missions tomorrow, not any time sooner." The medic ordered, setting the IV down. Giving the two a glare, Ben nodded and had to just accept the fact.
"Alright...Then we can go watch one of your Earth movies instead. Come on." Rook sighed, and the two headed out. Entering the Revonaghanders room, Ben flopped down on Rook's bed and let his partner set up the movie, before he came over and sat down too.
It was nice to just have some chill time in between missions, too, and it didn't take long before the two Plumbers had fallen asleep, both exhausted from being sick and taking care of the sick.
All that mattered in the end was that they had each other.
THE END