Rook Alone

It had been 12 hours and 35 minutes since Ben had departed to attend a important Peace Treaty between the Amanga's and Darirunian's. Of course, that meant that Rook was left with the task of watching over his and Ben's young eight month old daughter Bianca Blonko.

Gwen and Kevin were unavailable taking their son Devlin to the annual Tractor pull Festival, Grandpa Max was off Fishing, as Grandpa Carl and Sandra were on their 35th wedding anniversary and Rook's parents were on another planet!

"Why can't Vanessa do it?" Rook had asked, unsure of his skills of raising his daughter on his own.

"Well, she's gone to a Therapist Convention in Florida" Ben had explained packing up his stuff, getting ready to head on out.

"But, Dark Spectre Queen Vanessa isn't a Therapist!" Rook rubbed his forehead in aching confusion.

"I know, she's hoping to Find One," Answered Ben, who picked up their daughter from her spot on the floor to give her a nuzzle and kiss, she had been playing with her sponge bob toys, while her Father tried to back out of sitting.

"I love Bianca, you know that, Ben." Accepting Bianca as she was handed to him by Ben. "I'd...just prefer it if there were one or more child raising expert's in the house to help me."

Ben smirked, hip cocked as he gave his Husband a doubtful stare.

"Since when has Kevin Levin qualified as a "Expert Child Raiser?"," Asked Ben incredulity. "Look, feed her, change her, play with her and keep her safe." Ben leaned forward to place his lips against Rook's in a soft lingering kiss. "It's only three days and I'll be back."

Rook sighed, because he refused to admit he "Pouted" as his Flame-Sharer, Husband and carrier of his child, pulled back to head out the front door calling out a "I love you." To Father and Daughter as he headed outside, morphed into Jetray and flew off.



Which brings us to This moment.

"Come on, Bianca. Nummy-nummy-num!"
Rook cajoled his little daughter who sat on her High-Seat, pulling backwards as her Father tried to feed her a jar of mashed peas.

"Come on, Fluerd-dah, open up for Pati." Rook used foreign pet names to ease his little Girl. The newly wed couple had taken to using foreign names and such around Bianca to expose more of her Father's Culture to her but despite the familiarity, it didn't convice her to open her mouth.


"Aaaaahhh...Come on, Bianca. It's good, see?" He demonstrates by placing the spoonful of food into his mouth. "Mmm....." Eyes widen at the surprisingly good taste, his daughter looks at him curiously as he scoops up another spoonful. "Mmm...!" Rook then tries another jar. "Mmm... strained peas."

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The day passes casually, Rook attempts to finish some reports with a baby on his knee, until said Baby makes it so it's icky to bounce her bottom on his knee.

*Sniff-Sniff* "Oh, Lachiskma!!" Rook explained, holding his squealing daughter at arm's length in horror. "If that's what a little bit of strained pea's smell like, I'm certainly gonna be regretting eating those Four jars!"

Rook carried his daughter upstairs and after some squeamish changing and cleaning he manage to get her into a new diaper. Unfortunately, the tabs wouldn't stick so taking his proto-tool he switch it to staple gun mode and staple them together.

"There now.." Rook lifted his daughter up to nuzzle against her bare belly, causing her to giggle at the sensation. "We'll just keep my improper use of the High-Tech weapon i was given a secret from Paraviti, okay?" Rook smiled at his daughter, who just blankly stared back at him.

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In the kitchen Rook entertained his daughter with a hand puppet show, a bunny on his left one and a woodcutter on the right, he was hiding underneath the table as his daughter sat on the high-chair. Sadly, the family Dog Lucifer mistook the Bunny for a real one and attacked his hand.

"Ahh! AHH!! NO, BAD DOG!! BAD, LUCIFER!! DOWN!! DOWN!!"

Rook struggled with the Doberman, said dog attempting to wrench his Master's arm off as bianca giggled and clapped her hands at the sight.

Finally it was time for bed and Rook set Bianca to lay in her crib, her father frazzled, scuffed, bitten and scalpbruised up from the dog attack. But none worse for wear, except exhausted. Then he attempted to sing her to see.
 

  "Go to sleep...
  And good night...
  La-la la la la la la...
  Dee-dee-dee...
  Dee-dee-dee...
  May your Christmas Days be bright!"

 
"Good night, my little Nors-Sug." Rook said, kissing his daughter sweetly on the side of her face as he flicked the lights and left the bedroom in darkness.

After Rook leaves, Bianca looks forlornly at a photo of Ben, climbs out of her crib, across the kitchen floor, out the doggie door and spots something tall...and blue! She crawls over in a rush, assuming it's her Papa's Big Chill form, but it's only a bush.

Sadly looking down, Bianca crawls off into the Night looking for her missing Mama/Papa.

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The next morning Rook comes into Bianca's room holding up a bottle in his hand.

"Bianca, time for your 9:00 A.M. feeding," Rook called out cheerfully, feeling a little better about having to watch over his child by himself. It wasn't as difficult as he thought, which changed when he pulled back the blanket in her crib to reveal her GONE!!

"HOLY FLECKNAR!!!" Rook screamed in horror.

Rook frantically looks all over the house, he searches the laundry hamper in the bathroom.

"Bianca?"

He searches the basement.

"Bianca!?"

He even searches the Villainous lair of Dr. Animo, after taking him out of Course.

"BIANCA ETHAN BLONKO!!"

"I TOLD YOU, MY MUTANT DINGO'S DID NOT STEAL YOUR BABY!!" A very upset Dr. Animo cries out, hanging by his feet from the air by a cable, black and blue from Rook's attack. Mutant Dingo's lay scattered beaten to a pulp.

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Bianca Blonko is shown on a Escalator, falling over after it ends at a floor, swiftly crawling around looking for her Mama.

She spots a tall, yellow and black lightning hairdo in the beauty salon...pressing herself against the glass to peer at the figure, who's seated in a chair with it's back to her, it must be her Mama in Shock-squatch form!!

Actually, we see a woman, who's hair has been blown up to look like Ben's furry, hairy form, dyed the specific color. The hairdresser hands her a mirror to peer into.
 
"So, what's the verdict?" The Hairdresser asks.

The woman gasps in horror, when she realizes she's been given a Ben 10 hairdo.

"Oh, dear God! I can't even put a bag over my head!" She covers her face, spinning around to kneel over in horror.

"Yes you can." The Hairdresser lies through his teeth.

Bianca see's the woman spin around and moves on, once realizing it's not her Mama/Papa. Slowly she crawls away.

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Rook meanwhile having searched the entire house, picks up the phone and dials a number, which happens to be the Missing Children Hotline

"Hello, I'd like the department of Missing Babies?" Rook softly inquires.

"Please hold." The Operator on the other end answers back.

  ''Baby come back, you can blame it all on me
        I was wrong and I just can't live without you
           All day long, wearing a mask of false bravado.
        Tryin' to keep up a smile that hides the tears.
        But as the sun goes down, I get that empty feeling again.
        How I wish to God that you were here''

It's all too much and Rook covers his face crying into the palm. Oh, Lords of Fortuna, what was he going to do!? he barely had their daughter for two days and he loses her, possibly forever.


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Elsewhere Bianca has mistaken a Parking Lot Inflatable Balloon, Two School Mascot's and a New Zoo animal as her Mother. But sadly none of them were.

She then spots a shadow that looks like her Mother's "Ripjaws" form, she whips around...only to see a guy dressed like Ripjaws handing out flyers.

"Hey! Want to take a BIG BITE out of our Clearance Sale?" Flyer guy asks passerby.

"Don't touch me." The person snaps quickly rushing off.

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Rook sits at home at the kitchen table, sinking into depression....and a bowl of Chocolate reeses peanut-butter cups ice cream. When the Plumbers badge he has near him rings.

"Hello!?" Rook asked hurriedly, expecting it to be the Plumbers or police, calling to say they found Bianca.

"Rook?"

"Ben!!" Rook startles hearing his husband's voice, but recovers to clear his throat of gooey peanut chocolate ice cream. "Ben, Hi...how's the Conference?"

"Oh, it finished." Rook's eyes widen as he twists the spoon in his hand to a tiny ball. "Yeah, it turns out the Princess of Planet Amanga and The Prince of Darirun had been in lvoe for a long time. The meeting brought it forward so their speeding through with the peace treaty signing."

Rook's eye twitches, that means he has LESS time to find Bianca. He might as well tell the truth.....sorta.

"Uh, Ben, My Love, how would you feel if I said the dog ran away?" A shocked gasp was his answer.

"Rook, that's awful! Lucifer is the puppy of the dog I had since I was Ten years old!" Ben says stricken over the phone. "When Gabriel died, Lucifer was the sole reason I didn't fall into total depression."

Rook winces, if he feels THAT way about the Dog. What will he be like with Bianca Missing!?

"I got good news for you, the dog Didn't run away." Rook speaks quietly in shame.

"Oh..." Ben replies baffled. Why did Rook say it in the first place? "Well, you can coem meet up with me at the Bus station in an hour.  And bring Bianca. Bye."

Ben hangs up, and Rook promptly bangs his forehead against the table in terrified frustration. This was it! The end of his marriage to the most wonderful, exquisite and handsome man he ever met and he ruined it all in ONE DAY!!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..." Takes deep breath "-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

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A concerned group has gather at The "Biffy-Buffy-Pumped Up Muscle Store" Chief Gumshoe is standing below with his subordinates holding onto a trampoline as Gumshoe shouts through a megaphone up to the roof.

"Please!  Don't jump!  I know you're going through some tough times, but you have your whole life ahead of you!"

Pan across to show Bianca serenely asleep atop the roof of the shop, nestled next to the store mascot, which is a tall, red, black striped and bald headed creature, Fourarms.

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Rook paces back and forth, dreading going to face his husband and tell him the truth of what happened, but what sorta excuse could he give Ben?

 Ding-Dong!

Rook rushes to the front door and opens it to see Gumshoe on the other end.
 
"You the man who reported the lost baby?"

"Yes!" Rook answered perking up, hopign beyond hope this person had news of his babies whereabouts.

"Can you describe her?"

"She's a beautiful little girl, with markings not unlike mine and..."

"Bingo!" Gumshoe had his hands behind his back and pulls out Bianca, who squeals happily seeing her Daddy, who gratefully clutches her tightly to his chest.

"Now wait a Sec!" Gumshoe warned. "Your wanted on Three Counts of Criminal neglect, Buster and.." Is cut off as Rook grabs him, overcome with gushing joy.

"OHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!" Rook speedily said kissing Gumshoe on the mouth over and over.

"Uhhh..." Gumshoe floored. "Right, well..." Awkwardly rubbing the back of his head blushing. "Just don't let it happen again."

Gumshoe made a speedy retreat, to avoid another lip on lip contact from The overjoyed Pappy.

"Ahh!" Rook held his daughter up in the air beaming as she spins around overjoyed at his baby girl returned to him. "Oh, My Sweet, Sweet, Nors-sug, you've returned to me!!"

"Baahhh-bha!" Bianca cooed at her Daddy happily.

"Only ONE thing could make this moment happier."

"WHERE THE HOLY HOT-CAKES WERE YOU!?"

Rook's and Bianca's head whipped toward the front door where Ben stood in the doorway, fuming in aggravation, thou Rook couldn't figure out why...

"Oh...OH!!" Rook's eyes switched from his Flame-sharer over to the clock, he was meant to get Ben at One'O Clock.

"It's three O'Clock." ben's arms were crossed frowning, his foot tapping away at his husband just leaving him in the lurch. He drops his arms and starts to stomp toward Rook. "I have half a mind to take away your Pancake Privileges MI--"

"AhMa!!" Bianca yelled in joy, kicking her legs and stretching out her hands to her Papa.

"Hey, there's my little Princess!!" Ben gasped in happy excitement to see his little girl. Sweeping her up into his arms joyfully, smooching her on the cheek happily as she giggled overjoyed to have her Mama.

"I'm sorry, Ben. Me and Bianca were just..." Unsure whether to tell him the truth. "....we were having so much fun, we lost track of the time."

"Oh..." Ben smiles at his husband, pressing his cheek against Bianca's. Ben smirking at Rook's soft expression, seeing how much their skin tones clashing, as Bianca had markings like her Daddy. "Well, if you had so much fun I could always go and leave you to alone for..."

"NO!!" Rook shouted, holding up hand in alarm before dropping them and smiling gently at Ben and Bianca. Who jumped at Rook's reaction. "I...would prefer to have All my loved ones with me, so I can properly enjoy their love."

"Oh." Ben sticks out his tongue at Rook teasing. "It was a joke, Rook. I liked being by myself for a while, but I love being back with my two best pals in the world."

Ben hugged Bianca tightly, pressing a kiss to her forehead with Rook sighing with a nod. Before loosely wrapping his arm around Ben to pull the two together.

"I'd have to agree with you there, Love." Rook nuzzled the top of Ben's head affectionately. "I don't want EITHER of you out of my sight for a looooooong time."

And Rook meant it, honestly.

Four hours later thou he had to rush out and buy ALL News footage of Bianca on the roof of that Muscle Growth Store, so Ben NEVER found out what happened.

         

                   The End