*this will be darker and more on the supernatural side of the fence then my other works.

Please Stay

Ben was chilling at his favorite spot near the Bellwood Zoo. It was midnight, pretty late, but his parent had given him more wiggle room since he had gotten his driver's license and turned 17.

Ben was in high spirits and was celebrating, with a late-night chili dog, chili fries, and his favorite, a grape milkshake, the fact that he and his soccer team won the tri-county championship, as well as the start of his first official HEMA fencing matches. He thought about how he couldn't tell anyone he had started fencing because he used to pretend to be a knight when he was younger. He laughed at himself almost losing his shake to that particular memory, but then lost it anyways to his jersey when he was surprised by a text.

"Damn, I can't get another one and now I'm soaked," He grumbled out loud. Taking some napkins from the bag he whipped off his chest and pulled out his cellphone.

With a quick look at the locked screen, he noticed a text from Gwen, "Congratulation on your match today, Benjamin." Ben was annoyed at her insisting to call him by his full name now that they were older, but he was more annoyed that lately she couldn't hang out with him anymore. He missed being with her, but she had emancipated herself from her parents and started college 2 years earlier! On top of that she moved out of Bellwood. Now, sure she would visit or chat with him over the phone and skype, but that was not the same…

Ben stopped moping about and unlocked his phone. He took a quick picture of himself looking upset and sent it to Gwen with the caption, "Would have done better if you had been there! :P"

He then decided it was time to head home. As, he started walking he notice some things were off. There were no noises coming from the Zoo and more than a few of the street lights were broken or flickering.

He was only able to say, "huh?" to this before suddenly stars filled his vision and he was on the ground. Something really heavy had tackled him, he thought, so he tried to push himself up, but, whomever it was, it kept him pinned.

Ben managed to turn his head painfully scraping his chin against the gritty pavement. It hurt to do so, but through the sting of it, he managed to turn his head enough to see a…. furry and clawed hand pressing against his shoulder.

Then without warning his other shoulder felt compressed as if something was clamped around it. He didn't know what it was at first, but it started to sting, then burn. He suddenly felt a warm almost hot wetness spread from his shoulder to his neck.

Now, Ben was scared, his heart was roaring in his ears and his vision grew dark. In vain he tried to struggled, but was only able to get enough leverage with his other arm to turn his head back to what was happening.

What he seen was crazy, at least to him. He didn't know if it was shock, but he swore it was a damn werewolf. The creature lifted its head and with a four hinged jaw let go of what could be described as a hunk of meat with pieces of cloth. It hit hard against the pavement with a wet slap.

Ben now knew he was in shock, not only was he seeing a werewolf, but his shoulder which now had several weeping holes in it didn't bother him. Ben didn't get much time to contemplate this before the creature howled and everything went dark.

Ben Awaken to bright white tiled ceiling with glaring light that seared into him. He tried to raise his arm to block it. This was a mistake he instantly regretted, and caused him to almost faint as his shoulder seemed to burn. It was as if hot pokers where being pressed into his wounds. He was barely able to whisper a moan and blinked away tears as everything came back into focus.

That's when he first noted a rhythmic machine beeping mixed with unfamiliar voices coming from outside somewhere. Ben was able to see a TV hanging on the wall with no sound, but there were subtitles, it looked like the news. He tried to will the pain to subsided, by taking in a few deep breaths.

Barely able to suppress the throbbing embers in his shoulder blades, he then looked over to his right at the source of the beeps. It was a heart monitor that read Bellwood Mercy Hospital, he as well could see his mother sleeping in a chair next to him.

Through the corner of his eye as he looked at his mother he could see his left shoulder. It was covered in bandages with what looked like fresh blood seeping through. It was terribly sore even with him keeping still. Every heart beat felt like angry creatures were biting him anew.

Ben tried to stop himself but moaned unintentionally and louder this time. His mother was up that second. Her hand clenched his and tears filled her eyes as she barraged him with questions while placing a reassuring hand on his face.

Due to the pain he was mostly incoherent, but told her, "I am okay, really". This only lasted a few moments before he was racked by a server wave of pain. The heart monitor screamed as his blood pressure shot up.

A doctor came in and looked at the machine and then to Ben, "Now Mr. Tennyson you need to calm down. I am going to give you some morphine for the pain and you might feel drowsy and nauseous, but the pain should subside."

Ben felt the morphine hit his veins through an IV in his right arm. It was like warm fire traveling up his vein branching out everywhere. It at first made him feel queasy, but soon the pain began to fade as did his consciousness.

The next time Ben woke up, it was night. The lights were off there were less voice outside and the tv was now black. Despite the lights being off everything in the room was pristine and in focus. The air itself even seemed to be richer. All of his sense seemed to be more acute, "was this because he almost died?" he thought to himself.

Ben looked down to see long wisps of red hair blanketed across his legs, "It always looks beautiful," he thought. Ben didn't need to look any further, he knew right away it was Gwen. The sight of her hair and the smell of her shampoo was as better known to him than anyone else.

Gwen's rhythmic breath told him she was asleep. He absentmindedly pick up a length of her hair and felt the silk texture as it slid through his fingers. "Gwen always took care of herself very well," he thought. For some reason the comfort that she normally brought him was replaced with an unknown rage. His brows furrowed and he thought out loud, "It takes almost dying for you to visit me."

Gwen's breath changed as she began to wake up, "Benjamin are you awake?" She asked in a groggy half yawn.

Ben bit back an angry reply and tried to joke, "Can't even call me Ben when I almost died, can you Cuz?" he added with a little laugh. He decided not to look her in the eyes, so he wouldn't betray the anger he truly didn't want to feel towards her. He stared up at the ceilings tiles instead.

Gwen asked with almost too much worry for Ben to bear, "Are you in a lot of pain…Ben?"

Ben closed his eyes in a fit of self-loathing whispers, "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way."

Ben felt her placing a hand over his and giving it a squeeze, "Benjamin, it's okay. I was worried sick about you when Aunt Sandra called me and told me you were attacked by some animal. I came as fast as I could," Ben finally looked down at her she was kneeling by the bed holding his hand, and her beautifully smile and emerald eyes greeted him.

Normally Gwen's eyes could soothe any melancholy he had, but right this moment all they did was pierce his heart. Ben found his vision blurring and felt the gentle sting of tears running down his face meeting at the scraped on his chin. "How could I be angry with her? What is wrong with me?" he thought.

Gwen took his crying as a sign he was in great pain. She started to get up saying, "Sorry, it must hurt so much, I'll go get a doctor."

But, before she could get up, Ben entwined his hand with hers and choked out through a sob, "No. Please stay."

*I was going to wait to start this until I was further along with Ben & Gwen: Dawn of an Adventure.

** let me know what you think?