In a Von Doom Compound Hostital Room.

Johnny's voice, "Ben, wake up! Wake up!"

Ben's POV

The blurry image of Johnny comes slowly into focus, standing beside a hospital bed.

Ben asks, "Where...where am I?"

Johnny says, "Back on Earth. Victor's medical facility... We're in quarantine."

Ben then asks, "Reed? ... Sue?"

"They're fine. Everybody else...is fine.", responds Johnny.

Johnny looks away, as if he can't bear to lay eyes on him.

"What's wrong with me?", Ben asked.

"I swear to you they've done everything humanly possible. The best plastic surgeons in the world, Ben. You had the best -", Johnny says.

Ben says, "Give me a mirror..."

Johnny picks up a hand mirror on the bed table before Ben can reach it, reluctant to give it to him.

Johnny responds, "They said that's not such a good idea, the shock alone could -"

"Give me the god damn mirror!", Ben exclaims.

Ben grabs it from him. Then slowly raises it to look and see that...except for some serious stubble, Ben's totally normal.

"Unfortunately" , Johnny says, "the doctors just couldn't do anything to fix your face!"

He cackles as he heads for the door. Ben heaves the mirror at him, breaking it into hundreds of pieces. He turns to the side-table, and grabs that picture of Debbie. It calms him.

Ben's POV over

In the Von Doom Compound Hospital corridor/ Sue's walks down the hall. His hair is graying at the temples. He passes Johnny, who is smiling, still enjoying his joke on Ben. Johnny slows, looking at Reed's hair.

Johnny says to Reed, "Nice 'do. Going for the "grandpa" look?"

Reed passes a mirror, slowing, seeing his gray hairs. He keeps going. He passes a partially open door. He stops when he catches a glimpse of Sue asleep in bed. He sees a vase of flowers. He grabs a couple lilies, and enters. But Reed sees...the room is already filled with expensive flowers. All from Victor. Reed is trumped once again. A doctor writes on Sue's chart.

Skip Victor's inerview

Reed mutes the television.

Reed asks the doctor, "How's she doing?"

The Doctor responds, "Stable. Vitals are strong."

Reed takes the clipboard, looks for himself.

Reed reads out loud, "Blood panels show no irradiation. Good. You'll step up this protocol, every -"

The Doctor says, "Four hours. We know what we're doing... One more day of observation, then you're all cleared."

The Doctor takes his clipboard, and walks out. Reed steps to Sue, with the drooping flowers in his hand.

Quietly Reed says, " Sue...I want to tell you...I'm..."

Whoosh. A nurse rolls in with a tray bearing ten more extravagant bouquets. Reed looks resigned. He walks out.

Reed says to the nurse, "She's allergic to orchids. Put that Amaryllis Apapathos by her bed. The African lilies? They're her favorites."

Reed exits, dropping his two wilted lilies into the trash. Sue opens one eye, as the big lilies land by the bed.

In the Von Doom Compound Hospitalwith Johnny, A nurse wheels a testing station into Johnny's room. He's stripped down to Calvins, changing into a ski outfit.

"And where do we think we're going?", The nurse asked Johnny.

Johnny responds, " I don't know if "we've" noticed, but the sickest runs this side of the Alps are right outside that window -"

The nurse says back, "I've noticed... But doctor's orders, you're not allowed to leave until we -"

So, Johnny says, "Finish the tests, I know - could you give me a hand with this zipper?"

"You know this is not a ski resort.", The nurse says.

Johnny says, "Not yet."

Johnny opens the cardboard box, revealing a colorful fiberglass object the size of a briefcase. In the blink of an eye, he unfolds it into a long snowboard.

Johnny says, "Luckily grandma still sends care packages."

The nurse pops a thermometer in his mouth to shut him up.

The nurse nurse says, "You are trouble."

Johnny says with a thermometer in his mouth, "Brubbles my Triddle Name."

They both pay more attention to his zipper than the digital read-out: it runs right up past 98.6, then accelerates fast.

The sexy nurse says, "You're hot!"

Johnny then replies, "So are you!"

The nurse says, "I mean, you feel a little feverish."

Johnny says, "I've never felt better in my life. When do you get off work?"

The nurse answers, "My shift ends at four, but I couldn't -"

Johnny says, "Meet me at 4:01, top of the run. That'll give you a minute to freshen up."

He hands her the thermometer, a quick kiss and he's out the door. The machine beeps: Johnny's temperature is 209 DEGREES.

On the Von Doom Compound Hospital Patio, Ben finds Reed on a patio with a panoramic view. Reed works at a laptop computer.

"How long was I out?", Ben asked.

Reed replies, "Three days. I was worried about you. How are you feeling?"

"Solid.", Ben says.

Ben can see Reed doesn't look too solid.

"How you doing?", Ben asks Reed.

Reed shakes his head, looking back at his screen.

Reed says, "I don't know. I just keep going over and over the numbers."

Ben says, "Reed. Even you can't compute every little thing."

"I should have done more, run more tests -", Reed says.

Ben gets closer, pushing down Reed's computer screen.

Ben replies, "It was a freak of nature. Last I checked, you don't have a crystal ball. Let it go."

Reed considers. But he can't let it go. He opens his computer back up, returning to work. Ben shakes his head, looks out at the view. His eyes catch on something, wheels turning.

Bee says, "You go through something like this, makes you appreciate having the right woman in your life."

Reed says, "Yeah, you and Debbie and perfect -"

"Reed", Ben say, "I'm not talking about Debbie."

Reed follows Ben's eyes to a lower level patio: Sue.

Reed says shocked, "What? Come on. She's got a good thing with Victor -"

"I'm sorry", Ben says, "did that cosmic-bath loosen your screws?"

"He's smart, powerful, successful -", Reed says.

"Well maybe you should date him.", Ben says interrupting Reed.

Reed looks at Ben, resigned.

Reed says, "Ben. He'll give her the life she deserves. She ended up with the right guy. Things worked out for the best. Ben, I'm going to call Rachel to see how she's doing. She's probably worried and I don't want to get in trouble with her for not tellling her anything."

"Well, tell Raych I said hello and I can't wait to eat her chocolate cookies when we get back.", said Ben.

Reed steps away. Ben stands alone, an idea sparking.

"Do I have to do everything myself?", Ben sasked to himself.

Skips past Johnny & the nurse skiing/past Victor arranging his dinner with Sue

In the Von Doom Compound Dining Hall during the late afternoon, two dozen EMPLOYEES sit and eat. Others serve themselves at the buffet. Ben and Sue walking into the dining hall -

Sue says, "I can only stay for one drink, Ben. I've got to meet with Victor."

Ben replies, "Wouldn't want to keep Vic waiting."

They turn a corner and find Reed, entering by another door.

"Reed, what are you doing here?", Ben asks, but before he can answer Be says, "Great, why don't you join us?"

He quickly shepherds the two of them toward a quiet table. Ben's stomach growls; so loud that they all can hear it.

Ben says hungrily, "God, I'm starving. Gonna hit the buffet."

Ben's stomach growls again, even louder this time.

In The Von Doom Compound Dining Hall , but now it's evening time and the sun is long gone, and so are most of the diners. The room is darker, more romantic. Ben finishes the last shrimp on his plate, pushes it away, belches prodigiously.

Ben says politely, "Pardon me..."

Sue and Reed stare at him. Ben's stomach growls again.

"Are you alright?", Reed asked concerned.

"I think I need to lie down. Bad shrimp.", Ben replies.

This was Ben's plan, but he really isn't feeling well, unsteady when he walks away. He looks down at his stomach.

"Really bad shrimp", Ben says to himself.