The character of Ben belongs to my fiancé. He wanted to be put in, so I did it.

Chapter Thirteen: The Past Comes Back to Haunt Her

Lisa sat next to Gary, holding his hand, feeling very upset that she couldn't do anything for him. She hated feeling so helpless. Sighing heavily, she adjusted the cold compress on his head and hoped Medicus would come in time.

To make matters worse, it had started to storm outside about an hour ago, which could slow down the process. Lisa also hated rain.

Suddenly, she heard frantic pounding at her front door. Curious, and a little annoyed, she stood and left the room. When she opened the door, a very tall guy wearing blue jeans and a shirt, dripping wet and stained with mud, barged in.

"What the…Ben?" she said, shocked and rather aggravated, shutting the door against the increasing wind and rain. "What are you doing here?"

Benjamin Del Ponte was an old acquaintance of Lisa's and also the "someone who spent his time" in Wisconsin. Immortal in his own right and having powers of his own, he always ended up popping in on her life when she didn't want him to. He was six-foot-six with glasses, green eyes, and short brown hair. He'd be cute if he wasn't always bugging her.

Ben countered her questions with one of his own. "Are you all right?"

Lisa blinked. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"I sensed you were in trouble and I heard your cries for help."

She limped to the couch, leaning against the back. "That…has been taken care of." She was a growing puddle of water accumulating at his feet and bits of mud from his clothes were plopping down into it. "You're dripping all over my floor, you know…and what's with all the mud? I didn't think it was that bad outside."

"Uh…run in with…um, what's his name?"

"Woodhorn?"

Woodhorn was a unicorn stallion appointed to the task of guarding the Alnilam Gateways. He loathed humans and humanoids with a passion and never missed a chance to attack any he saw roaming about the forest. Unfortunately, not many visited and those who did were usually friends of Lisa's, but Woodhorn didn't care. He attacked anyway, and, luckily, they usually escaped in some way, shape, or form without getting injured too seriously.

"Yeah," said Ben, "that's it…Why are you limping?"

She looked annoyed, her normal facial expression whenever this guy was around. "I twisted my ankle escaping from the Institute."

"What?!"

Lisa winced. "Shh!! I'm not alone, here. I got a…a friend asleep down the Hall." She could see that that little explanation wouldn't be enough for him. "Okay, fine. I was captured at the Sears Tower in Chicago by this mad scientist that's been after me since the sixties. This guy, Gary, rescued me…okay, I rescued him in the long run…and I twisted my ankle in the process. We're hiding out 'til things die down on Earth."

"Which could be forever," Ben said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

She sighed. "I left out one thing…Gary was accidentally injected with a serum made especially for me…it made him sick. Medicus is working on an antidote, so I couldn't bring him back even if I wanted to or it was safe to do so."

"So, what are you going to do about the mad scientist?"

"Von Braun?" Lisa shrugged. "Hope he'll give up…"

" 'Von Braun'?" he echoed. "I met him once; some crazy talk about a girl that never aged. I thought he was completely crazy. But, if he has gone this far, it'd mean it'll be a long while 'til he gives up."

While she wondered how he could think Von Braun was crazy when Ben knew perfectly well not aging was one of her traits, she had other, more important things on her mind. "I'll jump off that bridge when I come to it," she said, misquoting the adage on purpose. "Right now, I got a sick friend I have to worry about."

He was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes," she answered. "Leave. I have things under control."

There was a shriek of a cat and two furry blurs – one orange, one black-and-white – raced from the Hall into the living room, around the couch, and back down the way they came.

"I see that," Ben said skeptically.

Lisa frowned. "That's just Fluffy chasing Gary's cat. I didn't catch why. I think he's flirting with her or something, which is kinda funny, as she's so much older than he is."

"Never stopped you."

She glared at him, fire in her eyes, the tips of her wings reddening with anger. "Get out of here," she growled venomously.

At that moment, a crack of thunder split the air and rain splattered loudly against the windows. The storm was getting worse.

"You expect me to go back out in that?" Ben asked. "I'm already soaked. Do you think I could wait out the storm?"

Another crack of thunder answered the question for her. No matter how much she disliked a person, Lisa wouldn't make them suffer needlessly. She sighed, irritated. "I guess."

"How about a shower and some dry clothes?"

She glared. Just because she offered him hospitality didn't mean she had to like it. She waved him towards the Hall. "Whatever. You know where your room is. Just don't wake Gary."

He nodded and walked away. Lisa rubbed her face with her hands and let out a soft groan. Could the situation get any worse?

End chapter thirteen.