"Wake up, Lisa," a voice called out.

Lisa attempted to groan, but found the constriction in her chest much too tight to let out more than a sigh. Her hands and legs felt numb, and her neck and chest felt cold and wet.

"Dammit, Lisa! Wake up!"

Her eyelids felt heavy and sticky, but she managed to peel them open slightly. Everything was blurry and unsteady. Her vision swam before her as if she were drunk; even when her eyes moved, it took her vision a few moments to catch up with her. Colors and shadows tilted and faded in and out without any real clarity.

Suddenly, a face was before her, close enough to barely register the slight feeling of breath against her skin. Dark, unfamiliar eyes set in an angry, stony face glared mercilessly at her, before darkness charged back in and pulled her back into its depths.

-

-

-

When her senses came back to her, the first thing she realized was that she felt light. Lighter than she should have. As she opened her eyes, she could see a thick, gray-white fog floating around her.

What the h-

"Are you going to stand there all day, pumpkin, or are you going to get out of the water and onto dry land?"

Lisa looked down to find herself ankle-deep in what appeared to be a dark, cold lake. She raised her head to look for the owner of the voice, and saw a figure standing on the shoreline. "Grandma?" she breathed.

There, in a denim blouse with embroidered flowers at the neckline, a white cotton skirt, and sandals, stood her grandmother.

Her dead grandmother.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" Something cold dripped at her neck, and the sudden urge to get out of the cold water moved her toward the shore.

Henrietta smiled congenially. "Not really, Lisa, dear." She appraised her granddaughter with an all-encompassing view. "Oh, come see me, sweetheart!"

Deciding just to go with it, Lisa returned the smile and rushed into her grandmother's arms, ignoring the wet squish of her feet on the muddy shoreline. As she felt her grandmother's embrace tighten around her, Lisa finally felt the emotional weight crack open and spill over her. "Oh, Grandma, I'm so sorry I didn't visit you like I said I was going to! I should've come to see you, but by the time I got back to Texas ..."

Henrietta pulled away and gave her a knowing smile. "I understand, dear. I know your job keeps you busy. Besides, you got to see me one last time, didn't you?"

Breathe for me, Lisa. The words were hollow and faint, as if being heard from the far end of a tunnel.

"What is that?" Lisa asked, searching for the source of the voice.

Henrietta pulled her granddaughter's attention back to her. "That's not why we're here right now."

Lisa's eyes snapped back to her grandmother. "Why are we here, exactly? I'm not sure I understand-"

C'mon, Leese. Breathe! Wake up!

"We're here because you made a very stupid mistake."

A child's laugh pealed across the landscape. Lisa turned to see a man, a woman, and a small child walking along the shoreline, nearly a football field's length away. The child ran into the man's arms, giggling as the man swung the child up in the air. "Who are those people, Grandma? Friends of yours?"

Henrietta gave a wry smile. "You could say that," she replied mysteriously.

At closer inspection, Lisa realized, "Hey, that ... that's me!" She pointed to the woman in the trio, shaking her head. "I don't get it. If I'm not dreaming-"

I need ... I need a doctor, she's bl- The disembodied voice faded before Lisa could catch the end of the sentence.

"Yes, that is you. And the man and child are people that you could potentially get to know. If you make the right choices, that is."

"The right choices?"

"Yes," Henrietta repeated. "As I said earlier, you made a very stupid mistake. One that may cost you your life." She reached forward and grabbed Lisa's necklace, which was coated in red. Blood.

"Oh my God," Lisa breathed. Looking down, she saw that the cold wetness on her chest and neck was coming from a deep hole in her chest, directly over her heart.

Pulse is unstable. Blood ox-

"You can't do anything to affect that, so pay it no mind, Lisa." Henrietta pulled Lisa's hand away from the seeping wound in her chest. "Not everything is as it seems here. Pay it no mind," she repeated sternly. "We don't have a lot of time."

"I'm dying, aren't I, Grandma?"

"We're not here to talk about that, now listen!"

I know I haven't talked to you in a long time ... And I'm sure you've got a special place in Purgatory reserved for m-

"Where the hell is that voice coming from?" Lisa shouted angrily, confused and scared at the fact that nothing seemed real, as if surreality had invaded and conquered her consciousness.

"I need you to beware the snakes in the grass, pumpkin."

She looked back at her grandmother, confusion crossing her features. "What? What snakes in the grass? What are you-"

"Jackson Rippner," Henrietta stated firmly in an icy tone. "That monster of a man is back in your life, and he can't be trusted. Use extreme caution with him, Lisa! He will use any means necessary to complete his mission, whatever it may be!"

But all I ask is that you make her better. Make her better, and I'll quit. I'll leave this-

"Grandma, I don't understand-"

"You need to keep your wits about you and make sure your head is firmly affixed to your shoulders, child!" Henrietta responded with a sense of urgency.

We need to notify her next of kin. I don't know if she's gonna ma-

Lisa glared upward in an attempt to find the disembodied voice. "Grandma-" She paused, looking at the spot where her grandmother once stood. All that remained was the white-gray fog. As she stared at the empty spot, the fog got thicker, moving in around Lisa as she vainly attempted to see if she could find anybody in this forsaken place. Claustrophobia tightened in her chest until it became hard to breathe, and the weightless dizzying sensation returned, swirling through her veins until she wasn't sure which way was up, and which was down. In a last attempt to steady herself, Lisa held her hands out, trying to balance, but unconsciousness finally claimed her and she crashed to the ground as darkness swept in.

-

-

-

"Authorities apprehended fugitive Jackson Rippner, who escaped from the Miami-Dade area hospital Thursday night. Ironically, Rippner was apprehended after bringing Lisa Reisert into a hospital to receive urgent medical care. Authorities say Rippner brought in Reisert with a knife embedded six inches into her chest. The knife grazed her heart and embedded itself in her shoulder blade. Doctors worked on Reisert for hours, attempting to repair the damage done to her heart, but were unable to bring her back to life. Upon the insistence of her father, Joe Reisert, a local cardiac specialist team was enlisted to help, and surprisingly, resuscitated her. Officials say that Ms. Reisert has a long road ahead of her, but her full recovery is expected. Rippner, now being held in Miami-Dade County Jail, is expected to face trial soon. We'll update you more on this story as soon as we receive more information. On to the weather, now-"

Lisa switched the TV off and stared at the green Jell-O wiggling in front of her. She didn't know how something could look cute and revolting at the same time.

"Lisa, sweetheart, you should be resting." Her father walked in to the room and set down his coffee on the bedside table. "You heard what the doctors said, Lisa. Nothing to raise your heart rate."

"I know, Daddy," she said weakly. Her father gave her a concerned smile. "I'm sorry I scared you and Mom like that." Joe gave a small laugh.

"We're just glad you're okay, sweetie. I don't know what would've happened if I'da lost you to that Rippner monster. Stabbing you in the heart like that-"

"I told you, Dad. He didn't stab me. I turned around and when I knocked into that guy, I accidentally stabbed myself."

"Lisa, I find that hard to believe."

"Why would Jackson stab me and then bring me to the hospital, Dad? That doesn't make sense." Joe sat back in his chair and reached for his coffee, taking a sip.

"Maybe he was tired of running, Lisa." Not true. He'd run for the rest of his life if it kept him out of jail.

"Did they ever find the other guy? The one I hit against?" Joe shook his head.

"Not yet. The man on your floor was dead when the police found him. No motives, no clues, nothing." Lisa nodded and looked at her blankets with a frown.

-

-

-

After numerous surgeries, check-ups, medications, physical exams, tests, and procedures, Lisa was finally release from the prison of the hospital, to the prison of the court system.

Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

You may be seated.

Miss Reisert ... when you arrived at the airport for your flight back from your grandmother's funeral ... you assumed it would be just another flight-

-Your Honor, I'd like to present to the jury ... Item No. 243-3-CH in Exhibit D. This is an eight-inch, serrated, stainless steel steak knife. You'll notice the blood on the blade. This, unfortunately, is Miss Reisert's blood. We have reason to believe that the defendant, Jackson Rippner, shoved this blade into Miss Reisert's chest in an attempt to murder her. Would you agree, Miss Reisert?

"No, I would not," Lisa said firmly from her seat on the witness stand. Gasps were heard from around the courtroom. She saw Jackson look at her in surprise. She stared back.

"I'm sorry, Miss Reisert, did you say 'No, I would not'?" Lisa's eyes snapped back to the prosecutor. The trial had been long, already delayed by the recovery time needed for her injuries before she could testify. Everything had seemed like a blur, with only bits and pieces clarifying themselves before fading again. "Miss Reisert?"

"I don't believe that Mr. Rippner embedded that knife in my chest, no. I did it. On accident." More gasps and murmurs. Jackson stared at her with intrigue.

"Miss Reisert, the police have yet to find this second attacker you claimed to have ran into-"

"I'm aware of that, Prosecutor," Lisa snapped.

-

-

-

"Could you please state your name, for the record ..."

"Jackson Lucas Rippner."

Knives. Cell phones. Incendiary devices. His middle name's 'Lucas'? Everything wrapped neatly in plastic bags with labels. Whoever wrapped the evidence must have proud mothers. Hah ... so his name actually is Jackson Rippner. Her injection site itched. Don't take the bandage off.

"You threatened Miss Reisert, AND her father, Mr. Rippner, isn't that true? And for the record, ladies and-"

Her heart thumped softly in her chest. Thump, thump, thump-thump, thump, thump-thump. Irregular heartbeat. Arrhythmia. It'll work itself out in time, Lisa. Your heart just has to learn how to get back into the right beat again. It'll train itself.

"-who was found on the floor of Miss Reisert's bedroom. Where was the second attacker, Mr. Rippner?"

"There wasn't one." Lisa looked up. Jackson stared at the prosecutor.

"Well, then ... care to explain to the court, who Miss Reisert encountered?"

"It was me." He gave her a quick glance. "When we entered her house, I had a bad feeling about the place. I told her to stay downstairs in the kitchen-"

"Mr. Rippner, I don't see where this is going!"

"How 'bout you don't fuckin' interrupt me and you'll find the fuck out!" Jackson snapped. Lisa had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. A few other members of the court seemed to have the same problem.

"Prosecutor ..." the judge warned, "he's got a point. Please don't interrupt the defendant while he's testifying." He gave the prosecutor a stern glance before looking back to Jackson. "You may continue, Defendant." Jackson gave the prosecutor a smug smile and continued.

"Like I was saying," he straightened his jacket and readjusted his posture, "I told her to stay downstairs while I searched the house. When I found Mr. Jonovan in the master bathroom, he rushed me, and we had an altercation. Mr. Jonovan had a gun, aimed it at me, and when he went to fire, the gun jammed. That's when I stabbed him."

"So you admit to stabbing Mr. Jonovan?"

"Was I supposed to talk him out of shooting me? If I didn't take him out first, he'd have taken me out, then there's a very real possibility that he would've encountered Lisa next."

"So you're saying you did this for Miss Reisert's safety? After you had attempted to kill her months earlier?"

"I did it out of self-defense. Consider Lisa's survival a bonus for the court," he replied sarcastically. Lisa pushed back a smirk.

"Yet, Miss Reisert's chance of survival rapidly declined after that point, isn't that true, Mr. Rippner?"

"Curiosity killed the cat," he responded with a shrug.

"Explain what happened after that."

"I left the bedroom to search the rest of the rooms upstairs. Lisa must've come looking for me. She has a tendency to not do things that I ask her to do." He glanced over at her. Lisa laughed softly, knowing that Jackson was resisting the urge to smirk. "She probably heard Mr. Jonovan hitting the floor and when she came upstairs, she found him lying on the floor next to her bed. I saw movement in her bedroom, so I went in, and saw Lisa. When she turned around, she ran into me." The dark hair, the angry face! He was mad because I didn't stay downstairs!

"Funny, that's not what Miss Reisert remembers."

"I remember her saying that she couldn't see much of anything, Prosecutor." Lisa saw the muscles in the prosecutor's jaws clench in anger. "It was dark. No lights, only the light from the neighbor's house coming in. Gets a little hard to see anything in almost utter darkness."

"So, Miss Reisert ran into you, so you claim ... what next?" Lisa watched Jackson intently. He looked down in his lap and seemed to look a little ... what? Angry? Upset?

"Lisa just kinda ... froze. I figured I just scared her and she fainted. When she started falling, that's when I saw. I ... I saw the knife. I grabbed her before she hit the floor. There was-" he looked over at Lisa with pained eyes, "there was a lot of blood."

"So, you claim you tried to performed CPR and mouth-to-mouth?" Jackson looked up at the prosecutor.

"No, not CPR. I did try mouth-to-mouth, though." The lips against hers ... C'mon Leese. Breathe! Wake up! "I didn't want to try CPR with the knife being so close to her heart. At the time, I wasn't aware it had grazed it. I didn't wanted to risk anything." The prosecutor laughed.

"Didn't want to risk anything!? May I remind the court, that Mr. Rippner had a knife to Miss Reisert's throat eleven months prior to this incident-"

"But he didn't kill me!" Lisa screamed. All eyes were on her. She realized that was standing. The judge banged his gavel a few times to restore order.

"Miss Reisert, you're speaking out of turn. I'm going to have to ask you to remain seated until you are brought up to testify," he said softly. Lisa nodded and sat back down. Jackson stared at her.

"I'd like to also remind the court that if Mr. Joe Reisert hadn't shot Mr. Rippner, he may have, in fact, had time to kill Miss Reisert."

"I had time to kill her, anyway," Jackson spat. "I hesitated." Lisa felt her father bristle next to her.

"After you began performing mouth-to-mouth, what happened?" The prosecutor continued. Jackson looked down again.

"She breathed a few times. I took her back to her car, which was parked out front, and started driving to the hospital. I had to keep checking to make sure she was breathing. A few times, she wasn't. I'd pull over and perform mouth-to-mouth until she started breathing again." He paused, glancing back at Lisa before continuing. "By the time I got to the hospital, she'd lost a lot of blood, and she was barely breathing."

"Why, exactly ... did you bring Miss Reisert to the hospital, Mr. Rippner, if you only came back to finish the job you started?" Lisa watched Jackson expectantly. "Mr. Rippner?"

"I don't even know why I came back to her in the first place. When she asked me why I came back, I told her what I had said to her on the plane ... I'd said that I might have to steal her. I couldn't think of another response. I think part of me wanted to torture her for fucking up my assignment. Another part of me wanted closure. Most of me was unsure about anything." He looked back at her again. "But when I saw that knife sticking out of her chest, I knew that wasn't what I'd come there to do. If I wanted to kill her, I'd have done it myself. But I didn't. Didn't come back to kill her, that's for sure. And I couldn't let her lay there and die." He'd held her gaze throughout his response, saying everything, in his own way, directly to her.

"Why not?"

"I'm still not sure."

-

-

-

Jackson sat in the courtroom, watching his lawyer speak heatedly with the judge. He had a snowball's chance in hell of getting what he wanted, but his lawyer was putting up a good fight for him. The plaintiffs' lawyers were also arguing loudly, trying to knock their own sense into the judge. After a few more moments, the lawyers returned to their respective benches as the judge shuffled her papers and removed her glasses.

"Court will adjourn for a half-hour recess while I confer with the counsel." He banged his gavel and people began rising. "Counsel members?" He looked at the lawyers. Jackson watched his own lawyer grab the case file, along with a notepad and pen.

"Don't get lost while I'm gone," he grumbled. Jackson merely shrugged and stood, cracking his neck. Turning, he saw Lisa, with Joe standing protectively in front of her, leading her through the crowd toward the doors.

It was at that moment that he noticed a familiar face toward the back of the courtroom. A man with sandy blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a grey suit slowly worked his way toward Jackson, moving against the flow of people streaming toward the exit. Jackson waited patiently and finally extended his hand when the man was within range.

"Well, well, well ... if it isn't the ghost from Christmas past," Jackson mused as the man smiled and shook Jackson's outstretched hand. "I thought you were still overseas, Rutger?" The man shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands down in his pockets.

"Yeah, well, plans changed when news spread that the infamous Ripper was being brought up on attempted murder and terrorism charges," his Australian accent was thick as he spoke. "Which brings me to why I'm here." Jackson raised an interested eyebrow at Rutger and leaned against the railing separating the spectators from the court proceedings as the room emptied.

"I'm listening." The Australian pulled out a small piece of paper from his breast pocket and handed it to Jackson.

"The word from our legal department is that there's a possibility of some foul play on this trial. Might want to have your lawyer look into that for you." Jackson looked at the paper that Rutger gestured to, and began reading it, his brows scrunching in confusion.

"What is this, exactly?" Jackson asked. Rutger looked around and checked for eavesdroppers before continuing.

"Those are the names of the companies that Judge Harnois has stock in, which, coincidentally, are controlled by our company. I'm sensing a possible manipulation of the ruling on this case, with his stock interests being the deciding factor," Rutger explained conspiratorily. Jackson smiled.

"Does he know he's being set up?" he asked. Rutger laughed.

"That's the best part, mate! He actually owns those stocks! It's legit!" He allowed himself a satisfied smile. "It's the presiding judge's duty to research any conflict of interests before taking a case." Jackson folded the paper and shoved it into his pocket, giving a small laugh.

"I'll be damned," he murmured. Rutger clapped Jackson on the back and glanced over his shoulder.

"Alright mate ... look, just thought I'd drop by, hand you the information myself. I've got to be going, soon, so I'll see ya?" Jackson sighed and looked at his shoes.

"Um, actually, probably not." Rutger paused and turned back to Jackson.

"Huh? It's not like they're going to give you the chair once your lawyer brings that stock information up." Jackson shook his head.

"Nothing like that, it's just ... I'm probably not going to be getting too many more assignments, what with this whole Keefe situation," he explained. "Hell, the company didn't even send one of their lawyers to defend me, I had to find one of my own! That's why I was kind of surprised when they had you come here and deliver the dirt against Judge Harnois." Rutger frowned.

"Jacks, man ... they didn't send me." Jackson frowned. "I found this out from one of the girls in legal that I used to sleep with." Rutger had the decency to blush a little. "She owed me a favor or two, and when she had mentioned something about your court case, I decided to cash in." Jackson suddenly realized how short he suddenly was on friends, Rutger being just about his only one now. "Company didn't send me. I came here by my own volition."

"Oh ... right," Jackson said, looking at his feet and nodding. "Well, um ... thanks, Rutger. For everything. And if I don't see you again ..." he held out his hand, causing Rutger to frown, slowly extending his own hand, "good luck with everything. Hope you get everything you ever dreamed of, man. Take care of yourself." Rutger nodded, his brows furrowed as he finally shook Jackson's hand.

"Yeah, mate ... you, too. Watch your back. And your leg." He gestured down to the leg Lisa had skewered with her heel. Jackson allowed himself a small smile and nodded.

-

-

-

Four Days Later

"Look kid, I don't know who your sources are, but they just saved your ass!" Jackson's attorney hissed excitedly as they began to exit the courtroom.

"No shit, they did, Kevin! And yes, I know: no talking to any reporters, for my own good." His attorney smiled and slapped him on the back.

"Thinking smart like that'll keep you alive longer, kiddo." Jackson rolled his eyes. Kevin had a tendency to continually call him childish names due to the attorney's advanced age. Nearly eighty and still kickin' in the courtroom. "I've got a meeting with another client here in about fifteen minutes. Think you can handle the masses?" He gestured to the entry at the end of the hallway, where nearly all the reporters and news teams in the state had gathered, waiting to hear the verdict and hopefully interview the trial attendees.

"I can handle myself. Besides, I've got some business of my own to handle," Jackson murmured. Kevin broke away and headed off down one of the many hallways, leaving Jackson to walk with the rest of the people making their way to the door.

A flash of red hair near the entry caught his attention. Lisa. He immediately quickened his pace and shoved past the people in his way. He'd nearly forgotten about the reporters by the time he'd reached the doors.

"Jackson! Jackson! What are your thoughts-"

"Mr. Rippner! Can we get an interview, please-"

"How does it feel to get off on a technicality-"

"Were you expecting this outcome, Jacks-"

He shoved past the reporters, grumbling 'no comment' as he moved toward Lisa, who was also being hounded by news teams, despite Joe's best efforts. He ran toward her, shoving through the throng of reporters between them.

"Lisa!" he shouted. He was simply drowned out by the throng of people. "LISA!" She looked up, seeming to hear him, but quickly dismissed it as Joe led her to the car. Jackson pushed ahead of more people and gave a cameraman a none-too-friendly shove. "LEESE!" he bellowed, his voice loud and raspy. A feeling of satisfaction ignited in his chest as he saw her freeze dead in her tracks. No one else calls her 'Leese' like that, but me. She turned and scanned the crowd, finally catching sight of him as he shoved his way through reporters.

"C'mon, Lisa, honey, let's go," Joe growled. Lisa nodded and turned toward her father again, then stopped when she felt a hand clamp around her arm.

"A word with you, Leese?" Jackson asked, irritated at the audience.

"Miss Reisert! How has your life changed since the events on flight-"

"Lisa! Lisa! Are there any connections between you and Mr. Rippner's terrorist organiz-"

"Is it true that you were in on it, Miss Reisert!?"

"Jackson, how are your employers hand-"

Jackson growled and looked back at Lisa. "Preferrably in private?" Joe shoved through the crowd and grabbed Lisa's arm.

"Get away from my daughter, Mr. Rippner!" Joe snapped. Jackson fumed. I fucking saved your daughter's life, you son of a-

"Miss Reisert, are you going to be publishing-"

Enough was enough. Jackson snapped.

"Will everyone get the fuck out of here?" he bellowed. The crowd of reporters jumped back noticeably as Jackson raged, his blue eyes conveying death threats as his face turned redder. "Get the fuck out of here!" The crowd murmured, and cameras slowly stopped flashing. Jackson turned back to see Lisa and Joe hurrying off to their car. Jackson quickly ran after the pair, noticing that none of the news teams seemed to want to stare death in the face again by following them.

"Lisa! Leese!" Jackson called. She stopped, much to Joe's disappointment.

"Get in the car, Lisa!" he growled, opening the door for her as Jackson approached.

"What do you want, Jackson?" Lisa asked softly. She reached into her purse for an orange prescription bottle, popping two pills into her mouth and swallowing them dry. Her heart wasn't going to be able to take much more excitement for one day. "Haven't you put me through enough?" Jackson frowned.

"I didn't come over here to torture you, Leese," he spat. He fell quiet, as did she. For a few moments, neither said a word.

"How much did it cost for you to pay off the judge?" Lisa finally asked. Jackson fumed inside. "Enough for a down payment on a car? Or maybe enough for a car itself? Or possibly a vacation house in Malibu-"

"I didn't pay anyone off, Lisa! He legitimatly had stock in one of our subsidiary companies!"

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that, Jackson? Hmm?" Joe started the car and yelled for her to get in. "I've got an appointment, Jackson. Don't make me late for it." She turned to get in the car.

"Lisa-" His hand was on her arm, requesting her attention again. She turned back to look at him. "I just- ... I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Wanted to see for myself that you were alright."

Lisa paused, regarding him for a moment. She wanted to believe, she really did. If he could change himself, then-

Without a word, she gave a slight nod and slipped into the car, slamming the door. Jackson watched as Joe threw it into reverse and quickly sped out of the parking lot.

Jackson stood there for a few moments, gathering his thoughts. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed his cell phone and flipped it open. "Time to finish this," he murmured, dialing the number for Headquarters.