He shuddered as he recalled the events of that long ago night. Rolan’s only flaw was that he never dealt with things but locked them tightly away in a box in the back of his mind. His older brother, also a time Lord, had warned him that this weakness would be his life long nemesis. “I think its time to take a look around.” Rolan switched off the scanner and walked down the hall to his room. He opened a huge wooden chest and began to rummage around for something suitable to wear. He put on a linen shirt that open at the neck and narrowed at the waist with a banded collar. He pulled out a perfectly creased pair of khaki pants and slipped them.

Just as he was walking out the door he glanced over at the coat rack in the corner. He grabbed his felt hat and multicolored scarf. "Now," he thought to himself," Lets see where we are . . . "

Cara hit the snooze button for the third time. "It’s too early to move yet," she thought to herself as she turned over to block out the sun's rays trying to peek through her window. She slowly sat up and glanced out the window. The sky outside was alive with the sun’s early rays. Cara stretched luxuriously, like a cat, underneath her comforter. Her life, after coming to the Benning estate, had been wonderful. She was the main instructor at the riding school and the head groom of the estates private stables. She had gotten in at 2am after Sheba, the prized palomino, foaled. It had been a difficult delivery. The colt had been breach, but finally came through and was resting comfortably with her mother. Cara had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

There was a scratching sound coming from the glass tank in the corner of her room. She got up to peer inside, glowing like a mother. Meglos, recognizing her owner, crawled to the side of the tank.

FOOD!

Suddenly Cara was all business as she headed for her closet. She had almost forgotten what she had to do today with all the excitement of last night’s birth. She had always held a fascination for tarantulas of all kinds and her best friend Louise had given her Meglos one Christmas. If Cara did not hurry, Meg would no doubt think she had been forgotten. Cara had run completely out of crickets and she knew she would find more than she needed in the back pastures of the estate. She threw on her jeans and a sweatshirt, and made a token brush at her long brown hair. Pausing long enough to pick up her plastic container she hurried out the door.

Rolan took a good look around him as he reached inside his pocket to pull out an extremely old ships compass. He had picked that up from a retired old seadog on one of his many trips to earth. He continued on his walk looking around at the lush green fields. It was spring and the wild flowers were in bloom. Visiting earth again may not have been such a bad idea. He had a peculiar feeling that something unusual was about to happen.

Rolan reached under his hat and pulled out a bag of Jelly babies. He started to pop one into his mouth when he yawned. “I feel like it’s been at least six hundred years since I had a nap.” Rolan laid down and put his arms behind his head. “I think a short snooze is just what the doctor ordered.” Chuckling at his own joke, he drifted off to sleep.

“Whoa.” Cara whispered softly as she reigned in her favorite mount Gingersnap, a Mustang with a chestnut colored coat. She dismounted and, with a light slap, she sent the horse to graze. “Now let’s see . . . This looks like a good place to look for crickets,” Cara thought as she began to examine the ground around her.

Cara soon found a mess of crickets and began to quickly scoop them up with her net, putting them in her plastic container. Just as she was reaching to scoop up another batch she heard the container pop open. In a flash the crickets began jumping out. Cursing softly under her breath, Cara made a frantic attempt to capture the getaways. In her feverous efforts to snare the critters, she fell to see object before her. “Aaaah!” Cara let out a spine tingling scream as she fell face first into the dirt.

The scream jolted Rolan out of a sound sleep. He opened his eyes fearing that a wild animal was about to attack him. He attempted to sit up but found that a heavy weight of what appeared to be two human legs lay tangled across his chest.

Rolan fingered the long reddish brown hair that was splayed across the ground. He had never seen such beautiful hair. Cara got up and brushed herself off. Hearing a throat clear she looked down startled. Rolan sat up and held out his hand. “Helping me up is the least you could do since you woke me from a rousing good nap.” Cara colored slightly as she held out her hand to him. “I must apologize. I am trying to find food for Meglos, my tarantula..” “Oh yes! Such beautiful creatures, I daresay.” Rolan replied in a soft but clear voice. “I will be very glad to help you as I fancy myself quite an expert in cricket hunting”. Cara looked at him apprensively. Rolan smacked his forehead lightly. “Forgive me. Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rolan, a visitor in these parts.” Cara shook his hand. “My name is Cara and you are on the Benning estate. I run the stables here.”

Rolan capture by her beauty. As he looked into her gray eyes he could sense a sadness there that told him she had been hurt deeply. He knew he must proceed slowly.” Here, let’s see about fetching some more crickets. The crickets were soon snared and placed back into the container.

Cara looked at Rolan “Thank you so much, I must get back or Meg will think I have forgotten her.” Rolan hated to see her go. “If you don’t mind a request from a stranger, would you mind having dinner with me tonight even a Time L . . . traveler has to eat sometime?" Rolan winced at his own near miss.

Cara looked at him in curiously. There was something about him that she had never experienced in her whole life. It drew her to him and she knew that she couldn’t pass up this invitation. “Thank you, I would love too. Let me go feed Meg and get cleaned up. What time did you have in mind? Is 6:00 too soon? That should give you 3 hours.” Rolan thought for a moment “That would be perfect. I am not the best cook in the world but I trust you will enjoy it.” Cara mounted Gingersnap. “I am sure I will. I will see you soon then.” She turned Gingers head and set out across the field in a gallop. Rolan watched her as he walked back to the tardis. He knew he was in for a most extraordinary evening.

Cara quickly unsaddle Gingersnap and, after currying her coat and giving her a fresh bucket of oats, she set off to feed Meg. “I’m sorry Meg. Here you go . . . ” Cara said as she put a few crickets inside the tank.

Cara’s mind drifted back to the stranger she had met and the dinner invitation she had received.
“Hmm . . . he is a most peculiar person but I think I like him.” She thought to herself as she sat on her bed. Before Cara realized it sleep overcame her. Sometime later Cara woke with a start and looked at the clock. She was supposed to meet Rolan in an hour and half! Cara turned on the shower and pulled out a pair of jeans and her favorite hunter green shirt. After her shower, Cara quickly braided her hair and proceeded to walk down to the stables to saddle Gingersnap. Cara stopped with her hand on the door and spotted Meg eating yet another cricket. Hardly knowing why she did it, Cara picked up the phone and dialed up Louise. “Hello?” The familiar voice made Cara grin. Louise had been her best friend since they were little. “Hey girl, I have a favor to ask.” “Sure, anything, what’s up?” Louise replied. “I met this man today while I was riding in the south pasture and he invited me to dinner. Could you take care of Meg?” Cara asked. “Sure! But how long do you intend to be gone?” Louise question. “ And why are you eating with a complete stranger?” “Don’t worry he’s harmless. We are having dinner in his . . . at his place. I will give you complete details when I get back so don’t worry. “ Cara hung up the phone, hearing Louise’s contagious laughter in the background. She knew that Louise would take good care of Meg. Cara scrawled a quick note for Louise telling her how to feed Meg while she was out. She never stopped to question why she had asked Louise to take care of Meg. It just seemed to be something she needed to do.

The night was clear and cool. Cara decided she would ride bare back. Using the gate, she mounted Gingersnap and set off to meet Rolan. Before Cara knew it she reached the south pasture. A green box loomed in the distance. “So this is where I am expected to eat.” Cara thought to herself. She brought Gingersnap to a halt and slid to the ground. “What in hectic is a police box doing in the pasture.” Cara wondered She released Gingersnap and walked uncertainly to the police box door, her stomach in a quaking. Cara raised her hand to knock when the door opened by itself. “Come on in!” Cara heard Rolan’s voice call from the inside. Cara looked back at gingersnap who watched from a distance. “Am I crazy? This looks like an old phone booth. How can we have dinner in a phone booth?” Gingersnap looked at her as if to say ”Walk on in and find out.” Cara laughed quietly under her breath and started through the door.