Chapter 1: Another Bride, Another Groom
The treehouse was unusually peaceful. Ealier that day they had all attended a wedding. Roxton and Marguerite's to be exact. it was simple. No groups of people, no huge party. Just the six of them in the treehouse. CHallenger presided over the simple cerimony and ten minutes later, Marguerite Krux became Lady Roxton. She never looked happier or more radient and Roxton had never looked more proud.
Now the two were out picnicing by the river with Will, leaving Ned, Veroncia and Challenger to their own devices. The scientist quickly burried himself in his work. Ned was going to ask Veronica if she wanted to go see Assi or just go for a walk, but his wife had been acting extremely peticular. Moody, emotionaly and completely unpredictable. He didn't know how to handle her or make her feel better, and that fact was driving him up the wall. Roxton told him to get used to it, that's just how woman are. That earned Roxton a glare from Marguerite. A fight ensued but by nightfall the two had made up leaving Ned to figure out his own problems once more. That had been weeks ago and he was no closer to finding a solution.
Veronica herself didn't quite know what was wrong with herself. She just felt out of sorts, like something was just not quite right. Not was wrong exactally, she just didn't know what was bothering her. She knew Ned was getting frustrated, but she couldn't tell him what was wrong until she figured it out herself. Maybe...no. it wasn't possible. Well it was more than possible...it was probable. Sighing she ran a hand through her hair. Veronica Malone was pregant.
"I drempt of this once," Roxton said as Marguerite fed him another grape, his head in her lap.
"I remember. I also remember you so brilliantly getting shot, me saving your life, then saving yours and everyone elses as well." she said wiht a smirk.
"Yes well we cant all be as heroic as you my dear," he said dryly.
Beside them Will giggled and moved to his hands and knees. He hadn't quite achieved the co-ordination to get anywhere yet but that didn't stop him from trying.
"You know," Marguerite said feeding her husband another grape, "this isn't how I expected to spend the afternoon of my wedding day."
"What? You didn't expect to be in a prehistoric jungle?" he said smirking.
"I didn't expect to have a 6 month old baby with me."
"...Does it bother you?" Roxton asked softly.
Marguerite sighed, "A little. Dont get me wrong, I love WIll and I wouldn't change things if I could."
"Then what?"
"Well...If we hadn't had Will...would you have wanted to marry me?" She asked softly, running a hand though his dark hair.
"Marguerite, I love you. When I saw you on the ground and I thought you were dead, apart of me died," he said, reaching up to brush his knuckles across her cheek. "That had nothing to do with Will. If i didn't love you, I wouldn't have married you, Will or not. I would still have loved him and would have taken care of you both, but I know first hand what a loveless marriage is like and so do you...my parents were miserable. My father never took a hand to my mother, nothing quite that serious, but they didn't love each other...they barely even liked each other and they made themselves and everyone else miserable. I wouldn't want Will or any child to grow up in a home like that. Now if this is the day for questions, I think I'm entitled to ask one myself."
Marguerite nodded.
"did you marry me for my money?" he said teasingly.
"Oooh you..." She threw a grape at him and smiled. Quickly he grabbed her wrists and they started wrestling playfully, Marguerite compensating for her lack of strenght with creative insults. Very quickly the wrestling turned to kissing and the kissing quickly turned to something more plesant.
Chapter 2: Spilling the Beans
Later that night, Veronica and Ned were watching Will so Marguerite and Roxton could have something that at least resembled a wedding night.
"Ned, I think we should have a talk," she began and Ned immeately put down the book he was reading to Will and looked at her. "I know I've been difficult the last few weeks and I wanted to talk to you about it but I coulnd't figure out what was wrong but I finially figured it out. I think." Veronica paused, taking a breath and wiping her sweaty palms on her legs, trying to compose herself. "Ned...I think..what I mean is....we're going to have a baby."
The only sound was Will's giggle as Ned hit the floor.
"Oh god..Ned!" Qucikly she knet by him tapping his cheek. The color quickly returned to his cheeks and his eyes opened, blinking a few times in confusion.
"A b.baby?" he asked softly and she bit her lip nodding. "Oh jeeze..." gently he leaned up and kissed her reverently.
"So you're happy?" She asked hesitantly.
"Veronica, I never wanted anything more!"
She signed in relief, smiling as she kissed him again.
Chapter 3: Telling the Family
The next morning, everyone gathered at the breakfast table having heard the Ned and Veronica had an announcement to make. Roxton and Marguerite came in a bit late. Finially everyone was sitting and Veronica stood up, looking at Ned who moved to stand behind her, an arm protectively around her waist.
"Everyone...we have something to say..." she began.
"You're pregnant." Marguerite interupted. Veronica just staired at her and the heiress blinked, "....it was just a joke."
"It's not a joke. We're going to have a baby." Ned said smiling.
"Congratulations!" Roxton immedately said, standing to shake Ned's hand and kiss Veronica's cheek.
"This is good news indeed, congratulations, both of you!" Challenger said, following Roxton's example.
"No one deserves it more," said Marguerite, hugging them both. "There's so much to be done. We can use Will's old baby cloths so that wont be a problem. I dont know if we'll need a second crib...Will'll only be a year and 3 months when the baby's born, but I dont know if he'll be ready for a bed.."
"Marguerite, calm down!" Veronica said smiling. "We have plenty of time."
"You'd be suprised how fast it goes..." said the young mother, sighing softly. As if on cue, Will flung a handful of mushed bannana's at the group, giggling as everyone frantically dodges out of the way. Marguriete didn't comment as she pulled the bannana's out of his reach and sat, feeding him.
"This calls for a celebration. Why dont we put off the mapping we were going to do today and go down and have a little picnic by the river?" Challenger suggested.
"Is that such a good idea Challenger?" Roxton said, still nervous about what happened last time they all tried to take a day off.
"Roxton has a point." Ned said. He knew Veronica could take care of herself but now...he felt an overwhelming protectiveness concerning her.
"Oh dont be such fraidy cats. I'd love to get out of the house for a day." Marguerite said.
"Me too. We'll just have to keep our gaurd up." Veronica reassured her husband slipping her hand into his and squeezing.
"Three to two we win! I'll start packing up a lunch." Marguerite said cheerfully as she headed into the kitchen. Roxton and Ned just exchanged looks and sighed.
Chapter 4: Horsing Around
And do they headed out for a picnic. Ned and Roxton kept their guns ready but the girls' care free demenor was infectious. Immedately Ned headed for the water and started trycing to coax his wife in. Finially he simply lost paitence and picked Veronica up, dumping her in the deep end. Veronica did her best to look furious but she was just in to good a mood.
"Veronica I think you're all wet!" Marguerite called out to her.
"Oh yeah..feels great...In fact, I think you should expierance it for yourself!" Veronicall yelled back and started twords Marguerite, Ned following.
"Oh no! that's okay!" she quickly said, backing away from the water. They kept comming for her and she continued to back away. "Common guys! I already took a bath."
"Then you wont mind getting another one if you like them so much" Ned said grabbing her wrists.
"Malone, let go! I'll bite! I swear to god I'll gnaw your arm off!" Her threated ended in a yelp as Veronica grabbed her feet and lifted her so she "hung" between them. "ROXTON! HELP!" She screamed trying to sound angry.
"I'm not getting involved. You dug your own grave and I like staying dry!" the hunter called after the three, not budging from his grassy shady spot with Will. He was sure Ned adn Veronica wouldn't hurt anything except Marguerite's pride. In fact, he was more worried about how his wife would retaliate. His attention was drawn back to the three as Ned and Veronica swung her getting up momentum.
"One...Two..THREE!" they cahtned together and Marugierte shriked, expecting to go flying, but the two just deposited her on the mossy bank, none to gently.
"You..you ...you miscrients! Dispicable cads!"
Ned and Veronica just laughed as she got to her feet...and almsot fell again from being dizzy. With as much dignity as she could muster she walked back to Roxtona nd sat, taking IWll into her lap. THe baby immedately nuzzled his face against her stomach, chubby fists bawling in her shirt frong.
Roxton moved to put an arm around her but stopped when she said, "Hold it right there buddy! Don't think you can abandon me to the wolves and then get all lovey-dovey a minute later!" Her voice never even raised above normal speaking tones so she wouldnt disturbe the baby.
"Marguerite.."
"Dont 'Marguerite' me!"
"They're your friends and they just wanted to have a little fun. Didn't you ever horse around as a kid?"
"No as a matter of fact, they didn't really condone rough housing at the convent." she replied, frowning.
Roxton sighed. "You know..you can be a real pill when your trying." he said standing and walking over to where Challenger was fiddling with something.
Marguerite frowned. So what if she didn't want to go flying into a river. That didn't make her crazy did it? Sighing she layed back and closed her eyes. Maybe this picnic wasn't such a good idea afterall..
I apologize for not writing another chapter sooner. What happened in NY and D.C. really affected me as I have close family there. I hope to start working back into writing a chapter a day
Chapter 5: Run Willie, Run!
When Marguerite woke a few hours later, she saw everyone else had taken her cue and napped as well. Yawning she looked over them to make sure they were all accounted for...then her blood ran coled.
"Oh god...ROXTON!" she screamed in a panic and instantly he was awake along with everyone else. "Where's Will!?!?!?!" she said, frantically searching around the clearing.
Immedately everyone was on their feet "there arn't any tracks.." Veronica quickly assesed
"Well what do you think he did?! Walked away on his own?" Marguerite snapped, almost in tears.
"No...I think he crawled away..come're ya little ankle biter.." Ned called over as he extracted Will who was sleeping soundly under a bush. Will opened sleepy blue-grey eyes and looked as angry as a baby can at his nap being interupted.
Before anyone could blink, Marguerite snatched the baby out of Ned's arms. "What were you thinking?! What would I do if i ever lost you..." she asked Will as if expecting an answer.
"I think that's enoughe xcitement for one day.." Challenger said as Roxton tried to comfort his wife who was pale as a ghost and trembling taboot. "Why dont we head home?"
Ned and Veronica silently gathered up the picnic supplies and they all headed back to the tree house.
Chapter 6: Isn't She A Beautiful Baby?
That was the last big of excitement they had for awhile and that was just fine for the explorers. Marguerite and Roxton never let Will out of their eye site, even when he was with the others and Ned and Veroncia were happy to just prepare for the new baby's impending arrival.
Marguerite showed Veronica the finer art of embroidery and took apart what was left of her silk scarves to use the colorful thread to sew little pictures onto the baby cloths that were being made. The two woman became even closer, motherhood drawing them together. They still fought and Ned and Roxton were afraid on more than one occasion that they would draw blood, but they managed to restrain themselves. Barely.
Ned was an absolute prince through the whole pregnancy. Bringing Veronica blankets if she was cold, refilling her plate if she was hungry, getting up at all hours to sit with her when she couldn't sleep. Veronica said that no woman could be luckier. Marguerite asked why Roxton wasn't that nice when she was pregnant.
And finially after waiting for 9 long months, the blessed event came. Like her mother, the baby named Emilia Marguerite was fearless and eager to come into the world. After a few short hours of labor she had been born. Marguerite cleared out the room and Ned came in leaving the happy couple alone with the new addition to their tiny family.
"She's so tiny...." Ned said softly, sitting behind Veronica and gently wrapping his arms under hers so he could hold her and the baby at the same time.
"She's perfect..." Veronica said softly, herh ead drooping back to rest on Ned's shoulder, eyes closed and a smile on her lips.
"She's you..." Ned wispered into his wife's ear, kissing her temple. Little Emilia yawned and snuggled against her mother's chest. Quickly both the woman in Ned Malone's life were asleep and he leaned back, watching them both, fighting off the emotion that was choking him. Right now, at that second, he knew he was home. Even if they found a way home, he'd never leave this place. He was perfectly content to grow old and die right there.
Next Story: I got so much feedback with people enjoying my explination of Marguerite's past, I thought I'd go a little deeper and explore those 2 years she spent with Alex West. Stay Tuned for "A Spy Am I"