Chapter 1: Honey I'm Home
For the last 2 weeks the weather had been beautiful giving Ned and Veronica a honeymoon to remember. Not that they saw much of the outdoors. But the morning after their rerturn to the tree house, it decided to pour down rain. Everyone slept in late and when they finially all got up and wandered into the kitchen, each and every one of them was suprised to see Marguerite up and about, looking adjitated.
"...Is something wrong..?" Roxton asked heistantly. If she was in a bad mood he didn't want to make things worse.
"Yes. No. I dont know. Do you ever get the feeling that something's just not right...?" she said not turning around from the kitchen counter where she was preparing their breakfast.
The other's exchanged looks.
"Maybe your just tired..." Ned offered.
"Yeah..that's probably it...." the mother said as she brought the food over to the table and put will in the little high chair Roxton had made for his son.
But half way through breakfast the wheels on the elevator started to squeek and the elevator started to assend and Roxton and Ned got their guns before anyone could blink.
"Are we expecting company?" Ned quipped, glancing at the girls to see if they knew if maybe Assi was comming over and they just shrugged.
Finially after a tense moment the elevator came into view to reveal an older gentleman, perhaps 40 in expensive clothing and all the color in Marguerite's face just left her.
"Marguerite..darling, how good it is to finially catch up to you." he said stepping out of the elevator. "Please allow me to introduce myself...My name's Charles Wirth."
Chapter 2: My Life, My Choice
Ned managed to stop Roxton a second before he lunged for the man, "You arn't welcome here." John pratically growled at him.
Charles just looked amused, "Really Lord Roxton, such a to do. Would it help if I said I wasn't here to simply rescue my life but all of you? I have a way to get off the plateau."
"Then you dont have any reaosn to stick around, do you?" Veronica snapped.
"Oh but I do. I always claim what's mine."
It was all Ned could do to keep John from clobbering the guy.
"Oh and Mr. Malone...I have something for you as well." Charle's said, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a sealed letter and handing it to him. "We're camped at the nicest medow about an hour away. Very romantic. If you change your minds about wanting to go home, we'll be there for another week or so. Have a very plesant morning." and with that, he turned and walked to the elevator and headed down as if he owned the place.
"Arrogent son of a bitch.." Ned muttered stuffing the sealed letter in his pocket, not worrying about it right now.
Roxton looked ready to explode. Instead he went over to Marguerite who hadn't made a sound during the whole exchange. Silently he sat by her and without a word, she just turned to him, burrying her face in his shoulder.
"Of all the nerve." Challenger said sitting once more. "If getting off the plateau means paying his price, I'd rather stay right where I am."
Marguerite shook her head, "You dont mean that. In 2 years this has been our best chance to get home...It could be our last."
"You arnt honestly considering going to him?!" Ned ask in disbelief.
"Do you have a better idea?" She snapped
"No. I forbid it." Roxton said, shaking his head
"You forbid it?" she said dangrously as she stood. "Lord Roxton, it is not in your power to tell me what I can and can not do! It's not your desicion and none of you have a say in it what so ever!" angrily she headed across the bridge to her own tree house, bowing her head to hide her angry tears, leaving the others to watch in stunned silence as Will started to cry.
Chapter 3: Taking One For The Team
The day continued and so did the rain. Marguerite spent most of the day locked away in her bedroom or bathroom, sick. Literally, the thought of what she'd have to do to help her friends get home made her throw up. "Then again it's not as if I'm doing anything I havent done before" she wryly said to herself before curling back up under her blankets.
No one tried to approach her. They were to busy trying to stop Roxton from going to Charles' camp with his gun and "talking some sense" into him, as the hunter put it. More than once they had to physically hold him back from heading to the elevator.
And finially Ned found a moment of peace and opened the letter and immedately paled.
"Ned..what's wrong..?" Veornica asked instantly concerned.
"Uh..nothing. Dont worry about it." he quickly said stuffing the letter in his pocket. All Veronica could do is raise an eyebrow. She knew ..or at least hoped..that he'd come to her when he was ready. Until then she'd respect his privacy. At least until she could steal the letter. It was bad enough Charles Wirth was trying to destroy Marguerite's happyness, she wouldn't let it happen to her own family.
Roxton was a ticking time bomb. He was furious to the point that he was seeing red. How dare that barstard walk into his home, threaten his wife and walk out like it was the most civilized thing to do? And Marguerite....dear Marguerite, willing to give up everything to get them home. If any of them ever had doubts that she was apart of the "team" they didn't now. Of course he wasn't going to let her though. He'd hand cuff her to the bed if she tried. Any other time that thought would be appealing but now...
There had to be another way and he'd find it if it killed him.
Chapter 3: A Risky Risk
It wasnt until 2 days later that Marguerite could find an opertunity to slip away. The others watched her like a hawk, knowing she'd try something like...well...exactally what she was doing now. Marguerite frowned. She didn't like being that predictable. But the chance did come and she seized it. She didn't even bother to leave a note. The other's would know exacatlly where she was.
Moving as quickly as possible, she hurried to Charle's camp, getting a few odd looks from the barers and without second thought, she walked straight into the tent that was obviously his...
An hour later, she was heading back and met the others half way to the tree house. Roxton looked absoultely furious. "What were you thinkging?!" he said, his voice dangorulsy quiet.
Marguerite gulped. She had known he'd be mad, but never saw him this upset before. "I had to talk to him"
"Why?" John asked immedately, almost before she finished speaking.
"I.."
"you could have been killed! Or worse. Forget the danger of comming out here alone, if he had wanted, we would have never seen you again! what were you thinking? Or were you just not!?!?" Roxton's fantic tirrad was interupted by a soft sob as Marguerite turned away, hiding her tears from her friends and family and Roxton's heart broke for his wife. Quickly he put his arms around her, closing his eyes as he felt her tremble, not from fear, but relief as she quickly turned back around, burrying her face against his warm chest.
"What would I have done if i lost you?" He wispered against her hair, his voice hoarse with emotion.
The other's discreetly looked at the foliage while the couple gathered themselves and finially Marguerite stepped away, all signs of her weakness gone. "He wouldn't tell me a thing. I tried everything. Accept the obvious." She added to reassure Roxton.
"Did you honestly expect any differant?" Ned asked. When they figured out that she had gone, he had been nearly as panicked as Roxton.
"Well I had to try!" She said defensively, "He said the only way he'd show any of you the way home is if I gave my word I'd go back to him" the heiress said, looking over her friends who all remained silent. "...I sure can pick 'um" she added, trying to lighten the mood
"I dont know, I think you've done alright..." Roxotn added, pulling her closer.
"Yeah..your taste is improving with age," Ned quipped, earning him a glare. Theire problem wasn't solved by any means..but at least now they all felt as if they might just survive this new ordeal.
Back at the tree house, Roxotn and Marguerite went over to their own home to talk and Ned slipped away down to the lab, pulling out the letter that Wirth delivered to him
Mr. Malone
It was brought to my attention before my client, Virgina Morgan's death on the 14th of Aprin, 1920, that you and she were on intimate terms before you left the country and served in the war. The result of said relationship resulted in the birth of a child. It was her wish that you become aware that you and she had a child, and now that she's passed on, wishes for you to have custody of said child who is now temporarily living wiht her grandparents in Michigan. Her name is Alice, or Ally as she prefers. Enclosed is a picture. It is unknown if this letter will reach you as you have been missing for more than 2 years now but it is my legal responsibilty to fufill my employer's final wishes and inform you of your daughter's existance.
Sincearly,
Henry James Esquire
A child...he had a little girl waiting for him back home....