Disclaimer: Sadly I don''t own any rights to The Lost World or the characters.

Spoilers: Resurrection, Absolute Power.

Chapter One

Roxton is standing on the balcony staring out across the Plateau, squinting in the darkness hoping to see Marguerite on her way home. "Home", he thinks, the only home she now knows is London as she has no recollection of her time at the treehouse, no memories of Malone, Veronica or Challanger. No memories of Roxton, her feelings for him no longer just hidden but completely forgotten.

His heart feels like it's been torn apart as he remembers her look of hatred, her pain. Knowing that in a way he caused it makes him feel ten times worse.

ROXTON: I should have been there sooner, if you'd have seen him with the dagger you'd be here now.

He turns to go to his room when he sees Marguerite's hat on the chair, he holds it almost as if it's a comfort blanket. He slowly walks to her room and steps inside, everything is as she left it. He puts the hat on her bed and sits down, the blankets still turned over and crumpled from where she'd lay.

ROXTON: I should have stayed with you that night.

He hears movement behind him.

ROXTON: Marguerite?

He turns around hopefully and can't keep the disappointment out of his face when he sees it's Challanger.

CHALLANGER: Sorry, only me...You can't blame yourself.

ROXTON: I should have fought Dirron's spell.

CHALLANGER: Impossible! You said it yourself you had no control, we will save her.

Roxton turns to Challanger his eyes burning from unshed tears.

ROXTON: Oh I know we will, nothing will stop me from saving her Challanger, nothing at all.

* * * * * *

At the same time in the cave Marguerite is sat at the entrance to the cave staring into the night, at the stars, at the swaying trees staring at anything that might take her mind off the days events, but to no avail. She thought of the robed man she'd seen stood before her hours earlier. He'd been worried, scared even and for some reason that she can't explain it makes her worried too. He'd asked for her help when it was Samun who was supposed to be helping the Druids but the robed man never mentioned him, never glanced in his direction and she can't help but wonder why.

She can't help but think that Samun may have lied to her at some point but she doesn't want to believe that, that could be possible. She doesn't know why but she begins to think of the man she'd threatened earlier.

MARGUERITE: (Whispers) Roxton.

As the name leaves her mouth it echos around the cave.

MARGUERITE: Who are you?

The icy wind causes her to shiver so she pulls her coat tighter around her and walks back into the cave. For the first time she notices the engravings on the stone wall, she begins to examine the some what familiar markings.

MARGUERITE: My birthmark!

She walks over to the stone slab and lies down, she closes her eyes to try and sleep when she hears a humming sound in the cave.

She sits up and looks around trying to find the reason for the familiar tune. A light appears around the cave and she can just make out human forms. One of the lights moves towards her and she watches it, not afraid jus curious. A young man appears in front of her.

ROBED MAN: He needs you high priestess, find him please.

MARGUERITE: Find who?

ROBED MAN: Bokrah, Samun's death somehow imprisoned him, he will die if he doesn't come back to us.

MARGUERITE: Why should I believe you?

ROBED MAN: You must remember...

He throws a powder into the air and she sees herself near a cliff with Roxton and Malone. She steps off the cliff and a stone path appears and leads the way to two emeralds in the rock.

MARGUERITE: No, it can't be true.

Next she sees Roxton push her out of the way as a dart comes towards her.

MARGUERITE: You're making this up, this never happened.

ROBED MAN: You wish to see more?

The scene before her shifts again and she sees Roxton get stabbed by a woman, she sees herself shouting out his name as she's dragged off.

MARGUERITE: It's a lie, I would remember this.

The robe man stretches out his arm, his palm facing her a light shoots out of his hand and engulfs her.

MARGUERITE: (Screams) no!

ROBED MAN: I'm sorry it is the only way.

She falls to her knees, she clutches her hand to her heart as she closes her eyes, the yellow light flows through her and she becomes cold as she sees images of Roxton dying flash before her and she lives the moment again.

MARGUERITE: (Screams) no! Roxton, Roxton...Roxton, no...

* * * * * *

Roxton wakes up with a start, he finds himself still in Marguerite's room. He gets up and walks into the main room. Malone and Veronica are sat there; they look up as he joins them at the table.

MALONE: We didn't want to wake you.

ROXTON: Where's Challanger?

VERONICA: He's in the lab getting some things ready.

ROXTON: We're leaving in Five Minutes.

MALONE: Have some food first.

ROXTON: I'll be fine!

Challanger walks in and hears this last comment.

CHALLANGER: Have something to eat first, it'll keep your strength up...Or we're not leaving.

ROXTON: You can't stop me.

CHALLANGER: (To Malone) disable the elevator.

Roxton realises he has no choice but to comply.

ROXTON: Fine...

He sits down at the table.

ROXTON: And then we leave.

* * * * * *

Marguerite is lying on the cold floor of the cave her arms wrapped around her stomach and she's curled up into a ball, her eyes open. The voice of the robed man flows through her mind, "the past will set you free", "the staff will melt the ice". None of this means anything to her. She tries to shake out the images that have embedded themselves in her mind, Roxton dying the pain that almost tore her heart in two.

She can't think why but somehow she knows she should care for this man but she can't forget that he also tried to kill her.

MARGUERITE: What do I do?

She remembers something the robed man had told her, "Follow the signs". She stands up and looks outside.

MARGUERITE: What signs?

She hears a rattling behind her, as she turns around the dagger that was on the floor shoots past her and embeds itself in a tree. She walks over to it; the handle points to the west. She takes the dagger out of the tree.

MARGUERITE: I guess we're going this way.

She begins to walk away when a group of slavers including Dirkon blocks her way. She goes for her gun.

DIRKON: No need for that.

MARGUERITE: Who are you?

SLAVE TRADER: Don't you know?

She falls against the tree suddenly and grips her head in pain, she looks in front of her and sees images of the slave traders that are with her now trying to take Veronica, and her, Roxton and Malone fighting to help her.

Before Dirkon can stop her she runs, runs away from the images and away from the slavers.

DIRKON: After her!

She runs towards a hill in the distance with the slavers not far behind.

To be continued...