So far it had been a beautiful day, even for the Plateau, and the occupants of the tree house were taking full advantage of it. At Veronica and Finn's urging, the chef tossed family was going on a picnic on the beach of the Inland Sea.

The sun shown brightly, and a strong salty breeze blew in across the water. Marguerite reclined in the beach chair Challenger had constructed for her for her birthday as she watched Roxton and Veronica building a sand castle. Finn skulked up behind them carrying a bucket of seawater, and dumped it over "Vee," as she called her.

Finn took off with Veronica in hot pursuit, both laughing at the horseplay. Marguerite laughed as well, and smiled up at Roxton as he made his way toward her and Challenger, who had laid aside his work for the afternoon and was calmly reading Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of Earth."

Roxton plopped down on the blanket beside her and casually draped his arm across her lap while commenting, "Those two are going to wear me out."

"That's only because you're getting old," she teased. Challenger grunted from his spot on the blanket, eliciting a giggle from her.

"I don't see you out there keeping pace with them, either," he challenged in an offended tone.

Marguerite smiled, "Maybe not, but I could swim circles around either one of you."

Roxton shot her a dubious look. "Do you care to put your money where your mouth is? I know there is a bathing costume under that blouse," he said as he picked at the buttons playfully.

"And how would you know that!" she demanded, feigning outrage. Roxton just grinned his lopsided grin unrepentantly.

"Your on now, Lord Roxton. One of my necklaces for your hat."

"Oh, confident are we?"

Challenger observed the lighthearted banter. Getting into the spirit he jumped up and drew a line in the sand. "Alright you two, out to the rock and back, the first one to cross the line wins."

By this time Veronica and Finn had found their way back to the blanket and were also eagerly awaiting the race.

Marguerite stripped down to her bathing suit and stood next to the waiting Roxton.

"Ready. Set. Go!" Challenger's arm dropped and Roxton hit the sand as Marguerite darted passed him laughing.

"I'll get you for that Marguerite!" he cried as he scrambled to catch up before she reached the water.

"Only if you can catch me!" she taunted behind her.

Marguerite splashed into the water first and was already a fair distance by the time Roxton was knee deep and ready to dive in. Before he could take the plunge something in the distance caught his eye.

"Marguerite! STOP!" As if on reflex she turned to look at him, recognizing the distress, something he could never fake for the sake of winning a race. "There is something in the water, you need to swim back as inconspicuously as you can."

Marguerite looked back at him, letting him know how ludicrous that sounded, but complied to the best of her ability. Before she took three strokes she felt a slimy appendage wrap about her ankle. "Roxton, there is something dow." Before she could finish her statement she was dragged under kicking and screaming.

"MARGUERITE!" Roxton dove in with Veronica right behind him, swimming for all he was worth to reach her before it was too late.

Veronica trailed him, less frantic, and had thought to grab one of her knives, which she held in her teeth.

Once Roxton reached the place where Marguerite had disappeared he dove. Both rescuers searched the depths to no avail.

It had been nearly 5 minutes since Marguerite went under and Veronica was sure that they were never going to find her when her hand brushed against a soft object. She clamped onto it and dragged it to the surface.

Dark hair massed around her and she knew that she had found Marguerite. As quickly as possible she began to make her way back to the beach where an anxious Challenger and Finn waited. Roxton came up in the distance, and followed Veronica when he saw her.

Veronica collapsed on the beach next to Marguerite's body and watched Challenger examine her.

"She's not breathing," he stated as Roxton dragged himself up to them.

"Well, can't you do something?" he asked.

"I'm getting to that, she still has a weak pulse, we just need to get the water out of her."

He turned her over and began pressing her back, trying to force the water out of her lungs. Finn watched for a moment as nothing happened. Then she forced him out of the way and turned Marguerite back onto her back.

"What are you doing!" Challenger demanded.

"CPR." Finn started chest compressions and by the third breath Marguerite was coughing up the water.

She didn't open her eyes, but she did start breathing on her own. Roxton knelt beside Marguerite and brushed her wet hair away from her face, trying to rouse her to consciousness, but when he drew his hand back it was covered in blood.

"CHALLENGER!"