Author's Note: Congratulations you made it to the end. This is the last
chapter. Treece and I hope you enjoy. Please let us know what you think now
that you've read the whole thing. For the last time you all know it now.
For disclaimers, author's info and anything else SEE Chapter one.
Ch. 11 Getting back to Normal
Challenger placed the last few pieces of fruit on the serving platter and was headed towards the table when he noticed Ned emerge from his bedroom. Putting a friendly hand on the young reporter's shoulder, he steered him towards the food-laden table. "You're looking better this morning," he commented as he slid into his own seat.
Ned grinned at his friends who were seated around the table. "I feel pretty good," he answered as he grabbed a cup of coffee. Giving Veronica a shy smile, he slid into the empty seat next to her.
"You should, after sleeping all day yesterday," Roxton teased as he took a sip of his tea. He shared an amused look with Challenger as Ned shrugged and fidgeted in his seat.
"Yes, whatever sleeping potion the Keergans used was very potent," Challenger remarked. "I must admit, you and Marguerite had us worried. Your initial confusion as you woke up definitely gave us a scare."
Roxton put his tea cup down and leaned forward on the table. "So what do you remember of the whole experience?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Ned took a drink and cradled the mug in his hands before answering. "To be honest, not a lot. Just bits and pieces, scraps of things. The whole thing seems surreal, almost like a dream." His grin grew a little as he noticed the bruise on Roxton's face. "Although it looks like the Keergan didn't want to let us go without a fight."
"Oh, you mean this?" Roxton questioned, touching the bruise in an offhanded manner. "You don't remember how it happened?"
Veronica and Challenger laughed at Ned's bewildered expression. "Should I?"
Roxton grinned from ear to ear. "You really don't remember?"
Ned shook his head, watching Roxton intently.
"Well, that's easy enough to answer," Roxton said with mock-seriousness. "You gave me this bruise. Along with a nice foot-sized one on my rib."
Ned's jaw dropped in shock, eliciting more laughter from the group. "I didn't," he denied until he looked at everyone else. "Did I?"
"Yes, you did. I treated them myself," Challenger chuckled. "I believe Roxton had mentioned that you have quite the right hook. And in all fairness, at the time, you thought he was trying to take Marguerite away by force."
Roxton couldn't let Ned's stunned expression go by. "It's always the quiet ones," he teased. "All that writing builds up the muscle, eh Ned?"
"I'm so sorry," Ned apologized, blushing at the combination of injuring his friend and being praised for doing so.
"Why are you apologizing?" Marguerite asked as she breezed into the room. She granted everyone a sunny smile as she finished adjusting her blouse. Spying the coffee warming on the fire, she headed over to get a cup.
"For hitting Roxton." Veronica giggled as Marguerite halted in mid-step and turned towards them.
She marched over and turned Roxton's face towards her to examine the injury. "When did you do that?" she demanded, startled by the turn of events. "Better yet, why did you hit Roxton?"
"It's quite all right," Roxton dismissed as he captured Marguerite's hand in an attempt to soothe her. He drew her down into the empty chair next to him and flashed her a charming smile. "It was my fault for rushing into the situation," he said before the others could explain it again.
Ned didn't quite look convinced. Marguerite's next comment kept him from saying anything else. "Well, I don't know about Ned, but I don't really remember much of anything about the past few days. Therefore, I refuse to be held responsible for things I did or said while under the control of a mind-altering substance. Having said that, what else did we do?"
Challenger, Veronica and Roxton took turns relating all they knew, occasionally interrupted by Ned and Marguerite as they added the little they remembered to the narrative. By the time they finished, both Marguerite and Ned looked amazed and slightly overwhelmed.
"Just promise me one thing," Roxton said as he popped a piece of melon in his mouth. Ned and Marguerite looked over at him, waiting while he chewed. "The next time you two don't want to do the laundry, just tell us. You didn't have to get kidnapped just to get out of the chore," he finished with a broad grin.
Marguerite playfully smacked him on the arm while the rest of the table laughed at Roxton's joke before everyone settled down to eat.
The End
Ch. 11 Getting back to Normal
Challenger placed the last few pieces of fruit on the serving platter and was headed towards the table when he noticed Ned emerge from his bedroom. Putting a friendly hand on the young reporter's shoulder, he steered him towards the food-laden table. "You're looking better this morning," he commented as he slid into his own seat.
Ned grinned at his friends who were seated around the table. "I feel pretty good," he answered as he grabbed a cup of coffee. Giving Veronica a shy smile, he slid into the empty seat next to her.
"You should, after sleeping all day yesterday," Roxton teased as he took a sip of his tea. He shared an amused look with Challenger as Ned shrugged and fidgeted in his seat.
"Yes, whatever sleeping potion the Keergans used was very potent," Challenger remarked. "I must admit, you and Marguerite had us worried. Your initial confusion as you woke up definitely gave us a scare."
Roxton put his tea cup down and leaned forward on the table. "So what do you remember of the whole experience?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Ned took a drink and cradled the mug in his hands before answering. "To be honest, not a lot. Just bits and pieces, scraps of things. The whole thing seems surreal, almost like a dream." His grin grew a little as he noticed the bruise on Roxton's face. "Although it looks like the Keergan didn't want to let us go without a fight."
"Oh, you mean this?" Roxton questioned, touching the bruise in an offhanded manner. "You don't remember how it happened?"
Veronica and Challenger laughed at Ned's bewildered expression. "Should I?"
Roxton grinned from ear to ear. "You really don't remember?"
Ned shook his head, watching Roxton intently.
"Well, that's easy enough to answer," Roxton said with mock-seriousness. "You gave me this bruise. Along with a nice foot-sized one on my rib."
Ned's jaw dropped in shock, eliciting more laughter from the group. "I didn't," he denied until he looked at everyone else. "Did I?"
"Yes, you did. I treated them myself," Challenger chuckled. "I believe Roxton had mentioned that you have quite the right hook. And in all fairness, at the time, you thought he was trying to take Marguerite away by force."
Roxton couldn't let Ned's stunned expression go by. "It's always the quiet ones," he teased. "All that writing builds up the muscle, eh Ned?"
"I'm so sorry," Ned apologized, blushing at the combination of injuring his friend and being praised for doing so.
"Why are you apologizing?" Marguerite asked as she breezed into the room. She granted everyone a sunny smile as she finished adjusting her blouse. Spying the coffee warming on the fire, she headed over to get a cup.
"For hitting Roxton." Veronica giggled as Marguerite halted in mid-step and turned towards them.
She marched over and turned Roxton's face towards her to examine the injury. "When did you do that?" she demanded, startled by the turn of events. "Better yet, why did you hit Roxton?"
"It's quite all right," Roxton dismissed as he captured Marguerite's hand in an attempt to soothe her. He drew her down into the empty chair next to him and flashed her a charming smile. "It was my fault for rushing into the situation," he said before the others could explain it again.
Ned didn't quite look convinced. Marguerite's next comment kept him from saying anything else. "Well, I don't know about Ned, but I don't really remember much of anything about the past few days. Therefore, I refuse to be held responsible for things I did or said while under the control of a mind-altering substance. Having said that, what else did we do?"
Challenger, Veronica and Roxton took turns relating all they knew, occasionally interrupted by Ned and Marguerite as they added the little they remembered to the narrative. By the time they finished, both Marguerite and Ned looked amazed and slightly overwhelmed.
"Just promise me one thing," Roxton said as he popped a piece of melon in his mouth. Ned and Marguerite looked over at him, waiting while he chewed. "The next time you two don't want to do the laundry, just tell us. You didn't have to get kidnapped just to get out of the chore," he finished with a broad grin.
Marguerite playfully smacked him on the arm while the rest of the table laughed at Roxton's joke before everyone settled down to eat.
The End