~*~

Disclaimer, etc. in part one

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Authors notes: Okay... I really don't like the way part three turned out, but I'm going to try and justify it with part four. I have a good idea where this is going, so all I have to do is get our heroes to that point and I think everything will be going good. But first, I have to give a big thanks to some special people: Audrey, Jaclyn and TLWROX. You three have reviewed the most and have truely motivated me. To everyone else, you are all greatly apprecaited. Thank you!





Mayhem Mountain (4/?)

by: Brandy Leigh



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Everyone knew what they had to do to help save the Geshan race, and everyone was prepared for the journey ahead of them. They were packed and ready for the two day trip to Maschou Monso. There would be day of celebration and preparation, and then the time would come to enter the fissure within the mountain and face their greatest fears. Everyone had an idea of what they would be facing, and nerves were on edge.

For Roxton, he was sure he'd be facing his brother. Marguerite was convinced her past would be coming back to haunt her within the mountain. Veronica knew she'd be hearing news that her parents were indeed dead. Malone was afraid he'd find himself in the middle of the war again, while Challenger thought he'd have to face the world and be ridiculed for his failures.

Of course, it wouldn't be that bad, would it? They say that you have nothing to fear but fear itself, and yet they were trekking halfway across the plateau to do just that. But yet, they all put aside what worries they had and continued on. They knew they had to help Julian and the others. It was their duty, as Challenger had once said. With knowledge comes responsibility.

And so we find our heroes in the middle of the jungle. They are hot, sticky, and tired. Nightfall is fast approaching, and soon it will be time to set up camp. No one can really sleep at this point, but they all know that rest is better than nothing at all. With this knowledge, they stop their hike and begin to make camp.

Four tents in all, ladies and gentlemen. One for Julian, one for Challenger, one for Malone and Veronica, and one for Marguerite and Roxton. Once a small fire was started and the night watch was assigned, each climbed into the tent they had agreed to sleep in. And judging by the above mentioned pairings, the night was bound to be quite interesting...

"Oh for peets sake, will you scoot over? Hey, you're hogging all the blankets!" Marguerite complained.

"Well my dear, I'm sorry to inform you that if I move over any further I'll only end up taking more blankets with me," Roxton replied with unexplainable patience.

"Oh, fine then!" Marguerite said, trying to get comfortable. She hated camping out in the middle of the jungle, it always made her miss her bed back at home in the treehouse.

'Home...' she thought. 'It's strange, really. We're trying so hard to find our way back to London, yet we consider the treehouse our home now. Is our quest pointless now that we've become accustomed to life here on the plateau?'

"You know, Marguerite, you might try being nice to me for once. One of these days I might get tired of trying to put up with you," Roxton said. He was joking, but to Marguerite it didn't seem that way.

"Really?" she asked quietly.

Roxton rolled over to look Marguerite in the eyes, and he gave her a reassuring smile. "No," he said. "Not really. I could never get tired of you."

Marguerite let out a big sigh of relief. One of her biggest fears was that Roxton would refuse to stay by her side and just leave her in the cold. She had experienced it so many times before in the past, but she wasn't sure if she could handle it if he did it. For some reason she found herself giving her whole heart over to this man, and she didn't know what she'd do if she ever lost him. It was one thing she didn't like to dwell on.

"Don't scare me like that," she said with fear evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I know you're afraid that I'm going to abandon you, but I won't. I can't."

Marguerite just smiled and scooted closer to him. She pulled the blankets up and stretched them so they were around them both. Reaching across the small distance that was left between them, she found his hand and took hold of it. Roxton smiled back in response, then slipped even closer to her.

"Now I think you've got the idea of sharing a tent, Marguerite," he said with a smile.

"Oh do I?" she asked.

"Mmhmm... You know, I'm getting a strong sense of deja vu, here."

"Oh are you?" she asked, still playing innocent.

Roxton smiled and leaned in, bringing his lips only millimeters from her own. "Very much so," was his reply.

"Mmm, so what happens next?"

"This," he said as he closed the gap between them. Their lips met in a sweet but demanding kiss, and Marguerite let out a soft moan. She cupped his face in her hand and deepened the kiss, delighted in his own small moan of happiness. Neither of them cared if someone in a nearby tent heard, they were content in eachothers company.

"Did you hear that?" Malone asked Veronica from their tent.

"Yes," Veronica said with a slight giggle. She knew exactly what Marguerite and Roxton were doing, and she wasn't surprised at all. She had actually expected it, and was only surprised that it had taken this long for it to happen.

"Sounds like their having a nice night."

"You could say that," Veronica said with a sly grin.

"What's that look for? You look like you've got something up your sleeve," Malone asked suspiciously.

"Well, maybe I do."

"And just what would that be?"

"Oh confound it, not you too!" Exclaimed Challenger from next to them. He had been unfortunately placed directly between the two couples tents.

"Oh hush, Challenger," Veronica chided him. "Love is in the air."

"Love? Bah!" he said grumpily. 'Love is back home in London,' he thought.

"Love?" Malone asked with a slight gulp.

"Oh, I um..." Veronica stammered, suddenly shy. "You know, I'm feeling a little lightheaded, I should probably get some fresh air."

With that, she darted out of the tent, leaving Malone to wonder outloud, "But, but Veronica! You're in a tent in the middle of the jungle? How much more fresh air can you get?"

Challenger just chuckled. "Serves you right, my boy. Don't play with fire unless you intend to get burned."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Challenger," Malone replied as he stuck his head out of the tent.

"Oh but I do. I know that getting involved here on the plateau will only lead to trouble."

"How do you figure? Marguerite and Roxton are in love and they're doing just fine."

"Just fine? Lad are you blind? Those two bicker like nothing I've ever seen! They're no more alike than night and day!"

"But yet they still find love in each other," Malone said. "If they can make it work, why can't Veronica and I?"

Challenger sighed and pushed aside his tent flap so that he could look over at Malone. "Ned, do you honestly think that when the time comes to go home she'll come with us? And if not, would you be willing to stay here to be with her?"

"I... I don't know," Malone replied, a little taken back. "I hadn't really given it much thought lately."

"Exactly my point," said Challenger as he closed his tent, leaving Malone to ponder what he had said.

'What if he's right?' Malone thought. 'What if getting close to Veronica would only cause disaster? I mean, if we go home Roxton and Marguerite can still be together, but Veronica and I are separated by two different worlds. Would either of us really be willing to give up our entire lives just to be together?'

"Hell if I know," he thought out loud, "but I'll be damned if I give up without trying."

Meanwhile, Marguerite and Roxton were still locked in a sweet embrace. Neither of them had even heard the discussion which had taken place just a few feet from them. Both were too indulged in the sweet, passionate kiss that was being shared. Finally, Roxton broke the kiss and looked down at his beloved.

"Marguerite, there's something I need tell you. I've wanted to say it for a while now, but I've just never found the right time."

Marguerite looked up at him with wide, shining eyes. She knew exactly what he was going to say, but yet she wasn't sure she was ready to hear it. If she did, she knew she'd never be able to live without him by her side.

"What is it?" she asked cautiously.

"I just want to say that I... Marguerite, I lov-"

Suddenly, a scream tore through the trees and reached the campsite. Roxton jerked his head up towards the sound, cutting his sentence off before he could confess his undying love to the woman before him.

"That sounded like..."

"Veronica!" Malone shouted.

~*~

End part 4

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Authors notes: Ooo lots of angst here! But, just like in the series, everything gets interrupted. Don't be mad at me people, I promise everything will work out in the end! Now all I have to do is get everyone to Maschou Monso. Trust me, you all are in for a big surprise once they get there. Mwahahaha...

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Possible questions answered in part 5:

Oh my God, what happened to Veronica?

Is their quest to get back to London really pointless now?

Will anyone ever confess their love?!

You'll have to read to find out...