A/N: Okay, I said I wasn't going to do this again, but now, thanks to dear Veggie and her being a sounding board, I have a good idea where this is going, so you're getting a chapter fic by parts here. I have no idea how long this is going to be, but rest assured, it will be M/R... can't give you a full rating just yet, but knowing me it'll probably be at least PG-13 if not R for a chapter here or there. I am currently about half way through the next part, so you'll have an update before the end of the week. :)
Disclaimer: They're quite obviously not mine; just because my boss continually calls me Marguerite these days doesn't make them mine either. But that's cool, cause if they were mine, The Lost World wouldn't be able to be shown on TV. :) They belong to whom they belong to, I just like to borrow them at times and mutate their inner voices.
Phased and Confused
Part One: Opening a Wound
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
She was hot. Sticky. Sweaty. Dirty. Smelly, even. She was down right disgusting.
Marguerite Krux resisted the urge to complain bitterly to her companions as they trudged through the endless jungle that three years ago became their home. They were all as filthy as she, some more so than others, Marguerite wryly noted, staring at the dust drenched hunter standing near to her side. Of course, a little dirt on Lord John Roxton did nothing but make the man even more appealing, she thought to herself, eying him with a boldness she rarely displayed when he was watching.
Marguerite hardly took note as their already grueling pace increased, her thoughts so intent on the good Lord and hunter that when Veronica came to a sudden halt, Marguerite was hard pressed not to trip on the blonde jungle girl and disgrace them both. The heiress opened her mouth to make a biting comment, pausing only to listen for the tell tale signs of raptors or other predators before she gave voice to her thoughts; it was then, as she stood in silence, the trickle of a near by stream reached her ears.
Her large gray eyes took on a glee filled light, and she drew her lower lip between her teeth in excitement. "We are stopping by the water, aren't we?" She queried, glancing from the dirty face of one explorer to the other.
After a moment, Veronica nodded. "Of course, Marguerite, we need to refill our canteens, and we all could use a bath." She wrinkled her nose as she came to stand next to George Challenger.
Marguerite smiled ruefully. "Yes, some of you are growing rather ripe."
"Some of us, Marguerite?" That infuriating sound, that tone that meant trouble, that voice that sent shivers of pure arousal down her spine and caused her heart to momentarily stop beating. "And when was your last bath, my dear? You've been treading along the same paths as we, and are no better for it either."
Marguerite sniffed indelicately, raising her head in indignation. "Yes, Lord Roxton, but a gentleman should never point out a lady's aromatic state. Didn't your mother teach you anything?"
"She taught me enough that if you're not careful, you'll end up in the river, clothes and all, before long." His eyes twinkled at her dangerously, daring her to push a little harder. Instead, Marguerite tossed him her hat and pack, sending him a scathing glance over her shoulder.
"Yes, well, your little threat just bought you second in the river, John. Veronica?" She paused as the blonde turned her way, flashing the younger woman a smile. "I believe today it's ladies first. The men will have to wallow in their own filth for an hour longer while we get the worst of it off ourselves."
Veronica shook her head, a tiny knowing smile curving her lips upwards. "Whatever you say, Marguerite," she agreed wisely, tossing Roxton a helpless look and a shrug as she followed the heiress through the trees towards the river nearby.
Roxton and Challenger watched the women move away silently before the scientist patted the hunter on the shoulder and offered him a hand with his extra load. "Never mind, lad. You know our Marguerite, it's always something with her."
"Yes. Always something." Roxton's voice was thoughtful as he appraised Marguerite's retreating form until the women had faded from view. "If you're not back in an hour, Marguerite, I'm coming after you! Decency be damned!" he called in vain, his only response her light laughter drifting back to him on the wind, daring him to try.
***
True to his word, when an hour passed and still the women hadn't returned, Roxton climbed to his feet, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he gave Challenger a pointed look. "She can't say I didn't warn her."
Challenger sighed quietly, waving the younger man off as he began a new examination of several plant species he'd discovered earlier in the day. "Do what you must, Roxton, just be mindful of Veronica. She may not be pleased coming in between one of your battles."
"If the girl has any sense at all, George, she'd have gotten out of that stream long ago. This is all Marguerite's doing, I'd bet my hat on it."
Remembering something Finn had told him about Lord Roxton and his hat, George Challenger merely lifted an eyebrow. "If Marguerite has anything to say about it, old boy, I'm afraid you might end up doing just that. She's worse than a barracuda when she's in these moods, John, you know that as well as I."
"I can take care of myself, Challenger, I'm a big boy now, and I've since learned how to handle Marguerite."
"Think what you may, but to date no man has truly learned how to handle a woman, especially not a woman like our Marguerite." Challenger smiled then, his eyes gentling. "If she bests you, I'd expect not to hear any complaining on the matter."
"She won't, but if she tries, I won't complain; I'll guarantee you that."
Challenger chuckled. "I don't doubt it for an instant. Send Veronica back when you find them, I'd like to see if she can gather any more of this plant before sundown. It has an interesting sap in its veins; I'd like to gather a greater sample for study on its uses."
"Consider it done, Challenger. Keep an eye out." Roxton turned away from the aging scientist, giving a last listen to the jungle surrounding them for predators before becoming a predator himself. His prey waited just ahead, unrealizing the danger she'd gotten herself into this time.
"Game's on, Marguerite. Come out, come out, wherever you are."
Roxton grinned.
***
"Marguerite, hurry up! Something's coming through the jungle." Veronica eyed the tree line surrounding them with trepidation.
"Relax, Veronica, it's probably just Roxton making true on his latest threat. If he thinks I'm getting out of this glorious water just because he wants me to, he's sorely mistaken. I've been days between baths, and I'll not rush this because of an impatient male."
Veronica shook her head, moving closer to the edge of the water. Her voice lowered drastically, almost to a hiss as she motioned for Marguerite to come forward. "If that's Roxton out there, then he's gained a good ton or better. Whatever's coming is big. Very big."
Marguerite sighed, turning to look at the blonde girl who'd only just moments before finished dressing. The heiress's expression darkened, however, when she saw the pale hue to Veronica's tanned skin, and the hunting knife held securely in the young woman's hand. Veronica never readied herself unless she believed in the danger approaching. It was enough to force Marguerite from the pond, desperately pulling on first her blouse then her stubborn pants who refused to climb easily up the woman's damp flesh. The dark haired beauty was just finishing lacing her boots when the trees parted to her left, expelling a hissing, snarling raptor into their midst.
"Oh, great, just what we need," Marguerite groaned, pulling her pistol from the holster that still lay upon the damp ground.
"Marguerite, to your left."
The older woman turned, spying another raptor just before it leapt into full sight. Reflex took over, firing the gun instantly, winging the carnivorous beast before Marguerite steadied her nerves and her hand for a second shot. The second bullet pierced the creature's brain, dropping it dead to the ground.
Air hissed by Marguerite's body and she turned quickly, only to catch herself as she was pressed forward by a dying raptor, expertly felled by Veronica's knife. The creature's claws burned into Marguerite's back, the heiress stifling a scream of pain, even as the light faded from it's yellow eyes and its lifeless body dropped to the ground.
"Marguerite! Are you okay?" The blonde made a move to come forward, but Marguerite quickly pulled herself to her feet, straightening, ignoring the pain wrenching through her shoulder and back. Keeping her front facing Veronica, hiding the blood slowly dripping down her pale flesh, she moved towards her dead attacker.
"Good shot," Marguerite muttered truthfully, glancing at the blonde with gratitude before pulling free Veronica's knife and tossing it back to the jungle raised girl.
"We're not through yet!" Veronica cried as three more raptors advanced upon them. The women fell back-to-back, only scant space between them keeping Marguerite's dark blood from staining the jungle girl's bronzed skin. They turned as one with the circling raptors, each searching for a shot that wouldn't leave them open for the final raptor's attack. Swallowing back a moment of weakness, her head growing light as the pain in her back intensified with movement, Marguerite raised her gun, aiming quickly at the eye of the nearest dinosaur, praying Veronica was readying herself for a similar attack. She pulled the trigger. Before the sound of gunfire had even registered, Marguerite spun, felling a second raptor even as Veronica quickly disposed of the remaining creature.
Both women were panting heavily with exertion, circling in place as they scanned the tree line for signs of any further dinosaur activity. No leaves rustled, no branches crackled, and soon the sound of birds and animal activity returned to normal. Marguerite glanced at Veronica, both sighing in relief as they turned to gather their remaining belongings, suddenly eager to rejoin the men and the relative safety of their full number. Moments later, Veronica gasped, finally catching sight of the red staining Marguerite's once white blouse.
"You stupid woman! Why didn't you tell me you were wounded?!" Veronica's cry contained more fear than it did vehemence as she dropped to her knees beside the wounded heiress, gingerly glancing through the rends in Marguerite's shirt to the rends in the older woman's flesh.
Marguerite flashed her a guarded grin, "Didn't occur to me that you'd care," she said, trying to make her tone sound light through her pain tightened vocal chords.
"You'd better be kidding, Marguerite." Veronica ran her hands through her wild blonde hair, quickly scanning the jungle for familiar plants. "Stay here, we need to find something to close those wounds."
Marguerite waved her off, "Just let's get back to camp first; Challenger can work his magic while you're off finding something horribly smelly that will most likely destroy my skin."
"Are you sure you're able to walk?"
Marguerite's token pained smile was in place, "If you're offering to carry me, Veronica, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
Veronica matched Marguerite's smile with a tentative grin of her own. "You're right; after all, I wouldn't want to make Roxton jealous."
The older woman snorted indelicately, laughing into the palm of her hand even as her mirth somehow eased the pain in her back. "I'll be fine. Faster we start, the quicker we'll be back at camp." She glanced around, frowning suddenly. "I wonder how it is the men aren't already here. They'd have to have heard our shots, they're not more than ten minutes away."
Veronica shrugged, sudden worry lines appearing in her forehead. "Marguerite, you'd best stay here. If they were attacked, Roxton might not have gotten a shot off, or they might have had to take cover and are waiting for back up. Your blood is going to attract anything hunting them." She shook her head. "You're right, though. If they could be here, they would have been by now. I'm going to find out."
"Veronica..."
"No, Marguerite. Stay. I can do this faster and easier without you." Veronica quickly walked to the edge of the jungle, picking up an armful of leaves and bringing them back to the heiress. "Wash off as much blood as you can, break open the stems and apply the sap to as much of your wounds as you can. It'll help mask the flow of blood and it quickens clotting. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Marguerite looked at her in concern. "And if you don't come back."
Veronica frowned, then lifted her finger and pointed towards the east. "The tree house is there. Follow the rising sun and you'll reach it within two days." She paused again. "But I will be back. With the men."
Marguerite's voice was small as she watched the blonde woman, so like a sister, disappear into the once again too quiet jungle. "Be careful."
****
End Part One
Disclaimer: They're quite obviously not mine; just because my boss continually calls me Marguerite these days doesn't make them mine either. But that's cool, cause if they were mine, The Lost World wouldn't be able to be shown on TV. :) They belong to whom they belong to, I just like to borrow them at times and mutate their inner voices.
Phased and Confused
Part One: Opening a Wound
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
She was hot. Sticky. Sweaty. Dirty. Smelly, even. She was down right disgusting.
Marguerite Krux resisted the urge to complain bitterly to her companions as they trudged through the endless jungle that three years ago became their home. They were all as filthy as she, some more so than others, Marguerite wryly noted, staring at the dust drenched hunter standing near to her side. Of course, a little dirt on Lord John Roxton did nothing but make the man even more appealing, she thought to herself, eying him with a boldness she rarely displayed when he was watching.
Marguerite hardly took note as their already grueling pace increased, her thoughts so intent on the good Lord and hunter that when Veronica came to a sudden halt, Marguerite was hard pressed not to trip on the blonde jungle girl and disgrace them both. The heiress opened her mouth to make a biting comment, pausing only to listen for the tell tale signs of raptors or other predators before she gave voice to her thoughts; it was then, as she stood in silence, the trickle of a near by stream reached her ears.
Her large gray eyes took on a glee filled light, and she drew her lower lip between her teeth in excitement. "We are stopping by the water, aren't we?" She queried, glancing from the dirty face of one explorer to the other.
After a moment, Veronica nodded. "Of course, Marguerite, we need to refill our canteens, and we all could use a bath." She wrinkled her nose as she came to stand next to George Challenger.
Marguerite smiled ruefully. "Yes, some of you are growing rather ripe."
"Some of us, Marguerite?" That infuriating sound, that tone that meant trouble, that voice that sent shivers of pure arousal down her spine and caused her heart to momentarily stop beating. "And when was your last bath, my dear? You've been treading along the same paths as we, and are no better for it either."
Marguerite sniffed indelicately, raising her head in indignation. "Yes, Lord Roxton, but a gentleman should never point out a lady's aromatic state. Didn't your mother teach you anything?"
"She taught me enough that if you're not careful, you'll end up in the river, clothes and all, before long." His eyes twinkled at her dangerously, daring her to push a little harder. Instead, Marguerite tossed him her hat and pack, sending him a scathing glance over her shoulder.
"Yes, well, your little threat just bought you second in the river, John. Veronica?" She paused as the blonde turned her way, flashing the younger woman a smile. "I believe today it's ladies first. The men will have to wallow in their own filth for an hour longer while we get the worst of it off ourselves."
Veronica shook her head, a tiny knowing smile curving her lips upwards. "Whatever you say, Marguerite," she agreed wisely, tossing Roxton a helpless look and a shrug as she followed the heiress through the trees towards the river nearby.
Roxton and Challenger watched the women move away silently before the scientist patted the hunter on the shoulder and offered him a hand with his extra load. "Never mind, lad. You know our Marguerite, it's always something with her."
"Yes. Always something." Roxton's voice was thoughtful as he appraised Marguerite's retreating form until the women had faded from view. "If you're not back in an hour, Marguerite, I'm coming after you! Decency be damned!" he called in vain, his only response her light laughter drifting back to him on the wind, daring him to try.
***
True to his word, when an hour passed and still the women hadn't returned, Roxton climbed to his feet, slinging his rifle over his shoulder as he gave Challenger a pointed look. "She can't say I didn't warn her."
Challenger sighed quietly, waving the younger man off as he began a new examination of several plant species he'd discovered earlier in the day. "Do what you must, Roxton, just be mindful of Veronica. She may not be pleased coming in between one of your battles."
"If the girl has any sense at all, George, she'd have gotten out of that stream long ago. This is all Marguerite's doing, I'd bet my hat on it."
Remembering something Finn had told him about Lord Roxton and his hat, George Challenger merely lifted an eyebrow. "If Marguerite has anything to say about it, old boy, I'm afraid you might end up doing just that. She's worse than a barracuda when she's in these moods, John, you know that as well as I."
"I can take care of myself, Challenger, I'm a big boy now, and I've since learned how to handle Marguerite."
"Think what you may, but to date no man has truly learned how to handle a woman, especially not a woman like our Marguerite." Challenger smiled then, his eyes gentling. "If she bests you, I'd expect not to hear any complaining on the matter."
"She won't, but if she tries, I won't complain; I'll guarantee you that."
Challenger chuckled. "I don't doubt it for an instant. Send Veronica back when you find them, I'd like to see if she can gather any more of this plant before sundown. It has an interesting sap in its veins; I'd like to gather a greater sample for study on its uses."
"Consider it done, Challenger. Keep an eye out." Roxton turned away from the aging scientist, giving a last listen to the jungle surrounding them for predators before becoming a predator himself. His prey waited just ahead, unrealizing the danger she'd gotten herself into this time.
"Game's on, Marguerite. Come out, come out, wherever you are."
Roxton grinned.
***
"Marguerite, hurry up! Something's coming through the jungle." Veronica eyed the tree line surrounding them with trepidation.
"Relax, Veronica, it's probably just Roxton making true on his latest threat. If he thinks I'm getting out of this glorious water just because he wants me to, he's sorely mistaken. I've been days between baths, and I'll not rush this because of an impatient male."
Veronica shook her head, moving closer to the edge of the water. Her voice lowered drastically, almost to a hiss as she motioned for Marguerite to come forward. "If that's Roxton out there, then he's gained a good ton or better. Whatever's coming is big. Very big."
Marguerite sighed, turning to look at the blonde girl who'd only just moments before finished dressing. The heiress's expression darkened, however, when she saw the pale hue to Veronica's tanned skin, and the hunting knife held securely in the young woman's hand. Veronica never readied herself unless she believed in the danger approaching. It was enough to force Marguerite from the pond, desperately pulling on first her blouse then her stubborn pants who refused to climb easily up the woman's damp flesh. The dark haired beauty was just finishing lacing her boots when the trees parted to her left, expelling a hissing, snarling raptor into their midst.
"Oh, great, just what we need," Marguerite groaned, pulling her pistol from the holster that still lay upon the damp ground.
"Marguerite, to your left."
The older woman turned, spying another raptor just before it leapt into full sight. Reflex took over, firing the gun instantly, winging the carnivorous beast before Marguerite steadied her nerves and her hand for a second shot. The second bullet pierced the creature's brain, dropping it dead to the ground.
Air hissed by Marguerite's body and she turned quickly, only to catch herself as she was pressed forward by a dying raptor, expertly felled by Veronica's knife. The creature's claws burned into Marguerite's back, the heiress stifling a scream of pain, even as the light faded from it's yellow eyes and its lifeless body dropped to the ground.
"Marguerite! Are you okay?" The blonde made a move to come forward, but Marguerite quickly pulled herself to her feet, straightening, ignoring the pain wrenching through her shoulder and back. Keeping her front facing Veronica, hiding the blood slowly dripping down her pale flesh, she moved towards her dead attacker.
"Good shot," Marguerite muttered truthfully, glancing at the blonde with gratitude before pulling free Veronica's knife and tossing it back to the jungle raised girl.
"We're not through yet!" Veronica cried as three more raptors advanced upon them. The women fell back-to-back, only scant space between them keeping Marguerite's dark blood from staining the jungle girl's bronzed skin. They turned as one with the circling raptors, each searching for a shot that wouldn't leave them open for the final raptor's attack. Swallowing back a moment of weakness, her head growing light as the pain in her back intensified with movement, Marguerite raised her gun, aiming quickly at the eye of the nearest dinosaur, praying Veronica was readying herself for a similar attack. She pulled the trigger. Before the sound of gunfire had even registered, Marguerite spun, felling a second raptor even as Veronica quickly disposed of the remaining creature.
Both women were panting heavily with exertion, circling in place as they scanned the tree line for signs of any further dinosaur activity. No leaves rustled, no branches crackled, and soon the sound of birds and animal activity returned to normal. Marguerite glanced at Veronica, both sighing in relief as they turned to gather their remaining belongings, suddenly eager to rejoin the men and the relative safety of their full number. Moments later, Veronica gasped, finally catching sight of the red staining Marguerite's once white blouse.
"You stupid woman! Why didn't you tell me you were wounded?!" Veronica's cry contained more fear than it did vehemence as she dropped to her knees beside the wounded heiress, gingerly glancing through the rends in Marguerite's shirt to the rends in the older woman's flesh.
Marguerite flashed her a guarded grin, "Didn't occur to me that you'd care," she said, trying to make her tone sound light through her pain tightened vocal chords.
"You'd better be kidding, Marguerite." Veronica ran her hands through her wild blonde hair, quickly scanning the jungle for familiar plants. "Stay here, we need to find something to close those wounds."
Marguerite waved her off, "Just let's get back to camp first; Challenger can work his magic while you're off finding something horribly smelly that will most likely destroy my skin."
"Are you sure you're able to walk?"
Marguerite's token pained smile was in place, "If you're offering to carry me, Veronica, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
Veronica matched Marguerite's smile with a tentative grin of her own. "You're right; after all, I wouldn't want to make Roxton jealous."
The older woman snorted indelicately, laughing into the palm of her hand even as her mirth somehow eased the pain in her back. "I'll be fine. Faster we start, the quicker we'll be back at camp." She glanced around, frowning suddenly. "I wonder how it is the men aren't already here. They'd have to have heard our shots, they're not more than ten minutes away."
Veronica shrugged, sudden worry lines appearing in her forehead. "Marguerite, you'd best stay here. If they were attacked, Roxton might not have gotten a shot off, or they might have had to take cover and are waiting for back up. Your blood is going to attract anything hunting them." She shook her head. "You're right, though. If they could be here, they would have been by now. I'm going to find out."
"Veronica..."
"No, Marguerite. Stay. I can do this faster and easier without you." Veronica quickly walked to the edge of the jungle, picking up an armful of leaves and bringing them back to the heiress. "Wash off as much blood as you can, break open the stems and apply the sap to as much of your wounds as you can. It'll help mask the flow of blood and it quickens clotting. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Marguerite looked at her in concern. "And if you don't come back."
Veronica frowned, then lifted her finger and pointed towards the east. "The tree house is there. Follow the rising sun and you'll reach it within two days." She paused again. "But I will be back. With the men."
Marguerite's voice was small as she watched the blonde woman, so like a sister, disappear into the once again too quiet jungle. "Be careful."
****
End Part One