Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, don't own TLW, blah, blah, blah.

AN: Hello to all of my adoring fans! *nervous laughter* Okay! Hello to all of you people who only read this story cause you feel sorry for me! Here is another chapter for you!

Destiny Calls

Chapter 6: Let's Make a Deal

by: TheChosenOne3

"You don't think that you have put me through enough for one lifetime?! You think that I am strong enough to do this too?! Well guess what.you are wrong! I can't do this.not by myself! I need them; they are the only family I have ever known! If you take that away, there is no way you can expect me to fulfill this grand destiny you have all planned out for me. How dare you take that away from me?! My mother, father, and everyone I have ever cared about are not enough for you?! You need Finn, Ned, Veronica, George, and John too! Damn you!" Marguerite fell to her knees, finally giving in to the ever growing doubt and fear growing inside of her. She stood in a clearing in the middle of jungle shouting at the sky. The zombies formerly known as her friends were scattered around the small clearing, making no reaction to the harsh words that Marguerite was hurling at the top of her lungs.

Then she heard it. Laughter. Someone was mocking and.enjoying her anguish. She knew that laughter, like fingernails across a blackboard. Tempest was back.

"Those words were just so moving. I could truly feel all of your despair and let me tell you that it made want to." he paused, for dramatic effect of course. "throw up. I mean really Marguerite. All of this power at your disposal and you sit here yelling at the clouds, like they had something to do with your current situation. No I must say that your predicament is all thanks to my genius. I know.impressive isn't it?"

A few years ago, Marguerite would have made some sarcastic comment about how much Tempest like to hear himself talk, but not now, not after she'd been through so much.

"Give them back you son of a."

"Now, now Marguerite such language. Business first, we'll talk about your friends lives, short as they may be, later. Now I have a preposition to make. You see when you were born I wanted you to grow up under my tutelage, for obvious reasons. When I found that your parents and their friends had deceived me I did what any self-respecting demon, for lack of a better word, would do.I killed them. And let me tell you, I enjoyed it. But that is another subject entirely." When Tempest saw Marguerite's eyes darken with rage, he grinned, having gotten the desired effect. "Well now you are beyond my control. I planned on killing you, and your friends of course, but after hearing that touching confession I have decided to offer you a bargain. You for your friends, it's that simple."

Marguerite looked at Tempest, weighing her options. She would gladly do whatever Tempest asked if it meant her friends were safe from his clutches, but she wasn't sure that they would be. She knew that Tempest would do whatever benefited him, and from what she understood, the others were in his way just as much as she was. Tempest would kill them alright, but if she didn't agree she might as well sign their death certificates herself.

"And if I agree, what guarantee do I have that you won't kill them later?"

"Oh I gave you know guarantee. Your friends will die, and I will take as much pleasure in the kill as I did with your dear parents. I will kill them Marguerite, and the current Protector, you can be sure of that. It is up to you whether they die now or later. But what I am really offering is not a chance to save your friends, but yourself. If you join me you live, otherwise you will die right where you stand. Make your decision. I have things to do and people to kill." Tempest was tapping his foot in mock- irritation. "Tick-tock Marguerite."

"What makes you so sure I wouldn't rather join my friends in death than live under your rule?"

"I know you Marguerite. We are the same, we always have been. Your thoughts are my thoughts and mine are yours. Haven't you heard that voice in your head always telling you to kill in order to survive, to do whatever it took to gain power and wealth? That was me. I heard your protests too, but being away from the plateau left you weak and you could not fight me. I always won." Tempest proclaimed proudly.

Then the strangest thing happened. The pain, anger, rage, despair, desperation, loneliness, and everything she had felt all her life but bottled up deep down inside, erupted. Marguerite's pupils all but disappeared, leaving her eyes with ice-blue flames of rage burning inside of them. 'It was his entire fault. Everything that was ever wrong with my life was his fault!' These words repeated themselves in her head over and over as her anger grew. The hair that she had neglected since this horrible journey began blew around her, with no wind to blow it. She was staring straight at Tempest, but her fury prevented her from actually seeing. Her hands were down to her side and an electric charge crackled at her fingertips.

She chanted words she had never heard before. Tempest's eyes grew large with.fear. He recognized the chant, but had no time to protect himself. A lightening bolt, from a clear blue sky, struck Tempest with a force that sent him flying. When Marguerite walked, in the same trance-like manner that her friends had been walking in, over to Tempest, his skin was blackened and he was unconscious. Tempest was dead, or at least severely injured, either way he was no longer an immediate threat.

With Tempest out of commission, whether temporarily or permanently she didn't know, or care at the moment, the wrath seemed to diminish from the very air around her. But Marguerite's eyes did not return to normal, her hair was still waving about, and the electricity at her fingertips still crackled. She was in a trance and did not know how to break it.

***********

"Do you guys feel that?" Veronica asked from her position against the wall.

"Feel what Vee?" Finn asked enthusiastically, excited that something was finally happening besides the fine of them standing around with nothing to do. A part of Finn felt guilty for being so selfish. Marguerite was out there trying to save their lives and all she could think of was how boring it was just standing around. But, selfish or not, it was how Finn felt.

"There is something going on.out in the real world. I can't explain it but there was suddenly a huge shift in the balance of power on the plateau." Veronica started her explanation slowly, but speeded it up with the more confidence she gained.

"How can you know that?" Malone asked gazing at Veronica with a mixture of wonder and concern.

"It probably has something to do with the whole 'Protector of the Plateau' thing." Challenger supplied distractedly. He wanted to know more about this change in the balance of power and whether or not it was in their favor.

"It's Marguerite." Roxton stated quietly but surely. The others gaped at him.

"What do you mean it's Marguerite? How could she have upset the balance of power?" Malone questioned.

"I can feel her pain and her anger and so many other emotions ravaging her heart and soul. The pain got so great she unleashed her 'Chosen One' power, but she is losing control of it." Roxton explained, with his eyes still closed. He was concentrating on Marguerite, trying to find away to help her gain control of not only her power, but her emotions as well.

"You really can feel her can't you? I'll bet this has something to do with what Tempest was talking about. This is extraordinary."

"George as much as I would love to hear your theories on why this is happening, I am trying to concentrate!" Roxton all but yelled, his frustration getting the better of him.

"Oh yes. Sorry old boy. Carry on." Challenger half-mumbled aloud.

"Wait Roxton! If I can feel her power from another plane of existence, maybe I can reach her and help her here so she can free us!" Veronica exclaimed excitedly.

"Well it's worth a shot. Go ahead." Roxton and the rest of the group watched Veronica intently as she closed her eyes. For a moment nothing happened, then she slumped forward and went seemingly unconscious.

"Veronica!" Malone yelled when he saw her body go limp.

"Calm down Malone. She's fine." Roxton stated calmly.

"How do you know?" Finn inquired bluntly.

"I just do." Roxton replied curtly, signifying the end of the conversation.

************

Marguerite continued to stand there with an unexplainable energy emanating from her. Then she felt something tug at the back of her head. On the edge of consciousness, her mind recognized the voice.Veronica's. She was trying to lead Marguerite to where she and the rest of their friends were being held captive.

Marguerite began chanting in a sing-song voice that sounded a lot like a child's lullaby. When she repeated the words a second time her body lifted off the ground until the tips of her feet barely graced the earth beneath her. Her body went limp and her head lulled back, but she remained hovering in the air and singing the eerie lullaby.

***********

Veronica suddenly sprung back to life, looking a little more dazed, but otherwise fine.

"Did it work? Are you okay?" Roxton added the last question as almost an after-thought, receiving an admonishing glance from Challenger.

"I'm fine, but I don't know if it."

"Worked? Well I think it did." All heads turned towards the new- comer.Marguerite. She was standing in the middle of the circular chamber grinning like an idiot and trying to suppress unshed tears.

"Marguerite! Thank God! When Tempest said." Roxton could not continue. Thinking about the words brought back the gleam he saw in Tempest's eyes. A gleam he knew he would never forget.

"I know. But I'm here now, and we are all going to get out of here safe and sound." Marguerite put as much cheerfulness and optimism in her voice as she could.

"Then undo these chains and get us out of here!" Finn practically screamed. Marguerite smiled tolerantly at her youngest sister and went to fetch the keys.

Marguerite undid the chains in the order in which they were put on, starting with Veronica and ending with Roxton. After her chains were removed, Veronica couldn't stop herself from asking Marguerite, "Marguerite what was that enormous surge of power Roxton and I felt from you?"

Marguerite had just finished releasing her friends and turned to look at Veronica. There was a haunted look in the older woman's eyes that made the younger woman regret asking.

"I'm not sure. Tempest made me more angry than I have ever been in my life. He pushed me to the edge and then he shoved me off. I guess something just snapped. I don't remember what happened, I do know that Tempest is dead or really hurt, but I don't remember how I did it. All I remember is hearing your voice guide me here Veronica." Marguerite looked down at her feet. Roxton stepped up behind her and put his arms around her shoulders and waist in a silent show of support and comfort.

"Lets just go home." He said aloud.

Marguerite nodded. "I'm not sure I can do this, but I'll try. Veronica, you will have to help guide me back to the plateau. While I have the power to get us out of this plane, I don't know if I can get back to the plateau by myself." Veronica nodded and smiled in assurance and apology. Marguerite smiled back. "Okay, everyone hold hands and stand in a circle around me. Here goes nothing."

Everyone did as Marguerite asked and stood around her, clasping hands. Marguerite closed her eyes and began to sing the now familiar chant that brought her here. A beam of light shot from Marguerite to each one of the explorers and then they all vanished from that plane.

***********

They all felt as if they were awaking from a dream, as if the whole experience never really happened. But when they woke up they found three things wrong with their new situations: there were a large of group of fairly big, very strong men surrounding them, Tempest's body was gone, revealing that he was not dead at all, and Marguerite was lying on the ground unconscious.

"Marguerite!" Roxton yelled and ran to her side, only to be stopped by one of the strange men.

"No one must touch the Chosen One until we get her back to the city." The warrior-type guy said.

"The hell I won't touch her!" Roxton yelled and went for his gun, but the warrior didn't move.

"Stand aside and let us go to the Chosen One." Veronica declared in her best regal voice. When the man obeyed without question, the others first rushed to Marguerite, then stared at Veronica.

"They are Avatars. I recognize them. They only obey one of the Protector line." She explained softly. The rest just nodded, remembering Veronica mention them when she told them about her visions.

Challenger could not determine that there was anything wrong with Marguerite, so there was nothing he could do to help her. Roxton stayed be her side while the others went to talk to the Avatars.

"Why are you here?" Veronica questioned.

"Your mother, the Lady Protector, sent us. She felt the surge of great energy and knew that either you or the Chosen One was in trouble. We were sent to bring you here." The warrior answered, looking straight ahead with no emotion.

"Where is here?" Veronica asked.

"This is where you are safe. This is the outer territory of Avalon." The soldier answered in the same fashion.

Veronica and company, with the exception of Marguerite of course, stared at the warriors. They were shocked, happy, and relieved. They had reached their destination after all. In a few hours time they would walk through the gates of Avalon and reach the point of no return.

To Be Continued.

Geez! I thought they would never make it to Avalon. Here are the shout- outs I promised ya'll!

CHAPTER FOUR REVIEWS:

A. Windsor: Thank you for being so dedicated! And I hope this chapter and the fifth chapter soothe your worries!

Hopeless romantic2at: thank you for your unending love and support and listening to all of the ranting and raving I do in letters, on the phone, online, in emails, and pretty much every time we see each other!

Spirita: Hey, whatever works right? If you can demand more of me, isn't it only fair that I return the favor? I WANT MORE TO YOUR STORY SOON!!!

CHAPTER FIVE REVIEWS:

Mary: Although this obviously focuses on M/R I do try and even it out with some N/V. I really hate it when people focus completely on one relationship and ignore the fact that there is another one.

Angel LeeAnn: Thank you, thank you, I do try! You are such a wonderful reader, you deserve a treat. By the way, I hope this was posted fast enough for you!

A. Windsor: Tempest is a very bad dude. Thanks for yet another faithful review!

SierraSunshine: I understand that with school starting that not everyone has a lot of time. Thanks for taking the time to review my lil' ol' story anyway.

fab: Yes this story focuses on mostly Marguerite's role as the Chosen One. I did get that line from Clint Eastwood.I think. It's just one of those cool phrases that you hear over and over so many times eventually you lose sight of it's origin!

Danielle: Ask and you shall receive. Thanks for the review!