Title: Whoever Said Love Doesn't Hurt

Author: Tatiana20

Summary: A young girl is saved, and a new love blossoms. But will it last?

Disclaimer: I don't own the Lost World yada yada yada...or none of the characters yada yada yada. So basically, a really cool show belongs to someone else because they had the genius to put it together with really great actors. Got it? Good. J

Note: If any of you are offended on how I portray Veronica from here on out or throughout the entire story, I apologize. No flaming please. Thank you for the consideration.

Chapter 6: Unpleasant Situations

Later that night, the secret they had kept so closely guarded, would be revealed by a storm of resentment and hostility. Everyone had been sitting together at the table, eating supper and talking among one another, enjoying the company and the food. But the palpable tautness in Veronica's posture and the ill-concealed glares she would send toward Ned and Lanina was beginning to slowly burden the pleasant atmosphere circulating the air. Marguerite tried to keep the mood light, poking playful jests at her beloved hunter and smiling charmingly at the grinning scientist.
Then something happened to set off the ticking time bomb that had been simmering deep within Veronica. Lanina had just leaned in close to Malone to whisper something only he could hear and her hand had come to rest lightly on his. The accidental closeness and gesture had come naturally to her and she not thought about what anyone would think regarding the familiarity with which she acted. But apparently Veronica did. Her eyes blazed and she shot up from her chair, her silverware clanging against the plate.
"Get your hands off him!"
The entire room froze. Everyone turned to look in astonishment at Veronica. Lanina had jumped away from Malone, snapping her hand back as fast as she could. The voice that had come out of Veronica had startled her and evidently everyone else at the table.
"Don't think I don't know what's been going on! I saw you today in the jungle with your hands all over each other!"
All eyes turned toward Malone and Lanina, who both turned red and looked away.
"After all we've been through Malone, I thought you'd be better than this. To go behind my back and sneak off with this cheap baggage and not think I wouldn't find out about it. How could you? How dare you?"
Malone started at this statement and stood up so quick that his chair flew back and toppled over. Placing his hands on the table he moved his face close to Veronica's and yelled, "Why the hell should I have to tell you anything?! You're the one who didn't want the relationship, you're the one who just wanted to be friends, you're the one who wouldn't return my feelings! What the hell was I supposed to do, huh? Keep coming back over and over again just to be turned down time after time? I don't think so Veronica. I've found someone new. This has nothing to do with you anymore. So just back off!"
Veronica was momentarily shocked by Malone's outburst, almost as much as everyone else was by her own. Feeling incredibly wounded by his words and knowing that his stubborn nature would not let him back down, she turned onto a new target. The cause of her distress. Lanina.
Gathering all her injured pride and grief, she did something she had never before done without reasonable cause. She slapped Lanina across the face.
Lanina sat in a sort of stunned silence. She had never been slapped before and...it hurt.
Veronica's voice filled the void. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't of come here, none of this would have happened!"
Lanina didn't listen, couldn't listen when tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and her cheek was stinging like hell. Getting up from her chair, she addressed the table with an empty expression. "I need some time to myself. Please, don't follow outside, okay?" With that, she slipped away and into the lift, the sound of gears rotating the only sound following her all the way down. Stepping onto the cool grass, she bypassed the protective fence and walked out into the night.
In the tree house, the inhabitants were still glued their spots. Then all erupted. Marguerite jumped from her chair and glared at Veronica. "What the hell were you thinking, saying the things you said and doing what you did."
Veronica was shaking now, the anger that had possessed her gone and replaced with realization of how horribly she had acted. This wasn't her, this wasn't how she handled situations. She had always been cool headed and now...now she had blown up in a violent way that made her feel sick. She looked helplessly at the group, her eyes filled with regret and shame at what she had turned into.
She turned to Malone. "I'm so sorry for everything. I...I never should have exploded like that...I'm sorry," she confessed, lifting her shoulders in a apologetic gesture.
Malone pierced her with crystal blue eyes, anger at her outburst still lingering, but which was slowly waning under the sincere regret that she displayed.
Nodding his moderation, he stooped to pick up his chair and righted it. Just then, Roxton spoke up.
"We'd better go after her. It's dark and she won't be safe out there."
Challenger agreed. "The jungle is no place for a young girl at night. I think we'd better hurry before she gets too far."
All nodded in accordance, each going for their weapons and packs. One by one they entered the lift, determination on their faces.

* * *

She was lost. Studying her environment, Lanina came to the inevitable assumption that she was completely lost. When she had left, she had had no set destination in mind, the need to get away driving her in any direction. It was only about thirty minutes later that the surroundings had changed into unrecognizable landmarks. She had never traveled too far when she was alone and had always been accompanied by either Malone or another party member, most especially Marguerite, who had become a kind of surrogate mother and best friend.
If it had been daylight, she might have been able to find her way back eventually, but was dark, the moon a milky blob partially covered by clouds.
Deciding to take a break, she plopped down on the ground, raising her knees and wrapping her arms tightly about her legs, hugging them to her. Resting her forehead on her knees, she let her thoughts wander.
She was right back where she had started. Alone and lost I the jungle. An image of her parents popped up, causing her to close her eyes against the tears. At first, she had been obsessed with getting back home and seeing her family once again. But as the days had flown into weeks, she had slowly begun to lose any hope of someone coming for her or finding a way off the plateau. If the others hadn't had any luck getting out, what chance did she have? And even though she had managed to fall in love and make new friends, the desire to go home still burned deep in her heart.
Why she had felt like a plane ride would be a great idea? Why couldn't she have just stayed with her parents and explored the sites on the ground? Then she never would have crashed, never would have been attacked and gotten a fading scar on her forehead, and never would have caused so much discord between Veronica and Ned.
Raising a hand to her slightly throbbing cheek, she hashed over the words that had flown out of Veronica's mouth. Had she been right? If she hadn't have come here would everything between the two be alright? Probably, she thought glumly.
A loud yawn that almost made her jaw crack interrupted her thoughts. Not having her watch with her she was unable to tell the time, but could guess that it was late. She was about to lay back on the cool grass when she came to her senses. She had remembered something Roxton had said about surviving in the jungle. Getting to high ground so predators couldn't snatch her in the middle of the night echoed in her head. She was too vulnerable down on the ground.
Getting up, she dusted off her blue jean shorts and pulled the hem of her black tee lower to cover her slowly chilling belly. Investigating the closest trees, she found one that would be fairly easy to climb. Hoisting herself up, she scaled the massive tree, stopping when she perceived that she was high enough from harm. She settled into a network of branches that would prevent her form falling to her death while she was asleep.
There she made herself as comfortable as a person could be sleeping with wood pressing into her back. She closed her eyes, trying not to think about things that go bump in the night...and it trees.

* * *

"Have you found her yet?"
Roxton and Malone stopped their search and glanced back at Marguerite. There was no mistaking the worry in her voice.
Everyone had decided to split up into two groups; Veronica had gone with Challenger in one direction and Roxton, Marguerite, and Malone had gone in another. They had been searching for three hours now and had come up with nothing. Their lights were not strong enough to see any foot prints or any other signs that Lanina had passed through those areas.
It was getting extremely late and they had no idea where she could be. Malone was becoming especially frantic. Just then the rustling of bushes sounded behind the group. Malone swiveled quickly back, praying that it was Lanina. Veronica's blonde hair appeared and behind her Challenger hurriedly followed. A collective sigh of frustration passed from Marguerite, Roxton and Malone.
Challenger glanced at each. "Nothing?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
Marguerite answered. "No, nothing yet. You?"
"Unfortunately, we haven't located her yet. The light is inadequate for such an extensive search." Rubbing his bearded chin, Challenger suggested that they continue the search in the morning, when the sun would allow them to explore at a faster rate and cover more ground.
Everyone agreed that that would probably be the best, though Malone and Marguerite expressed more concern about the course of action. Each began to trek back to the tree house, their steps slow and weary.
Malone held back, staring out into the dark and dense jungle. Veronica came up behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll find her tomorrow." Giving him a tentative smile, she turned and followed the others, disappearing in the gloom. Malone sighed and did the same, hoping that when they went out the next day, they would find her.