A/N: Oct 26, 2012: Another edit... three more to go.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lost World.

Chapter 17:

~ ~ Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed ~ ~

Malone couldn't sleep. Every time his eyes closed he saw the same nightmare over and over again. Veronica falling off the cliff, dying, leaving him alone again. They were frighteningly real. At one point in the middle of the night, he couldn't take it anymore, he had to reassure himself.

He slowly got out of bed and tiptoed out of his room. Malone's room happened to be between Veronica's and Marguerite's. For the past few months he'd been turning to the right. This time he turned to the left, pulling back the curtain to check on Veronica.

There she was, sleeping peacefully, looking just like an angel. She'd fallen asleep over the covers, so, as quietly as possible, he took a folded up blanket and draped it over her body. After a few more moments of watching her soundly sleeping, he let out a sigh, turning to go. He was so relieved that she was back.

Turning to go back to his room, he almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Marguerite standing just outside her bedroom. She looked to be waiting for him.

"Marguerite!" he exclaimed in surprise. And then wincing, he said in a much quieter voice, "Oh, I was just umm..."

"It's ok," she assured, giving him a small smile. "I did the same thing, with Roxton."

He gave her a bit of a sheepish look, still slightly embarrassed at being caught. The next thing he knew, Marguerite was closing the distance between them, taking his hand, entwining their fingers.

"Come sit with me," she said simply, leading them out to sit on the balcony bench.

Marguerite tilted her head towards the tree house. "I still can't fully believe it. They're back... But, when I started having those dreams, little by little, I suspected this," Marguerite confided.

"I know. When you described the dreams to me… they were so vivid and detailed… well, I started hoping they were true. And now they're here," Malone replied in wonder.

"Yes, they are here," she said, giving him an unsure look that he wasn't quite ready to decipher.

They sat in silence for a minute more, enjoying each other's presence as they stared off into the dark, star-filled sky.

When the air became heavy with their unsaid words, Malone had to break the silence. "I love you, Marguerite," he said quickly.

She didn't turn to face him, but he still heard her reply. "I love you, too."

The silence rushed back to engulf them. Malone stared down at their still entangled fingers as Marguerite continued to stare outside. He didn't know what to make of her reaction. She loved him, but…

"But… can we really be together?" Marguerite finally asked. She turned to face him and now he could see her eyes. They were just too sad. "I mean, we both love other people, too."

Malone opened his mouth to retort that he and Veronica had never made any such claims. Not like the ones he and Marguerite and just exchanged. But, she cut him off.

"No, Malone, I know you love her. Things have been complicated in the past, but it doesn't always have to be like that," she lamented. "You've always loved Veronica. Just like I've always loved Roxton."

He heard the meaning behind her words. She was choosing Roxton over him and she wanted him to choose Veronica over her. It was the logical thing to do. The people they'd mourned over, grieved for were back. The two people they loved had come back from the dead. But, he loved Marguerite, too.

He was starting to see that love didn't follow any rules of logic that he knew of.

"So what are we going to do?" he asked, looking to her for guidance.

"Well, we finally have the two people we most wanted," she echoed his thoughts.

"So, you want to end what we have?" he asked understandingly.

She brought her hand to his cheek, giving him a sad smile. "I'll always care for you, Ned. But, I don't think we can be together when we both love other people so much more."

"I understand," he replied, knowing what she was saying was the truth. Yes, he and Veronica had never said the words, but he did love her. And, somehow, he knew she loved him too.

Marguerite leaned into him, pressing her lips to his. He kissed her back, understanding that this would be their last kiss before they officially ended things.

Pulling apart, Marguerite commented, "Now, all we need to do is take a chance with them. If they'll have us back…" She smiled.

He smiled back and replied, "Yeah… in the meantime maybe we should get some sleep…"

They walked back to the bedrooms. When he followed her into her room, she turned to give him a questioning look.

"Just going to tuck you in." He grinned.

She climbed into the bed, Malone pulling the covers over her. He leaned down giving her a kiss her on the forehead "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," she whispered.

Hope you enjoyed! Thanks to anyone who's reading.