Disclaimer: Lost World isn't mine, never was...just borrowing them.

Author's Note: I decided since you were nice and reviewed and the second chapter was really short I could post another chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 3-Changing History or not?

Jessie quietly watched at the explorers argued amongst themselves.

"Look George, I just don't think it's a good idea," Marguerite said as she paced, her arms folded across her chest.

"Marguerite do you know what you're asking me to do?" Challenger demanded as he protectively clutched his backpack.

"Seems to me she's asking you not to talk about the dinosaurs," Roxton said mildly putting in his two cents.

"But it's the whole reason I went on the expedition," George protested.

"Who cares?!" Marguerite threw her hands up in the air. "You and Summerlee have made enough discoveries to secure you both in the annals of history. Tell them all about the plants, the people, the weather...just don't tell them about the dinosaurs!"

"Give me one good reason to do that," Challenger demanded, staring at Marguerite.

"There's more at stake here than your pride, George," Marguerite insisted, refusing to back down.

Jessie decided to take charge of the situation before it grew out of control. She put a calming hand on Challenger's arm. "She's right George. If you could see yourselves when you talk about the plateau, you'd know there was something far more important."

Challenger looked at his wife confused. He looked at Marguerite, who wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Your home, George," Jessie gently explained. "The plateau is your home. And you've found something there more important than scientific discoveries. You found a family. Whether you meant to or not, you care deeply about them and they about you. It's a family I'm dying to meet, to become a part of. Marguerite is afraid that if you tell the world about the plateau, it won't be your home for much longer. The world will want to take it over."

"She's right George," Roxton added. "We've already seen what the plateau is like in the future."

The room was quiet for a minute as the explorers realized that Jessie was right, they were definitely a family who needed to protect their home.

"But what am I supposed to tell all those people?" Challenger asked after another minute.

"Tell them the truth, just edit out the part with dinosaurs. You made some pretty incredible discovers without mentioning the dinosaurs."

Challenger looked at the expectant faces in the room, knowing they would go along with his decision, as they had countless times before. "All right, all right, I'm convinced. But what do we tell them about Ned's journals," he asked as the idea came to him.

"Fiction, pure fiction," Jessie said, surprising them.

"We always knew our Ned was a wonderful writer," Marguerite said with a smile.

"Especially with the way you edit his work," Roxton said, laughing as the group headed down the hallway to the lecture hall.

Marguerite smiled to herself as she sat on the podium behind Challenger. He was deeply involved in an explanation of the Zanga warriors. The audience was beginning to grow impatient with his stories however. He had yet to show them the type of proof they wanted. He had shown them photographs that he and Ned had taken when they first arrived. Maps, which they all created, and some of the specimens that Summerlee had collected. Still the audience refused to believe them. Marguerite was pleased with the audiences' response. She could tell the true scientists from those who were only in it for the glory. Those in it for the glory would probably be convinced when Ned's journals were published. Ned's journals had been loaned to the Tribune so that they could be copied. The International Herald-Tribune was not especially happy with the explorers, since they refused to let the newspaper keep Ned's journals. Right now they were far too valuable to their group.

Marguerite looked up again and saw the crowd was now really restless. Quietly she got up and putting her hand on Challenger's arm said, "George, I think you're losing them. Now would be a good time to show them our proof."

At first Challenger looked dismayed about being interrupted, but then looked up at the audience. "Very well. Lord Roxton if you would."

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Me again: Writing this fic I realized that Ned works for the Tribune and then meets a Tribune on the Plateau. Weird huh?