In the future…..

"Yes, definitely ten years" Challenger concluded, measuring the circumference of a tree.

It wasn't dissimilar to the way he had measured the tree-house in Finn's time. He returned the rope to his pocket. "Now, I'm quite sure that the future me won't mind letting my past self borrow things for scientific research. Let's just hope nothing's changed for the worse" Challenger said.

He walked towards the tree-house. "Challenger!" he shouted up to the house, hoping to get the attention of his future self. It worked.

Challenger saw his future self examining him. "I am you from exactly ten years in the past. Do you mind if I come up and have a conversation with you? I need some scientific instruments for weather measurement," the 1920's Challenger shouted.

"Yes, yes, of course, come in." Future Challenger shouted down to his past form.

Challenger walked up to the elevator, stepped in and activated it. "Thank you," he said, coming up into the tree-house.

He studied his 1930's self. The 1930's Challenger looked worn, 'most likely from experiments' noted the 1920's Challenger, and happier. "Why don't we have the others call you Challenger, as they did ten years ago, and myself George, as they do now, to prevent confusion." George said.

"Sounds suitable to me," Challenger stated nonchalantly. He studied the tree-house. It looked significantly bigger than what he remembered. The kitchen and the main room were still as they he had left them, except for a large wooden chest. "Do you mind if I look in that chest? It doesn't look at all familiar to me," Challenger said.

"Sure, you can. I'm sure you won't find anything of interest. It's just some of Isabelle's toys," George said. He still didn't entirely trust Challenger, but George trusted him enough to leave him alone in the tree-house, especially after his next question.

"Isabelle?" Challenger asked puzzled. "Yes, of course, she hasn't been born yet in your time. Isabelle Elizabeth Roxton is Marguerite and Roxton's daughter. She was born August 28, 1923. Eight months from today, in your time" George explained.

"Isabelle" he called. "Coming, Uncle George," a young girl's voice called. Isabelle stepped into the room that the two Challengers were in. "My god," Challenger whispered.

Isabelle had curly brown hair, much like Marguerite's, and hazel eyes, much like Roxton's. "Bella, this is me from the past. He came from before you were born. You remember our rule, about people from the past, I mean." George said.

"Of course, Uncle George: No telling Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Veronica, Uncle Ned, or Aunt Finn." Bella said. Her voice was sweet, like that of a siren. "No telling Abby either," reprimanded George.

"Of course not. It's nice to meet you, Uncle George" Isabelle replied sweetly.

"You, too, Isabelle" Challenger replied. "Good, now run along and play with your cousin," George said.

"Yes, Uncle George" Isabelle replied, leaving the room.

"Abby?" asked Challenger. "Ned and Veronica's daughter"

"Oh" nonchalantly replied Challenger.

"I just need some more test tubes and sodium chloride and then I'll be off," stated Challenger.

"Oh yes of course," replied George, as the scientists headed toward the lab.

Back In the 1920's…..

Finn had been sleeping for a while now, almost two hours, noted Marguerite. Each passing minute, she grew more worried about Roxton and Challenger – Roxton, mostly – and had been contemplating looking for them.

"Oh, what the hell," said Marguerite, throwing her hands up in the air.

She wrote a note to Finn (It read 'out Marguerite'), grabbed her guns and holster, and went out to look for Roxton and Challenger (of course, going for Roxton first). "Now, where are you," Marguerite asked herself, gun at the ready. She walked in the direction that Roxton had left in earlier that morning.

"Alright, John, where did you go?" she asked. Marguerite had walked almost to the clearing where they had discovered that Alex was a cobalt, about two years ago. Both Veronica and Marguerite had, had a crush on him. "Not my better days," she thought.

Marguerite looked around, searching for a clue as to where Roxton had been, and what had happened to him, if anything. Suddenly, she heard the sharp snap of a twig. Marguerite darted behind the nearest bush.

"Now, where are you?" she thought. Marguerite looked at the patch of land above her. A man's foot appeared there.

She heard a voice, saying "How the hell am I supposed to get out of this one?"

Marguerite instantly recognized that voice. It was Roxton. "John," she asked, standing up from behind the bush.

"Marguerite," he said, looking around. He was bruised all over and he looked he had just been through years of war.

"John, are you alright?" Marguerite asked, coming toward him. She put one hand on his face and the other on his arm, as Roxton did the same to her.

"I'm fine. Just a little beat up is all," Roxton replied. She kissed him lightly. Marguerite ran her hands over his cheek. He winced at the pain from a bruise he had received as she touched it.

"What happened to you," she asked, as she pulled bandages out of her knapsack. Marguerite began wrapping a wide cut on Roxton's arm.

"I was attacked by ape-men," Roxton lied. He looked away momentarily. Roxton didn't want her to know what had really happened. He really had been caught in one of Challenger's shifting planes of reality, and had returned to New Amazonia, where he had been beaten.

Marguerite knew he wasn't telling her something. She could see it in his eyes. As she finished bandaging his arm, she motioned for him to sit on a log. "John," she paused. "You're not telling me something."

For Marguerite it was especially hard to do this to him. Granted he might not be telling her something, but Marguerite wasn't telling him something. "So, how can I make him tell me something he obviously doesn't want to, when I'm not telling him that I might be pregnant?" Marguerite thought.

Roxton looked down at her. "You're right, Marguerite," he sighed. "It was one of Challenger's bloody shifting planes of reality." He replied. "Bandana and Watch-cap-" Roxton started, but Marguerite stopped him.

"You needn't go further. John, I'm…. bloody hell… John, I'm pregnant" Marguerite blurted out, standing now. She turned away. Marguerite didn't know what to expect from him. Maybe, if she was lucky, he'd be happy, but there was still a chance he wouldn't be.

Roxton stood from the log. "That's amazing," he said, excitedly, lifting her into the air and twirling her. "Really?" she asked, tears coming to her eyes. "Yes, really. Marguerite, this is one of the best things that's ever happened to me," Roxton said, brushing the tear from her face with his thumb. She hugged him, then leaned her head against his chest. They walked home like this, both smiling.