He didn't believe his ears. "Yes?" he asked excitedly. She nodded but didn't give him any other affirmation. He grinned broadly, and covered the distance between them quickly. He kissed her, then picked her up and spun around. She yipped in surprise, then demanded shrilly, "Put me down, Roxton! You're insane!" He set her down and she tried to hid a smile, looking away. "I love you, Marguerite. I always will." Marguerite didn't respond immediately, then pleaded quietly, "Don't tell the other's, Roxton. Please. I don't want things to be different." The lord was confused, but promised he wouldn't. Why did it seem as though she didn't want this? Did she doubt his love? Was she just marrying him for Marietta? He hoped that wasn't the only reason. In the next moment, though, Marguerite smiled at him and teased, "Of course, I'm only agreeing to marry you to get to your fortune." He frowned solemnly, "Oh, well yes, of course." She grinned and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. "Don't ever leave us, John. Don't ever leave me." He returned her embrace and smiled, assuring her, "Oh, Marguerite. Never. You're the air I breath, the heart in my chest. Without you, I'd die."

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"Malone!" Roxton called to the younger man from beside the elevator. Roxton, Malone, and Veronica were going to search a new cave system found on the east side of the plateau, as always looking for a route off the plateau. Challenger had insisted upon staying at the treehouse to try and fix the electric fence, which had been broken by stray bullets. Marguerite was staying with Marietta, as she so often did now.

The younger man hurried towards him, his gun in his hand. "Where's Veronica?" the man questioned, anxious to be on their way. "She's already outside. We were just waiting on you, Neddy-boy. Let's get going, then. We want to be there before dark." The blond man stepped into the elevator and descended as Roxton called to the others that they were leaving. He didn't hear a response and turned to leave, but Marguerite entered the room and called, "John, wait!" Quickly turning, the hunter was embraced by the woman, who leaned up and kissed him chastely. "Just remember. If I find a way off this wretched plateau, you've promised me your heart." he reminded, looking in her cool blue eyes lovingly. She shook her head, "No, John. You've already got that. What you get now is my future." She smiled and kissed him one more time before backing away so that he could leave. He gave her a lopsided smile and got into the elevator, descending to the forest floor.

"Mummy?" Marguerite heard. Turning around, she looked down and saw Marietta, looking at her intently. The heiress smiled, "Always, Marietta." The child smiled and grabbed her hand, pointing out at the sky. She dragged the woman to the balcony, and put her arms up to be picked up. Marguerite laughed, not understanding the child's strange antics. Indulging the youth, she knelt down and scooped up the small girl, raising her so she could see over the rail. Marietta looked up at Marguerite seriously and then looked out over the forests, plains and rivers of the plateau. She spread her arms wide and stated laughingly, "Home. Home, Mummy. Mummy, Daddy. Marietta. Home." Marguerite looked at her strangely, "No, Marietta. This isn't home." She sighed quietly, thinking of Roxton, and what they could have. "Not here, Marietta, but somewhere. Mummy, Daddy, and Marietta will have a home together somewhere." Marietta pointed out the window, insinuating that she thought the plateau was there home. "Marietta, no." Marguerite tried to tell the child. Marietta wriggled out of Marguerite's arms and ran away, letting out an ear-piercing screech. Marguerite clapped her hands over her ears instinctively, and looked for the child. Challenger came running up the stairs and demanded, "What's wrong! Where's Marietta!" The screaming had stopped and Marguerite looked around. "I-I don't know. We were on the balcony and she just…well, you heard her." Challenger looked around, not seeing any sign of the child, "Well, she could not have just disappeared." The woman scoffed, "And I don't know that!" She walked off, calling to the child. Challenger walked around the living area, looking behind chairs and under tables. "Marietta?" he called. He stood up and frowned, puzzled. "You certainly are a strange little thing, aren't you?"

Marguerite came into the room and asked, "Did you find her?" The scientist shook his head, then asked, "Did you check the lab?" The heiress' eyes widened, and the two ran down the stairs to Challenger's lab. Within minutes they had searched the whole of it and not found Marietta. "Well, where could she go? It's not like there's all that many places for her to hide. And if she'd somehow managed to take the elevator we would have heard her." The brunette stated. Just then they heard Marietta giggle. Looking up, the two explorers saw her looking down at them from the floor above. "Marietta!" Marguerite gasped. She ran up the stairs and crouched in front of the girl. "Where in the world-" she cut herself off as she realized the child wouldn't have answered anyway. Challenger called up, "Is she alright?" The heiress laughed, grateful that nothing bad had happened, "She's fine." She looked at Marietta and asked, "How do I always seem to lose you?" She picked the child up and took her into her room, setting her on the bed. "You stay right here with me, alright, Marietta?" The girl smiled, but Marguerite was far from convinced. Sitting on a chair, she picked up a shirt she'd been mending, and kept watch on the child out of the corner of her eye. The girl was playing with a small ball she had found god-knows-where, and sat contentedly without making much sound.

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A.N.- I know where i'm going, but it's taking me awhile to get there. I need to develope Roxton and Marguerite's relationship more beforei can divulge any information about Marietta. But i'll update more often then i have been, now that i'm back on track with this. Please Review!