Three days of sorrow past through the treehouse and yet the Once magnificent hunter did not stir from his ill condition. Day and night, Marguerite remained by his side. Cleaning him, bathing him, changing his sheets, aiding to his every whim hoping that in miracle moment Roxton might wake from his deathly decline of life. On occasion Jewel would stir from her own bed and come and sit in with Marguerite and sleep in her mother's arms for the night as they fell asleep next to the man they loved with their entire hearts. Despair not only took over Jewel and Marguerite but the entire treehouse. Each day they all sat with heavy hearts and their fingers crossed in hope for the best. While, Challenger slaved away attempting to find some antidote of pure magic to cure the wonderful hunter. Only seeing Marguerite a couple of times out the day when she ventured from the that realm of sickness, poor Layton left dumbfounded, questioned about his once beautifully energetic aunt.

"Daddy?" Layton began as he stared up into Ned's beautiful blue eyes , "Why is Aunt Madge (his nickname for Marguerite) sad? Is because Uncle John won't wake up because I'll wake him up for her." he said so seriously which made Ned smile.

"Don't we all wish we could wake him up kiddo. Aunt Marguerite misses Uncle John more than me or you could even imagine." Ned retorted as their eyes both fell upon balcony where the heartbroken Marguerite stood contemplating her future without Lord Roxton. Tears that had remained dormant for the past days when she attempted to remain strong, finally fell down her cheeks. The moonlight gave a luster to the tears that spread down her cheeks. Lost in her grief Marguerite failed to hear her "sister" come over to her.

"Marguerite?" Veronica called to her from the side. Then as Marguerite turned, Veronica's heart sunk into her chest once she the tears flooding Marguerite's face.

"Oh Marguerite. Come here." Veronica said to her with a broken heart, reaching out to Marguerite with opens arms to comfort Marguerite. Veronica rubbed Marguerite's back, soothing her pain and quieting her sobs, as Marguerite cried into her shoulder.

"Veronica…" she sobbed as she cried into Veronica's shoulder "I don't know what to do. I I can't to be without him. I love him so much. What if….." she tried but the words were choked somewhere between her throat and her heart. "What if he……" she tried again but once again was unsuccessful this time by a burst of sobs that she was unable to contain.

"Marguerite, you look at me and you listen. You are the strongest woman I've ever known and you and Roxton have something so strong that not even death could break you two apart." Veronica said with determination and a fiery passion from the bottom of her heart.

"I know, but I'm just so frightened." Marguerite replied through her sniffles and tears.

"I am too. We all are, but John is a fighter and he's not giving up without a fight. He's going to make it Marguerite." Veronica responded with the up most confidence. Ever so grateful to Veronica, Marguerite managed a weak smile.

"Now, see better. Now lets go sit and have a nice cup of tea." and with that the duo left the balcony and went into the kitchen.

After a long conversation with her "sister" over a nice soothing cup of hot tea, Marguerite decided it was time to check on John. As she marched back down to her room, pain flooded through her heart but meditating in the comforting words of her "sister" Marguerite fought back her tears. When she finally approached her room and opened the door her heart stopped and her pulse quickened and her fear tingled her body straight down to her toes. John was not there. Her eyes searched the room for her lover as she stepped into the room when suddenly…..the door slammed behind her.

"John! OH my god your up darling!" she yelped with joy as relief surged through her.

"Damn right I'm up. Where the hell were you?" he snarled.

"What? John what's wrong?" she asked bewildered with the up most confusion.

"Answer me woman, WHERE WERE YOU?" he screamed alarming the co-inhabitants of the tree house as he grabbed Marguerite by her forearm, twisting her around.

"Ow John! Your hurting me!" Marguerite whimpered as she struggled against john. Then suddenly as she looked into his eyes she could she the difference. His eyes were red and cold. They were daggers piercing her very flesh as they spoke. This was not her John she so longed for. This man was a diseased imposter of the man she loved.

"I'm not going to ask you again! ANSWER ME! " he raged as his voice filled the air as he continued wringing Marguerite about by her shoulder.

"John please." she cried as past memories of lover's pain flooded through her. " I was up stairs with Veronica." she added. Marguerite was scared for the first time of John.

"You were out there weren't you. Acting just like the rest of em'. Street whores." he spat out.

"John what are you talking about?" Marguerite cried out as she doubled over in pain from his masculine grip.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB WITH ME YOU LITTLE JEZABELLE!" he screamed in her face as he threw her against their bed room wall creating a crash of thunder.

Back up Stairs

It was well into the might. Rain flooded the plateau's dark domain. Upstairs Challenger, Veronica, Summerlee and Ned all sat quiet barely talking, barely breathing. Veronica sat by the balcony bench lying upon Ned's chest as they both watched the rain fall. Summerlee sat in his chair resting his eyes. While challenger sat in the kitchen sipping on a fresh brew of coffee. The kids were long ago put to bed. When suddenly the rythematic drops of the rain were broken this muffled yelling. The voice held so much base that the rain muffled the sound. They sat up alert of this yelling but unsure of its keepers. When suddenly there was a crash that rumbled the tree house followed by the rumbling distinct voice of Lord Roxton.

"Dear God!" Summerlee gasped as they all retreated downstairs with haste.

Back downstairs.

"John Stop!" Marguerite cried as he thrashed things about the room. Books went flying, the rocking chair was knocked over, as Roxton rampaged through their room leaving a very frightened Marguerite balled against the wall crying.

"You're delusional!" she screamed from her ball.

Then as he came back towards her she stood, as he beat his hands against the wall near her head.

"John!" she screamed as he beat his fist near her head.

"I'll show you!" he said as he grabbed her and threw her on the bed. And in a heart beat he pounced on her like a ravenous beast.

He sat above her:

"John please, don't do this." she said though her tears.

"I'll show you how to betray me!" he purred in her ear as he lowered himself down upon her ignoring her cries and ripping open her shirt.

When …………………………Ned, Challenger, Veronica, and Summerlee burst into the room.

"Good Heavens!" Challenger gasped as he engulfed the sight that lay before him. Marguerite pinned under Roxton crying to be let go.

"Roxton get off of her." Ned warned.

"Come now Neddy-boy am I truly supposed to be afraid of you." Roxton laughed. Then Ned pulled out his pistol and pointed at Roxton.

"I said get off of her." Ned growled once again. Roxton simply laughed. Then suddenly Challenger reached for his gun and pointed at Roxton.

"Oh So your into this too eh Challenger." Roxton chuckled, delusional and unconscious of anything happening.

"If it be so then very well. John your sick. You don't know what your doing." Challenger explained.

"Are you trying to call me crazy?" Roxton questioned with this deranged look upon his face before bursting into laughter.

"John don't make me." Ned warned with trepidation surging through his body as he drew attention back to Roxton. Roxton cackled at his warning as he finally rose from her small frame, kissing her on her forehead. Marguerite scuffled away to the safe arms of Veronica and Summerlee. John began to walk towards them with this smock villain like grin upon his face.

"John don't make me." he mocked.

"Don't make you what Neddy-Boy. Don't make me laugh." John mocked. Ned kept his gun pointed at him.

"John!" Marguerite cried from the bedside as she was being tended to by Veronica and Summerlee.

"What? You're gonna shoot me?"Roxton questioned mockingly as he further approached Ned but then paused and stood still with his cocky grin painted upon his face as Ned cocked the gun preparing a round of fire. Tension surmounted the room.

"So now we have grown up eh Neddy-Boy? So prove it. Shoot me." Roxton tested.

"No! Ned Don't! He's delusional he doesn't know what he's saying." Marguerite cried from the side of bed as she buried her head into Veronica's shoulder as tears flooded both of their faces.

"Do it Ned, Do It! Pull the damn trigger Ned! Pull it! Shoot me!" Roxton egged, laughing psychotically. Sweat trickled down Ned's forehead. As the moment of fear took over him, all Ned could was the sound of her heart pounding loud in his chest and Marguerite's cries that sounded far away.

Then from the door came………

"Daddy?" It was little Jewel standing at the door still gripping her mother's locket. All looked up immediately, frightened by what Roxton would do. Marguerite stood preparing to do anything to protect Jewel if Roxton made any sudden movements. Ned and Challenger quickly lowered their guns. John turned with this confused look on his face as if he'd never even seen her before.

"John it's your baby, Jewel. Your little princess." Marguerite reminded him through a shaky voice. John continued to stare into her small face.

"Daddy, why are you making so much noise? You woke me up." Jewel continued in her innocent voice unaware of what was going on. Roxton moved closer to her. Walking slowly, never taking an eye off of her. Summerlee stood behind his granddaughter feeling the same fear for her that Marguerite felt. Then as he finally approached her, he kneeled down on one knee, still with this confused look on her face. He looked deep into Jewel's eyes. Felt her beautiful little pale cheek with his forefingers. Ran his finger through her beautiful raven hair. Jewel smiled in response. Then as he arose he walked over to Marguerite and did the same, leaving that very same confused façade fused upon his face. Marguerite gasped scared but as she looked into his eyes she realized that it was no longer the deranged, demented John but her John and in realizing that, she smiled and released all her fear at his touch.

"M- Mar- Marguerite?" John stuttered out looking deep into her eyes. But before she could respond to her lover's progress……………….……………...he fainted. Falling into convulsions onto the floor. Marguerite dodged down to his side. Supporting him, cradling him in her arms and cried out for help as she buried her tears upon his cheek. Ned, Challenger and Veronica raced to John's aide and Summerlee grabbed the now crying Jewel brought her upstairs.

"Challenger, please help him." Marguerite cried, pleading him as they all stared down at John.