Disclaimer: Still own diddlysquat.  New Line, Over the Hill Gang, and whoever else own The Lost World and characters.  I’m just borrowing the characters, again.  I promise to return them when finished. 

Rating: G aka Fluff

Author’s Notes: Takes place sometime after Finn..  Episodes referenced:  Barbarians at the Gate, Tribute, and Tapestry.  Fan fic referenced:  SunKrux’s No More Surprises.  Sorry, Malone and Veronica fans, but they are not in this fic.  I don’t have time to worry about that.  Yet again, I’ve procrastinated on another challenge deadline.  ;)

Thanks: To my wonderful beta diva, DNash for making me look good and for her input.  I would also like to thank Zak and FiTanna for their input as well. 

Dedicated:  This fic is for CMS.  I shall miss you my friend.

Chapter One

“Come on, Marguerite, you promised,” the youngest member of the Treehouse whined from just outside her door.

Why did I promise her anything? the tired linguist wondered as she slowly got out of bed.

“Finn, it’s not even light out yet!” Marguerite yelled, while she searched in the dark for her clothes.  She deliberately took her time getting dressed, all the while complaining under her breath about the exuberance of Finn. 

Roxton could hear her grumbling from his room.  Finn has no idea what she’s getting herself into, he thought as he left his room.  He realized he’d better hurry if he wanted to avoid any bloodshed; Marguerite was going to require coffee and plenty of it.  He was certain that she was unaware that he had heard her during the night.  He wondered why she had been so restless then and wistful the day before.  He had hoped her mood would change with the new day.  No such luck old boy, he told himself as he prepared the much-needed elixir to calm Marguerite.

Finn had overheard Marguerite and Roxton the night before reminiscing about a certain field, and her curiosity had gotten the better of her.  Roxton had tried to explain to Finn that the field was a special place, but the young woman wouldn’t listen.  She hounded the couple until Marguerite relented and promised to take her there. 

By the time Marguerite emerged from her room, Challenger and Finn were at the table having breakfast.  Roxton was standing at the top of the stairs, cup in hand.  While discussing the field the previous night, he had noticed that Marguerite still seemed a little wary of going there.  Not that he blamed her after what happened on their first excursion to that area. 

“Marguerite, I’m sorry,” the considerate lord whispered as she took the cup from him.

“Thank you.  About what?”

“For not getting Finn to listen last night.  I know you’re not as excited to go as she is,” he explained.

Marguerite rolled her eyes.  “I’m not as excited as Finn is about a lot of things.  No one should be that excited this early.”

Roxton chuckled as he escorted her to the table.  By the time the couple made it there, Finn had already washed up her dishes and was returning from the kitchen.  Marguerite barely started to eat when—

“Hurry up, let’s go!”

The unenthusiastic brunette glared at the younger woman over the rim of her cup. “Finn, I am going to finish eating before traipsing off into the jungle with you.  If you can't wait, please, be my guest and go without me!”

“Finn, why don’t you check your pack to make sure you have enough supplies,” John suggested, hoping to buffer any impending argument.

“Yes, Finn, a capitol idea,” Challenger added.  He had picked up on Marguerite’s less than exuberant mood when her yelling at Finn had woken him up.  He had spent most of the night in his lab working on an experiment.  He was certain that Veronica and Ned would return soon, and with the addition of Finn, he was worried they would run out of food. 

Finn looked at the two men and then at Marguerite.  She started to speak again.

“FINN!” Roxton and Challenger shouted simultaneously.

“Ok, ok, keep your shirts on, boys.  I’ll go check,” she said, duly chastised.  She quickly left the area.

“Thank you,” Marguerite said quietly as she finished eating.  Once she had finished she started to clear her plate, but Finn came virtually out of nowhere to whisk plate, cup, and utensils away.

“I’ll get these.  You should go check your pack and ammunition before we leave.”

Marguerite took a deep, calming breath before she left the table.  She retrieved her hat, pack, and gun belt.  After checking her ammunition she called, “Finn, let’s go.  I'd like to get back before lunch!”

“Maybe I should go with you.  You know, keep an eye out for raptors,” Roxton suggested.

“Don’t you dare!   Other wise you’ll be going with her, alone!” an unamused Marguerite hissed.

“I was only joking.”

“Well don’t joke about that.  The only reason I’m taking her is so she’ll leave me alone.”

“Ok, I’m ready,” Finn called out as she approached the couple.

Marguerite turned and entered the elevator, followed by Finn.  Roxton waved as the lift went down.

“Are you sure they should be out there alone?” Challenger asked.

The hunter shrugged as he watched from the balcony.  “I don’t know.  Sooner or later they have to learn to get along.  Although Finn isn't helping any; she has to learn that Marguerite is not a morning person.”

“That’s true.  Finn hasn’t picked up on Marguerite’s subtle hints about that,” the visionary laughed.

John walked over to the gun rack and gathered his gear.

“Where are you going?” George inquired.

“I’m going to follow them, at a safe distance.  Marguerite isn’t really in the mood to do this.  I don’t want them to run into trouble without backup,” the hunter explained as he entered the lift. 

As the elevator descended again, Challenger headed to his lab.

***

Marguerite and Finn walked in one-sided silence.  Finn would ask questions that would go unanswered.  Marguerite’s mind was elsewhere.  I wonder if they remember what today is, she thought to herself.  I wonder if they realize that it’s been nearly three years since he disappeared.

“Marguerite!” Finn called for the fifth time, looking at a field full of flowers.

“What?”

“Is this it?”

“Is what it?” the distracted woman asked.  Then she realized where they were.  “Yes, this is it.”

“It’s beautiful.  I don’t understand why you don’t like this place,” Finn commented as she headed down the small hill. 

“Finn, be careful.  There could be raptors about,” Marguerite cautioned. 

“You worry too much,” Finn called as she explored the flowers of various hues.

“And you’re too chipper,” Marguerite mumbled.  She stood on the hill, looked out over the flowers, and recalled the dream she'd had last night.  She had dreamt of the day that Summerlee had saved her from Dieter.  She'd been sure that he would ask her about it later and was surprised when he never mentioned it.  She remembered the conversation they had later that night.

***

He noticed her standing out on the balcony.  He knew she was recalling the day’s events and decided she needed a little cheering up.  Arthur poured two glasses of sherry and carried them out to the balcony.

 Nothing a little amontillado won’t cure, I warrant.

I never got use to the quiet, the night, darkness.  Sometimes it’s almost…

Palpable?

Yeah.

You wonder if it will ever be daylight again.  Sometimes you pray it won’t.  So you loose yourself in flowers, trees, looking at life under a microscope instead of living it in the world.  Cowardly perhaps, but much easier on the heart.

You did a very brave thing today.

Nature, nurture, my dear.

I don’t follow.

When we crashed on this blasted Plateau I left more than London behind.

Care to elaborate, Professor?

The people we were, or thought we were.  Things we did.  What do they matter here?  Marvelous opportunity really; how many people get the chance to recreate themselves?  Here’s to new beginnings.

I’ll drink to that.

***

Roxton was glad he'd followed the two women; it was clear Marguerite's mind was elsewhere.  As he approached them, he spotted marauders moving in. 

“Finn, Marguerite, raiders!” he yelled as he ran for the small hill.

Marguerite was jerked out of her reverie by his shout, followed closely by the sound of arrows flying past her.  Without thinking, she began to run.  She didn’t hear Finn or Roxton, nor did she hear the angry men they fought. 

Once Finn and Roxton managed to chase off the marauders, Roxton stood still, listening, and looking, trying to figure out which way Marguerite had run.  After searching the area, he noticed some branches that had broken in her flight.  He started after her. 

Before Roxton had warned Marguerite and Finn, Marguerite’s mind had begun to replay the events of that fateful day two years ago.  She couldn’t go through that again, so she had just run, trying to evade the vivid memories made sharper still by the sudden attack.  She didn’t care which direction; she just had to get away.  When she finally stopped she realized she was standing exactly where Tribune said he’d gone over the waterfall.

That’s where Roxton and Finn found her.  She was standing too close to the edge for the hunter’s comfort.  He continued to walk silently closer, not sure if she’d heard them. 

Finn didn’t understand what was going on.  “Roxton, what’s the matter?  Why is she acting like that?”

Roxton motioned for Finn to be quiet.

The dark haired woman turned her head slightly, indicating that she knew someone was moving closer.  She knew without looking who it was. 

“This is where he went over,” she reminded him.

“I know, Marguerite, I know,” Roxton replied, realizing what she must be remembering.   

Confused by their words, Finn inquired, “Who?”

“Arthur,” the rugged hunter answered.

“Who?” the puzzled young woman repeated, wondering if he'd finally cracked and was talking about Challenger's pet beetle.

“Summerlee, Finn.  Arthur Summerlee,” Roxton snapped.  He was too busy watching Marguerite to really pay attention to Finn’s questions.

“Geez, no need to rip my head of, big guy,” Finn responded.  She noticed a ledge and sat down.  This is gonna take all day, she thought.

“It’s all my fault, you know,” Marguerite whispered as he moved closer. 

Roxton stared at her, bewildered,, “What are you talking about?  What’s all your fault?”

“Arthur falling,” came her quiet reply. 

“Ok, I’ll bite.  How is it your fault?”

“If I hadn’t given Drakul…” she started and trailed off.

“Wait a minute.  You think that because you gave Drakul what he wanted, it’s your fault Arthur fell?" John asked, turning her to face him.  "Marguerite, you know as well as I do that Drakul was a madman and would have killed you and the professor if you hadn’t told him about the hydrogen gas.”

“He was right behind Veronica and me. I should have protected him.”

Roxton shook his head, trying to keep up with her scattered train of thought.  “How were you going to do that with an injured leg?”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“Right," he scoffed.  "You could barely walk on it.”

“I should have protected him!” Marguerite repeated emphatically.  She felt guilty that she had crossed the bridge before the others.  If only she had been paying closer attention to the men on the other side, she might have been able to save Summerlee.

Roxton watched as the adventuress wrestled with her culpability, finally realizing what had been bothering her for the past couple of days.  She missed Arthur.  He slowly started to smile, “Let’s go home.”

“What?!  We’re leaving?  We just got here.  I wanted to pick some of the flowers,” Finn whined.

Roxton looked at Finn, “We’ll come back another time.  I’ve had more than enough excitement for one day.  It’s not safe here anymore.  Those marauders could come back,” he finished, still smiling.

 “What are you smiling at?  This isn’t funny,” Marguerite demanded as he took her hand and started to lead the way home.

“I’m not laughing, just smiling, that’s all.  It’s not a crime is it?” John asked as they continued towards home.

 Finn followed in annoyance, not learning anything more about the flowers or Summerlee.  Maybe Challenger will be able to explain all this, she thought.

The three traveled at a quick, quiet pace.  Marguerite had taken the lead and was obviously in a hurry to get home.  She wanted nothing more than to be alone.  She didn’t want the others to see how much she missed the professor.