Rating:  PG13 prolly eventually

Author: Angel - ninthsaturn@yahoo.com - http://oocities.com/evysdreams

Summary:  Evy finds a secret temple and shares the discovery with a friend.

Disclaimer:  No infringement intended.  I own Asenath, Drake, Samira, Mahmud, Abdu, Omar and Ali.

*

The lights inside the manor were dimmed and the curtains had been drawn to mask activity.  The thunderstorm that raged on outside promised they wouldn't get much sleep this night.  Not that they would be getting much sleep anyway.  Somewhere out there was Meela, High Priestess of Set.  She'd never come for Ardeth and by now it was well past nightfall - the appointed time she'd set.

This situation was doing wonders for Evy's nerves.  They all sat in the study, every light in the house off and little oil lamps to light the way between necessary rooms.  She looked over each of her companions.  Ardeth, one of her main concerns right now, was tucked off into a shadowy corner.  His dark eyes were intently gazing on the dancing flame of a candle.  She could tell it would take him some time to fully heal of what Meela had done.

Jonathan was nervously pouring himself a drink - as usual.  He stayed as far away from Ardeth as he could and refused to even look at him.  She was going to have to have a word about that with him.

Rick sat on the floor, his gun pack spread out before him.  Picking through his collection he made sure that every single weapon was loaded and ready to be used.  One could never be too ready he'd always said.

The dread priest sat in a chair beside hers, his arms stretched over the chair's and his face poised in thought.  He was intently studying something across from him.  Evy looked up at the picture of herself that sat upon the mantle.  It was taken a few years ago in Egypt, her hair was breezily blowing and her dress was white.  She looked back at Imhotep, startled that his study was now fixated upon her.  His dark eyes sparkled and she swallowed.  "You left me for him," he said gently in his own tongue.

"What?" Evy asked, leaning closer to listen.  The pieces of her past were slowly coming together, but there were still large gaps that made her wonder.  She and Imhotep had been lovers she knew.  The proper Englishwoman blushed, recalling some of the more detailed parts of her dreams.

The priest nodded towards O'Connell, who was none the wise they were talking about him.  "You began having doubts about my love for you.  There in the Med-Jai that guarded your father was a young outlander who had been adopted into an Egyptian family at the age of ten.  His name was Nycolaus.  When the fear of my infidelity became too much for you, he was the one you took comfort in.  In turn Anck-su-namun was mine."

Evelyn swallowed, searching her memories.  It was true.  Without remembering the details, she could tell it was the truth.  "Why did I doubt you?" she asked softly, her eyes lingering on O'Connell.

Imhotep's voice was strangely quiet as he too relived the past.  His emotion behind the words he spoke betrayed that he hadn't ever let go of whatever their choices had created in him.  "I do not know.  I never looked at another, but you grew distant.  Wary of me and distrustful.  Then one night you ended our love."  He sounded puzzled and sad.

Searching inside herself brought no ancient reasoning to memory.  It wasn't within her grasp right now to recall these things.  "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

He laughed lightly at that and looked away.  "Yes, it did hurt.  More than you can realize.  And it caused me to hate you, and you I.  I no longer cared about your father or my duty as his priest, so I took his concubine who had willingly offered herself.  And now the hate continues into this life."

Evy didn't know what to say to that.  What could she possibly tell him?  One thing came to mind.  A truth she couldn't hide from, no matter what she wanted to feel towards this monster.  "I don't hate you.  I fear you, but...understanding you lessens my ability to hate you."

The priest smiled softly at that and took her hand in his.  It was very strange to see him like this.  Very confusing.  "Nefertiri, I do not understand you and perhaps I never will.  But I no longer hate you.  I doubt I ever really did, even when I was willing to kill you for my lying lover."

Giving his hand a little squeeze, Evelyn leaned back in her chair and searched through her memories again.  So many questions and thoughts ran through her mind right now, so many things she was unsure of.  The thunder cracked outside and she groaned. It's only a little storm, she thought, letting Imhotep's hand go.

She pushed herself from the couch and quietly told him that she was going to the kitchen for tea, then informed the others.  The halls were dark and lonely and she could hear every noise to be heard.  Heavy raindrops splatted against the house and trickled down the windows and every once in a while the walls would light up from the electric show outside.  She increased the fire in a small oil lamp they'd left in the hallway and carried it with her.

The kitchen felt cold and was quite dark, but she didn't dare turn any of the lights on.  If Anck-su-namun did come she would find the house dark and seemingly devoid of life.  It might confuse her a bit, and anything even that small was a help.

Evy grabbed her kettle and filled it with water from the sink, then lit the stove.  Hopefully a cup of warm tea with milk would help soothe her nerves.  There was only one seal left and they were it's sole protectors.  She had no idea how Imhotep was going to stop his old lover, or what would happen afterwards.  What did she want to happen?

This situation with Imhotep was becoming strange, that was certain.  The enemy was on their side.  Would they go back to fighting after this little crisis was over?  Evy sighed, listening as Jonathan and Rick talked in the other room.  It comforted her to hear their voices in jest.  One small place of normalcy in a backwards situation.

*

Heeled red shoes became brown in the mud behind the Carnahan residence.  But Anck-su-namun didn't mind that at all.  Her legs were filthy from trudging through the wet brush and her body completely soaked in the rain.  Every light in the house was out, which would help her tonight.

Her first goal was to win back the Book of Amun Ra and make Imhotep mortal.  He alone stood in her way to getting the other seal.  She was no creature of the underworld as he, but she could call on some.  Behind her was a policeman, her victim and slave.  "The Book of Amun Ra," she purred, yanking forth the resurrected corpse.  "That is your task.  Get the golden Book of Ra for me."

The submissive creature moved to obey, but she stopped him for a moment.  "There is a man in black within that house.  He bears tattoos on his face.  Do not harm him."

"Yes, my master," the officer intoned, an intent expression on his face.  "I will bring you the Book of Amun Ra."

Anck-su-namun watched as he began for the house slowly.  Of course he alone wouldn't be enough for what she had in mind tonight.  She was going to require something a little more fantastic and with two seals broken, she could get her needs met.

Kneeling in the dirt, Meela began to scoop some of the mud into her hands, forming it into little piles.  The officer had been her life sacrifice and now from her own veins would come her blood sacrifice.  She removed her dagger and cut, wincing at the pain that now burned through her hand.  Carefully she sprinkled the blood on each pile of dirt and began chanting.

The result was slow at first.  Each gathering of mud began to quiver and grow.  Anck-su-namun stepped back and admired her handiwork as five beings took shape.  Anck-su-namun pointed at the house with a little smile.  "Bring me the Book of Amun Ra and the final seal of our master however you can, but do not kill the one with tattoos.  He is mine."

Five dark creatures before her all smiled, bearing their fangs in a victorious show of obedience.  Then they too headed towards the house.

*

"Nick?" Jonathan gasped, then grinned broadly.  He pointed to the somewhat puzzled ex-Legionnaire.  "He went from Nick to Rick?"

The dreaded priest of Osiris thought about it a moment.  He shrugged at the questioning Englishman.  "Yes.  I suppose in your culture Nycolaus could be shortened to that or something like it.  But such was not the custom of my people."

Rick yawned and looked between the two of them tiredly.  "What are you two on about, Jonathan?"

"They are speaking of past lives," Ardeth supplied from his chair in the shadows.  He leaned forward, absently peering down the hallway towards the stairs.  Evelyn had gone to bed and the rest of them stayed awake to guard the house, but the Med-Jai wasn't so sure he liked this arrangement.  Something wasn't right.  Meela should have come for him.

Jonathan nodded his head at O'Connell and smiled.  "You were a Greek Med-Jai named Nycolaus.  I thought it funny that your name back then was Nick and now it's Rick.  Think next life you'll be called Mick...or there are other names that rhyme with Rick I'm sure."  He grinned at his friend.

Laughing sarcastically, O'Connell nodded his head.  "Yeah.  You might be onto something there, Jonathan.  So, who were you back then?"

"I was Evy's brother back then too, actually.  Crowned Prince of Egypt.  As the son of Seti you would have been my protector, too."  Jonathan preened at his expansive title.

Rick raised his eyes brows and looked down into the empty shot glass in his hands.  "Nothing new there.  You know it's awful strange we were all together back then and are again today, don't you think?  What about Ardeth?"

Ardeth leaned back and listened as Jonathan rather uncomfortably asked the mummy about his past.  Yes, O'Connell was correct.  It was strange that fate brought them all back together after 3,000 years.  Imhotep eyed him thoughtfully and spoke.  "That one I barely knew.  He was a Med-Jai of middle rank as I recall.  A young man of the name Akhenre.  He did not like me.  I can only guess why that was so."

"What'd he say?" Rick asked, a little frustrated at the language barriers between he and the creature.  He gave his shot glass to Jonathan and absently said, "All that protecting you has made me thirsty.  Get me some more?"  Carnahan complained, but nevertheless did Rick the favor.

Bay looked down at his friend.  "He said I was also a Med-Jai and that my name was Akhenre.  I did not care for him back then either, it seems."  He switched languages, turning back to Imhotep.  "And why are we all together again?  This is a little too much for chance I think.

Imhotep looked down at the floor a moment, apparently gathering his thoughts.  "That I do not know, Med-Jai, but my guess is that I am the reason."

Thinking his way through that, Ardeth began to understand why Imhotep would give such an answer.  Imhotep hadn't died - at least normally.  True, he'd eventually died his natural death, but the Hom-Dai kept his soul bound to this earth.  Perhaps the cycle of life couldn't complete for all of them because of that fact.  He explained it to Rick, who'd been trying to glean from their expressions.  Rick nodded slowly.  "Sounds good to me...all except having to deal with him every lifetime that is."  He smirked.

Imhotep watched Ardeth think for a moment.  He could feel the creature's amused gaze on him and it irked him.  "I could make you all remember," he offered.  "It would be a slow remembrance, only seen in visions and dreams and none of you would change.  I did the same for Nefertiri."

"Ooooh," Jonathan replied, his interest written in his eyes.  He handed Rick the glass and in his haste spilled it on the ex-Legionnaire.  Rick huffed and licked the liquor from his wet fingers.  "Count me in!  As the prince I had a lot of women, right?"

The priest smiled and nodded.  "Yes.  You did have many wives and concubines.  What of the Greek?  Will he too remember?"

Carnahan quickly explained what Imhotep was offering and he looked at the creature distrustfully.  "I don't know.  I mean what if this messes up my head or something?"

At that Jonathan snorted.  "Your head couldn't get any more messed up.  Don't you think it would be interesting to see what happened back then?  He says we won't change or anything weird.  Evy's had it done to her even."

Rick frowned at that revealed knowledge, obviously not liking that she'd already been tampered with.  But then he shrugged, meeting Imhotep's eyes.  "Sure.  Why not?"

"And you, Akhenre?  Would you like to see what you've forgotten?" Imhotep then asked, his eyes moving to Ardeth's shadowy seat.  His eyes betrayed nothing of his motives.

Ardeth grunted at that and leaned forward.  "And what do you get out of this?  Why do you make such an offer?"

The creature's smile wasn't without it's usual condescending expression.  But with a sigh, he conceded and spread his hands instinctively.  "What explanation can I offer that you will believe?  The truth is remembering may bring you understanding of who I am and make it easier for you to trust me."

Well, that answer was highly unexpected and quite ridiculous from Ardeth's standpoint.  He shook his head.  "What do you care of trust between us?  None of us are your friends.  When this is over, we will return to being enemies.  We would trust you to what purpose?  That you could kill us?  You could do that without our falling into a trap."

Imhotep's eyes grew cold and he raised his chin in an air of superiority.  He pointed at Ardeth coolly and said, "You are afraid I'm not the monster you believe me to be and even more afraid of who you were.  Will you hide from the past, brave Med-Jai?"

"Fine," Ardeth breathed, sitting back again.  He didn't feel well.  The traces of poison Imhotep had so graciously left inside his system were making him feel a little sick to his stomach.  "Do what you will, Priest of Osiris.  My past will not change what I know of you now."

Imhotep got up from his chair then, instructing Jonathan to tell Rick to relax where he was and not be alarmed.  Then he began to chant, soft words that crept through the darkness to Ardeth and reached into his mind like spidery fingers.  The effect was strange, to be certain.  It made him feel like he were a thousand miles away and yet here all at the same time, and it made breathing hard.  He grew dizzy from the sensations and barely felt Imhotep's hand press into his forehead.

And then the spell was over.  Ardeth didn't move for a moment as the strange sensations passed through him and faded.  It certainly hadn't helped his already queasy stomach.  He searched his mind for anything different and found nothing.  With a frown he sat up and looked at the others.  Jonathan, having drank a considerable amount of scotch, looked a bit bedraggled now.  "Well, if this is what I felt like back then, please take it away," he commented.

O'Connell was also a bit disoriented, but in better condition.  He shook his head and blinked, then looked to Imhotep.  "If you could bottle that we'd make a fortune."

Imhotep smiled, not knowing what Rick said but assuming it was a complaint.  "Remember well.  I will explore this house now.  Inform Nycolaus," he said to Ardeth, then took his leave.

"Where's he think he's going?" O'Connell asked, swallowing and reaching for a gun.

"To explore," Ardeth replied simply, thankful that the ill effects of the spell were finally almost completely gone.  He got to his feet and stretched, frowning at the headache that was beginning to form.  "Do either of you remember anything?"

"No," Jonathan replied shortly, leaning back against the couch he sat in front of.  O'Connell, beside him, answered the same.

Ardeth sighed at the tiredness that was ever so slightly creeping through his body.  Perhaps a cold splash of water would make him feel more alert.  He headed towards the kitchen, then froze when the front door was knocked upon.  Instantly his scimitar was out in his hand, ready to be used.  "Anck-su-namun," he hissed, looking to the others.

Rick was also on his feet, a colt .45 ready and waiting for a foe.  "Jonathan, go find Imhotep.  Ardeth, maybe for now you should answer the door.  If it's her maybe she still thinks you're in her control.  It could buy us some time to get Evy to safety.  I'll stay back and if need be, exit through the back door of this room."

"All right," the Med-Jai replied, none too excited at the prospect of seeing Meela again.  But that same fear and hatred was different now.  Now that Imhotep had awoken the past.  Ardeth exhaled in frustration and headed towards the door, weapon ready.  The knocker banged again.

Unlocking the door, Ardeth gripped the knob and slowly twisted it.  Steeling himself to see the woman who'd caused him so much pain and anger, he opened the door and squeezed his scimitar.  And sighed.  There before him stood an English police officer, a smile on his face.  There was something not right about him.  "Hello," he said in a compulsively cheerful voice.  "I've come to inform you and the rest of the household that there's an escaped convict on the loose in this area.  I've come to make sure you are all taking the proper precautions."

Ardeth frowned and re-sheathed his weapon, looking to Rick as he came out of hiding.  "We're taking precautions," he told the cop, moving to block entry.

The officer's face still remained in that oddly, almost creepishly happy demeanor as he shoved his way on in.  "Sorry, sir, but I have to make sure everything's secure.  It's the law."

Rick and Ardeth followed the off acting cop as he looked around the dark house, oblivious to the fact that there was no electricity being used.  The Med-Jai pulled O'Connell back a ways, letting the officer go on ahead slightly.  "Do the police often act this way here?" he asked dubiously.

O'Connell shrugged and scratched his head.  "Ardeth, nobody acts like that.  He looks like he's had about one cup of coffee too many.  Let's not let him out of our sight."

Ardeth nodded and they followed.

*

Evy sat before her mirror, the only light in the room coming from a nearby candle.  She brushed her hair contentedly and it almost felt as if everything were back to normal.  The thunder boomed outside and she jumped, then set her brush down and gazed at the candle.  No, things had definitely changed too much to be normal right now.  Going through these little ordeals had changed so much about her and the way she thought about the world.  It made her question herself and the directions that her life had taken and would take.  It stripped away at her innocence.

"Everything'll set itself right in the end," she breathed, touching her reflection in the mirror as if it would bring her closer to touching who she was now.  Evelyn slowly brought her hand down from the mirror and looked herself over.  Her brown hair fell down her shoulder, touching the soft fabric of her white nightgown.  She still looked the same as she had a year ago.  But no matter how hard she tried, it still didn't feel the same within.  She was again greeted by a crack of thunder, but this time it was accompanied by her door being opened.  Despite herself, she startled and rolled her eyes.  "Rick, if this is you..." she began, turning around.  She widened her eyes and looked around for something to cover up with.  "Imhotep!  What are you doing in here?  I'm barely dressed!"

The priest laughed and approached her quietly.  "I thought you would be sleeping.  I came to watch," he confessed, kneeling down before the chair she sat in.  He took her hands.

Suddenly Evy felt very, very uncomfortable.  Certain her ears were turning pinker by the second, she tried to back away.  "What do you want?" she pressed, wishing he'd just go away.  What on earth had gotten into him?

"Absolution."  The way he said it made her shiver.  He opened her palms and kissed them, then buried his face in their softness.  "Forgiveness for whatever I did that changed our history forever.  The others may never trust me, but I wish I could regain yours.  Lie to me if you must."  He brought his dark eyes up and pleaded with her.

Evy's chest hurt at the look he gave her and a dozen questions all flew at her mind at once.  "Why?" she asked him, certain her confusion was well portrayed on her face.  "Why do you care about that?  You certainly never cared when you were trying to kill me and my friends.  Why do you choose now to bring this up?"

Imhotep didn't hardened his eyes or his heart, but merely held her gaze with a need there.  "I don't want to care.  I have tried to hate you as I did before, but seeing you again as you were, knowing you without the hatred so passionately returned...it has forced me to see my heart for what it really feels.  I do not wish to again be enemies when this is done.  Or even if I wish that, I cannot bring myself to feel it.  My thoughts cannot be pushed away any longer.  I love you still, Nefertiri."  And with that he pushed himself forward and captured her lips with his.

Stunned didn't even begin to describe what Evy was feeling.  This selfish, lying and highly manipulative man had just positively stunned her.  A part of her wanted to believe him and could freely forgive him.  That part was Nefertiri.  But the Evelyn inside questioned his motives and didn't trust him.  "How can I trust you?" she whispered as he rained kisses down her neck and shoulder.  Tears actually began to form in her eyes.  "You're only doing this because you feel lonely or because you want something.  You don't love me.  How could you after everything we've been through?"

At that Imhotep pushed himself from her and closed his eyes, standing up.  When he again opened them, she swallowed.  "You once accused me of having a shallow heart, of not really loving you.  Now you do it again.  Perhaps that is what I should work for, if that is all anyone will ever see of me."  And with that he turned and started for the door.

Evy gaped, watching him leave.  Well, that did it.  She was simply and quite completely angry right now.  Crossing her arms, she scowled at her reflection and was half tempted to hurl her powder jar into the mirror.  She was getting sick and tired of everyone changing on her, making her doubt and fear and forgive.  Why did life have to be so complicated and hard?  "That selfish brat!" she fumed, trying to push aside her other feelings.  "Thinks he can just waltz in here and kiss it all better and..."  She paused, hearing something.  Whipping around, she quickly surveyed her room.  It was empty.  She listened again.

Surprise, it seemed, would be the tone of the evening.  Glass shattering all over the floor and a big, black beast could do that to one sometimes.  What Evy saw almost looked like an angel, with expansive dark wings and a beautiful face and body.  But angels, or so they'd been described in popular beliefs, weren't grayish black in color and usually didn't appear publicly in so scanty of clothing.  The creature in Evy's room might as well be naked.

Her black wings began to beat and she shook her head, mud flying off and staining Evelyn's pretty bedroom.  Cold, blue eyes stared the Englishwoman down and without even thinking she bolted out the door.  "Imhotep!" she screamed, searching frantically through the night blackened halls.  The beast from her room followed rapidly.

Imhotep was nowhere to be found to her despair.  She could barely make her way through the darkness.  And suddenly she lost her footing.  Tumbling down the stairs, Evelyn groaned when she flopped on the floor.  "Ardeth?  Rick?  Anyone?!" she cried, pushing herself up.

The creature was at the top of the stairs, it's blue eyes glowing eerily down at her.  Evy got to her feet and began to run again, crashing into tables and chairs.  Just where was everyone anyway?  She could hear gunfire coming from somewhere, but couldn't pinpoint exactly from which direction.  Choosing randomly, Evy bolted down a hallway and screamed, "Help me!"  The beast behind her was laughing.

"Nefertiri!" came the very distressed call of Imhotep.  He was somewhere else in the massive house.  "Nefertiri, where are you?"

"Near the back!" she yelled, feeling the creature that was chasing her gain.  She didn't even have time to wonder where anyone else was.  Evy swallowed, knowing she had to keep screaming for someone to find her.  "Imhotep!  Jonathan!"  Terror was truly this.  Imhotep had been scary, this was worse.  She could almost feel the evil intent bleeding off this monster like an open wound.

And abruptly Evelyn slammed into the glass patio door, nearly busting it.  "Oh my god," she whimpered, fumbling to get the knob unlocked and turned.  Ripping the door open, Evy ran outside into the rain.  It began to soak her immediately.  Someone was ahead of her, a gun blasting away at an enemy.  She ran towards him, seeing it was Rick.

"Evy, get the hell out of here," he warned, reloading the gun and pushing her away.  "Go!"  Again he began shooting at another dark being.  Evy screamed when the creature spread it's clawed fingers and shot something like a quill at Rick's thigh, sending him to the ground.  She ran to him.  Rick yelled at the pain, but grabbed her firmly and shoved her away, growling, "Go, Evy!  Get away from here!  It's too dangerous!"

Evelyn, now dirty from the mud beneath her, got up with tears in her eyes.  She'd never seen Rick so frightened, certainly had never felt this scared.  Turning towards the small forest behind her home, Evy again broke into a run.  The door to the house banged open but she didn't dare take any time to see who it was.  All she could do was try to escape in the blinding rain and see by the occasional lightening.

The cover of the trees offered little security as she lost herself in them.  Her bare feet slid in the mud and she collapsed to the ground, but pushed herself to get back up again.  She could hear something breaking sticks nearby.  She was completely wet now, drenched to the core and there was a pain in her right calf.  A stray branch had sliced her soft skin and she could feel warm blood mixing with the cold rain.  Every inch of the woods looked the same.
 

*
OH MY GOOD GOD!  I dreamed last night Imhotep was holding me and my aunt prisoner.  I was making smart comments about how unscary and goofy he was.  He was getting kinda ticked, but smiled at me in that "you think you're so bad, but I'm badder" way he does.  Then he said, "We'll see how brave you are."  And he kissed me!  Dude...I wish I could have remained sleeping for at least another hour!  Sorry, had to share that with you all.  As if, you know, it's important. ;)

Anyhow, you all must be wondering just how long I can stretch out one night...lol.  I just want to thank everyone for reading so far!  Deana, thanks for the excitement you show towards this story when we're chatting and the suggestions.  It means a lot!  Marcher, I'm glad you like this alternative view of Imhotep (shameless but in a non pressuring sort of way HINT). RedLady, I'm glad to still have ya and I thank you for the compliments.  I too know the pains of having one phoneline.:)  Buffelyn, thank you so much for your compliments!  That's just so nice of you to say!!  And yeah, I had to put Immy in a turtleneck...that was HOT in TMR.  Rick and Evy ARE married in my next story, so who says I can't look beyond and write some R/E?  At least somewhat...;) Star Bright 25 thanks for reading and Jars of Clay are just awesome, aren't they? I get a lot of my chapter titles from songs.:D  NeferBast, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter.  Meela was referring to the cop when she made that "only in death can you serve me loyally..." my little way of conveying she was gonna raise him.  Montana, Jay and all others who've read just wanna say thanks for taking the time and I'm happy my story is interesting. :D  I can't not give Immy the personality I see him having...he's my main mummy.  I'm glad he's come out well, as well as my perceptions of Rick and Jonathan and so on.

Dear God, will my thank you's become as large as my actual chapters? :O  You all rock so much!!!  :D