Disclaimer - Not Ardeth, not Frank, not Nick (or anyone associated with them) belong to me. No way. Though Catlanda, her Spire, Michelle, Patrick, Sarah and any other original characters belong to me.

Summary - Four children. Three men. Two times. One destiny.

Author's Note - This is dedicated to Deana, the one who never stopped believing in me.

00000

Destiny Through Time

Catlanda slowly headed towards Ardeth's tent. She carried the Spire in one hand and had the other on Geb, who was guiding her along.

Sharak saw her and walked up to her side.

"What's wrong Cat? You don't seem yourself today," he asked her.

"I'll be fine. I'm just not feeling well today, that is all," she replied with a smile before continuing on.

Sharak watched her leave him before heading in the other direction. She soon came across Ardeth's tent and walked inside. He was sitting on his bed. He appeared to be deep in thought.

"Father?" she asked.

He broke out of his trance and looked over at her. He gave a smile as he stood and walked over to her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her as he gave her a hug.

"Good. Could be better," she replied as she welcomed his embrace.

Ardeth glanced away from her for a moment before his stare returned to her bulging stomach. He sighed as he put a hand on it.

"It had to be like this, didn't it?" he wondered.

Catlanda looked away from him, closing her eyes.

"I like it about as much as you do Father but it is here whether we like it or not," she whispered.

Ardeth became worried as she gave a small gasp and a hand went to her stomach. He helped her to the side of his bed.

"What's wrong? Is the baby coming now?" he quietly asked her.

"I don't think just yet. Though the time is still very near. It could come at any time," she told him as a grimace appeared on her face.

"Lay down for a while. You need it," Ardeth told her as he helped her lay on her back. "I will be right here."

She nodded before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

00000

A man walked through the cloudy mist. It was thick and difficult to see. He looked from side to side before coming to sand. Endless sand.

"I am here," he said as he began to move forward.

But he was stopped before he could go any further.

"What is going on here?" he wondered as he thought about the possibilities. "What could possibly prevent me from arriving at my destination?"

He lifted his arm and reached forward with his hand. It soon came to rest upon an invisible barrier.

"I cannot get through. I'll have to find another way through this and into where I want to go," he told himself before heading back. "I have to finish them off but it will have to happen at a later date. Right now, I think I'll head to a later date."

00000

Rick handed Evie a canteen before looking over at Alex and Jonathan, who were still on their camels.

"Hey, what're you two doing?" Rick wondered with a smile as he walked over to him.

"Nothing much. Just wondering when we'll get there. I am still wondering why you dragged me along with," Jonathan replied.

"I don't know why either but Evie insisted on it," Rick replied.

"Of course! He's my brother and he had a knack of finding things although they tend to lead us to Imhotep," she replied. "I was hoping he might find something for us."

"And it'll lead us right to Imhotep again or some other undead mummy. Basically, it'll lead us to more trouble," Rick told her.

Evie's mouth was open as Rick smiled at her.

"Rick O'Connell, you are unbelievable sometimes," she said.

They climbed back on their camels and returned to their journey back towards the Medjai village.

00000

Catlanda was sleeping soundly as Ardeth sat by her side. He watched her silently breathe as he held onto the Spire. He stared at it for what seemed the longest time. He gave a sigh.

"What are we to do? The tribe will soon have to know about this child. I know that some will demand to know why we did not tell them sooner," he said as he stared at his daughter.

He looked away from her just before the Spire's eyes began to glow. He was startled as it did so and at that moment, Catlanda awoke in a sweat. She was gasping for air. He dropped the Spire onto the sand and hurried to his knees by her side.

"What is wrong?" he desperately asked.

"Something is wrong," she quietly replied as a hand instinctively went to her stomach.

Ardeth put his hand over hers and she looked up at him.

"I have a feeling that it will come really soon but that's not what I'm worried about right now. There's trouble brewing in the time stream. He's free somehow," she whispered to him. "We must go to the Temple of Isis to seek our answers."

She began to stand up and Ardeth helped her. She stumbled a bit but Ardeth held onto her.

"You should be careful. You know you are in very delicate condition right now," he reminded her.

"I know Father, I know," she barely said as she leaned into him.

He held her as she did so.

"Come on. Let's go now," he told her.

00000

"Finally, we're almost there," Jonathan whined.

"Jonathan, you sound like you're not happy to see Ardeth or Catty. Nothing's wrong, is there?" Rick asked.

"No, there isn't though I'm getting a strange feeling that this trip will be no different than the others we've taken here. But between Imhotep, the Scorpion King and several occasions where Ardeth was captured and injured, as well as Catlanda, I've had enough of that sort of adventure," Jonathan replied as they came to the outskirts of the tribe.

"Uncle Jonathan, don't get depressed already. We just got here," Alex told him.

They climbed off the camels and they began to make their waytowards Ardeth's tent. Along the way, they received some smiles along the way. Sharak walked up to them.

"Hello Sharak, how are things here?" asked Rick.

"Some things have changed slightly in the past several months but mostly everything is still the same," he replied as he started to head in the same direction as them.

"Really? Like what?" wondered Evie as they arrived at Ardeth's tent.

"I'll explain later," he replied before heading inside the tent.

When he walked in, he saw Ardeth sitting on the edge of his bed as Catlanda was sitting in it. She appeared to be a bit upset. Over what, they couldn't tell

"What's wrong?" asked Sharak.

"Um, bad dream. That is all," replied Ardeth as he glanced over at the man. "Now what is it that you need?"

Sharak's eyes looked away from him.

"Ardeth, the O'Connells are here," he finally told him.

Ardeth stared at the man standing before him. He glanced at Catlanda, who nodded before he stood up and walked outside to greet them.

"Hi Ardeth. How're things going?" Jonathan told him.

"You have come at a bad time. Catlanda and I were just about to go do something important now," he told them.

"Anything that we can help with?" Alex piped up.

"Alex, what're you doing?" Rick asked him, arms crossed.

Alex shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'what's wrong with that'? Rick sighed.

"He's right. Is there anything we can do to help?" Rick told Ardeth as Catlanda walked out of the tent.

"No, it is not something you can help with. Come on Ardeth, we have to go," Catlanda replied as she headed towards her horse.

"We might not be long. Please stay here until we get back," Ardeth told them before he went after Catlanda.

Evie watched the two as they rode out into the distance. She was very curious about something now. Rick looked over at her, narrowing her eyes.

"What're you thinking about?" he asked her.

"Something's wrong. I'm can't place my finger on it but something is wrong," she replied.

"Now all I want to do is to go home," Jonathan said out of nowhere.

"Uncle Jon, we just got here. Why would we go home? Besides, they'll be back soon enough," Alex asked him with a laugh.

Ardeth looked over at Catlanda as they headed towards the temple. He was becoming increasingly worried at her composure. She was hunched over, seeming almost listless as they rode on.

"Catlanda..." he started, putting a hand on her shoulder,

She perked up a bit and stared at him.

"I am sorry Father. This whole thing has taken a lot out of me," she whispered to him as she put a hand on her stomach.

"I know it has. It has taken a lot out of me as well. I know I'll never fully understand what you went through nine months ago but seeing him do that to you...sickens me," Ardeth told her.

Catlanda sighed as they trudged on.

00000

Finally, they arrived at the mountain the temple was in. Catlanda opened the doorway and the two walked inside. They looked around as they headed towards the altar.

Ardeth's eyes widened in amazement as a bright light appeared before them.

"Guardian, we seek your guidance. I can tell something is wrong. What has happened?" Catlanda said as she knelt on her knees.

Ardeth soon followed as the Guardian stood before them.

"You are right, Keeper of the Spire. There is something wrong. The Time Traveller has been set free. I have been keeping track of his ventures and as we speak he is heading to the future, the year 2004. I know why he is going there. He seeks to kill two men there and both are in America. Both are in the same situation as you. Men who have adopted children. The Time Traveller was intending to come kill you, Ardeth Bay, but could not because of the magical force that kept him from entering this time. The three of you must stop him for good. You are the only ones who can," the Guardian explained to them.

"Then to 2004 we must go," Ardeth said as he looked over at Catlanda.

She was doubled over and gasping. It almost sounded as if she were in pain. Ardeth hurried to her side as did the Guardian. She put a hand on the female Medjai's stomach.

"Do not be surprised Ardeth Bay. I have known about this since the beginning. I know when there's going to be an heir to the Spire. Bring her over this way. There have been times where she has stayed for days at a time and she found herself a hidden cavern not too far from here," she told him as they helped Catlanda to her feet. "The child's time is really soon."

They led her to the cavern where they helped her to the bed. Catlanda began to breath deeply. The Guardian looked outside once she heard voices.

"Keeper, your friends followed you here but must leave really soon. I can prevent the child from coming long enough so you get to your destination and back again," the Guardian told them as Ardeth sat down beside his daughter.

"Father, we have to go. The Time Traveller is dangerous. We have to stop him," she gasped as she tried to stand. "The child has to wait a little bit longer."

The Guardian and Ardeth helped her out to the main room, where the four waited for them.

"Catlanda, what's wrong?" wondered Alex.

"Something happened on their way here and she was injured but it can wait. Right now, Richard O'Connell, Evelyn O'Connell, you will join Ardeth and Catlanda to their destination. Others will join you when the time requires it. Others like Marok, Sharak and the other members of your family," the Guardian told them all.

"Where are we going?" Evie said, stepping forward.

"You will see and you will know what to do when the time arrives and what your purpose there is," the Guardian told them, lifting her hand.

She brought it down and the group shielded their eyes from the blinding light.

TBC...