DISCLAIMER: The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, and it's characters belong to Stephen Sommers and Universal Pictures. Any characters you do not recognize belong to me, so please don't use them without my permission.

AN: This is my first attempt at writing a story. Some friends convinced me to try one on my own, so here it is! Please review, and please be nice! )

SUMMARY: Rick, Evie, and Jonathan head back home. Rick has to clear up his past so that he can start a future with Evie.


Chapter 1: The Start of the Journey

Takes places right after The Mummy ends. Our heroes are riding their camels through the desert on their way back to Cairo.

Egypt 1926

Hell of a day, Rick thought to himself. He looked down at the woman who had fallen asleep leaning against him. He tightened his arms around her and smiled. At least it had ended well. Rick looked to the camel beside him to see how his other traveling companion was fairing.

Jonathan was hunched forward, lightly snoring away. Rick felt a pang of jealousy that the two were fast asleep. He couldn't wait to get back to Cairo. He felt as if he could sleep for a week straight, and hell, why shouldn't he? It's not as if he had any life to return to. He had had nothing... until he met Evelyn. She had become his everything.

Rick watch the last of the setting sun disappear as if it were sinking into the desert sand. His eyelids were getting heavy. The camels were beginning to slow down and grumble, also in need of a rest. The night air brought with it a chill. In sleep, Evelyn burrowed deeper into Rick's chest for warmth. He looked at his surroundings. Nothing but sand all around. The terrain hadn't changed much. Here would be as good a place as any to get a good nights sleep. He pulled on the reigns to halt his camel.

"Woe there." Jonathan's camel had kept going and had just caught up when Rick grabbed the reigns from Jonathan's hand and gave a slight tug.

Jonathan's head shot up and he opened one eye to look at the person that had disturbed his dreams. "What's all this then?" he mumbled, still half asleep.

"Time to set up camp for the night," Rick responded.

Jonathan grumbled at being woken up. "I was doing just fine sleeping up here." He closed his eyes again.

Rick rolled his eyes and gave the reigns another tug, causing the camel to rear up a little. Jonathan became fully awake and threw his arms around the camel to keep from falling to the desert sand onto his head or arse.

Evelyn awoke to the rumbling of Rick's chest as he laughed. She sat up, slightly blushing at finding herself in such a close embrace with Rick and looked to Jonathan. "Jonathan, what are you doing to that camel? You're strangling the poor thing." Rick went into another fit of laughter.

Jonathan straightened up in the saddle while scowling at Rick and looked to Evie. "Your boyfriend here thought it would be funny to give me a rude awakening."

At the word 'boyfriend' Rick stopped laughing and Evie began shifting in the saddle and looked down to the sand hoping that neither saw her blush of embarrassment. Jonathan eyed the two and rolled his eyes.

"Er, let's get our camp set up for the night," Rick said to break the uncomfortable silence.

He jumped down from the camel and placed his hands on Evie's waist to help her down. She placed her hands on his shoulders for support and was lifted down to the desert floor as if she weighed no more than a feather. They stood there, her hands still on his shoulders, his on her waist, gazing into each other's eyes.

Jonathan had climbed off his camel and was untying one of the sleeping mats when he noticed the dead silence. What the devil is going on? he thought to himself. He turned around with concern written all over his face to make sure the other two hadn't disappeared into thin air. His brotherly instincts kicked in and his concern turned into annoyance at what he saw.

Rick lifted a hand from Evie's waist to brush away the stray hair that had partially fallen over one of her eyes. The palm of his hand came to rest on her cheek as he began to learn towards her. Evie's heart quickened and butterflies began forming in her stomach when Rick's gaze had gone to her lips and she knew he was going kiss her again. She slowly raised herself to her toes and began leaning forward as she closed her eyes, ready for his kiss.

"For the love of Horus!" Jonathan bellowed.

Rick snapped to attention and caught Evie as she almost fell forward.

"What?" Rick shoved Evie behind him to shield her and pulled his gun out of it's holster, ready to shoot the scorpion or snake, or whatever it was that had Jonathan all riled up. "What is it Jonathan? What's the problem?"

"It's you that I have a problem with! This lovey dovey thing between you and my sister is going too far! It's highly inappropriate to be carrying on in such a way with an innocent civilized woman; especially for a man of your background-"

Evie came around to stand between Rick and her brother. "Gentlemen, I-"

Rick slammed his gun back in his holster and placed his hands on his hips. "What the hell do you mean by 'man of my background'?"

Evie tried again. "Now boys-"

"Oh you know what I mean! You and I, we have the same history when it comes to women. That's why, unlike you, I keep away from the innocent ones. I don't want to see my baby sister get hurt."

"Jonathan, really, I-" Evie began again only to be interrupted.

"Yah? We may have the same history, but that's in the past! A man can change, you know!"

"And how do I know your intentions towards my sister are good when you can't seem to keep your hands to yourself and-"

"BOYS!" Evie was getting to her wits end.

They immediately shut their mouths and stared at the woman who's voice had overpowered their own loud argument.

"Jonathan, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I'm a big girl now. I can make my own decisions."

"We'll talk about this some other time, Jonathan. Evelyn, sweetheart, why don't you take the mat from Jonathan and have a seat while us men set up camp," Rick patted Evie on the back and turned to start unloading.

Evie's temper snapped and she turned towards Rick to unleash her anger. "Don't you ever talk to me in such a fashion again! Just because I am a woman does not mean I am incapable of unloading a camel and setting up camp!" She stormed past him and began unknotting and yanking on the ropes. The men stared at her with their jaws dropped.

"Now you've done it," Jonathan mumbled to Rick.

"You're no better, Jonathan!" Evie yelled.

She continued yanking and unknotting. She loosened a bed mat and tossed it with force at Rick. He caught it before it hit him in the face.

"I don't know which of you two is worse!"

One of the tent materials came loose and she tossed it with force at Jonathan. Unfortunately, he lacked Rick's reflexes and the material unfolded and draped over his head as he only caught a part of it. She began working on a particularly knotted rope.

"Of all the people to be stuck out in the desert with-"

Her words stopped as she finally got the knot undone and the rope was yanked from her hands due to the weight of the bags that the rope held in place. She looked down at the bag now laying on the desert floor and gasped. Some of the contents of the bag had spilled out in front of her.

"Sweet Jesus." Rick was now standing next to Evie. She bent down and picked up an oval shaped box of some sort and turned it in her hand, watching the moon light glint off of it.

"What is it?" Jonathan asked, finally struggling out of the tent material and walking to Rick's side.

Rick gave Jonathan a good smack on the back. "It looks as if you're not going home empty handed after all."