Disclaimer: Don't own any of the charachers from the Mummy Returns. Any characters that you don't recognize are mine.

All happenings are ficticious. Any similarities to real persons or events are mearly coinsidence.

Reviews welcome.

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Chapter one: Arabian Knights.

September 9th.

Jade and Kristy sit up in their comfortable apartment looking through some old things, moving into their new place wasn't as easy as it seemed. All their furniture scattered about with their personal affects.

"What are we going to do with all of this? With all this when we unpack there won't be any room for us!" Jade said as she grabbed the nearest box and opened it to decipher what was in it.

"I don't know but just before we moved out we received this."

"What is it?"

" It seems that Rick is having a Halloween party. We are invited but I don't think I'm going to go."

"Not going? ARE YOU CRAZY? Why not?"

"Do you realize just where they live?"

"Yes, oh little sister of mine. I know, they live in merry old England."

"Exactly!"

"Oh come on! Where is your holiday spirit? Besides a break from this mess is exactly what we need. I say we go. I'll write and let them know we're coming, and you're wearing a costume!"

"I am not."

"You most certainly are!"

Rick O'Connell walks through his living room looking at the latest mail that has arrived and plops down in a chair by the fireplace.

"Whoa dad who is that one from?" An excited Alex asks his father as he peers over the arm of the chair adjacent to Rick's.

Don't know yet Alex, I'll find out in a second though." Rick replies looking over the envelope full of bright markings that is in his hand.

October 19th,

Dear Rick,

How are things? From what I've been hearing from Izzy your last trip was quite an adventure.

I have some good news.

Kristy and I will be in London for a while starting on the 30th. We can catch up in old times. Plus I have found something that might interest Evy.

Well I suppose I should finish this letter, not really all that much more to say.

See you all in a few days!

Jade

"WELL WHO IS IT FROM DAAAD?" Alex whined eager to find out.

"It's from cousins of mine Alex and they are going to be stopping by for a visit on the 30th."

"Dad … today is 30th!"Suddenly the double doors burst open.

"Rick guess what!"

"I already know Jade and Kristy are stopping by."

"They are? No that's not what I was talking about. Rick you remember my friend from college Randy."

In steps this tall brown haired man. 6 foot 6 with greenish blue eyes.

"Rick."

Rick rolled his eyes. Ever since he could remember he had a genuine dislike of this guy. What made it worse was the fact that Evy couldn't see right through the guy.

"Ah so this must be Alex. I've heard a lot about you little man." Randy said tussling the young boys hair.

"Not as much as I have about you."

"All good things I hope." Randy said flashing a sly grin at Evy.

"I bet." Rick mumbled under his breath. Just then the doorbell rang. Rick's head shot up with a great big smile.

"I'll get it." Rick and Alex said in unison as they raced out the doors, down the hall and past Jonathan nearly knocking him over on the way down the stairs. They both reached the door at the same time. Flinging it open Rick's jaw dropped, as it wasn't the people he was expecting to see on the other side of the door.

"O'Connell."

"Ardeth!" Shouted Alex.

"Oh no … not you… whenever you show up it means trouble."

"My friend you don't understand I…."

"Yes, the last two times you showed up led us into all sorts of trouble. Speaking of trouble." Jonathan who had finally joined them said from behind Rick.

Behind Ardeth standing out at the door were two women. The first tall, thin, brown hair flowing past her shoulders. No more than 18 just looked at the company strangely. Her pink dress blowing in the wind.

"Are we going to just stand here or is someone going to help us?"

"Jonathan, give them a hand will you." Rick said as he grabbed a bag off the girl and pushed it toward Jonathan.

"Rick!" Came a shout from behind them causing all to turn around. Standing in the driveway bags in hand was another tall woman, light brown shoulder length hair. Wearing slacks and a black shirt.

"Jade!" Yelled Rick as she dropped her bags and ran towards him. He picked her up off the ground in a bear hug and spun her around.

"It's great to see you." He said returning her feet to the ground.

"Rick you remember Kristy. Kristy this is Rick, Jonathan, the little one is Alex I take it, and this is…" she paused a moment and looked at Ardeth in wonder. Rick realizing the sudden silence went to introduce them.

"Jade, Kristy, this is…"

"I am Ardeth Bey." He said bowing his head to the women in front of him.

"Nice to meet you." Kristy said as Rick moved out of the way to allow her to come in the house. Jade stayed there a minute just staring at Ardeth. In front of her was a fairly tall man. She gauged him as a six foot six maybe, olive skinned man, somewhere in his twenty's early thirty's perhaps. She loved the way he spoke. His accent captivated her at once.

"What's all the commotion down here?" Evy said stopping on the stairs.

"Your sister got big the last time I saw her she was about eight years old. What happened?"

"She grew up what else. It's amazing what can happen in ten years."

"This must be Jade." Evy said looking over at Kristy.

"Actually sweetie. This is Jade. That's her sister Kristy." Rick corrected her as everyone walked into the spacious living room.

"Oh I do apologize." She said looking over at Jade who was now standing next to Ardeth.

"Ardeth!" Evy exclaimed.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. He just showed up at the door."

"Which is never a good thing." Jonathan quipped back from finally putting the girls things away.

"Here I am thinking it was these two and he shows up." Rick interjected again.

"Well not that it's none of my business but from what I heard you weren't complaining when you got your hands on a certain big diamond." Jade said.

"How did you?"

"Word gets around." She cut him off.

"Any how back to the point. Ardeth is here. So trouble isn't too far behind." Rick said. Trying his best to break silence that had fallen over the room.

"Rick there is no trouble. I asked Ardeth to come for a few days and join in the party." Evy said.

"Do we really have to dress up for this party?"

"Well I thought it would be rather festive if we did."

"See I told you, you needed a costume." Jade said matter of factly as she sat on the couch between Alex and Ardeth and stuck her tongue out at her sister causing Alex to burst into a fit of laughter.

"I don't understand I believed it to be a formal party."

"Did I hear someone say Party?" Randy asked as he sauntered down the stairs to join in with the others.

"Randy!" Kristy said in a state of shock.

"What's he doing here?" Jade said through clenched teeth.

Ardeth looked from Jade to Randy and back again making note of their reactions.

Evy noticing this thought it would be the best time for an introduction to break the tension.

"Oh yes Ardeth this is my friend Randy."

"I think you're a little early for Halloween mate." He said eyeing Ardeth warily.

"Don't you talk to him like that you have no right to." Jade said as she shot up from her seat.

"Everybody hit the deck! This isn't gong to be pretty." Kristy shouted as she ducked behind a chair for cover.

"Good idea make room." Jonathan added as he also ducked for cover.

"Ah, yes Jade. The lovely and beautiful Jade It's been so long since our last meeting." He said as he ran his hand down her cheek.

"Not long enough." She replied in disgust as she pushed his hand away.

Alex let out a big fake yawn as he got up form his seat.

"Would you look at the time. Time for me to be off to bed, growing boy needs his sleep you know."

"Sounds good to me." Kristy piped in as she peaked up from behind her chair knowing that if they didn't do something there would be serious consequences if Jade got her hands on Randy like she wanted to for the past seven years.

"Yeah maybe sleep isn't such a bad idea. We should all go to bed."

"Yes, Jonathan and Alex are to stay in his room, Kristy you can stay in Alex's room, Ardeth you can stay in the guest room …"

"And where is he to stay?" Jade asked pointing a thumb over at Randy.

"I would be more than willing to share a room with you my dear."

"NO!" came the reply form both Jade and Ardeth. Alex watched their reaction and walked over to Rick. Jonathan looked on as Alex was whispering something in his ear. Rick smiled and nodded. He was in the mood for a little fun.

"That's quiet all right I already have a place to stay. If you will excuse me."

"Yes I'll walk you to the door Randy." Evy said as they made their way out of the room.

"Thank God if I had to spend one more minute in the same room with that man I swear."

Minutes later Evy returned when from on the stairs came a voice.

"Um Hun… one question we have Jonathan and Alex in a room. And Kristy in a room, and Ardeth in a room, and we have our own room but aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Oh Jade I am sorry I wasn't thinking. You can share with your sister I suppose." Almost lost in his thoughts Rick nearly missed the last half of his wife's sentence. At least till Alex stepped on his foot to make him snap out of it.

"Evy, I have a better idea. If we put these two in the same room together they are going to be fighting all night. They've done it since we were young."

"We have no ….ouch what was that for?" Kristy said as she turned to Jonathan about to smack him for hitting her in the arm. He was starting to catch on to Rick and Alex's plan. Jonathan shot Kristy a look and then it finally hit her as she let out a small chuckle.

"Evy, you know Rick kind of has a point. If you put us in the same room, you'll hear us all night I think it best if she stayed somewhere else."

"Well thank you ALL for that vote of confidence. And here I thought you all liked me….well all but you. Don't know you all that well so I don't know how you feel about me." Jade quipped looking over at Ardeth.

"Don't worry. I'm more than sure he likes you." Rick replied which causes Jade to blush.

"Well the only other place we can put you is on the couch out here."

"Mum… the couch isn't comfortable."

"Yes Evy, Alex is right."

"Jonathan where am I to put her then?" Asked Evy in annoyance.

"Why don't you put her with Ardeth." Rick replied. "That is if you don't mind Pal." Rick said to Ardeth.

Ardeth looked over at Jade who stood in the corner and thought about it for a second. "I do not mind at all. As long as Jade finds the arrangement satisfactory."

All eyes turned to Jade who was just staring at Ardeth, looking into those dark brown eyes, she cleared her thoughts and finally managed to reply.

"It's ok with me. I have no problem with it."

"Oh good it's settled then. Off to bed everyone!" Jonathan said as he tried rushing everyone up the stairs.

As everyone made their way up the stairs Jade and Evy hung toward the back of the group. Halfway up the stairs Evy asked.

"Are you sure your comfortable with this. If not I can make other plans for you. Don't feel you have to just because everyone was staring." Evy whispered as they walked. Jade just looked up in front of her at Ardeth . Without even turning to face Evy she said "No it's quite all right. I'll be fine.

Jade found her way to the bedroom first. Going in she took a few minutes to change. She was sitting in the room brushing her hair near the vanity when she saw Ardeth walk into the room. Putting the brush down on the vanity she turned to him and said "You know something I think we've just been had!"

"Why is that?" He questioned as he sat on the small couch.

"Was it just me or did you notice how everyone seemed to work together down there to make sure we were together in here?"

"I did not notice. I was thinking more on how you reacted to Randy."

"Please don't mention that name. I can not stand that man." Jade said. "Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime but it's a long story. I don't feel like going over it right now."

"I understand." He replied as he made his way over to her. Something in his mind told him to stop. Listening to his feeling he sat on the bed.

"Hey, so what are you going as tomorrow night?"

"I do not have a costume."

"Hmm….Wait a minute. I think I have an idea. Go just the way you are and we can say that you are an Arabian knight!"

"What?"

"An Arabian knight." Jade exclaimed as she rose from her chair walked across the room and retrieved a book from her trunk in the corner.

"Here… see?" She said as she sat down next to Ardeth on the bed and handed him the book. He looked it over for a few seconds not sure whether to read it or not.

"Oh come on, flip through it, besides what harm can come from reading a book?"

He flipped through a few pages stopping every now and then to read a paragraph or two.

"It's my favorite book it's always been ever since I was a little girl." Jade said as she looked up to see him studying her face. She quickly turned her eyes away when his met hers. There is something about him, I can't put my finger on it. She thought to herself just as the door burst open.

Both turned with a jump before noticing it was only Rick at the door. Hands covering his eyes.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" He said bumping into the chair near the vanity. Jade looked over at Ardeth putting a finger to her lips signaling him to remain quiet. She pushed him down on the bed, crawled on top of him and bent down to whisper in his ear. "Play along, they had their fun now we're going to have fun with them."

"Rick! What's wrong with you, don't you ever knock? Your timing is the worst!" She exclaimed wrapping a sheet around her shoulders to add to the illusion.

"Rick, Evy is looking for you she needs you to…Whoa! Sorry mates didn't know there was a show going on in here." Jonathan Quipped looking over at Jade and Ardeth. Rick finally removed his hand from his eyes to see what Jonathan was rambling about.

"Oh Geeze guess I should have knocked."

"Your damn right you should have. Next time don't assume people are doing things that they aren't. And another thing never pull a joke on me you will always lose. "

"Yeah but your.."

"Still fully clothed." Ardeth remarked from under Jade.

"Oops, sorry 'bout that forgot you were down there." Jade dropped the sheet and crawled off Ardeth.

"This was all a joke?" Rick said with just a hint of annoyance in his tone.

"A bloody good one at that. Had you fooled."

"You were fooled too. You had to see the look on your faces. It was priceless!" Jade said while finally bursting into a fit of laughter. Getting up from the bed she advanced on Jonathan and Rick and unceremoniously started shoving them in the direction of the door. "If you are quite through having your fun for the night we will see you in the morning."

Before either had the chance to protest Jade shoved them both out and shut the door.

"Finally some privacy." She muttered under her breath leaning her back against the door. Ardeth stood there watching her with the smallest hint of amusement playing across his face.

"You will be taking the bed."

"And what of you? Where will you sleep?"

"The couch will be fine for me."

" No I can't have you sleep there. This was supposed to be your room to stay in while you were here. You should take the bed." She said closing the gap that was between them.

"I will not have an argument about this." He stood placing his hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her down onto the bed. "You will sleep here and I shall take the couch. Understood?"

"Understood." Jade replied as she crawled between the sheets.

"Good." Was his reply as he turned the lamp off near her bed and walked over to the couch. Jade looked over at him one last time before rolling over and slowly drifting into sleep.

Hours later Ardeth woke with a start to the sound of a scream. He jumped off the couch turned on the lamp and looked around. Jade lay on the bed tossing and turning trying to fight off an unseen attacker as she slept

"No… let go! I said Let Go!"

Ardeth walked over to the bed, gathered her up in his arms and was rocking her back and forth gently She still thrashed and turned as he held her closer to him.

"No … Stay away from me let go!"

"Jade wake up, you are dreaming. Please wake up little one." He said shaking her trying to wake her from her nightmare.

"Don't …Please no. Don't hurt him."

"Who, don't hurt who little one?"

"No! Ardeth…"

Ardeth looked down at the figure in his arms with shock on his face. Did she just call to me? He thought shaking her again.

"Jade wake up. No one is here no one will hurt you. You are safe."

"No…Ardeth!" She whispered as tears rolled down her closed eyes falling on his hand.

"Jade wake up. I'm here. You are safe." He took her head in his hand and pulled her closer to him. He finally started to feel her body relax as she lay against him. She opened her eyes looking around still frightened not totally realizing where she was.

"Jade are you all right." She looked up to see Ardeth just inches from her. She then realized just where she was. She sat up and Ardeth let her slip from his arms. He placed his hands on her shoulders again as he had before and asked again.

"Jade are you all right."

"I…. I'm ok I guess. What happened?"

"You were having a nightmare. What was it you were dreaming of?"

"We were in this city. By we I mean all of us Evy , Rick, Jonathan, well you get the idea. It wasn't so much a city as it was ruins of one. I have never seen them before but I knew them. It was almost as if I had been there before.

There was this thing. It looked like a coffin and it was opening. I … I saw Randy there. I don't know what was going on but I know he had something to do with that thing opening. There was a woman there with him. She … she looked as if she wore clothes like yours. She had a mark on her hand. She also had something to do with it.

I don't remember all the details of the dream but there was a fight between you and Randy and I tried to get to you but the woman she was trying to keep me from you. The next thing I saw was smoke coming form the coffin and it was circling Randy. I finally broke free of the other woman but Randy was attacking you again but this time he had the upper hand.

Next thing I knew I was trying to fight Randy myself. Pleading with him, begging him not to hurt you. I tried as hard as I could I tried to stop him. Which I usually could do but I could do nothing. He threw me off him and across the way into a near by pillar with no effort at all. The next thing I know your laying there. I couldn't get to you in time. I tried all I could but….but I couldn't help. No matter what I did. Randy told me it was too late. He was right. I … I couldn't do anything to help you." She managed to said finally breaking down in tears. He pulled her to him hugging her tightly. He stroked her head gently trying to calm her as best he could.

"Jade everything is fine. I am here. Every one is safe. No one can hurt you I promise you that. Look at me." He took her chin in his hand and pulled her face up to look at him. She finally picked up her eyes to meet his. "As long as I am with you no one will ever hurt you. I promise you that. I will always protect you."

She nodded her head as he bend his down to place a kiss on hers. Just then The door opened and they heard Kristy walk in the room.

"What's going on? Is everything all right?"

"Everything is fine. Your sister had a nightmare that is all."

"Well with all the bloody noise it sounded like a lot more than that!" Jonathan said as he and Alex walked into the room behind Kristy Alex rubbed his tired eyes.

"I think she woke up the whole house uncle John."

"Whole house? I think she woke up the people in China."

" Rick!"

"Well it's true Evy."

"Ardeth what happened?"

"As I told Kristy Jade had a terrible nightmare." He looked over at the group with a stern look on his face. Rick took the hint and decided it was time to leave Ardeth alone with Jade.

"OK shows over everybody out."

"But dad…"

"No buts. You heard me let's leave Jade alone." He said as he pushed Alex and Jonathan out the door first. Kristy walked out willingly before taking one last look over her shoulder at her sister who had done nothing the whole time but stay in the arms of the man who sat next to her. Never uttered a word … nothing. She knew what was going on with her sister but it had never been like this. Finally Evy and Rick were the last to walk from the room. Turning one last time before shutting the door. He too knew what was going on with Jade but didn't mention a thing to Ardeth. Rick looked over his shoulder as he spoke to Ardeth.

"She will be fine. I know she will. Just give her time."

Ardeth nodded as he watched Rick close the doors behind him.

"Jade, lie down. Rest. You will feel better." He rose to leave the bed Jade's hand reached out and caught his wrist.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the couch. Do you not want me to go?"

"I know this is going to sound childish but I would like you to stay if you don't mind."

He knew that would be the answer she gave. Hell he even knew in his own heart he didn't want to let her be on her own even if he were only feet away. He had his own feelings he was dealing with. He took her hand off his and walked over to the lamp near the couch. She rolled over supporting her upper body on her elbows as she watched him turn the lamp off. Minutes later she felt a weight settle on the bed. He crawled in next to her and gathered her up in his arms. She rested her head just under his placing her hand on his chest. She felt a total sense of peace and comfort with him but she couldn't quite figure out the reason.

"Nami ya – zghireh. Sleep little one." He whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Minutes later they were both fast asleep.