Rick had watched the sun set intently, his eyes still on the same horizon that the sun had disappeared behind hours before. Jonathan mumbled in his sleep as they made their way across the desert. Evelyn was resting gently against him; he could feel her rhythmic breathing. He smiled to himself as she shifted slightly in her sleep, her head resting against his broad shoulder and her face nestled safely against his neck. He pulled his free arm slowly around her waist, holding her gently. As the camel walked lazily across the sand, they swayed. Rick's thoughts began to wander to what had happened that morning, remembering the resurrected Imhotep standing over Evelyn, holding a dagger high above his head ready to plunge it into her heart... and then her painful scream. He winced painfully and the bottom fell out of his stomach, feeling like he had almost been too late. Yet here she was, safe in his arms, sleeping serenely as if nothing bad had ever happened. She moved and he felt her nose caressing his jawline. The light feeling returned to his stomach, but this time for different reasons. A silent smile graced his lips as he held her a little tighter. Here she was... safe in his arms. This time, he felt that risking his life was worth it.

Evelyn's eyes flickered open as the sunlight flooded over the sands and chased away the darkness. She blinked sleepily and looked up at Rick, who hadn't noticed she had awoken, and smiled.Wandering thoughts momentarily led her back to Hamunaptra and what had happened there. She thought about how Rick had come back for her, how dazed they were after watching the city sink beneath the sands, and how she felt when he had kissed her. Jonathan's voice echoed in her head... "Well... I guess we go home empty-handed... again" ... then Rick's voice "I wouldn't say that..." Turning to look at him, their eyes met in that gooey love way that you only read about in romance novels. But she embraced the feeling as they kissed, letting emotion reign over logic for once in her life. She had no regrets.

Her soft British voiced appeared in Rick's ear. "Good morning," it said as her arms pulled her tighter to him. Rick smiled and looked at her. "Morning," he murmured, his hand tracing across her back.

"Where are we?"

"Almost there..."

She nodded, her fingers dragging along his sides. In the long and dizzying trail of her thoughts, her mind suddenly became plagued with an offsetting reality. Although her feelings for Rick were still fresh in her heart, she was afraid that they would fade once they stepped out of the desert bubble and into another reality. Rick wasn't your ordinary man. He was... intense. Was that the word she was looking for? She supposed it was. He was sort of elemental, and not like every other man she had ever met. He was everything he needed to be without the circumstance of society dictating his thoughts or actions. Raw and rugged, yet somewhere along the way she noticed that he had something else that surpassed that. He was a good man. He seemed less interested in his own life when others were in danger. She found the word... compassion. She didn't want to let that go... she needed him...

"What are you thinkin' about?" said a soft, baritone voice above her.

"Just... what home's going to feel like after this..." she said, not telling him that it was he who would make the difference. She felt his arm wrap around her, and shelet her head fall gently onto his wide shoulder... and despite Jonathan's comments on how much he hated camels ("filthy buggers!")... she got lost in that feeling of wanting time to stand still for awhile...

They arrived in Cairo later that day, Jonathan was still having trouble making his camel obey. The camel that Rick and Evelyn were riding collapsed it's legs in and laid on the ground. Rick slid easily off and turned to face Evelyn, who was still perched atop the camel's back with two legs over on one side. Rick stretched his arms upward and placed them on Evelyn's hips to help her down. She smiled gratefully and rested her hands on his shoulders for balance. She slid off the camel's back. As her weight went forward into his arms, Rick's hands slid slightly up her torso and rumpled the fabric of her nightgown. Her feet hit the ground softly, Rick's hands still clamped on her hips, holding her gently with her hands still gripping his shoulders. She looked up to say thank you and her eyes were met with his once again... He smiled, almost laughing at the same time. He began to pull her hips forward a bit as she leaned in, their lips almost touching when they were then startled by a thud on the ground which was followed by "ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!" and then "you stupid...!" Rick and Evelyn wheeled around their own camel and found Jonathan sprawled out on the ground and a disgruntled-looking camel. He jumped up suddenly waving his arms in the air in anger...

"I ought to..."

"Jonathan?"

"You filthy b..."

Rick chuckled slightly, shaking his head.

"Bloody hell!"

Jonathan took a few deep breaths after kicking sand at the animal. The camel looked particularly indignant, spitting as Jonathon walked away. He turned around to see Evelyn and Rick looking at him with amused expressions.

"What are you looking at?" He said, in an angry, but distinctly British accent.

"Oh nothing..." Evelyn said, not bothering to conceal her laughter.

Evelyn walked into the library she had once organized and catalogued. The shelves were toppled over and books were littered over the floor. She walked carefully across the room and when she reached the high counter, she turned and looked around, sighing heavily at the same time.She took a hard look around the library as she lifted herself onto the counter and sat, her hands perched on the edges as she swung her dangling feet. She heard shuffling across the floor and looked up. She smiled as Rick made his way towards her, wearing his one-sided smirk. He approached the counter that Evelyn was sitting on, he put his hands on either side of her and leaned on his arms.

"Looks like you're gonna be busy here for awhile." Rick said. Evelyn nodded, eyes wandering around the destroyed library and then settling back on Rick's gaze. She smiledagain and slid off the counter, Ricks arms still on both sides of her and propped on the counter.

"Yes... that seems to be the circumstance..." She said, her eyes still staring deep into Rick's. He felt her imploring him, feeling as if she was trying to read his thoughts like the books she always had her nose buried in.

"Then I guess I'll have to hang around awhile..." he said, a slight smile hanging around his words. Evelyn laughed gratefully. Rick surrounded her with his arms, locking her in. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, letting him kiss her. Softly at first, but then it grew more passionate. No regrets... she told herself.