A/n: Sorry about the delay. I want to thank everyone who reviewed and I hope this second part is as enjoyable as the first.

Prompt: Life Goes On (#214)

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Part II
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Chapter 1:

Eight Months Later

The sun was at it's highest point in the sky as Sekhet rose from the large chair she'd been occupying, her upper half draped across an arm. Draining her golden goblet she motioned for Rashida, her hand-maiden, to fill it.

It didn't take Sekhet more than a few seconds to completely drain the cup once more and motion for the other girl to refill her cup. "Perhaps you have had enough," Rashida suggested in a small voice, even as she shakily refilled Sekhet's cup.

"Do not tell me what to do and just pour!" Sekhet snapped in return, feeling guilty the second the words had passed her lips. It wasn't Rashida's fault that she was tired of everyone telling her what to do, and it certainly wasn't Rashida's fault that Imhotep was carrying a dalliance with Anck-Su-Namun. "I'm sorry, Rashida," Sekhet apologized in softer tones as she averted her gaze.

"No, you have nothing to apologize for. I should mind my place," Rashida stated in her meek voice, ducking her head very low and causing Sekhet's insides to twist themselves further.

However, instead of allowing herself to dwell in the guilt, she merely drained her cup once more. She didn't care for the light-headed feeling that the wine caused her, nor the fact that she could feel herself becoming increasingly clumsy. But it numbed her feelings. And the more she drank, the less she felt that suffocating pressure on her chest. Indeed all her worries seemed to float away from her as if they were carried on the Nile.

"I know what will cheer you," Sekhet stated, in reconciling tones even as she pushed her cup to be refilled towards Rashida. The younger girl did not look up as she refilled Sekhet's cup, but the way she tilted her head, told Sekhet she was listening. "Aten-Nefru promised to bring Nofre."

The coloring in the young girl's cheeks told Sekhet that her hand-maiden was pleased, though embarrassed by the prospect.

Though Sekhet was young and somewhat innocent, she was not entirely naïve. Somehow, she had managed to keep herself from becoming entangled with Aten-Nefru for the better part of six moons. She expected the fact that Rashida was always present, playing chaperone rather unofficially, helped matters.

Now however, Aten-Nefru was bringing Nofre. And Sekhet was not for a minute fooled as to the reason. Nofre would be there to distract Rashida.

Sekhet knew that she should be concerned. Knew that without Rashida's rapt attention on them, that it would be too easy to fall for Aten-Nefru's subtle yet persistent advances, for his increasing sweetness and gentility. But she didn't care anymore.

Why should she? Why should she feel guilty for desiring another man, when Imhotep was already carrying on an affair with someone else, without regard to her feelings?

Raising her cup once more, Sekhet paused as she realized she'd already drained it and hadn't even paid attention. Plying Rashida for another drink, Sekhet narrowed her eyes on the younger, yet taller, girl, preferring to focus on her instead of her own increasingly troubling thoughts.

Rashida had this way, despite being taller than Sekhet, of making herself so small that she appeared shorter to Sekhet. She wasn't sure why, but this always bothered Sekhet, as did Rashida's level of meekness.

"Stand up straight, Rashida," Sekhet commanded in teasing tones before walking a crooked circle around the slave-girl, poking at her back sharply. "Nofre's not going to desire a servant girl with a hump in her back," Sekhet giggled. "Push out your assets and don't be such a mouse!"

Sekhet knew she was being merciless with her teasing. She knew that she was bordering on just being mean, a nasty facet of her character that only seemed to come out when she was in her cups, when she had no control over the frustration and anger she suppressed from her day to day life, every day of her life. It just leaked out of her, and a part of her she later hated when she was sober, delighted in making people squirm in discomfort.

It was a pattern she'd only recently discovered, as she'd never imbibed wine to the point of intoxication in the past. And as much as she loathed herself in her inebriation, she couldn't stop. It was simply the only way she knew of to keep the secret without allowing it to break her.

"Oh Rashida, you really are a mouse. You are completely hopeless," Sekhet laughed after standing once more before Rashida. However, before Skehet could tease the poor girl anymore, the sounds of footsteps alerted them to company.

Pushing the cup unceremoniously at Rashida, Sekhet moved to the entrance room and smiled at the two Med-jai as they stopped in the center of the room and offered small bows.

"Aten-Nefru!" Sekhet giggled as she walked over. "I'm afraid to spoil your plans, but I am far from fit to train. Sorry Nofre, you must be so disappointed. I'm sure you were quite looking forward to devouring your little mouse."

Sekhet didn't notice the darkening in Aten's eyes, or the way his lips twisted into a frown as he exchanged confused looks with Nofre. Instead, she merely turned away from the two men and removed herself to the room she'd just vacated where Rashida was fixing the goblet and jug. She looked up in surprise as Sekhet marched over and motioned for her cup which Rashida hastily refilled against her better judgement and handed to her.

"Rashida," Aten-Nefru called as greeting, startling both women by his uninvited presence into the sitting chamber. Turning around, Sekhet stared with wide eyes as a smile played on her lips, her goblet remained frozen on it's way to her lips, the rim a few inched from her bottom lip. "How much has she had to drink?" Aten asked Rashida in a tone that dared her not to answer, even as his face continued to look concerned.

"I believe six," Rashida replied in a very small voice, her eyes trained on the ground as she bent her so low in her bow that her head was almost level with her hips. Sekhet was tempted to roll her eyes, but instead was staring at Aten, wondering what he was playing at.

"Would you please, leave us?" Aten-Nefru stated almost deferentially. However, by the way he turned form Rashida and focused all his attention on Sekhet, his stern eyes suddenly fixing on her, it was clear that he expected Rashida to leave.

The girl seemed to debate what to do, before moving to leave.

"Leave the wine, Rashida," Sekhet called almost impatiently, even while she smiled and shook her head.

Leaving the jug, Rashida was quick to exit.

"What are you doing?" Aten-Nefru asked.

"Drinking," Sekhet replied cheekily, raising her goblet to her smiling lips and taking a deep sip, as if to emphasize her point.

"Why are you over-indulging when you know you have a training session?" Aten asked, his tone impatient.

"I can drink whenever the mood strikes me, I have no reason to answer to you," Sekhet snapped in turn, her smiling and teasing facade falling away in favor of her irritation as yet another person presumed to tell her what she could and could not do.

"Why did the mood suddenly strike you?" Aten asked his tone cool and his dark eyes watchful.

Sekhet turned away, feeling uncomfortable under his unwavering and calculating gaze. "That is none of your concern," she muttered as she finished her cup and moved to pick up the pitcher to refill her cup.

The sudden feel of very hot hands on her shoulders was unexpected, and caused a shiver to spread through her body. "This is not the sweet Sekhet I delight in spending my hours with," Aten-Nefru stated in soft, husky and confidential tones, his breath stirring the strands of her wig.

"Sweet Sekhet is a fool," Sekhet responded bitterly, even as her insides seemed to melt and tears filled her eyes. It was in this moment, as if he sensed her weakness, that he turned her to face him, pulling the jar and cup from her lax fingers, placing them down before taking her small hands in one of his. Fingers tracing her cheek, he forced her to look up at him.

"You could never be a fool, Sekhet. In fact, you always see straight to the heart of things," he told her, wiping away the tears that feel from her eyes. "And I would never fall in love with a fool."

She told herself she was a fool as she did it, but that didn't stop her. The knowledge that she was doing this, not as revenge, but because she desired it with all her heart, only further spurred her on and made her disregard all that she was jeopardizing; not least of which was her heart.

Rising on her toes, her hands settling on his biceps to help support her, she pressed her lips ardently against his. She felt herself get dizzy as she moved her lips against his own soft and full lips, delighting in the heady feel of it and the way her heart was running away with her. However, it took her intoxicated mind a minute to realize that his own movements were slower and more controlled.

"Take me," Sekhet whispered as she pulled away, pressing her forehead to his as her eyes tried to open. Her voice came out pleading, and timid, and she was almost embarrassed but for the wine that made her shameless.

"Not like this, my love," Aten-Nefru replied with a long-suffering sigh, holding her upper arms in his hands to settle her on her feet, even as he continued to press his forehead to hers and kept his own eyes shut. "Just... not like this," he went on, placing a kiss on her forehead before pulling her tightly to his chest in a hug that eased the ache in her heart at his rejection.

~X~

Waking for once, wasn't slow and gradual. Her eyes merely snapped open, and she lay in bed glaring up at the ceiling of her bedroom even as the light of the new day was pouring in through her small window.

After the day she left Hamunaptra, and Ardeth cradling himself in the sands, all her dreams of Sekhet had come to a stop. Or rather, the visions had come to a stop and for that, Aria had been immensely grateful. Ardeth already plagued her thoughts almost every waking moment, she didn't need him haunting her dreams as well.

Now it seemed the dreams were about to start again, and she almost wished she could somehow get into contact with the part of her that was Sekhet and tell her to stop it! Tell her to keep her memories tightly bound the way she was capable of hiding the anger issues she clearly had under her timid facade.

Of course, she knew that she was being unfair. Sekhet didn't pretend she was meek. She allowed people to assume she was meek, even though she was simply quiet and slow to trust. No wonder really, considering she was betrayed by her own family. Not that she allowed herself to consciously think of it that way.

Sekhet was honestly a very sweet person. With an incredible ability for suppression. She didn't give her frustration, and anger healthy outlets, so it came out when she was drunk.

Brushing these thoughts aside, as she was starting to think she was crazy, Aria started her morning routine. She was supposed to make go to the museum to visit with Evelyn and Rick.

The very thought of it made her groan.

In the course of the last eight months, she'd only seen Evelyn and Rick a grand total of five times. After she discovered that she was being followed by Med-jai, she'd given Rick express directions to never visit her at her place and that if he wanted to see her, to send her a message via one of her Egyptian Nighjars.

She couldn't believe he'd set members of his tribe to track her! However, every time she'd spotted them thus far, usually when she'd paid a visit to the museum, she'd managed to give them the slip. 'Take that, stupid Med-jai!'

It had become increasingly clear to Aria that Sekhet had forgiven Aten-Nefru for his part in her death and that of their unborn child, but Aria had her own reasons for staying away from the man, even if her entire being wanted to protest at it. After all, how could she be with a man who so blatantly disapproved of who she was?

Rick tried telling her that stealing was her job, not who she was, but Aria thought that was stupid. She knew that while most people's occupations weren't an integral part of their being, Aria felt that wasn't the case where either she, or Rick were concerned. Or even Evy.

Evy was a scholar to the bone, it was in everything that she did. Rick, whether he wanted to see it or not, was born to be a warrior because of his desire since childhood to protect what he loved. As for herself... stealing was more than a means to make it through her day to day, it was her means or providing and it was in everything she did from walking to looking.

Ardeth would never be able to accept what she was. What she did in her past. He disapproved and she didn't really blame him. But what was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to simply forsake who she was and grovel for forgiveness of a man she barely knew? And why should she feel sorry about what she had to do to live?

She didn't care that they were in love in the very distant past... and that only seemed to further cement her reasoning that she was better off without him. After all, Aten-Nefru failed Sekhet, who was to say that Ardeth wouldn't fail her?

~X~

"How do you always know when Ari is going to come?" Evelyn asked, narrowing her eyes on her fiance as they made their way through the museum and towards the library where she was supposed to pick out books that would help Aria in her mission.

Rick shrugged easily. "She sends one of her Nightjars."

Evelyn stopped, her brows rising as she opened and shut her mouth. "Birds? She's using birds to send you messages?" Evelyn asked in awe and shock.

"If you want to call them that," Rick snorted as he resumed walking, causing Evelyn to rush to keep up.

"Always with the mystery between you two," Evelyn said with a shake of her head at how cryptic Rick was being. Sometimes, she worried about them. While she knew that whatever they had was in the past, and that Rick was keeping secrets from her about Aria simply because they were Aria's secrets and not his own, she still couldn't help feeling slightly uncomfortable about the situation between the two best friends.

She supposed it didn't help matters that she had only a chronological map about their lengthy relationship, but she supposed that Rick was a man and the male gender in general didn't seem keen on intimate conversation much less details.

Evy knew that they met in an Orphanage. That at the age of twelve, Rick ran away and little, seven-year-old Aria ran after him. That they spent about three years living on the streets, solely depending on each other. At fifteen, Rick signed up to work as a city guard and when they could afford it, got a small apartment where he and Aria lived.

Their romantic relationship didn't start until a few days after Aria turned seventeen, before coming to an end weeks before her nineteenth birthday, at which point Rick joined the French legion and hadn't seen her again until their trip for Hamunaptra.

However, the reason for it, or even who ended the relationship was as much a mystery to Evelyn as how the whole thing started. Though, she guessed that it was Aria that terminated the relationship seeing as Rick was the one that left Cairo because of it.

She knew that it really shouldn't matter to Evy, just as Aria's secretive nature shouldn't trouble her. She trusted them both implicitly, but she couldn't help but wonder.

"I think I need to hire a private detective to scrounge up the secrets you two keep," Evelyn teased, causing Rick to laugh and throw an arm around her, pulling her to his chest just as they arrived at the library.

"Sweetie if Ardeth's men can't keep track of her, I doubt a private dick would be able to," Rick stated, placing a kiss on the top of her head. However, before they could continue their discussion, there was a cleared voice that caused them both to turn around.

"Ari!" Evelyn stated in surprise as she looked at the small, Egyptian woman just as she tossed her duffel bag at Rick, who caught it adroitly.

"I do not find being stalked by desert warriors amusing," Aria stated with a pointed glare at Rick as she returned Evy's greeting-hug.

"How long have you been walking behind us?" Evelyn asked, as she hadn't even heard the younger woman at all, but considering the fact that she wasn't far behind them, it was incredible that they hadn't heard her coming.

"Long enough," Aria replied flatly with a shrug.

"Hey kid," Rick greeted merely, offering her a grin before motioning to the bag she tossed at him. "You staying in reach for the festivities?"

"It is why I've come out of hiding, other than to see if Evy's found anything useful for me," Aria replied, unable to believe that Rick and Evelyn were finally going to get married in the coming week. It was about bloody time, she thought.

"I'm afraid not. It's impossible to find anything on... the book... at least in regards to destroying it," Evelyn replied with a grimace, feeling as though she'd failed her friend. Aria had been trying relentlessly to rid the world of the Black book, even going as far as to tie dynamite to the thing, but nothing doing. It seemed the book had some sort of spell that kept it from being harmed... a fact that Aria had known before she started. Known it intrinsically, just as she sometimes knew what hieroglyphs said without knowing how to read them.

Aria sighed before shrugging her shoulder, knowing there had been no hope for it. "Where's Jonathan?" she asked, wishing to get her mind off the damn book, the Keeper of which she'd cursed herself to be when she took it out of the damned city.

"Wasting his fortune in a tavern, probably," Rick replied, which caused Evelyn to roll his eyes.

"At the rate he's going he's going to spend his share of the treasure in less than five years," Evelyn replied with a furrowing of her brow, referring to the treasure that was attached to satchels on the twi camels that Jonathan, Evy and Rick had ridden out of Hamunaptra. Treasure that they split four ways, giving even Aria a portion due to her assistance during their adventure, in spite of having nothing to do with taking the treasure out of Hamunaptra.

Having no need for such treasures and not having the patiences to sell the items herself, she'd allowed Rick and Evelyn to keep her portion for a settled upon sum of money. Enough to set her and her Nightjars up for her lifetime, that is if she continued to spend it wisely and not toss it away the way Jonathan did.

"But no. Actually he went to the train station, to pick up Helen. At least... he better have," Evelyn stated, her brow suddenly contracting over her brow.

Aria nodded at this. Helen York was Evelyn's only and therefore very best friend from boarding school and she was coming to Cairo for the wedding. On her last visit, Rick had mentioned the woman to Aria... telling her he rather doubted someone of Miss York's breeding would find Cairo tolerable.

She had a baby boy, if Aria wasn't mistaken, though she couldn't remember what the boy's name was. She was under the impression that the boy was born out of wedlock and that Miss York had been cast out of polite society for it, the reason for her fervor in renewing her friendship with Evelyn, which had rather become nonexistence since Evelyn went on to study anthropology like Jonathan and her father.

For her part, Aria had no opinion of the woman she'd never met. That would not be the case for long.

TBC...

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