Part II

-x-

Dear Anna,

England is rainy this time of year. It makes me miss the heat of Egypt but I suppose this is my home. I should find some of it endearing, yes?

The baby is lively and kicks nearly everyday. The doctors says it shouldn't be too long now. I can't wait. I've been confined to bed and Rick is hovering over me every day, making sure I'm comfortable. It's driving me mad.

But more than anything, I want to hold my baby in my arms. I so look forward to the day when I can.

Jonathan and Rick are still working on procuring you a passport so you can join us in England. Rick won't say it but he's so worried about you. He wants to make sure you're safe and in a place where he can keep an eye on you. I know you're capable of handling yourself but it's endearing to watch. It's like he's unintentionally practicing for fatherhood.

I hope the weather in Cairo is treating you well. Are you still at the Museum? How is the new curator? I hope he is being kind to you. I always look forward to your letters. Rick is too; it is how he knows you are alright.

Perhaps the next time you hear from me, I'll have a new member of our family wanting to say hello.

Much love,

Evy O'Connell.

Anna read the letter several times over, making sure she understood Evy's cursive writing. Cursive died out when she was in school so she never actually learned it which made reading Evy's letters difficult. And as a result, she felt childish when she wrote back in her curly print.

But the news about Evy, Rick, and Jonathan made her smile.

The three had left for England not too long after they came back from Hamunaptra the final time. And Rick and Evy got married over there. Evy tried to convince Rick to have it in Cairo so Anna could attend but Jonathan pointed out that they needed to get an officiator for the ceremony and they wouldn't be able to find an English-endorsed one in Cairo. So the Carnahans and Rick packed up their belongings and left for England.

Evy hugged Anna fiercely while Rick promised her he would find a way for her to get to England and promised her he wasn't abandoning her.

But that had been a year ago and Anna still had no way to leave Egypt. Evy sent letters on a regular basis. She described the wedding and day to day life in England as their findings from Hamunaptra bought them a sizable house.

And then Evy told Anna she was pregnant.

Anna was happy for Evy and Rick but she couldn't help but feel a little sad. She was sure they would forget about her as they started a family but she was reassured when Jonathan came for visits. He told her they were doing everything they can to get Anna out but it was a slow process as she had no documentation from anywhere. They had to go the illegal route and decided to be careful so Anna wouldn't get in trouble when she tried to leave Egypt or enter England.

But she was happy they were still trying and it pleased her to see Jonathan cross the threshold of her door on a visit. But with the baby so close to being due, he was staying in England long-term to welcome his niece or nephew.

Anna cracked her knuckles and picked up a pen to write a letter back.

Dear Evy,

Cairo weather is still very hot but it doesn't bother me as much as it did. I've gotten used to it which is a funny thing. I mean, San Fransisco was hot but we sat on an ocean side and went swimming everyday. Here, we only have the Nile and there's no swimming in there. I've heard about the Nile's famous crocodiles but I haven't seen them yet! I suppose that's a good thing.

The Museum is doing well. Mr. Rashad took over for Mr. Bey after his death and he treats me kindly. It also helps that I haven't knocked over any bookshelves or raised any mummies from the dead! I'm kidding, Evy.

I hope the birth goes smoothly for you, Evy, and I can't wait to see a picture of Junior. Tell Rick I'm still alive and no one has kidnapped me, threatened to do bodily harm, or harassed me.

Love,

Anna.

That was good enough to tell Evy and Rick she was fine.

She folded the paper up and slipped it into an envelope. She would send it tomorrow on her way to the bazaar.

When Evy departed her job, she left a good word at the museum and Anna was able to take over the librarian position. Six months later, they got a new curator: an elderly man named Rashad. He wasn't strict like Mr. Bey and was on a first name basis with everyone.

Anna liked him well enough but there were times when she caught him staring at her. It wasn't in a creepy way but rather as if he was examining her curiously. She didn't think much of it; she probably looked like a granddaughter or something. That, or he was curious about her oddities: the tattoos and the piercings.

She stood up from her desk and walked into her bedroom and got ready for bed.

It had been a year since Hamunaptra. One year since all the Americans died and one year since she had seen the handsome Medjai, Ardeth Bay.

A part of her hoped she would see him again but Cairo was a big place and who knows if he actually ventured into the city. He probably thought she left like Evy and Rick.

She didn't know why that thought hurt so much.

Anna fell into bed and curled into a ball under her covers.

Being alone in Cairo was interesting. On one hand, it felt like she was finally living an independent life. On the other hand, she was incredibly homesick. Not only did she miss her own time but she missed Evy and Rick and Jonathan. She missed practicing Ancient Egyptian with Evy, Rick's over-protectiveness, and Jonathan's lighthearted attempts to get her to drink alcohol.

She had been grounded around them but when they were gone, her world uprooted. There were some nights when she had terrible nightmares. She dreamed about Henderson and Daniels and their deaths. She'd wake up in the middle of the night crying. Other times she dreamed Imhotep had his hands wrapped around her throat and she'd wake gasping for breath.

A part of her knew she hadn't dealt with their deaths yet but the other part just pushed the memories farther in her mind. Instead, she kept herself busy at the museum and doubled her efforts in learning Arabic. And she promised herself once she was fluent in Arabic, she would start learning Hebrew.

As a result, she often collapsed into bed, exhausted, and had dream-free nights.

Anna rolled over and tried to think of Evy and the baby and what it would like look when it was born. She hoped she'd be able to leave and meet them someday soon.

-x-

Anna woke up early the next morning and stretched. No nightmares last night, she noted to herself. That was good.

She brushed her hair and dressed in light brown harem pants, an olive green top, and tan hijab. She smiled in the mirror but her face cracked. Anna could not deny that she missed twenty-first century clothing. But at least these clothes are more comfortable than the skirt and blouses the Englishwomen wear.

She ate a quick breakfast of ful medames* and grabbed some bags and money before leaving her, once formerly Evy's, apartment.

The biggest bazaar (also called a souk) in Cairo was the Khan el-Khalili. It was a gorgeous market originally set over an old mausoleum. The buildings were old and coppery-colored and made arched passageways overhead. And every bit of it was covered with stalls and vendors selling their ways. It was like a mix of that bazaar scene from Aladdin and the flea markets back home but on a bigger scale.

For the most part, vendors sold souvenirs for the tourists but deeper in the souk were the vendors who sold other goods, such as food. And that was where Anna headed when she entered the souk.

Vendors called out to her in broken English to browse their wares. Anna merely smiled at them and thanked them politely in Arabic as she headed down another path. But it was hard to resist the urge to go into every corner and examine the gorgeous jewelry and clothes.

Later, she promised herself. She would go shopping for clothes and accessories later when she had more money. Rick offered some of the money they made from their findings to Anna but she declined. It didn't feel right to her.

Eventually, she found Hassan, the bean vendor, one street over. Hassan reminded he of her step-dad: cheerful, friendly, and tall and thin with a wiry beard.

"Ah, Anna," he said in a heavily accented voice. "It is good to see you today."

"You as well, Hassan," Anna replied cheerfully.

"What can I get you today?"

"I need fava beans and lentils, please."

Hassan gave her enough to last her a couple days. One of the things Anna found different from America was that people only took enough food for a few days so they could ensure they always had fresh food. She actually found it to be a wonderful change from fast food and frozen dinners and chemical treatments in her produce.

"Thank you so much, Hassan," Anna said as she handed over money.

He bowed his head. "Have a good day, Anna. I hope to see you again."

She smiled and said her goodbyes before heading for the next stall. The bread stall became her number one weakness while living in Cairo. She could never resist buying a loaf of either pita or flat bread to use for dinner. It was absolutely delicious and destroyed whatever sense of willpower she had.

As she was trying to decide if she wanted one loaf or two (to share with people at work) she felt a presence next to her. Figuring it was someone else looking to buy bread, she paid them no mind until she heard a quiet voice say in her ear, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Anna."

Anna gasped and whirled around, her hand over her heart. There was no mistaking that voice or the tattoos on his forehead and cheeks. Ardeth Bay stood next to her, clear as day.

But he wasn't wearing his usual black robes. Instead, he wore a plain, white gellabiya** which brightened his features. He has the prettiest brown eyes, she thought.

"Ardeth!" She exclaimed. "I didn't think I would see you again. Not after..." She glanced around and lowered her voice to a whisper. "The incident."

He smiled and Anna felt a flutter in her stomach.

"What are you doing here," she blurted.

"We come to city sometimes to buy supplies for our camps. We can't find everything we need in the desert," he explained. "I offered to go this time."

"Well lucky for me we ran into each other," Anna said.

"I must admit, I was hoping I'd would find you while I was here," he said.

She turned back to the baker and ducked her head low to hide her blushing face. She handed money over and bought a loaf of flat bread and thanked the vendor.

"Shopping for yourself?" Ardeth started walking and gestured for Anna to join him, and she fell into step with him.

"Yes."

"Where are O'Connell and the Carnahan siblings?"

"Ah, they all went back to England. London, specifically. Evy and Rick got married and now they're expecting a baby," Anna told him.

"And they left you here?" She looked over to Ardeth and noticed his brow was furrowed in confusion and… concern?

"Well," Anna said and chewed on her lip. "I don't have proper documentation, a passport, to leave Egypt. I can't legally leave and I'd rather not find out what the immigration laws are."

They made a stop at another stall and Anna bought some imported tea and added them to her bag. Ardeth offered to carry her bag for her but Anna declined. She'd carried more weight than this at the museum.

"So you're telling me," Ardeth said as they continued on, "you're on your own?"

"Yes." She bought some dates and bananas. She put the bananas in her bag and snacked on the plum. She offered one to Ardeth and he took it.

"How have you been living this past year?"

"I took over Evy's job at the Museum of Antiquities as a librarian. And I'm living in her old apartment."

Then a pang of guilt went through her. Dr. Bey worked at the museum before his death. He had been a friend of Ardeth's and a Medjai.

"That is good to hear," he said politely.

"It's fun, I really like it. And it helps me practice my Arabic."

"Is that so?" He asked in Arabic.

"Yes it is. I'm almost fluent. And then I'm going to learn Hebrew." Anna grinned at him and she was pleased to see him smile back.

"A large task. Very few among my people speak Hebrew."

"I think it'll be fun. I can only assume some Hebrew is spoken here considering the ties the Isrealites have here."

"That is true," Ardeth agreed. "There are also some ancient texts written in Hebrew."

"I know. That's why I want to learn to read and write and speak it."

Much to Anna's disappointment, they reach one of the edges of the souk. All her shopping was done. "Have you done all your shopping?" She asked him. Deep inside, she wanted to continue talking to him.

He shook his head. "We're leaving in two days. If you'd like to speak with me, come back here. I will be around."

She smiled. "I look forward to it."

They parted ways but Anna turned around to address him one last time. "It was nice to see you under a non-life or death situation."

Ardeth smiled back at her and Anna swore her knees went weak. "And you as well, Anna."

She liked how her name sounded when he said it.

-x-

Anna entered the museum the next day feeling rather cheerful. Seeing Ardeth yesterday boosted her mood and she had a nightmare-free night again.

She waved to Mohammad and Bob as she entered the library. Already a stack of new books needing to be put in the system awaited her on a desk.

Just as she reached her desk, someone else entered the library.

"Ah, Anna!"

Rashad, the new curator, smiled at her warmly. He seemed be the same age as Dr. Bey if not a little older. He had a bushy, salt and pepper beard, and dark eyes behind round glasses. And like the late Dr. Bey, he wore a red fez.

"Good morning Rashad," she greeted.

"Those books can wait for a moment," he said and waved her over. "I want you to meet some people."

She followed him into his office—just a year ago Dr. Bey's office where Evy and Jonathan told him about Hamunaptra—to find three people sitting on chairs in front of the desk.

"Mr. King," Rashad started at the people stood up.

The first man wore an impeccable, gray, three-piece suit. He had a handsome face (all angles and clean shaven,) slicked back black hair, and bright blue eyes.

The other man wore pants and a shirt and a simple jacket. He wasn't bad looking per se, but nowhere near as handsome as the other one. He had messy brown hair and brown eyes so dark, they almost looked black.Anna felt her shoulders tensed when he grinned at her because she felt like he was bearing his teeth at her instead.

But the woman was a completely different matter. She was dressed in a skin-tight, red dress and had a fur scarf wrapped around her neck. A fur scarf in Egypt. Her black hair was done up in a fancy bun, and diamonds glittered from her neck and ears.

She was easily the most beautiful woman Anna had ever seen.

"This is Benjamin King and his wife, Camilla, and their business associate, David Hunter," Rasha introduced. "Our new beneficiaries. Mr. King, this is Anna Campbell, our librarian."

Benjamin, the man in the suit, held his hand out. Anna took it, noting his firm grip, and shook. "Pleasure to meet you."

Benjamin smiled at her. "Pleasure's all mine, Anna."

-x-

*Ful medames are mashed fava beans that are cooked with oil, chopped parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. When eaten for breakfast, it is accompanied by an egg.

**A gellabiya (also spelled jellabiya) is a traditional, long-sleeved, male garment. It resembles a long tunic.

Some of you thought I was jumping right into Returns but I'm doing an original arc between the movies for progression of Anna's and Ardeth's relationship. So this story is far from over.

But Evy, Rick, and Jonathan have moved back to England. What is in store for Anna as she is all alone in Egypt? Stay tuned to find out!

Reviews, favorites, and follows are love! See ya in chapter twelve!