Chapter 36

House of Changes

I knew I was home not because Rufus, Victor and Sarah were gone, but because I heard a car flying past. 2012…I'd wanted to be home for some long I hadn't even stopped to think of that which I'd leave behind.

"Nina," Eddie whispered looking over to the newfound cemetery stood beside Anubis house. I didn't need to get any closer to see what the three objects in it were-two tombstones and a statue.

By gods they'd actually bought the statues.

"Sarah's been dead for a while," I told him trying not to cry again. "I already cried over her once."

"You didn't know her then," Eddie whispered pulling me into his arms. "Not really. It's okay to miss them…I know I'll miss Rufus, even if he did kidnap me."

But he hadn't… we'd changed so much no way had Rufus ever actually kidnapped Eddie, or Patricia, or probably anyone for that matter. "I want to find Fabian," I finally whispered whipping my tears across my sleeve. "I need to find Fabian."

Eddie let me go, and I ran into Anubis house in a frenzy. Voices whispered in the kitchen, and I burst in throwing myself around Fabian. He didn't hold back for a second but cupped my face in his hands and kissed me unlike he'd ever kissed me before. For once our kiss was rushed, was desperate. Neither of us were sure we'd get another kiss, and this kiss was the only way for me to say sorry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I cried into his sleeve when we broke apart. "I had…had to send you away."

"It's okay," Fabian whispered back pulling me into a tight hug. "I knew it wasn't forever. I knew you'd come home."

"Well I didn't!" Amber cried from behind looking very, very annoyed. "Nina Martin how dare you do that to me and apologize with a letter!"

"Amber," Alfie cried from his seat. "What are you guys even talking about? Why are you acting as if you haven't seen Nina for months? She just walked outside five minutes ago."

Oh. I hadn't even thought of those who hadn't come into the past with us, but for them… for them this was the only reality they knew. Did Alfie even know about Sibuna…had he even ever dated Amber?

From the look on her face when he spoke the answer was no. This was a completely different Alfie from the one I knew, and maybe not a better one. For all it was worth Sibuna had changed us all, the mysteries had changed us all, Victor's society…

"What is going on in here?" It was Victor, I'd know his voice anywhere, but it wasn't my Victor. No…he sounded much younger. I turned on my heels to find Victor looking only a few years older than when I'd last seen him five minutes ago. He must have begun taking the Elixir earlier…but why?

I followed his eyes over to Amber and understood with a gulp. 80 years he'd waited for her, and I realized maybe it wasn't such a bad thing Amfie wasn't a thing in this universe. Victor deserved some happiness. "Miss Martin, would you mind coming with me for a minute?"

I looked over at Fabian confused, but he only nodded. Clearly I was right in my assessment of how much things had changed. How much my actions had changed.

Victor's office itself looked so different, like that of a young man and not his father. Mr. Rodenmaar… I didn't even know what happened to him, but something told me Nebthet had destroyed him along with Set when she kidnapped us. It seemed as much as I'd changed some things stayed the same.

"It's been quite difficult these last two years having a girl around who knows nothing of our shared past. I'm glad to see you again Nina."

"You too Victor," I told him with a sad smile. "Sarah and Rufus…"

It didn't surprise me when Victor shook his head, "Rufus never took the elixir, he aged, and died in 2004. Sarah followed behind a few weeks later. They lived here their whole lives, and I buried them myself." I was glad that if I'd changed one thing it was the destruction of their friendships. They deserved happy endings more than anyone else I knew.

"Before she died," Victor continued reaching into his still-cluttered desk. "Sarah asked me to give this to you. I've never opened it." Victor handed me an aging letter and I carefully tucked it into my pocket with Shaba's egg. "She wanted you to know she was safe and happy…even if she couldn't tell you herself."

I nodded knowing that if I read this letter now I'd just start crying again. "And you? I see the elixir I left you went to good use."

Victor smiled, "Well, I had a date planned and I couldn't get old for it, now could I? Go on, read your letter, reunite with your friends. I'm glad to see you again Nina, I dare say you are my eldest friend."

"See you later, Victor," I told him feigning a smile and trying not to show how weirded out I was. "Maybe later you can give me a rundown of how things ended when I left."

Victor nodded, but his eyes weren't making any promises. It seemed that despite how long ago our friendship had begun there were still things he didn't want to share.

And you know what? I could respect that.

I debated going back downstairs and reuniting with Fabian, but I knew I had to read Sarah's letter first. I had my whole life to spend with Fabian, and now I needed to let Sarah go.

Dearest Nina,

Today is my 90th birthday, but as I write these words I feel 18 again. I will never forget the day we met, for it was the weirdest in my long life. Still, I don't regret a minute of our friendship. You were the sister I never had, the family I lost, and I will miss you for as long as I may live.

Rufus and I got the Instruments safely back to Anubis. There were some bumps along the way, but that is far too long a story for me to tell. All you need to know is that Shaba didn't die in vain, and she will not be forgotten.

Rufus commissioned a statue of a pelican years ago. You can find it now outside Anubis house. I think you should go look at it; you may find it's inscription amusing.

A few years after you left I assembled the Cup and hid it in my father's tunnels. As far as I know no one is looking for it, however, and it is best for us to leave it that way.

Rufus and I got married and had two children. We had many great-grandkids, but though they never understood why our two favorite found places at Anubis house. Their names: Eddie and Nina.

When my granddaughter, Suzan, told me she'd named her daughter Nina I couldn't believe my ears. Still it made sense. We always did look so much alike, and you had to get the blood of Amnertis from somewhere. I guess, if you're reading this, the version of Nina who knew me as a grandmother is gone. If I have any regrets it would be that. I do not know if we were related in your version of time, but I suspect we were. I also suspect in your reality I never knew my children, which is a horrible fate and one I'm very glad to have escaped.

I'm sorry to be going on about my life, but I thought you deserved to know. You are my blood, and you are my friend, and until I breathe my last I will miss you.

I hope you will miss me.

Love, always,

Sarah Zeno

Tears drizzled down my cheeks as I rose from my bed and stepped out into the graveyard where Sarah lay. I found her tombstone aging, but I turned away from it. We'd said our goodbye, and I just need to fulfill Sarah, no, my great-grandmother's last request.

As I placed the egg beneath Shaba's statue I could only laugh at the inscription. Shaba, goddess of idiots and patron of Sibuna.

Yes, it was good to be home.