It really didn't surprise Rick that over the past few days, Evelyn haden't said more than four words to him. None of them put kindly. He woulden't lie to himself, he haden't expected anything different, and he didn't blame her either.

Jonathan had to admit that the icy silence that was always between the two was very different, and very annoying. He tryed making the mood more friendly by cracking jokes, but he would just get glared at. Joanthan knew he had to do something to get those two back together.

"I'm guessing it's another day til we get there." Rick broke the silence,"I'm surprised" and a little worried, not that he would say it,"that we haven't seen any sign of him since the Nile turned to blood..."

"We know he's out there." Evelyn said.

"Well that's nine." Rick told himself.

"Huh?" Evelyn glanced over at him.

"Nothing." Rick grinned. She seemed to be warming up a bit...

"He told you that was nine." Jonathan butted in,"Nine words you've said to him in the last few days."

Rick shot Jonathan an evil look.

"You've been counting?" Evelyn smirked.

Rick ingored her,"I think we should get some sleep. A few hours of rest might be a good idea." he informed.

"Sounds dandy." Jonathan smiled.

"Dandy?" Rick chuckled, then stoped his camel, climbing down and grabing his bag. He gave the order for his camel to lay down as the others did the same.

They pitched tents then ate dinner and sat around the fire for a little while.

"I'm heading for bed." Jonathan excused himself as he stood up and ducked into his tent.

Evelyn and Rick watched him go then bolth looked into the fire, feeling very stragne in this position.

"I could use some sleep to." Evelyn got to her feet,"Good night, Mr.O'connell."

"Evie, just stop with the bullshit." Rick moaned.

Evelyn was surprised he would talk to her like that,"What?"

"Damn it, Evelyn! Just stop calling me Mr. O'connell. Stop pretending that what happened between us didn't happen. All three of us know exactly what's going on, you arent leaving anyone in the dark!"

"Well, god, Rick! I'm sorry, but what do you want me to do about it, huh?! Break down and cry agian? Personally I've had enough crying for a lifetime just durring this past month and I'm sick of using tears on something that crying isnt going to help. You can't leave me without even talking about what was happening and then expect me to waste my whole life being sorry for myself and wishing you would come back!!!"

"That's not what I want and that's not what I'm asking." Rick got to his feet,"I just wanted you to get your priorities straight before you wandered into something that you weren't ready for. You know damn well that you could have called me or came to me and told me that you were willing to work things out and that I would have without even taking time to think about it."

"Yes, and then I would be the weak one, right Rick?" Evelyn felt the all to familiar sting of tears trying to over take her again,"That way you could leave me anytime you felt like it and know that I would come crawling to you asking to be let back into you life! Well I don't think so! If anyone is going to do the crawling it's you! You're the one who left me. You're the one who said you'd always love me."

"I never said I stoped."

"Don't do this, Rick. Don't tell me you love me. I frankly do not want to hear it. Wether it's true or not, my heart is shatered into enough peices right now as it is. So unless you're planning on asking me to take you back, do not say it! Bolth of us know that neither of us are going to ask to work this out and neither of us are going to come crawling back to the other."

Rick stared at her, wishing he could make himself ask her for another chance. His mind and heart screamed for him to do it, but, being Rick O'connell, his pride took over and controlled his bodies movements, and any words that were to come out of his mouth. "I suppose so." he hung his head sadly.

They bolth felt any hope that they happened to have slip away. Still unshead tears burned in their eyes.

Evelyn nodded,"Good night, Rick." she slid into her tent.

Rick slowly went into his own. This wasen't the way things are supposed to be. The kight in shinning armor and the damsel in distress are supposed to get married, and have thirty children, and be HAPPY after they ride into the sunset together. Rick coulden't help but ask himself... what ever did happen to happily ever after?