Right, last chapter. I am happy you all have liked it so far. I dont know if I am really going to write more Ardeth/Emily stories, I still got some in my head. But I am about to start on a this great idea that popped into my head the other day. It will explain at the bottom.
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Emily stood in her empty home at dusk, staring blindly out the window at the city around her. Tom was with Meelesh, and Emily's heart was broken for her missing husband. How she longed to feel his skin against hers.

"THE KING! HE RETURNS!" The shout priced the air, causing Emily to look around for the source of the words. The people of the city began to rush to the city entrance. Emily ran to her door and pulled it open. A young warrior stopped mid-run and looked at her, smile on his face.

"The king, your husband, he returns!" He said and took off again. That was all Emily had to hear, she rushed out of her house and ran as fast as she could to the front of her city.

Twenty yards away, she watched as her beautiful husband dismounted from his obsidian steed with liquid grace. He took a step forward, his hand rising to remove his turban, when his scanning eyes fell on her.

Ardeth watched as his wife stared into his face, her heart racing, her mind screaming something at her, her eyes wide. Even from far away, Ardeth could see the tears form in her eyes. His tribe stood silent, watching to see what their queen and king would do.

Emily took off running, fast as she could, towards Ardeth. His turban fell out of his hands and he took two more steps forward. She ran up to him, jumping into his waiting and open arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close to her. Ardeth's own arms wrapped around her back tightly. The force of which she fit him caused them to spin a little bit, but they steadied themselves.

She nuzzled her face into the hollow between his neck and shoulder and breathed him in deeply. He did the same thing on her, remembering just how good she smelled, and kissing her neck softly. Such public displays of affection were uncommon and frowned upon in the Med-jai society, but no one dared to disturb them.

"I am so happy to be holding you in my arms again." He said softly, his voice a great and welcomed sound in her ear.
"Likewise." She said back, lifting her head and looking at him in the eyes. She leaned in and planted her lips on his fully, locking them on in a deep kiss. He welcomed the kiss he had been waiting to receive for almost two weeks. Suddenly, they were the only two people in the whole world.

When the kiss broke, Emily's face lit up in a huge smile. Her eyes soft and happy to be looking at her husband after all this horrible time. She kissed him again, this one more subtle.
"You better shave soon." She said in a low voice, running a hand through his hair.
"If only you knew how much I dreamt of this very moment." Ardeth said back, looking at his wife with all the love in the world in his eyes.
Emily returned her head to its place on his shoulder.

"Don't you ever leave me again Ardeth. EVER." She said, holding him a little tighter.
"I wont."
They stood in each other's arms for a few more moments, until a load voice tore through the silence.

"DADDY!"
Emily giggled and stepped to the side letting only one arm drop from her hold on Ardeth. She had good timing to, for the second she stepped back; a little four-year-old missile flew into Ardeth's arms.
Tom embraced his father's neck tightly, taking his mother's place, and Ardeth took Emily in to one arm and held Tom up with the other. The small family held each other tightly and the crowd who was watching went wild. Cheering with joy, for their royal family was now back together again.

Ardeth took Tom into his arms and kissed Emily softly.
"My people!" He cried out in joy. "I have returned to my home!"
The crowd went wild. Taking his arm, Emily walked off with Ardeth and Tom, all smiles.

~~
The impromptu celebration was still going on when Emily and Ardeth retreated with a sleeping Tom, back to their home.
Ardeth stepped into the small house and breathed in deeply. He was home. Emily carried Tom to his room and laid him on the bed gently, covering him with his blanket. He stirred but did not waken.
When Emily returned to her husband, she found him standing in the living room, sighing deeply.

"Happy to be home?" She asked, walking up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I am happy to be with you, for you are my home." Ardeth said back, turning around and embracing her. "Emily, if I could make up for these past two weeks, believe me, I would."

"I know, and I am sure they would be wonderful. But we can not change them, so let's focus on right now." She kissed him softly.
"I agree." He took her hand and led her to their room, pushing the open with his foot.

"Ardeth…after what happened…I cant…not yet." Emily said softly.
"I know, my love, I know. I just want to, for once in such a long time, fall asleep with you in my arms."
"That I can do." She kissed him again, then began to take her clothing. Ardeth expected her to grab the normal tank top she slept in, but she did not. She just laid down on the bed.

"Wha…?" Ardeth said, looking at her puzzled.
"I just don't want anything to be between us." She said softly.
Ardeth smiled and joined her in the covers. Lying on his back, Emily rolled over and draped an arm across Ardeth's shoulders, half-lying on his chest. He placed his arms around her and held her gently, kissing the top of her head.

They laid in silence for a while, just enjoying being next to one another.
"Ardeth…" She said finally breaking the silence. "How did you know about…"
"I had a dream…and I knew it was real."
Emily nodded her head softly. "I'm happy your back here with me, life with out you is hell."
"I feel the same way, my love."
Emily raised her head and kissed him deeply, enjoying the taste of his lips.

"Thank you for coming home to me." She said softly, looking into his deep brown eyes.
"Like I said, you are my home. You are where my heart is." They kissed again, and then Emily returned her head to his chest, yawning softly. Soon, they both fell asleep, happy in each other's arms.

~~
When Ardeth awoke the next morning, he was overjoyed to see Emily still in his arms. In the exact position they had fallen asleep in. He watched her sleep for a few minutes, a content smile on his lips. Finally, he kissed her forehead softly. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled in closer to him.

Then her eyes snapped open, and with a gasp she pushed herself up, staring into his face with wide eyes.
"Emily…what is it?" Ardeth asked as she slowly reached out, touching the skin on his face.
"Emily…?"

A smile made it's way across her face as she let out a relived sigh.
"I was just worried that it had all been a dream, that's all."
Ardeth chuckled as he pulled her in close to him, kissing her deeply.
"It was not a dream, my love, I am sure of that." He held her tightly against him, lightly running his fingertips over the bare skin on her back. They stayed like that for a long time, enjoying the weight and feel of the other.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Emily asked softly.
"I am going to spend ever waking second with you and Tom, and no one is going to change that." Ardeth responded.
They were silent a little while longer, until Emily asked, "Do you think I am going to be able to have…other children?"

Ardeth squeezed her softly and sighed. "I hope so, but if not, it will be fine with me. I have already been blessed with you and Tom, I couldn't be more happy with just that." He felt her smile.

Emily scooted her head next to his on the pillows, and they stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Until Tom came bouncing into their room, landing on his father's chest with a giggle.

"Morning Tom." Emily said as she pulled the sheet over herself.
"Morning Mommy! Morning Daddy!"
"Good Morning, my son. What can I do for you?"
"It is already late in the morning, come on! It's time to get up! So we can play!"

"Ok, Doll, but give us a few more privet minutes to get ready, then we will be right out. Ok?" Emily said, running her fingers through his hair.
"OK!" He bounced out the door and closed it behind time. Emily sighed and Ardeth laughed.
"I guess it is time to get up." She said, sitting up and yawning. She threw the covers off herself and stood up, stretching.

"My word…you look good doing that." Ardeth said softly, admiring his wife in the morning light. She giggled and walked over to her chest of clothes, in search of something to wear for the day.

~~
Emily and Ardeth walked through the town later on that morning, laughing and talking. Happy to be back together. Tom ran ahead of them, being the ever-playful four-year-old. A short distance away, Ahmad and Jakum watched as the royal family walked through the city, smiling. The king and queen both took one of the prince's hands, and would lift him up, swinging him softly. Then, Ardeth leaned over and kissed Emily gently, smiling as he pulled away from her lips.

The high elder, Jakum, shook his head. He did not like seeing such public displays of affection, and that kiss they shared the night before! He did not care if they were the king and queen, such things should not be seen in public. There were children in the crowd watching. Now they would grow up thinking it was right! The Med-jai had traditions to uphold rules and laws on common courtesy. No one wanted to see a husband and wife kissing!

Ahmad looked over and saw the frown on the elder's face. "You know, you should cut them some slack. They have been apart for two weeks, and a lot happened to both of them. They are so happy to be together, do you really think they are going to be able to keep their hands off each other?" He said with a smile.

"They should. We have traditions in the Med-jai, such things are not appreciated in our eyes."
"Only in your eyes, that's the problem, Jakum. Only the elder members of the Med-jai frown upon such things. But for the rest of us, we do not mind seeing a husband and wife share a kiss. There are some things that can not be forced to be privet."
Jakum scowled. "It is still not right…we have traditions!"

Ahmad chuckled and placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. "Jakum, I think that we gave up traditions the moment he fell in love with her."

Ahmad left of that note, walking past Ardeth and his family, giving them a bright smile. Then he made his way to his own family.
Life went on for the Med-jai, the O'Connell's, and the Carnahan's. Ten months later, Emily gave birth to Lana Bay, much to the joy of the Bay family. Yes, life went on for our hero's, but, as always, danger would not stay away.

~Fin
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There is my second story. Hope you all liked it. I got two more Emily/Ardeth stories floating around in my mind. Dont know if I am going to write them down. One centers around their deaths. Might get a little sad.

And I got an idea for a mummy story, complete with Imhotep, in our time. Ya know, 2001, and it would be about Ardeth's great granddaughter and the O'Connell's great grandson. So...I will write more stories. Have no fear in that. I have to write, my muse is being VERY good to me.

So...Enjoy.