I still own nothing from the
Mummy or the Mummy Returns.
CAMP
"How did you know which
room I was in?" Rebecca asked,
drawing a shaky breath as Ardeth stepped back from her.
"Did you think I would not
know the moment you returned?" He
replied, bringing her hand up to his face. "I have been waiting a long time for you to return to me."
"Ardeth-"
He placed a finger over her
lips, silencing her.
"You do not believe it
now. But you will." He told her, his expression darkening
slightly. "I did not take you for a
coward, Rebecca. You left without a
word. You were afraid to try."
"I would have hurt you if
I'd stayed."
"You hurt me when you
left." He replied, his honesty
cutting her to the bone.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, ashamed. "I should have told you myself, instead
of leaving that note. I couldn't risk
you talking me out of it."
"It won't be so easy this
time." He warned her, pulling her
back into his arms. "I have known what it is to live without you. I do not plan to do so ever again. You are mine, Rebecca."
His lips were on hers before she
could think of a reply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alex, would you get over
here!" Rick called his expression
annoyed. "I told you, you'll get
all the exploring you could hope for when we reach Thebes. We don't have time to investigate every tomb
we pass."
Alex emerged from the tomb
entrance, his face covered in dust, a notebook clutched under his arm. He looked so serious, just like his mother
did when she was caught in the spell of antiquity. Rick's expression softened as his son approached, excitement on
his face.
"But dad, this one has the
symbol, the one that's on your arm. I
think it was a Medjai guard. This is
the third one I've seen on this path."
"Really?" Rick said, his interest caught. "Show me."
Rebecca laughed as they
disappeared into the tomb. Rick was as
easily caught as his son was. Evy
walked over, a smile on her face as she saw Rebecca laughing.
"It's good to see you
smiling again." Evy observed. "Seeing Ardeth again must be good for
you."
"I don't know if it is or
not." Rebecca replied. "I
told you he came to my room last night."
"Yes, you did." Evy said with a sigh. "It sounds romantic. He must want you very badly."
"That's not the
issue." Rebecca said,
blushing. "If I stay here I won't
be able to see you very often, or Rick, or Alex."
"Or the baby." Evy broke in.
"Baby?"
"I'm pregnant."
Rebecca stared at her with
shock, her mouth agape. Her gaze went
to Evy's stomach, which was completely flat.
"Oh my god. You should have stayed in London! Does Rick know?"
"I didn't know until the
trip over here. I told Rick last
night." Evy smiled, remembering
his reaction to the new. "I promised
him I wouldn't do anything crazy."
"Damn straight you're not
doing anything crazy. I don't want you
even riding your horse fast. And if
there's any fighting-"
"She'll hide somewhere else
with me." Jonathan finished,
having walked up on the conversation. "Alex and I will keep her out of trouble. You can count on it."
"I know." Rebecca said, hugging Evy tightly. "We all will."
A noise in the distance made her
look up. Horses. Many of them. She stood, pulling her gun and cocking it as
Evy called for Rick. Jonathan stepped
in front of his sister as Rick came out of the tomb at a run, facing the
approaching group.
"Oh, it's
Ardeth." Rick said, returning his
gun to its holster.
Rebecca did the same, though she
did not relax. A funny feeling began in
the pit of her stomach as Ardeth reined his horse to a halt, swinging down to
the ground in one fluid motion. He
robes billowed in the wind as he walked towards the camp, giving an impression
of danger. He turned to face his men,
speaking to them and bringing his hand to his face in farewell. The group rode off as one, leaving him to
turn and face his wife.
He smiled a greeting, stopping
before her. A few days in the sun had
put a scatter of freckles across her nose; he bent and placed a kiss there
before taking her hand and walking to where the others stood. Rebecca followed numbly, unable to speak for
the emotions that clogged her throat.
"My men ride ahead to
Thebes." He said, looking at
Rick. "There is word of your
whereabouts being questioned. We felt it
wise to send men ahead to guard the city, and look for any others."
"Someone knows we're on our
way." Rick mused, looking at
Jonathan. "You weren't playing
cards with anyone and let something slip again, did you Jonathan?"
"Me? I'd never. Well, not ever again." Jonathan defended himself hastily.
"Someone knew we knew
something in London." Rebecca
pointed out, earning a grateful glance from Jonathan. "We've probably been followed."
"We are being watched. I have more men set to protect this
camp." Ardeth said, not adding
that it was automatic for the men to protect his wife.
Rebecca tugged her hand free of
his, her gaze going to Evy automatically.
"Evy needs to be protected
first if something should happen." She told him.
Ardeth looked Evy, and then
looked at the way Rick was looking at Evy. His gaze met Rick's and he nodded, conveying that he knew. He would tell his men that both women were
to be guarded, protected from harm.
LATER:
Rebecca sat before the fire, her arms wrapped around her knees as she contemplated the flames. Ardeth and Rick were down in the tomb with Alex, who had found more evidence that the tombs of Medjai warriors guarded the trail to Thebes. Evy had gone to bed, and Rebecca decided to do the same.
It didn't take her long; she
removed her shoes and pants, hanging both from a hook at the back of the tent.
She slid into her bedroll with a sigh, curling up contentedly as her body
relaxed.
She was nearly drifting away
when a noise at the tent flap made her roll over. She propped herself up on her elbows as Ardeth entered the
tent. She could just make out his face
in the remaining light, and a shiver ran down her spine.
"You're sleeping in
here?"
"Do you object?" He asked.
He let the tent flap close,
throwing the tent into darkness. She
lay back down, turning onto her side. She could hear him moving in the dark, and she pictured him removing his
robe. Heat moved through her, and she
closed her eyes tightly.
He slid into the bedroll behind
her, a grin lighting his face as he realized she had moved as far away as
possible, which was really only a matter of inches in the small tent. He turned onto his side, sliding an arm
around her waist and pulling her close.
My God. Rebecca thought. He isn't wearing anything!
She willed herself to sleep, but
the feel of him distracted her. He
shifted and she thought she would go mad… She turned in his arms, seeking his kiss in the darkness. Fire exploded as their lips met, as bodies
pressed into each other seeking more. His hands moved beneath her shirt, seeking, touching. Rebecca fumbled with the buttons, finally
freeing them as his mouth journey down her throat, across her shoulder, down to
her breast.
Stopping did not cross either of
their minds, as their bodies demanded more. Her cry when he took her as his was muffled against his shoulder. Three years of frustration was sated that
night….