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Evy abruptly awoke to the sounds of a struggle. Glancing around, frightfully, her eyes landed Alex, hovering a few feet in front of her. Adrenaline pumped into her system as she registered, even with his back to her, the frightened stance of his body. Climbing stiffly to her feet, Evy glanced past her son to see Rick, Najat and two other Abadi wrestling with Ardeth. Alarmed, she rushed to the bed to help.

"What's happened?! Another seizure?!" Evy shouted, searching for a handhold. Ardeth eyes were closed tightly and his face contorted in an agonized grimace.

"No! He is panicking!" Najat distractedly responded, narrowly missing Rick as Ardeth's thrashing tossed her the American's direction.

"Panicking?! Why!?" Evy returned.

"He believes he is suffocating!"

Evy stared, aghast, at the Abadi. It was then that she registered the strangled wheezing sound emanating from Ardeth. Her eyes growing wide, she opened her mouth to ask about it, but found herself too stunned to speak.

"His lungs are inflamed...he is still getting air...but he is not aware...enough to realize it!" Najat replied, breathlessly, finally managing to pin one arm.

Evy nodded, numbly, and stared a moment longer at Najat, as the news sunk into her shocked brain. Shaking herself free from her paralysis, she registered the worsening of Ardeth's wheezing, and dove back into the struggle to pin the Medjai to the bed.

"At least we know he still has enough strength to put up a good fight," Evy shouted, as Ardeth continued to buck in resistance to the many hands holding him.

"He may have the strength, but he does not have it to spare," Najat retorted, catching her breath as Zaynab and Widad managed to pin Ardeth's opposite leg, decreasing the Medjai's ability to struggle. Instinctively, the Medjai's panic increased, and he managed to land a solid kick into Rick's stomach, flooring the American.

"Rick!" Evy shouted, worriedly. Catching it out of the corner of her eye, she glanced up from the arm she'd just managed to pin.

Pulling himself back onto his feet, Rick waved away her concerned. After pausing for a moment to catch the breath Ardeth had managed to knock out of him, he rushed back into the fray, but a fit of breathless coughing abruptly seized the Medjai just as Rick grasped hold of his leg. A moment later, Ardeth fell limp.

"Wh...wha...is...h...he...?" Alex stammered, too frightened to form the question.

"He has lost consciousness," Najat replied, wearily. Tentatively releasing the Medjai's arm, she turned at snatch up drenched cloth and bathed Ardeth's chest. "As I said, he had not the strength to spare for such a struggle. He will not awaken again soon."

Evy glanced at her husband, then at Alex, and saw by their expressions that they'd found the announcement no more comforting than she. Preparing to make note of it to Najat, she caught a whiff of a pungent aroma wafting up from the Medjai.

"The cloth has been soaked in medicine that has, in the past, eased the inflammation. Inshallah, it will do so again," Najat commented, noticing the wrinkling of the Englishwoman's nose. Dribbling more of the medicines onto Ardeth's chest, she bathed it one more time, then, dropped the cloth into a basin.

Evy nodded, then, frowned as the words of the journal flashed into her mind. 'I see each breath catch in his throat as though he has not the power to force it out, but then, somehow, he does.' She'd assumed the fever to be the cause, but abruptly realized the author hadn't referred to it with any of the other afflicted.

"This has happened to him before," Evy, unintentionally, commented aloud.

"Unfortunately, yes, many times as a child, but as he grew, the affliction diminished. Now it is almost naught," Najat explained, assuming the statement to be a question.

"Except for when he's ill?" Evy guessed. Najat shook her head.

"Even then, it rarely troubles him," she replied, while attempting to ease Ardeth into a sitting position. Evy nodded, distractedly, her face wrinkling in concern as the Medjai coughed several times without rousing.

"Here, let me...," Rick offered, rushing forward to help. Pulling Ardeth up, he supported him while Najat slid several well-stuffed pillows beneath him. When she nodded, he gently rested Ardeth against them and discovered that they propped the warrior up enough to nearly be sitting.

"His lungs are not terribly inflamed," Najat informed her guests, attempting to preempt any other questions they might ask. "But the fever has left him weak enough that the extra effort required to breath seems very great..."

Evy and Rick simultaneously raised an eyebrow, making Najat smile, wearily.

"Yes, I realize that is difficult to understand after the struggle you have just witnessed, but it is true. Lying flat on his back made his breaths require constant effort, exacting more from him than the brief burst of strength required to battle us. Between the medicine and the change of position, he will rest easier."

"A minute ago, you didn't seem so sure the medicine would work," Rick commented. Najat sighed, imperceptibly.

"It is not always been ef...,"

"It will work. I'm certain of it," Alex interrupted, his tone revealing his desperate need to believe it would. The strained expression on Ardeth's unconscious face clearly indicated the continued toll the effort of breathing demanded from him. It frightened Alex to see it. He didn't need to be told by an adult to know that Ardeth's body didn't have much fight left in it.

"Of course it's going to work," Evy assured, with more confidence than she felt, seeing the fear that her son attempted to mask.

"Mid-day swiftly approaches..."

Evy jumped at the sound of Zaynab's voice next to her. She'd forgotten there'd been two other Abadi, besides Najat, helping restrain Ardeth.

"You should refresh yourselves and have nourishment," Zaynab announced, her tone motherly. When none of the O'Connells moved, she continued. "I assure you Ardeth Bey will wait right here for your return."

Evy and Rick both smiled slightly at the remark and glanced other. Simultaneously realizing that each of them was a mess, they shook their heads, sheepishly, at each other.

"Come," Zaynab requested, guessing by their expressions that they didn't intend to argue. Evy followed Zaynab around the bed, joining her husband on the other side, and waited for her son to move. He didn't. His gaze remaining fixed on Ardeth, Alex folded his arms in a clear gesture that he had no intention of leaving he Medjai's side.

"Alex!" Najat hissed, wearily, before either Evy or Rick could say anything. "You will do as Zaynab requests."

Recognizing something beyond maternal authority in the tone of her voice, Alex sighed, huffily, and turned to join his parents. Seeming to know the child would follow, Zaynab had not stopped to wait for him, and the O'Connells had to scramble to catch up to her.

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"You may quit lurking and enter now, Jonathan," Najat called out, her back to the door as she mixed herbs into a cup. His hands self-consciously shoved into his pockets, Jonathan sheepishly slid through the doorway and wandered over to the bed.

"How's he doing?" He asked, with genuine concern. Studying Ardeth's unconscious form, Jonathan noticed labored breathing and heard wheezing. "He doesn't sound good at all."

"You heard what was said?" Najat quizzed, turning toward Ardeth and bringing the cup to his lips. She'd been too distracted by events to be certain of exactly when Jonathan's shadow had first appeared. The Englishman shook his head, with a slight frown, then watch, slightly astonished, as the unconscious warrior reflexively downed each swallow of liquid that Najat patiently dribbled into his mouth. Not wanting to disrupt the painstaking process, Jonathan waited silently through the several minutes in took for Ardeth to down enough medicine to satisfy Najat.

"What was that?" he asked, as she returned the cup to the table.

"That was a mixture of many things," the Abadi answered, vaguely, provoking a glare from the Jonathan. With a weary, but amused smile, she added, "it is medicine to ease his pain, combined with herbs to battle the infection and lower his fever; all of which you have seen me mix for him many times."

Jonathan nodded, reflexively wincing as Ardeth coughed, again.

"But now, added to those, are herbs to dissolve the mucus that accompanies the inflammation in his lungs, so that he need not waste the little strength that he has removing it forcibly."

Jonathan nodded, distractedly. It took him a minute to realize she meant the medicine would ease Ardeth's cough.

"Inflammation?" he questioned, his brain snagging on word as he mulled over her explanation.

"Yes. You did not hear what was said earlier?" she asked, rephrasing her previous, unanswered question.

"I heard something about something happening many times when he was a child and the medicine not always working," Jonathan hesitantly replied, frowning, as a long series of coughs brought a grimace to the Medjai's unconscious features.

"It is the medicine beginning to do its work," Najat assured, wearily.

"But, you said..." The Abadi raised a hand to cut him off.

"The medicine, at first, only breaks up the mucus, temporarily worsening his cough..." she paused in her explanation as another long series of pained, breathless coughs roused the Medjai enough to toss restlessly. Shushing him, Najat snatched up a damp cloth and softly caressed his face.

Jonathan sighed, nearly inaudibly, as Ardeth settled again without really waking. Although he understood that the exhausted Medjai needed sleep, as much as anything, a small part of the Englishman had hoped the warrior would wake enough to open his eyes, even if it were just a flicker. Ardeth hadn't done so since his soul had ripped free from his body back at the tomb. Jonathan still felt lingering doubt that the warrior's soul had truly returned. He knew he wouldn't feel certain until he could look into Ardeth's eyes and see the Medjai's soul reflected in them.

"Inflamed?" he repeated, as Najat placed the cloth back in the basin and fetch a fresh one to lay across the Medjai's forehead.

"Yes. His lungs have become inflamed," she informed the Englishman, as though she'd expected him to have moved past the topic. Jonathan sighed, grimly. "It sounds alarming, but do not be. The medicine already begins to ease it."

Jonathan nodded, skeptically, but then realized that Ardeth's wheezing did sound a little better than when the conversation began. Studying the Medjai, Jonathan distractedly listened to Najat hum. After several minutes, he registered that the soft melody continued uninterrupted by coughing.

"So he's going to be all right?" Jonathan asked, with a shaky, lopsided smile, as it sank in that the medicine really was helping the Medjai, and not making him worse as it had first appeared.

"You still worry about what your sister and her husband are going do to you for not sending him straight back to bed?" Najat teased, aware that his concern for the Medjai was not as self-centered as the Englishmen pretended. Jonathan shrugged, noncommittally, provoking a slightly amused smile from the Abadi. It faded after a moment, and she sighed, softly.

"His abdomen has been debrided and stitched, but his fever remains high. He simply pushed his body beyond reason," Najat stated, wearily. Jonathan nodded, glumly.

"Do not fear for him. Ardeth Bey is stronger than even he realizes. I do not doubt that he will recover," she assured. "Now that he has finished his task and allows himself rest, his body can focus on healing."

Jonathan nodded, again, a fidgeted uncomfortably. Seeing it, Najat fought back the urge to smile. It was obvious that the Englishman wanted to stay, but could think of no reason to do so - at least no reason that didn't involve admitting he cared for the Medjai.

"Perhaps you could spare the time to assist as I check his wounds and place a fresh poultice upon the infection?" She asked. As she really did need to check for torn stitches after the struggle, Najat decided, mercifully, to provide the Englishman a reason to remain at Ardeth's side. Jonathan grinned, sheepishly, and nodded.

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Finishing the last bit of her late brunch, Evy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt so much better than she had just an hour before that is amazed her. Funny how much a bath and a nice change of clothes can make one feel so much more human, she thought to herself.

"I've finished. Can I go back now?"

Her son's request brought Evy's eyes open, and she nodded. "But try not to make a pest of yourself, all right."

Alex smiled and nodded, then glanced toward Zaynab.

"You may, Alex," Zaynab answered, patiently. She chuckled when he abruptly bolted up and vanished without another word.

"He really does know how to be polite, he just doesn't remember to it very often," Evy sighed. Zaynab chuckled, again.

"Will you be returning, as well, or will you join your husband on his walk?"

Evy hesitated and glanced in the direction Rick had gone, still surprised that the Abadi had granted him permission to roam freely. She really wanted to rush back to Ardeth's bedside, but knew the Medjai was well tended. Rick, on the other hand, hadn't received much of her attention over the past few days, and she knew he had to be feeling a little neglected.

"You might find the exercise pleasant after yesterday's travels," Zaynab commented, seeing her guest's indecision written on her face. Evy nodded and smiled, appreciatively.

"Yes, I think you're right. A little exercise is exactly what I need."

Rising stiffly, Evy smirked as she realized that her legs really were in need of a good stretch. Still smiling, she politely nodded to Zaynab and strolled off in search of her husband.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Jonathan watched in silence, as Najat bathed Ardeth's chest with a pungent medicine from one of the nearby basin. She continued to hum as she worked, and the soft melody drained the tension from his muscles, leaving him reluctant to get up and leave. Deciding it would be all right to close his eyes just for a minute, Jonathan nodded off and didn't notice as his nephew raced into the dwelling.

Noticing his uncle, Alex abruptly halted. Najat put a finger to her lip and waved him over, without interrupting her tune. Nodding, Alex continued, slowly and quietly. Smiling, Najat patted the bed by Ardeth's head, brining a grin to the child's face. Nodding enthusiastically, he shuffled around to the other side and crawled up. His grin grew broader as she handed him a water-soaked cloth. Dutifully taking it, he grew serious and concentrated on gently bathing Ardeth's face without waking him.

Smiling at the child's intensity, Najat turned to mix more medicine for the warrior. Turning back with a cup in her hand, she found Alex watching her curiously and smiled, again. Nodding her head toward Ardeth, she lifted the cup, slightly.

Alex nodded. Setting the wet cloth on the bed beside him, he watched Najat bring the cup to Ardeth's lips. He smiled, amazed, when the Medjai reflexively drank, without ever really waking up.

Najat smiled at the child's astonishment, then wiggled her fingers, requesting his cloth. Alex dutifully handed it over and watched her rewet it and place it across the Medjai's forehead. Grabbing up more cloths, she handed one to Alex and kept the other. Alex wrinkled his brow, unsure of what do with it. The expression nearly made Najat chuckle, but she managed to stifle it, with only the slightest interruption in the melody she hummed. Taking her own cloth, she began to swirl over Ardeth's arm, gently bathing away the feverish sweat. Catching on, Alex smiled and mimicked the action on the warrior's other arm.

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Jonathan abruptly jerked awake as Najat's humming ceased. Glancing around, disoriented, he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye and moved his head in the direction of it. He reflexively jumped to his feet as an Abadi float gracefully through the doorway.

"It is only Zaynab, Jonathan," Najat soothed, chuckling softly and attracting the Englishman's attention. "You need not be alarmed."

Beside her, Alex snickered, amused by his uncle's reaction and ruffled appearance. Jonathan raised an eyebrow at the site of his nephew, to which Alex replied with an innocent shrug.

"Zaynab," Jonathan greeted, sleepily. Turning back toward the new arrival, he sheepishly crammed his hands into his pockets.

"Jonathan," she returned, sounding amused, but nodding politely. Watching her continue toward the bed, his brow wrinkled.

"How did you know it was Zaynab?" He asked Najat, perplexed; Zaynab was fully covered.

"She looks like Zaynab," Najat stated, matter-of-factly, as though it should've been obvious. Alex snickered again, seeming to agree with her.

Jonathan nodded as if to say 'aha', then rolled his eyes when the two Abadi looked away. Alex grinned, lopsidedly, at his uncle, and Jonathan winked at him, before turning his attention to the Abadi. Watching the two women discuss Ardeth's care, Jonathan began to feel like a bit of an odd wheel. Fidgeting, he glanced toward the door, wondering whether or not he should stay.

"Zaynab will be tending Ardeth Bey for a time," Najat announced, abruptly pulling Jonathan's attention back to the bed. "You are welcome to stay. I do not believe she would mind the company."

"You would be very welcome," Zaynab confirmed, with a slight bow. Jonathan hesitated. He'd just settled on leaving, but decided it might appear rude to decline. Besides, he thought, somebody better be here to keep an eye on Alex.

"Thank you, I think I will stay," he finally answered, with a nervous grin. Najat smiled in return, before bowing to excuse herself. Jonathan watched her leave, longingly. Perhaps because she'd uncovered or just because he's spent more time with her, he felt more comfortable with Najat than Zaynab.

"Do not fear, Jonathan Carnahan. I do not bit...very often," Zaynab teased, provoking a snicker from Alex. Caught off-guard, Jonathan could only grin, sheepishly.

"It is not necessary that you remain standing in my presence," she quipped, as he continued to fidget. "Come, sit."

As she waved him closer, Jonathan opened his mouth to decline, but, again, decided it might be rude. Nervously approaching, he sat down next to the bed, almost managing not to look in Zaynab's direction as he moved.

"May I ask you a question?"

Jonathan nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Ardeth.

"What is it that I do that discomfits you so?" She asked, curiously. When Jonathan simply shrugged, she chuckled, softly. "You do not seem bothered by Najat, and yet she is of greater status than I?"

Jonathan and Alex glanced at each other, wondering just what Najat's status was. It didn't seem like something they should ask about, however, so Jonathan resisted the temptation and shook his head at Alex, telling him not to ask, either.

"Ah, perhaps it is the burqa that bothers you?" Zaynab considered aloud.

"Yeah, I guess maybe it is," Jonathan replied. He didn't really know if that were the problem, but it seemed better than continuing to say nothing. Zaynab nodded, slightly, in response, as though greatly relieved to have an answer.

Turning away, she snatched the cloth cooling Ardeth's forehead, dipped it into the water basin and replaced it. She hummed as she moved, the same song that Najat had hummed earlier.

"It that a common tune?" He asked. Closing his eyes, Jonathan let the soothing melody melt away his jitters.

"It is," Zaynab replied, distractedly, as she reached for a cloth from the medicine-filled basin and began to bath Ardeth's chest. "It is an ancient Medjai lullaby."

"Ah," Jonathan replied. "It's lovely...and very effective."

"Yes," the Abadi answered, chuckling.

"It's Medjai, you say?" Jonathan quizzed, curiosity making him forget his nervousness.

"It is," Zaynab answered.

"So how is it that all of you know it?" Alex blurted, just as Jonathan prepared to ask the question for himself.

"Ah, well, that is a long story," the Abadi replied, patiently.

"Oh," Jonathan replied. "Well, I'm rather in the mood for a story, if you don't mind, that is..."

"I do not mind," Zaynab responded.

"Hey, while your telling stories, I really like to know the story behind that blasted curse. I mean, if it's not a secret or anything," Jonathan added, excitedly. Zaynab chuckled.

"You have already seen all that is secret," she quipped, pleased to see the Englishman's posture relax a bit. Flicking her eyes Alex's direction, Zaynab saw that he, too, seemed very interesting in hearing tales.

"Oh, jolly good. Let's get on with it then," Jonathan replied. Making himself more comfortable, he winked at Alex, before settling his gaze on the Abadi. Watching Zaynab's tender ministrations, he waited in eager anticipation for the storytelling to begin.

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Having found the time alone with Rick to be very pleasant, indeed, a smile continued to grace Evy's features as she made her way toward Ardeth's dwelling. The expression shifted into surprise as she entered and found Jonathan sitting next to Ardeth's bed, speaking rather animatedly to a burqa-covered Abadi.

"You don't say!"

"And it's just sitting out there? Nobody's bothered it?" Alex chimed in. Evy could tell by his voice that the topic of the conversation had him completely enthralled.

"Evelyn," the Abadi greeted without answering Alex, catching sight of Evy hovering in the doorway.

"Zaynab," Evy replied, cordially, recognizing the voice. Strolling to the bed, she smiled at her brother and son, before glancing, anxiously, at Ardeth. "How's he doing?"

"His fever is still high, but lower than it was, and his breathing has improved," the Abadi informed her. "He has not awoken again..."

She paused when both Evy and Alex sighed mournfully.

"It is good that he has not awoken," Zaynab reassured. "It allows his body to concentrate on healing itself."

Although unconvinced, Evy nodded. She didn't want Zaynab to worry about anyone but Ardeth.

"So what was all the excitement about when I came in?" she asked, changing the subject to keep from fretting more than she already was.

"Oh! Mum, did you know that there are all sort of tombs and thing around here that nobody's excavated or anything?!" Alex announced, excitedly. Chuckling at his enthusiasm, Evy didn't reply. She didn't want to interrupt the flow of his thoughts, especially since he was finally behaving more like himself. Only half listening, she dutifully bobbed her head as her son rushed through a review of the many stories Zaynab had shared.

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The sound of excited, familiar voices wove through the heavy fabric of Ardeth's dream and, for a fleeting second, distracted him. He glanced back to find the pleasant scene he'd been enjoying gone. Shrugging inwardly, Ardeth stepped deeper into the haze that had replaced it. He wasn't particularly concerned. He'd accidentally slipped from several dreams already, but always managed to wander into another.

A dozen steps later, he frowned. The distracting voices were growing louder, not dimmer, as they had previously. Ardeth hesitated, remembering the pain and weakness that awaited him in the realm of the real voices. He didn't want to go back there yet. Changing direction, Ardeth hummed the tune softly whispered by the haze and wandered in search of another dream.

Half-dozen steps later, he stopped. The voices were still growing louder. Spinning around, a slow quarter turn at a time, Ardeth despairing realized he could not escape them. Reconciling himself, the warrior took a deep breath and launched himself headlong toward the battlefield.

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"...and, anyway, I was thinking maybe Uncle Jon and I could go exploring tomorrow, if its all right, that is?" Unsure from whom he needed permission, Alex's gaze flickered between Zaynab and his mother. Evy glanced at the Abadi, as well. Receiving a slight nod from Zaynab, she nodded at her son.

Nearly springing into the air with excitement, Alex grinned and turned toward his uncle. His expression fell as he realized Jonathan had become distracted. Following his uncle's gaze, he glanced down into the open eyes of Ardeth Bey.

"Ardeth! You're awake!"

The Medjai responded with a sleepy blink.

"How are you feeling?" Evy asked, softly. Her first urge had been to chastise him for what he'd done, but realizing he might mistake it for real anger, she resisted the temptation. Evy reminded herself that there would be plenty of time to 'discuss' it with him later - when he was more coherent.

Again, Ardeth blinked sleepily, but managed a reassuring smile.

"Oh, don't bother asking him that, mum. You know he'll just say he's fine," Alex quipped, earning an amused smile from the Medjai. Evy and Jonathan grinned, as well.

"Najat will be pleased; I must inform her," Zaynab announced, before anyone could ask him anything else. Bowing toward the bed, she backed away and quickly departed. Evy, Jonathan and Alex remained focused on Ardeth.

Jonathan simply grinned, giddily; seeing Ardeth's eyes open brought an intense wave of relief washing through the Englishman. He wasn't going to be responsible for helping the warrior kill himself, after all.

Also relieved, Evy smiled, but kept the giddiness out of her expression. She didn't want to alarm Ardeth by appearing too surprised to see him awake. Nonchalantly taking Zaynab's vacated position, she snatched the damp towel from his forehead, rewetted it with cool water, and gently bathed his face and arms. The soft caress lulled Ardeth's eyes closed again, and he flinched when Evy abruptly spoke.

"You gave us a bit of a scare, there," she stated, softly. Biting back an apology for startling him, Evy continued in a soothing tone. "But you're doing fine, so don't you worry. Your fever's still a little high, but you're breathing much better."

Ardeth smiled, patiently. His thoughts focused on escaping back into sleep, the warrior hadn't really been wondering, but was able to appreciate that she thought he might.

"We saw your soul! It was neat, well, really scary, but really neat, too!" Alex babbled, excitedly. Ardeth sleepily shifted his gaze to the child and smiled. "Did you know we saw your soul?! Could you see us, too?!"

Ardeth nodded, weakly, and let his heavy eyelids close. It pleased him that they were all so excited to see him awake, but he still didn't want to be there. He wanted to be in Paradise with his family. He'd sacrificed that for them, but Ardeth would settle for the realm of dreams, if they would just let him fall back into it. The feel of a soft hand pressing gently against his cheek brought Ardeth's eyes open again. Glancing up, he found Najat gazing down with a patient smile upon her face.

"You're fever has diminished somewhat," she commented. The expression on her face as she spoke made Ardeth suspect it was more for the benefit of the small group hovering around him, than because she expected that he cared to know.

"Drink."

Glancing down, Ardeth discovered a cup in her hand. As she brought it to his lips, he obediently drank. The medicine tasted different, and he wrinkled his face at it.

"It is better than coughing, is it not?" Najat quipped, chuckling at the face. Ardeth tossed her a half-smile.

"Will you try to eat a little?" She asked, maternally.

Instead of answering, Ardeth blinked, sleepily, and nearly forgot to open his eyes again. When he did, he saw a slight frown on the Abadi's face and nodded, in hopes of banishing it. Najat smiled and turned to fetch the tray of food she'd brought with her.

"Food has been prepared for you, as well," Zaynab announced, glancing from Jonathan to Evy to Alex.

"Tsk, do not argue, young one," she added, when Alex appeared about to protest. "The sun is setting and you have eaten nothing since mid-morning."

Evy raised a startled eyebrow, then, blushed. She hadn't realized she'd dallied so long with Rick. Unseen beneath her burqa, Zaynab smirked, knowingly, and continued.

"Joining your family for the meal will provide you an opportunity to tell your father all the tales you have heard."

The comment reminded Alex that he had adventures to plan for the next day. Grinning, he hopped from the bed and started toward the door. He froze mid-step, as it occurred to him that he'd likely be sent off to bed after dinner. Pivoting around, Alex smiled at Ardeth.

"I'm glad you feeling a little better. I'll see you tomorrow and tell all about the stuff we find, okay?"

Ardeth nodded, slightly, and returned the smile.

"Sleep well, child," Najat offered, as she set the food tray on the bed beside Ardeth. "Good evening, Jonathan, Evelyn."

The tone of Najat's voice indicated that they weren't to return after eating. Evy glanced over, prepared to protest; she'd barely spent any time with Ardeth. However, Najat returned a glance that stopped the words in Evy's throat.

"Good evening," was all she managed to get out, before obediently following Zaynab out the door.

"Shall we start with the broth first?" Najat asked, not bothering to watch her guests depart. Ardeth glanced down at the tray of assorted fruits and breads surrounding a large bowl of broth. None of it looked particularly appealing, so he simply nodded. Pleased, Najat grinned and took a seat facing him.

"Badi'a will be here in the morning," she informed the Medjai, as she brought the spoon to his lips. Ardeth wrinkled his face disapprovingly, before dutifully accepting the broth. As the spoon returned with more broth, Ardeth rolled his eyes toward the door.

"There is nothing to be done," Najat replied, briefly following his gaze. "Badi'a would not be refused, and I cannot see the O'Connells agreeing to depart while your fever continues."

Ardeth sighed and closed his eyes, wishing, even more fervently, to escape back into sleep. The meeting of Badi'a and the O'Connells would be an ugly affair, one that he had no desire to witness.

"Tsk, do not let it concern you," Najat soothed, bringing his eyes open. He found a waiting spoon and accepted it, less than half-heartedly. "Badi'a will be here as my guest, as are the outsiders. She will behave accordingly, this I can assure you."

Ardeth replied with a lopsided grin. He had never witnessed a clash of wills between Najat and his sister. That, he decided, might indeed be a sight worth seeing.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

"...and it just sitting out there! Nobody's bothered to excavate it or anything! Can we check it out, Dad, please?!"

Rick chuckled at his son and quickly shoved another bite of food into his mouth to stall for time. Chewing slowly, he glanced at Evy, who shrugged.

"Can we, Dad?! Please! Can we?!" Alex pleaded, sitting on the proverbial edge of his seat.

"Well, I'm not sure about that particular site; I think we'd better find out more about it first. How about we explore the caves around here tomorrow?" Rick offered. Alex frowned, disappointedly, but then, decided that he'd better take what he could get before they decided not to let him explore anything.

"Thanks, Dad," he replied, with a broad grin. Shoveling the rest of his dinner, Alex daydreamed about what they might find.

Rick nearly laughed at the look on his son's face. It reminded him so much of Evy, it almost made his heart burst with happiness. He couldn't remember how he'd survived without Evy and Alex in his life. Yet, if Ardeth hadn't taken her place, he might have lost her.

Rick abruptly realized that he still didn't know why. Evy'd never gotten around to explaining what had happened. All he knew was that she'd tried to kill Ardeth, and Ardeth blamed himself for provoking her. That had been enough for him to nearly kill the Medjai back in their guest room, but it was such a little bit of information...too little. Sooner or later, Rick knew he'd have to face Ardeth again and convince the warrior that he hadn't dishonored himself; how could he do that with so little knowledge of what had really happened? The need for the truth gnawing at his Rick's gut, his appetite suddenly vanished. Pushing his plate aside, he sat back and impatiently waited for Evy to finish eating.

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Ardeth twisted his head to the side as the spoon returned, yet again; he'd remained in the realm of real voices long enough. Vaguely catching the movement of Najat's hand pulling away, the warrior glanced toward her. He found a frown on her face and, for a moment, considered trying to eat more, but couldn't quite force his mouth to cooperate.

Najat placed the spoon back into the half-empty bowl and glanced up to find Ardeth's eyes fixed upon her. His apologetic gaze told her that he wasn't intending to be difficult, but simply hadn't any more energy to spare for the effort. Managing a tolerant smile, she lightly caressed his cheek.

"It is all right. We will try again after you have rested," she whispered, soothingly. Ardeth almost managed to return the smile, but his heavy eyelids slid down too quickly.

Sighing glumly, Najat moved the tray from the bed and sat it in the floor. Turning back, she snatched up a wet cloth and placed it across his forehead, then, paused to watch him sleep. His expression, although still strained, seemed almost content, in contrast to the desolation she'd seen in his eyes while he ate. A shiver of worry tickled down her spine, as she found herself wondering if Ardeth had returned to them out of desire or, merely, duty. Shaking the thought away, Najat began to hum and distractedly reached for another cloth to swirl across his feverish skin.

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Standing in the doorway, staring out into the darkness, Rick took a deep breath. Alex had opted to sleep in Jonathan quarters, leaving him alone with Evy. He knew he couldn't waste the opportunity. The longer he avoided Ardeth, the harder it would be to finally face him. Still, Rick found himself reluctant to broach the subject. The small part of his brain that kept searching for an innocent explanation for what had happened, and kept failing to find it, warned him that he didn't really want to know. But the rest of his brain reminded him that he had to know. Taking one more deep breath, Rick turned to face his wife.

"Evy, we need to talk."

Evy winched at the seriousness of Rick's tone. The abrupt shift in his mood during dinner had warned her something was coming, but she found herself unprepared, all the same.

"I need to know what happened, Evy, all of it," Rick pressed, when Evy continued to silently study the ground.

"Rick, I...I...don't really know h...how...wh...where..." she stammered, but the gave up and fell silent.

"Shh," he soothed, taking a seat next her. "We have all night, so you can just start at the beginning and take it as slow as you need to, okay."

Evy found herself smiling, despite the seriousness of the moment, as she remembered Ardeth saying similar words to her regarding the same topic. For two men that were so different, her husband and the Medjai were occasionally very alike. The thought reminded her that she had faced Ardeth, and Evy realized it certainly couldn't be any worse telling Rick.

"Yes, all right, the beginning..." she began, then, paused for a deep breath before continuing. "Well, you see, you, Alex, and Jonathan were out, so it seemed like a good opportunity to sort through that crate, you know, the one of my parents..."

She glanced up, and Rick nodded, supportively.

"Well, I saw the sword and pulled it out to have a better look. Of course, that jostled everything about, and that's when I saw the dagger. I was going to have a closer look at it, I guess that was why it was still in my hand when I went upstairs to have a peek at the journal..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rick interrupted. "What journal?"

"The journal I found in the crate, of course," Evy replied, distractedly, not registering that she'd skipped over that detail. Realizing he'd better just let her talk and clarify later, Rick didn't comment further.

"Of course, I know I shouldn't have just opened up someone's journal and started reading, but I thought, perhaps, it belonged to one of my parents...and I'd been missing them terribly since that crate arrived. So, well, obviously, I did read it...well, part of it...a few sentences..." Evy hesitated, signaling Rick that whatever she'd read was the key to the whole mess.

"A those sentences said?" he gently prodded.

"Th...they said, well, I thought they said that the Medjai had killed my parents," she admitted, with only the slightest hint of a quiver in her voice. Rick raised an eyebrow. He knew from asking Jonathan that the Carnahans had died in car accident and wondered what the Medjai had to do with that.

"You thought it said?" Rick quizzed.

"Oh, Rick! I didn't read far enough!"

'Well, there's a first!' Rick thought, sarcastically, but remained silent.

"And Ardeth arrived just then and I stabbed him...I mean I didn't intend to stab him, or maybe I did. I don't know, I was just so angry," Evy finished, with a calmness that warned Rick she was teetering on the edge of control.

Rick simply nodded in response. That was where he'd come in, so he knew what happened next...with Ardeth, anyway. Thinking back, Rick remembered when Evy'd peeked in to check on them while the Doc was there; she'd seemed no less upset, but it had been different. The reason suddenly dawned on him.

"You read more, while the Doc was stitching Ardeth up?" He asked, already knowing the answer. Evy nodded, tears tickling at the corners of her eyes. "And it said...?"

"Oh, Rick! It said that they saved them...found them abandoned in the desert dying of fever and took them back to their camp," she blurted in a single breath.

Rick shook his head, disbelievingly, at the simplicity of the explanation. Evy'd gone off half-cocked - never a good thing, but hardly astonishing - and had unleashed a curse. Ardeth blamed himself because he'd been there to retrieve the weapons before they were used, and had failed. It was all the same old, same old...yet Rick had the feeling it was more complicated than it sounded.

"Is that all?" he asked, hesitantly. The tears that immediately welled in Evy's eyes confirmed his suspicion.

"The f...fever spread, Rick, throughout the Medjai camp. A..Ardeth's family became ill," she explained, too calmly. He nodded, finally understanding why she'd grown so upset when Ardeth's temperature had first risen. Rick almost stopped her from saying more; he could guess what was coming next. "They died, Rick...his mother and brother and two of his sisters...and Ardeth...he nearly died and his father treated him so horribly because he blamed himself for allowing my parents to be brought into the camp..."

Evy's words fell away, and she gazed, unseeingly, at the wall. Rick didn't push. He knew she'd stopped because any more would send her over the edge. Besides, she'd said enough for him to fill in the blanks. The only thing he still didn't understand was why Ardeth had done what he did. After all that had happened to his family and his people, either directly or indirectly, because Evy and/or various members of her family, it didn't make sense to Rick that Ardeth would risk his life to save her.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened to Ardeth's family, Evy. I wasn't your fault; it wasn't even really your parents' fault," he distractedly soothed, realizing that blaming herself was what she'd been doing for the past few days. Evy nodded.

"I know, but, Rick...!" she couldn't finish. Reason told her he was right, but her heart couldn't get past all the Medjai had suffered. Turning toward her husband, Evy snuggled into his chest. As his strong wrapped around her, she closed her eyes and cried softly.

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Standing in the doorway, Alex intently peered into the darkness. He didn't see anyone and grinned. Briefly glancing over his shoulder, he checked to be certain Jonathan was still asleep, then, dashed out into the night.

"Umph!"

Alex nearly cursed aloud as he slammed into someone. Glancing up, his jaw dropped at the sight of a woman. Uncovered, even more than Najat, her hair hung in a long braid down her back, except for several renegade strands that danced gracefully in the wind. She gazed down at him with enormous brown eyes that seemed to see right through him, and her full lips seemed to twitch with amusement, and a slight hint of annoyance.

"Alex," she greeted, after a moment. The twitch of her lips turned into a full-fledged smile that Alex couldn't help but return.

"Z...Zaynab?" he stammered in reply. The Abadi simply chuckled. "Y...y...you're uncovered?!"

"Indeed," she responded.

"B..b..but...aren't you going to get in trouble or something?" he asked, genuinely concerned. "I...I mean you're totally uncovered!"

Zaynab laughed aloud at the observation.

"You make it sound as though I were naked, young one," she quipped, making Alex blush.

"I mean, it's just that, well...," Alex tried again. Zaynab cut him off with her hand.

"Yes, Alex, I understood your meaning," she informed him, patiently. Placing a guiding hand behind the child's head, she started again toward Ardeth's dwelling, before explaining. "As I believe Najat informed you, we only fully cover ourselves when amongst outsiders..."

"But..." Alex attempted to interrupt, but was, himself, interrupted.

"...you are an outsider?" Zaynab finished for him. Alex nodded. "However, you had retired for the evening."

Alex grinned, sheepishly.

"And within our village, amongst our own people, we are not required to cover our heads."

"Sorry," Alex offered, as she finished, wondering if she would get into trouble because he'd seen her. He remembered the displeased stir of the other Abadi when Najat removed her burqa in London.

"Do not concern yourself, young one," Zaynab replied, nonchalantly. Reaching the doorway, she guided Alex inside in front of her.

"Alex," Najat greeted, her tone pleasant, yet disapproving. Noticing the reproachful glance fired over his head at Zaynab, Alex squirmed, remorsefully, certain that he had gotten the Abadi into trouble.

"It wasn't her fault," he blurted out, after an awkward second of silence. "She didn't know I was going to see her. I'm supposed to be in bed."

"Indeed you are," Najat responded, raising an eyebrow at the child's emphatic defense of her fellow Abadi. In truth, it was his presence, not the breach in etiquette, which displeased her. "But do not concern yourself, child. Zaynab will not be punished."

Busy breathing a sigh of relief, Alex didn't notice the amused shrug Najat returned in reply to the entertained grin Zaynab tossed her.

"Come," Najat instructed, waving Alex over and patting the bed beside Ardeth. She'd hoped to keep all the O'Connells out of Badi'a's immediate path when she arrived in the morning, but that had only been delaying the inevitable, anyway, so there's seemed little point in wrestling with the child. "It is very late. That you are here, instead of where you are supposed to be, is hardly a suitable reason for you to remain awake."

Alex sighed and shuffled over to the bed. Climbing up carefully, he curled up, comfortably, and sleepily watched the two Abadi trade places. He wrinkled his face into a pout, as Najat whispered something to Zaynab too softly for him to hear. It made Zaynab chuckle, which tickled Alex's curiosity even more, but he resisted the urge to ask about it. He didn't want Najat deciding to send him back to his own bed, after all.

"Do not forget that you are to sleep, not pester Zaynab for more stories," Najat quipped, noting his close observation. Alex grinned, wondering how she'd read his mind.

"Tisbah alakheyr, Najat," he bade, realizing she intended to leave. ("Good night, Najat")

"Good night, child. Sleep well."

Propping his head up on his hand, Alex watched her stroll, sleepily, out the door. Next to him, Zaynab began to him, pulling his attention back to her. Alex casually watched her bath Ardeth's chest with more medicine.

"Zaynab?" He asked, haltingly, the question forming itself in his mind as he spoke. "How come none of you are married?"

The Abadi chuckled, before replying, "What makes you so certain we are not?"

Alex browed furrowed with thought, but no answered immediately came to mind. It just didn't seem like they were married.

"I don't know," he admitted, with a shrug. Zaynab smiled, amused, but it faded as she tilted her head, contemplatively.

"What you have seen during your brief stay is but a miniscule portion of our lives," she stated, after a minute. Mulling over the intriguing comment, Alex studied her.

"So you're saying that you could have a husband and dozen kids hiding somewhere, I just haven't seen them?"

"Yes, young one," Zaynab replied, laughing.

Alex nodded. Pondering the situation further, he realized that he'd really seen very little of the Abadi or their village. With the exception of Najat, Zaynab, and the warriors guarding Al 'Asima's tomb, the Abadi had made themselves extraordinarily scarce.

"How come?" He asked, thinking aloud.

"'How come' what, young one?" Zaynab replied, as she placed a fresh cloth across Ardeth's forehead.

"How come everyone's hiding from us?"

Zaynab chuckled.

"They do not hide, but simply remain where you do not see," she answered, enigmatically. Alex frowned, pondering the difference between hiding and staying out of sight. Unable to figure it out, he shrugged and decided to play along.

"So, how come everyone remains where we do not see them?"

"The less you see of us, the less potential there is for harm," she finally stated, matter-of-factly.

"Why would we want to do you harm?" Alex replied, innocently.

"I do not imply that you would," Zaynab assured. "But harm is often done without intend."

"What do you mean?"

Zaynab sighed and briefly studied Alex, trying to finds words that would make her meaning clear to the child.

"As you did when you left your bed without permission, people sometimes act without considering what may come of their actions."

"You mean like when mum read that journal, or when I put on the Bracelet of Anubis?" Alex asked. Abruptly catching on to her meaning, he realized, with dismay, that he'd probably harmed Ardeth even more than his mum.

Zaynab nodded, sighing softly.

"A lot of Medjai died, didn't they?" Alex asked, softly, his voice wavering with tears.

"Shh," Zaynab whispered, reaching over and tenderly cupping his cheek. "Do not trouble yourself. You did not intend harm, young one."

The Abadi's avoidance of his question, confirmed the answer for Alex. He chin beginning to quiver, he shifted his gaze to Ardeth.

"That doesn't really make it all right, does it?" he commented, rhetorically. Zaynab sighed, again, as he abruptly pulled away, refusing any more comfort.

Studying the strained expression on the sleeping Medjai's face, Alex wondered how many friends Ardeth had lost to Anubis's army. The thought sent the tears welling in his eyes trickling onto his cheeks, and he snuggled closer to the warrior. Carefully wrapping himself around Ardeth's arm, Alex cried himself to sleep.

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