"Frank! Look out!"

Frank turned to see a car flying down the street; a man hanging out the window, pointing a gun. Before he even had a chance to hear it fire, he was lying on the ground, bleeding everywhere. He felt something sitting on his chest, and he picked it up. An amulet, covered in blood. Suddenly he saw a bright flash, and everything turned black.

Frank jumped, startled out of the dream. That's it! he thought. My blood was what made the amulet take us here…maybe it'll be what brings us back. Sitting up, he was surprised to find himself alone; even Ardeth was missing from his spot. He shouldn't be up and around yet, Frank thought to himself. Well, if he can, then I can. Leaning on his right elbow—his left arm still pretty useless, in its sling—he slowly stood up, and saw that there was a bandage covering the tattoo on his wrist. Carefully taking it off, he studied the tattoo again. Safti really did do an excellent job of it, and Frank felt proud, to have it. He flexed his wrist, and winced at the pain it caused. He replaced the bandage, and limped out of the tent.

He stopped just outside it, and looked around for anyone that he knew. Suddenly he heard feminine laughter; sounding strangely like Monica and Alex. Limping in the direction it came from, he was surprised when he came upon the two of them standing in a circle of people, of which contained in the middle Safti and Jake, sparring. He frowned at first, at the sight of the huge Safti and much smaller Jake. As he watched, he saw that Safti was holding himself back from the possibility of hurting Jake, and they seemed to be enjoying the exercise.

Frank looked around to see that his team members hadn't noticed him, as they were too busy cheering Jake on. He saw that Ardeth was sitting under a lean-to that his warriors had obviously put up for him.

Frank caught Ardeth's eye, and he motioned for Frank to join him. He limped over, grateful to feel the 'cooler' air under the shelter, now that the sun wasn't beating down on him.

"You look better," Frank said to him, as he carefully sat down.

"But you do not," Ardeth said, frowning in concern.

Frank sighed. "This may be hard for you to understand, but I have no spleen in my body…"

Ardeth looked alarmed. "What?"

"It's a small organ near where I was shot—"

"I know what it is," Ardeth said. "Why do you not have one?"

"I was stabbed, on a case 6 months ago4," Frank told him. "It damaged my spleen, and they had to remove it. People can live without one."

Ardeth looked distressed at his words. It was amazing, to both of them, how fast they had grown close, how easily they had accepted the strange situation of them being grandfather and grandson…and thinking of the other as such, even though they appeared to be around the same age.

"So anyway, I don't heal very fast," Frank continued, with a one-shouldered shrug. "It's annoying."

Ardeth nodded. "I would agree."

Suddenly they both looked up when they heard frantic running. It was Alex, and she looked towards them and sighed in relief. She shook her head as she walked over.

"Frank! I went to check on you and you were gone."

"Sorry, Alex."

Suddenly they heard the group of spectators laughing, and looked up. The crowd had parted in front of the lean-to so that Ardeth could watch, and they saw Jake holding Safti in a headlock, the both of them laughing, knowing that Jake could probably never attain such an act without getting his body snapped in two by the huge Med-jai.

Frank suddenly remembered what he'd wanted to tell Ardeth. "I think I may know how to get back to my time."

Ardeth looked at him. "How?"

"My blood was what made your amulet send us here. Maybe my blood is what'll send us back."

Ardeth nodded slowly. "That does make sense. I think perhaps you are right."

"There's only one way to find out," said Frank.

********************

A short while later, they were all assembled again in the tent, everyone confident that Frank's theory would work; it had the first time, why not now? The problem was that they were all reluctant to say goodbye.

"Can't we stay a little longer, boss?" Cody asked.

Everyone smiled at that, trying to lighten the mood. They all shook hands with each other, and Cody asked Suhaylah if he could hold little Na'im, in an attempt to buy more time.

Frank and Ardeth didn't know what to say to each other.

"If someone told me," Frank said. "When I went to the museum that day, that I would end up back in time to save the life of the grandfather that I never knew, I would've thought them insane."

Ardeth smiled, and nodded. "When you return to your time, you will remember many new memories of me, I hope."

Frank smiled, realizing the truth in the statement. With Ardeth now alive, Frank would have grown up with Ardeth as his grandfather.

In an unexpected display of emotion, Ardeth suddenly hugged Frank…his grandson.

Frank was slightly surprised, and concerned for Ardeth's chest wound, hoping he wasn't hurting him as he hugged his grandfather back with his one good arm. Ardeth's grip was tight and loose at the same time, and Frank knew it was because of Ardeth's concern for his wounds.

When they finally broke the hug, they knew from the quiet that everyone had watched.

Frank looked at his team, to see Alex and Monica both studying their nails, and Jake looking around nonchalantly. Cody was making faces at little Na'im, and Frank knew they were trying not to embarrass him.

Alex O'Connell, on the other hand, was staring right at them, a big smile on his face.

Frank looked at the dagger that Ardeth was holding, and took it. He was suddenly struck with a humorous thought.

"Spilling a lot of blood on this case, huh boss," said Jake, stating what Frank was thinking.

Frank smiled, as everyone chuckled. "Where can I afford to spill more?" Frank said, looking at his left arm in the sling, the bandage on the wrist of the hand he was holding the dagger with, and not having to see the bandages on his shoulder, side, and leg to know that they were there too.

That statement got another chuckle out of everyone, and Frank positioned the dagger and sliced his left palm. He kept his face stoic as he did it; compared to his gunshot wounds and fresh tattoo, that was the thing that hurt the least.

Frank started to hand the dagger back to Ardeth, but he shook his head, handing Frank the sheath. "Keep it."

Frank smiled, and took it. "Shukran."

Ardeth smiled back. "Afwan."

Frank put it in the sheath and stuck it in the pocket of his jacket, having changed back into his 2002 clothes, as had the rest of them. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the amulet, and squeezed the drops of blood onto it.

Everyone unconsciously braced themselves for what would happen next, but they weren't prepared for what did.

4 'Caught in the Middle' by Deana: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=642601

OH MY GOSH I can't believe I did that to my wonderful, faithful readers! LOLOL! How rotten of me! *Hides* Stay tuned, lol! ;)