A/U: I wrote this over about a year, heh. The idea formed around Mothers' Day 2002 and I wrote little tidbits every few monthes and Ifinally decided to put up what I have so far here.Some of the moments are one of those 'extend your belief' moments. I think. Well, hope it's not a complete waste of time :) . Constructive criticism is welcome :).

Yelling street vendors' voices rose over the rather large crowd in the pedestrian street of Cairo, Egypt. The day was bright, as they almost always are, and the air was thin. This street was also used as a market place, which held most of Evelyn Carnahan's memories of her days as a librarian.

The O'Connell family pushed their way through the sea of people in the market place: Alex sitting on his Father's shoulders and Evelyn's fingers intertwined with her husband Rick's.

" Now.." He grunted as he roughly brushed by an Arab selling a pocket watch." Remind me again why you wanted to come this way? Especially on Mothers' Day."

" Do we need a reason? " Evelyn asked, her eyes glazed with innocence. " I missed doing this. I used to walk this way when I was a librarian. "

" We could have taken the nice, normal way of driving a car to get to the Museum of Antiquities." His voice lowered. " Your cat-thing could get stolen."

Evelyn wrinkled her nose at his terminology of her highly appraised artifact. " It's not a 'cat-thing', it's a golden statue of Bast, and my first find as an archaeologist." Her voice rose. Rick put a finger over her lip, warning her to not talk so loudly. " They aren't all criminals, Rick. And, besides, it's well-hidden." She then reached her hand up to its keeper and swept her hand tenderly over his forehead, which made the three-year- old-tot smile. " You'll keep it safe for me, Alex, won't you?" She cooed. He hugged the cloth-wrapped, golden statue.

" This is my gift to you for Mother's Day." Alex told her. Evie smiled.

" That's a good gift, I don't need any trinkets you can buy at a store." Evelyn lowered her gaze a little back down to Rick. He couldn't help but smirk and steal a quick kiss.

After their son made a sound of disgust at their mushy moment, his voice squeaked, " Daddy? Can you let me down now?"

"Sure, Alex." Rick assured him, as he lifted him from his shoulders and set him down. "Stay close." He said as he put protective arm in front of his son's skinny body.

Content silence prevailed them for the next few blocks. Alex's parents took long strides, as he took three quick steps to catch up.

Out of the corner of his eye, Rick saw something-gleaming gold. He stopped and saw a little old stall with some valuables that clearly stood out from its surroundings. A stack of six bracelets, exactly alike with the look of joined leaves, stood atop the counter, with a sleepy Arab man standing behind it, slapping away a mosquito.

Evie would love that bracelet, Rick thought to himself. She had told him she didn't want anything, but he wanted to show her how much he loved her again. She told him not to buy her anything for every holiday, but he always did, and she was overjoyed at his thoughtfulness every time. Just how was he going to get over there without her noticing?

" I think I see something that would be great for-uh.my car." Idiot.

Evelyn drew in her eyebrows. She tilted her head as she asked him. " Your car? Here?"

She turned to her side, to find her husband gone, engulfed by the mob of walkers. She squinted at the direction she supposed Rick had gone. She crossed her hands over her chest, " Ooooh.", she puffed.

Now, for a three-year-old, this ten-minute walk was much too long. It was long enough to let his mind wander as he trotted beside his parents. Once they stopped, he cast his gaze across the alley, and abruptly stopped when he saw a group of laughing boys not very far away. Their laughs were taunting, tempting, and challenging him to play with them. Alex looked up at his Mother, then spun around and advanced on the mysterious boys. The Arab boys retreated from behind the crates they stood behind. Alex reached out his hands, as if to tell them to wait, as he gained speed.

Once he approached the crates, he peered over them into the darkness of the alley. He heard a giggle, but saw no sign of the giggler. He crawled over the crates and rolled off the edge. He sat up dizzily and was overtaken by misty, cool air. He felt cold, but persevered in the finding of these boys. He squinted, trying to see through the dark. Alex frowned; disappointed he never got to play with them. He sucked in air and forced it all out as he stomped his foot.

Suddenly, he heard a heavy footfall on the sand and felt a dust clothe slap over his face, which gave him only a short moment to scream.

~*~

" Well, Alex, I suppose we should wait for your father, hm?" Evelyn sighed.

She turned round to take her son in her protective grasp..

.. to find her little boy gone. Evelyn's heart jumped to her throat.

" Alex!" She frantically scanned the small, crowded road. " Rick!" Oh, my God! Oh, please, tell me Alex just went to his father.

Once she turned around, she found her husband behind her, with a grim face ready to hear the news, but with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Before another word was spoken, a scream struck their ears. They both jerked their heads, then ran in the direction from which his scream emerged.

They approached their destination, which was a dark alley behind wooden crates.

" Are you sure you heard his scream from here, Rick? It could have just been his voice carried here." Evelyn said absently, knowing he had very keen senses that were barely ever wrong, but she had a horribly bad feeling about this particular alley and didn't want to imagine poor Alex wondering in it alone or worse.. with a stranger meaning to harm him. Rick just fervently nodded, without looking away.

Something caught his attention, a rumpled cloth just at the right turn of the alley. He strode over and scooped it up. Evelyn recognized it.

" Alex's handkerchief. The-the one he was using to cover the Bast stat- .." She trailed off. Her mouth froze; her expression horror-stricken. " It's my fault. If I hadn't let him carry.. he would still be with us-!" Her harsh voice was but a whisper.

" Evie... Honey, it's not your fault." Rick put his arm on her shoulder, as Evelyn gazed into the dark oblivion.

Moments later, Evelyn shook her head and looked up at him in sudden fierce determination. " Let's get him back, Rick." She sternly stated. Rick nodded and kissed her head. They turned the corner the evidence had pointed them to, with a heart heavy of hope.

" There's a light coming from that cellar." Evelyn pointed out once they turned.

" What kind of an idiot would make his hide-out so close to the scene-of- the-crime?" Rick asked, incredulously.

" Rick, we may as well look, people-of-crime usually are idiots." Evelyn said, while tugging at the lock. She moved aside for him, when she saw his gesture to move aside.

" Well, way back when I was an idiot, I learned a little something like this-" Rick beamed at his wife, with the unlocked lock dangling from his fingers. Rick turned and started down the stairs. Now what to do, he didn't have his guns. Of all times to leave my revolver at home! His thought hollered. He hadn't done hand-to-hand combat since he taught Evelyn one odd night she was drunk. Damn, I hope I haven't lost it. He pleaded. His trail of thought was lost and Evelyn paused with him when they heard a cold, nasal voice from below-

" Now, what to do with you, boyo'. I can't very well let ya' scamper off and report to the Bobbies." The voice sneered.

There was a small whimper sounded by a second voice after the nasal speaker, this whimper threatened tears. The man seemed strangely pleased by this boy's immense fear, for he began to chuckle.

" Aye, but it was all worth it. This baby's gonna' make me rich!" Rick heard a squeaking sound, like the man was rubbing something, something with a smooth surface. " Yes, you are." He cooed.

Rick turned to Evelyn, who quickly nodded, as if reading his mind. Rick took a quick look through a hall to see what he was dealing with here. The man proved to be the kidnapper they were looking for. The man had a hook nose, a dirty, stubby haired face, he was very thin and tall, he was almost the exact replica of a snake with hair. The Snake had a heavy Scottish accent. No problem. Rick scoffed as he began to retreat to their hiding place.

" Daddy!" Alex squealed joyfully at the wonderful site. Dammit! Rick jerked his head away as he mentally hit himself. Evelyn's hair slapped him in the face, as she responded to Alex's cry.

" Who's there?" The Snake hissed, his voice getting closer. " Who's there!?" The floor's creaking grew faster. . .

To be continued.

A/U: Muahahaha! I stopped it. I kind of lazed off at the end, but I needed to get something on here. I'm already started with the next chapter so you should see it here soon. So, care to tell me what you think about this chapter?