Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Mummy, but I'd be willing to sell myself into slavery for a crack at Ardeth. (giggle)

Author's Note: Based on my reviews, I have decided to continue with the third chapter. I will update as much as possible, but I just got a new job (for which my husband is very grateful) so I won't be able to get on the internet as much as I can now. Keep those reviews coming and thanks to all of you who weighed in with your opinion. Maybe someday I can continue this story from the second chapter.

Rick woke up first that morning. He was usually up first anyway. His hand reached out for Evelyn, only to find she wasn't there. Despite his effort to stay calm, he felt panic grip his heart. Throwing a shirt on, he charged out of the tent.(He already had pants on. Keep your mind out of the gutter, people). The sight that met his eyes gave him a sense of relief mixed with more than a little curiosity.

Evelyn wasn't far away. She was asleep on a sand dune, looking very peaceful in the arms of Ardeth Bay, who also slept soundly. Quelling the jealousy that threatened to rise up in him, Rick reasoned there must be a perfectly acceptable explanation for their, um, positions. He walked up closer and cleared his throat.

Ardeth woke up with a start and became acutely aware of his arm around Evie's waist. The sun was rising overhead. 'Allah help us,' he thought. 'How long have we been out here?' He glanced down at Evie's head on his chest and couldn't help but smile at the humor of the situation. He shook her shoulder gently. She didn't budge. Then, as he tried to extract his arm from around her, he caught sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye. A figure he knew all too well.

"O'Connell," he said, jumping up. Evie's head hit the sand, which finally awoke the heavy sleeper of the O'Connell family. While Ardeth struggled to find words, Evie shook sand out of her hair.

"Oh, my. How long have we been out here?" she inquired, echoing Ardeth's earlier thoughts.

"Long enough, apparently," Rick put in. Evie looked up in shock at her husband. Ardeth rushed forward to defend the situation.

"Now, O'Connell," he started. "It was all perfectly innocent. Evelyn and I were just out here talking. We must have fallen asleep. I swear, O'Connell."

Rick felt foolish for feeling so jealous. He loved his wife. He knew she loved him. And, Ardeth? Well, Ardeth was too noble to take advantage of another man's wife, no matter how beautiful she was. Still, seeing Evie in his arms had been something of a shock. He had no doubt that Ardeth's story was true, but still. What an awkward predicament.

"Oh, Rick. Don't stand there looking like that. You know perfectly well that Ardeth is telling the truth. I came out here last night because I couldn't sleep. Ardeth arrived not long afterwards and we began to talk. Honestly, Rick, I thought we'd gotten past this whole 'my woman' thing."

The chastisement in Evie's tone got through to Rick. He saw the humor in this otherwise strange and awkward situation and gave Ardeth a lopsided grin. Relieved, Ardeth smiled back slightly and gripped his friend's hand in a firm handshake.

"O'Connell. I came to talk to you about Ahm-Shere. Evelyn filled me in on everything that went on there. I am sorry, my friend, that I couldn't be there to help you."

Rick nodded, his eyes clouding over with memories of the day before. He, too, had wondered if things might have gone differently had the Medjai been there with Evie and Jonathan while he raced his son to the temple. Perhaps Evie never would've died.

"I understand, Ardeth. You had your job to do, just as I did."

A wave of understanding flowed between the two men and Evie breathed a sigh of relief. It had certainly been awkward for a few minutes. Apprehension overtook her as she remembered Ardeth's words of the night before, spoken just before she had drifted to sleep.

"I'll go with you to Cairo, Evelyn," he had said. "But you must tell your husband about the baby before we get there. A marriage cannot be built on secrets. Even I know that. And in your heart, you know it, too."

Evie sighed again in frustration. Of course, Ardeth had been right. He was always right. She hated that. Hated the fact that she would have to destroy her husband again with the knowledge that she had put their long wished for child in harm's way. Alex, running out of the tent, interrupted her morbid thoughts as he enveloped her in a tight hug.

"Good morning, darling," she exclaimed, trying to sound bright and cheery. "Did you sleep well?"

"Well, if he did, I certainly didn't," came Jonathan's voice. Her brother stumbled out of the tent. Evie smiled as she noticed he still held the Ahm- Shere diamond close to him. Jonathan was incorrigible.

"You kick," Jonathan told Alex with disdain. "You kick hard. I'll probably have bruises all over my legs before the day is out."

"So what!" Alex yelled. "You snore. Very loudly. It's a wonder anyone got any bloody sleep at all."

"Alex, watch your language," Evie said sharply as she went into her tent to change. Outside, she heard Rick breaking up the fight between Jonathan and Alex. Then came the sounds of Rick waking Izzy up and Izzy's loud protests. Evie's heart leaped into her throat as she realized they would be leaving soon. They would be in Cairo by that afternoon. She had to tell Rick soon. Or she would lose Ardeth's support.

As if on cue, Rick walked into the tent and smiled at Evie. He gathered her in his arms and kissed her deeply. The kiss that made her feel like agreeing to anything. She hated it when he did that. When he pulled back, she was grateful for his steadying arms around her waist. But the look in his eyes was unmistakable. A blush crept up Evie's face.

"Rick, we're in the desert," she whispered.

"Yes? And your point would be?" he grinned. Evie's heart beat faster.

"Our friends are right outside. Our son. My brother. Rick, can't you wait?"

"For you?" he said huskily. "Impossible."

Evie didn't deny that she wanted Rick as badly as he wanted her, but they would be in Cairo that afternoon. Couldn't he cool his heels for just a few more hours? Besides, she felt courage welling up in her. It was now or never. Gently, she pulled away from him. Rick looked at her questioningly.

"Rick, we need to talk. I have something very important to tell you. And I don't think you'll like it."

At first Rick thought she was teasing him. But the sorrow evident in those brown eyes he adored convinced him otherwise. He sat down and pulled Evie down next to him.

"What is it, Evelyn?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

Evie took a deep breath. In her mind, she said a quick prayer before she began.

She told him about her suspicions when they had found the bracelet of Anubis. About the healer Ardeth had taken her to see when they came back to Egypt. She left out no detail of her story. She plunged ahead, all at once eager to get it all out. When she finished, she met Rick's eyes pleadingly.

"And, now," she finished, "we're going to find out if the baby survived. I need your support, Rick. I don't blame you if you're angry with me for putting the baby in danger. Just, please, support me right now. Yell at me when we get back home."

Rick was silent. He wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't angry. Not really. But he was hurt and dreadfully so.

"I'm not angry with you, Evelyn," he managed to say. "I'll go with you to the healer. I'll support you. But it will take some time to forget that you didn't feel you could trust me with information like this."

"But, Rick,"

Rick held up his hand.

"You've hurt me, Evie. You've hurt me deeply. Not because of the baby. But because you didn't tell me earlier. I'm sure you had your reasons, all of them good, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I'm your husband, Evelyn. I'm supposed to help you through everything just as you help me. We're partners, remember? We'll talk about this later, though. After we visit the healer in Cairo. I'm afraid we have a lot to talk about, Evie. Wouldn't you agree?"

She nodded miserably. Rick reached out and caressed her cheek with his hand.

"Don't misunderstand me, Evelyn. I love you. I always will love you. We'll work through this, I promise. But, right now, let's focus on getting to Cairo and the healer."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently, then left the tent. She heard him shouting orders to Izzy to put some speed on. A few tears escaped her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly and began to pack things up for the trip. If Izzy was wise, they would be ready to go in no time at all.

(To Be Continued)