I love you all! Thank you! Enjoy!

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Men!!!

I could tell that if I did end up knowing that blasted man for any length of time he would never let me forget that damn kiss. Why, oh why did I kiss him? I couldn't even answer for my own stupid actions! Imagine what he must have been thinking!

No. I wasn't going to deal with the implications of that just then. I had more important things to worry about. When the boat you happen to be traveling on is attacked by desert bandits and set on fire, relationship issues tend to be pushed to the background.

Not that I was thinking about relationships. No, sir.

I wasn't going to bother looking for Jonathan; my brother had a nose for danger that had kept him out of many a dire situation. It was O'Connell that I was more worried about. No, it wasn't what you're thinking. He was, after all, the sponsor of the expedition, and had all the money. Plus he was a bit of a pansy. I wasn't sure he could take care of himself. I figured those professor-types who spent all day cooped up in libraries with nobody but dust mites for company probably wouldn't be up to par in dealing with attacks such as these. O'Connell might need help.

As it was, I was just in time to see O'Connell shove my brother over a railing. Perhaps the man could be put to some use, after all. He then took a step, slipped on a patch of water, and fell overboard himself. Honestly, the guy had no coordination at all. I leapt over the side after them, handy rucksack of guns in tow. The cold water shocked my senses for a frozen moment before I surfaced and spotted the shore through watery eyes. I ducked underneath again and swam as hard as I could for land. Once my knees hit sand I collapsed, barely noting that O'Connell and Jon had beat me there.

"What the Hell was that?" sputtered Jonathan, shaking out his jacket. "Can you believe the nerve? These clothes are brand new--"

"Clothes?" interrupted O'Connell. "You're thinking about clothes at a time like this? What about our supplies??"

I finally actually looked at O'Connell and realized that he was apparently not at all interested in clothes after all. In the fray on the boat he seemed to have forgotten his shirt.

Jesus. Who knew professors could have such great abs after all?

"Evelyn?" he said, offering a hand. I was still on the ground. Durr. "Are you okay?"

I got up without his assistance and shook out my hair. "Never been better. I assume you boys are in one piece?"

"Perfect," said O'Connell, very softly. If he would just stop staring at me--

"Eeeeeeeeeevvvvyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!" I heard from across the river. "Eeeeeevvvvvvyyyyy!!!!" It was an annoying little nasally voice that almost sounded like...

"You're alive!" the man across the river called, and I finally located him. He was wearing a little red cap and screaming his head off. "I thought I'd never see you again!!"

"Beni, you bastard!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "What the Hell are you doing here?"

"I'm so glad you're alive, Evy, I--"

"You left me to die in the desert, you asshole!"

O'Connell tapped me on the shoulder. "Uh, who is that?"

I ignored him and kept yelling at the little rat across the river. "You really expect me to believe you after what you did to me? Rot in Hell, you--"

"Evelyn!" O'Connell looked positively scandalized. "Would you please tell me what is going on?!"

I glared at him, staring fixedly at his face in order to avoid staring at the rest of him. "Meet Beni Gabor. He's the one across the way that looks like a drowned rat."

He doesn't look. Those stupid blue eyes stay locked on mine. "And why are we yelling at him?"

"Don't take that tone with me, buddy!" I yanked open the rucksack and pulled a gun out. Unusable for the moment. "Damn it! I swear to God that if I could, I'd shoot the both of you!" I turned my attention across the river again, where Beni appeared to be organizing his little team of marauders. "You'd better get far, far away from here, Gabor, 'cause when I catch up with you--"

"Wait a minute," said O'Connell. "He's your ex-boyfriend? He's the one who took you to Hamunaptra?"

"Jealous, darling?" I batted my eyes at him and did a little half-twirl as I walked past him. "Why, don't fight over little ol' me, I wouldn't want you to hurt each other."

"I could take him," I heard O'Connell mutter. I stifled my laughter until he was out of earshot, not willing to give him the satisfaction. At least the man is funny...

Or maybe he wasn't joking at all.

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