Nick walked down the hall of his home before he ran into Sarah as she came out of her room.

"Where're you going in such a hurry?" he asked her with a smile.

"Going out with some friends. We're going to the mall and checking out the new fashions," she replied.

"Just remember..." he called to her.

"...don't buy anything you probably won't wear or use and don't go with any strangers. Plus don't bother Jackie if I see her since she's still quite upset about that trick we pulled on her last year," she finished with a smile on her face as well. "You've told me before and I've always listened."

Nick rolled his eyes as he watched her leave through the door. Patrick walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about her Nick. She's 17, nearly 18 after all. She can take care of herself," Patrick told him.

"That she is and I trust her enough," Nick replied as he sat on the couch.

Patrick sat down beside him and sighed.

"I know we never stop saying this but thanks again for taking us in," Patrick told him.

"It's no problem at all. I've told you that every time. I didn't want to see you separated. I can see the two of you keep an eye out for each other," Nick replied.

"It's been two years. She's soon going to be done high school and I'm taking a course at the local college and it's all thanks to you," Patrick said before standing up and heading towards the door as well.

Nick watched as the 20-year-old walked outside.

"Those two are so eager," he muttered to himself as he stood up.

He headed towards the window and looked outside through the blinds. There, he saw a man standing outside the house. Nick noticed that the man was as tall as he was with shoulder-length black hair that was tied back. He wore sunglasses as he gazed over the house. He soon came in contact with Nick and they stared at each other. Nick watched as the man took off his sunglasses and placed them in his shirt pocket.

'What does he want? Why is he here?' wondered Nick as the man glanced both sides of him before heading across the street.

Then he felt dread all the way down in his gut as he continued to watch the man.

The man walked across the street, smiling that he saw the man staring out the window at him.

"I will come after you soon but I need to go check on someone else first before I come back to you," he said to himself as he disappeared into an alley.

No one saw him do so except a surgeon looking out his home window.

00000

Nick walked into the hospital as Rae headed past the front doors. She saw Nick out of the corner of her eye and stopped, a smile on her face.

"What brings you here? There's anything wrong, is there?" she asked him, becoming a bit worried once she saw the scared look on his face.

"Listen, there's something I want to tell you but not here," he told her quietly as he led her away from the crowd.

He took her to a vacant room, where he proceeded to tell her what he had seen.

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you Nick. For all you know, it could be some guy looking at your house and you just happened to see him," Rae suggested.

"You may be right though he still looked to be menacing in some way. If I ever saw him again, I'd be wary of him," Nick replied as he shrugged his shoulders.

00000

The group of four found themselves standing in an alleyway. Rick looked out to see the tall buildings and people hurrying about.

"What're we doing back in San Fransisco?" he wondered as he started to walk out of the alley.

"San Fransisco? We're in California?" Evie wanted to make sure as she followed him.

Ardeth and Catlanda followed them as well. He was helping her walk as she limped along beside him. She was gasping for air.

"Yes, we are. This is where Alex and I landed when we had that trouble at the temple about two years ago but what are we supposed to do here?" Rick replied as they headed out into the street.

It was then that Catlanda perked up a bit and began to walk down the street. The group received a few stares along the way.

"Rick, the Guardian said there were two men in this time that are in great danger. Here, in America. She must have sent us to this place for a reason. Would you have any idea why? Anybody here we might have to protect?" Catlanda wondered.

Rick stopped and stared back at her, confused.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her.

"Yes, what are you talking about? Why did you go to the Temple of Isis?" Evie added.

The two Medjai looked at each other and sighed.

"I suppose it is about time we told you. We knew this was happening before we even went there. We have to stop the Time Traveller before he destroys all that is good," Ardeth explained to them.

"Who is he after exactly?" Evie asked of them.

"We are not exactly sure at the moment but I would rather go somewhere and sit down. My injury is starting to hurt again," Catlanda told them as she leaned a bit on Ardeth.

He supported her as he looked at Evie and Rick.

"Where are these people you became friends with? Catlanda needs to be somewhere safe," Ardeth asked of Rick.

To the American, it almost sounded as if the Medjai was pleading for him to do this. Something he never heard of Ardeth doing.

"Okay, let's go," Rick said as they began to walk towards the hospital. "Follow me. I remember where it is."

00000

Jules walked in the hallway, heading towards her office. On the way, she looked up to see Jackie heading towards her.

"Hi Jackie. How're you doing?" she asked.

Jackie gave a knowing smile.

"How do you think I'm doing? After that little stunt those three pulled on me, I don't know if I'll ever talk to them again," she replied.

"Come on now. That was a year ago! Besides, I hate to say this but you did kind of deserve it. After treating Nick the way you did with that nickname. It did get on his nerves," Jules told her.

Jackie drooped her shoulders at the comment.

"Take their side, why don't you?" Jackie muttered as she walked away from Jules, who had a smile on her face.

Jackie walked down to the main lobby and gazed over the people there. She soon came to a group of people dressed in strange clothing. She narrowed her eyes as she started to walk over to them.

"Nick? Is that you? What a way to do something else to me! Wasn't that joke last year enough?" she told herself.

The man had his back to her but she was sure it was him. He was helping a woman sit into a chair. He knelt by her as the doctor walked up to them. The woman saw her and stared at her. Jackie crossed her arms and snickered.

"Nick, if you think a disguise like that is going to fool me, I don't know what you're thinking," she said.

The man heard this and stood up before turning to face her. Jackie gasped, pitting her hands up to her mouth.

"You're not Nick!" she cried.

Ardeth was confused as her looked over at Rick.

"Nick. I forgot about him. Listen Ardeth, this Nick fellow looks just like you. Easy mistake. I confused him for you," Rick told him. "Jackie, this is Ardeth, his daughter Catlanda and my wife Evelyn."

It was then that Jackie saw Rick and smiled.

"They're friends of yours? Good. What're you doing here?" she asked.

"We need your help. We're looking for two men whose lives are in danger," Ardeth told her.

Jackie led the group to the coffee room, where Rae and Nick were already.

"Rick? Is that you?" Rae asked with a smile.

"Yes it is. I'm back!" he replied.

Nick also smiled but it quickly turned into amazement as Ardeth walked into the room. The two stared at each other. Rae looked between the two.

"I don't believe it! They look near identical," she exclaimed.

"Dad, this is one of the two men we're looking for. I can feel it," Catlanda said out of nowhere.

Ardeth nodded his head as he sat down by his daughter.

"We have some explaining to do. There is a man called the Time Traveller who found a portal to the timestream. He stepped into it and is now forever cursed because of it. He travels through time, for his own evil purposes. Now, it looks like three men are in danger from him: myself, Nick here and one other man living here in the United States and all because we have adopted children," Ardeth explained to them.

"So that's why we're here. Because we've already met one of the two and he's one of them," Rick said, refering to Nick. "Since you have Catty and Nick has Sarah and Patrick."

"I am certain that is why we are here," Ardeth told him.

"How will we find this man? He isn't just going to show up out of the blue," Rae mentioned.

"We know," sighed Catlanda. "Though we can find out where he is and approach him."

"Well, we'd better get going to find this man. After all, there's millions of people in this country," Jackie suggested.

"But we can find him with the Spire," Rick told her.

"It can do that?" she asked as the group walked out of the room.

Catlanda slowly walked in the back until she felt pain in her stomach. She cried out as she leaned against the wall. Ardeth turned and hurried to her.

"What's wrong?" he frantically asked her as he helped her to her knees.

"It can't wait!" she told him. "It's coming!"

"By Allah," he said as the others hurried up to them.

"What's going on here?" demanded Rick. "This can't be some injury."

"Ardeth, we must tell them, now," Catlanda whispered to him.

Ardeth sighed and nodded, knowing that he must.

"She needs help yes, but it is no injury. She is pregnant," Ardeth told them as they gasped.

"No she's not. She doesn't look it so she can't be," Rae protested.

"Spire, remove the spell," Ardeth ordered as he held onto the Spire.

The eyes glowed and Catlanda's pregnancy slowly came into view of the group, making them all gasp.

TBC...