A/N. What can I say? well I think 'I'm sorry' is a good start. So, I'm sorry this chapter took so long to come out. But thank you, thank you all for still being here and taking the time to read and review.

If I'm completely honest I cant promise the next chapter wont take as long to find its way to the site, but all I can do is promise that it is coming.

For all you wonderful reviews, that absolutly smashed my reviews record, this chapter is for you:

Lilylynn,- well we wouldn't want you going crazy now, would we. Mandi-Solo- hey great to hear from you, oh yes I can identify with the trouble with computers. DaughterofDeath- done. Jane- not stopped just on a break. Steeldust-01- you too kind thank you. Steel WildFire203- I'm honoured you think so, I hope this chapter stays up to standard. Dr. Nat - well I cant say I didn't warn you I'm evil, this chapter is no different, and the relic? Well that depends on what you think it is. Mel- well here it is. emofairyprincess- I'm glade you enjoyed despite the spelling, and grammar. (JAX you listening?) rosie-bec- u r biased. Kiley- thank you. Lucky Fannah- so pleased to see your still with me, don't worry there's much more to come from our favourite rouge. toni isis- thank you sweetie I do try with my characterisations. Hiril Moon- hehehe, you wouldn't want it any other way. Quite Silent-that's the plan. Lizzie- I know I know about time right? Well here it is. Ur support has meant absolutely loads to me, thank you, xxx Lilylnn -hello again, what can I say sorry for making you wait, Adele- you were right. Orlando-crazy- thanks.

Ok I think its been long enough, so onwards we go…

Chapter 13 - Lets sleeping princesses lie.

"My God..." Evelyn whispered as her hand slowly went to her mouth. Standing perfectly still opposite the now open room, she could see deep inside.

"Evie?" Rick asked as approached her side, worried by the way the blood seemed to have drained from her face. Staring deep into the doorway, he could see little but the dust.

"What is it?" he asked, his concern growing as she failed to acknowledge him. Gently he reached to her shoulders and turned her to face him."What's the matter?"

Finally tearing her eyes away, she faced her husband.

"It's…it's where I .. She… she is"

Understanding her words, Rick pulled her shaking body into his arms, and met Ardeth's gaze over her shoulder. The Medjai had been peering into the darkroom. Slowly he nodded, confirming Evelyn's suspicions. Rick just held his wife tighter. This is what they had been looking for, what they had wanted all day. The reality, however, seemed much worse than they had imagined.

"I can't," Evie began whispering as she stepped backwards. "Rick I can't go in there."

Taking control of the situation, Rick put his arm around Evelyn's waist and began steering her away.

"Lets get some air," he suggested. Overwrought by the situation, Evelyn nodded and allowed herself to be led.

Pausing as he reached the doorway, Rick shot Ardeth a look that the man understood instantaneously, and it froze his steps. Rick wanted to be alone with his wife, and Ardeth couldn't blame him.

XXX

Rick sat silently next to his wife in the soft sand. Apart from a few deep breaths of relief when they had first emerged into the sunshine, Evelyn hadn't spoken. And although this worried Rick greatly, he was respecting it. He couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through, although as he sat in silence he began to ruminate on his own troubles. Things were beginning to spiral out of control; not only was he having the visions, but they were starting to become entwined with memories of his own life, making it hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. His back still hurt from last night's escapade, and it was only getting worse as the day wore on. But he couldn't talk to Evie about any of it, not with everything that was going on for her.

Looking across to his wife, he longed for a way to halt her distress more so than his own. He desperately wished there was some decision to be made, something that would allow him to take charge and bring the situation back under his control.

XXX

Evie couldn't speak to Rick even if she wished to; her mind was in too much turmoil. Although she had to admit that just feeling his presence next to her was comforting.

She wasn't sure why she was so unnerved. She had the opportunity of a lifetime before her, and yet every time she thought about exploring Nefertiri's burial chamber, her chest tightened and she could hardly breathe. She knew today would be tough but she had no idea it would be anything like this. That room was her grave, and after her death experience last year she was even more certain that she wasn't ready to go to it yet. She couldn't believe the decision she was coming to. As a scholar she was positively disgusted with herself- she knew many archaeologists out there who would give their right arm to explore this unopened, undisturbed tomb of an ancient princess, but her earlier words were true; she couldn't do it. She couldn't go there.

She knew the very thing they had come for, the weapon Djeser-si had demanded, was in all probability in there, and yet still…

Suddenly, as she began to remember how precious the time they had was, she realised how she was wasting it.

Turning slowly she faced Rick, and just for a second before he realised she was watching him she saw a troubled, almost pained look cross his face. The look worried her so much she almost forgot what she was about to say.

"Evelyn?" Rick asked softly.

"You must go in," she said simply.

Surprised by her words, Rick scanned her face for its sincerity, and found it straight away. He realised how difficult it was for her not to explore but he also respected her decision, and would not cause her more pain by questioning it. Standing up, he nodded.

"I won't let you down, I'll bring it back," he promised.

Evelyn just nodded, turned her head, and began worrying about her husband.

XXX

Ardeth paced from the hieroglyphs to the open doorway. He really wanted to get on with things, but he wasn't stupid enough to go on in alone. He also knew he had to be patient; it was a difficult situation, and Rick and Evie needed some time alone. This journey had and would continue to get more trying for them. But then again Ardeth realised most of their journeys seemed to be.

Surrounded by some of the memories from their past adventures, he almost didn't hear Rick when he finally stalked back in. Turning quickly, however, he watched as Rick strode in confidently through the entrance, then without stopping straight in through the open doorway and into Nefertiri's death chamber. Somewhat surprised that Rick was alone, but knowing better than to ask, Ardeth followed quickly.

XXX

After having inched their way along the narrow corridor, both Rick and Ardeth breathed a sigh of relief as the room widened into a large chamber.

Reaching up, Rick lit the brazier on one side of the large doorway as Ardeth reached for the other. The light that suddenly filled the chamber reflected off many golden and jewelled artefacts. Had he cared about such things, Rick might had been impressed. As it was, however, Rick strode single-mindedly into the room, stopping only as he reached the large stone sarcophagus in the centre. Unwilling to confront the unease the large object promoted in him, Rick was about to turn his back on it and face Ardeth when a scratching noise stopped him in his tracks. Turning quickly he pulled his guns and aimed them towards the noise in one fluid motion, remembering the scarabs from Hamanaptra.

Surprised by the rashness of his friend's actions, Ardeth stepped around him, and into his aim.

"O'Connell?" he asked as the adventurer continued to stare unblinking into the corner. "It's only a rat, my friend," he continued as he saw Rick's fingers still tensed on the triggers of his faithful side-arms.

Taking another deep breath of the stale air, Rick relaxed. He had heard Ardeth's words, and realised how jumpy he was being. Unhappy at his lack of control of his own actions, Rick re-holstered his guns vehemently.

"Lets just get this thing, and get out of here." he snapped.

XXX

Standing along one of the many connecting rooms, Evelyn was busily decrypting the hieroglyphs she had uncovered earlier that morning. She had returned to the heat of the tunnels when her concern grew to unbearable levels. Still unable to bring herself to enter the burial chamber with the men, she had returned to the spot she had noticed earlier, deep within the complex. Early this morning she had been able to tell immediately that this direction did not lead to where they desired, so they had moved on quickly, but now she had time on her hands with which to investigate more.

Most of the sets of hieroglyphs seemed to tell stories from Nefertiri's life, and give prayers for her afterlife, except for one group which contained many lurid threats as to what would happen to anyone disturbing the princess' peace. Evelyn discounted the majority of these threats, having seen them before on other tombs.

Grave robbing was unfortunately popular, even in the period during which these resting places were constructed, and the empty threats were often written in the desperate hope that they might deter such activities. The biggest flaw in this, however, was that many of the tomb robbers were uneducated peasants who couldn't read the warnings anyway.

One warning stuck out though, and as Evelyn read it, the colour drained from her face.

The warning contained a description of Nefertiri's sarcophagus, and the fate that would befall those that touched it; they would be tested against Nefertiri's protector.

With fear knotting her stomach, Evelyn's thoughts fled to her husband, and his safety. Her heart was pounding, and she had only one thought in her mind, and one word on her lips.

"Rick!" she cried. Grinding her heels in the sand as she turned, Evelyn ran forward, so desperate to prevent harm coming to her beloved that she failed to notice the sand shifting below her feet as ancient mechanisms whirled in to life.

The room she was standing in was never designed to be left, the warning never to be heeded.

The sand in the doorway fell into a man-made pit that suddenly opened up below, creating a chasm that Evelyn only noticed when it was too late, and her foot already on the edge slipped forward on the loose grains. Crying out, she couldn't control her movement as her ankle twisted painfully beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground.

Lying perfectly still in the sand Evelyn's eyes fluttered shut, as the jagged rock her head had landed on turned red.

XXX

Rick sighed and stretched his aching back. He was beginning to get fed up.

"This is taking forever," he snapped finally at Ardeth. They had been examining each of the chests and statues along the far wall. Much to Rick's annoyance each item demanded to be handled carefully.

"Patience," Ardeth spoke softly as he moved another jewelled pot, "as your wife would say, is a virtue."

Rick rolled his eyes, and was about to reply as the sound of running footsteps stopped him.

"Ye effendim! Effendim!" a breathless voice called.

Turning from the statue he had been looking at, Ardeth moved to stand in the doorway as

a young Medjai suddenly appeared before him from the corridor. Peering fearfully into the room, the young boy paused to get his breath back.

"Sir," he continued after a moment. "There is news for you, you must come now."

Ardeth nodded curtly. He had been waiting for this. Turning to Rick he quickly explained the situation.

"I'll keep looking then," Rick called, as Ardeth finished and stalked out of the door.

As he watched him leave the large burial chamber, Rick's eyes were drawn to the sarcophagus. He couldn't ignore it any longer. His feet slowly led him nearer and nearer until he was next to it. Reaching out, he placed his hand on the cold and dusty stone, and all the physical pain from his shoulders melted away, and was replaced with a more intense hurtful one in his chest. Surprised by the sudden emotion flooding him, Rick took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if the sadness was his or Menka's, but the sheer thought of his love lying dead in that coffin completely destroyed him inside.

Running his hands across the engraved lid he became aware of a scratching noise.
"Goddamn rats," he swore under his breath, and concentrated once again on the coffin.

Something suddenly caught his eye; a shadow moving across the stone. As he looked to see what had made it, the scratching turned to the grinding of stone. Instinctively Rick dropped and rolled sideways, just as the sword of the large statue behind him came down, slicing through the air where he had been standing and embedding itself in the edge of Nefertiri's resting place, with a teeth-juddering crash.

Looking up wide eyed, Rick stared at the statue. He hadn't taken any notice of it, with its sword raised above its head, before. But now as he glared through the torchlight he began to think that it looked familiar. Standing up, he was just dusting himself down when his eyes saw a flicker of light reflect through the cracks of something inside the stone sword.

XXX

Ardeth's meeting with the Medjai was over relatively quickly. He received the information he had asked for, and although not of a happy vein, it wasn't bad news. Quickly he made his way back to his friends, knowing full well they were in need of some good news.

As he entered the main room, a thought occurred to him; he hadn't seen Evelyn outside. Looking around rapidly he saw no sign of the librarian. Wondering whether she had ventured into the burial chamber, he turned and began to make his way back to Rick.

XXX

Rick walked along the short corridor with a smile on his face; finally something had gone his way. In his hand was one of the most comfortable weapons he had ever held; it was a sword that he had retrieved from a stone prison. As it glinted in the torch light it was obvious that none of its beauty or sharpness had been eroded by the years; it was Menka's sword, the 'Great Protector.'

As a figure loomed towards him, Rick automatically lifted the sword to protect himself.

"O'Connell!" Ardeth's voiced called through the gloom. Rick smiled; it seemed Ardeth had learnt his lesson about not announcing himself. Stepping forward, Rick smiled a greeting, until Ardeth asked a question that made his heart sink.

"Is Evelyn with you?"

Shaking his head, Rick was worried. "No, no," he stuttered. "Isn't she out here?" he asked, a familiar feeling of dread rising as he brushed past the Medjai and out into the large room they had made their base.

Ardeth just shook his head.

Dropping the sword, Rick began to look around frantically.

"Calm," Ardeth soothed, his tone no more frantic than normal. "We can search the corridors, she cannot be far."

Rick was already nodding by the time Ardeth looked to him for a reaction. "Yes," Rick said and pointed towards the room with Menka's engraving in. "I'll go this way."

Ardeth joined him in the nodding, although Rick didn't stand around to see.

His blood was racing around his body, all he could think about was his beautiful wife. Stomping from room to room, the further from the central chamber he got the more concerned he became. His nerves already tested far beyond anything resembling normal, Rick felt as if he was working almost entirely on adrenalin.

"O'Connell! O'Connell!" Ardeth's voice suddenly rang loudly through the catacombs, and Rick's stress level rocketed through the roof once again.

Running as fast as he could towards Ardeth's worried voice, Rick only skidded to a stop as he saw the large pit in the doorway of the room.

Raising his eyes, Rick's breath caught in his throat; on the other side of whatever ancient booby trap had created this void, sat Ardeth in the sand. Evelyn lay limp in his arms.

"Evie!" Rick cried as his breath returned "EVIE !"

a/n. wow, even i think thats an evil place to end.

but hey what i think doesn't count, what you do does. so click the little button, if you would be so kind, and let me know. ;op

Take Care all of You, untill next time, pp xxx