This begins shortly after the O'Connell's have arrived home from their adventures in The Mummy Returns...

Please enjoy responsibly!


PROLOGUE


Evelyn O'Connell sat in front of the elegant vanity mirror in her own bedroom and sighed contentedly as she put the final touches on fixing her hair for the day.

It was really nice to be home, of that she could not deny.

She then flipped through some pieces of the mail that had accumulated while they had been out adventuring and one marked 'urgent' caught her eye. It was from the Bembridge Scholars and she filed it onto the pile on the left for further interest when she had a spare moment.

She was distracted by the reflection in the mirror of her husband coming out of the bathroom, freshly clothed and looking like he was dressing to impress someone. She almost didn't recognize him wearing civilized clothing and clean-shaven as he was now. She had gotten quite used to his scruffy, dishevelled look since their adventure to Egypt. She had to admit to herself that he really did look quite dashing all cleaned up as well.

She turned to watch him button his cuffs and slip his suspenders up over his shoulders and then he turned to her with a grin, catching her ogling him. She just smiled back at him.

"What?" He walked to her and sat down on the padded bench beside her, his body the opposite direction of hers, but still facing her.

"Can't I admire my devilishly handsome husband." She narrowed her eyes with another smile and kissed him ever so gently on the lips.

"I'm not going to stop you." He kissed her back just as gently. He took her hands and held them, noticing again how cold they were. He sat up straight and looked her face over carefully. She looked a bit drawn and pale still. She had been ever since their adventure in the desert that had ended nearly three weeks ago. Perhaps being home now would set her right. Perhaps they had stayed too long in Cairo.

"Are you alright?" His expression showed his genuine concern for her welfare. She smiled reassuringly.

"I'm just a bit off still Rick. I'm not sure why exactly but it might have something to do with being brought back from the dead." She laughed gently as he squeezed her fingers. "I just have a feeling that I can only describe as when you've forgotten something important but you don't know what. I just feel so cold and empty."

"Well, I can help warm you up again later if you like. My evening is free..."

He winked at her and she flushed slightly as she was reminded of his great effort to warm her when they had woken up together in their own bed that morning for the first time in too long. The feeling of being so loved and cared for had done great things for her disposition at the time. As soon as they parted though, the heavy feeling of emptiness crept up on her again.

"Later sounds nice." She grinned at him again and then turned her head to their doorway as the great doorbell in the lower hallway chimed. She looked back to her husband. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Yeah. Jonathan wants me to go with him to see a buyer for his diamond. I'm the reinforcement if things go sideways." He stood up and walked to one of the large windows in their room that overlooked the vast front yard and pulled back the curtain. "That's strange."

"What's strange?" She turned back to the vanity and opened her jewellery box. She took out the locket that she wore every day and then turned back to Rick. She needed his help to put it on. Well, she didn't need his help exactly but he liked to do it.

"If that's Jonathan, why is there no car in the drive? He knows mine was wrecked. How did he get here?" He put his hand on his wife's waist as she came to peer out beside him.

"Do you see Izzy's airship out there? I'm sure if Jonathan is selling the diamond, your friend is not far behind." She leaned into him and smiled her most teasing smile.

He fake-laughed jokingly at her and pulled her close. "You're funny. We're lucky he didn't ask to stay here, though he did save our butts out there. We owe him everything."

"I know..." The rest of her response was lost into his mouth as he carefully silenced her with a little bit more passion than he had initially intended. It was good to be home.

"Mum? Dad? Are you decent?" The sound of their son's voice pulled them apart quickly and they both stood up straight and tried to look casual.

"Yeah Alex, c'mon in." Rick took one more look out the window and turned to the doorway. His son, looking freshly scrubbed and happy to be home as well, came into the room carrying a smallish wooden box in his hands. "Where's your Uncle?"

Alex shook his head. "I dunno. A lady just brought this for you mum. Special delivery."

"Alex, what have we told you about answering the door by yourself? It's not safe." Rick took a few steps towards him with a stern look on his face.

"I didn't Dad! The old Butler did. He told me to bring it to Mum and tell you breakfast was ready." Alex stood beside his mother hoping for an ally from his father's unfair reprimand.

"Sorry Alex, I should have known you would know better. I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "It's all still a bit fresh."

The three of them shared a reflective silence.

"What have you got there darling?" Evelyn smiled at her son and examined quickly the wooden box in his hands from where she stood. It looked intriguing enough to pique her curiosity.

"A lady brought it and said to give it to you right away. It's very important. Can we go down now? I'm starving." Alex moved to put the box down on the small table at the end of the large leather couch that divided their bedroom in half.

'I wasn't expecting anything and we've only just arrived home. Who would know we're here?" Evy looked up at Rick and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Mum look!" Alex stared at the necklace in her hand as it swung in the air, straining against the chain as though trying to reach the box. "That's amazing!"

"There must be some kind of magnet in there." Rick took the locket from his wife's hands and dangled it out towards the box. It definitely was attracted to whatever was stored inside.

Evy leaned closer to examine the wood and realized that the box was very, very old. It was held together by wooden pegs and it had been polished to a shine with age and care. She went to open it up but she was stopped by her husband's concerned voice.

"Are you sure about this Evy? We don't know what's in there."

She smiled at him. "If it was dangerous it wouldn't be so easy to open would it?" She opened the simple carved latch and lifted the top. The wooden hinges creaked as though it had not been opened in a very long time.

"And that only slows you down for so long anyway doesn't it." His expression was only slightly joking.

The three of them, though slightly slowed by caution while approaching it, all looked carefully at the rather plain looking stone that sat within the container. It appeared rather harmless as they all waited with baited breath for something mystical to happen.

"It's just a rock." Alex seemed disappointed as he looked up at his parents.

"Let me see that," Evelyn reached out to take the necklace from her husband's hand and held it near the stone.

The locket twirled quickly and flew from her fingers into the box. She reached in to pick it up as Rick reached out,

"Evy... wait...NO!"

He was too slow.

The moment her fingers came into contact with the stone, the lights flickered in the room and a sound much like a loud static hum pierced their ears.

Evelyn didn't hear it as she fell lifeless to the floor with a thud. Rick had not been quick enough to catch her this time. He dropped quickly beside her and attempted to pick her up but she was already limp. He held his ear next to her mouth and realized quickly she was not breathing. Her lips were already turning blue and her body was turning cold too quickly in his arms.


Evelyn felt a familiar warmth permeating her body and she opened her eyes to an incredible light. She knew instantly where she was. She was back but this time she wasn't quite so scared for some reason.

The bright light turned into a mist and swirled around her body before moving a few feet away and loosely forming the apparition of a woman who looked just like her. It was her mother. She felt the presence of familiarity of the woman who had loved her so dearly.

The apparition then divided into hundreds of different forms of swirling light and circled her, surrounding her with such a feeling of love and joy she was overwhelmed. She knew it was her ancestors. She came from a very ancient lineage of predecessors and in her short foray into heaven recently she had met them already though she was not any less impressed now.

The lights and the mist swirled again around her and parted an opening where she could see a woman coming towards her. The other apparitions were foggy and constantly in a state of flux but this one was crystal clear. The woman was ancient and very beautiful and moved with a calmness and dignity that commanded respect.

As the glowing woman approached her, Evy recognized who she was and if she had been breathing the air would have caught in her throat.

The woman stopped before her and looked her over carefully. She then came a little closer yet and moved around Evy to examine her from every angle.

"You're the Goddess Isis!" Her own voice sounded strange in her head as though muffled from a distance. Her mouth hadn't moved either.

"And you are the one known as Ev-E-Lyn..." An enchanted voice appeared in her mind. It sounded as though someone was speaking while they the sucked in breath through their teeth. "We have been seeking you..."

"Why have I come back? What happened?" Evelyn looked around at all the swirling, aurora-like mist dancing around her. It was so beautiful.

The Goddess moved closer to her again and lifted one arm holding out her shimmering hand with her palm up. Evy turned her head and shielded her eyes as a small flash of intense light appeared above the hand of the Goddess.

"This belongs to you." The Goddess tried to contain the intense ball of light in her hand but she suddenly snapped her hand back as though she had been bitten.

The light fluttered quickly to Evy, circled her a few times and then shone so bright as it entered into her ethereal form. She felt such an overwhelming feeling of love and happiness that it transcended all time. She saw her past and the future at the same time. The light, she realized, was a soul. A very young soul. It had no past yet at all that she could tell, but it's future was fluctuating constantly.

The wispy voice in her head spoke again,

"This was a gift for you and the one known as O-Kahn-Ell." The Goddess moved towards Evy and turned her head slightly. "Crafted by my own hands."

Evy followed her line of site and saw a shimmering vision of her and Rick blurred at the edges as they stood near a bridge and held each other. The picture then morphed quickly into a vision of them making love in the bunk a ship. And then suddenly it was her lying on the ground in front of a golden pyramid in Rick's arms while he cried for her to come back.

"He cries for you now.. I can hear him..." The Goddess looked back to her and waved her hand again.

Evelyn suddenly looked down and saw her husband holding her in his arms in the bedroom of the great house where she had been just moments ago. Or had it been years already? She had no way of knowing but the feeling of sadness that consumed her as she watched him also startled the bright light that had remained hovering close to her. Alex was standing beside her but in his own realm. She couldn't touch him, her translucent hand went right through him when she tried. He had tears in his eyes.

She could hear Rick's voice faintly, as though it was so far away even though in her vision, he was knelt at her feet. Seeing her own lifeless body in his arms and the fear in his voice scared her.


"Evelyn! Don't do this to me... come back sweetheart! Wherever you are... come back to us. I'm begging..." Rick cried into his wife's hair as he held her close. She was getting cold, he could feel the life force draining from her too quickly. It was hauntingly familiar. She still wasn't breathing either. He shook her gently. Her lips were blue.

"Dad? What happened? Is she alright?" Alex looked so scared it broke his father's heart.

"I don't know Alex... why don't you go wait... downstairs. Your Uncle will be here any minute... just go wait for him and bring him here when you find him. Please Alex."

Alex walked quickly past the couch and turned back towards his father where he swore he saw a slight shimmer in the air. He ignored it for now, more pressing thoughts crowded his brain. "Should we ring for a doctor?"

Rick just stared at him, "I don't think an ordinary doctor will help us right now."

Alex left the room.


Evy watched her son leave, fading into the mist that surrounded the vision she was watching. Her husband begged for her to come back, she could hear the pain in his voice and it was breaking her heart. The image of him at her feet faded and the swirling mist took his place again.

The intense light hovered near her heart for awhile and then suddenly she was holding a tiny baby in her arms, swaddled in a warm light. She felt the sadness in her heart melt slightly with the overwhelming feeling of maternal love for the soul in her arms.

"She is content with you..." The Goddess came near her now and brushed a shimmering hand over the baby. "You are reunited... all is well."

"She's mine?" Evelyn looked at the Goddess hopefully.

"She was created as a gift for you, let me show you..." Isis moved her hand to rest against Evelyn's forehead and in a moment revealed into Evy's mind everything that had lead to the moment where she currently was. All that was and will ever be was shown to her and her own spirit glowed with astonishment and understanding.

The child in her arms glowed with contentment as well as Evy looked down and smiled to her.

"This soul has been on a dangerous path since parting with you in Ahm Shere. Unexpected circumstances took her from you and after a harrowing journey she has been brought back here."

The Goddess snapped her fingers and the terrifying journey that her daughter's soul had been on already in her short existence flashed through her mind and she held the light-child even closer. The girl had literally been to hell and back. Her heart broke for the child but she was better now. Evy could sense the calm of her child's soul in her arms.

"She has started a feud among the Gods already upon her return and they insisted you be brought back to contain her. She has chosen you... she will accept no other." Isis waved her hand over Evelyn and the baby and smiled. "You are her mother. The child is pure chaos but now she rests."

Isis closed her golden-painted eyelids and Evelyn could have sworn the Goddess sighed in relief.

"But what about Rick? And Alex? I'm not ready to be apart from them. We still have so much of our lives to live together. And this child deserves to know the love of her father." Evelyn pleaded with the Goddess.

Evelyn, in one outward projection of intense emotion, remembered all the small things between her and Rick over the years and sent it in her mind to the Goddess standing before her. Also how much joy life had given her to be Alex's mother and the love she could potentially provide for the child in her arms if she was given the opportunity to be born and raised by her and Rick.

The Goddess nodded. She was well aware of the love shared between Evelyn and O'Connell. The Gods had been keeping an eye on those two for thousands of years and were grateful for what they had accomplished in Ahm Shere. The Dark Gods were terrified now at the two of them and would stay quiet for a time.

Isis disappeared in a flash and the soul in Evelyn's arms became irritated. She could sense it. What a powerful little being this is, she thought to herself. The intense light formed into a ball again and the apparition of the baby disappeared from Evelyn's grasp. The light glowed and dimmed in front of her face and then darkened as though an outburst was brewing.

The area around Evelyn started to form into a beautiful waterfall while a lush, tropical oasis appeared from the misty nothingness and she was starting to think that heaven wasn't going to be so bad if she had to stay. It was tempting but she wanted Rick at her side.

Isis reappeared and the waterfall vision vanished in a flash. The tiny light flitted around the Goddess' head and Evelyn thought the Goddess was going to swat it away but instead she closed her divine eyes pursed her lips with infinite patience...

"I have conferred with the Gods and it has been decided that you may return. But you must take her with you... It will take us time to sort out the chaos she has caused and determine her destiny" Isis smiled so lovingly as the mortal woman beamed at her decision. "It is considered a blessing and a thank you from us for all that you have done for us over time."

A vision of her daughter's first lifetime flashed in her mind and she saw all the amazing things that the girl would accomplish. And then a vision of her next lifetime flashed as well and so on while Evy realized what an important addition this soul would be to their world. The girl had chosen her to be her mother.

'I accept those terms." Evelyn reached out and the ball of light hovered over her palm and then entered her. She felt the warmth travel through her body and then settle comfortably in her womb.

"You will feel pain upon your return... it will fade. So in time will your memory of this place but go back knowing you are blessed. This child is blessed."

The light from within Isis started to increase in intensity and the last thing Evelyn heard in her mind was the voice of Isis sarcastically wishing her good luck...

Everything went black and she could hear Rick's voice in her ear again. He was still pleading with her to come back...


to be continued...