Chapter 15: Love Conquers Everything

I guess the title of this chapter explains it all. His love for her. Her love for him. And her love for their baby.

LyaCatWomen, I'm so happy that you are back! A little part in this chapter is triggered by your comments about Evy feeling guilty for reading the Book of Dead. I hope it makes sense to you.

Thanks for all supports. You know who you are.

Rick went out from the temple moments later. He looked for his wife after he had calm down. He asked everyone and no one had seen her this morning. Except the one who said she went into the temple. But no one seeing her came out. He panicked. "Evelyn!" he yelled as he searched the temple. There was an entrance to a chamber on the left in the corridor. They hadn't explored this deep though. He pointed his revolver to the entrance, carefully scanning the room. "Evy?" he whispered. He rested his back against the wall and suddenly the wall twisted. "Ahhh" he dropped into another chamber. He looked around and all he found was darkness with a little light peek through a hole at the wall. There was a figure sitting at the stone. "Evy!" he said as he ran to his wife and holding her. "You scare the hell out of me" he said. "Let go of me" she said sternly. Although she was glad that her husband had finally found her but she wasn't going to say it. Apparently she was angry at him. "Evy, I'm not coming all the way to fight with you" he said and he did feel like a jerk when he said those words to his wife an hour ago. "I'm sorry" he apologized. She never expected that. She thought he would keep arguing until she gave into him. "I shouldn't have acted like that. But I do want you to be safe. That's why I want you to leave here. I can't lose you, not now" he said. "You won't lose me" she said. "What if... what if he comes back and I couldn't save you?" he said. "Darling, he was dead. You killed him" she said. She didn't know that he was suffering from the thought of seeing her die. In fact, he dreamed about it every night that Imhotep got her and he couldn't do a thing to save her. "You are not having good night sleep, am I right? I can feel it when you are holding me tight" she said and he nodded. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come in here without you. But I love archaeology and Ancient Egypt. I know I should rest instead of keep myself busy. I just can't seem to help myself" she said. He kissed her instead and she didn't protest. She clung to him when his lips touched hers. They smiled after their lips broke apart. "We can talk about this later. Let's find a way and get out of here" he said and helped her to stand up. "Did you mean what you have said?" she asked. "What?" he said. "That you blame me for reading the Book of Dead" she said as she was trying so hard to hold her tears from falling. "Oh god. No, I didn't mean that. I was angry and-" he said. "The old once said people always telling the truth when they are angry because they can't stop themselves from saying it" she said. "Evy, I'm sorry for what I've said. You read a book that you shouldn't have read but none of us expected the supernatural stuff. Who knows reading a book could bring a dead guy back to life? I should have stopped you from reading the book" he said. "It wasn't your fault. You did warn me. I'm just too stubborn" she said. "Yes but I love you, just the way you are. Although I don't like it when we fight but I'm not angry at you nor blame you for that. After all I'm not empty-handed" he said as he looked into her hazel eyes. "What if I didn't read the book and he didn't being awaken, do you think all these things between us would be the same?" she asked. "Hmm… I don't know. But I do sure for one thing" he said. "What is that?" she asked. "I do have feelings for you and I know you feel the same" he said and she smiled. "I'm going to kiss you Mr. O'Connell" she said. "Hey, I know you remember what you have said on that night. You lied" he said jokingly. "It was too embarrassing that I threw myself at a stranger. We only knew each other for few days" she said. "And you want to kiss a stranger whom you just met for few days" he said and laughed. "I wasn't the one who started it. You stole my kiss during the first time we met. How dare you!" she said. "Hmm… that's not a big deal, honey. You stole my heart" he said and they went silence. Who would think that Rick O'Connell is a romantic guy? His blunt way made him distinct from others and that caused her fall in love with him uncontrollably. Their eyes locked, blue eyes looking into hazel eyes. She closed her eyes and kissed him. She could feel all his love whenever they kissed, like they had separated for so many years. When their lips broke apart, both were gasping for air. "Save that for later. Now, let's find us a way out" he said.

He started to walk but she grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Don't! I have to read the inscription before we make our move. But it's too dark, I can't have a better look at it" she said. There was a flip sound and a little light illuminated the chamber. "You never smoke" she said as she narrowed her eyes at him, referring to the lighter in his hand. "Yeah... but it comes handy when we need light" he said with a grin. "So, what it says?" he asked. She could feel his breath since he stood very close to her. And she smiled as remembering they had a similar conversation like this. The night on the deserts when she opened the Book of Dead. He could tell that she was having the same thought as he also remembered the conversation. "I won't read it out this time" she said. She ran her fingers on the wall, a usual thing she would do when she read Ancient Egyptian inscriptions. "It says the chamber shall remain it peacefulness. All living things are prohibited to enter" she said as she turned around and met his gaze. "We are here" he said and scanned the room as his alertness was rising. "I think the inscription is trying to scare us. Nothing is going to happen. I was here an hour ago. Nothing happens" she said as she tried to ease his tenses. "I hope so. Keep reading. I'll watch your back" he said and she focused back on her reading. "There is a switch on my left. It said press it and we will be led to the exit" she said and move her hand to press it but he stopped her. "Don't. It could be a trick" he said. "We have no choice. It's the only way out" she said and press the button. They heard the sound of rocks moving and the dead end turned out to a corridor. "I guess I need to learn Ancient Egyptian" he said. "Don't worry darling. I can teach you" she said. "I'm sure there are a lots I can learn from you. But now, let's get us out of here" he said and entered the corridor, holding her hand behind him. They walked for 10 minutes and reached another dead end. "So, what's next?" he asked. "There is a button on your right" she said. "Here?" "Yes" with that he pressed it and the wall slide, showed them another chamber.

From the chamber, they could hear some noise from the other side of the wall. It was them! The only thing they needed was making the people heard their voice. Both of them yelled and hit the wall. Suddenly, the sound of moving rocks came into his ears. The chamber collapsed and the stones falling from above. He quickly grabbed hold of her and used his body as a shelter to cover her. The falling stones stopped and he tried to move but his leg was stuck under a large stone. And his head was bleeding. "You alright?" he said as he felt a little dizzy but he had to stay awake. Although he was injured, but she was the first thing came into his mind. "I'm fine. Are you alright?" she said as she noticed he was dizzy. "Yeah...I'm fine" he assured. She wasn't buying it and moving her hand to his head to examine. "Rick, you are bleeding!" she said. "I'm fine, honey. I had worst. It's nothing" he assured her again. She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Hey, what's that for? I'm ok" he said. "It's all my fault" she said. Instead of telling her that he was fine, he held her close and stroke her hairs. The sound of moving rocks caught their attention again. But this time was a bit different. "Evy?" Jonathan said. "We are here" Rick said. "Don't worry. We got you. Are you two hurt?" Jonathan said. "Rick is bleeding, Jon" she said. "Hurry up. He is hurt" Jonathan instructed the diggers. They got the couple out from the stones.

"Jonathan, get me the medical supplies" she said once they were in the tent. "Be right back" Jonathan said and went to pick up the stuffs. She searched for clean water and a rag to clean the wound on his head. He hissed in pain when the rag touched the wound. "I know you had worst but you could be a baby if you want to be" she said. Jonathan came in to drop the medical supplies and turned to leave. She applied the iodine at his wound and caused more hissing from him. "I don't need this" Rick said when his wife took out the bandage to wrap around his head. "Yes, you do. It helps to stop bleeding" she said and ignored his nagging. After that she helped him to take out his boot to examine his leg. The one which stuck under the large stone. His ankle was swollen but apart from that he was fine. "Take out your shirt" she said after his head and leg were taken care of. "Evy, I'm fine" he said. "I will know after I have a better examine" she said. Instead of telling him to take off his shirt again, she did it herself. 'Men are like kids' she thought. "See, I told you. I'm fine, honey" he said after she unbuttoned his shirt. When he said that, she was sure that he was hiding from her that he was indeed suffering from pain. Instead of arguing with him, she took out his shirt and moved to his back. She gasped when she saw bruises on his back, getting those bruises from the falling stones. There was an awkward silence until he heard a sudden sneeze from his back. He turned around and found that she was crying silently. There was no point to assure her that he was fine, so he pulled her into his arms. He stroked her back to calm her down. "Shhhhh… I'm fine" he said. She fall asleep a moment later when she rested her head on his chest and listened to his steady heartbeat.

She woke up but realised the sky still was dark. He was sleeping peacefully beside her. She carefully moved from his arms and sat up without waking her husband. She quietly went out from the tent and got chilled when the cold air of Egypt deserts touched her skin. She needed the cold air to clear her mind. 'Career or Rick?' she thought. 'I love archaeology but I love Rick too' she was struggled to choose either one because she wanted both. She felt guilty for getting her husband injured again, because of her love for Ancient Egyptian. Suddenly she felt something was moving inside her tummy. And she made her decision.

He woke up when he reached for his wife but all he found was cold sheet. He got up and went to find her. She was standing not far away from the tent, looking at the sky. "Couldn't sleep?" he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She jumped as she too caught up in her thoughts, never realised he was approaching her. She relaxed after she knew it was her husband and rested her head at his chest. He rested his chin on her head after he planted a kiss on it. They stood at there without saying a word, but the silence wasn't awkward. Both of them enjoyed the silence and the comfort given by each other. She was the one who broke the silence. "Rick?" she said. "Hmm" he said. She turned around to look into his eyes, full of love as she was the only one in his world. "Let's go back to London" she said. Again, she caught him off guard. She smiled as she looked at her husband shocked and confused expression. "Isn't it what you wish for?" she asked. "Yes, but why so sudden?" he asked as he was confused. They just got a fight for that not so long ago. "I love archaeology and I love you too" she said but he interrupted. "I know and it was bad of me to make you choose either one" he said. "It is not choosing either one. It is about priority" she said. "The baby comes first" she said as she grabbed his hand and put at her tummy, covered his hand with both of her hands. He was confused at first but soon he got the shocked expression on his face again as he could feel the movement in her tummy. "It's moving" he said as he couldn't hold his happiness. "I was struggling to make decision but when the first time it moved, I realised there is a life lay inside my tummy. I have the responsibility to protect it. It's our baby" she said. "I'm glad that you want to leave but I want you to be happy too. We can stay in Cairo instead of London. You can catalogue the artifacts found in Thebes. I don't mind as long as you promise to take it easy and have plenty of rest" he said. "So you mean I can work in Cairo Museum?" she said as her face lighten up. "Yes but promise me you will take it easy" he said. "Promise" she said and kissed him. "I love you" she said after their lips broke apart. "I love you too" he said. "And you little one, you done a great job in persuading Mummy. Well, she listens to you more than Daddy" he said jokingly as he ran his finger at her tummy and got a swat from his wife. He always had his boyish grin on his face which made her difficult to angry at him. And his kisses always melted her heart whenever she tried to stay angry at him. "I hate you" she said as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I thought you said you love me" he said as he was teasing her. "Well, I am a woman. Woman is unpredictable. I can change my mind anytime" she said as she played along with him. "Oh, I see. I think I can solve that" he said and kissed her again. She hated that too. It was weakening her. When the kiss started to get passionate, she broke away and he reached for her lips again but she held him at arm length. "We can't do this" she said as she played with his mind. "Why not?" he said as he was breathing hard. "Darling, we are in the deserts, remember?" she said and he groaned. She laughed at his disappointment. "Okay, the second we reach home, you won't have the chance to say no" he said. "And why not, Mr. O'Connell?" she said seductively. 'Oh god. Does she have to sound so sexy?' he thought. "Because you will be silenced by my lips and tongue" he said proudly. "So sure of yourself, darling?" she said. "Hmm… We will know by the time we reach home" he said. And the next day, the couple travelled back to Cairo leaving her brother to stay with George in the deserts for the digging works.

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