Author's Note: This is a what-if story. What if Rick had a daughter from a previous relationship? She shows up at his house two years before The Mummy Returns. Remember the mention of that bank job? She is the result of Rick and the belly dancer girl. I only own the character of Emily. The plot line and other characters do not belong to me. Quotes are taken directly from the movie and belong to the writers and not me.

Chapter 2: Temple of Anubis

It wasn't too long after showing up on my father's doorstep was my name officially changed from Watson to O'Connell. A year later, I had agreed to let Evy adopt me as her own daughter. At the beginning of our adventure, I had yet to call her mom. My father made good on his promise to make up for the last fourteen years. Alex and I hit it off immediately and are extremely close now. As for Evy's brother, Jonathan, it took a while to get use to him but I was soon comfortable calling him Uncle Jon. It is always best to start a story from the beginning, so let the journey begin…

Alex and I were exploring the main temple while dad and Evy went into the tombs to explore them. I had been stuck with babysitting duty. Not that I don't love my eight-year-old little brother, but I would rather be doing the more exciting exploring.

"Emily," Alex calls out to me, "come and look at this."

I quickly stride over to him and look at what he is pointing at.

"Doesn't that look like that tattoo on dad's arm?" he asks me.

"It sure does. I wonder why dad got that tattoo." I think out loud. Obviously Alex saw that as an opportunity to find him and ran off to the tunnels. He was out of my reach faster than I could grab him.

"Be careful!" I yell after him before walking over to my bag and pulling out a book. I sit down to read, waiting for him to come back. I know I am sure to get an earful from dad later about not keeping a better eye on Alex. A few minutes later I heard the shuffling of feet and looked up to see Alex coming back out of the tunnels.

"So what did dad have to say about the tattoo?" I ask even though I know the answer.

"He said he would look at it later and told me to come back here and make a better mouse trap." He says this in a deflated tone like he was expecting dad to drop everything and follow him. "Do you know why dad walks around with his gun at the ready?" he asks me as an afterthought. With a sad smile I recall a conversation with my mother.

"I had asked my mother to tell me a story about my father. She told this elaborate story about a place called Hamunaptra and how dad thought the place was evil. Apparently they had been sending letters back and forth. Of course I was never mentioned in the letters. Anyway, she told me that a few years later she heard about his little adventure. This adventure involved a reincarnated mummy, a sacrifice, and a lot of gun play." I pause for a second remembering how much I loved hearing those stories. "I never believed that a mummy really came back to life, but it was nice to think of my dad as a hero. I guess maybe the story wasn't made up after all."

Alex regards me for a minute before answering, "You miss her don't you, your mother?"

"Every day. In the beginning it was really hard, but now I can think of her and not feel as sad."

"What about my mother? Do you love her?" He asks this shyly and does not even look me in the eye. It is almost as if he is ashamed of asking it.

"I love your mother very much. Evy is great and I did let her legally adopt me."

"I know, but you never call her mom."

I gave a long sigh before answering. I had been wondering when he would finally start asking questions about this. "Maybe one day I will, but right now it doesn't feel right. It's like if I call her mom then I completely let go of my mother. I am not ready to completely let go of her yet."

Before he has a chance to answer, we hear voices drifting in from outside. I look at Alex and instantly a plan comes to mind.

"Take your sack and head up the scaffolding and stay quiet." He nods his head and runs off. I quickly grab my own sack and squat behind some debris near a wall. Just as I get settled three men carrying guns walk into the temple.

"Knock, knock anybody home," one of them calls out. "You two check out the stuff over there and see if it's here. I will go sort out the O'Connell's." He turns from the other two and heads for the tunnels.

The other two start rummaging through the debris piles muttering about stuff that I can't understand from this far away. The next thing I know one of them screams out in pain. I know right away that Alex has pulled out his sling shot.

"Jacques something hit me head."

The one called Jacques goes on to say, "Shut up, Spivey. This place is cursed. We do not want to wake the gods."

I can't help but stifle a laugh. If he only knew what he was really scared of. Before I know it, the guy called Spivey gets hit in the butt with another rock. I hear a faint laugh and a shiver runs down my spine. I look up at Jacques and I know he heard it too. I silently curse my brother for giving himself away. For now he looks like he won't do anything. I pray that he doesn't.

My prayers become unfounded when Alex lets another rock fly and it is caught by Jacques. "I will take care of this." He starts heading towards the scaffolding while drawing out his dagger.

"Jacques' gonna make a nice fillet out of you, my son," Spivey says.

I watch helplessly while Jacques climbs up the ladder of the scaffolding. I am trying to think of a plan when the third guy comes tearing out of the tunnels.

"Spivey, Jacques! Let's get out of here!" He yells as he runs for the exit.

The other two soon follow, but not before Jacques had knocked away the supports holding the scaffolding up. I watch in horror as the scaffolding begins to rock back and forth. The whole temple starts shaking and I know it has nothing to with the scaffolding. It finally gives way and Alex grabs hold of one of the falling pillars riding it as it collides with another starting a domino effect.

"Alex, are you okay." I ask. He looks at me and nods his hair a little messy. We watch as the pillars continue to fall around the temple. Alex looks at the last pillar and runs over to it trying to keep it from falling. He gives up and runs away. As it comes crashing down, it crashes into the wall and breaks through. Liters of water come gushing through. The next thing I know Alex and I are staring at our soaked parents laying at our feet.

Alex looks at me, at dad and Evy, at the destroyed temple, and back. "Mom, dad, I can explain everything."