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 4: Magic Carpets, Visions, and Revelations

Back in the desert, Uncle Jon pulls the car up to a decrepit looking gate that has "Magic Carpet Airways" painted on it. I know I am about to come face to face with Izzy. My mother told me many stories about Izzy, from when they met to what dad had told her in letters. Since finding my father, I had always wanted to meet the infamous Izzy. I am jolted from my thoughts when slamming doors shake the car.

"This is the magic carpet?" Evy asks sarcastically.

"It'll be fine. He's a professional." After this reply, the door opens and out walks Izzy. He gets a good look at dad. "Izzy!" Poor Izzy is startled and promptly turns around and walks back in locking the door.

"He definitely remembers you," I quickly state. Dad says he can be a little shy. I knew that was further from the truth but didn't say anything. Dad had no idea that I knew all about his time spent with Izzy. Uncle Jon went to get the bags and dad shot the lock off the door. Evy commented that he was not being subtle. I knew we didn't have time for subtle. We need to find Alex. After bashing through the doors, Izzy is backing away trying to escape.

"He doesn't look happy to see you," Evy comments.

"He hasn't turned me down yet."

"Whatever you need, whatever it is you can forget it O'Connell. Every time I hook up with you I get shot! Last time I got shot in the ass." The whole time Izzy is talking I can see Evy's interest peaking. I just smile at the whole situation. "Remember that bank job in Marrakesh?" Izzy continues.

"Bank job?" Evy quickly questions.

"It's not like it sounds," dad says quickly. He chances a glance at me. He is trying to figure out if I know the story. I give him a quick nod to say I know exactly what he is talking about.

"It's exactly how it sounds…" I miss some of the story because I am watching this guy sitting in the bathtub. I miss out on most of what Izzy is saying but catch the next part. "…and I see him waltzing up with some belly dancer girl."

"Belly dancer girl." I see the flicker of recognition in Evy's eyes. Dad is giving Izzy the silence motion, but the damage has been done. Evy gives me this look that says "We will talk about this later." Dad continues trying to get Izzy on our side. I hear humming and turn to see Evy eying the man in the tub. She looks at me and I give a shrug of my shoulders. I have no idea either. I turn back to the conversation.

"By the way, when did you lose your eye?" My dad asks. It's a good question because mom never said anything about him losing his eye.

"I didn't. I just thought it made me look more dashing," was his quick reply. Dad promptly pulled it off. We head off towards the airplane.

"You're not exactly catching me at my best," he says to me and Evy. She looks at me before replying.

"Oh, I'm sure we are," she says while laughing.

"According to my mother, we definitely are," I turn to her and whisper. She gives me a knowing glance. Her reply is interrupted by the whinny of a horse. I look up to see Ardeth and a dozen other medjai. I also notice that there is no airplane. It's a dirigible. Apparently, Ardeth would be travelling with us and sending his bird to notify the medjai tribes of our progress. They were the backup plan in case the Army of Anubis was to rise.

EOEOEOEOEOEOEO

A few hours after takeoff, I see dad and Evy talking. I know they are talking about Alex. After a few moments, they head my way. I had been thinking about Alex as well and what he must be going through. The distraction was greatly appreciated. I knew they wanted to talk about things. We haven't actually talked much about what happened, and then of course there was the revelation that I knew more than I had let them know.

"You know your brother is going to be fine, right?" Evy asks. I give her a nod. I know he is a smart kid, but he is like dad and that's not good.

"I am going to get him back," was my dad's statement of fact.

"I know you will. I just feel like this is sort of my fault. I shouldn't have let him head to the back of the bus alone. I let him down." I gaze at the floor too ashamed to meet their eyes. Evy is the first to speak up.

"There is no way you could have known what would happen. You did not let him down. Alex knows how much you love him." There are a few moments of silence before the conversation continues.

"You didn't seemed surprised by Izzy's story," my dad cuts right to the chase.

"You remember that you would write letters to mom about your adventures?" He gives me a nod so I continue. "Well, she would reconstruct them into stories and tell them to me when I was little. When I got older, she told me she wanted me to know how brave my father was."

"You kept in touch with her but didn't know you had a daughter?" Evy questioned.

"Mom told me she thought dad was not mature enough to handle a child," I quickly respond sending a smirk at my dad. "I found out when she got sick that you had stopped writing when I was six. She never understood why they stopped with no explanation." My dad looks from me to Evy. That was when Evy contributed to the story.

"Ten years ago was when I met your father." She pauses before continuing. "I tracked him down to a prison in Cairo." I never knew he was in prison, but I knew what she was going to say next so I said it for her.

"That was when he took you to Hamunaptra, wasn't it?"

"How did you know about that? I thought your mother didn't receive any more letters." To say Evy was shocked, would not do it justice.

"My mother knew people who told her the story. She relayed the story to me. She did forget to mention the part about prison. There is no need to tell me that story. I don't want to know." I saw the relief fill my dad's face. I quickly looked at the setting sun, a frown creeping over me. I don't know why talking about my mother still makes me sad. Evy gave dad's arm a little squeeze and he nodded his head and went to talk with Ardeth and Uncle Jon.

"You know it is okay to miss her, to feel sad," she says quietly. She places a reassuring hand on my knee before continuing. "There are days when I miss my mother more than others." I look at her quickly. I didn't know she had lost her mother as well.

"I know. It's just for most of my life it was the two of us against the world, you know?" She gives me a nod of understanding. "Now I have this whole new family and I'm scared."

"Why are you scared?" She asks deeply concerned.

"I don't want to lose anyone else." I say in a whisper, not looking at her. She takes my face in her hands and forces me to look at her.

"You aren't going to lose any of us," she pauses for a moment before continuing, "not going to lose me." She can see the surprise in my eyes. "I know you are afraid of losing another mother. That's why you haven't called me mom yet. Am I right?" I give her nod.

"It's stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid. Don't worry I'm not in any hurry for you to say it. You will when you are ready." With that she gives me a motherly kiss on the forehead and walks to the front of the craft. I am left thinking that maybe I am ready.

EOEOEOEOEO

I found myself being jolted awake a while later when I heard Evy yell followed by my dad. I look up to see Ardeth and Uncle Jon pulling dad and Evy back over the side of the dirigible. My breath catches as I pray that they don't lose their grip. I get up and quickly run to the side and help to pull them up.

"What the hell happened?" I ask once everyone is safe. My dad gives me a glare. I know he didn't like my choice of words.

"I would like to know the same thing," he then replies. Evy goes on to tell us about her vision. Apparently she is a reincarnated Egyptian princess who was the protector of the bracelet. That was why she knew exactly where to find it.

"Right, she's a reincarnated princess and I'm a warrior for God," my dad says sarcastically not believing what he is hearing.

"And your son knows the way to Ahm Shere. Three sides of the pyramid. This was all preordained thousands of years ago," Ardeth explained.

"And how does the story end?" I ask wondering what the fourth side of the pyramid was.

"Only the journey is written, not the destination."

"Huh, convenient," was my dad's response. The others continued to talk, but I excused myself feigning sleep. Evy, of course, was not fooled by my departure. After they had finished their conversation, she came up and sat next to where I was laying. We stayed like that for a few minutes before I spoke.

"I almost lost you." I state bluntly while looking her dead in the eye. I didn't want to hide my emotions. I know she can tell I am upset.

"I know. I'm sorry. I know it doesn't help, but I really had no control over the situation."

"No, it doesn't." After another few silent moments, I sit up and give her a hug. I can tell she is surprised at first. I am never one to initiate a hug with her. I pull back and smile at her before saying, "Just don't scare me like that again." I pause for a moment before whispering, "Mom." She looks at me in surprise before laughing and pulling into another hug.

"I'll try my best, baby. I love you too much to ever willingly leave you."

"I know. I love you too." She gives me a smile and I lay back down. She brushes the hair out of my face and gives me a kiss on the forehead. I drift off to sleep with a contented smile on my face.