Ardeth stood beside the door frame watching as Heather processed what he said. Ever since he had asked her to consider not leaving, she had been thinking about her past life. Deep down, he wondered if she was alright. There were rules that told him not to interfere with her destiny, and he had broken them. There was quietness about the room, and Ardeth could not help but feel uncomfortable in it. Choosing his words gently, he broke the unnerving silence trying to help Heather. "Heather are you sure you're alright? You don't have to make a choice yet, it requires time." Heather snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Ardeth nodding. "I'm alright it's just…what will I do?" Ardeth nodded surprised at how well she could handle this.
Ardeth tried to remember his vow, when he spoke this time. "Well, you know how I feel about Imhotep. I don't want to cloud your decision, it's yours to make. However from what I know of you past life, live now for yourself." Heather sat on the bed looking up at Ardeth treasuring his honesty. Suddenly, an idea came to her and she felt as if the answer had always been right in front of her. "Ardeth you know how to get around Egypt don't you?" Surprise could be heard in his voice as he responded. "Yes, but that's not the important thing at the moment." Heather laughed slightly going to him. Her eagerness was easy to see, and she seemed immediately happy. Ardeth secretly dread where this was going, he already knew he couldn't take her to Egypt.
Heather didn't seem to notice his change in attitude, or his sudden change in mood. She was happy, and that made her blind to his emotions. "Don't you see Ardeth? We can have a compromise. I can go to Egypt and find out who I once was and you can take me! You can show me everything about who I was yourself." The excitement in her voice rang through the room, and Ardeth missed hearing it for all these years. Ardeth grabbed onto Heather's arms gently to get her attention back. He dreaded not being able to take Heather to Egypt himself. There was a part of him that would have loved to show Heather who she once was, but he couldn't.
Ardeth looked into her eyes trying to show Heather how hurt he was. "No, Heather I will not be the one to destroy you in such a way. Remembering your past would commit turmoil inside you." Heather felt her whole body tense and stop in its place; she was so surprised from what Ardeth had said. "You….you won't take me? Ardeth how could you destroy me by ending this process? What turmoil could stopping it create?" Ardeth closed his eyes trying to steady his breathing to suppress the anger building inside him. Before he could control it however, he shouted angrily "He didn't tell you? How could he not tell you any of this? It could probably kill you! Not to mention the damage it could do emotionally still!"
Heather felt herself look at the floor hearing him shout. She had never heard him shout like this before, and she wondered if he was mad at her as well. Trying to calm him down she asked him the only thing she could think of. "What do you mean damage or kill me?" Ardeth's anger fumed convinced Imhotep could never nor would he ever change. He tried to calm down and simply explain the situation to Heather. It pained him to explain it to her, because he knew it would scare her. "Once you are brought to Egypt to complete this process your memory will fade of this life replaced by your old one. Your current memories will fight with those of your past life. It could destroy you, or they could strengthen you."
Heather gasped slightly, as she felt her knees give out knowing the truth now. She thought perhaps she had misheard him. A part of her wanted to still believe that Imhotep loved her. She needed to believe that now to make things easier. Heather couldn't help but question Ardeth. "What…what do you mean? He wouldn't do that! He would have told me!" Ardeth tried to help her up giving her time to release whatever emotions she was feeling. He made her way to her and sat down pulling her close to him. They sat like that as Heather began to cry on Ardeth, her only escape. Ardeth simply listened to her as she told him her thoughts and emotions. "He…he should have told me. He must have made a mistake...just forgot to."
Ardeth only nodded letting her find the truth within herself. He held her hoping she found comfort from it, but that was all he could do. Heather continued to cry slightly, she felt abandoned and deceived by Imhotep. She clung to Ardeth tightly giving him the biggest hug possible, and it felt like exactly what she needed to feel. She felt secure, strong, guarded like a treasure, and most importantly she felt loved. Heather whispered softly as her thoughts began to make more sense. "Thank you Ardeth." Ardeth was stunned slightly, and held Heather gently looking into her eyes. "For what?" Heather smiled up at him. "For telling me the truth when I don't want to hear it. I need someone that will do that sometimes rather than tell me what I want to hear."
Ardeth laughed slightly, and stared into Heather's eyes. They were deep mixed with a longing for understanding and love. He wished to so much show Heather how much he cared for her, but their time had been cut short. Ardeth did however tighten his grip on Heather; he never wanted to lose her. This moment with her could be his last for all eternity, or at least this lifetime. It was hard for him to imagine how close they had gotten so soon, yet he was still close to her. He glanced up at Imhotep knowing no human could stop him alone. Ardeth needed to start planning on what he was going to do for Heather's sake, and he didn't have much time to plan anything. For a moment Ardeth began to truly worry over Heather's wellbeing in the Afterlife.
Imhotep couldn't wait that long after all; he needed Heather to love him as Ancksunamun had once. Soon, he would make her remember fully who she was, and he would have her back again for all eternity. Imhotep was silent noticing Ardeth's worried expression over his presence. It didn't surprise him, and he had never worried over Ardeth in the past. Heather could feel Ardeth's grip tighten, and she knew instinctively that something was wrong. The urge to find out made her turn around and look behind her. She noticed Imhotep and once again was at a loss for how she felt. It was as if nothing had changed she was still Heather, yet she was Ancksunamun for Imhotep now. She was his lost love, and would forever be his modern day soul-mate.
Heather saw Imhotep and didn't know what to feel, if it was love, hate, or both. She knew that she did love him, yet a part of her didn't. He had lied to her in order to get what he wanted from her, and that was never okay. He had also risked her very existence without telling her, and that was simply not someone does to someone they love. She tried to sort out her emotions focusing on if she truly could even love Imhotep anymore. A part of her did love him, and she couldn't explain it. Her memories were not entirely her own, and a part of her heart was not her own fully now. Ancksunamun had loved Imhotep in her life, and now Heather could feel her love inside her heart. It pained her to feel it, and she tried to ignore its presence now knowing the truth.
Heather had to say something to break the silence in the room. Both Ardeth and Imhotep were waiting for her response to the situation. It seemed unfair that she was thrown into the middle of all this, yet destiny had its own fairness. Silently she pondered what to say even simply what to do next. She knew that she would have to go to Egypt, but that would mean her death. There was a small bit of hope inside her that she would live, but seeing Imhotep made that harder to believe. He had died two times already, and he hadn't gotten either life right for himself. While Heather began to think of a plan herself, Ardeth had snapped out of his thinking. There was nothing he could do to prevent Heather from going, and he had to accept that.
To Heather's surprise Ardeth started to speak so that she didn't have to break the silence in the room. For the most part he understood her emotions and thoughts correctly, so she simply listened letting him say what needed to be said out in the open. "How can you show up here? You gave your word you would not show up till much later. You have lied repeatedly, and now you just prove your intentions." Imhotep laughed slightly, he looked at Heather seeking the love in her eyes for him. The love was still there, though it was now clouded by an understanding of his intentions. Wisdom could often interfere with love, and Imhotep knew Ancksunamun was a very smart woman. He made his intentions very clear to everyone not bothering with formalities. "I'm taking her to Egypt she's had enough time to consider."
Heather found the voice to speak, yet it came out hurt and withdrawn. Her emotions could not be kept secret even by her own voice. They betrayed her, as it seemed everyone was betraying her now. "You lied to me. All this time you've lied to me. I want to know why!" Ardeth grasped her shoulders gently trying to protect her at all costs. Imhotep noticed the simple gesture, the act of kindness too loving in nature. "Heather you know who you are. Your past, your destiny you must fulfill it, and the only way to do so is to go to Egypt." Heather nodded knowing that was true, her dreams and thoughts had told her as much. Heather spoke softly though wanting to know if Imhotep would directly lie to her.
"If I go, do you promise I can keep these memories?" Imhotep smiled taking a step towards her; he needed her to trust him still. He simply needed to make her fully remember who she was, and then she would love him fully without question. "Of course nothing has changed between us. You will be able to keep all your memories." Imhotep couldn't stand Heather thinking he had lied to her. He hadn't told her things simply to protect her from them. He had forgotten Ardeth knew as much as he did, and that was a mistake he would never let happen again. He knew no matter what the outcome Ardeth had to be dealt with. Ardeth made it harder for Heather to trust and love him, and Imhotep was never going to risk that.
Still, Imhotep hadn't suspected Heather to hear a word of it or even to trust Ardeth. He could not help but look at Ardeth as an enemy time and time again. This time he would not make a mistake and let him live. He wanted Ancksunamun to have the privilege of carrying out the order, and that meant having to wait. Heather looked from Imhotep back to Ardeth thinking how her past kept repeating itself. To prevent any conflict, she went to Imhotep's side grasping his hand softly. She looked up into his eyes, trying to show him the love that a part of her felt. "I'll go to Egypt and find out who I was, but I am coming back here. I want my family to always know that I'm alright. Promise me that?"
Ardeth didn't move from his spot by the door, he was too much in shock to move. He couldn't help but stare at Heather wondering what she was doing. "Ardeth I promise I am coming back and when I do you can help me understand my destiny." She smiled at him slightly hoping he understood what she was saying. If the slightest thing went wrong she was doomed to fail. She would never even stand a chance at life as she had once known it. Ardeth nodded slightly. He understood her perfectly, yet he kept his response simple knowing she'd understand. "I'll always be your guard no matter what. I'll still be your guard when you come back." Heather breathed a sigh of relief seeing he understood. Imhotep became slightly angry at the thought she'd want a guardian. "Heather when you're reborn you won't need to be guarded. We have a long journey we should get going." With that Ardeth watched them leave, and then he quickly headed downstairs to get the others.