A week later, Mark called the O'Connell mansion and told them that he had everything arranged and that they would need two witnesses and a notary. Mark also warned Rick that since it was him that they were doing it for he couldn't be a witness. That's okay, Rick had assured his friend. We'll just get Jonathan to do it. He won't mind. Rick was right Jonathan didn't mind and in fact was honored that he had been asked. Of course, what Rick or Evie didn't tell him was that he was really the only choice for they were trying to keep it within the family. The fewer people that knew about this the better they figured for most people would not understand the friendship or brotherhood they shared and also there was quite a few unscrupulous characters out there that were Rick's and Evie's enemies and if they knew what Ardeth meant to them they might try kidnapping him in order to get what they wanted or worse killing him just to get back at one or the other of them.

In just an hour it was done. Evie and Jonathan signed as witnesses and then the notary used his stamp in the correct place and that was it.

"Well now, you two are officially related," said Mark with a genuine smile. He had come to like Ardeth Bay a great deal in the little time he had known him. Mark's impression was that the Medjai was an honorable and trustworthy man, loyal to his friends and deadly to his enemies and to anyone who hurt his friends and family. Mark respected and admired that sense of friendship and loyalty for it was a very rare thing in today's world where life was considered cheap.

"Well, I say this calls for a celebration," said Jonathan. "Welcome to the family, old chap."

"Thank you," said Ardeth gravely. "It is a great honor."

Jonathan stared at Ardeth for a moment sure he was joking but Ardeth's expression was perfectly serious and grave.

"Jonathan," said Rick. "Remember, what I warned you about. You are not to talk about this for you know that all three of us have enemies who would love to learn of this and take advantage."

Jonathan nodded, determined to do right by his family for once in his life.

Rick seeing Jonathan's expression and perhaps guess his thoughts clapped him on the back in a friendly manner and then all four left the office together.

~~~Rick and Evie~~~

Mark watched them go and observed how Ardeth walked a little behind his new family as if guarding them from harm. Mark smiled to himself as he observed the scene remembering a conversation he had had with Rick and Ardeth just a few days ago.

"What do you mean reincarnation?" Mark had exclaimed.

He had just come back from the kitchen from getting him a cup of tea when he overheard the last part of Rick's and Ardeth's conversation.

Rick and Ardeth both looked up at Mark's words their twin expressions unreadable.

Mark was struck at that moment with the realization of how alike these men were.

Courageous to a fault, brave often to the point of stupidity, more loyal to their friends and family then an entire pack of St. Bernards and so loyal to each other that Mark somehow knew they would willingly die if it meant the other would live.

Such loyalty and honor was a very rare thing when you were talking about two people with the same color skin. It was rarer still when you were talking about a white and someone who was obviously from a foreign country. But reincarnation that was too much for Mark to take in.

"I repeat what do you mean reincarnation? Reincarnation doesn't exist."

"Oh just like the Medjai don't exist?" Rick suggested the humor in his voice obvious. "But seriously there's a few things we didn't tell you when we were telling you the story the other day."

"Like that reincarnation exists?" Mark suggested half expecting for the two men to deny it.

"Yes," said Ardeth, calmly. "Like reincarnation exists."

"We discovered last year that Evie is the reincarnation of the Egyptian princess Nefertiti and just 3 months ago that Ardeth and I are the reincarnations of twin brothers who were Medjai at the same time Princess Nefertiti lived."

Rick stated all this quite calmly and Mark looked at him as if his old friend had grown multiple heads.

"Rick—" Mark began.

Both men looked at him steadily and Mark got the impression that they were communicating silently. How Mark hadn't a clue, maybe it was a twin thing. When the two men's attention finally fell on Mark again it was Rick who got up from where he was sitting on the couch. He put his hand on Mark's shoulder gently. "Mark why don't you sit down and let me and Ardeth explain."

Mark nodded shortly.

"Look," said Rick "We left the part about reincarnation because all three of us felt like you would have enough to absorb when we told you about a 5000 year old mummy coming back to life."

"You've got that right. In the last couple of days you've turned my world upside down."

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Ardeth observed quietly. "It does not do for you to let life become stagnate."

Mark gazed into the Medjai's eyes and what he saw there was a calm understanding of the conflict he was going through. Mark finally forced his eyes away but not before he found the strength in that dark gaze to believe in things that went against everything he'd been raised to believe in.

"I wish I knew how you did that," Rick told his friend.

Ardeth gave the Medjai version of a shrug but did not otherwise respond.

"So Mark are you ready to hear the rest of it?" Rick asked gently.

"Go ahead," said Mark taking a sip of his tea which was now cool enough to drink

Rick studied his longtime friend for a moment then nodded satisfied at what he found in Mark's face. Rick sat back down and then began to explain how Evie had begun having dreams that were so real and how she had eventually figured out that they weren't dreams but memories of her previous life. He then explained his two conversations with Ardeth and how his friend had realized that he was also a protector of man—a Medjai, all because of the tattoo on his wrist that he'd gotten on a whim when he'd been in the orphanage at Cairo. Lastly, he told of how he and Ardeth were the reincarnations of twin brothers who had been Medjai protecting Seti I and how they had figured out this was so.

Mark listened and nearly gave a gasp of horror when Rick explained how Evie had nearly fallen off the dirigible platform while they were in the sky for she had been in the midst of one of Nefertiti's memories. Mark suddenly realized that if not for Rick and his super fast reflexes then Evie would be dead.

Rick paused, then explained how Evie had been killed by the reincarnation of Anck-Su-Namun and how Alex and Jonathan had used the book of the dead to bring her back minutes after it had happened.

That last explanation was the hardest for Mark to accept. Once you were dead you stayed that way, right? Wrong. As much as Mark wanted to doubt his friend he couldn't for the grief and anger in Rick's voice was so thick that as much as he wanted to Mark could not deny that it had actually happened. After all, you couldn't fake those kinds of emotions.

"I know this is hard for you to accept but you must realize that there are things in this world that are not always explainable," said Ardeth quietly. "I was raised to believe in the unexplainable and I realize that you were not, but eventually you have to decide what it is you believe in and whether or not you trust the person that is telling you these things."

Mark nodded looking thoughtful for a long minute. "You're right," said Mark. "All my life I have practiced law and I have seen the worst mankind can do not only to each other but the world, but until now I have never believed in such things as reincarnation 5000 year old mummies coming back to life or magic." Mark paused as if gathering his thoughts. "But over the last few days I have come to believe in things that I never thought were possible until now."

"Well you're certainly accepting it easier than I did," said Rick with a laugh. "Ardeth and Evie can both tell you that I had a tough time accepting the fact that I was a Medjai or the fact that my wife was the reincarnation of an Egyptian Princess. It took me quite a few years to accept that I was supposedly a warrior for God—a Medjai. I mean, I'm a simple man—or at least I used to be. I used to believe in things that could be seen or tasted or touched not in things like 5000 year old mummies raising from the dead or in reincarnation or any of the other stuff we've run into over the years, but I either had to start to believe in these things or all of us would be dead." Rick paused as if deep in thought.

"I have found over the years that the unexplainable can just as easily kill you as things that can be explained logically and it was either accept the unexplainable or let myself and maybe Evie to, die."

Mark thought about that for a moment then nodded deciding Rick's explanation made sense.

"I think we have given Mr. Simmons enough to think about, O'Connell," said Ardeth. "There is only so much a man can accept in one night."

Rick looked at Ardeth for a moment then nodded. "Ardeth's right, we have given you much to think about. So why don't you go home and get some sleep? We'll see you again in a few days."

"Yes, that would probably be best," Mark admitted. "I just hope all this doesn't keep me awake."

Rick showed his old friend to the door and watched as he disappeared into the foggy night.

Mark looked at his pocketwatch and was startled at how long he had been standing at the window remembering. If he had known what Rick O'Connell was going to turn his life upside down would he have still gone out of his way to help him all those years ago? Yes, Mark decided he would have and that was all that mattered.

~~~Rick and Evie~~~

Ardeth's visit came to an end all too soon and the O'Connells were there at the docks to see him off. "I will miss you," said Rick. "Are you sure you have to go? I mean you just got here."

"Yes, Rick," said Ardeth putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You know this. I have been away to long as it is."

Rick sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know, but I don't have to like it."

"No, you do not have to like it but you do have to accept it."

"I will miss you too, Ardeth," said Evie. "And Alex was so disappointed that he couldn't be there. He finishes for the year in just a couple of weeks."

"And you will be seeing us soon after," Rick promised.

"I will miss you guys as well," Ardeth assured. "And I am sorry I didn't get a chance to see Alex."

"Yeah, he was real disappointed when he heard you were here and that he wouldn't get a chance to see you. We had to insist he stay in school. I think the only thing that got him to cooperate was the fact of our planned trip to Egypt and to see you as soon as school lets out for the summer."

"I am looking forward to seeing him as well," said Ardeth with a smile thinking of the O'Connells ten year old son. Alex was intelligent, thoughtful, caring and wise beyond his years. He spoke as well as read both Arabic and Egyptian as well as his native English with equal fluency. In that way he was just like his mother who spoke and read several languages including the Egyptian and Arabic. As for the rest of it he had both his father's and his mother's adventurous streaks and also their knack for finding trouble. Alex was also open to different ways including those of the Medjai and he loved Egypt as much as any native born there. Of course Egypt was in his blood since his mother was the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess. Someday Ardeth hoped he would have a son with the same qualities as young Alex O'Connell.

The ship whistle blew and Ardeth knew he had to go or miss his boat.

"I will see you soon," Ardeth promised the people that were his family.

Evie hugged him again and Ardeth held her tightly for a moment. It was then Rick's turn and instead of a handshake he hugged his brother and they held each other for a long moment. Finally, they released each other and Rick said his voice thick with emotion and all the things he didn't have time to say, "You be careful."

"I will," Ardeth promised seeming to understand what Rick couldn't say.

Finally, Ardeth turned away and headed up the gangplank just as the last whistle blew.

As the ship got underway Ardeth waved from the deck and sent his brother a silent a silent message along the link they shared. Remember, brother we are no longer separate but a single entity. We are two halves that make a whole. I will always be with you no matter the distance between us.

Ardeth felt Rick's acknowledgement and the wave of love that he sent down the link. The feeling of love surprised Ardeth for a moment then once he had recovered significantly from his shock he sent the same feeling back.

I shocked you huh? whispered Rick's in his head. I know that sometimes I have trouble with emotion, but I think I have always loved you like a brother. It has just taken me this long to acknowledge it. Be safe and we'll see you in a month. Ardeth sent a wordless reply and then the connection broke as the ship left the London harbor.

It was nice to have people who cared, Ardeth thought as the harbor disappeared from sight.

He was on his way home. Home what a wonderful word, Ardeth thought. As much as he loved seeing the O'Connells and visiting London, Egypt would always truly be his home.