A/N: Thanks for the reviews in spite of FanFiction email notifications continuing to fail. That just makes them even more special. Some people have pointed out that Chuck's self-doubt here is worse than in canon. It just seemed to fit the situation well. His struggle as a hacker in his current environment increases his internal problems. With Sarah's help, he'll improve.

Once again, thanks to MicroGirl1225 for pre-reading this chapter.

No beta, so PM me if you spot anything you feel needs correcting.

In this chapter, Chuck continues his training / testing. Meanwhile, Sarah continues her interviews, so we meet more of the people who were known as the Egyptian gods.

Chuck vs Egypt

Chapter 7

As Sarah woke up, it was light again, but everything felt so much better.

Chuck's left hand was cupping her right breast and she had no intention of removing it. Her left hand was holding it in place.

"Hmmm." This was perfect.

Her feet were warm, her legs and bottom pressed against her lover's naked legs and groin. That was perfect, too. She wished they could stay like this and not get up to start the day. Cocooned in their love nest.

What he'd done to her last night had been like a magical experience. She still couldn't come to terms with it. She hoped that he would feel more comfortable with going further because she certainly wanted that. She was sure that when they had sex, coupling, it would be wonderful, but they hadn't needed that. What they'd already done was the best sexual encounter of her life.

She was also sure that her deep feelings for him played a part in it. It wasn't just a physical act, it was two people in love, loving each other. They hadn't used the word, and she was a bit frightened of saying it thanks to her parents, but she was sure she really did love him, even before he blew her mind with what he did to her last night.

Should she be brave and admit her love for him? God, they'd only known each other for a week or so!

She'd always thought that love at first sight was a crazy concept, but isn't that what had happened?

He'd almost said it, she was sure. He obviously realized it was too soon to say it and had stopped himself. She'd been frightened and relieved at the time. Would he be shocked if she said it to him?

She had to stop thinking of this and just enjoy the moment. The wonderful bodily contact…

Chuck registered both his bodily position and where his and her hand were. Another dream come true.

He squeezed ever so gently and Sarah moaned. She was definitely awake.

"If you keep doing that, we'll never get out of this bed."

"What this?"

She moaned even louder with the next, firmer squeeze.

Suddenly, she was facing him and kissing him. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. Then she pulled back and pushed herself away. "I'm sorry, Sarah. You're irresistible."

"It's not just you, Chuck. We have to stop or I'll force you to have sex with me."

He sighed. "I'm worried I'll disappoint you," he confessed.

She rolled over to face him. "Is that why-"

"My girlfriend in college left me. I could only assume I wasn't good enough."

She stared into his eyes. "What happened last night was wonderful. I think you might find you're wrong and I'm not going to judge. Our feelings for each other are more important than the physical act."

He looked at her for a moment or two. "We'll try tonight. Hopefully, I won't disappoint." He decided to change the subject for now. "Let's get up, showered and dressed. We need to start the day."

"Mhm," she replied. She kissed him tenderly and then headed for the bathroom.

As they ate breakfast together, he broached the subject. "Sarah, last night was the best in my life. I want you to know that."

Her depthless eyes locked onto his, almost taking his breath away. "It was for me too, Chuck."

That made him feel better about what he was going to say next. "I want you in my life when we return to Los Angeles." He found he was now holding his breath, waiting for her response.

He didn't have to wait long. "Me, too." She said it in a soft voice, but it made his heart sing.

He threw his fists up in the air. "Woohoo!"

She laughed. "Trying to make me change my mind?"

He lowered his hand and grasped hers. "Never. I want you in my life so much, Sarah."

Her smile was dazzling. "I was worried about saying anything, but I want you in mine too."

"Happiest man on Earth, right now. This time and in the future."

She chuckled. "Come around this side and kiss me, then."

He rushed around the table and kissed her, putting all his love into it.

After a minute, she pushed her hands against his chest, separating them. She looked as unfocused as he was. "Remember, we need to start the day," she said breathlessly.

He walked back to his seat. He managed not to say that word, somehow, but it was on the tip of his tongue.

"Who're you seeing today?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "Amun first. I met his wife yesterday. Then, Bastet in the afternoon, followed by Ptah and his wife Sekhmet, together."

"You're getting through them fast," he commented.

She gave him a flat look. "There's two hundred of them here."

His eyes widened. "You're not planning to talk to them all, are you?"

She shook her head. "No. Too many."

She wasn't sure if she should say this, but it was important. "I don't want to talk to Osiris, Aset or Set until you're ready. And I can't talk to Thoth yet, either."

He focused on the latter. "If I haven't finished my testing tomorrow, he can see you while I run one."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Arrange it for mid-morning."

She smiled. "Thank you. I will."

Sarah walked with Chuck to the lab. She was impressed with everything in it.

"Ahh. Sarah," Thoth said when he saw her. Chuck walked away so that they could talk without him there.

"Chuck has suggested you would be able to see me tomorrow while he does his testing."

"He may be finished with me before that," Thoth told her.

"He's not so confident," she said.

"We'll see," the Ennead replied. "Very well. I will set his test up and come as soon as he starts. If he does."

"Thank you."

She left them then.

She'd have to ask Horus to rearrange her morning appointment for the next day, but she hoped Heqet wouldn't mind.

She would also ask Horus about a way to contact them directly. A phone or something like that.

Chuck watched Sarah walk away. He wished he could spend the day with her rather than being here. She'd definitely woven a spell over him.

"Focus," Thoth said, amusement in his tone.

Chuck chuckled. "She is quite a distraction."

"Obviously, but you can't be thinking of her when you work, though. You would definitely fail."

Chuck nodded. "Another test then or some more training?"

"A test," the Ennead replied.

Chuck walked through to the test lab and sat down. Thoth closed the door behind him.

Chuck centered his thoughts around his goal, took a deep breath and moved his hands to the keyboard.

Before Amun arrived, Sarah had another visitor. Hathor, peered around the door before coming in.

"Hello, Sarah. On your own?"

Sarah smiled at her and nodded.

Hathor entered and walked up to the desk." Did Thoth talk to Chuck?"

Sarah blushed slightly. "He did," she replied in a neutral tone.

"And?" Hathor had the tip of her tongue within her right teeth. It was so like people did back home that it made Sarah feel a bit homesick. Then, she realized she should answer. Sarah realized the Ennead wouldn't let up until she knew. "Not yet, but I'm sure we will soon."

Hathor laughed. "Don't be so embarrassed, Sarah. It's only natural."

Sarah smiled. "I know. I'm just not used to talking about it."

Hathor beamed at her and quietly left.

As Sarah watched her go, she thought of Carina. The redhead would push her more than this and then want to know all the details, which Sarah would resist.

Her first interviewee arrived with a knock on the door, five minutes later. "Come in," she called.

Amon was an imposing figure. Amon's bearing was more formal than his wife had been, obviously. So, no breast exposure. Sarah had to smother a smile about that.

She wondered what it would've been like to interview them together. Less fun than Mut on her own, but would he have chilled and her sobered up?

"Osiris has been wronged by Set," Amon stated before she asked anything.

She sat back. "In what way?"

He looked confused for a moment, then replied, "In every way. He won't have been with Set's wife and he certainly won't be threatening Set."

She stayed silent for a while and he looked agitated. He still sat stiffly and certainly less comfortably.

"Why d'you think he wouldn't have sex with Nephthys?" she finally asked.

He obviously didn't like her wording, but responded, "He's faithful to Aset."

"Not what I've heard."

He seemed ready for that. Probably had conversations like this with his wife. "Idle gossip. Not to be taken seriously."

"So, when he groped your wife, was that idle too?"

He hissed, then said, "She shouldn't have mentioned that."

"Why? To cover for his misdemeanors?"

He tried to wave it away, his hand making the same gesture she'd seen in the future. "It was a chance thing. Not anything serious."

"Idle groping, then?" she pushed.

He didn't seem to know how to respond to that, so she switched topics. "So, were his threats idle, too?"

He glared at her. "Set threatened to kill him! Are you suggesting that was an idle threat?"

She nodded. "He did and I suspect it was a reaction to finding out someone, maybe he thought of him as a friend, had taken his wife to bed and had sex with her. How would you react to that if it'd been your wife?"

He first stiffened in the seat. "It would never happen," he snapped. "Mut is totally faithful."

"Unlike Nephthys?"

Glaring again, he said, "You're putting words into my mouth." Another phrase shared with her time.

"Just letting you say what you're really thinking, rather than planned statements." She didn't stop. "I understand he's always coveted Set's position."

"Pure speculation," he said and sat back.

She gazed at him for a while before saying, "Why're you so loyal to him?"

He wasn't expecting that. "I- I just think he's a good man."

"So, is it that you dislike Set?"

He bristled at that. "Set used to be good, but has now lost it."

"I think that's understandable with what's happened."

"So, you're favoring Set." It was a statement not a question.

She leaned forward. "I just wanted to get to the truth and passed all the posturing and hormones."

He shook his head. "Mut liked you, but I don't know why. You're quite unlikeable."

"I'm here to do a job," she snarled. "Not to become friends. The quicker I can get past the crap and to that truth, the quicker I can go home."

He quietly pondered that for a moment or two and she let him.

"They were never friends," he said. She was pleased to get a fact. "There was always rivalry back on Ta-neter."

"Ta-neter?" she asked, not having heard this name before.

"Our planet before we had to leave it," he replied. "Osiris should've been Geb's second in command, but Set got that position somehow. He probably tricked Geb into it."

She noted that.

"Did they compete for the affections of women?" she asked.

"Set certainly liked Aset, but she was always going to be with Osiris. They were together from the first time I met them."

"Where was that?"

Amon smiled for the first time. "In college. It was where a number of us met."

"Including you and Mut?"

His eyes shone. "Yes."

Wow! She thought. These two are still head over heels in love with each other. If they lived this long, would that be true of her and Chuck?

"Tell me about Osiris, then. Why do you think he is better than Set?"

He proceeded to expound the virtues, skills and abilities of Osiris and pointed out some surliness of Set right from the start. "He was moody. Even then, but Nephthys seemed to calm him. He was brilliant and a great strategist, but that darkness about him was off-putting."

"Why'd you think Nephthys went to him?"

"At the time, I thought it was sympathy, but I think she also wanted Osiris. Osiris wasn't available. He was besotted with Aset."

"So, could it have been her seducing Osiris?" she asked.

He obviously hadn't considered that and paused in thought. He eventually looked at her. "She might have tried, but I doubt he would stray from the woman who holds his heart."

"Do you know where she went?"

He shrugged. "No idea. Not really interested."

They talked for a further hour, focusing on Osiris, his successes and why Amon believed him to be so much better than the moody Set.

"So, you think he should have Set's position?"

"He could do it and do it well, but I don't think he would try to get rid of Set for it, if that's what you're thinking."

"Thank you for your time, Amon," she said and stood. She held out her hand. She'd not done this before. He looked at it for a moment before realizing what she wanted. He closed his hand around her but didn't tighten it. She gripped his hand and shook it.

He looked at her in surprise. "A custom from your time?"

"To greet and say goodbye… formally. Seemed appropriate here."

He released her hand and nodded before leaving.

She was going to head out and get some food, but Horus poked his head into the room before she did that. "Lunch?" he asked.

She smiled at him and nodded. "I have a request, too."

He nodded and they walked out together.

Sarah didn't have to ask for something like a phone. Horus had already decided to give both she and Chuck communicators. He showed her how to use it. It was much like her iPhone, but the text was all in the Ennead language. It was already programmed with two-hundred names. She looked at one of them and the image that went with it made her smile. He noticed and said, "That one won't get you through until you hand Chuck his communicator."

"Thank you," she said.

"Try calling Heqet now. Your first call."

She did, and the beautiful face of the Ennead that Sarah knew as the frog goddess appeared.

"Sarah! I'm seeing you tomorrow, aren't I?"

"Sorry. I need to rearrange," Sarah said.

Heqet grinned. "A more pressing engagement?" The way she said it implied Chuck.

"I need to talk to Thoth urgently and he's available," she replied calmly.

"Very well. When, then?"

They rearranged and the call ended.

Sarah looked at Horus. "Does everyone think Chuck and I are just wanting each other that much?"

He grinned. "And you don't?"

She couldn't deny that, but said, "We've got a job to do here."

He nodded, seriously. "You have. I understand Chuck will be able to help soon."

"Then we'll hopefully unearth the truth."

He cocked his head. "How're the interviews going?"

She sighed. "I am getting facts interspersed with opinions."

"Isn't it always like that?" he asked.

"I don't usually get involved in relationship messes. That's not handled by the FBI."

He nodded and said no more. They ate their food, both thinking about what she'd said. This was all relationship crap.

The Ennead Sarah knew as the cat goddess was her next interviewee. As beautiful as the others. All of the women were beautiful. The day before she had felt a bit insecure, but after what had happened overnight, she no longer did. However, if Chuck wasn't so enamored with her, Sarah would feel threatened. She pushed that thought aside.

"Thank you for coming, Bastet."

The woman smiled wryly. "Did I have a choice?"

Sarah shrugged. "I guess not." She tried to get her thoughts about the woman straight. "The myths about you are confusing," she said.

Bastet smiled, a little sadly. "Myths aren't to be believed."

"You have children?" Sarah asked.

Bastet nodded. "Yes, I do. Two sons, Maahes and Nefertem."

"And that's where the confusion arises. May I ask who the fathers were."

Bastet frowned. "Only one, Ra."

"Not Ptah?" Sarah asked.

Bastet burst out laughing. "Ptah! He's my sister's husband! I would never sleep with him. He's like a brother to me. Is that what the myths say?"

Sarah nodded.

"Well, don't believe everything you read."

Sarah grinned. "That's a phrase we use in our time, too."

"Well, do it."

Sarah had to ask. "Why the sadness?"

"My husband, Ra, died. He was the love of my life and no one could ever replace him."

Sarah immediately thought of Chuck and had to stop dwelling on that.

"The myths also say you're the Egyptian goddess of protection, pleasure, and the bringer of good health."

Bastet rolled her eyes. "I do advocate healthy eating and exercise, but pleasure? That sounds sordid."

Sarah laughed. "I didn't say the goddess of porn."

Bastet leaned forward. "And who's that?"

"I don't know the mythology well enough for that."

"Pity. It'd be good to tease whoever it was." Bastet eyes were sparkling now. Sarah liked her.

"Tell me about Osiris and Set."

Bastet smiled. "Both exercised well until we arrived here and Set did for some time after. Osiris still does. However, Set focused more on his job and let his health slip. He's still fit, but not as much as he used to be. I have heard that he's trying to get fitter again, though… since Nephthys left him."

"How d'you know all this?"

She smiled. "I used to be the health guardian on the flight here."

Sarah frowned. "Is that like a coach?"

Bastet said, "More than that. I used to monitor their diet too."

"And you've stopped that?" Sarah asked.

"No time for it with the humans I have to guide."

Sarah grinned. "I bet your humans are the healthiest."

Bastet laughed. "Probably." She looked Sarah up and down. "I suspect you're healthier than most, though."

Sarah nodded. "I need to be, for my job."

"Which is?"

Sarah explained her job. Bastet nodded, but said, "Being fit would be important, but I think you do that for yourself, as well."

Sarah nodded. "I do."

"Chuck must appreciate it." Bastet's eyes were sparkling again.

It was Sarah's turn to roll her eyes. "Why'd you all focus on our relationship?"

"Because it's the first time for us to see such a powerful love on display, other than what we already know."

Sarah tried to absorb that. "Powerful love?"

Bastet smiled. "It's new for you, isn't it? I've never seen such attraction between two people. I suspect others did with Ra and I, and some of the others are close, but you two have such chemistry."

"You only saw us together briefly," Sarah pointed out.

Bastet nodded. "I'm very attuned to love, Sarah."

This wasn't what they were here to discuss. "So, they're both fit. Osiris is more so at present. What else can you tell me about them?"

"There's always been an element of rivalry, but nothing like what's happening now."

"Who do you think is the guilty party?" Sarah asked.

Bastet smiled. "Is that two questions? The accusation of sex and who's planning to attack whom?"

"Two questions," Sarah confirmed.

"I've been Aset and Osiris's friend for a long time. I don't think he could possibly want Nephthys more than his wife. They're perfect together."

"A one-nighter?"

Bastet looked at her. "Your time has colorful phrases. No, I don't think he'd sleep with Nephthys. She's beautiful, but have you seen Aset. Absolutely stunning. No one could compete."

"It's more than beauty," Sarah said.

"What did you call it? A one-nighter?" Sarah nodded. "I think that would be all about physical attraction and beauty."

"Maybe sex with Nephthys is better."

"How would he know?" Bastet asked. "They've not had sex before."

"How'd you know that?"

There was no answer to that.

"Tell me what you like about Osiris."

Bastet did for the next few minutes, but she was obviously not completely focused on it. She was now wondering about Osiris and Nephthys getting together before.

As she left, Sarah sat thinking that all this talk of sex was making her desperate for it tonight. She would have to get Chuck over his reticence.

She needed a drink before the next interview and headed out to get one.

Ptah and Sekhmet were, inevitably, a very attractive couple. Sekhmet looked very much like her sister Bastet. They sat down in front of her.

"I normally interview individuals, but thought I'd try a couple with you two."

"Why?" Ptah asked.

"I want to see how a couple answers," she replied.

"Before you interview Aset and Osiris," Sekhmet stated. She wasn't asking.

"Indeed," Sarah replied.

"You'll get different responses if you interview them separately," Sekhmet replied.

Ptah looked at his wife in surprise.

"So, let's see how a couple responds," Sarah said, pointing vaguely in his direction.

The woman laughed and the man huffed.

Sarah looked at him. "So, what do you think of their relationship?"

"Totally committed to each other," he responded.

His wife commented, "She is."

Sarah glanced her way, "But you don't think he is?"

Sekhmet sighed. "I think he wants to be, but struggles."

"He wouldn't sleep with another woman," Phat said emphatically.

His wife looked at him. "He's not as perfect as you, Phat. He might, if seduced."

He shook his head. "I don't believe that and I'm surprised you could even suggest it."

Sarah didn't want this to turn into just the two of them disagreeing with each other, fascinating though that was. "You're friends with Osiris and Aset, aren't you?"

Sekhmet answered before her husband. "We are, but that doesn't make us biased. We want the truth as much as anyone else."

Ptah agreed. "I don't believe Osiris to be guilty, but will accept it, if I'm proved wrong."

Sarah smiled. "Innocent until proven guilty?"

"Of course," Ptah replied.

"And what about Set?" He looked away. "Same rule?" she pushed.

"We both think he's blaming Osiris for Nephthys leaving him," Sekhmet said. "And his anger has flared up." Phat nodded.

"Has that happened before?" Sarah asked.

"His anger is… volatile," Ptah responded. His wife nodded.

"Examples?"

"Sporting events," Sekhmet said.

"Oh, yes," Ptah said. "Whenever he lost."

"Lost to Osiris?" Sarah asked.

"To anyone, but, yes, sometimes to Osiris."

"Is he so bad at sports?"

"He's really good. One of the best, but not always THE best," Ptah qualified.

Sarah noted that down.

"So, you think he's taking this too far, and lying about Osiris?"

They both nodded.

She asked them a few more questions, but basically, they were fully supportive of Osiris and against Set.

She thanked them and sat to think all this through after they left.

There were some amongst the Ennead polarized, either with Osiris and against Set, or the opposite. A number of them were dubious about his fling with Nephthys but, of those, some doubted he would attack Set and some thought it possible. Basically, the full spread of opinions!

She really needed Chuck's input.

Chuck had had another day of failure. He'd gotten further into the network, and even into some of the private file stores, but not all and he hadn't managed to get into the email system before the bots, as he called them, tracked him down.

He felt dejected, but Thoth was very impressed. "I thought it might take you longer to get this far." He chuckled. "You're a natural hacker."

Chuck sighed. "I thought I was, never having been blocked by anything back home, but here I am, and those bots seem to have the taste for me and home in on me so easily."

"Chuck, our system has been in place for thousands of years. It was bound to be more sophisticated than the systems in your time. How long have they been in place?"

"About fifty years," Chuck admitted.

"You can beat anything now, but you just need to keep an eye behind you for what you're calling bots."

"I know, but it's difficult." Then he realized what he'd said. He grinned. "Of course it's difficult. You wouldn't need a hacker like me if it was easy."

"Exactly." Thoth smiled at him. "Go and have a rest. Be with that distraction of yours. Fresh start tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks for the encouragement."

Chuck set off. He was tired, but then thinking of Sarah and what they'd done the night before, added a spring to his step.

Chuck and Sarah discussed their days while they ate their dinner. Both were eager to finish and head to the bedroom.

Sarah wasn't sure if she'd pushed him or if he'd already decided to go for it. She hoped it was the latter. She didn't want to force him, but she was sure he would be wonderful and just needed a bit more confidence in himself.

As Sarah had expected, sex with Chuck was everything she could've hoped for, possibly more. She finished twice before he did and each time was wonderful.

It was a reminder that she never wanted another lover. Chuck was it for her. She still hadn't admitted that to him, but there was no doubt in her mind. The sex was the icing on the cake, of course, but such a thick tasty layer on top of her favorite cake.

Chuck knew it would be wonderful with Sarah, but it was so much better. His worry that he wouldn't perform as well as she needed proved to be completely wrong. Her moans, gasps and cries suggested otherwise.

"The best ever," she finally breathed out once she'd recovered.

He kissed her tenderly then said, "For me too, my goddess."

She pulled him back into another kiss which deepened.

The night was young, so they didn't worry about lacking sleep as they joined once again.

A/N: The Egyptian mythology does shape Sarah's thoughts about the people she meets, but she continues to find that their true story is different.

I'd love it if you let me know your thoughts about this story in a review.