| THE ADVENTURES OF THE O'CONNELL FAMILY Page 30 |
| in shock and rage. Rick was about to charge as Anck-su-namun got ready to plunge the sword into Evie�s heart, but both were stopped by a powerful voice. �ENOUGH!� Imhotep yelled. �She has proven herself.� Anck-su-namun froze. She had become so controlled by her emotions that she had forgotten they had an audience. The fight was officially over. She dropped the sword to her side and offered her hand, but was surprised as Evie kicked her leg to the side, causing Anck-su-namun to fall hard onto her backside. �Damn that felt good,� Evie thought with a smile as she made her way back to Rick�s side. Diamond ([email protected]) April 21, 2002 Rick started to take Evie into his arms but she gave him a look and he remembered, she wasn't Evelyn O'Connell here...she was Nefertiri, and a princess didn't embrace her guards after a fight. So Rick just smiled at his wife and patted her on the shoulder. But as they were exchanging loving looks, Imhotep was sitting next to the Pharaoh�s throne, getting a clue. He hadn't taken the time to look over the oddly dressed guards and the woman Nefertiri had come in with, but as the fight was nearing its end the sight of two of the people the princess had with her caught his eye. He knew he recognized the man, Olympus. He was a bookkeeper at the Library, Imhotep remembered. But the woman...who was she? So familiar were her facial expressions and the way her dark eyes sent arrows through his when they made eye contact, he knew he must have known her once. Imhotep almost fell out of his chair when he remembered. Gabrielle had turned her head a certain way and he automatically recalled everything. No wonder she was looking at him like she had been. But what was she doing with Princess Nefertiri? And Olympus as well? Gabrielle had been banished from her family when she refused to marry Imhotep and no one had heard from her since. Word had it that she was friends with Olympus, so that explained their relationship, but how did they know the Princess? But then a more disturbing thought came to the priest�s mind. What if Gabrielle told someone what he had done to her? What would that do to his position as high priest? He was supposed to be pure and Gabrielle was living proof of otherwise. Something had to be done about her. Imhotep was still deep in thought when Anck-su-Namun was tripped by Nefertiri, and was still zoned when Anck-su-Namun got up and walked to him with angry eyes. She was talking to him, but he wasn't paying attention. "Imhotep...Imhotep!" She hissed. When he didn't respond Anck-su-Namun glared and stomped off from him. He was still watching Gabrielle...the priests were now showing her and Olympus to their rooms, the two guards (Jonathan and Rick) of Nefertiri following. Something had to be done...anything. Milo ([email protected]) April 21, 2002 Gabrielle was a bit sulky still, and was absolutely disgusted at sleeping in the same building as Imhotep was. The guards had shown them to their rooms and the only good thing that had come out of it was that the group agreed that Jonathan and Gabrielle should share a room. They'd decided that it was only logical that a 'guard' should stay in both rooms, and Nefertiri would be left alone with the bodyguard the palace had already for her (which, of course, put Rick on edge all night). Jonathan had walked into the room after having a conference with Rick and Olympus and spotted Gabrielle sitting on the window sill staring out into the dimming sunset. He felt a flicker of hope in his heart, he'd always been the best at cheering Evie up...hopefully he could do the same for Gabrielle. He started to say something, but was completely out of words....she looked so amazing in the sunset light...so he just walked over and kissed her on the cheek, startling her quite a bit. She gasped, and looked up at him, trying to hide the teary ness in her eyes, "Oh...Horus, Jonathan you scared me." Jonathan offered her a cute little smile and she had to smile back. It was amazing...she hardly knew him, but she felt like she'd known him all her life. "I'm sorry about Imhotep...if I could...I'd-" "Don't..." Gabrielle interrupted firmly, then smiled a bit, "I know." He reached out to touch her cheek and was surprised when she backed away quickly. Jonathan frowned and tilted his head slightly to the side, he realized then that it was the first time they'd been alone in a room together, and that she was afraid of him. The thought of her frightened of him made Jonathan's heart melt. He stared at her like he couldn't believe what was happening, "I won't hurt you Gabrielle." She looked down and didn't respond, and this worried Jonathan even more. "Gabrielle I could never hurt you! You're the most amazing�" He put his hand on her cheek again, and she moved away again, trying not to look at him. His voice got very choked up, "I love you." Gabrielle's breath caught and she looked at him with wide eyes, "You�you what?" Jonathan took one of her hands and this time she didn't even flinch, he looked at her like she was crazy, smiling a little in his seriousness, "I love you Gabrielle." She looked either dumbfounded or disbelieving, or both, but Jonathan was tired of waiting for her to respond and kissed her full on the lips. Surprisingly enough, she kissed him back and put her hands on his cheeks when he reached up for hers. Their kiss was very passionate and was growing even more when Jonathan picked her up off of the window sill and carried her to the bed. When he laid her down there she broke the kiss and looked at him, Jonathan suddenly realized that this might not be the best time to be doing what he was planning on. "Oh...I'm sorry..." he started, but she started shaking her |