If I Dont Leave Now
: : Summary : : After all they went through, did Rick and Evelyn really wait until the wedding night before they fell into each others arms? As well Rick gets an insight into Evelyn's nightmares.
Evelyn had fallen asleep in his arms not long after they embarked on the return journey to Fort Brydon. He watched her, somewhat amazed she had managed to keep up as they fled the destruction, not that he'd given her much choice. Her exhaustion was never obvious until now and he admired her perseverance. So tiny in his arms, so big in her will. He was enchanted by her. It had only been a few hours since the three of them had watched the ruins of Hamunaptra collapse and disappear beneath the red sands of the Sahara and Rick O'Connell, for one, would be happy if he never returned. As their camels labored forward he held onto her, knowing he wouldn't want to let go when the time came, but for now he was happy with her snuggled into his chest.
He and Jonathan passed the monotonous journey with small talk. Neither of them felt like reflecting on what they'd witnessed that day and seeing as Jonathan was Evelyn's brother and a keen talker, Rick was discovering some interesting insights into her life and character.
"Don't be fooled by that innocent exterior." Jonathan advised. Rick's infatuation with his sister was evident to say the very least, and he relished his opportunity to spin a few stories which might throw Rick off centre and fan his curiosity. "She might look like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, but by God, she can take a piece out of you when she gets her back up" his eyes gestured toward his shoulder "I've got the scars to prove it." Rick nodded, smiling uncertainly. Jonathan's arrows were hitting their target and Rick found himself wondering exactly what sort of things would get under Evelyn's skin. However, it was obvious Jonathan was enjoying himself, perhaps a little too much, so Rick decided it would be better to change the subject than let him
carry on.
"Where are you planning on heading once we hit Cairo?" Rick enquired, secretly hoping they'd both have to stay put for a while to pay off this disasterousexpedition.
"Well, I've no firm plans." Jonathan sighed and looked skyward "As for Evie,well, she's hell bent on getting that crowd of crooks to take her seriously so I'd imagine she'll be putting all her energy into the books again." He couldn't help himself, opportunities to torment O'Connell would be few and far between so he was making the most of it. " That is once she's cleaned up that mess she left behind." Jonathan laughed at the memory.
"Crooks? Mess?"
"There's not much for her back in London." Jonathan continued without acknowledging Rick, just gleefully playing on his sensitivity. He believed he was entitled to elicit some form of return torture for having to watch them continuously coo and kiss. Her slumber was a godsend! "She won't give up, old boy, she'll burst a vein trying to satisfy their ridiculous prerequisites. Yes, I'll bet she'll be straight back with her delicate little nose pressed firmly in a book."
"What are you talking about?" Rick said shaking his head at Jonathan's babbling.
"That Bembridge crowd! I'm sure they intend to keep her at arm's length indefinately. You must know by now that our Evie's a bright one...and those Scholars know it aswell. That's the reason they keep rejecting her." Rick continued to stare at him, still not understanding "She'll make them look bad. God forbid they should have a woman in the ranks!" He shook his head and sucked his breath through his teeth. "She won't stop though, not until she gets their seal of approval." he tutted, continuing to play the notes on
O'Connell's emotions.
Rick looked down at the still sleeping Evelyn and wondered about her. She was somewhat of an enigma. A treasure in herself. He leaned his head into hers.
"Oh no, don't kiss her again!" Jonathan begged and looked away. If it wasn't bad enough the whole trek had to be made on camels, as none of them had the price of a steamer ticket, he was made to endure this display despite his best efforts to ebb the flow. It was indeed going to be a long journey back. He glanced back in order to make one last groan, then shouted "Hey, wait on! What's that in your saddle bag!?"
*****
When they set up camp each night was the hardest part for Rick. Jonathan refused point blank to sleep any further from the group than necessary, no matter how much Evelyn insisted on her and Rick needing privacy. To Jonathan, their behaviour was deplorable, he didn't have to put up with it at night as well. He was also completely put out that they wouldn't agree to bartering a few of the trinkets they'd found for a berth on the steamer. The ongoing war between the siblings was a convenient distraction for Rick where Evelyn was concerned. He hadn't really planned on seducing her in the desert, mainly because it would have to be the most uncomfortable place on earth, but he knew his desire for her wouldn't allow him any rest if she was nestled next to him, so her quarreling with Jonathan gave him good reason to keep his distance at night. Instead, he always opted for the first watch, that way he was guaranteed of falling asleep from sheer exhaustion, after he was able to kick Jonathan into duty.
*****
Once in Cairo, Evelyn settled back into her lodgings at the Fort and, just as Jonathan predicted, she again began thinking of impressing the Bembridge Scholars, but first she had that mess to clear up. Two perfectly good reasons to keep herself busy
and firmly push the events of the last few weeks into the back of her mind. So much so, that she hardly let herself think of Hamunaptra at all, except when she sat surrounded by the treasure they found stashed in the saddle bags. She preferred to
have either Rick or Jonathan with her while cataloguing the pieces, their conversations kept her mind from wandering. She even persuaded Rick to help her sort out the disaster that was the library.
"You did this?" Rick stood at the doorway in disbelief.
"Yes." She refused to be intimidated by his tone of voice, she was embarrassed enough
as it was.
"All by yourself?" he chortled.
Evelyn turned to him, her hands on her hips "Very well, get all your jokes out of the way now, then we'll able to get on with it."
Rick took a few steps into the room as he surveyed the damage and laughed aloud "You know, I'm amazed you didn't just run away and never come back." She spied him cantankerously, but didn't answer. "Can't say I'd own up to it....or did you get caught?" he teased.
"Finished?" she waited for him to speak but he remained silent. "Good, then perhaps now you could make yourself useful." She wasn't seeing the lighter side of the situation. Rick sighed deeply, running his hand through his hair. Evelyn's fuse had been short since arriving back in Cario, in fact to call her bitchy would be pretty close to the mark. However, he took his cue to shut up and
proceeded to get on with the clean up. Something else Jonathan had been right about, her temper.
*****
Within a few hours they had filled the floorspace with books stacked in piles of varying height. The more they worked the clearer it became to Rick that Evelyn was happy so long as she was occupied with the books or talking about the library and the museum. At every turn, she avoided discussing Hamunaptra and the events which took place there. This was the same girl who had happily agreed to marry him when he asked her as they camped their second night in the desert. But now it appeared she was preoccupied, agitated and reluctant to set a wedding date. She was building walls which he was finding difficult to climb.
"We might as well call it a day." she said suddenly and stood to brush the dust from her skirt. "I'm sure you've had enough."
"Well, now that you mention it." Sorting the books wasn't so bad, but her mood was really beginning to piss him off.
"I'll just grab my bag and we can leave." she walked through the piles of books stepping over and around them, weaving her way up the few steps to where her desk was situated. She misplaced her footing and with a squeal and a thud she landed awkwardly onto the stone floor. Rick got to her as readily as the maze of books would allow. Helping her sit, he was surprised to see a flood of tears
stream down her cheeks and she began to shake and sob.
"Hey, hey. What's this?" He touched her face "Where are you hurt?" He knew she hadn't fallen hard enough to break any bones, and like everything else lately it appeared she was over-reacting.
"My foot!" she choked out and reached for the injury.
"It's alright, let me do it." He lifted her foot, carefully removing her shoe. It was swelling as he watched. "You've done something to your ankle. Can you move it at all?" She grunted and painfully wiggled her toes. "Don't think it's broken, just sprained most likely." He looked up at her, knowing her tears were for more than a sore foot "What else hurts, Sweetheart?" She reached out her arms and he took her into his. He sat there, just holding onto her, rocking her gently as she wept. She let loose all the demons she'd buried deep, pouring them out in one enormous display of emotion. "It's alright Evie" he whispered to her over and over "Just let it all go." He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. He was prepared to sit there for hours if it meant she stayed in his arms.
*****
Walking back to the Fort took forever. She had refused to let him carry her, insisting it was far less humiliating if she just held onto him and limped her way home. Usually, the trip only took a few minutes, but she hadn't expected the effort to be so painful. Her pride was ultimately tested when she was faced with climbing the stairs. There she conceded defeat, and with great relief and a silent cheer, Rick lifted her easily and carried her the final few yards. "You're pretty tough, you know that? Stubborn as a pack mule, but tough." and he placed her gently on the bed and rested her foot on a pillow.
"It's really hurting now, and throbbing awfully." she winced as he sat at the foot of her bed and removed the bandages which were blackened by the 'walk' from the library.
"Well, my darling." he began drolly "That's because you insisted walking for blocks when you should have been carried. You haven't helped the swelling any."
Evelyn responded with a look of mock indignity. "Indeed, well it appears you're the expert."
"You'd better believe it. I've wrapped up plenty of battered bodies...mine included."
"How are your wounds?"
"Ahh, they're alright. Let's just get you sorted out."
"What do you prescribe, Doctor?"
If he didn't know better, he'd swear she was giving him the come on. "I'll put a wet towell around it for now, that should ease it a bit and I'll bandage it again for you later." He grinned at her. She was beautiful. Her once tidy hair in disarray, her cheeks red from the hot streets "So long as you follow doctor's orders from now on...and stay put!" he slapped the bed.
She huffed at him. More than anything she hated being confined, especially by something as trivialas a sprained ankle. "Oh, that can't be necessary."
"I mean it Evelyn, I'm not carrying you another yard!"
"You didn't carry me, I walked."
"You hobbled."
She let out that frustrated "Ooohhh" which so suited her and he rolled his head back laughing
"But you were very elegant...at hobbling."
"You're teasing me, Rick O'Connell." she tilted her head slightly and smiled at him.
"Just a little." he rubbed her leg softly. Ironically, her good humour was returning. Sitting here with her was nice, he could happily do this for hours.
End chapter 1
: : Home : : Back to Archive : : Chapter Two : :