: : Summary : : After Hamunpatra Rick and Evie have plans to get married and have a wonderful life together. What happens when they get back to Cairo and find the Legion waiting at their door step? Read and find out... I have to give credit to Alex who roleplayed this with me and so she gets credit for helping my creative juices
After all that had happened with the events at Hamunaptra, both Rick and Evelyn had walked away with a treasure greater than that of anything the pharaoh could make, that of love. On the trip back Evelyn had been a wreck, the events of the weeks before finally catching up to her, and it had been Rick�s love that saw her through the two nights they slept in the desert. In caring for her, Rick had found a real love, and he knew she was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his days with. The last night in the desert he had proposed to her, and with a tearful yes they sealed that proposal with a passionate kiss that promised a life lasting love together. It was when they got back to Cairo that their hopes for a future were shattered. Waiting on their doorstep was the Legion who immediately took Rick to prison, ready to take him to Paris for Trial and execution for abandoning his duties with them. It was there that he met up with his friend Sam, who had gone with him to join the Legion, and who was a high ranking officer, high enough to intervene on his behalf and save his life, but not without a price.
Chapter 1: Shattered
Since their arrival in Cairo, Evelyn had not left her parents house. Her heart was breaking with each beat, and she was terrified beyond belief that the Legion would kill the only man she had ever let down her self imposed barriers to love. Now she sat in her fathers study trying to get together her thoughts enough to write a long letter to the Bembridge Scholars, about the wrong information that had been written about Hamunaptra, determined to get into their good graces. Despite how much she tried, she couldn�t get anything down she wanted to say, and in a fit of rage she ripped up the paper she had been typing, and took the typewriter and threw it to the ground, then began to cry soul wrenching cries. That is how Rick found her when he came to tell her what the Legion had decided. Jonathan had been at the prison when they let him go, for one last night of freedom, and given him the keys to their parents house. He dropped the keys on the floor when he heard her cries, and followed them to the back room of the small house and picked her up off of the floor. When she realized it was him Evelyn took in a deep breath and pulled away enough to look at him.
�They let you go?� she asked, daring to believe that somehow he had gotten out of getting killed, and that they could live the life they had planned to live. Rick kissed her tears away, then led her to the Parlor, to one of the ornate little couches where he sat with her and began to explain.
�I had a friend from the orphanage who went with me to the Legion, Sam, who was able to pull some strings. The Legion has agreed not to kill me if I serve them for three years,� he said.
�Then I will move to Paris with you,� she said. Again Rick kissed her wishing she could go with him but there was more to tell.
�Evie they aren�t going to let me to see anyone I love during that time. I guess as part of punishing me for my wrong doing. Jonathan told me that you have a place in England, for me Evie go back there.� Rick was afraid to leave her in Egypt so soon after all that had happened, mostly because he knew once people found out she had been a part of a group to find Hamunaptra, that she would never be left alone.
�I�m not sure I can live my life without you,� she admitted. Rick eased her away to look at him, and the pain he saw in her eyes mirrored the pain he felt in his heart for having to leave her.
�You don�t have to wait for me Evelyn. If you find someone then don�t miss that chance,� he said. Evelyn shook her head.
�I don�t want anyone else. I know we should wait until we are properly wed, but I want to be with you,� she said almost soft enough for him not to hear her, though he had. Gently he eased her away from him and stood then held out his hand. When she took it, he pulled her to her feet then into his arms. He kissed her, this time with more force than he had in the past, and when she moaned and began to slump, he lifted her into his arms.
�Where is your room,� he breathed, kissing down her neck.
�Upstairs,� she managed. Somehow Rick managed to get them upstairs and found a room, a guestn room that wasn�t her room, but that would work for what both of them had in mind. When he placed her on the bed, he pulled away to look at her, seeing a slight hint of fear in her eyes.
�We can just lay together,� he said, though he wanted more from her.
�No, I want you,� she said as a tear slipped from her eye. Rick leaned forward and kissed it away. His hands and lips explored her body as he undressed her, memorizing her for the lonely nights ahead. Evelyn was a fast learner, and did some of her own exploration, kissing his lips and then over his bare chest, tracing over his well defined muscles with both her hands and her lips. When they finally joined, she was crying from both the pain and the pleasure that had caused, and when he began to move against her there was only pleasure. Much later, he lay holding her as she slept caressing over her back with his hand, marveling at how right it had felt to make love to her. He knew he should get sleep for the journey ahead, but he didn�t want to, wanting to hold this one night of love he had shared with her, knowing that it might very well be his last. Being in the Legion was almost a death sentence in itself. The missions they went on were very risky, and there were not a lot of people who liked them. He decided not to tell her how risky it was, not wanting to hurt her anymore than he already had. Somehow he did manage to get sleep, and it was the last night of restful sleep either of them would have for a long time.
~*~
Too soon morning arrived, and it was Rick�s absence which woke her. For a moment she began to panic, then Evelyn realized that he had not left her. She found him sitting in a wicker rocking chair watching her, which made her blush.
�How long have you been awake?� she asked as she got up, undressed but not caring. She walked over to him, and he lifted her onto his lap holding her.
�Not too long. I need to get dressed, the boat for Paris leaves...� Before he could finish both of them heard Jonathan calling for Rick. Evelyn quickly left the room, going to her own where she put on a robe, then went downstairs where her brother waited.
�They sent me to get him he...� Jonathan stopped when he saw how tousled her hair was, and a few tell tale signs that more had gone on than simply talking.
�Oh Jonathan don�t look at me that way. I�m about to loose the only man I love,� she defended.
�Okay Sorry,� he said unable to hide his grin. He looked past her as Rick came down the stairs ready to leave the love of his life.
�I�ll get dressed,� she said, then stopped as he caught her arm.
�You need to stay here. When I go there they will chain me, and likely do a few things to me that you don�t need to see,� he said. His words sent a chill down her spine, and she went into his arms for one last embrace.
�Please come back to me,� she whispered against his chest. Rick kissed the top of her head and reluctantly parted from her. Evelyn walked him to the door, and stood there watching them get in the car, watching him drive off to his horrible fate. Only when he was out of site, did she allow herself to cry. She went upstairs to the guest room and lay in the bed which still held his scent wishing he was with her. It was there that she cried herself to sleep.
~*~
When they arrived at the docks Sam was waiting along with a few bigger men. Jonathan watched in horror as Rick was chained up and beat up, and was glad that he had not let Evelyn go with them. When he was taken away Sam approached him.
�I will do all I can to get him out as soon as I can,� he said. Jonathan shook the mans hand then left to get a few drinks, his stomach hurting at what he had seen, and the long sentence on all of their lives began.