: : Summary : : Evelyn's day is growing lousier and lousier by the second. After everything that happens in her terrible day, what could possible make it better? How about some tender loving care from everyone's favorite gun-toting American? Read to see what happens! ^-^ This takes place after the first movie but before the second. It's about right after the first movie past the part where they ride off into the desert sun.
~
Today would be the day that Rick and Evie would be fitted for their wedding outfits. Evelyn was naturally excited. After all, she would be dressed in a long, lacy, white flowing gown with a veil and a train that would trail for ages, and a bouquet of lovely lilies and roses. Rick on the other hand was like any typical American male. He just wanted to get it over with and leave. But no, nothing ever goes smoothly, the American thought bitterly. After all, a prime example was with Hamunaptra and the damned mummy coming back to life. Then again, that adventure DID have its perks. After all, it's where he met his bride to be, and he managed to get some treasure out of the deal after all.
"OWW! Damnit, watch what you're doing, I'm not a pincushion!" Rick said huffily.
"Well, sir, if you stood STILL your bottom wouldn't be getting pricked with needles, now WOULD IT!" The tailor replied, equally as huffy.
Evie giggled as she watched the scene. Not even a half-hour into the fitting and Rick was already putting up a fuss. She couldn't really blame him. She herself had gotten her share of the bottom pricks. But all in all it was an enjoyable time. And her dress looked lovely. She could tell Rick and Jonathan both liked it by the drooling stares she earned. Another cry of pain suddenly brought Evie out of her reverie.
"God damnit, you jerk what the hell are you trying to do? Make my ass into Swiss cheese?!" Rick snapped at the tailor.
"Maybe if you weren't such a rude customer I wouldn't be poking you! And stay still for goodness sake! After all, you're a horrible person to work with!" The tailor snapped back.
"Horrible person to work with?! What the hell do you mean by that!?"
"You're rude, discourteous, your body is all lopsided and you CANNOT STAND STILL!"
"You're totally asking for an ass kicking!" Rick growled.
"Gentlemen ENOUGH!"
Both Rick and the tailor immediately silence upon hearing Evelyn's voice above the fray. She stood in between them with her arm crossed and a serious look on her face. The two men sheepishly looked at Evie, wondering what their punishment would be from the seemingly gentle British woman. Rick was especially nervous.
"Now, gentlemen. You must learn to cooperate. Rick, you learn to be nice and to stand still. And Mr. Thompson you must learn to be gentler and more careful. Agreed?" Evie said with a soft but firm tone.
"Yes, ma'am." The two men both replied in quiet unison, and continued making the tuxedo.
"Evie!"
Evelyn looked over to see Jonathan twirling around in his best man's tuxedo with a grin on his face. She giggled as her older brother showed off his tuxedo and then picked her up in his arms and danced around with her.
"Ohh, my baby sister getting married, and I get to give her away!" Jonathan said cheerfully. Evie smiled with a faint blush.
"And to think you haven't been drinking once today�" she mused.
"Only for you old mum would I gladly stay sober for a day and make you proud!" Jonathan replied with a smile.
"Now is that going to count for the wedding day as well or are you just putting me on?" Evie asked, knowing what the answer would be already.
"Only until the reception, old mum. After that I'm free game!" her brother said with a sly wink.
Shaking her head, Evie jumped out of his arms and looked over at Rick, who was now in his tuxedo. He smiled gently at her, spinning in a small circle to show of his deep black tuxedo. Evie smiled brightly and gazed in amazement how a good spit and polish could fix up someone like Rick. It reminded her of the prison in Egypt, where she first saw him. His hair was terribly long and uncut, he was unshaven, and his clothing was torn. He was filthy, yet oddly attractive. And then at the port in Giza, Evie was amazed to see Rick cleaned up, well dressed with a fine haircut and a good shave. And goodness, did he look handsome�
"You like it?" Evie asked.
"I suppose. Then again, I feel sorta�"
"Sort of what?" Evie asked.
"Naked�" Rick said sheepishly.
"Naked? Why on earth would you feel that way?"
"I mean, come on, I'm not wearing my gun holster or my wristband�I feel really naked without 'em�" Rick said with an embarrassed smile.
"Is that all? Well don't worry about it, you'll get used to it, sweetheart." Evie replied.
Rick nodded and quickly changed out of the tuxedo into his regular white shirt, tan pants and leather boots. Evie and Jonathan waited outside for him and were pleased when he emerged from the shop, fully changed.
"Now we go do the flower arrangements and then set up the cathedral!" Evie said eagerly, already skipping towards the car. Jonathan followed quickly behind.
Rick was about to follow when he suddenly had the feeling he was being followed. He looked around, but was surprised to find no one there. Blinking, Rick slowly followed his fiancee and Jonathan to the car, keeping an eye over his shoulder in case something would happen to him suddenly. It was times like these when he wished he DID keep his gun holster on at all times. But since people would think him insane for carrying weaponry 24/7 and not be part of the police or military, then Rick had no choice.
'Strange�why does it feel like someone I know is behind me?' Rick wondered as he got in the car.
"You all right?" Evie wondered.
"Yeah, just thinking that's all." Rick replied with a smile and a quick peck to her lips.
As the three drove off to their next destination, a mysterious being watched from the shadows�
~*~
Rick wandered aimlessly about the garden, not caring where he went at all and was just glad to be at a familiar place where his body could collapse. At first he thought that he and Evie were just going to the cathedral and to make the flower arrangements. But that quickly changed into going to the marketplace, going to a local tavern to pick up something for Jonathan and nearly resulting in Jonathan AND Rick nearly getting beaten alive, and then finally coming home. And all the while, Rick felt like he was being followed by someone. He flopped down on the stone bench, not caring how much the impact hurt, just so long as he got off his feet.
"Tired, American? You seemed to have more energy in the desert�" A soft voice said suddenly.
Startled, Rick immediately leapt to his feet, guns in hand and eyes roaming for his target. He knew that voice�that dialect�only one person he had ever met had such a thick Egyptian dialect�and that person was�
"Ardeth Bay, get your ass out here." Rick called out, lowering his guns.
Amusedly, Ardeth appeared out from behind a stone statue, arms crossed and a small smirk on his face. "Well, O'Connell it appears Allah has indeed smiled upon you."
"What are you doing here?" Rick asked, arching a brow at the Med-Jai warrior.
"I merely heard of your joining of love with the girl, so I came to view the marriage myself." Ardeth replied simply.
"Ya know, she DOES have a name." Rick pointed out.
"I am fully aware she has a name. I've actually known Evelyn for quite some time. I've observed her parents before."
This caught Rick's attention. "You see a lot in the desert, don't you?"
"Indeed. I've also seen your parents, O'Connell." Ardeth added. Rick blinked with wide eyes.
"MY parents? When in hell did you see MY parents?"
Ardeth moved away from the statue to sit on the stone bench. "Many years ago�when I was training to become of the Med-Jai warriors as a boy. And I saw people who resembled your present self. I never thought anything of them until I had seen you the first time you were with the French soldiers�"
"You must've seen my father then�I've seen pictures of my father and we do look the same�" Rick murmured to himself.
"I'm honestly surprised..." Ardeth said suddenly.
"Surprised about what?" Rick wondered.
"Your tattoo."
Rick narrowed his eyes at the Med-Jai. "How do you know of my tattoo�?"
"I'd seen it back in Hamunaptra, when we battled the Creature. It's one of the symbols used by the Med-Jai for bodyguards of the Pharaoh."
"Purely coincidental, I'm sure�" Rick said with a skeptic look shot at Ardeth. The Med-Jai warrior simply smiled.
"If you believe it to be, though from what I hear you told your future wife otherwise�" Ardeth said.
"How in the hell do you find out about these things?!"
"I'm a Med-Jai, we happen to be very good at knowing of the past lives and the future lives. Also, words travels fast to the desert. You'd be surprised who can link to us from anywhere on the globe to Egypt's desert sands."
"Please don't tell me the tailor in town isn't one of those links or I swear�" Rick muttered. Ardeth chuckled.
"No, to my knowledge our links are not tailors by trade. Most of our links are the curators of museums. A few of them are people like yourself."
"People like myself?"
"Yes. The gun-toting adventurer variety. Although you're the first to ever associate with a librarian and an alcoholic treasure hunter that I've ever seen�" Ardeth said with what sounded like amusement in his voice.
Rick laughed. "I know how to pick them don't I? First Beni and now Evie and Jonathan�"
"Well, with all due respect to you, my friend, I must be going."
"Why? What the hell else are you gonna do in England? The wedding isn't for another week at the least�"
"Ohh, I'll be about. In the mean time, make an attempt to keep out of trouble." Ardeth said as he walked away.
"Trust me, Ardeth. I stay out of trouble." Rick said with a smirk.
Without looking over his shoulder, Ardeth replied, "Isn't that what you told me in Egypt?"
Rick was about to retort when he suddenly saw Ardeth Bay was no longer there. Blinking confusedly, Rick looked around but found no trace of the Med-Jai. He nearly jumped a mile high when a hand suddenly clasped on his shoulder.
"What got you so jumpy?" Evie wondered.
"Ohh! I-I was just looking for something�" Rick said, unsure of whether or not to tell her Ardeth was in town.
"Well try finding it later, it's lunch time." Evie said with a smile.
"All right, sweetheart, I'll be right in." Rick replied, giving her a soft kiss. Evie giggled from behind his mouth.
"Save it for later�" she whispered.
"You know I will�" Rick replied huskily.
Grinning, Evelyn ran inside to go finish lunch, leaving Rick to finish up in the garden. Giving it one last good glance, Rick gave up his search for Ardeth. Stepping inside the house, he made his way to eat lunch with his fiancee. Outside, however, Ardeth watched silently from his hidden perch.
'The elders were correct in saying he has the strength of a Med-Jai�perhaps he truly is the one our people have been searching for�the lost Med-Jai of Seti the First's royal bodyguards�' Ardeth thought.