I LOVE YOU FOREVER
Evelyn awoke to the phone ringing. She opened her eyes, wanting to see Rick beside her. She started to panic when he wasn't there, but then remembered that he was just gone on a job. She sighed. "Hello?" Evy asked when she picked up the phone. The response was all gibberish to Evy's ears. Jonathan was talking too fast for her to understand, especially since she'd just woken up. "Wait, Jonathan! Say that again, slower." "I'm in Cairo. I can't talk long. But you have to help me. They're taking me to Hamunaptra!" Jonathan said, his voice scared. "What! Jonathon, wait!" Evy gasped. But the line was already dead. Evy was panicking. What had happened? She dialed the number of the business where Rick worked, and waited impatiently for the answer.
Finally it stopped ringing. "May I speak with Rick O'Connell, please?" Evy asked. "He's in a meeting right now, can I take a message?" "It's an emergency. Please get him. I'm his wife." Evy pleaded. "Okay. Please hold." Thank god. Evelyn thought, closing her eyes. A few tears escaped her eyes, and before long she couldn't keep control of them. -Rick's POV- "Mr. O'Connell, there's a phone call for you." He sighed. Geez. He thought. "Can it wait?" "It's your wife, and she says it's an emergency." The receptionist told him. This got his attention. Rick jumped up and went to the receptionist's office and picked up the phone. "Evy?" He asked. "Rick. Jonathan called, and he's... he said he couldn't talk long, but..." She could hardly talk, she was choked up from crying. "He said he's being taken back to Hamunaptra. She said we have to help him. Rick we have to go to Hamunaptra. Now." "What? Evy, no. Don't you remember what happened last time?? If we have to go back, you're staying. I won't let anything happen to you. Not a chance." Rick couldn't believe his ears. She actually wanted to go back. Of course, because of her brother, but still! "You can't just leave me here. I'm going, and you can't stop me. Rick, my brother's out there, and I don't know why. I'm not just going to leave him." Evy said, breathing hard and fast. Her British accent was strong. "I'll be home tomorrow. Please wait til I get home, then we'll go." Rick pleaded to his wife. "Fine." Evelyn muttered. "Thank you, Evy." He said. Please, please, please listen to me just this once! He thought. -Evy's POV- She sank into the couch, sighing a breath of fright. What was happening to Jonathan? What if she didn't get there in time? She couldn't let that happen. "I'm going." Evelyn told herself. She went up to her room and packed, then called and scheduled a flight to Giza. Evelyn felt extremely guilty for going to Egypt that day when she told Rick she'd wait until he got home. But she couldn't just hang around while Jonathan could be in a bad ordeal. Surely Rick would understand. But she knew he'd be very mad. She left a note for Rick on the counter- I'm so sorry. I had to go Hamunaptra, I couldn't stay when Jonathan's out there. I love you. Evy. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she wrote this. She knew Rick would be worried sick tonight when she didn't answer his phone calls. But she had to risk it. Jonathan's life could be on the line, and it was all up to her at that moment. She took once last look at the O'Connell manor, praying that it wouldn't be the last time she'd see home. She put her bags in the trunk of her car, and drove to the airport. Once she was on the plane, all she wanted to do was get off. But she knew she couldn't. I love you Rick. I'm so sorry. She thought to herself. The flight lasted what felt like forever, and when Evelyn got off, her legs felt like jell-o. She got her luggage and found a cab and headed straight for Giza Port. Evelyn boarded a ship and was soon on her way to Hamunaptra. Now off the ship, Evelyn stepped onto the dusty, sandy land of the desert. The little town where the Giza ship docked was tiny, but she could at least get something to eat before she bought a camel and rode off to Hamunaptra. She looked off toward the desert, and sighed angrily when she saw clouds of dust. Thanks, Egypt! Can't ride through a dust storm, can I? she thought. She found a little hotel in the little town and got a room. went upstairs and watched the dust storm blow by. It lasted about three hours. By the time it was over, Evelyn couldn't buy a camel because the men had moved them out of town back to the herd to be safer. This is just GREAT! she thought, a single tear escaping. She went back to the hotel and flopped on the bed. -Rick's POV- Rick walked to his office after finding out he'd missed the remainder of the meeting. It was worth it, though. "Rick?" His businesspartner, Adam, strolled into Rick's office. "I have to get home, Angela's ill. Boss says you can go, too. He'll have Parker and Jack take over." "Okay. Sounds great. And sorry about Angela. Evy and I will be thinking of you." He said, sitting up, grabbing his jacket. He nodded to Adam and walked out of the building and hopped into his Beuford. Rick sped home, eager to see Evy. When he got home, Evy's car was gone. "Oh, no." He whispered to himself, running up to the front door. It was locked. She went to Hamunaptra. He cursed under his breath, unlocked the door and walked in. Why doesn't she ever listen to me? Just once? Rick noticed something on the counter. It was a note... in his wife's handwriting. He read it and stormed up his and Evy's bedroom and looked in the closet. Her suitcase was gone. He was getting angrier by the minute. He packed a bag and left. A while later, he was stepping off a ship in a dusty town that looked like a dust storm went through it recently. If she stopped here, she couldn't have left... The dust storm wasn't very long ago. The hotel! Rick rushed to the hotel at the end of the street and walked inside. "Is there an Evelyn O'Connell here?" He asked. "Yes." "What room is she in?" He demanded. "Umm..." The man looked at the paper on his desk. "Twenty-six." "Thank you." He headed up the stairs and looked at each of the doors' numbers until he reached number twenty-six. He pounded on the door. "Evelyn!" -Evy's POV- Evelyn awoke to a pounding on her door, and a familiar voice calling her name. She knew that voice. She froze. Rick. Crap. Evy thought. "Evelyn!" Rick called again. Evy knew he was upset with her. She also knew she had to open that door before he kicked it open. She got up and opened it. "Evy!" He growled. "Uh, Rick, I know you're very upset with me, but you must understand." "Oh, I understand!" Rick said, his voice loud and mad. He stormed into the room. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there? What if you'd went ahead and went to Hamunaptra?" He asked. Evy flinched. "But I didn't... the sandstorm came, and I didn't go. I was planning on going in the morning." She sighed, turned, and walked to the window. Tears streamed down her face. "He could be dead, Rick. And it would be my fault." "Oh, Evy," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her. he kissed her forehead and held her close. Evy looked into his eyes. Rick brought his lips to hers and kissed her. She kissed him back, turned and wrapped her arms around her neck. -Rick's POV- The next morning, Rick awoke, his arm around Evy. He kissed the side of her head. "Good morning," He whispered. Evy turned to him, her hair surrounding her face. He chuckled. "What?" She asked. "Your hair." Evelyn smiled at him. -Evy's POV- Evy remembered suddenly why she was in Egypt. Jonathan. Hamunaptra. "Jonathan!" she gasped. "We gotta go." Rick sighed, but got up as she did. They dressed, got their bags, checked out of the hotel, bought two camels, and were soon on their way to Hamunaptra. "Why'd you leave work early?" Evy asked. "Parker and Jack took over because Adam had to get back to his place. So I just went home too. But I didn't end up going home. I ended up going to Egypt." He looked at her. The ride to Hamunaptra lasted three days. Three long, tiring days. By the time they got there, they were both exhausted. Even though they got enough sleep, it didn't feel like it. Ardeth Bey and the other Medjai warriors were sitting on horses atop a hill. Rick and Evy rode up to them. "O'Connell." Ardeth nodded to him, and then nodded to Evy. "It's a surprise to see you here. What are you doing in Hamunaptra?" "Evy." Rick said, glancing at her. "Oh, fine!" Evy muttered. "Jonathan called me a few days ago, saying that somebody was taking him to Hamunaptra. He didn't say why, only that it was an emergency and that I must get here as soon as I can." Ardeth looked confused. "I haven't seen anyone come or go... But we just started watching Hamunaptra two days ago, so if they got here before then, we didn't see them." "Why weren't you here?" Evy asked, starting to get angry. "We were overlooking Thebes. The other Medjai that were supposed to watching the city of the living had to split to the village quickly, so we went to Thebes until they could come back." Ardeth said, always calm. Evelyn sighed. Rick spoke to Ardeth. "We're going to go find Jonathan. Evy thinks his life is on the line." "You must be aware that I cannot accompany you this time." Ardeth turned his big black horse, raised a hand, and walked in the direction of his village, the other Medjai warriors following him. "He's sure a lot of help." Evy muttered. "It'll be okay, Evy." Rick said. They got off their camels and started walking to the ruins of The City of the Dead. Once inside, Evy suddenly stopped and knelt to the ground. She saw footprints on the ancient stone floor. She didn't know how, but she knew that some of the footprints were Jonathan's. Rick knelt beside her. "They've been here, haven't they?" Evy nodded. They began walking through the mummification room, and up a staircase. "Stop." Rick whispered. Evy froze and asked, "What?" "Somebody's here." He took out a pistol, cocked it, and crept up the stairs almost silently. Evelyn followed, trembling. She glanced around the corner, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. There was Jonathan tied to something she couldn't name; he was gagged and beaten up. Across the room was Danny, Jonathan's old friend, and a woman Evelyn didn't know. The first word that came to her mind was Princess. This woman had to have been reincarnated... She remembered reading about an ancient princess that had been mischevious and a treasure-seeker... Jamila, wasn't it? "Jamila." Evelyn breathed. "Who?" Rick asked. Evelyn quietly explained reading about the ancient princess. "Rick, I think they're trying to get Jonathan to tell them where the treasure is." "Obviously he hasn't told them." Rick muttered. "Stay here." He said softly, and he walked up the rest of the stairs. "Not a chance." Evelyn said, following him. "Hey!" Rick said as he walked into the room where the man, woman, and Jonathan were. Jamila and Danny pointed their guns at him. "Put down your guns and nobody'll get hurt." Danny glared at Rick. "And I know you have her with you. Come on out, Evelyn." Evy hesitated. "Now." The man yelled. She flinched but slowly walked to Rick. She looked at Jonathan, sympathy in her eyes. "I know she'll remember where it is." Jamila said, her voice was so beautiful. "We need her. Get her, Daniel." She added. "No." Rick said firmly. "Yes," Jamila said calmly. Danny walked up to Evelyn, shoved her back. She fell to the floor. Danny hit Rick on the back of the head with his pistol, knocking him out. Evy felt tears prickling the back of her eyes. "Please.. Don't hurt him. And leave my brother out of this. I'm the one you want. I'm the one that knows exactly where everything is." She let her tears come silently. "We'll leave Jon here for now. You come with us." Danny said. "Come." Jamila smiled at how easily Evelyn gave in. I have to go with them... If I don't, they might kill Jonathan.. or even Rick. Evy couldn't bear to think about it. She swallowed hard, but walked ahead of Danny and Jamila, the man's gun pointed at her back. "Take us straight to the treasure." Jamila told her sincerely. Evy nodded. She walked out of the little room and headed to the room where Imhotep had previously tried to kill Evy and revive Anack-su-namun.. "It's gone. This is where the treasure was." Evy lied. Jamila glowered at her. Danny took her by her hair and kicked her feet out from under her. She screamed in pain. The man dragged her about a yard, and then stopped. "You want to tell me where the gold is now?" He asked. "No!" Evy yelled. She heard the man curse, and then felt the dreadful pain of a kick in the gut. She gasped, trying to get air. "I'm not going to tell you. You don't deserve to find it. You took advantage of Jonathan, and you used him to get the information out of me. I'm not telling you where the gold is." Jamila just watched, leaning against the wall, an evil smile spread across her face as she enjoyed Evy's pain. Danny once again kicked her, and dragged her a few more feet by her hair. She felt like her scalp was being torn off. Tears ran down Evelyn's face uncontrollably now; she couldn't bear this any longer, but she knew she couldn't tell them where the treasure was. She screamed again, not able to hold it in. "Okay, Evelyn, want to tell me now?" Danny yelled. Evelyn sobbed. "No!" Danny cursed again and pulled her up by hair til she stood up. -Rick's POV- Rick's head throbbed. He sat up, dizzy.. For a moment he didn't remember where he was. Then he saw Jonathan desperately trying to get out of the ropes tying him down. "Jonathan!" Rick yelled. He untied his brother-in-law and took the rag out of his mouth. "Evy... Rick, they took her.. That way!" Jonathan's voice was raspy. Evy. They took Evy. Rick thought. "Come on, Jonathon!" Rick said, pulling Jon up and dragging him out of the room. Jonathan stumbled along behind Rick. "We gotta get to Evy." Rick went straight to the treasure room, not knowing whether Evy had taken Danny and the reincarnated princess to it or not. But they werent there. But then he heard her scream. "No!" Evy's voice screamed. Then he heard a cry of pain. Rage grew inside of Rick. He started running as fast as he could toward her voice. -Evy's POV- "Don't make us threaten you with the scarabs..." Jamila told Evelyn. "You wouldn't dare." Evelyn spat. "You'd never find the treasure then." "Oh yes we would." Jamila said, nodding her head. "We could get it out of your brother or your husband after you died... They'd tell us where it is as soon as there hearts are broken by the news of their precious Evelyn's death..." Evy's tears rolled down her face. "We should just kill her now!" Danny said to Jamila. "The Book of the Living is right over there. She's not gonna tell us anything anyway." "No, Daniel." Jamila said, "Give it a little more time.. I want her husband and brother to watch her die." "They have nothing to do with this!" Evelyn yelled. Jamila and Danny ignored her. "Well, Evelyn," Danny said, "We still need you to help us find the treasure. So where is it?!" "Haven't you figured this out already? I'm NOT telling you where it is!" Evelyn said firmly. "Oh yes you are." Danny said. He kicked her to the ground and dragged her by her hair a little farther. Evy screamed and sobbed all at the same time. Danny let go of her hair and asked her once again. "No." Evy whispered. Danny pulled her up. She stood, shaking. He took her right arm, twisted it a little and pulled it behind her back. "Tell me where it is." He demanded. Evy stayed silent. Danny pulled her arm harder, making Evy scream. "All you have to do is tell us where the treasure is." Jamila said, walking over to Evy and Danny. "Stop right there." What Evy heard was like music to her ears. Rick. Evy heaved a sigh of relief. Danny pulled out a knife and held it at her throat. Evy gasped slightly, scared out of her mind. "Make one move and she dies." Danny threatened. Evy's tears kept coming. She looked into Rick's eyes, pleading silently. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think about something other than Danny holding a knife to her throat. -Rick's POV- didn't know what to do. He couldn't move, or Evy would be killed. He couldn't do anything. Fortunately, Jonathan did not come into the room. He was standing by the entrance, watching silently, out of view from both Danny and Jamila. -Jonathan's POV- Jonathan could barely stand to see his "friend" Danny torture his beloved sister, Evy. The look on her face was one he'd never seen before. He'd always known that Evy was good at hiding things, but terrible at lying.. He'd never seen Evelyn have an expression that showed everything she'd kept bottled up. It showed emotions from her past... Emotions from the torture she'd gone through that day with the reincarnated princess and Danny. It was like torture to Jonathan just to see Evy like that. He walked down an old, dusty corridor and stopped at the end. There was a small hole in the wall, like a window, except with no glass or windowpane or anything. Just a hole. He took out the pistol he'd picked up off the stone floor in the room he'd been tied up in, cocked it and pointed it to the back of Danny's head. He pulled the trigger. -Evy's POV- She heard the gunshot... She didn't know who fired it or who was shot. She could only hope that it wasn't her. Suddenly the grip Danny had on her was released. Evy fell to her knees, laying her palms on the ancient stone floor for support. She saw Jamila glance around in a panic. She heard the princess curse under her breath. Jamila glowered at Evy. "This isn't over." The princess told Evy sincerely. Jamila calmly sauntered out of the room and down a corridor, shooting glowers Evy with every step she took. Evy looked at Rick. He dropped his pistol and ran to her, wrapping his arms around her. "What did he do to you?" He asked her. "He dragged me about three yards by my hair... He kicked me every time I refused to take them to the treasure." Evy said, trying with everything she had to keep her composure. But she couldn't. She broke into tears, resting her head against Rick's chest. "Oh, Evy.." Rick whispered. -Rick's POV- Rick sat silently rocking his wife, trying to comfort her as much as he could. He didn't really know what to do, so he just talked to her and comforted her. He let her know she wasn't alone. Ever. He heard footsteps running into the room. He turned to see Jonathan running with all he had to Rick and Evy. "What happened? Is she okay?" Jonathan asked. "I'm fine, Jonathan." Evy said softly. "The woman got away. I tried to follow her." Jonathan told them. "Can we go home?" Evelyn asked, turning to look at her husband and brother. "Of course." Rick told her. They stood up and began walking out of the lost city. "Oh, no you don't." Jamila's voice echoed through the corridor. "I told you this isn't over." Rick stepped in front of Evy so she was behind him. Jamila just smiled evilly and shoved him away. He couldn't protest, for she was unbelievably strong (being immortal, like Imhotep, and having powers like Imhotep's). Evy took a step backward. She kept backing up as Jamila neared her. Evy saw Jamila pause. The princess turned, raised her hands, which rose a cloud of dust from the ground to create a wall of sand so Rick and Jonathan could not try to stop her. Then Jamila turned her attention back to Evy. Evelyn took more steps backward, but then she felt her heels slide down slightly. She turned her head and looked behind her. "Oh God." Evelyn said aloud. She could not go back any farther, for she was standing at the edge of a bluff. Jamila knew this. She stepped toward Evy and put a hand on her shoulder and pushed. Evy lost her balance and found herself in midair, falling. She screamed helplessly. She wasn't even falling for one second before a hand grabbed her. Jamila pulled her back up, only to hang her over the side again. Jamila held on to Evy's hand, and Evelyn hung on for dear life. The ancient princess smiled devilishly and let go. Evy's hand grasped a rock jutting out. She grabbed it, then looked down and watched as a few small rocks tumbled down. Just then she noticed how far down it was. She squeezed her eyes shut and wished all this wasn't happening. Suddenly she saw Rick looking over the edge. -Rick's POV- Oh, no.. This is bad. This is really bad. The wall of sand was so thick... He couldn't get through it. Rick heard his wife's scream. Then he heard a different scream... Jamila's. Then the sand died down and settled into the ground again. He ran to the sound of Evy's gasps. Oh, no. His beloved Evy could lose her grip and die any second. He couldn't let that happen. Evy was too far down for him to reach. "Evy!" He called. "Rick..." She said. She was breathing hard and fast. "Hang on! Don't let go!" He yelled. He tried to grab her hand, but he couldn't reach. he cursed and began to slide slowly down the bluff. He stopped when he got to Evy, then grabbed onto the rock she had hold of. "Evy, you've got to let go.. let go and then grab my feet." She looked at him like he was out of his mind. "Are you crazy?!" "Please, Evy. You've got to trust me." -Evy's POV- "Please, Evy. You've got to trust me." Rick's pleading words... Evelyn knew she trusted Rick. She trusted and loved him with all she had. Evy swallowed and let go of the rock. She dropped. Then she grabbed onto Rick's foot. "Jonathan!" she heard Rick yell. "Jonathan!!" "What?" Her brother's voice called back. "Go back to that one room, and get the ropes Jamila and Danny had you tied with! And please hurry, Jonathan!" Rick yelled. "Okay!" In a span of 5 minutes, Jonathan returned with some rope. He tossed it down to Rick. Rick grabbed onto it and told Jonathon to pull him up. Jonathan tried. But he couldn't pull it. "I can't!" Jonathan yelled. "Please, Jonathan!" Evy called to him. Somehow, hearing his sister's voice gave Jonathan an adrenaline rush. He suddenly yanked on the rope and pulled back with all his might. He stepped back and back and back until Rick called to him to stop for a moment. "Stop, Jonathan!" Rick called. Evy's was right next to the rock that she'd had a hold of before. "Evy, I need you to let go of me, and hold on to that rock again. Don't worry." Evy nodded and lunged to the side, wrapping her arms around the rock. "Okay, Jonathan, let me down a little!" Rick called. Evy saw the rope get a little slack in it, but just as quickly, the slack was taken out and Rick was beside her. "Take my hand," Rick said. Evy did. But she suddenly realized that she couldn't hold on. Jonathan began to pull them up. Slowly, but surely. "Rick..." Evy said, her voice shaking. "I... I love you." She whispered. "I love you too. Before you know it we'll be home and all this will be over." He told her. "Tell Jonathan I love him." Evy whispered. -Rick's POV- That last thing she said made him think. 'Tell Jonathan I love him' ... What? Couldn't she tell him that when this is all over? Oh, no. He suddenly realized that Evy was gonna let go. "No, Evy, please!" He begged, tears escaping his eyes. He held on to her hand as tightly as he could. She looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "I love you, Rick." "No, Evy, don't let go. Please." Rick begged. "I have to. The rope can't hold us both." Evy whispered. Rick hadn't noticed that the rope was untwisting and ripping. "It'll hold!" He said sincerely. -Evy's POV- Evy gave him a small, grateful smile. She squeezed his hand one last time before letting go. * * * "NO!" Evy screamed. "Evy?" Rick asked. He wrapped his arms around her, letting her sob against his chest. "It's okay, it's all okay. It was just a dream." -*-*- The End! -*-*- Review? Email me (Britt) at bybee02@yahoo.com