Archive of Our Own

Why did these things keep happening to him? What was it that attracted strange people to him, people that tended to like knives, poisonous snakes and guns, Jonathan wondered while he was running across drive way. His heart was racing like it hadn't done for a while, a mixture of the effort and the emotional strain of getting shot at, jumping out of first storey windows and seeing his sister being kidnapped by strange men wrapped in red clothes. Jonathan stopped running when he had reached Rick who stood in the middle of the drive, stiff with shock, his face a mask of terror as he stared after the retreating car that held Evy.

Jonathan heard footsteps behind him and saw Alex running into his father's arms. Rick lifted him up and held him tight, his worry for his family evident in every gesture.

“Jonathan, are you all right?” It was when he heard this dark, rich voice that he realised Alex hadn't come out here alone. It was a voice he hadn't heard in ten years, one that he hadn't expected to ever hear again and he fought to remain composed and not let his shock show when he turned to face the man the familiar voice belonged to.

Ardeth Bey stood right behind him, looking just like he had ten years ago, the black hair falling onto his shoulders, clad in black traditional Med-jai clothes, his worried gaze focussed on Jonathan's face. It was as intense as the Englishman remembered it, the dark eyes seemed to be able to look down right into his soul. Jonathan averted his gaze when he nodded. He didn't trust his voice to function properly, so he kept silent for once in his life and only looked up when he heard the warrior address Rick. Jonathan watched them talk, glad that the Med-jai's attention had shifted away from him, so he could collect his frantic thoughts.

He remembered that moment in Hamunaptra, when Rick, Ardeth and himself had been trying to get the Book of the Living out of the statue. They hadn’t known Ardeth well at that point, but when Jonathan had seen the warrior seemingly sacrifice himself to give him and Rick some time, Jonathan had had that inexplicable intense feeling of fear and regret deep in his stomach. It was something that was far too profound to feel for a person he had just met and who had been their opponent only a few days ago.

And Jonathan remembered that overwhelming rush of relief when he had seen the Med-jai alive and well on the back of the camel, a beautiful smile on his full lips, eyes locked on Jonathan with an intense gaze that had made the Englishman shiver. It hadn't been shock that had made him so jumpy, it had been the flood of strange emotions that he couldn't explain to himself. So his reply to Ardeth's word had been short and superficial, but he couldn't keep from staring after the retreating figure. Once they'd been back on the trail, Jonathan had fallen back into his pattern of complaining about everything, the desert, the sand, the heat, all the treasures they had to leave behind. It had been easier than thinking about the feeling of loss that had nothing to do with all the gold. He hadn't known at that point that it would follow him as a dull shadow for the next ten years.

He was torn out of his musings when the other men started moving. Before he even knew what had happened, the relaxed evening with the sexy blond had transformed into a chase for his kidnapped sister and they were waist deep in trouble. Saving Evy from Imhotep – again –, engaging in gun fights with some fanatics – again – and being followed by mummies eager to kill them – again. It was strange that by now, it didn't even surprise him any more. That said a lot about his life, he mused. It was when these fanatics took Alex that it turned ugly, because the boy was precious to all of them. Jonathan had never seen Evy in this much pain and Rick acting like a wounded animal wasn't any easier to endure. Ardeth's reassuring words did little to calm them, but they flared a spark of hope that they all desperately held onto.

They left London for Dover the same night and very early the next morning, shortly after sunrise, they were on the first ship to Calais. Ardeth had decided to travel with them and leave for the Med-jai once they'd reach the Egyptian borders. Jonathan wasn't certain what he thought of Ardeth being so close for the next days, his feeling were a mixture of anticipation and wariness, always tinged with worry for Alex. Yet, Jonathan felt more alive than he had in years, his spirits had risen considerably since they were on the trail again, leaving behind the hollow life of London. Evy and her family might have been travelling around the world, but Jonathan hadn't accompanied them as often as he probably should have. Only now that it fell away, he felt the burden London had been on his spirit.

It was still early when they reached Calais. Rick wanted to rush on, but Evy, the voice of reason, insisted on a decent breakfast, making him see the need to stay strong if they wanted to be able to find and rescue Alex. Jonathan didn't complain, he'd never reject the possibility of a good meal. Ardeth stayed out of the discussion, watching the married couple with a twinge of amusement in his eyes before he looked over to him. After a moment, Jonathan forced himself to look away before he'd start staring.

The rest of the day was spent on the train to Marseille where they'd get onto another ship that was supposed to bring them to Egypt. Evy fell asleep on Rick's shoulder and Jonathan felt himself slip in and out of sleep for a while, before he settled against the window, using his jacket as a pillow, and decided to sleep for real. After all, they'd spent the whole night awake. Also, sleeping – or pretending to be sleeping – was far better than feeling the presence of Ardeth right next to him on the bench. Better than fighting the desire to look at him, to take in the silk shine of his long curls, the beguiling soft curve of his lips that were really far too full for a man and his dark eyes that seemed to focus on Jonathan a lot. Everything was better than to even be thinking about this, so Jonathan resolutely pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on the monotonous shaking motion of the train.

When they reached the harbour of Marseille, the night had fallen. Rick, with the experience of a constant traveller, found them a ship that would leave for Egypt in a few hours and arranged for the last two cabins available. The captain demanded a hefty fee for the short term booking and Rick paid him with gritted teeth after some back and forth and a lot of bargaining.

“Here.” Obviously still angry about the height of the fee, Rick pressed a key in Ardeth's hand. “You'll have to share with him.”

The words were accompanied by his finger pointing to his brother-in-law.

“It is rude to point at somebody.” Jonathan complained, more because he wanted to annoy Rick. When the man was angry, he was easier to bear than when he was worried about Alex. “And why don't I get my own cabin?”

“Jonathan.” The way Rick pronounced his name told him that the making him angry part was working perfectly. “Shut up and be glad I didn't arrange for you to sleep on deck. I can still do that, though.”

“That would not be a nice thing to do.”

“Since when am I nice to you?” Rick snapped back, then he addressed Ardeth. “Be so kind and get him out of my hair.”

Jonathan could see the amusement in the Med-jai's eyes and tried to ignore what the sight did to him.

“Come, my friend.” He felt a large hand settle on the low of his back and give him a gentle push. “Let us retreat for the night and rest. We will need our strength for the coming days.”

Jonathan thought about resisting for a split second. The prospect of spending the night in close quarters with this man was not something he was looking forward to. Well, that wasn't entirely correct. He did look forward to it, and that was the actual problem. This stupid little infatuation with the handsome warrior – because that's what it was, an infatuation – had to stop right here. Where had it come from, anyway? They hadn't seen each other for ten years, so why now? All right, if he was completely honest with himself – he could do that, he just generally decided not to do it – this... thing had already been there ten years ago. But their time together had been very limited and filled with close-to-death situations, it hadn't been too difficult to ignore it. Spending the night in a close quarter was an entirely different thing. That was hard to ignore.

When they reached the cabin, Jonathan still felt the hand on his back, resting there with no pressure, just a shadow of a touch. Still, it seemed to burn through the multiple layers of his clothes and imprint itself on his skin. When Ardeth opened the door, he let go, but Jonathan could feel on his skin where his hand had rested, as if it was still there. He shook the impression and entered the cabin, taking a careful look around to determine how bad this was going be. The room was small, as he had expected, there were two very narrow bunks against opposite sides of the cabin, a porthole in the wall at the head of the bunks. There was just enough room for a tiny washbasin next to the door. This was far from fancy and could definitely be called close quarters. Even the space between the bunks was only about two feet wide.

“I have slept in the train, I can't go to bed yet.” Jonathan declared suddenly and made a show of putting his bag on one of the bunks. “I will have a look around the ship. Maybe there are some people who'd fancy a game of cards and a decent drink.”

“I have rested enough during today's journey as well.” the Med-jai agreed quietly and rose to his feet. “Do you mind me joining you in your walk, my friend?”

“Uh, of course not.” Jonathan was quick to reply, maybe too quick. Ardeth's intense gaze was on him again, and it made his skin prickle. He turned and held the door open for the Arab just to avoid that gaze. “Let's go, then.”

Ardeth inclined his head as thanks and left the cabin. Jonathan followed him, happy to stay behind the man that was so disconcerting to him, out of the range of these intense eyes. The ship was not large, they had noticed that when they had come aboard, and there was nobody to be found on deck. When they had walked around once without finding any distraction, Jonathan decided to sit down on a bench that had been installed on the after-deck. Anything, really anything was better than returning to the narrow cabin. The Med-jai settled down next to him, leaning back and turning his head to stare off into the dark night sky. Jonathan felt the nervousness rise again when the silence stretched. He had never been good with silence.

“How does it come you always find us when there's trouble?” he asked, just to say something.

“I have my ways of keeping track of you.” the warrior replied after a moment, a smile tugging at his lips, but he kept his gaze directed towards the sky. “When it became obvious that they wanted to resurrect the creature, it was necessary to intervene. And you and the O'Connells happen to be the ones who are always in the middle of all the trouble.”

Jonathan couldn't help snorting. “You could say that, yes.”

“Our paths always seem to cross when the world stands on the brink of destruction.” Ardeth remarked dryly. “It doesn't leave much time for talking.”

“Being shot at or having murderous mummies hunting you doesn’t allow for decent conversation.”

“So I have realised.” The Med-jai was still looking into the night sky and Jonathan was secretly grateful for that. It helped him relax, loosen up a bit. “This is the first time we manage to talk without the pressure of time or danger upon us.”

The statement made Jonathan think for a moment and yes, the Arab was right, they had never had a real conversation before. They had talked, but that had always involved the respective situation at hand, deadly peril and ancient curses. “You are right. I haven't realised.”

Ardeth chuckled. “Well then, my friend, may I ask how you fared those past ten years?”

“I was here and there, mostly I stayed in London. I went on academic travel with Evy and Rick sometimes, nothing too fancy. Took care of Alex from time to time.” Jonathan shrugged. There wasn't much to tell, his life was not always as adventurous as it had been in 1923 or was now. “What were you doing in all that time? Any luck with the women?”

“I am a Med-jai, Jonathan.” Ardeth said in the quiet tone he always fell into when he explained something. The sound of his name in the dark voice made a shiver run down Jonathan's spine. “Our lives are dedicated to the protection and defence of Hamunaptra, to keep the creature in the underworld where it belongs. We often lead the life of warriors on the trail and we rarely share it with women. It is no life for them.”

“So how did your people live on without women for three thousand years, then?” Jonathan asked, rising his eyebrows in slight confusion.

A low chuckle came from the warrior and the sound made Jonathan's skin prickle. “Of course we have women in our people, my dear friend. It is just that our lives are lead separately most of the time. We are a wandering people, and while the men guard the borders, the women stay in the encampments and care for the children and the daily life.”

“So your people do marry and, you know, get children and all that?”

“Of course. How else would a society function?” the Med-jai replied in a tone that suggested he thought it was a strange question to ask.

Jonathan looked down on his hands in his lap and forced his fingers to lie relaxed on his knees, even though he wanted to curl them into fists. He was proud when he managed to keep his voice even and casual when he asked, “So, is there somebody waiting for you to return?”

Jonathan didn't even know why he had asked. It was none of his business if the Med-jai was married, it shouldn't even have ever crossed his mind. When after some moments, there was no answer, curiosity made Jonathan look up. The Med-jai had turned towards him and his intense gaze was fixed on his face, the amusement in his expression had been replaced with a seriousness that made Jonathan nervous. He wondered if he had somehow offended the Arab with his question, if he had managed – again – to screw up without even knowing. The silence stretched, Ardeth's gaze didn't waver and Jonathan felt tempted to break the conversation with some stupid excuse and just leave. Bad that there wasn't much space he could go to on a ship .

“There is no woman waiting for me in the encampment.” The answer came unexpected after the long silence, the dark voice quiet, but firm.

Somehow, relief washed over Jonathan at the negative reply. He licked his lips, they suddenly were dry, before he gathered his wits enough to ask, “So, why haven’t you married yet?”

“I am the leader of my tribe, I have many duties to attend to that leave me with little time.” Ardeth said slowly, as if there was more to it. He paused and Jonathan wondered if he was going to say whatever he was holding back. “Furthermore, I had not found the right person to share my life.”

Jonathan was surprised, he wouldn't have suspected the Arab to be a romantic. Then, he picked up on the use of the past tense and frowned. He couldn't help looking at the Med-jai when he asked, “So, now you have?”

“I have.” Ardeth voice was warm and firm, he held the other man's gaze steadily, looking back with the intensity that made another shiver run down Jonathan’s back. He wondered what the warrior wanted to tell him, his thoughts running wild, his breathing began to quicken and he felt as if there was a connection of some kind between them, something deep, something important. But what was he thinking? The Med-jai was talking about a wife, this was nothing that concerned Jonathan, he would never meet her, anyway. His imagination was playing a joke on him, his senses were dulled by the worry for Alex and the lack of sleep. Jonathan's frown deepened and he lowered his gaze, angry with himself.

He took a deep breath, regained his composure and looked up again, a smile plastered to his lips. “Congratulations are in order, then.”

The Med-jai's eyes held surprise and confusion alike. He was silent for a moment, then he gave a nod. “Thank you, my friend.”

“Well, it’s getting a bit late now, think I’ll turn in for the night.” Jonathan said before Ardeth could add anything and made a show of getting up, slowly and deliberately stretching, before turning to leave.

“I will remain out here a little bit longer.” the Med-jai said thoughtfully.

“I will see you in the morning, then.” Jonathan replied and finally turned, grateful that he would return to the cabin alone. He needed some distance between himself and that man, to find his balance and sort his thoughts. He slowly walked across the deck towards their cabin, brows furrowed and gaze on the ground. What had happened to him back there on the bench? Why was the thought of Ardeth having chosen a wife such a problem for him? He couldn't explain these feelings, and honestly, he didn't want to have them. He wasn't a man of great emotions, he was a lover of gambling, alcohol, women and money – not necessarily in that order. He loved the easy life and he didn't want that to change.

When he heard Ardeth enter the cabin some time after he had gone to bed, Jonathan pretended to be sound asleep and the next morning, the Med-jai was already gone when he woke up. When they met later, Jonathan was relieved that the Arab didn't say a word about their conversation of the previous night. Everything was back to normal.

***

Horus cooed every time the fingers gently caressed the feathers of his chest. Ardeth looked at the falcon with a smile on his lips while he listened to Jonathan talking. The falcon had been with him for years, his loyal companion wherever he went. Ardeth found it calming to caress the fierce animal and it was a sign of respect and trust that Horus accepted his touch.

“So, tell me some more about this gold pyramid.” he heard the Englishman say and felt him touch his knee. Ardeth raised his gaze to look at the man and found him staring at him with big eyes that were supposed to look innocent, and although Ardeth knew better than to believe it, he answered the question anyway.

The light of the lantern gave the Jonathan's face an orange glow. He was beautiful, Ardeth thought not for the first time, even if it wasn't classical beauty. While his sister was undoubtedly an astonishing woman with a fiery spirit and a great heart, a perfect partner in every sense of the word, Ardeth had never been drawn to her. From the very beginning, it had been her brother who had caught his attention. The Med-jai had watched the Englishman and had come to the conclusion that there was far more to the man than his outward behaviour let on. He gave the impression of an irresponsible, spineless man who just lived from day to day, caring more for gold than for anything else. But Ardeth had seen him those ten years ago in Hamunaptra, had seen how he had risked his life for his family without the slightest hesitation. Beneath the easy-going, cheeky surface lay a deeply caring heart, loyal to those he loved, and Jonathan obviously seemed to think he needed to protect his heart with a loose tongue and a flippant attitude.

“Pretty nice, eh?” Jonathan said with a glow in his eyes while he carefully handled the golden sceptre he had just stolen from the pilot. He sighed. “This is all I have left in the world.”

I seriously doubt that, Ardeth thought, but kept quiet and watched how the pale fingers gently caressed the sceptre.

“The rest of my fortune was lost to some rather unscrupulous characters, actually.” Jonathan went on with that innocent expression of his, but Ardeth suspected that the Englishman had lost his money in gambling.

Ardeth nodded towards the golden staff. “If the curator reacted the way you say it must be very important. If I were you I'd keep it close.”

“My friend,” Jonathan replied with an air of earnest grandeur around him, “the Gods couldn't take this away from me!”

“That's mine!” Izzy's voice shouted from the helm behind them, then his hands grabbed the sceptre and he pulled it towards him.

“No, it's not!” Jonathan held onto it fiercely, but lost it to Izzy after a moment of struggle.

“Keep your hands off it!” the pilot growled with a threatening glare that was not nearly as dangerous as he probably wanted it look. Ardeth watched them interact and chuckled, never stopping the caress of Horus' feathers. Jonathan grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a curse and leaned back against the wood, arms crossed in front of his chest, brows drawn together.

“That is mine, Rick had no right to give it to that doubtful character!” he mumbled and glared at the American who stood next to Evy at the bow of the airship. Ardeth kept silent and continued to gently stroke Horus, he knew better than to interfere. “Really, no right at all!”

Jonathan fell silent, obviously intent on pouting some more, grumbling under his breath. Ardeth fought down the smile that tugged on his lips and lowered his gaze to look at Horus so the Englishman didn't see his amusement. After a while, the quiet complaints stopped and Ardeth raised his gaze to see if Jonathan had calmed down. With interest, Ardeth watched how the Englishman's eyes followed the movements of his hands on the falcon's feathers. The Med-jai remained silent and kept on watching Jonathan from under his eyelashes. When the other man felt himself being watched, he looked up and Ardeth was surprised to see a deep blush rise to the pale face. It made the Englishman even more handsome, he thought.

Jonathan quickly tried to hide the fact he’d been staring by talking. He always talked when he was nervous or felt insecure, Ardeth had noticed. “I wondered, are all falcons so tame?”

Ardeth waited a moment before he replied, secretly enjoying the sight of the reddened cheeks. “Oh, Horus is not tame. It is his decision to let me touch him. There are only a handful of people whom he allows it.”

“May I try?”

Ardeth chuckled. “Of course you may. But mind you, he is quick and his beak is sharp.”

Jonathan gave the falcon a suspicious look. “Do you think he would bite me?”

“I cannot tell you, my friend, for I don't know.” Ardeth replied sincerely. “Horus has his own mind.”

The Englishman hesitated a moment. “Maybe I'll try it sometime later. Give him some more time to get used to me, you know.”

“Aye, do that.” the Med-jai replied with a chuckle.

They fell silent and Ardeth turned to watch the stars, his fingers still gently stroking over Horus' feathers. He wondered how it would turn out this time, if they managed to find young Alex and defeat the Creature. They had managed last time, against all odds and hopes, so Ardeth wanted to believe they could do it again. He let his gaze wander over to the bow of the airship where Rick and Evy lay cuddled together under a blanket. The loss of Alex had hit them very deeply and right now, the worry for their child was their greatest strength and their biggest weakness. Ardeth honestly hoped they would find the boy in good health.

Suddenly, his musings were disrupted by Jonathan sagging against his shoulder. Ardeth turned to him, surprised, and found the other man sound asleep, snoring lightly. He had fallen to the side, head resting halfway between Ardeth’s shoulder and upper arm in an angle that didn't look very comfortable. Ardeth watched him for a while, then shifted closer to the sleeping man until his head rested fully on the Arab's shoulder. He set Horus on the headrest of the nearby chair.

Nights in the desert were cold and he felt Jonathan shiver against him from time to time. After a while, Ardeth raised his arm and pulled the man against his chest, then he reached for the blanket that lay on the chair and draped it over them. Jonathan murmured something unintelligible and snuggled closer to the welcome heat, Ardeth’s tunic clenched in the man’s fist. Ardeth remained still, looking down to the face that was amazingly soft and relaxed now. He had never seen the man so unguarded before, without his constant cheer or his nonstop talking. He looked younger now, the years slipping off his face within the arms of sleep.

Ardeth tightened his hold a little. It had been a long time since he had felt another person's body close to him in sleep. He felt Jonathan's warmth soak through his clothes where their bodies rested against each other and found himself taking pleasure in the warmth as well as in the closeness. He shouldn't question this, he decided. This was comfort between friends, a way for both of them to sleep better. He rested his head on Jonathan's and closed his eyes, listening to the soft breathing of his friend. Sleep came over him faster than he had expected.

When he woke, the sun was still hidden behind the horizon, but its rays had begun to give the sky a strong orange colour. The habit of rising early had been part of his life as long as he could remember and it woke him now, even though there was no need to get up early. They were still several hours away from Karnak and there was not much to do on the airship, so Ardeth let his eyes close again. He didn't fall asleep, but he dozed a little, taking pleasure in the cool air and the total quiet of an early morning. Jonathan still rested against him, his head tucked under Ardeth's chin, his right arm had wrapped possessively around the Med-jai's waist sometime during the night. When the sun had just risen and Ardeth heard Izzy stir on the after-deck, he opened his eyes and gently shook Jonathan where his arm lay around him.

“Good Morning, my friend.” Ardeth said in a low voice, smiling fondly when he saw how the blue eyes opened slowly, the Englishman's mind still clouded by sleep, his gaze for once entirely open and truly innocent. The eyes closed against the light and Jonathan turned his face into Ardeth's neck, murmuring something. Then he lay still again, eyes closed, breathing evening out again.

“You will have to get up at some point, my friend.” Ardeth remarked teasingly and couldn't help grinning. It was just adorable how Jonathan cuddled deeper into his embrace, pointedly ignoring the world around them. But the others would wake within the next minutes and Ardeth was quite certain the Englishman didn't want to be found sleeping in the Med-jai's arms by either his sister or O'Connell.

“Jonathan, wake up.” he repeated, voice still low, and gave the man another shake. This time, the blue eyes flung open and the Englishman's face turned up to look at him. Ardeth saw how Jonathan registered where he was, he felt the Englishman's hand tighten in his tunic, then the other man jumped up and stumbled a few steps backwards with a speed Ardeth had not expected considering the difficulties he'd had waking up just a moment ago.

“What...” Jonathan's voice was still rough with sleep and he looked seriously confused. He looked around, cleared his throat several times and Ardeth was pleasantly surprised to see him blush yet again.

Ardeth took pity on the Englishman. “You fell onto me when you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you, so I decided we could just sleep that way.”

“Oh.” With every second, Jonathan regained more and more of his composure and Ardeth thought it was a pity how the open and caring man disappeared behind the flippant attitude.

“Well, my friend, I thank you for having been my pillow last night.” the Englishman said with a cheeky smile and gave a little bow. He was back to his usual self.

“You are most welcome, my friend.” Ardeth replied and inclined his head a little. He really meant it, though, and wondered if Jonathan understood that.

“Morning.” Izzy mumbled from behind them and shuffled past them. “Need coffee.”

“Oh, coffee is a fantastic idea.” Jonathan chattered and followed Izzy to the little fireplace.

When they reached Karnak later that morning, they found the train the fanatics must have used for travel, but it was abandoned. They skimmed the surroundings and the inside of the temple, but there was no sign of the boy or any of his kidnappers. It was Evy's discovery of Alex' tie and his little sand castle that brought them back into the game, going for the Temple Island of Philae. They arrived there in the early evening, just to find it equally empty as Karnak, but this time, they knew what to look for. After searching the place for some time, they found another sandcastle, covered by the boy's jacket, telling them to head for the Great Temple of Abu Simbel next.

They boarded the airship again and left the island, Izzy setting course for Abu Simbel so they could fly throughout the night and might reach it sometime during the next day. Ardeth sat on the bench and watched Jonathan who was at the bow of the airship, talking to his sister. The Englishman had been avoiding him to his best abilities the whole day, not so obvious that the others might have picked up on it, however. He had just always been where Ardeth wasn't, and when the Med-jai came to him, he left with an excuse and a friendly, apologetic smile. When Rick, Evy, Jonathan and Ardeth sat by the fire talking through Evy's visions, Jonathan had settled in a chair next to him. Sprawled, actually, halfway turned around and one foot propped on the seat, head resting in his hand. Ardeth liked the sight of Jonathan relaxed, even though he was aware that there was still some tension in the Englishman’s posture.

Rick's doubt about his destiny as a warrior of the Gods couldn't even be swayed by Evy's insistent words and Ardeth focussed on the conversation, trying to make the American understand. Jonathan was surprisingly quiet, he simply sat and listened to them, not interfering in any way. It was a strange behaviour for him and Ardeth wondered if he felt excluded because there he had no obvious part in the fate that Rick didn't want to believe in. When they changed the subject after some time, Jonathan joined the conversation again, back to his usual carefree self. He talked animatedly with his sister and followed her to the bow of the airship when she and Rick wanted to retire for the night. He didn't react to Evy's subtle attempts toget rid of him, but her husband was not as gentle.

“Jonathan, go back to your part of the ship and get to sleep. Just leave us alone, will you?” Ardeth heard Rick's slightly annoyed voice, followed by Jonathan's indignant reply. “That is very rude.”

“I don't care if it's rude.” Rick growled back. “We want to sleep. Without you babbling and breathing down our neck.”

To that, Jonathan just snorted in a way that wasn't any less rude that Rick's words, then he turned and slowly walked over to where Ardeth sat on the bench, stroking Horus. When the man noticed Ardeth looking at him, he shrugged disparagingly. “Americans.”

Ardeth chuckled, silently thanking O'Connell to force the Englishman into contact with him after a whole day of avoidance. There was no other place for Jonathan to go than the middle of the deck and so he strolled along the reeling on one side and back on the other, obviously trying everything to not sit down somewhere close do the Med-jai. After several minutes of pacing, Jonathan picked up a blanket from one of the chairs, sat down in it and pointedly wrapped himself in the cloth, turning his back towards the Med-jai. Ardeth suppressed a sigh and watched as the Englishman pretended to fall asleep.

Apart from the soft sound of the wind in the rigging, it was silent now that Rick and Evy were sleeping and Izzy was somewhere on the after-deck. After a while, Ardeth saw Jonathan wrap the blanket closer around him, then he pulled his legs up and curled into a ball. A visible shiver ran through his body.

“You are cold, my friend.” It was a quiet statement, not a question.

“I am just fine.” was the stubborn reply.

Ardeth fell silent and watched the Englishman some more. After he had counted the eighth full body shiver, he remarked dryly, “You are shivering just for the pleasure of it, then.”

He was given no answer, but he hadn't really expected one. “How long do you plan on torturing yourself?”

“All right!” Jonathan snapped and sat up, turning towards the Med-jai. “I am cold. Happy now?”

“Why should I be happy about your discomfort?” Ardeth asked, his eyebrows raised in a puzzled expression.

Jonathan gave an exasperated sigh. “It's just a saying.”

“Ah.” Ardeth replied, still not entirely sure what this saying was supposed to express.

“What do you want?” the Englishman asked after a moment of silence.

“I was about to offer you to share body heat.” Ardeth replied honestly. “You didn't seem cold last night.”

Jonathan just stared at him for a very long moment, mouth slightly agape and an expression of surprised disbelieve on his features. “You are joking, aren't you?”

“Certainly not, my friend. I can see your discomfort is going to keep you from getting any sleep tonight and it is important for all of us to be properly rested once we encounter the Creature.”

Jonathan's mouth closed and he bit his lip, then he nodded. “You have a point.”

“It is your choice, my friend.” Ardeth said with a little smile. “It is just an offer.”

After a moment, Jonathan slowly got up and walked the few steps over to Ardeth, then he sat down on the bench next to the Med-jai, blanket clutched in his hand. Ardeth watched him fidget, the Englishman's fingers playing with the hem of the blanket.

“And how do you...”

Ardeth leaned back against the cabin that formed the backrest of the bench and raised his arm in invitation. Jonathan interrupted his own question, gave him an incredulous look and then he nodded again. “All right.”

The Englishman slowly slipped closer and leaned against him, stiff and tense. Ardeth ignored the other man's discomfort, took hold of the blanket and draped it over them, just like he had done last night, then wrapped his arm around Jonathan's shoulder. It took a few minutes, then he felt the other man begin to relax, the tension easing out of him with every moment they spent this close and the shivers subsided.

When he finally felt the full relaxed weight of Jonathan leaning against him, Ardeth asked gently, “Better?”

“Hmm.” It sounded as if the Englishman was already half asleep. Ardeth rested his cheek against Jonathan's head and allowed himself a deep breath to smell the unexpectedly soft hair. With this pleasant scent in his nostrils, he fell asleep.

The morning came faster than he had expected. When he woke, Ardeth found himself stretched out on the bench – he had no idea when he had lain down – and Jonathan was plastered halfway over him. The right arm was again wrapped around the warrior's waist, the hand curled into a fist in his tunic. One leg was draped across the Med-jai's, Jonathan's head was resting comfortably on the warrior's shoulder. In sleep, the Englishman was far more open to physical contact than when he was awake, Ardeth thought with a gentle smile. He didn't mind at all to be this close to Jonathan, he found himself enjoying it even more than last morning.

He closed his eyes again, dozing while the sun began to rise, until he heard the others stir. Then, he gently shook Jonathan's shoulder, wondering if Jonathan would jump up again once he woke. “Good Morning, my friend.”

Of course, the Englishman didn't react to the first attempt to wake him, so Ardeth shook him again, with a little more force. “The sun has already risen, my friend.”

“I don't care.” Jonathan mumbled in Ardeth's tunic and tightened the hold of his hand around the warrior's waist. Ardeth chuckled, he had always suspected the Englishman to have a possessive nature.

“Well, the others will rise soon. It is up to you to decide if you want to be woken by me or them.”

That seemed to seep through the sleep induced drowsiness and Jonathan opened his eyes. He looked up after a moment and stared into Ardeth's face. “All right, all right. I'm awake.”

Ardeth didn't move, he left it to the other man to get up first. Not that he could have risen with Jonathan sprawled over him without hurting him. The Englishman obviously needed a moment to orientate himself, then he seemed to realise the position they were in and his gaze shifted back to Ardeth's eyes, a mixture of shock and embarrassment on his features.

“Sorry about that...” he mumbled and let go of the Med-jai, getting up as quickly as he could. Ardeth found that even after only a few seconds, he already missed the touch of Jonathan's arm and the weight of his body on top of him. Before he could say anything, the Englishman had already turned and headed for the fireplace to make fresh coffee.

Ardeth frowned. Hopefully, he wasn't going to be ignored again for the rest of the day.

***

It was their third day on this flying ship and Jonathan was already growing restless. Not that he wanted to move more, he was quite comfortable reading and sleeping so much, but the constant proximity of the Med-jai made him nervous. No, he was not nervous, more like agitated, he corrected himself. And that he had spent the last two nights sleeping in the warrior's arms didn't really help things.

It was night, the sky was perfectly dark around them, the stars little bright dots strewn over it. Jonathan was sitting on the bench, leaning with the back against the wooden construction, Ardeth next to him. Somehow, certain spatial preferences had established over the past days, Evy and Rick claiming the bow of the airship, Izzy staying behind the helm that he refused to let anybody take over, and Jonathan inexplicably had ended up with Ardeth on the bench on the middle of the deck. He cradled the sceptre he had yet again nicked from the pilot closer to his chest and looked at Ardeth whose falcon was perched on his left hand, enjoying the Med-jai’s stroking.

Jonathan found he just couldn't stop watching how the man's fingers gently traced the feathers on the falcon's chest, how they caressed the animal. He had found himself watching several times during the past days and he dearly hoped the Med-jai hadn't noticed. It would be rather difficult to explain his fascination with this gentle side of the warrior, something he had never expected to find in a man who had spent his whole life fighting. But it was obviously there, it showed in the tenderness with which the Med-jai cared for his falcon and Jonathan thought he had even seen it directed at himself those two mornings when he had woken up in the Arab's arms, but he wasn't entirely certain about that.

Jonathan decided he needed a distraction from these complicated thoughts and began to talk, not really paying attention to what he was saying. He watched the Med-jai chuckle, that amused smile on his full lips, and suddenly Jonathan wondered how the fingers' gentle caress would feel on his own skin, how these beautiful lips would feel on his. As soon as the thought that had entered his mind, Jonathan was unsettled to find himself blush furiously. It was dark, but they were close enough to the lantern that there was no way for the warrior to miss the change in his skin colour. And the knowledge of how incredibly good it felt to sleep in the warm, strong circle of the Med-jai's arms, how utterly satisfying it was to wake up to his gentle smile and the warm gaze of his dark eyes acted like oil poured into fire concerning the intensity of his fantasy. He blushed even deeper and quickly turned his head as if watching the stars. This was not good.

It was late and Evy and Rick had already lain down in their part of the airship, but Jonathan desperately avoid the matter of going to sleep. What should he do? Lay down in one of the chairs and pull the blanket up? He surely couldn't expect Ardeth's offer to stand for every night, that would be impudent. So what should he do, he couldn't address the matter without making a complete fool out of himself. Jonathan continued to stare off into the night sky, not really seeing anything, just to have his head turned so he couldn't be tempted to watch Ardeth caress his falcon. It was frustrating; frustrating and embarrassing, really, Jonathan chided himself. He was a grown man, there was nothing that explained his sudden infatuation.

“I will go to sleep, my friend.” Ardeth's dark voice informed him quietly and he heard the man move next to him. After a moment, Jonathan turned to look at him and found that Ardeth had leaned against the back of the bench and simply raised his right arm in silent invitation. Jonathan hesitated, but only for a split second, then he leaned in and took up on the offer. And why shouldn't he? This way, he slept more deeply than he had in years and was well rested in the morning. And just like Ardeth had said yesterday, that was important for when they'd encounter Imhotep and his fanatics. This was nothing more than a convenient sleeping arrangement to everybody's advantage, nothing worth thinking about. Really.

Jonathan watched how the Med-jai draped the blanket over them and felt the weight of the warrior's arm settle around his shoulder. He would never admit it aloud, but he enjoyed being in Ardeth's arms. It was comfort and closeness, unconditional trust and a promise of protection, all at the same time. It was hard to explain, but he didn't want to think about it anyway, just take pleasure in it for as long as he could. So he let himself relax against the other man's body, enjoying the warmth that chased away the shivers, and wrapped his arm around the broad torso. He felt sleep take over only moments after he had closed his eyes.

“Good Morning, my friend.” Jonathan heard a dark, slightly rough voice say next to his ear. He didn't move, though, too comfortable in the warmth surrounding him.

“You are really no morning person, my friend.” the voice said again, followed by a chuckle. Ardeth, he recognised. Jonathan just murmured something that he hoped would make the voice shut up and let him sleep. But whatever his mouth had made of the message the brain had sent, it just caused a gentle laugh and the comfortable pillow he was resting on shook as a reaction to it.

“It won't serve you if I go away, Jonathan.” Ardeth answered, voice tinged with amusement, then Jonathan felt the gentle press of lips on his temple. “Wake up, my friend. It is time.”

It took every ounce of his strength to open his eyes, but once he did, he was rewarded with the sight of Ardeth's warm smile that was mirrored in the brown eyes. If it came out of the peacefulness of the moment or any kind of mental clouding on his part, Jonathan didn't know, but instead of jumping up and leaving, he leaned into the hand that lay on his cheek, stretched his neck a bit and touched Ardeth’s full lips with his. It was just the barest of caresses, a gentle contact of mouths, but it was enough for Jonathan to discover that those lips were as soft as they looked and that the beard was not as rough as he had expected. It lasted only a few seconds, then Jonathan pulled back, shocked by his boldness, his stupidity and his incredible talent to screw things up. Kissing a deadly Med-jai warrior was certainly not the most intelligent thing he had ever done.

“I'm really sorry...” Jonathan mumbled and got up as quickly as he could, bringing some distance between himself and the warrior, enough to be out of reach of the man's sword. Just in case.

Before the Med-jai had any chance to react – be it to kill him or not – Izzy appeared behind them.

“Morning.” his groggy voice said and the pilot shuffled past them without even caring to look at them, scratching his chest and yawning. “Need coffee.”

Jonathan avoided looking at the Med-jai, not wanting to see his death sentence in those dark eyes just yet. That would come soon enough, he was certain the fierce warrior wouldn't just forgive and forget. Maybe Jonathan should stay closer to Rick and Evy today, Ardeth surely wouldn't harm him with the others present. Just to make sure, he quickly followed Izzy to the fireplace, talking about all and nothing.

***

To say that he was surprised didn't describe his feelings the least. Ardeth watched Jonathan talk with a rather uncommunicative Izzy while he himself tried to find his own voice. He was stunned. He had never expected the Englishman to take a step in that direction, and being kissed by him was far beyond any of his expectations. Ardeth licked his lips as if he could taste Jonathan on them, and glanced over at the Englishman who was stubbornly avoiding his gaze. He had seen shock, even fear in Jonathan's eyes when he had pulled back, realising what he had just done. Fear of him, Ardeth suddenly understood. The man expected revenge for what he deemed an inappropriate touch.

Ardeth frowned. He needed to correct that misunderstanding as quickly as possible, before the Englishman retreated from him completely. There would be no revenge, Ardeth thought with a tiny smile, but hopefully a continuation. He rose to join Izzy and Jonathan at the fireplace to get a coffee himself. Evy and Rick sat close to the railing, each a mug in the hand, and Jonathan had retreated behind them as if he thought they were some kind of protection. He was chatting as if nothing was wrong, annoying Rick on purpose while Evy just ignored him and sipped her coffee.

There was just no opportunity to talk to the Englishman, he consequently remained close to his sister or Rick and didn't give Ardeth even the slightest chance to speak with him alone. By midday, they were following the Blue Nile and Ardeth had begun to feel annoyed and frustrated at Jonathan's constant avoidance. He had reached a point where he was ready to just grab the Englishman and pull him away from the others to finally talk him and end this charade. Just as he was about to turn and leave Evy and Rick to their conversation about the Old Kingdom’s territorial expansion, he heard Izzy scream, “We're in trouble!”

Ardeth turned at the panicked tone in the pilot's voice just to see a gigantic wave behind them. It was as if the river had risen out of his bed, a wall of water that moved towards them will incredible speed. Instinctively, Ardeth ordered Horus to fly away and next, the Med-jai felt himself being thrown to the left and his shoulder impacted hard with the railing. Rick had landed next to him, but only a moment later, they were thrown to the other side, Izzy doing his best to escape the waterfront that was following them, bearing the features of the Creature.

Somehow they managed to shake off the wave and suddenly, the airship stopped moving. Ardeth rose from where he had landed on the deck and immediately scanned the ship for Jonathan. The Englishman had ended up in the bow and was about to get up, Rick was close to Ardeth and helped Evy to her feet. They took a moment to recover from the excitement, just to discover that they had ended up right at the edge of Ahm Shere. Ardeth walked over to the bow and smiled at the beautiful sight, the deep green of the jungle, the bright white of the waterfalls and in the distance, the shape of the golden pyramid.

“Hang on!” Izzy suddenly shouted from behind them and when Ardeth turned yet again, he saw the wave had followed them and approached with great speed. The airship jumped forwards as the pilot initiated the engines, throwing all its passengers to the deck. Without even thinking about it, Ardeth grabbed Jonathan who stood right next to him and pulled him close, shielding his fall with his body. When the movement of the airship suddenly stopped after only some seconds, he knew with certainty that the wave would hit them. Why couldn't these people ever keep their feet on the ground, he asked himself again and curled protectively around the Englishman who had his arms wrapped around Ardeth's waist, holding on tightly, face hidden in the crook of the Med-jai's neck. Only a moment later, the water hit the after-deck with enormous power, sending the airship spinning towards the ground.

Ardeth held on to Jonathan with all his strength, not even considering the possibility of letting go. He felt them fall, something hit his back, then there was the crunching and cracking from the airship crashing into the trees and the wooden structure breaking under the impact. Then there was total silence for a moment before the jungle came back to life and filled the air with its noise. Ardeth moved carefully, his back and his shoulder felt a little sore, but otherwise he appeared to be fine. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the blue sky, wads of smoke crossing his field of vision. In his arms, he could feel the tense body of the Englishman who had his arms still wrapped around him.

“Are you all right?” Ardeth asked and looked at the top of Jonathan's head with a worried glance.

“I'm fine. No harm done.” Jonathan raised his head and grinned. “Nothing too bad, at least.”

“Good.” Ardeth smiled at him and allowed his relief to show.

“Is everyone okay?” Rick's voice echoed through what remained from the airship.

“Okay?” Izzy shouted form somewhere nearby. “Okay? Hell, O'Connell, have you seen my beautiful girl? She's a wreck!”

Ardeth chuckled while he let Jonathan help him up. The quest could continue.

***

The shot echoed through the valley and Jonathan saw out of the corner of his eyes how Ardeth stopped dead in his track, then turned and rushed back a few steps.

“Horus!” Never before had Jonathan heard so much terror in the Med-jai's voice. When the warrior turned, Jonathan could read the pain in his eyes, in his every movement and wished desperately to make it better, but he knew there was nothing he could do.

“I must go.” the warrior declared suddenly, turning to leave. Jonathan watched him, stupefied, not sure what was going on.

“Where?” Rick stepped forwards, keeping the Med-jai from leaving with a hand on his shoulder.

“I have to let the commanders know where we are.” Ardeth explained, his voice had a somewhat numb sound to it that Jonathan didn't like at all. “If the army of Anubis arises...”

“You can't go! I need you to help me find my son.” Rick sounded desperate and Jonathan felt his throat grow tight when he looked at his sister whose face showed equal desperation.

Ardeth remained still, his gaze found Jonathan's, held it for a moment, then he nodded slowly. “Then first, I shall help you.”

They continued on their way to this 'higher ground' that Rick wanted to get to. Jonathan was in a way relieved that Ardeth had decided to stay with them for a little longer. The Englishman had completely forgotten his earlier fear of revenge, this morning's kiss seemed so far away after the all that had happened during the day. When the night came, they set camp on a cliff that overlooked a kind of valley covered in fern-like plants. While the others checked the weapons, Jonathan couldn't help to wander around a little, commenting on the strange shrunken heads he had discovered under some greenery. This oasis was weird.

Just a few minutes later, he found himself looking down the valley, the rifle at the ready, his sister right next to him, aiming down as well. Jonathan and Evy saw the lights of the torches the fanatics carried, a good indication where they went as they spread out through the valley, the fern reaching up to their shoulders.

“Jonathan.” Evy said next to him, voice serious. “That's my husband and my son down there. Make me proud.”

He nodded and tried to give her a reassuring smile. “Today is that day, Evy.”

She held his gaze for a second, then she crouched down next to him, raised her rifle and took aim. They watched the fanatics move through the fern, looking for Alex and waiting for Rick and Ardeth to appear. The minutes stretched endlessly, it seemed, until something happened that made the red clothed men start shooting. Then there were Rick and Ardeth, barging in from one side, shooting mercilessly and moving through the fanatics.

Jonathan trailed Ardeth the whole time, eyes focussed on every threat to the man. He knew Evy'd cover Rick and Alex, and he found he couldn't take his eyes from the Med-jai, the urge to keep him safe was overwhelmingly strong. He watched him encounter the crazy Lock-Nah or whatever his name was and held back, he knew Ardeth wanted to defeat that guy himself. That didn't keep him from looking for him, though. The Med-jai was pure beauty when he was fighting. His speed, skill and grace were in perfect harmony and Jonathan felt his heart speed up at the sigh. He killed all of the crazed men that threatened to enter the fight, keeping the area clear for the Med-jai. Ardeth brought his opponent down swiftly, killing him with a well aimed blow to his neck.

Jonathan didn't hesitate for the merest moment when he saw another fanatic step up behind Ardeth and point a gun at his back, Jonathan just aimed and shot. He felt his heart beat frantically and it only slowed to a more reasonable pace when he saw the red figure fall and Ardeth remained standing. The Med-jai threw him an utterly surprised, yet grateful look and nodded as thanks. Once Rick and Alex had left their range of sight, Evy look at her brother for a moment, something in her gaze told him she suspected something of his inner turmoil, but she kept quiet. This was neither the place nor the time for a deep conversation, and they both knew it.

“Let's go.” she said with a short nod and Jonathan followed her after a last gaze back down where Ardeth had stood just some seconds ago.

“Thank God for that.” Jonathan said quietly and hurried after his sister to meet up with Rick and Alex. The reunion lasted shorter than he had expected, suddenly they were chased by strange, deadly pygmies with a tendency for knives and poisoned darts. Jonathan ran, his feet carried him faster than he could ever remember running. These weird creatures were behind them, and he knew they would kill them at the first opportunity. He sped up even more, panic making him fast, when he found himself go astray, losing Rick, Evy and Alex. He didn't stop, though, and crashed into one of the red clothed fanatics. They both just looked at each other for the blink of a second, then they ran in the same direction, away from those mean little things.

He felt really sorry when that poor guy was killed by one of those pygmies, but it wasn't the time to think about that. Jonathan just continued to run for his life, desperately hoping to find Evy, Rick and Alex. Behind him, he heard those creatures making strange noises, then he sidestepped quickly, gaining some on them. He couldn't say why he looked down, but once he did, he saw something white lying on the ground in front of him. When he approached, he recognised the form of an outstretched wing, red with blood. Horus, Ardeth's falcon! He had been shot, just as they had heard, but obviously not mortally, because he was moving. Jonathan didn't think for a moment, he just skidded to a halt next to the bird, picked him up with as much care as he could spare in his hurry and put him into his backpack. There was no time to take care of the falcon now, not with these spiteful things hunting him. He strapped the pack on his back again and took up running.

Actually, Jonathan felt as if he'd spent the next hours running from one place to the other. The only moment everything stood still was when he watched his sister take her final breath before she went limp. He didn't think he'd ever be able to forget the terrible feeling of emptiness at losing her, the sound of Rick's utterly desperate voice crying out Evy's name and the feeling of Alex shaking with sobs in his arms. Afterwards, everything passed in a haze until Alex's plan to resurrect Evy actually seemed to be realisable. Once he saw her, alive and well, he felt his spirits return and his doubts about defeating their undead mummy friend and his giant scorpion diminished considerably. It proved to be a little more dangerous than he liked, though, and once they had defeated the Scorpion King, escaping became Jonathan's primary goal. He seriously wondered why the defeat of the villain always had to result in whole building structures breaking down, cities disappearing in the desert or oasises being sucked into pyramids. In his opinion, it was a little bit of an overreaction.

Jonathan didn't really like Izzy that much, but in the moment the pilot and his airship appeared out of nowhere, he actually loved that man. The timing was awesome, last minute you could say, but for once, Jonathan didn't plan on complaining. And when he ended up on the deck of the airship, cradling this huge diamond to his chest, life was perfect. He laughed, content with the world.

That was, until he got up and followed Rick's gaze. He saw a lone rider on the sand below them and he knew immediately that it was Ardeth. He saw him perform a gesture of thanks and it felt incredibly good to see him alive. But when the airship moved away more and more with every second that passed, Jonathan's hands closed on the railing, his grip so tight that his knuckles turned white. He didn't even notice, he just stared down. The diamond lay forgotten to his feet, suddenly it seemed so insignificant compared to the man they were leaving behind.

'Let me down!' his mind screamed, even more feverish than when he had been hanging down the side of the airship. But his mouth remained closed.

***

Cairo was just like it had always been. It surprised Jonathan again and again how this city could so quickly return to normality after what had happened. He had seen this twice already and wondered if that was a typical Egyptian trait or if it would be the same in any large city of the world. The journey back to the capital had seemed to take so much longer then their way to Ahm Shere. Maybe it was because they were all exhausted, maybe it was because the pressure was gone. Maybe it was because Jonathan felt lonely on the airship, even though he was surrounded by his family. In the evenings, he missed the conversations he had had with Ardeth, at night he missed his warmth. Evy, Rick and Alex slept huddled close together, but Jonathan was cold now that he didn't share the bench anymore.

He'd spent a lot of time with the injured falcon, changing soiled bandages and hoping that he was doing the right thing to make the wing heal properly. It wasn't like he had any real knowledge of birds that he could rely on. Alex had been fascinated by the fierce falcon and had sat together with Jonathan on the bench, talking to the bird. The Englishman hadn't really noticed how Horus accepted his touches until, on the fourth day of their journey, Rick had joined them and handed Jonathan his brown leather vambrace with the words that he would need it. It had taken a while before Jonathan had understood what his brother-in-law had meant. When he'd been alone that night, he'd put on the vambrace and carefully held his left arm out to the falcon. Horus hadn't hesitated a moment, he'd settled on the man's arm, claws digging into the leather. Jonathan had found himself smiling, really and sincerely smiling, for the first time since they had left Ahm Shere. Without thinking about it, he'd raised his hand and let his fingers caress the feathers of falcon's chest the same way he had seen Ardeth do it countless times. Horus had given a little noise and held still. After that, the falcon had spent a lot of time on Jonathan's arm.

Once they had arrived in Cairo, they left the airship and looked for a hotel to stay in so they could relax, sleep and decide what to do next. When they walked through the streets, Jonathan felt the people look at him, but he knew it was not really him they were looking at. It was the unusual sight of the falcon with the bandaged wing that sat on his left arm. It reminded him that he had to find a way to contact Ardeth to return Horus to him. He wondered what the Med-jai's face would look like once he saw his falcon was alive and well – mostly well, at least. Jonathan imagined his shock and then his huge happy grin and he had to smile himself at the image in his mind.

But first, he had to find a bar and get a decent drink.

***

“I have gotten notice you wished to meet, O'Connell.” Ardeth said calmly and watched Rick turn towards him.

“We hadn't expected you so soon. You're really quick.” the American said with respect and astonishment in his voice and Ardeth nodded to acknowledge the hidden compliment.

“I was nearby.” he said with a little smile. It was the truth, he'd planned to meet the O'Connells before they left Egypt and had already been on the way to Cairo when the message reached him. “What is your concern, my friend?”

“Oh, it's actually not me, it's Jonathan who asked me to send for you.” Rick explained casually, sipping his drink.

Ardeth raised an eyebrow in surprise. Jonathan had wanted to see him? That was indeed interesting, he thought and contained a smile. They had never had any chance to talk with all that had happened. Maybe this was a step in the right direction. The Englishman had been the real reason Ardeth had been on his way to Cairo, he knew he couldn't let the man leave without talking to him one final time, talking openly and honestly about all they hadn't had the chance to address.

“I think he's in the Museum with Evy and Alex.” Rick went on, drained his drink and got up. “You want to go there right now?”

“If you don't mind.”

“Nah, I had planned to meet them there anyway.” the American said with a shrug and turned to leave the hotel. “So, how do you feel now that the threat is eradicated?”

“It is not eradicated, my friend, just delayed for some time.” Ardeth replied.

“You are a real optimist, eh?” Rick remarked, his tone lanced with irony.

“This is a threat that will never disappear. Somebody will try again to resurrect the Creature, it's just a question of time.” the warrior explained with calm certainty in his voice. “It has been like this for millennia, and it will be like this for all eternity. The Med-jai will take care that the attempts are never successful.”

“Well, let's hope nobody tries again within the next fifty years.” the American said when they crossed the forecourt to the museum. “Twice is really enough for a lifetime.”

Ardeth chuckled. “I agree, my friend.”

They entered through the large hallway of the museum and Rick led them down to the collection where he suspected Evy, Alex and Jonathan to be. Before they entered the hall, they could already hear the voices of Jonathan and his sister arguing about something.

“Really, Evy, don't you see...”

“Your interpretation is wrong, Jonathan!” was the energetic reply. “You're just hoping for a treasure.”

“Well, but it could be...”

“No, it could not!” his sister cut him off.

“They are always like this, aren't they?” Ardeth asked quietly, a little smile on his lips. He didn't want to admit how good it felt to hear the Englishman's voice again.

“Oh yeah. Some things just never change.” Rick answered, his voice exasperated, but there was a fond smile on his face. The two men turned around the final corner and entered the huge hall filled with antiquities and artefacts of every kind. Evy was standing by a sarcophagus, looking down at something next to the artefact. Jonathan was nowhere to be seen, probably sitting behind one of the treasures.

“Oh, hello, honey!” she said with a smile when she saw them approach. Ardeth stopped dead in his tracks and drew a sharp breath. He saw Jonathan sitting on a low chest, looking up at him with an expression of surprise and shock that must have matched his own. On his left arm sat the proud figure of Horus, one wing wrapped up with white cloth in a neat bandage. Jonathan's hand had been caressing the falcon's chest with slow strokes that had now stopped dead. Ardeth felt as if all air left his lungs and made him gasp. It took a moment for him to regain his voice.

“Horus!” he said gently, voice tinged with utter disbelieve. He had heard the gun shot and when the falcon never returned to him or any of the other Med-jai commanders, it had been devastatingly clear to him that his winged friend was dead.

The falcon chirped, flapping his healthy wing, and Ardeth approached slowly as if he feared the sight would disappear like an illusion. He crouched down on his knees next to the Englishman and raised his hand to touch the falcon's feathers. When he felt the soft texture under his fingers, Ardeth felt a smile come to his lips and he laughed quietly with relief. “It is good to see you alive, my loyal friend.”

Raising his eyes to Jonathan, on whose arm the falcon sat calmly, he found himself being watched by the other man with a fond smile. “I found him in Ahm Shere when I tried to escape those weird creatures. He was lying on the ground in my path, so I put him in my backpack. I never had a chance to return him to you, so I asked Rick to contact you...”

“Thank you, my dearest friend.” Ardeth said, his voice rough with emotion. He put a hand on Jonathan's neck and pulled him close to give him a kiss on the left cheek, then on the right. He left his head leaning against the Englishman's ear for a moment longer, eyes closed, and repeated gently, “Thank you.”

Then he pulled back trying to rein his emotions, and let his hand caress the falcon's feathers again. “I have thought him gone and never expected to see him again.”

“It is good to see you reunited again.” he heard Evy say and turned to look at her. She smiled at him, Rick standing behind her, hands gently resting on her arms, an equally touched smile on his lips. “Horus is an extraordinary animal, it was a pleasure to have him with us.”

Ardeth inclined his head towards them, then looked at Jonathan who was surprisingly silent. “I owe you my deepest gratitude. You have done me a great favour.”

“Ah no, it was our pleasure. No need to thank us.” The Englishman shrugged casually, but Ardeth saw the faint shimmer of a blush on his cheeks. “You would have done the same. We're friends, after all.”

“I would have.” Ardeth agree and inclined his head yet again in thanks.

“Where are you staying, Ardeth?” Evy enquired.

“I can have quarters with a friend who lives in Cairo.”

“Why don't you stay with us at the hotel?” she suggested. “It would be nice if we could spend some time together without any mortal peril threatening us.”

“Yeah, join us.” Rick agreed with a shrug.

Ardeth turned towards Jonathan and looked at him. The man returned his gaze and nodded. “Doesn't that sound good to you?”

“All right, my friends.” Ardeth agreed. “I will stay.”

***

That evening, they ate a real dinner in the hotel's restaurant. Ardeth tried some food he had never seen before and that he found to be rather tasteless, but he enjoyed the company. Evy told them excitedly about this new project that had been offered to her by the museum and Alex seemed to be equally excited about it, talking easily as much as his mother. Rick watched them with a fond smile and just threw in a comment here and there. Ardeth found his gaze drawn to Jonathan again and again. The Englishman smiled and laughed and joked with Alex, uncle and nephew obviously sharing a bond of deep affection. They were a pleasure to watch, both so carefree, content and enthusiastic that it was easy to understand why they got along so well.

When the O'Connells retired for the night, Ardeth and Jonathan remained in the hotel bar, the Englishman with a bourbon in front of him, the Med-jai with a coffee. It was surprisingly easy to talk about everything and nothing, to simply enjoy the time together without any threat lurking in the background.

“I checked Horus’ wing earlier and it looks good.” Ardeth told the Englishman and felt again amazed that he had the falcon back at his side.

“Will it heal entirely? Will he be able to fly again?” Jonathan enquired, his eyes held honest concern.

“I think he might. Time will show.” Ardeth said and inclined his head. “I want to thank you again for this great gift.”

Jonathan's smile was kind of shy, the complete opposite to his usual cheeky grin. “As I said, there is nothing to thank me for. Horus was no burden at all.”

“He allows you to touch him.” Ardeth remarked.

“What?” the Englishman frowned slightly.

“Horus allows your touch. He even welcomes it, judging by the way he seems to like spending time on your arm.” Ardeth explained. “You have joined a small circle of people he has accepted as equal. And I have always trusted his judgement.”

Jonathan's frown deepened and he held his gaze steadily on the Med-jai. Ardeth tried to read him, but found he wasn't able to. The silence stretched on for a minute, then Jonathan suddenly stood up and turned. Confused, Ardeth looked at his back.

“Follow me.” he heard the Englishman's voice and wondered what this meant. He didn't hesitate, though, rose from the chair and crossed the hall behind the other man. Jonathan climbed the stairs until they reached the very top of the building and there he opened a door that lead out onto the flat rooftop. The night air was pleasantly cool and a gentle breeze brought relief after the warmth in the hotel bar. Ardeth followed Jonathan who had walked a few steps ahead to the edge of the roof. He still didn't understand what the Englishman man was up to, why he was so quiet out of the sudden and why he had stormed off.

“Are you all right, my friend?” Ardeth enquired as he slowly approached the man. There was a tension in the lean body that made the Med-jai act carefully, he had the distinct impression that the wrong movement might set off a chain reaction with an unknown outcome. Still, he took another step towards the Englishman.

Jonthan turned so quickly even Ardeth was taken by surprise and his reflexes didn't have the time to react. The next thing he consciously registered was the sensation of Jonathan's lips on his own and the slender body pressing alongside his broader frame. There was nothing shy about the Englishman now. Ardeth felt the strong grip of his fingers in his long hair, pulling him in. The tongue that had invaded his mouth was demanding, a tad desperate, maybe, and Ardeth was surprised how much it excited him to be met with so much force.

It took him only a split second to get a hold of his surprise, hen he met the demanding tongue with his own, accepting the challenge. He raised his arms to wrap them around Jonathan's lean frame, pulling him closer, wanting to feel him. His hands wandered over the other man's back, under the hem of his jacket and up again. Ardeth could feel the warmth of his skin through the Englishman's thin shirt, felt his muscles contract under the touch on his fingers. He traced his spine with his fingernails, pleased at the shiver that ran through Jonathan's body and the moan that was lost in their frantic kiss. He was overwhelmed at the passion he felt rising inside himself and that he sensed in Jonathan's every movement, it was something deep and hot, something raw that he didn't want to set loose on the rooftop of a hotel in Cairo. If he was completely honest with himself, this had been coming for a while, now.

“Come with me to my people.” Ardeth gasped when he pulled back to take a breath. Jonathan stilled, panting, and leaned back enough so he could look at the warrior. The blue eyes were heavy and dark with passion, his lips swollen from kissing. Ardeth felt arousal rush through him at the erotic sight.

“What do you mean?” the Englishman asked after the moment that he had obviously needed to clear his head enough to be able to speak.

“Visit my home.” Ardeth said, bending down to kiss the juncture of Jonathan's neck and his shoulder. “Let me show you a side of the desert that you have never seen before.”

When Jonathan didn't answer, Ardeth looked up, trying to ignore the anxious knot that began to form in his stomach. Had he gone too far with his suggestion?

Jonathan was frowning in concentration, then a wicked grin began to show on his face. “We could leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow it is, then.” Ardeth agreed, returning the grin. He hadn't even thought about this suggestion before it had left his lips, it had just felt like the right thing to ask. He wanted to make love under the night sky of the desert, free of the city, far away from any other soul. He wanted to be able to shout out in passion without having to worry about who might hear it.

“All right. I just have to pack some things and tell Evy.” Jonathan shook his head in disbelief, grinning widely. All the tension had left his body and he radiated pleasant anticipation. “Who would have thought that I'd voluntarily return to the desert one day?”

***

The next morning, after a short conversation with Evy and Rick, they left Cairo for the desert. Jonathan had been a little bit disappointed when Ardeth had retired to his own room after they had spent some more time on the roof, talking about the upcoming journey, kissing, talking about Ardeth's tribe, kissing some more. The Med-jai had insisted on spending the night apart, even though Jonathan had been well aware the warrior had been just as aroused as him.

After half a day of travelling, Jonathan remembered why camels would just never be his favourite animals. He said so and enjoyed Ardeth laughing freely, his eyes sparkling with amusement. They rode close together so they could talk and Jonathan used the opportunity to ask about what Ardeth did when there weren't mummies to chase or undead armies to fight. He was surprised to learn that the Med-jai led a rather normal life, filled with all those duties that came with being the chief of his tribe as well as the leader of all Med-jai. Arbitrate disputes between members of his tribe or between whole tribes, see to the wealth of his people, oversee the armies, trade with the other tribes. Politics in the desert, basically, Jonathan mused. Well, who would have expected that.

When they set camp for the night, Jonathan was surprised to find Ardeth arrange a rather large bed out of blanket in the sand, close to the fireplace. Then they ate dinner, shared some of it with Horus, drank spiced tea and enjoyed a pleasant conversation. The moon had come up and gave the mountains of sand a strange blue glow that Jonathan had already seen several times when he had camped in the desert for the night, and yet he found it beautiful every time again. He enjoyed the peacefulness of the night and smiled contently.

Sometime later, Ardeth lay down on the blankets, and Jonathan could feel his intense gaze trailing him. It made his skin crawl, but in a pleasant way that he had never experienced with anybody else. Slowly, Jonathan settled down next to the Med-jai who immediately opened his arms in the same silent invitation that he had given on the airship. Jonathan didn't hesitate at all this time, there was no embarrassment, no fear of inappropriate touch, no people sleeping way too close by. There was no need to keep up appearances, it was just him and Ardeth and the seemingly endless desert.

Jonathan cuddled up against the Med-jai's side, rested his head on the shoulder that seemed perfect for that purpose and leisurely stretched his leg out over Ardeth's. He heard the warrior chuckle and felt his arms close around him, then lips touched the top of his head in a gentle kiss. “Sleep well, Jonathan.”

They got up very early the next morning. Ardeth woke him well before sunrise with lingering kisses on Jonathan's neck and face. It was way better than being shaken awake, Jonathan decided and leaned into the kisses.

“There is a place I want to show you.” Ardeth said with a tiny smile when they sat close to the fire and drank fresh dark coffee. He gave Horus some meat and waited patiently for the falcon to finish before offering some more.

“What kind of place?” Jonathan asked and sipped on his intensely sweetened coffee, watching the man and his falcon. They were so alike in many ways, he mused.

“You will see.” the Med-jai replied and smirked.

“That is not fair.” Jonathan complained. “Now I will think about it all the time.”

Ardeth chuckled and grinned at him. “I know.”

“You did that on purpose!” the Englishman exclaimed indignantly.

“Of course.” Still grinning widely, Ardeth handed him some bread. Horus made a noise that sounded as if he was laughing at the Englishman.

Jonathan glared at the animal and snorted at its master, but accepted the bread. “When will we reach where ever it is we are going?”

“In the early evening.” the warrior answered and dipped his bread into the coffee. “That gives you a whole day to wonder.”

“Thank you very much.” Jonathan snorted again, but he had to smile nonetheless. He enjoyed their banter immensely. “I appreciate it. Really. At least I won't get bored, then.”

“I am pleased that you can see the positive side.”

It was true, though, he did wonder for the rest of the day. He tried to lure Ardeth into telling him several times, but the Med-jai just laughed and ignored all his attempts. They rode close again, this time Ardeth asked him countless questions about London and England in general, about his childhood and his family. Jonathan didn't often speak of his parents, but he found it didn't bother him to talk about them to the Med-jai. He enquired about Ardeth's family in return and learned that the Med-jai's father had died only some years before Ardeth's first encounter with the O'Connells, that his mother was still alive and lived in the encampment. He heard about Ardeth's childhood, learned that the Med-jai were nomadic tribes and that this urge to move around was deeply ingrained in Ardeth. The warrior told him that he felt imprisoned in buildings of stone, that he couldn't stay in one place for a long amount of time without growing restless, that the endlessness of the desert meant freedom for him. Jonathan listened and smiled, enjoying how the picture he had of the other man grew more detailed and colourful with every hour they spent together.

“There we are.” Ardeth said suddenly and stopped his camel. Jonathan look up from where he'd been playing with a loose thread from the blanket on the saddle. He didn't dare to believe his eyes. Below them in a small valley, right here in the middle of the desert, was a little lake and an oasis spread out around it. It wasn't large, but it was the most beautiful sight for his sand sore eyes.

“That is amazing.” Jonathan said quietly. Horus sat on his arm and made an approving sound, gently batting his wings.

“I had hoped you would like it.” Ardeth's dark voice sounded pleased and when Jonathan turned to look at the Med-jai, he saw a content smile on the full lips. “We can stay here for the night, enjoy a refreshing bath and a good night's sleep.”

They made the camels walk the remaining distance and Jonathan just couldn't stop staring at the beautiful place.

“How do you know about this place?” he asked in awe, his curiosity sincere.

“I know every single sand grain in this desert, Jonathan. I have spent my whole life here, there is no place that I wasn't shown or that I haven't happened to cross at some point.” Ardeth chuckled. “This oasis is rather unknown, though. It is too small and too well hidden in the valley to be seen from afar.”

“So how did you find it?”

“My father showed it to me on my sixteenth birthday.” Ardeth replied and firmly held Jonathan's gaze. “He told me that it was special and that I should share its location only with those I loved, just like he had shared it with my mother.”

Jonathan felt his cheeks redden and his heartbeat quicken. There was no misunderstanding in the way Ardeth had chosen his words and he was grateful when their arrival spared him from answering. They set up camp first, made a fire and arranged the blankets to form a large bed, just like last night. The sun was setting when they finished eating dinner and Jonathan felt pleasantly relaxed, his stomach full and his body finally resting after the day spent on camelback.

Ardeth, who had been sitting right next to him the whole time, gracefully got to his feet and began to open the two weapon belts he wore over his shoulders. He put them down on the outer rim of the blankets before he loosened the belt and the sash around his waist. Next he shed his long tabard, his eyes never leaving the Jonathan's who watched him lose his multiple layers of clothing piece by piece and suddenly he wondered if he'd finally find out how far down the Med-jai's tattoos really went.

When Ardeth stood in front of him in nothing but his black undertunic, Jonathan felt his heartbeat speed up and his mouth go dry. The Med-jai's hands moved to the fastenings at his waist and then the garment fell away, revealing his broad chest, his strong arms, his narrow hips and his powerful legs. He wore nothing but the large pendant on a chain around his neck, the tattoos that spread over his whole body and a tiny loincloth that left nothing to the imagination. Jonathan swallowed hard, more than aware of how tight the confines of his trousers had become.

“Would you like to join me for a bath, Jonathan?” Ardeth's voice was rough like smoke, even darker than normal, and Jonathan felt it caress his skin, making him shiver. He licked his suddenly dry lips and nodded slowly. Did this man actually know how incredible beautiful he was? Did he know his body was a perfect union of strength and elegance, of power and control, a mirror of his soul?

Jonathan took the hand Ardeth offered him and let himself be pulled to his feet. The Med-jai glanced down at him, eyes dark with desire, a teasing smile on his full lips. His hands settled on Jonathan's shoulders and pushed the jacket down his arms until it fell to the ground with a barely audible sound. Then his fingers traced the entire length on Jonathan's arms on their way back up to the collar of his shirt, only to slide down on his chest, opening every button right down to the waistline of his trousers. The shirt was gently removed to join the jacket on the ground, and he felt the fingers trail down his chest in a caress that caused goosebumps to spread all over his body.

Jonathan had never paid much attention to another man's hands – only in card games, and that was to find out if they were cheating even more than he was – but ever since he'd first noticed Ardeth's long finger caressing Horus's feathers, he'd found his gaze drawn to the Med-jai's hands again and again, memorising their shape and the tattoo on the back in every detail. In a way, the hands didn't seem to fit his warrior's life in their slender elegance, but Jonathan found they perfectly suited the man behind the warrior. Broad and large hands yet slender and nimble fingers, strong yet gentle, callused from the use of his sword. He'd often wondered what they'd feel like on his skin, and he just realised that his imagination fell short of the real thing.

Ardeth's eyes never left his when he slowly opened the fastenings of Jonathan's trousers, hands gently slipping under the waistband and pushing the garment down until the he could step out of it. The shorts Jonathan wore beneath didn't hide his erection at all, it pushed against the cloth, tenting it unmistakably. Jonathan would have been embarrassed hadn't he seen the bulge under the tiny loincloth that proved to him that he wasn't alone in this intense arousal.

Ardeth took his right hand and began to walk backwards towards the water, slowly and purposefully pulling Jonathan with him, dark eyes still fixed on blue ones. Jonathan followed willingly, allowed himself to be guided. He saw how Ardeth stepped into the water, further and further, and felt the refreshing coolness against his own skin, rising higher with every step. When they were covered to the waist, the Med-jai stopped, but didn't let go of Jonathan's hand. Instead, he raised his free hand, let it trail up the Englishman's arm, over his shoulder, until he cupped the jaw. He took a step forward, right into Jonathan's personal space, and used the hand on his cheek to pull the smaller man into a deep kiss.

Jonathan was lost as soon as the full lips touched his. He wanted the Med-jai, wanted him more than he remembered ever wanting a person; the need to feel him was overwhelmingly strong, seemed to rule his every movement. Jonathan let his hands settle on the Med-jai's hips, then trailed up his sides. He felt the taller man suddenly shudder under his fingers, a deep moan escaping the full lips. Interesting. Just to prove that his assumption was correct, Jonathan repeated the caress and was rewarded with a similar reaction.

He grinned into the kiss. “Sensitive, are we?”

“Hmmm.” Ardeth was obviously not in the mood – or able – to give a coherent answer, but Jonathan didn't mind at all. The Med-jai's head was thrown back, throat exposed so temptingly that Jonathan couldn't keep from leaning in and gently biting a trail from the shoulder all way up to the jaw. Ardeth pressed against him in response, offering up his throat even more, and Jonathan could feel the groan against his lips where they lay against the side of the Med-jai's neck. He felt the whole length of the strong body pressed alongside his, their groins touching with maddeningly little friction through the thin barrier of their remaining clothes. Jonathan let his hands wander over the broad expanse of the warrior's back and down to cup his tempting backside, pressing them together and increasing the friction on their erections.

It was total bliss. Jonathan heard a loud moan and it was only afterwards that he realised it had come from himself. Ardeth's hands were caressing the lean body wherever they could reach, an incredibly arousing blend of tenderness and passion, making Jonathan shiver and press himself against the Med-jai with unrestrained lust. The water lapped around them at every movement, cooling their heated skin and adding to their caresses. This was paradise, Jonathan decided with the last working corner of his brain, before he pulled Ardeth down into another deep kiss. He felt the Med-jai respond in kind, felt these skilled hands of his wandering over his back to his flanks and then they slipped into his shorts, taking hold of his erection in just the right way and moving in a perfect union of speed and pressure.

Jonathan let go of the luscious lips to groan deep in his throat at the sudden bolt of pleasure that ran through his body. Ardeth definitely knew what he was doing, his rhythm so perfect that Jonathan's hands grabbed onto the broad shoulders to steady himself and his head sank against the Med-jai's chest. If he didn't slow or stop, this was going to be over a lot earlier than they wanted it to be, Jonathan thought but found he couldn't bring up enough concentration to move or talk.

“Jonathan.” he then heard the dark voice of the Med-jai right next to his ear, felt the beard tickle his skin and the sound of his name made him shiver. “I want you to take me.”

“What?” Jonathan head jerked up, he just couldn't help the reflex, he was too surprised at the words to stop it. Ardeth pulled back a little and looked at him, gaze an interesting mixture of surprised and serious.

“You have done this before, haven't you?”

“Yes, I have.” Despite the decidedly sexual situation they were in right now, Jonathan still found himself blushing at the question. “I'm not new to this.”

“Good.” Ardeth nodded as if he had known that before. Then he frowned. “Do you not like to take?”

“Oh, I do.” Jonathan admitted. “I just hadn't thought you'd want it that way...”

“I want to give you everything I am, I want to feel you as part of me.” Ardeth said earnestly and looked at him with this intense gaze of his, his whole attention focussed on the man in front of him, and Jonathan felt his skin prickle from the sensations it caused to run through him. Ardeth pulled him close again, his lips touching Jonathan's ear, nibbling gently. “So take me, Jonathan.”

All Jonathan could do was groan at the image the word painted in his mind and he pulled the Med-jai closer. “We need-”

Ardeth nodded and wordlessly guided him out of the water and back to the bed of blankets where he pointed to a little vial that sat innocently next to his clothes. Jonathan couldn't help a laugh, then he kissed Ardeth's neck. “You planned that, didn't you?”

“Of course.” the Med-jai admitted shamelessly and smiled teasingly. “I wanted you for a very long time, and after what had happened, I deemed it wise to be prepared.”

“Good thinking.” Jonathan grinned, removed his soaked shorts and pulled the taller man down with him on the blankets. “Very good, indeed.”

He felt the larger frame cover his body, then the beautiful lips were on his and that skilled tongue was back in his mouth, playing with his, challenging him into action. Jonathan didn't need to be prompted, he met his lover with equal hunger, hands back to touching the surprisingly soft skin that was covered in little droplets now. He turned them so the Med-jai lay under him, then he trailed kisses along the lines of black tattoos that seemed to follow a certain pattern he had yet to understand – he would ask later – and worked his way down to where his erection bulged under the loincloth. Jonathan made quick work out of the cloth and took a good look at the member that now stood up fiercely. Well, no tattoos here, he noticed and grinned before he bent down and took the tip in his mouth.

Ardeth tasted like the desert he was part of, strong and hot and dry, his very own blend. Jonathan closed his eyes so he could focus on the taste and the feeling of the skin's texture on his tongue. He ran it along the underside of the shaft, teased the Med-jai into shivering with the intensity of the sensation. He let one hand find a nipple to stroke it into a hard nub and felt another full body shiver from the warrior, accompanied by a low growl. Then Ardeth suddenly moved, turned them around again and Jonathan found himself on the blanket flat on his back. He was too surprised to react at first, he could just watch how the tall warrior straddled him, took up the vial and swiftly prepared himself, his intense gaze locked on Jonathan. The Med-jai was obviously not new to this, either.

Oh my... Jonathan lost any coherent thought as soon as he felt Ardeth take hold of his erection, sinking down on the shaft in a maddening slow pace. The Med-jai's head tilted forwards, his tousled hair falling in his face, eyes closed, mouth agape in concentration. He was an overwhelmingly beautiful sight, so erotic and tempting that Jonathan just had to run his hands through the soft black strands. Ardeth looked up and held his gaze, lids lowered halfway over the dark eyes, giving him a deliciously debauched appearance. Then Jonathan was buried all the way inside him and the pleasure threatened to overwhelm him, forcing out a moan that happened to be in perfect sync with Ardeth's low growl.

The Med-jai stayed still for a moment, then he lifted himself up and sank down again. Jonathan felt his eyes fall shut at the onslaught of sensation and took hold of the warrior's hips, his breathing turned into panting and he let out a sound of utter pleasure. The Med-jai moved again and established a hypnotising rhythm, his hands covering Jonathan's, their hips working together instinctively to intensify the pleasure. Jonathan felt every single one of Ardeth's moans go straight to his erection, sending a tingling sensation through his entire body. He let one hand find the Med-jai's member, ran his thumb over the tip to spread the pre-come and began to pump in sync with their thrusts.

He saw Ardeth arch his back and throw his head back, exposing the slender line of his neck. He heard him make a guttural noise deep in his throat just before he felt the hot semen spill over his hand. But it was the look of unrestrained pleasure on Ardeth's face finally undid him. He felt the wave of completion hit him too, washing over him and taking away all his thoughts, leaving only feelings, sensations, emotions. He came, pulsed inside that heat until he felt all strength leave his body. His head sagged back against the blankets, he was panting frantically, trying to recover, riding out the waves of his climax. Ardeth had collapsed on top of him, breathing just as irregularly. After a moment, the Med-jai turned them again so that Jonathan was plastered against his side, head resting comfortably on the broad shoulder. The Med-jai's arms came up to wrap around him, holding him tight as if to support him, although the warrior was obviously in no better shape than Jonathan himself.

They just lay there, comfortable in the presence of each other, the night breeze cooling them pleasantly. Jonathan closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Ardeth's embrace, smiling quietly to himself while his breath slowly evened out to a normal level. He had never expected this, hadn't expected Ardeth, these feelings, this intensity – or the activities they had just engaged in. Unexpected, but very pleasant, he thought and his smile turned into a grin.

“We finally came together.” He heard Ardeth's amused voice the body under his head shook with a low chuckle. “In every sense of the word.”

“You could say that.” Jonathan remarked with dry humour lancing his voice. “But our path was not exactly straightforward. And it took us some ten years.”

Ardeth was quiet for a moment, his hand unceasingly caressing the skin of Jonathan's neck. “My father told me once to think of life as a dance: There are times when you dance alone, times when you dance with friends and then there are times when you dance with your partner. And although you will dance apart sometimes, even follow a different rhythm, in the end, you will always come back to dance together. Because nobody likes to dance alone for all eternity.”

“That is a good metaphor.” Jonathan replied after giving it a moment's thought. “Quite accurate, actually.”

“Yes, I found it to be true on many occasions in my life.” Ardeth agreed and bent a little so he could press a kiss on the other man's temple. “Some ten years ago, I first noticed I had always danced alone after tasting what it would be like to dance with you.”

Jonathan licked his suddenly dry lips and cuddled a little closer to the Med-jai, then he let his hand wander over the broad, surprisingly hairless chest in a gentle caress. “I've expected to dance without a partner for my whole life. I never even noticed I didn't like it.”

He found it easier to speak in the terms of the metaphor than to tell Ardeth straight to his face that he had been the piece missing in Jonathan's life ever since they had parted company after the defeat of the mummy. Until about two weeks ago, he hadn't even known what he'd been missing, had only been aware there was something he wanted that wasn't there. This strange sensation he'd never been able to place.

“You have the choice now.” Ardeth said equally quietly. Jonathan nodded, knowing the Med-jai would feel it. In response, the arms around him tightened and a gentle kiss was placed on the top of his head. “Let us rest now.”

He didn't need to be told twice. Jonathan felt the pleasant exhaustion of aftermath taking over his body, clouding his mind and letting him fall asleep within minutes. The next morning, he was woken by the sensation of fingers caressing his back, slowly tracing his spine, making him shiver with their ghostly softness. He heard Ardeth chuckle when the shiver ran through his body and caused goosebumps to spread over his skin.

“Good morning, my love.” he heard the dark voice of the Med-jai, still a little rough from sleep, and it was the most erotic sound he'd ever heard this early in the morning. It promptly made him shiver again. “You are not cold, are you?”

“This has nothing to do with cold.” Jonathan replied after a moment, letting his hands find Ardeth's sensitive sides and caressing him to make his point clear. When he heard the Med-jai chuckle again and felt a shiver run through his larger frame, he grinned. “You are not cold either, I take it?”

“No, I'm not.” His voice had darkened again, just like last night, and Jonathan suddenly understood it was a sign of arousal. Teasingly, he let his hands trace the soft skin again, rejoicing in the reactions he could elicit. The Med-jai let out a groan deep in his throat before he caught Jonathan's wandering hands held them, gently but firmly.

Then he sighed heavily. “If we want to reach my encampment before nightfall, we can't stay here much longer.”

“That's a pity.” Jonathan said with obvious regret in his voice and looked at the Med-jai with his best puppy dog eyes. “A real pity.”

Ardeth swallowed visibly, then he licked his lips. “A real pity.”

“What makes me prefer the encampment over the pleasure I know we could have now?” Jonathan enquired, an eyebrow raised quizzically.

“Arriving in the encampment means a real dinner and a soft bed.” Ardeth offered and shrugged. “It's your choice. We can stay here for another day if you wish to. Our provisions will last that long.”

“Well, a real dinner is tempting.” Jonathan mused, then he grinned teasingly. “As well as the bed.”

The warrior chuckled. “I certainly agree.”

So they were on the trail before the sun had risen, taking advantage of the time before the heat grew into the unbearable. Jonathan had to fight to contain his grin when he saw Ardeth flinch when he sat down onto the saddle. He knew exactly what the warrior felt in that moment, he had been in the same position before. How ambiguous that sounded. Jonathan gave up and grinned.

They rode for hours, sometimes in agreeable silence, sometimes in pleasant conversation. Horus changed place from the Med-jai's arm to Jonathan's several times during the day and it was obvious he would have preferred to fly. It was about late afternoon that Ardeth sat up straighter and peered into the endless desert in front of them. Jonathan followed his gaze and couldn't see a thing. A while later, Ardeth seemed to have found what he had been looking for, for he leaned back and smiled.

“Do you see the shapes in the distance?” Ardeth pointed to some very small dots that were dark against the blue of the sky. “That's my encampment.”

Jonathan squinted his eyes to see the shapes more clearly. “How long will it be?”

“We will reach it before nightfall.” the Med-jai replied calmly. “You will meet my mother, then.”

“Your mother?” Jonathan gulped, shocked. “I just slept with you! How could I face your mother and...”

He stopped when he heard Ardeth break out in a heartfelt laugh. “You people are very strange sometimes. What does my mother have to do with us sleeping together?”

“Well...” Jonathan knew there was a deep blush spreading over his face. “Won't she notice? I mean, mothers do have a certain sixth sense for things like that...”

Ardeth was still grinning widely. “Of course she will notice. She's an excellent observer and she knows how to read me.”

Jonathan was stunned into speechlessness for a moment. He licked his dry lips and tried to find his voice. “And you don't have a problem with her knowing? Don't you feel... strange?”

“No, I don't.” he shrugged casually. “I have found my people and your people to have a very different perception and understanding of sexuality. My mother won't mind what happened between us. My people are more open about such things than yours.”

“It won't be a problem that, you know... that I am a man?” Jonathan wasn't sure he could believe that, it was certainly not that easy in England – or even in Cairo. He wasn't even certain how Evy would react once she found out – because he had no doubt that she would at some point – and he didn't even want to think about Rick. Americans were not exactly known for their tolerance towards other ways of life and he had not the faintest idea how Rick thought about two men in a relationship. Because Jonathan had no doubt that Ardeth and him were in a relationship. He just knew the Med-jai wouldn't do any less.

“That will be of no importance.” Ardeth's voice interrupted his musings. “My people do not frown upon brothers in arms sharing their bodies.”

Jonathan snorted. “All right, my people are definitely very different in that matter.”

“I'm not ashamed of you, Jonathan.” The Med-jai had turned towards him and firmly held his gaze. “You are my choice and my mother will know that from the first moment on, as will my people. There is nothing to worry about, we will not be met with hostility.”

“It might take a moment for me to get used to that idea.” Jonathan gnawed on his lower lip. “I grew up in a society where a relationship like ours is impossible to lead in the open.”

“I know that. I just wish for you to understand that there is no harm waiting for you with my people.” The Med-jai shrugged. “Although my mother can be quite intimidating when she wants to be.”

“Thank you, that's very reassuring.” Jonathan snorted. “As if I'm not already intimidated enough simply because she is your mother!”

Ardeth had the nerve to chuckle.

“Don't you dare laugh!” Jonathan growled indignantly and glared at him.

The Med-jai wisely kept quiet, but the smile was still there on his lips for the next minutes. Jonathan wondered how he should behave once they arrived and absent-mindedly caressed Horus's feathers. He understood now why Ardeth found it calming to pet the falcon, it had the same effect on him. The shapes came closer, Jonathan could make out the single tents and the people walking around between them. Why had it to be Ardeht's mother? He felt as if he was meeting his future mother-in-law, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. It was weird. It was frightening. It was unnerving. He had never expected to find himself in such a situation, and he had always been convinced that he wasn't made for long term relationships. Not that he and Ardeth had been together that long. Well, they had, in a way, for ten years. And in another way for about three days – at least in the physical matters. Really not straightforward.

His musings were cut short by the first tents that had come so close that he could see the straw on the roof. When they passed them, there was a bunch of children cheering and running along with them and Ardeth greeted several of them by name, a huge smile on his face. They stopped in the centre of the encampment, a free circle surrounded by tents of varying sizes. Before they could even dismount, an old man with a white beard approached and another man of about Ardeth's age, obviously a warrior, walked next to him. They bowed in greeting. “Amir, welcome home.”

“It is good to have you back.” the younger of the two men said.

“Bakal, Mahir.” Ardeth returned the bow, but Jonathan had the distinct impression they knew each other quite well. There was no stiff formality in their gestures or their words, just sincere respect. “It is good to be back. I see you are well. Has there been anything of importance in my absence?”

“No, Amir.” the old man – Bakal? – replied. “Everything has been peaceful.”

Ardeth nodded, obviously pleased. “Good.”

Jonathan watched and felt stupid sitting on his camel while the others were on the ground, so he dismounted, careful to hold his left arm steady where Horus sat, his claws digging in the vambrace. He walked up to Ardeth and was immediately presented, glad not for the first time that he understood Arabic. He wasn't fluent, but it was enough to follow the conversation.

“This is Jonathan Carnahan.” Ardeth said, nothing more, but the expressions of the two men told Jonathan that there were no more words needed. He saw them look at him, then at the falcon and back at him. Something changed in their posture, he couldn't tell what exactly it was, but they appeared more friendly now, the older Med-jai even giving him a little smile.

“Welcome to our humble village, Jonathan Carnahan.” the old man gave him a bow in greeting and Jonathan returned it awkwardly.

“Thank you.” the Englishman replied, not sure what to say. He felt out of place here, maybe it was because he was so obviously a stranger with his fair skin, his western clothes and his foreign language. Ardeth exchanged some more words with the two men, then inclined his head and Bakal and Mahir left. The Med-jai put his hand on the small of Jonathan's back and gently pushed him in the direction of a large tent that stood at the edge of the circle.

“I see you brought a guest with you.” a female voice said quietly once they had entered and Jonathan turned towards it. Ardeth's mother was an impressive figure. There were similarities that were so obvious that their kinship just couldn't be questioned. She was rather tall and had the same wavy raven hair, only hers was pulled back in two braids that hung down to her hips. But the most obvious resemblance they bore was the mouth. Jonathan knew immediately from whom Ardeth had inherited his full, luscious lips, even though they looked far more feminine in her soft face. She was no young woman any more, but she still held herself with that grace which was also so much part of her son.

“Mother.” She approached and greeted her son with an embrace, short but so obviously affectionate that Jonathan was a little bit jealous for a second. It had been a long time since he had experienced such a gesture, his mother had been dead for decades.

Ardeth returned the embrace, then he stepped back with a smile on his lips. “Mother, this is Jonathan Carnahan. He fought with us against the Creature both times.”

Jonathan bowed at the words, that couldn't be that wrong, could it? Her eyes were equally intense as her son's when she watched him and Jonathan wondered what she saw.

“Jonathan, this is my mother, Jamila Bey.” This time she bowed a little, he face betraying none of her thoughts.

“Horus likes you.” she remarked casually and nodded towards the falcon that sat quietly on his arm. Jonathan felt instinctively that this was not a simply statement. There was more to it, something Ardeth seemed to understand, because he inclined his head a little, a smile on his lips.

“Jonathan found Horus in Ahm Shere after he was shot and nursed him back to health.” he explained. “He had O'Connell contact me to return him to me.”

Suddenly, a smile appeared on his mother's full lips, immediately giving her a friendly appearance. “I see you are a good man, Jonathan Carnahan. I wish to welcome you in my village and in my home. My son has told me about your fight against the Creature and I thank you for your part in it.”

“I...” For once, Jonathan found himself at a loss for words. “Thank you. I was just a small wheel in the whole machine.”

She smiled at him, then she indicated the pillows that covered a part in the back of the tent. “Sit down and be my guest for dinner.”

Ardeth and Jonathan followed her suggestion and only a few minutes later, they sat together around plates and bowls that were filled with food that Jonathan mostly didn't know. The delicious smells told him it would be very tasty, though, and he tried everything, eating with healthy appetite and completely forgetting his reservations towards Ardeth's mother. She was friendly towards him, asking him to tell his side of the defeat of the Creature and listening with a smile on her lips that was mirrored in her eyes. The evening passed quickly with nobody paying attention to time, the conversation ran easily and the food was as good as Ardeth had promised that morning. It was long since dark when Ardeth announced that they would retire for the night and his mother bade them a good night.

When they left her tent, the cold air came as a surprise for Jonathan who had felt comfortable in the confines of the warm tent that was heated by the multitude of candles that served as lighting. He shivered but ignored it, walking next to Ardeth who slowly strode towards a tent at the other side of the circle.

“Well, she obviously chose not to be intimidating. Lucky me.” Jonathan said with a relieved sigh.

“I think she is rather taken by you.” Ardeth replied, an eyebrow raised quizzically. “I have rarely see her so forthcoming with anybody she didn't know.”

“It must be my charms.” Jonathan remarked with an incredibly bright smile to prove his point.

Ardeth chuckled, but shook his head. “I think that was not all, my love.”

Jonathan pouted. “Well, what was it then?”

“Horus convinced her.” Ardeth said with a smile. “As he convinced Bakal and Mahir.”

“Excuse me?”

“His trust and respect for you speaks for you in the eyes of every Med-jai. They saw you arrive with him on your arm and it told them more about you in a second than hours of explanation could have.” Ardeth explained and held open the cloth that veiled the entrance to let the other man in.

Jonathan was silent for a moment while he entered. He used the opportunity to look around as an excuse to gather his thoughts. “I hadn't expected him to have such a significance.”

“Well, his instincts can be trusted, that has been proven to us again and again for years.” Ardeth went on and carefully closed the entrance behind him. He watched Jonathan for a moment. “This is my home. I hope it agrees with you.”

Jonathan took another look around and took in the soft-looking pillows on one side of the tent that was even larger than Jamila's. Next to it was a small table that obviously served as a desk, covered with parchment and writing utensils, and a screen made of cloth separated off the back of the room. There were little pieces of art here and there, obviously masterpieces of handiwork, and an impressive collection of knives, daggers, swords and other weapons Jonathan didn't know. In a subtle way, it reflected the character of its owner, Jonathan mused.

“I like it.” he said and turned to smile at his host. “It's very you.”

Ardeth quizzically raised a brow and Jonathan chuckled. “Don't make me explain, please. It was a compliment.”

The Med-jai smiled and nodded, but didn't ask. He took Jonathan's hand and they crossed the tent to go into the part that was hidden behind the screen. There was a large sleeping area with blankets and even more pillows. The Med-jai removed his boots and his wide outer tunic before he sat down and watched the other man strip out of his jacket and his shoes. The air in here was comfortably warm compared to the chilly desert night, Jonathan thought while he stepped onto the blankets and sat down next to the Med-jai, not sure what was going to happen next.

Ardeth leaned back against some pillows and raised his arm in the same silent invitation that had been part of their relationship ever since the airship. Jonathan chuckled and turned to lean with his back against the Med-jai's chest and found himself enfolded in a comfortable embrace.

“Do you feel better now that you have met my mother and there were no complications?” Ardeth asked against his neck and Jonathan nodded.

“I have to admit that the evening was very pleasant. I think my worries were without any reason.”

“Good. I hoped you would come to that conclusion.” A hand caressed his neck and Jonathan let his head fall to one side to grant Ardeth better access. He closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the touch.

“Who were the two men who came to greet you?” Jonathan enquired and began to nibble at the skin of the Med-jai's throat that was so conveniently close to his lips.

“Bakal – the older man – is like a mentor for me. He was my commander when I served as a young man and I learned a lot from him. Mahir served together with me, we are friends since childhood.” Ardeth told him and bared his throat a little more. “Bakal is my first of advisers and Mahir is my second in command, my right hand, as your people would say. Together they take over my duties when I'm absent.”

“How long have you been the leader of the tribe now?”

“Since the death of my father, some eleven years. Bakal was my father's second in command and helped me a lot in the first time.” the Med-jai replied quietly. The atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed. “Mahir took over for him just four years ago, and ever since, they've worked together to strengthen my back.”

“You have very loyal friends there.” Jonathan remarked and cuddled closer in the comfortable embrace. He felt the day's travel catch up with him, sleep slowly taking hold of him.

“Yes, I have indeed.” He felt Ardeth press a kiss to his temple. “Why don't we lie down and sleep, my love. We are both tired from the journey.”

Jonathan just nodded, too comfortable to move. Ardeth chuckled and began to remove his clothes, than Jonathan's. The Englishman felt how he was pulled him close and arms wrapped around his waist, then the warmth of the Med-jai pressed all along his back. Jonathan smiled contently and let sleep take over.

Within a few days, an easy routine had established. Ardeth woke up early and usually let Jonathan sleep, sometimes he woke him with soft, trailing kisses all over the Englishman's body, very purposefully caressing his fair skin. Jonathan didn't mind being woken in such a pleasant way and didn't ever complain, but then, he normally went back to sleep after they had engaged in some rather stimulating morning activities. During the day, Ardeth attended to his tasks as leader and Jonathan found himself spending more time with Jamila than he had ever expected. She had just been there on the second morning and had invited him to join her on a trade meeting with a neighbouring tribe. Jonathan had agreed without a second thought and had spent an interesting day in a group of some ten Med-jai with Bakal and Jamila serving as the leaders. He had been surprised at the friendliness of the people and their interest in him. It had improved his Arabic a lot to spend the whole day in a non-English speaking environment, he noticed later.

After that, he was always taken somewhere with somebody, be it Jamila, Bakal – who somehow seemed to like Jonathan – or some of the other members of the tribe he had gotten to know on his multiple trips. Jonathan had the distinct impression that while Ardeth might have had nothing to do with this development, he certainly was pleased by it and gave Jonathan enough opportunity to engage in it. They always spent the evenings together, though, and Ardeth abducted him several times to ride to their oasis to spend the night there. These were usually very passionate nights that resulted in at least one of them having problems sitting through the ride back to the encampment.

Ardeth had been right, Jonathan had to admit after a few day. Obviously, everybody knew about the nature of their relationship, but there were never any snide remarks nor any strange looks. Though he and Ardeth didn't do anything too obvious in public, they didn't hide either and their usual level of physical contact was definitely higher than it was supposed to be between mere friends. After a few days, Jonathan began to get used to it and stopped flinching back whenever Ardeth touched him affectionately in public, be it the hand in the small of his back, the gentle caress of his hand when they walked together or the hand on his shoulder when they stood together.

Jonathan had told Evy that he would be gone for about two or three weeks, and he found the time to pass faster that he'd expected. Suddenly, a week had gone by, then the second and he told Ardeth that he had to return to Cairo soon. The Med-jai had simply nodded, saying nothing, and his eyes had held an unspoken question that was at the same time an offer. Jonathan had bitten his lip, he couldn't answer that question yet, and he knew Ardeth would never ask it aloud. The Med-jai knew Jonathan had understood and by not vocalising it, he left the choice to the Englishman, not forcing him to decide before his time. Jonathan was grateful and disappointed at the same time and couldn't explain his confusion.

Jamila came to him the morning of their departure with a cup of fresh, strong coffee. Jonathan accepted it with a surprised, yet grateful smile and took a sip, stunned to find it sweetened to his taste. They sat together and drank their coffee in agreeable silence, no words were need. Jonathan was surprised how much he had grown to like the life in the encampment and how easily he had adapted. He was a metropolitan man, he had always thought the countryside to be boring and monotonous. Now he had spent two weeks in the middle of the desert and he found it had a strange, calming effect on him. He felt more at peace than he ever had.

Ardeth arrived a while after they had finished their coffee. It was time to leave. Jonathan got up and thanked Jamila for her hospitality with a true smile, meaning every word. He bowed to her in the traditional greeting he had learned by now, but she just took hold of his chin and made him look up. There was a warm smile on her face, then she pulled him into the same kind of affectionate embrace she always gave her son. Jonathan was completely taken by surprise, but he returned the gesture after a moment, enjoying the simple comfort it held.

Leaving was a lot harder than he had expected.

***

It was early afternoon when Jonathan heard his sister's voice and he looked up to see her standing next to him at the bar. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Of course not, my dear.” he agreed and indicated the empty seat next to him. She sat down and ordered a tea, then she turned towards him.

“How was your trip with Ardeth?”

“Very interesting.” Jonathan replied with a smile. “The Med-jai are very pleasant and friendly people.”

“What did you do? Where did you go?” Evy's curiosity was sparked. “To have Ardeth as a guide in the desert must have been very revealing. I'm certain he knows the most beautiful and most secret places there are.”

Jonathan tried not to cough up his tea when he the image of him and the Med-jai in the oasis popped up in his mind. Well, yes, very revealing. “Oh yes, he does.”

“And what did he show you?” Evy's eyes sparkled with excitement. “Are there more ruins out there?”

“Oh Evy!” Jonathan exclaimed with fake exasperation. “You are such an adventurer!”

She smiled a little sheepishly. “I just can't help it.”

“To answer your question, no, we didn't go to any ruins.” Jonathan took another sip of his tea. “But I have to say that I'm honestly surprised at how many oases there are in the desert.”

“So you enjoyed yourself?”

Again, the image of their nightly activities came to his mind and he willed himself not to blush. “Yes, I did. Immensely, actually.”

“So, where is Ardeth?” she asked and frowned. “He didn't leave without meeting up with us, did he?”

“Evy, you know him. Of course he didn't.” Jonathan couldn't help but sound vaguely chiding. “He said he had some business to attend to and would return this evening.”

“Of course.” Evy amended. “I don't know why I thought he might have left. He would never just leave you.”

Jonathan frowned at her last words. “What do you mean?”

She completely ignored his question, just looked at him, her expression earnest. “Why were you sitting here all alone, Jonathan?”

He had an idea what she wanted to talk about and tried to avert the subject. “Well, there was nobody to sit with me.”

“Jonathan.” Her voice held that interesting mix of threat and worry that she had only developed since Alex' birth.

He sighed, well aware that she wouldn't let go. This was the conversation he had expected to have ever since Ahm Shere. He wondered if there was any way to elude it, maybe he could ignore her, or get up right now and run away. One look at her face told him she'd hunt him down.

“I needed some time to think.” he replied and resigned to his fate, entirely honest for once.

“What about?” Her voice was gentle now, she knew she had won.

“The future.” It sounded a little dramatic, even to his own ears. “Where I will go, how I will go on with my life.”

“Ardeth.” she simply said, nothing more. Jonathan stiffened, but forced himself to relax and his voice to sound casual.

“What's with him?”

“He is the reason you're sitting here and thinking).” It was a statement, she sounded absolutely certain of what she said.

“What makes you think that?” Jonathan tried to stall for time.

She just gave him one of her patented don't-try-to-shit-me looks that she had mastered to perfection since she'd become a mother. “I'm not blind, my dear brother.”

“Excuse me?” He tried his best to sound confused, even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.

“Jonathan, on the way to Ahm Shere, we spent four days in quite close quarters on that airship.” she said slowly, pronouncing every word carefully. “Did you really think nobody would notice?”

“Notice what?” It was never too late to play dumb, he thought. Maybe it worked.

She fixated him with an inquisitorial gaze, then she raised her hands and started counting off her fingers. “I've seen you sleep in his arms, every single night of the journey. I've seen how nervous you were around him during the days. I've seen you tend to his falcon with care I've rarely ever seen you display. I've seen how you looked at him when you thought nobody was paying attention to you.” She paused for a moment when she reached the last finger to count off and held her brother's eyes. “I've seen him look at you so many times with exactly the same expression.”

Jonathan tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. His secret had not been a secret at all, it seemed. He knew Evy was an extraordinary observer, but he had the vague impression she was not the only one who had noticed.

“Oh, and not to forget that you spent the last three weeks with him at his home and that he invited you. Do you even have the faintest idea how few foreign people ever entered a Med-jai encampment?”

“All right, Evy, I see your point.” Jonathan admitted and held his hands up in defeat.

“So, what will you do now, Jonathan?” Evy asked and looked at him with a concerned gaze.

“I don't know, Evy, I really don't know.” Jonathan sighed deeply. He wasn't used to being lost in his emotions. “I just know that I don't want to leave Egypt.”

“Leave him.” she corrected gently.

Jonathan was silent for a while. “Yes.”

“Do you love him?”

“Evy!” Jonathan said indignantly. He did really, really not want to talk about that. “That is such a typical thing for you to ask.”

“Well, I care for you, and if I give you away, I want to be certain that you will be happy.” She shrugged.

“You're not giving me away. I'm no bride in front of the altar.” Jonathan couldn't help a snort at that image. “I'm just thinking about staying in Egypt.”

“What you're only doing because of Ardeth.” she pointed out mercilessly.

“Maybe.”

“Not maybe.” she said with her no-nonsense voice, another side-effect of her being a mother. “Answer my question. Do you love him?”

Jonathan's hand clutched the fragile porcelain of his teacup. Did he actually want to answer that question? It wouldn't only be an answer to her but to himself, and he wasn't certain he was ready for that. The time he had spent with with Ardeth had made him feel better than he had felt in many years and he knew it would break his heat to never see the Med-jai again. Those ten years of separation after the first 'mummy incident' had been bad enough, and at that time he hadn't even known what it was that he missed.

Things were different now, and the idea of leaving Ardeth behind to return to London pained him. The comforts of England paled in comparison to the nights he had spent in the desert, cuddled up in the Med-jai's arms. Ardeth was so much part of these dry lands, he was heat and passion, he held the spirit of the desert. Maybe that was his answer, Jonathan wondered. If right now, he had to choose between Egypt or England, there was no doubt in his mind what he would choose.

“Yes, I do.”

He was surprised to see her face break into a huge smile. “It took you quite some time to figure that out what everybody around you already knew.”

“What?”

“That's the advantage of having an outsider's point of view, my dear brother.” she grinned. “Even Alex has it figured out.”

“What?!?” Jonathan was stunned and couldn't help staring at Evy in shock.

She laughed. “He's a bright boy. And a good observer.”

“Alex has..” Jonathan tried to regain his composure, then he just let his head sink down on the bar. “Oh. My. God.”

“Oh, don't worry, he likes Ardeth.” Evy tried to reassure him, still laughing gently. “I even heard him tell Rick that he thinks it would be cool if Ardeth became his second uncle.”

Jonathan groaned as if in pain and glanced up at her from under his arm. “I don't believe this...”

“Believe it.” she said with a grin and took another sip of her tea. “We're your family, after all.”

***

Jonathan couldn't say what had changed, but in a strange way, he felt calm, certain of what he wanted, ever since that conversation with Evy this afternoon. He secretly thanked his sister for her persistent nature and her talent to make him see and admit things he would ignore without her pushing him. She had always been the one to kick him when he needed it, even if he didn't know he did. Or didn't want to be kicked.

He crossed the hall of the hotel, filled with the urge to see Ardeth. He already knew where to find the Med-jai. He quickly made for the stairs and climbed until he reached the door that lead onto the roof of the building. Once he had stepped through, he saw the tall figure of the warrior sitting on the edge of the roof, a dark outline against the illuminated city. Ardeth didn't move when Jonathan walked over to him, but the Englishman didn't let himself be fooled into thinking the Med-jai hadn't heard him.

When he was right behind the Med-jai, so close that he nearly touched his back, Jonathan took in how the raven curls moved in the gentle breeze and allowed his hands to plunge into their silken softness. He felt Ardeth lean back until he rested with his back against Jonathan's legs, a gesture of trust and affection. They didn't say a word, just took pleasure in the closeness.

After what seemed like hours, Jonathan slowly sank down on his knees, pressing his body against Ardeth's back, and slid his arms around the broad shoulders in a gentle embrace. He turned his nose into the long hair to breath in its scent, then he brought his lips close to the warrior's right ear.

“I want to dance with you, Ardeth Bey.”