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Spooning up the last of the broth, Najat managed to smile as he obediently downed it.  It still troubled her that he'd asked to be fed, but she found it somewhat reassuring that he hadn't needed to be prodded into finishing the bowl. Ardeth returned the smile, before wearily closing his eyes.  Placing the spoon back onto the tray, Najat studied him, pensively.  As if feeling her steady gaze, Ardeth opened his eyes, which prodded her back into motion.

"Allow me a moment to prepare more medicine, then you will, at last, be rid of me," Najat quipped, almost managing another smile.  Moving away to mix the herbs, she didn't notice Ardeth frown.

As she brought the cup to his lips, Ardeth studied Najat, worried that he'd given her the impression it was her company, not the effort of eating that displeased him.  Quickly downing the liquid, he weakly reached up and captured the hand she held nearest the bottom of the cup.  Startled, Najat let her other hand drop away, taking the empty cup with it, and gazed at him.  Smiling warmly, Ardeth entwined two of his fingers around two of hers and softly caressed them.  As she returned his smile, he let his heavy eyelids close and drifted to sleep. 

Najat watched him sleep for several minutes, before convincing herself to disentangle her fingers.  Reaching for a medicine-soaked cloth, she quickly bathed Ardeth's chest, before reluctantly rising to clear a workspace on the small table.  Ardeth's fever had decreased enough that he no longer required constant bathing, allowing her an opportunity to catch up one of her many neglected duties.  Sparing him another long gaze, Najat gathered up pen and ink to record the events of the past week within the tribal record.

~*~*~*~*~

Najat glanced up as Badi'a entered.  Noting that the shadows had shifted from morning to afternoon, she raised an eyebrow, amazed that so much time had passed unnoticed.  Sheepishly grinning, Najat fixed her attention on the Medjai approaching the bed.  Her expression promptly dropped into a frown.  Badi'a's drooping body made it apparent she'd rested little since departing. 

"How is he?" The Medjai inquired, studying her brother.  

"Better," Najat replied.  Noticing his still labored breathing, Badi'a frowned, skeptically. "His breathing still troubles him, but his fever has diminished greatly."

Badi'a nodded, appreciating the clarification. 

"I shall leave you to sit with him," Najat offered, and Badi'a smiled, then, yawned.   Seeing it, the Abadi decided she would be tending Ardeth again too soon to bother taking the record with her.  Simply gathering it up neatly on the corner of the table, she quietly shuffled to the doorway.

Pulling over the vacated chair, Badi'a sat down beside her brother and reach for a medicine-soaked cloth.  The hush surrounding her seem to deepen with each rhythmic swirl, increasing the weight of her heavy eyelids.  Tossing the cloth back into the basin, Badi'a rested her head on her arm and watched her brother sleep for a minute, before drifting slowly into her own dream.

Hovering in the doorway, Najat grinned at the expected sight and stealthily returned to the bed.  The exhausted Medjai roused just enough to move as Najat wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the rugs on which the O'Connells had previously slept.  Amused, the Abadi briefly paused to watch her friend sleep, before returning to her record. 

Ardeth slowly roused as the shifting of his sister's weight disrupted his dream.  By the time he persuaded his eyes to fully open, Najat had returned to the small table.  He caught the movement of her pen out of the corner of his eye and twisted his head to see her better.  Finding that the angle cramped his neck, Ardeth twisted back to his original position and closed his eyes, hoping a dream tug at him.  When none did, he opened his eyes, bit his lip, and shifted enough to comfortably observe Najat.  Ardeth counted three pages of scribbling before she looked up. 

Feeling his steady gaze, Najat glanced toward Ardeth and smiled, warmly.

"Are you in need anything?"  she whispered, setting down her pen.  Ardeth shook his head.  Nodding, Najat smiled, picked up her pen, and gazed back down at her paper.  She paused for another quick glance at Ardeth, before starting to write again.  He smiled, reassuringly, and she returned to her focus to the record. 

Ardeth continued to watch her write, enjoying the quiet.  Najat was one of the few people that would allow him share her company in silence, without growing discomfited by it.   He never ceased to appreciate the peace that allowed him.

~*~*~*~*~

"Widad," Najat bade, as her fellow Abadi arrived in the doorway with a tray of food.   Widad bowed, slightly, and continued toward the bed. 

Just beginning to drift toward sleep again, Ardeth roused and watched Abadi approach.  He closed his eyes as she drew near enough to see he was awake.  Widad wore neither a burqa nor a shawl, presumably expecting he would be asleep, so it seemed polite to feign as much. 

"The sentries report that Zaynab and the outsiders will be here within the hour," she reported, glancing toward Najat.  Receiving a nod of acknowledgment, Widad quietly excused herself.  

When Widad didn't speak again, Ardeth cracked his open.  Seeing she'd left, he opened them the rest of the way and gazed at Najat.  His brow furrowed, questioningly, as she approached the bed with a look of amusement on her face. 

"You may soon regret not having slept," Najat replied to his bewildered expression.  "Alex has promised to regale you with his many adventures upon his return."

Ardeth tossed her lop-sided grin. 

"It is good that Widad brought food for both of us, as we shall both need strength," she joked.   

Ardeth grinned, again, and shifted to allow the tray to rest more evenly on his lap.  Reaching for one of the bowls of broth, he carefully lifted it to his lips and quickly drained it.   Ardeth grinned, as he managed to set it shakily, but gently, back in the tray.  Glancing toward Najat, his smile grew as she grinned, proudly.  Momentarily content, Ardeth settled comfortably into his pillows to watch Najat eat while he waited for Alex to arrive.

~*~*~*~*~

Nervously watching the Abadi village approach, the knot of dread in Rick's stomach pulled tighter.  Shifting his gaze down to the child asleep in his arms, Rick fought the urge to jostle Alex just enough to wake him.   He knew his son would spend the evening telling Ardeth tales, giving Rick an excuse to stay away.  However, that would only delay the inevitable.  He had to face Ardeth sooner or later, and the longer he waited, the more he dreaded it.

~*~*~*~*~

"Najat," Rick greeted, pausing in the doorway of Ardeth's dwelling.  

Hovering barely on the edge of sleep, the sound of Rick's voice startled Ardeth into consciousness.  Reluctant to face the American, he kept his eyes closed, hoping Rick hadn't noticed the slight flinch.

"Richard O'Connell," Najat returned, with a slight bow, distractedly registering increased tension in Ardeth's chest as she finished bathing it with medicine.   "I am pleased to see that you have returned safely."

Rick nodded, absently, his gaze already shifting to Ardeth.  He studied the sleeping Medjai, hoping to convince himself the warrior was recovering... and not simply lingering.  It didn't work.   Even in the scant light, he could see the still labored way in which Ardeth's chest rose and fell.

"He doesn't look much better," Rick commented, more to himself than Najat.  The Abadi studied the American for a moment, before responding.

An unfamiliar male voice weaving its way into Badi'a mind, she gradually woke and opened her eyes.  She nearly bolted up when her eyes found Rick, but she stopped herself.  Knowing nothing of the outsider beyond myth and rumor, Badi'a decided she might as well try to learn something of the American's nature.

"His fever has diminished since yesterday, but his breathing still troubles him, more than expected," Najat revealed, dropping the cloth in her hand back into the medicine basin.

"The infection's settled in his lungs pretty good, has it?"  Rick presumed.  Najat shook her head. 

"No, the infection is not the cause," she explained, more concern creeping into her tone than she meant to allow.  "He remains very weak - both in body and spirit; I suspect that is to blame."

Rick nodded, distractedly. He couldn't help but wonder if Ardeth had simply pushed himself too far to recover this time. 

"He awoke not long ago," Najat continued, seeing the mixture of fear and resignation in the American's expression.  She hoped the news would reassure him a little.  Rick smiled, appreciatively, quickly catching on to her motive.   "He'd hoped to wait for Alex's promised return...."

Rick smiled, genuinely.  He knew Alex would be thrilled when he found out Ardeth had tried to wait up for him. 

"Yeah, Alex was really looking forward to filling him in on our 'adventures', but he fell asleep on the way back," he revealed. "He wore himself out pretty thoroughly." 

"Ah, well, we will expect him in the morning then."

Rick nodded, only half listening.

"And the rest of your family?"  Najat quizzed.  She'd expected both Alex and Evelyn to visit upon their return to the village.  Rick tossed her a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, Evy meant to make it over here, too," he explained.  "But she laid down 'just for a minute' after dinner and seems pretty much out for the night.   Alex wore her out pretty thoroughly, too." 

"And Jonathan?"

"Asleep," Rick replied.  "He nearly fell into his food nodding, so Zaynab ordered him off to bed."

"I may assume, then, that you and your family enjoyed your 'adventures'," Najat commented.  Rick nodded and smiled, appreciatively, knowing the Abadi had gone out of their way to provide them a distraction.  "And you?  Did Alex not exhaust you, as well?"

"Yeah," Rick admitted.  "He did a pretty of good job of that, that's for sure."

Najat smiled, politely, as she studied the American.  He seemed nervous, which made her suspect his presence had a purpose beyond simply inquiring after Ardeth's health. 

"You wish to speak privately with Ardeth Bey?" she inquired, after a minute.  Rick nodded, appreciatively, relieved that she'd caught on before he had to ask. Shuffling out of the doorway so she could leave, Rick took a deep breath to steady his resolve and forced his feet to approach the bed. 

"Hey, big guy," He nervously greeted, sitting down beside the Medjai.  Hovering, again, on the edge of sleep, Ardeth flinched at the nearness of Rick's voice, but it went unnoticed.

"I was kinda hoping you'd already be awake; that way I couldn't chicken out and do this with you asleep," Rick quipped, then, sighed.  "So, what do you think, buddy, do I wake you up, or just call this a practice run?"

Ardeth inwardly sighed.  It seemed as though Rick, as well as himself, would find the conversation less awkward if he continued to feign sleep, but it also seemed dishonorable.  Hesitantly, he opened his reluctant eyes and fixed them upon his friend. 

"Well, I guess I do this for real, eh," Rick quipped, more to himself than Ardeth.   "So...how ya feeling?"

Recognizing the attempt to stall, Ardeth just smiled, wearily. 

"Yeah, never mind.  I need to just do this...." Rick muttered, nervously, before taking a deep breath to steady himself.  "Look, about what happened with Evy's nightmare..."

Ardeth's brow furrowed, anxiously.  With everything else, he'd nearly forgotten shaming himself before his host.  Remembering renewed the regret felt for choosing to return to his body. 

Seeing anguish form on the Medjai's face, Rick hesitated, but realized he couldn't leave it there.   Ardeth had enough to deal with without believing he'd dishonored himself. 

"Look, about that...you didn't do anything wrong, you know," he insisted.  Ardeth averted his gaze, unable to face his friend. 

Badi'a's brow furrowed.  The American spoke as though her brother'd committed some sort of offense, but she couldn't imagine it to be truth.  Still, it helped explained Ardeth's despondency.  Honor and friendship were two things he took very seriously, so to have dishonored himself before a friend....Badi'a sighed, despairingly.   That was not something her brother would recover from, whatever the result of his illness. 

"Please, Ardeth, I'm trying to apologize here, don't make it any harder on me than it already is, okay," Rick pleaded, determined to convince the Medjai of his innocence.

Puzzled, Ardeth glanced toward his friend. 

"Yeah, that's right!  I'm apologizing," Rick confirmed.  "You didn't do anything wrong!"

Unconvinced, Ardeth looked away, again.

"Come on, Buddy," Rick continued to argue.  "Yeah, I admit, when I walked in, I saw you man-handling my wife and her trying to get away...."

Badi'a raised a shocked eyebrow.  She couldn't even imagine her brother man-handling another man's wife. 

Ardeth dejectedly closed his eyes, wishing he could escape the memory of his disgrace.

"...but that wasn't really what was happening; you weren't doing anything wrong!"  Rick insisted.  "You saw Evy in trouble; you tried to help.  Please, Ardeth!  You have to accept my apology...and my thanks."

Ardeth raised a confused eyebrow, while Badi'a nodded.  She knew her brother wasn't capable of such illicit behavior. 

"Yeah, that's right...my thanks.  I know it's been a while now, but you gotta understand I'm still getting used to this trust thing," Rick explained, sincerely.  "And let me tell ya, expecting the worst out of people is an awfully hard habit to break."

Ardeth sighed, softly, and sleepily closed his eyes, which didn't really tell his friend much about what was on his mind.  Unable to think of a more convincing argument, Rick decided to let the apology sink for a while.  He could have another go at it later, when Ardeth was in better shape.

"I'd thank you for saving Evy's soul, if I thought there were adequate words, but there aren't," Rick continued, after a minute, unsure if Ardeth were still awake.  "Just like there weren't good enough words to thank you for helping me get my son back." 

Pausing to catch his breath, Rick shook his head.

"I just don't get it, buddy," he admitted.  "After everything you've gone though... we... Evy's family put you through, I just don't understand why you'd do what you did for her...us...."

Rick let the bewildered statement fall away.   Ardeth's eyes remained closed, leading him to assume the warrior'd fallen back to sleep.  Not that it really mattered.  Rick knew that even if Ardeth tried to explain, he'd probably never understand. 

"Well, I guess that's all I wanted to say, so I'll get out of your hair.  You get better, buddy," he bade and started to rise, but Ardeth caught his hand. 

As Rick's eyes met his gaze, the warrior smiled and twisted his hand around into a firm, brotherly handshake.   Ardeth doubted he could find words to make Rick understand the value he placed upon friendship.  But even without that understanding, Ardeth couldn't allow him to walk away believing a rift remained between them.   

Rick grinned, accepting the handshake. 

"You better get back to sleep now, buddy.  No doubt, Alex with be in here pestering you before the sun comes up," Rick warned, warmly.  Ardeth smiled and let his eyes close.  Still grinning, Rick watched him sleep for a minute, then quietly made his way back to Evy.  

Badi'a watched the American leave.  He'd given the impression of being a surprisingly honorably man, which left her befuddled.  But she quickly pushed it to the back of her mind, distracted by a nervous tickle that had formed in her stomach during the brief exchange.  Badi'a's sleeping brain couldn't quite put a finger the cause of it.  Closing her eyes, she spun the conversation around in her mind, as she drifted back to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~

Growing weary of broth, Ardeth drank only three-quarters of what Najat had brought for breakfast and set the bowl back onto the tray.  Badi'a grinned, delighted to see him able to feed himself.  Ardeth smiled in return, pleased that his hands had shaken less this time.  Snatching a lump of bread from the tray, he broke off a piece and dipped it into the remaining broth.  Badi'a's grin grew even broader at the site; she hadn't even had to prod him into it.

"Ardeth!"

Both Ardeth and Badi'a flinched as Alex darted into the room.   Catching sight of Badi'a, he skidded to a halt a few feet away from her.   Alex needed only a glance to realize that she was wearing a shawl instead of a burqa and that it was the wrong color.  Ardeth nearly choked on his bread trying to stifle a chuckle at apprehension on the child's face; his sister often had that effect on him, as well. 

"You're not Abadi!"  Alex observed, defiantly, his need to protect Ardeth overcoming the intimidating effect of the eyes looking through him.   "Who are you?!"

Badi'a chuckled.  Alex's stance made it abundantly clear he didn't approve of a stranger hovering so near Ardeth, and it immediately won Badi'a over, despite the touch of annoyance that tickled the back of her mind.  The child wasn't supposed to be likable, anymore than the father was supposed to honorable.   They were being terribly uncooperative; meeting them was to have cemented her hatred of them, not change her mind!

"I am Badi'a, sister of Ardeth Bey ibn Dabir," she replied, formally, with only the slightest hint of amusement creeping into her tone.    Ardeth grinned, relieved to see his sister behaving amicably toward the child. 

Ardeth's sister?!  Alex's jaw dropped as his eyes grew wide.

"And you are?" Badi'a asked, seriously, even though she already knew.   It took every ounce of control she had not to laugh at his expression.

"A..Alex O'Connell, ma'am.  Ummm....assalamu 'alaykum,"  he replied, as formally as he could muster.   Badi'a raised an eyebrow, before bowing slightly and replying.

"Wa 'alaykum assalam."

"You're really Ardeth's sister?!"  Alex quizzed, his tone filled with wonderment.  He'd asked the question of Badi'a, but his gaze shifted to Ardeth for an answer.  Still grinning, the warrior nodded.  His eye moving back to Badi'a, Alex kept them firmly glued to her, as he edged around the bed and crawled up beside Ardeth.  The warrior laughed aloud at the child's uncharacteristic bashfulness. 

"You're awake!"  Alex belatedly noted, as the laugh drew his attention back to Ardeth.  The Medjai nodded, in confirmation of the obvious.  Alex smiled, broadly.  "You look a lot better."

Ardeth simply smiled. 

"You had everybody really worried, you know," Alex informed him.  "Nobody said anything, of course - cause I'm a kid and they think I can't handle things - but I could tell they were pretty scared.  Not me though, I knew all along you were gonna be fine."

Ardeth continued to grin, knowing Alex hadn't been as certain as he claimed.

"That's how come we've been gone, you know.  Zaynab took up exploring to take our minds off worrying about you," Alex revealed.  Ardeth nodded, patiently.  Realizing the child didn't intend to quit talking anytime soon, he settled more comfortably into his pillows.

"Did you know there's a lot of really neat sites around here that have hardly even been touched?!"

Ardeth nodded, lightly, not surprised at the wonderment in the child's tone.  As part of the alliance between the tribes, the Medjai helped protect most of those 'really neat sites'.  With few outsiders allowed to disturb them, they were archeological treasure-troughs.

"We went all over the place...."

~*~*~*~*~

Standing in the doorway with Najat, Evy grinned as she watched her son rambling at Ardeth.   Her delight faded when her gaze fell on Badi'a, and she saw the Medjai's expression abruptly shift from amusement to alarm.  Following her gaze, Najat sighed and pulled Evy from the doorway.  Turning her toward the common area, she locked arms with the Englishwoman and guided her towards breakfast.

"But Alex..." Evy began, resisting. 

"Is much too absorbed in his tales to be pulled away for anything as humdrum as food," Najat assured, cutting her off.   "I will prepare a tray for him."

"But are you sure its safe...I'm mean, all right to leave him there with...." Evy stammered, but was again interrupted.

"Of course it is," Najat replied, matter-of-factly.

"But Badi'a..." This time Evy simply left the sentence dangling, uncertain of what she was trying to say.

"Badi'a?  She adores children," Najat assured.  "It is a good opportunity for the two to become acquainted."

Frowning, Evy glanced sideways at the Abadi. 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked, after a moment.  "She seemed a little alarmed by him."

Najat shook her head. 

"It is not Alex, but Ardeth, that concerns Badi'a."

"What do you mean?"  Evy asked, perplexed.   She hadn't noticed anything particularly alarming about the warrior; in fact, she'd been relieved by his greatly-improved appearance.

"Badi'a's conscious mind has finally registered the behavior that her unconscious mind observed and adjusted to upon her arrival."

Befuddled, Evy wrinkled her brow.

"What behavior?" she asked, a minute later, giving up trying to translate the Abadi's statement into something understandable. 

Najat smiled, wryly, as she realized the Englishwoman remained a step behind Badi'a. 

"Ardeth does not speak," she stated, matter-of-factly. 

Flummoxed, Evy halted.  Staring incredulously at the Abadi, she found it tempting to brush the behavior off as hardly worth fretting over.  Ardeth wasn't exactly the gabby sort under the best of circumstances, and these were hardly that; he simply hadn't the energy for casual conversation.   Then, she thought about it and realized, alarmingly, that Najat was right.  Ardeth hadn't spoken - not a single word, not even in his sleep - since meeting with Al 'Asima.   Still staring at the Abadi, something else abruptly struck Evy. 

"You don't seem concerned?"  she queried, challengingly, as though the indifference somehow negated the Abadi's statement. 

"It is inconvenient, I grant you, to be required to guess his mind, but it is hardly cause for alarm," Najat answered, casually. 

"Hardly cause for concern?!"  Evy exclaimed, disbelievingly.   Najat shrugged, lightly.

"Perhaps he simply has nothing to say, and when he does, he will speak." 

The logic leaving Evy speechless, she stood gaping at the Abadi. 

"Now, if you will be so kind as to excuse me, I will prepare a tray for your son," Najat stated, stifling a chuckle at the expression on the Englishwoman's face.  Evy just nodded, and numbly watched the Abadi gather the food, before turning back towards Ardeth's dwelling. 

"Evy?"  Rick asked, concerned by his wife's expression. 

Registering the voice, Evy turned and abruptly realized she'd reached the common area.  Plopping down without ceremony, she distractedly nibbled at her breakfast, while her mind wandered back to the journal. 

'Well, you wished you could have met the journal Ardeth,' Evy recalled, despairingly. 'I guess now you'll have the chance.'

"Evy?! What's wrong?" Rick anxiously quizzed, but she didn't notice. 

"EVY?!"  Rick attempted, again, this time joined by Jonathan. Their combined shout finally snagged her attention, and Evy glanced over. 

"What going on?"  Rick anxiously quizzed. 

"Is it Ardeth?!"  Jonathan added, alarmed by the sudden realization that she'd just come from seeing the Medjai.  "Did he take a turn?!"

Evy's eyes wetted with tears, but she didn't know what to say.  He wasn't really worse; he was just...the journal Ardeth...instead of their Ardeth.  Al 'Asima'd mixed them up and returned the wrong one's soul!

Evy's lack of response increased Rick and Jonathan's concern, and they gazed, expectantly, at Zaynab.

"Ardeth Bey is recovering well," she replied, confidently.  Receiving skeptical glares from both men, the Abadi continued.  "Perhaps, then, you should see for yourselves."

Rick rose, without responding, and quickly strode in the direction of Ardeth's dwelling. 

"That's his way of saying 'good idea, thank you," Jonathan quipped and smiled, apologetically, on behave of his brother-in-law.  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll just go and have a quick gander, myself."

Najat bowed, slightly, as he rose and turned to follow Rick.  Absorbed in his concern for the Medjai, Jonathan didn't notice that his brother-in-law had stopped a dozen feet from the entrance.  They collided with a loud 'ooooowmph'

"Jonathan," Rick began, turning to face him.  He wanted to get a something off his chest before they saw Ardeth.  If the Medjai had taken a turn for the worst, he worried it would distract him and he'd forget to say it later.  Especially if Ardeth...Rick pushed the thought away.

"Whoops.  Sorry, old boy, didn't realized you'd stopped," the Englishman returned, seeing a stern look his brother-in-law's face.

"Jonathan," Rick repeated.  "Before we go in there, I gotta say something."

Jonathan swallowed hard, certain he was about to get what was coming to him for going behind Rick's back. 

"Look, I know we shouldn't have gone off without so much as a word, but...well, she's my sister...and it was her soul we were talking about...I had to help him!  So...go ahead!  Do your worst!  I'm ready to take it like a man," Jonathan declared, presumptively, in a single breath.  Rick grinned, in spite of himself, but then grew serious again. 

"Thank you," he stated.  Firmly, but gently, taking his brother-in-law by the shoulder, he squeezed them appreciatively, before looking Jonathan straight in the eyes.  "Don't ever go behind my back again."

Jonathan nodded, chuckling nervously.    Smirking, Rick clapped him, solidly, on his shoulders, then, abruptly turned and continued toward Ardeth.  He froze as he entered the dwelling. 

"Uh, hi?  Who are you?"  he greeted the woman hovering near the bed, looking very anxious. 

"That's Ardeth's sister, Dad!" Alex volunteered.  "Neat, eh?"

Rick raised an eyebrow.  In all the years they'd been acquainted, he'd never really thought about the Medjai having a family.  Now, suddenly, they were popping up everywhere...from Evy's journal to right there in from of him. 

"Badi'a, sister of Ardeth Bey ibn Dabir," Badi'a introduced herself. 

"Rick O'Connell," he replied.  "But I'm guessing you already knew that."

Badi'a bowed, slightly, in admission of his accusation.

"Well, hello there," Jonathan greeted, entering behind his brother-in-law.   Badi'a bowed, again.  "And who might you be?"

"That's Badi'a, Ardeth's sister," Alex announced, laughingly, before she had the chance to speak. 

"Ardeth's sister, eh?"  Jonathan responded.  Turning to Ardeth, he grinned, sheepishly.  "Hafta admit, old boy, never really thought of you as having a family."

Ardeth returned a lopsided grin. 

"Its good to see you awake, buddy," Rick greeted.  Also turning his attention toward the warrior, he approached the bed.  "How you feelin'?"

"He's doing fine, Dad," Alex answered for him.  "Aren't you?"

Ardeth nodded, slightly, and smiled. 

"Excellent!  That's what we like hear," Jonathan quipped.  "Evy came to breakfast looking so upset that we thought maybe you'd up and died on us or something." 

"Jonathan," Rick growled, under his breath, as Ardeth's brow wrinkled with concern. "Nothing to worry about, buddy.  I'm sure its just all the excitement catching up to her."

The assurance did little to convince Ardeth, but attentively listening to Alex had sapped too much of his energy to allow him to worry about it for long.   Finding himself unable to focus his thoughts, Ardeth blinked, heavily, and settled deeper into his pillows.

"Hey, we better let you get some rest, buddy," Rick suggested, seeing the warrior's battle to keep his eyes open.   "Come on, Alex!   You can come back a later." 

"But Daaaad," Alex whined, earning a stern glare from his father.  Seeking an ally, he turned toward Najat.

"Tsk," she responded, with amusement.  "It would hardly be appropriate to interfere with your father's wishes."

Wrinkling his face, disgustedly, Alex turned toward Badi'a.  He found her frowning at her brother, seemingly too lost in thought to have noticed his predicament.  Sighing in resignation, Alex reluctantly climbed from the bed.

"I'll come back later, okay?"

His eyes drifting closed, Ardeth smiled, sleepily, at the child. 

"Come on, let's go," Rick prodded, waving his fingers at his son. Huffing, Alex hustled over. 

"Nice to meet you, ma'am.  Najat," Rick bade the two women, before turning toward the door.  Wrapping a fatherly hand around the back of his son's neck, Rick guided him out the door.

"Ladies."  Excusing himself with a slightly bow, Jonathan followed.

~*~*~*~*~

"Good morning, Alex," Zaynab greeted, as Alex, his father and uncle approached the eating area.  "You have timed your arrival well."

"What do you mean?"  Alex asked, wrinkling his brow.   His gaze followed her hand as it pointed, and he found a burqad Abadi approaching, along with a half-dozen, or so, young boys around his age. 

"It was thought that you might enjoy escaping the company of adults for a few hours," Zaynab explained, earning a grin from Alex.  "So Widad has rounded up volunteers."

Alex glanced toward his mother, but Evy appeared lost in thought, so he shifted his gaze to his father.  Rick shrugged. 

"Have fun!"  He responded, with a grin, as Alex bounded off to meet the small group.  "Stay out of trouble!" 

Alex turned and waved, shooting his father an'oh, dad' sort of grin.  Turning back, one of the boys grabbed him by the sleeve, and they were off and running toward whatever mischief they could find to get into.

~*~*~*~*~

"His breathing has improved," Najat commented, casually, as Badi'a's dejected gaze remained fixed on her brother.  The Medjai nodded, distractedly.  "His strength returns, slowly."

Again, Badi'a nodded, tears welling in her eyes.

"He does not speak," she whispered, her voice cracking.

Still lazily drifting in semi-awareness, Ardeth heard the tears in his sister's voice and grew more alert, but kept his eyes closed.  Badi'a clearly needed comfort, something she would hide were she to realize he were awake. 

"Yes, it is so," Najat acknowledged.  "He is weary.  His voice will return with his strength."

Badi'a nodded, the tears trickling onto her cheeks. 

"But his heart will not; it withdraws deeper within him," her quivering voice whispered. 

Najat sighed and took her friend supportively by the arm.  Guiding her away from her brother, she pulled Badi'a down to sit next to her on a rug.  Keeping a sisterly hold upon the Medjai's hand, she patiently waited for Badi'a to open up to her.   Badi'a studied the woven threads beneath her, as she fought to regain her composure enough to speak.   After a moment, she managed a deep breath.

"I miss him so dearly, my sister," Badi'a admitted.  

Ardeth's brow furrowed.  She seemed to be speaking of him, yet how could she be missing him when he was right there. 

"He is right there," Najat replied, echoing his thought.  Badi'a shook her head. 

"He is there, but he does not let me near," she whispered, through increasing tears.  The Abadi said nothing, hoping Badi'a would explain.   The Medjai obliged.

"I miss him so...need him so badly...and now he pulls further away," Badi'a paused, as her voice cracked.   The sound made Ardeth's heart ache. Taking a few more deep breaths, his sister continued.   "We used to spend hours baring our souls to each other - our fears, our hopes, our loves, our heartaches.... There was nothing I could not confide in him, nothing he would not share with me.  He was my strength, and I was his, and there seemed nothing in the world we could not bear together.  But then the fever came...." 

Badi'a fell silent, losing herself in the memories.  After a moment, she sighed, mournfully, and spoke again.

"He does not wish to be here, does he?" 

Najat raised an eyebrow, ever so slightly, but said nothing.

"You need not answer, for he does so with his silence.  He remains, because it is his duty, but were he to follow his heart, it would take him to Paradise...to mother and father, Bashiyra and Amal, Nameer...,"  her voiced cracked again, obscuring the next word, but Najat and Ardeth understood it, all the same. "...Fathi."

Badi'a paused for more deep breaths. 

"When the fever came, it seemed certain I had lost him...I did lose him."

Ardeth's brow furrowed, again.  She hadn't lost him; he was right there!  Najat remained silent, letting Badi'a bare her heart, interrupted. 

"Then, as now, duty called him back.  But so great was his dispair that he withdrew deep within himself.  So deeply, I thought, at first, he would never speak again.  But then he did, and I thought I would again have him to share my heart with ...it was not so. His voice returned, but his heart remained buried where I could not reach it." 

Badi'a sighed, as did Ardeth.   It hadn't been his intent to add to his sister's pain, in fact, he'd meant quite the opposite.  So great had been her grief, he had kept his to himself, to spare her the burden of the extra weight.

"But, then, at least Fathi was there.   His bond with Nameer could no more be replaced than mine with Ardeth, but neither of us were alone.  We had each the other to commiserate with...someone with whom to share in the memories of what was lost...so it - they - would not be forgotten.  But, now...." Badi'a's words became difficult to understand, as the trickle of tears grew into a torrent.  "Fathi is gone...and Ardeth hides within himself...and I am left alone...."

Badi'a's voice faded away, as her loneliness and despair surged and desperate sobs racked her body.  Najat wordlessly wrapped her arms around her friend, rocking her gently, as her own eyes welled with tears.  Across the room, Ardeth let his tears flow unchecked.

~*~*~*~*~

A dozen years worth of tears cried out, Badi'a slipped into an exhausted sleep, and Najat carefully shifted out from beneath her.   Rising, stiffly, to her feet, the Abadi wandered back to the bed to check on Ardeth.  He also slept; so she quietly slipped from the dwelling. 

Hovering anxiously outside, Evy watched Najat leave and peaked inside.  Finding both Medjai sleeping soundly, she stepped inside and made herself comfortable next to Ardeth.  Evy's eyes wandered the length of the warrior, down to the edge of the sheet discreetly covering his lower body, then back up again to his face.  She studied its every line and curve.  The flush of fever had faded into a healthier hue, but Evy noticed, for the first time, how much thinner he was than her Ardeth.   She wondered how she had missed it.  He'd been the journal Ardeth all along, she simply hadn't noticed!

"Evy," Rick whispered, crouching down beside her and entwining his arm with hers.   Startled, Evy flinched.  "He's doing fine."

Evy nodded, distractedly, her gaze never leaving the Medjai's face.  Rick sighed.  He knew guilt still ate at her, but nothing could be done to change what had happened.   She needed to get passed it. 

"Come on," he whispered, gently tugging on her arm.  "Let's go for another walk."

Evy heard the suggestive edge to his tone and smiled.  Partially distracted, she rested her head against her husband.     

"He's just going to sleep.  You can come back later," Rick suggested.  Evy nodded.  She knew sitting in the silence watching the journal Ardeth sleep would do nothing to bring back her Ardeth.  Sighing, she let her husband pull her up and guide her outside.

~*~*~*~*~

"Did they wear you out, or chase you away?"  Zaynab asked, seeing Jonathan return, only an hour or so after departing in search of Alex and the children.

"Wore me out," Jonathan replied, with a weary grin, making Zaynab chuckle.  "Thought I'd just have a quick peek at Ardeth, before allowing myself the pleasure of a nice mid-day nap."

Zaynab chuckled, again, and watched the Englishman wander off in the direction of Ardeth's dwelling.  Jonathan paused in the doorway, noticing both Medjai soundly asleep.  Tiptoeing softly, he made his way over to Ardeth's bedside and sat down to study the warrior.  He looked a good deal better than the last time Jonathan sat at his bedside, and the realization brought a smile to the Englishman's lips.

"I can't tell you how relieved I am that you didn't croak on us," Jonathan whispered.  Despite the softness of the voice, Ardeth flinched and opened his eyes.  His gaze fixing on Jonathan, he smiled. 

"Sorry about that," Jonathan whispered.  "Didn't mean to wake you."

Ardeth shrugged, very lightly, and blinked, sleepily. 

"Look, old boy, since you are awake, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Jonathan hesitantly informed him.  "Well, actually, I worked up the nerve to do it a few days ago, but you were asleep at the time...if I can do it once, I ought to be able to do it again, eh."

Ardeth frowned at the unexpected seriousness of the Englishman.

"No, don't try to stop me.  I don't want to have to work up the nerve a third time," Jonathan insisted, believing the frown to be a prelude to words.  "Look, I'm sorry I went along with this whole thing..."

Ardeth brow furrowed with bewilderment.  He couldn't understand why Jonathan would be apologizing.  The Englishman had helped to save his sister's soul; Ardeth would have expected him to be proud of the accomplishment.  

"Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled Evy's safe, but I didn't know I was asking you to trade your life for hers...well, I guess a part of me suspected it," Jonathan admitted. "And that why I'm sorry.  That's too big a sacrifice to ask of anyone...she's my sister, and I don't know that I could have....  Well, I didn't have the right to expect of you, but I went along with it anyway, and I sorry." 

Jonathan sighed, trying to read the silent Medjai's expression.  All he could see was sorrow, which didn't make much sense to him.  

"And thank you," he finally whispered and glanced away.  Ardeth caught his sleeve as he started to rise, snagging his attention as well.  Sitting back down, Jonathan met the Medjai's steady gaze, and Ardeth smiled.  Wrapping his hand firmly around the Englishman's forearm, he gave it a brotherly shake.

Jonathan grinned.  He knew the Medjai'd never, previously, held him in high regard, so the gesture seemed like a great honor.  He warmly returned it.  Settling back down, Jonathan watched Ardeth drift back to sleep, slowly dozing off himself.

~*~*~*~*~

A movement next to him brought Jonathan awake with a start.  Glancing around to orient himself, he noticed the shadows around him had shifted and realized several hours had passed.   Rising stiffly, he nearly collided with Badi'a.  Scampering out of her way, Jonathan tripped over his feet, but somehow managed, barely, to stay upright.

"Oh, uh, pardon," he muttered.  "Uh...Badi'a, right?"

"That is correct," Badi'a replied, with cool politeness. 

"Uh...yeah, right, I'll...um...I'll just get out of your way then," Jonathan stammered, as he back toward the door.  "Um...pleasure...uh...bye."

Approaching Ardeth's dwelling, Evy paused and raised an eyebrow, as her brother abruptly fled out the doorway.  Shrugging it off, she continued toward her destination.  Entering, the sight of Badi'a brought her to a halt, but, after a second, Evy's forced her feet to move forward. 

Turning Evy's direction, Badi'a glared.  Despite the favorable impression Rick and Alex had made, her heart hadn't warmed at all toward the Englishwoman.  Whatever her son and husband were, Evy and her brother were still Carnahans. 

"Badi'a," Evy greeted, tensely.  Badi'a bowed, stiffly, and bit back a hostile reply. She didn't wish to disgrace her hostess, so would behave civilly, despite the difficulty of it. 

Evy sighed at the frosty response, but couldn't fault the Medjai for it.  Had she lost as much to a family as the Beys had lost to hers, Evy doubted she would act with as much restraint as Badi'a showed.   Shuffling around to the other side of the bed, Evy studied Ardeth, feeling a twinge of disappointment that he still slept.  

"His breathing is nearly returned to normal and his fever is all but gone," Badi'a stated, coolly, earning an appreciative nod from Evy.  Neither woman had anything else to say to the other, leaving a void of silence hovering oppressively over both of them.  After several minutes of nervous fidgeting, Evy found herself unable to stand it any longer and finally spoke. 

"I would never revel in anyone's suffering, least of all Ardeth's," Evy stated, barely above a whisper.  "But you're right...I do, sometimes, fail to think things through properly, before acting...and people suffer because of it."

Evy kept her gaze fixed on Ardeth, but watched Badi'a from the corner of her eye.  The Medjai continued to stand motionless, leaving her to wonder if she were listening.  Evy decided to continue, anyway. 

"But you must believe me when I tell you I've never intended harm to anyone," Evy insisted, almost pleadingly.  "I am truly sorry for all you and your family have suffered because of me and my family." 

Unable to think of anything else to say, Evy fell silent.  No words could undo the harm that had been done to the Beys....to the Medjai people.  Glancing up, she caught a clipped nod of acknowledgement from Badi'a.  The slight gesture made Evy smile, tearfully, but appreciatively, and she shuffled back around the bed to leave.  She figured she owned Badi'a the consideration of leaving her in peace. 

Badi'a sighed, as she watched the Englishwoman leave.  Her heart couldn't quite release the anger she felt toward Evy, but it had taken courage for her to apologize.  Badi'a had to give her a small measure of respect for that.  

Turning her attention back to her brother, Badi'a realized he needed nothing.  So she simply sat down beside him...seeking comfort in being physically near him, as that was all the comfort he seemed willing to provide.

~*~*~*~*~

"Evelyn," Najat greeted, as Evy inattentively wandered into the common area.  "You have timed your arrival well. I have, just at this moment, finished preparing lunch for the children.  Would you care to join us?"

Evy nodded, distractedly.  A moment later, her brow furrowed, as she noticed the absence of any children.  Najat chuckled. 

"Widad is rounding them up."

Evy nodded, absently accepting a plate of food from the Abadi.  Nibbling a little at some bread, a thought occurred to Evy.

"Badi'a came unescorted?" she asked, glancing up at Najat.

"She came under an Abadi escort."

Evy nodded. 

"Still, it seems strange no Medjai accompanied her," she pondered, aloud.  Najat shrugged, lightly.  "I mean, shouldn't her husband have come with her, at the very least?"

"Badi'a has no husband," the Abadi stated, matter-of-factly.  Evy stared at her, disbelievingly.  Badi'a was a beautiful woman from a powerful family; that she would wait so long to marry seemed impossible.  

"She is a widow," Najat clarified, seeing Evy's incredulous expression.  "Her husband died many years ago, defending Hamunaptra."

Evy nodded, sadly. 

"Does she have any children?"

"Alas, no.  They had been married but a brief time before his death," Najat answered, pensively.  "She is, of course, free to marry again and, so, may yet have children, but, thus far, she has not chosen to do so."

Evy nodded again, distracted by another thought crossing her mind. 

"What about Fathi?  Why didn't he escort her?"

Najat sighed and stared out into the horizon. 

"Najat?"  Evy prodded, feeling a sickening tickle in her stomach.  The Abadi sighed, again, and briefly closed her eyes, before returning her gaze to Evy.

"Fathi was killed in the recent battle," she admitted, mournfully.  Evy nodded, tears welling in her eyes. 

"Who's Fathi?"  Alex asked, breaking free from the newly arrived pack of children and going to his mother.

"He was Ardeth Bey's younger brother," Najat answered, missing the warning shake of Evy's head. 

Alex's jaw dropped, as tears welled in his eyes.  His grandparents had killed nearly Ardeth's entire family, and now, because of him and that stupid bracelet, Ardeth's brother was dead! Breaking down into sobs, Alex turned and dashed, blindly, toward Ardeth.

~*~*~*~*~

"Brother," Badi'a greeted, with a patient smile, as Ardeth drifted into wakefulness.  "How was your sleep?"

Ardeth smiled, sleepily. 

"Shall I fetch you some food? Will you eat?"  Badi'a asked, hopefully.  Ardeth was about to shake his head when a small form burst through the door and flung itself into Badi'a's arms. 

"Alex?! What has happened, child?!"  Badi'a asked, exchanging an alarmed glance with her brother. 

"F...F...Fathi!  It...its...all...my...fault!"  Alex wailed.  Unable certain of how to respond, Badi'a looked, again, at her brother.    Biting his lip, Ardeth eased himself forward enough to grab Alex's sleeve and, with the help of Badi'a, weakly pulled, the child into his arms.

"Shhhh, it is done, Alex," he soothed, gently rubbing the child's back.  His voice was gravely from lack of use, but, still, it seemed to Badi'a to be the most pleasant sound she'd ever heard.   Tears filling her eyes, she smiled, despite the child's grief.

"Would you like to hear of my brother?"  Ardeth asked, gazing into his sister's eyes.  Alex nodded, sniffling as curiosity calmed his desperate sobs into sorrowful hiccups. 

"Come, Badi'a," Ardeth requested, reaching a hand out to his sister and guiding her around the head of the bed.  She crawled up beside her brother, with Alex cuddled between them.  "We have many stories we can share, do we not?"

"Indeed, brother," Badi'a whispered, with a tearful nod.

"And then, perhaps, you would like to hear of my other brother and sisters," Ardeth offered.  Again, Alex nodded, and Badi'a smiled, pensively.

~*~*~*~*~

Watching from the doorway, tears trickled onto Evy's cheek. Her Ardeth had found his way back, afterall.  She started to move toward him, but a hand on her arm stopped her.  Turning her head, slightly, she heard Najat's calm voice in her ear. 

"Ardeth had finally accepted the strength that surrounds him; now the healing can truly begin." 

The End.