Note: The characters from The Mummy do not belong to me, but all others do.

For two years, Elana had been battling with Merenre's feelings about Imhotep. She had never experienced anything quite so...odd.

Merenre was depressed over the death of a man she loved, yet Elana felt oddly detached about both feelings. She couldn't understand how she both did and didn't care. As for explaining it to someone else, forget it.

After narrowly missing her love's fingers and killing the woman she had come to despise, Merenre had spent two weeks in a room of the O'Connell home. She cried and slept. There was very little else.

Eventually Evelyn helped her calm down enough to function normally, but the sadness would always linger. Elana thought she might have to kill herself to get any peace, but Evelyn talked her out of it.

Instead of going home, Elana just stayed with the O'Connells. They were rarely home anyway, so they didn't mind the houseguest. Elana began to look through Evelyn's books and papers, at Evelyn's advice. She thought Elana needed the distraction.

The library was huge. Elana picked a shelf and started looking. A thick red book with yellow type caught her eye right away. Unlocking the Book of the Dead. Elana grabbed it and sat down in one of the large leather chairs. She didn't get up until three in the morning, when she was a third of the way through it.

Late the next morning, Elana started reading again. Overnight, an idea had begun to form. From pictures throughout the book, she had discovered that the large black book Imhotep had been reciting fromw hen he woke Merenre's memories was in fact the Book of the Dead. She also found out how it worked, sort of. Now she just needed to find out where it was. To do that, she would have to talk to Evelyn.

Elana figured the best way to ask without asking would be to talk about the Book of Amun Ra. Evelyn was more than happy to tell her about it. "What would you like to know?" she asked.

Elana pretended to contemplate. "I'd love to see a treasure like that. Is it on display anywhere?"

Evelyn smiled. "Yes, it's at the museum."

"Great!" Elana said, glad Evelyn wasn't suspicious. "I might go see it sometime soon."

She continued to ask questions she knew the answers to, just to be safe. Already she was making plans to get the Book of the Dead.
*****

Two days later, the O'Connells decided to spend a few days away from home. Elana went straight to the museum after they left.

She had taken one of Evelyn's access passes. Elana knew she would need it. One of the things Evelyn had explained to her was that the books were in a room of their own, locked in at night, that could only be opened by the guards, who never let anyone in without a pass.

Elana thought she was lucky the O'Connells liked to travel at night. She passed the guards at the entrance easily by flashing the pass. Evelyn rarely came in at night so the guards didn't know her that well.

There was the guard by the door leading to the books. She showed him the card and he opened the door. He told her he needed to get a drink and would be back in a few seconds. Once inside, all she had to do was life the glass and take the book. She slipped out a side exit before the guard came back from his drink. There was no alarm on the door.

Elana leaned against the exit door after it closed behind her. How had that been so easy? she wondered. Fate must be on her side. Merenre's entire happiness rested in this book.

The book she had read never told her whether or not she had to be in Egypt with the mummy for it to work, but to be safe, she had taken the emergency money Evelyn had left her and booked passage to Egypt for the next morning.

After talking to a few locals in Egypt, Elana managed to find some people willing to take the mummy to Karnac for her. She figured that was the best place to go. For the right price, a person could get anything!

Elana studied the book while she travelled to Karnac. Just having it made her feel so much better. Now the worrying began. She wondered if he would even be happy that she brought him back. After all, he left willingly. Then again, she reasoned, he hadn't known until the very end how she felt about him. She decided not to worry about it until the time came.
*****

It was three a.m. and Evelyn had just gone to bed. She had been up all night studying some papers for work, much to Rick's disappointment. He and Alex had gone to bed hours ago.

Evelyn was nearly asleep with the phone rang. Blindly, she answered it. "Hello?" Rick began mumbling about it being midnight.

"Um, Evie? We have a bit of a problem here."

Evelyn sat up. "Jonathan? Couldn't this wait? It's three in the morning!"

"And knowing you, you just went to bed."

"So?" Evelyn frowned. "What is it?"

"It's about the Book of the Dead."

"The Book of the Dead!" Evelyn cried. Rick sat up immediately.

"Yeah, old mum. It's been stolen."

"By who?"

"According to the record the guards keep, you did," Jonathan told her.

"Me?" Rick was already getting dressed.

"It gets worse, Evie."

Evelyn got out of bed as Rick through her some clothes. "How could it get worse?"

Jonathan sighed. "Elana's gone."

"We're on our way!" Evelyn replied and hung up.

Rick stood in front of her. "Okay, give it to me. I'm ready."

"Elana's got the Book of the Dead. I think she' going to try to bring back the mummy!"

"We always knew this day would come, Evelyn. You shouldn't be surprised."

Evelyn went for Alex's room. "I should have seen it coming. She was asking about the Book of Amun Ra before we left."

"I'll make the travel plans, you pack," Rick said, heading for the phone.
*****

Karnac felt like heaven on Earth to Elana. She felt that if she had Imhotep by her side, she could finally feel whole again. Thanks to her friends in Cairo, the mummy lay beside her by the pool. The book rested in her lap. She cleared her throat and began to chant, "Amun Ra, Amun Dai..."

When the chant was completed, the mummy twitched. Then it sat up. "Where am I?" came the raspy voice in ancient Egyptian.

It took a minute for Merenre to reply. "You are in Karnac."

"Who are you?"

"Merenre," she replied, almost hurt that he didn't know. But then, he didn't really have eyes. "How do I make you whole?" she plunged on, now afraid of how he was going to react to her.

He was silent for several minutes. "I need the chest and someone to open it."

"How do I get this chest?" Merenre asked.

Again, he took his time replying. "I can get that if you can get at least three people."

"No problem," she said.

"Merenre...."

"Look, we can talk later. Let's just get you whole first."

Merenre breathed a sigh of relief as he agreed.

In Cairo, Evelyn and Rick prepared for the worst. Evelyn frowned as Rick stocked up on guns and various weaponry.

"Did you forget that bullets don't exactly stop him?" Evelyn asked.

Rick loaded his last gun. "It never hurts to have them handy."

"But that many?"

"Yes!" Rick put his hands on her shoulders. "Do you have a better idea?"

Evelyn looked away. "Well, no."

"So what did you want to do? Talk her out of it?"

Evelyn gave him a dirty look. "I thought she was getting better."

Rick hugged her. "I probably wouldn't get better if I lost you, either."

She gave him a half smile.

"We need a plan," he said.

Evelyn agreed. "But we're going in without one. We don't have time."

Rick nodded. "Ready to go?"

They headed for the most likely place Elana would be, Karnac.

Elana ended up back in Cairo, where she told Imhotep she would meet him with the people. It took time, but she found three people who said they would open something for her for a lot of money. She knew they thought she was crazy, but that made it easier to get them to agree.

By the time she got to the appointed hotel with the three unsuspecting victims, Imhotep was already there with the chest. Leading the men to the room with the chest, she told them she needed to get something. "I'd be greatful if you could have the chest open when I get back."

They nodded, already trying to open the chest. Elana quickly closed the door and went down to the bar. She heard the screaming like everyone else but she continued to drink. She was very nervous. Imhotep had looked as unsure as she felt.

When the screaming stopped, she took one last drink and went back to the room. She was surprised no one had said anything about it. They just went back to drinking.

Slowly, she opened the door. The room looked empty. She stepped inside.
*****

Imhotep was standing at the window, which had been blocked from her view by the door. "Imhotep?" Merenre said tentatively.

He turned to her, and the look on his newly regenerated face made her want to cry. She had never seen so much pain. "Merenre," he replied without feeling.

Merenre crossed over to him. She wanted to hug him, hold him. The once confident man, now invincible mummy, was falling apart in front of her. All she felt she could do was touch his arm. "Do you want to talk now?"

Imhotep nodded and sat in a chair. Merenre pulled another chair across fromh im and sat down. "Why did you bring me back?"

Merenre took a deep breath. "I don't quite know how to explain it."

"Please try."

She sighed, knowing she was about to cause more pain. "Remember what happened the last time?"

Imhotep winced.

"She's dead."

"How?"

"Scarabs." Merenre did not feel she needed to elaborate.

Imhotep nodded, tears in his eyes.

"I tried to save you," Merenre explained. "I was too late."

Imhotep frowned. "I remember...."

Merenre sat forward. "What?"

"Did you...?"

"I told you I loved you." Merenre closed her eyes, sure he would laugh or cry or say something awful.

There was only silence. Merenre opened her eyes slowly and nearly started crying.

He had the half-smile on his face that always made her melt. The confused look on her face even made him laugh a little. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I would have been killed. She would have made sure of that."

"She wouldn't have done that."

Merenre scowled. "I don't think you knew her as well as you thought you did."

He was quiet.

"I'm sorry. That came out wrong." Merenre paused. "She found out. From that moment on, I didn't have a chance to breathe."

"I never knew...." Imhotep began. Merenre wasn't sure what he was referring to.

"She told me you'd never be interested in a servant like me anyway."

"You never answered me, exactly."

"What?"

"Why did you bring me back?"

She began to cry. "I couldn't live without you. I've been so miserable these last two years. At least when I was a servant I still got to see you! It's been unbearable!"

Imhotep said nothing.

"Should I have left you?" she asked.

He stood and went back to the window. "I don't know."

Merenre went to him. "I know I can't replace her, and I know you hurt. All I ask is that you stay with me and give me a chance."

Imhotep considered. "I don't love you."

"I know. I'm not asking you to. Not yet."

He nodded. "I'll try." As if to seal the deal, he gave her a small kiss on the lips.

Just then, the door burst open. They both turned to see Rick, guns in both hands and pointed at them. Evelyn and Alex were behind him.

Elana moved in front of Imhotep. "No! Please don't, Rick!"

"Are you crazy?" Rick replied. "You want to free him after all the trouble he's caused?"

Elana scowled. She moved toward him. "You listen to me, Rick O'Connell! The first time he came back, all he wanted to do was bring his love back. You got in the way. The second time, that witch tricked him into causing trouble."

To Rick's surprise, she was pressed up against the barrells of his guns, as if daring him to shoot her. He quickly put them down.

"This time I brought him back. He's not hurting anybody, and neither am I, so leave us alone!"

Evelyn pulled on Rick's arm. "Let me talk to her." They all looked at Imhotep, who was also looking at Elana in surprise.

"If you promise not to kill each other, you can all wait outside," Evelyn said.

"Hmph," Rick mumbled. Rick, Imhotep, and Alex went out the door.

Immediately, Elana started talking. "Evelyn, please. He's not going to cause trouble. You know I won't. Just let us go on our way. Please?"

Evelyn sat down. "Are you really sure this is what you want? You could be facing a lifetime of problems."

"I'm willing to take that risk."

Evelyn thought for a minute. "If that's what you want.... Give me the book back and we'll leave."

Elana took the book off the desk and handed it to Evelyn.

"You're sure?"

"Evelyn!"

They went down to the bar, where the men were actually sitting and talking. Alex just looked confused. Evelyn stood by Rick. "Let's go."

"But-" Rick said. Evelyn hushed him and whispered in his ear. He sighed and stood. Giving Imhotep a reluctant handshake, he mumbled, "Well, sorry I tried to shoot you."

They left, and Imhotep and Merenre were left alone to do whatever fate allowed.