Shards of Ankh

Chapter Four

"Woah, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Thea told Rose, avoiding her gaze. "Why?"

"You just look...tired."

"I am."

Attempting to inject levity, Rose grinned. "Dream about the guy again? Got you all hot and bothered?"

A flash of last nights dream hit Thea. The look of his intense, slightly scared eyes. The smell of Egypt. Thea tried to shake it from her mind, and smiled weakly. "I did dream about him again, but nothing like that."

Rose continued o look worried. "Thea--are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes," Thea replied immediately. "I'm just tired. This new assignment is taking a lot out of me." 

"Is it really that hard?"

"Well, Ahmed and I seem to have come to some sort of mutual understanding, but..."

"But?" Rose prompted, drawing out he 'u'. 

"Well, the one item is completely smashed. Obliterated, really."

Rose looked at her friend sympathetically. "Do you think you'll be able to repair it?"

Thea sighed and rubbed her eye, then re-adjusted her glasses. "We're going to try our damnedest. I just worry it's impossible."

"Hey," Rose said, coming around and stopping Thea. She beamed at her. "In the three years I've know you, failure is not in Thea's vocabulary."

The corners of Thea's mouth twitched in an almost smile. Rose rubbed her arm briefly and handed her fresh coffee. "You got this."

"Thanks, Rose."

When Thea arrived in the lab, she found Ahmed already there. That wasn't surprising. What he was doing, was. 

Thea slowed her pace, confused. He was hunched up on a stool, his knees drawn to his chest. He was looking at the canopic jar. Thea cocked her head to the side, merely watching him. Ahmed was oblivious to her presence, completely absorbed with the item. Honestly, with his lank form scrunched up like that, he looked like a raven. With that thought a shudder rammed through her body.

"What are you doing?"

Ahmed slowly turned his head towards her. For one disturbing moment, he merely blinked at her. It was almost as though he were in some sort of stasis. Or perhaps it wasn't him; as he blinked at her, time itself seemed to decelerate. His eyelids moved unnaturally, as though in slow motion. She could see each individual lash bounce against the skin only for his eyes to open laggard, the dark lashes separating from one another, taking their time.

"Are you alright?"

Then like that, everything was normal. Ahmed gently set down the jar and stood, looking concerned. Thea blinked several times, and she found herself trembling. 

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied, trying to steady her voice. 

"You were looking at me strangely."

Thea shook her head again and forced a smile. "I was just wondering why you were looking at the jar so intently."

"I just--" 

Thea watched the man transform. His demeanor shifted, suddenly looking sorrowful, wistful. He slipped his lithe hands into his pockets and looked at the ground. He was suddenly very vulnerable, and when he spoke, it was quietly. Unexpectedly Thea found herself feeling sympathetic. 

"It's just sad, you know? Here was this vibrant person, and all that's physically left is in this jar."

Thea didn't know what to do when a tear trickled down Ahmed's face.