Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Jake has a life of his own, and he’s damn happy with it (mostly).

Every few days, he quietly fronts, drives his limo or his cab, meets with friends, works a few hustles, and occasionally takes a mission for that piece of ancient roadkill.

Unless of course Marc has done something stupid, like how he bound them to said piece of ancient roadkill, and Jake needs to pull their asses from the fire.

Again.

Or if Steven, rarely, gets into trouble that Jake knows he could smooth over with some charm, which Marc lacks.

Jake really wonders sometimes how Marc ended up married to someone like Layla.

Regardless.

It’s a process that has worked for years.

With no reason whatsoever to change.

Except it does.

Today.

For today Jake suddenly fronts, expecting to be either in a dangerous or horribly socially awkward situation.

But that’s not the case.

Instead he is sitting on the floor of Steven’s flat with a strange woman sitting in front of Jake.

Holding Jake’s stuff.

Jake freezes.

What.

The.

Fuck?!

Who. The. Hell. Is. She?!

She is not Layla!

And there is no way that Steven’s in a relationship.

Jake would know.

Besides, if Steven had a partner or something, Jake would step in at that point because Marc, for however much of an idiot he is, he is married to Layla.

And Jake actually likes Layla. She brilliant, strong, brave, and is able to occasionally reign Marc in from being a complete stupid idiot.

Also she loves Marc, which is a nice bonus.

Jake shakes his head and focuses on the situation at hand.

He fronted in place of Steven based on being in Steven’s flat and wearing Steven’s clothes.

Which means no physical weapons on them.

Not a great situation, but Jake was nothing if not self-sufficient.

The woman in front of him didn’t appear to have any weapons on her.

But looks could be deceiving.

Especially since she looked too….nice to be someone to hang around with Steven.

Don’t get Jake wrong, Steven’s a great guy, and he deserves his chance at a relationship.

But.

With Steven’s level of social awkwardness, anxiety, and ability to ramble about ancient Egypt for hours; it would take a near miracle for someone to want to spend time with him.

Besides Layla.

She may just be the only woman who may have enough patience for Steven.

Which annoys Jake since Marc has still not told her about Steven.

Thanks to Jake’s work, Marc does not know about Jake, so Jake can’t fault Marc not saying anything.

Which Jake intends to keep that way.

For now.

He would like to reunite with the two, but with his background…he knows that meeting will not go well.

So why ruin a good thing, right?

Jake shakes his head as the woman watches him.

Has she said something?

No, no she hasn’t.

Why hasn’t she?

She reminds Jake of those damn psychotic shrinks who wouldn’t say anything and pick them apart with their gaze.

Jake eyes narrow.

Why the hell is she here then?

Rage starts to build up in Jake, if she wasn’t going to say a goddamn word then there is not goddamn good reason for her to be touching his stuff!

Especially because the way she was acting and looking, she must be working for Harrow.

She probably manipulated Steven, and now she’s trying to break them apart before she takes them to Harrow.

Jake was not going to let that happen.

Not on his watch.

He growls, “Who the hell are you?!”

She gulps, “I-I’m—”

Jake interrupts her, he doesn’t need to hear her speak to know its bullshit, “Shut the fuck up!”

He lunges forward to grab his stuff from her.

She yelps, “Shit!” and falls backward.

Jake grabs his stuff with his left hand, tosses it to the side, and his right death grips onto her shoulder.

As she tries to squirm from her his grip and pry his hand off, his left hand grabs her leg.

She attempts to kick him loose.

He had to admit that she is pretty strong.

But Jake has Rage and years of skill behind this move.

He lifts her upwards and slings her across the room.

She collides into the bookshelves at the other end of the room, and falls down with a thud.

She groans and attempts to push herself up.

Jake quickly runs over, lifts her by the collar of her shirt, and slams her back into the bookcase.

Her eyes are unfocused, but she grabs his wrist for support to keep upright.

And she kicks.

Really hard, and right where it counts.

Even Jake can’t stop from doubling over, Shit she kicks like a fucking mule!, in the process he drops her.

She hits the floor and blindly kicks again, hitting his shin to the point of toppling him over.

Jake rolls as he hits the floor, still hurting down there but now too pissed off to care.

Whoever the hell she was, especially with her working for Harrow, Jake was going to send her packing.

Permanently.

He rolls back onto his feet.

The woman had pushed herself up against the bookcase and was using it to slowly stand.

Jake charges her, lifts underneath her arms, slams her into the bookshelves.

She pummels her fists against the sides of his head.

Shit, while the blows could have been harder for more damage, it adds another distraction.

She also tries to nail her knees back in the same spot as before.

Jake adjusts his stance and her knees miss.

As she tries to lift herself to get a proper kick, Jake realizes that he needs to finish this.

Now.

He spots some statue partially hidden on the bookshelf by her head, must be from Steven’s museum job.

He adjusts his grip, holding her up by the collar of her shirt, while grabbing the statue.

He whacks the statue into the side of her head.

The statue breaks.

Dust bursts out, which Jake ignores for something else.

Like part of the statue of is sticking out of her head.

Shit.

He really needed to know how Harrow found them so quickly and what exactly her purpose was.

His plan had been to knock her out, interrogate her, and hopefully get an answer that wouldn’t mean a body dump.

Now he’s got nothing.

He backs off and lets the body drop to the ground.

However, as he backs off, a dust cloud forms between him and the body.

What the hell is this?!

It forms into an extremely tall being.

Distinctly feline.

And wearing some type of old armor that looks like the ancient Egyptian stuff that Steven would look at during his museum breaks.

Jake scrambles backwards.

The figure keeps its back to Jake and bends forward, observing the woman.

It raises it’s….paw and gently cups her face.

As Jake debates whether he was concussed, Khonshu appears next to him.

He glares at the skele-chicken, “What?”

Khonshu hmmms, “Is there a reason Bastet was released?”

Jake huffs, and winces in pain, “No, I was trying to knock her,” gesturing to the woman, “out and things went…sideways.”

Khonshu nods, “Interesting.”

Jake, weary of a neutral Khonshu, he’s used to the chicken lizard being loud and vengeful, not quiet.

Jake turns to watch as…Bastet, puts a paw on the body’s heart and the body gasps, eyes opening.

Jake jumps, “Shit!”

Bastet ignores Jake, and speaks to the now awake woman, “You summoned me by both causing my ushabti to break and as a woman defending herself. You are dying from your injury,” she gently touches the statue piece, the woman chokes in pain.

Bastet continues, “I can save you. If you agree to be my Avatar. Be my warrior and defender for those who travel in the day and night. Protect them against disease and corrupted spirits. For those who carry life, women, children, and my kin. The innocent if it comes to it. Will you accept this role?"

Jake swallowed, vaguely remembering a similar situation in a temple thousands of miles away, but it was Marc who was in this woman’s position.

Marc who was dying and Jake failed to save him.

Now Jake is the one who put someone in the same position he swore to never put anyone under.

Jake can’t tell if he should feel vindictive that a woman trying to hurt his brothers is getting signed up for hell, or guilty that he put her in this position.

Even if she was working for Harrow.

Before Jake could do anything, unsure of what he could or should do, Khonshu’s staff held him back.

“Do not interfere.”

Jake glared at him, “Why?”

Khonshu turned his head towards him, “While I am loathe to explain myself, I will tell you this Jake Lockley. They could be an ally.”

Jake shifts his stance, he’s still pretty fucking sore, and lifts a brow, “You wanna work with someone?”

Khonshu huffs, “Usually no. But Bastet and any avatar of her’s could be an asset against Ammitt and Harrow. Now pay attention.”

Jake turns back to the action.

Jake knew he missed part of the conversation that involved the woman’s name since Bastet places her paw on the woman’s chest, “What is your answer? Will you live or die?”

This paw placement triggered a response, the woman suddenly appeared coherent. She took a breath, “Live.”

Bastet bows her head, “Very well, then Rise My Avatar!” The piece of statue vanishes and the woman lifts into the air.

Light flows around her body, solidifying into some sort of suit…or perhaps armor.

Or both.

The result is impressive to Jake’s eyes.

Though it may be the concussion from hitting the floor so hard.

While he can take the pain, he really needs to suit up so neither Marc nor Steven notice.

He re-focused on this new Avatar as her feet touched the ground, appearing completely healed from their fight.

Her top consisted of variated metallic scales of black and gold with hieroglyphic detailing interwoven. It reached above her collarbone, onto her neck. This continued onto her arms but tapered off past her elbow. Following the armor, the remaining part of her arm was covered in some type of brass arm guards. Her hands had leather gloves with some type of metal hieroglyphs glinting from the surface.

Beyond her torso was a metal and leather belt intertwined together, that wrapped around her waist. Leather pouches (lined with metal) were attached to the belt.

Her lower half consisted of two pieces.

An outer skirt, broken into wide strips, made of a thin leather with metal plating, carved with hieroglyphs and depictions of people and animals in ancient Egyptian style.

The pants underneath were plain off-yellow color linen with metal guards on the inner part of the legs. Finally, leather below the knee boots, with metal bands looped around them.

The entire outfit fit her well, but still gave her room to move.

Jake thought it was overkill but he couldn’t exactly complain about his.

His looked like a child’s Halloween costume that got mixed up with a mummy and a ghoul.

She looked down at her hands and flexed them.

Five very sharp metal blades popped out of each glove.

When she relaxed her hands, they retracted.

She felt around her back and pulled out a staff with scythe blades at each end. She twisted the staff and it came apart as two pieces. She carefully reassembled it and put them back.

She continued to explore the outfit, pulling out kukri knives hidden under her skirt. Seeing that each pouch contained modern day emergency medical equipment and medicine.

Jake hated to admit it, but he was a bit jealous of all the additional weapons she had on her.

He turned to Khonshu, “How come I get some throwing blades and a staff while she looks like a personal armory?”

Khonshu cocks his head towards Jake, “I could leave you without any weapons instead. Would that suffice?”

Jake glared at the desiccated Tweedy bird and growled, “No, the darts and staff are fine.”

Khonshu nodded his head, “Good, I would hate to see what Marc Spector would think of the sudden lack of weapons.”

Jake grimaced, he didn’t want to think about the opponents they faced without their Avatar weapons.

Could they hypothetically handle it.

Yes.

Did Jake want him or Marc to do so?

No.

Before Jake could think on it any further, the woman had finished her self-inspection.

She swallowed and appeared to be doing some type of deep breathing exercise. It must be hitting her what she’s done.

She gulped and looked around properly.

Her eyes landed on Jake.

She took a deep breath addressing Jake, “Am I dead ?”

Jake, while he still had no idea who she was, decided to cut her some slack. He had been there himself with Khonshu, so he could understand some of her…shock.

He shakes his head, “Not dead, no.”

She nods, a little breathy, “Okay.”

She looks to Bastet and Khonshu, then turns to Jake, “Am I hallucinating?”

Jake shakes his head again, “No.”

“So you can see them too?”

“If you mean the zombie Tweedy and the Cat Lady on stilts, then ya.”

Both Khonshu and Bastet growled at that statement.

The woman looked a bit peaky.

Jake sighs, this is getting tiresome and he still has no idea who this woman is.

Before Jake can intervene, Bastet growls out to the woman, “You are my Avatar. You made an agreement with me, your life for servitude under my name.”

The woman squeaks out, “Okay, okay. I’m sorry for being rude, it’s just this is a little bit…unexpected to say the least.”

Bastet growls, “I understand but as my Avatar you need to pull yourself together. Delays such as these can cost you your life in the battlefield.”

“Battlefield?! I vaguely got the impression I was more like an MI6 agent, not some 24/7 crusader!”

Bastet glares, “Life is a battlefield and as my Avatar you will be on the front lines to protect those that need protection.”

She responds, “I agree to work with you and help, I’m not denying that! But I got a job, a life, and a husband! And besides, the world out there,” she points to outside, “doesn’t take well to people like me suddenly fighting in the streets in broad daylight!”

Jake hated to admit it but he’s impressed, she went from meek to growing some balls to be arguing with an ancient Egyptian goddess.

Wait-husband?

Trepidation grows in Jake’s stomach. He ignores the woman and Bastet arguing and coming to terms of what an Avatar can do without getting arrested.

He looks at the woman’s hand, there is a slight ring bulge on her gloved left hand.

He then looks at his own left hand.

There is a ring on it.

It’s not Marc’s.

And it sure as hell isn’t his.

Which means----

Steven

Got

Married.

Little Stevie found enough time to meet someone, fall in love, and marry them.

Jake turns back to the woman, while he knows that it could be a coincidence, he knows in his gut it isn’t.

The woman who found his stuff.

The woman that he killed.

The woman now setting up a contract with Bastet.

Is Steven’s wife.

Who Jake had no idea existed.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

A couple years ago if someone told Sasha that she would become an Avatar to an Ancient Egyptian Goddess, she may have asked what they were drinking…and smoking.

And if she could have some.

Don’t judge her, the Snap was Fucking Ugly.

But the past couple years, Reverse Snap and all have been …. a wee bit hectic.

Also there’s meeting Steven.

Who is the best person Sasha could ask for in a partner, spouse, love of her life.

She could wax poetic about he’s perfect for her and such.

But she’s not that great with poetry.

That’s Steven’s forte.

Regardless, the only major issue are his alters.

That took a lot of trial and error to figure out.

With Steven getting locked in a storage locker ten times.

Then behind the wheel of a limo four times and a cab three.

Oh and one can’t forget the literal armory in the storage locker or the guns with silencers in both the cab and limo.

The current contenders are undercover MI6 or CIA or Interpol, mercenary, gang or mafia member, or a very paranoidfrom the Snap.

Sasha’s honestly grateful he’s alive at this point.

So when they figured it out, Sasha realized that this was Steven’s skeleton in the closet.

Marc Spector, owner of the Storage Locker Armory

Jake Lockley, owner of the Limo and the Cab with Silencers.

Which honestly could be a lot worse.

(She’s been with that and it is not fun. So she knows when she’s hit gold with Steven.)

The problem soon became, how to communicate with said Marc and Jake, since Steven is a wee tired of the randomly waking up in Strange Situations.

Thankfully not Dangerous Strange Situation.

Yet.

Steven wants a chance to talk with the other two in his head and Sasha wants to make sure she’s respecting boundaries on whose fronting.

Until she got to know the other two, she rather be kissing Steven thank you very much.

Also, they are both hoping that they could get a schedule set up as a system, that everyone could get equal free time and no more blackouts.

And make sure their relationship wasn’t stepping on the alters lifestyle and/or relationships.

Except.

They.

Won’t.

Talk.

At.

All.

After a year of post its, videos, cameras, recordings, e-mails, texts, voice-mails, and every other communication option possible, they pulled out the big guns.

Invasion of Privacy.

Yes, it was risky because they are most likely Skilled and Dangerous.

But after two and a half years of dating, and friends for longer….it was getting ridiculous.

Which lead to them finding a hidey-hole in the flat with a locked backpack and a canvas tote, in it a newsie hat, leather gloves, car keys, and a wallet.

Steven looked at the backpack and the tote contents in Sasha’s lap.

He pointed to the tote contents, “I’m going to assume this is Jake’s, since he’s the driver and I’m hoping the backpack is Marc’s. What do you think love?”

Before Sasha could respond, Steven’s eyes rolled back and his entire…being changed.

Sasha saw her love disappear and in his place was a much wearier man.

His face hardened, eyes narrowed, and entire posture screamed, ‘I am ready to strike.’

Sasha knew alters could wildly range and the guns were a red flag for danger, but she more imagined….well not this.

She took in the other person, assumingly Jake, based on what they had read, Jake could be …….a protector.

His demeanor screamed ‘Don’t fuck with more or I’ll fuck you worse,’ The one who makes sure the system survives the hell that created them.

Sasha tried to think what to say.

She had something rehearsed, but seeing this in person….her mind went blank.

Apparently she didn’t recover fast enough, for Jake took her silence, while holding his stuff, in a Bad Way.

As in Really Not Good.

As in Sasha is now an Avatar to Bastet because Jake nearly killed her.

She really need to commit to something more than just aikido.

Maybe Krav Maga or whatever MI6 trains their agents.

Hopefully Bastet can help her with the fighting aspect of all of this Avatar business.

Speaking of, “Okay, we’ve worked on a schedule, what my duties will consist of, and ways to protect my identity so I don’t end up arrested. Do you have any recommendations on how I will learn to use my Avatar weapons, powers, and such?” She gestures to herself, “I don’t want to inadvertently skewer someone nor turn into a rabbit.”

Bastet gives her an unimpressed look, “Based on your appearance,” she takes in Sasha’s physique, “I think we will need to schedule in lessons in fighting and magic.”

Sasha doesn’t exactly appreciate the clear hint of being inactive, but her job isn’t exactly MacGyver standards so she can’t say much.

Before Sasha can work out how to fit the lessons into the schedule, Jake faints.

And the other Egyptian deity, Sasha presumes, leaves.

Lovely.

Sasha turned to Bastet, “Can we pause at this stage so I can check on him?”

Bastet hmmed, “Isn’t he the one who killed you?”

Sasha shrugged, “Yeah, but it’s a bit complicated.”

Bastet nodded, “Go ahead, and if you truly want to help him, he can be your first patient.”

Sasha kneels down by Jake’s body, she glances at Bastet, “First patient?”

Bastet raises her goddess brow, “I am a Goddess of Healing. So therefore as my Avatar, not only is your healing accelerated, you can heal others as well.”

Sasha tilts her head, “Huh, okay that is incredibly awesome. Thanks. Just let me see what I can find first then I’ll try, okay?”

She carefully but quickly feels around the body for any obvious signs of injury, especially with his head.

Once she’s done she turns to Bastet, “I can’t find anything obvious. So, how would I figure out what is wrong and heal him through…?” She’s at a loss for words on what to call it.

Bastet fills in, “Magic.”

Sasha nods, “Right. Magic.”

Bastet lowers herself to Sasha’s level, “Follow my gestures. The energy you feel from the suit, channel through your body into his. Then think on a way to visualize his internal injuries. From there you must think to redirect the magic from observing to healing. Once he is healed, then you carefully close the channel.”

Sasha nodded, “Okay, alright then. Copy you, channel energy, x-ray vision, and non-surgical healing. And turn the tap off when done.” She mumbled, “This should go brilliantly.”

Bastet hissed, “Hush you or do you want him to die?”

Sasha rapidly shook her head, “No, no. Sorry, and thanks by the way.”

Bastet, appeased, nodded, “Very well. Follow my lead.”

Sasha had to admit that healing by magic is both a lot harder than what fantasy books make it out to be and incredibly more awesome.

Thankfully, with a lot of guidance from Bastet, she found a mild concussion, a ton of severe bruises, but no internal injures nor broken bones.

Oddly Sasha is both relieved and disappointed.

Relieved she didn’t do more damage to the body (she’s not sure who aware at this point).

Disappointed that all her efforts led to was a few bruises and a concussion, while she had a piece of statuary in her head.

That almost killed her.

Steven was so going to freak out with all of this.

Speaking of which, once her and Bastet finished, she turned to the goddess, “Bastet?”

The goddess hmmmed, “Yes?”

“Who was that other deity…being next to him?” She gestured to the still unconscious body.

“Ah, I believe that was Khonshu, god of the moon and protector of those who travel at night. He is associated with healing. Why?”

“What’s he doing here then?”

Offhanded Bastet answered, “Oh because this man is his Avatar too.”

What?

Oh you have got to be kidding me.

Chapter Text

Steven is honestly getting a little worn out with his headmates’ behavior.

Even if he wasn’t in a relationship, did those two really think he wouldn’t notice?

The missing days?

Waking up in random locations?

Behind the wheel of a cab or even…a red-leather limo, really?

Or the storage locker with a bunch of suspiciously locked cabinets?

Did they think he was naïve enough to continue to blithely exist and not ask,.....what the hell?

Steven sat up in bed with a gasp.

He felt like he had been knocked out with a cricket bat.

What had happened—?

Wait

Oh bleedin shit

The alters

He shouted, “Sasha?!”

He heard her groan and turned to see a Sasha shaped lump in bed that blearily looked at him, “Uhgn Steven?”

Eyes wide at her clear exhaustion when the last he remembered she was bright and bushy for the day, “Love are you okay?! What happened?!”

She blinked and carefully pushed herself upward, “Well the Cliff Notes is…. that I met Jake.”

Steven gulped, “How was he?”

Sasha didn’t respond.

Steven knew that wasn’t a good sign, they both knew it could be a risk meeting Jake and Marc, “Sasha…did something happen?”

She continued to not respond and wasn’t looking at him either.

Oh shit.

Steven face paled, “Oh bloody hell, was he violent? I am so sorry I should have never agreed I am really sorry I—-“

Sasha interjected, “Steven its fine.”

Steven’s now panicking, “It’s not bloody fine! Clearly something happened!”

Sasha blasted back, “Its fine now! Besides I pushed to do this remember? I’m the idiot who decided to go through two clearly dangerous peoples’ stuff without permission. I should have expected backlash and…that’s what happened.”

Steven swallowed and eyed her, “How bad?”

It was now Sasha gulping, “Well….. it wasn’t Namibia?”

Steven eyes went wide and he was trying really hard to not to have a panic attack.

Namibia was a bar that very little could go under.

Namibia meant Bad News.

Voice hoarse he responded, “Love that is not that reassuring you realize.”

She grabbed his hands to ground him and started to massage them,  “I’m sorry its…it’s been a long day.”

Her grounding helped and Steven suddenly realized that the room was darker than before, “How long was I out for?”

She quietly answered, “A few hours.”

Panic set in again, “A few hours?! You were with Jake for a few hours?!”

She quickly reassured him and rubbed his legs with her bare feet-further grounding, “No, no I was only with Jake for like 20-30 minutes tops. Then he fainted.”

Steven’s panic began to fade, now he was confused, “He…fainted?”

Sasha nodded, “Went down like a sack of potatoes.”

He asked cautiously, Sasha was no slouch with self-defense if it came down to it and she can be a bit…blunt at times, “Dare I ask why?”

She pursed her lips and shrugs, “Kind of think he was overwhelmed? I’m not entirely sure.”

Now Steven was completely confused, someone who is violent yet fainting without a clear reason. He shook his head, something is not right, “Wait, wait, wait. Love I’m really confused. First you make it sound like he was incredibly violent. Now you’re saying he fainted?”

Sasha paused, “Uhhh, that’s…a…good point actually.”

Steven tilted his head, trying to figure out his alter, “So which is it?”

Sasha unsure, shrugged, “Both? My presence apparently really surprised him and I admit that I was really surprised that he showed up after all these months then—"

Steven couldn’t believe it, “Wait, he was surprised to see you?”

Sasha sighed, “Yeah. Not sure how honestly.”

Steven was stunned, how was that possible?, “But we’ve been pretty much living together!”

Sasha responded in agreement, “I know! I don’t know how he didn’t know!”

Steven spluttered, “Well-well that bleedin idiot! How does he not notice our letters, post its, your stuff, yourself!?” He gestured to her. He continued on his rant, it had been a long standing one, “Or the fact that some of my stuff is missing here and at your place?!”

Sasha equally frustrated, just more worn out, “ I don’t freakin know love! But he wasn’t happy, that’s for sure!”

Steven paused, Sasha never did tell him how the meeting went down exactly did she?

He asked again, “What did he do?”

She sighed and steeled herself, “He…he may have…thrownmeacrosstheroomandattackedme.”

Even Steven could not catch that last part.

Until he did, “…Wait what? Wait did you say he attacked you?!”

Sasha winced, “Yesss.”

Steven continued, “An-and threw you across the room?!!”

Sasha nods carefully, “Yeah.”

Steven rapidly checks her over, hands fluttering as he gently touches her yet not at the same time in case he hits a hidden wound or bruise.

“Are-are you alright? What else did he do? I knew we should have just left it alone, we could have managed—"

Sasha stops him, “Steven! Steven love I’m okay, I’m healed up!”

He pauses, how is that possible, “How? Love you need the A&E!”

Sasha pauses, takes a second to consider her words, which Steven barely patiently waits for.

She finally responds, “Welllll are you up for holding your disbelief?”

Steven looks at her incredulously, "I have two headmates, that I still haven’t met yet, while one faints yet throws you across the room…Yeah I think I can manage.”

Sasha took a deep breath and plowed forward, “Okay, so our fight led to some statue you or someone had getting broken.”

Perplexed, Steven shook his head, “Love, I don’t have a statue.”

Sasha shrugged, “Then either Marc or Jake, but anyways,” she trailed off before taking the plunge, “It was a statue of Bastet….that was apparently some mystical-ancient-Egyptian prison, and breaking it released the goddess. And she healed me.”

Steven blinked.

Did she just say that the statue released a goddess?

He looked her over again, she must have hit her head harder than she thought.

But she seems so coherent?

Sasha waited for him to process this.

Steven finally shook his head, “I’m sorry what? Love, how hard did you hit your head?”

Sasha pursued her lips, “Pretty hard, but that’s not the point.”

Frustrated, Steven snapped, he was tired of her being cavalier and refusing to go to the hospital.

“Not the point?! Love you’re hallucinating ancient Egyptians deities coming out of statuary! We need to get you checked out for-for a con-concussion or something!”

Sasha braced herself, “Steven I swear that this was not concussion induced.”

Steven threw his hands in the air, “What else can it be?!”

Sasha tossed her hands up and let them slap against her thigh, “Real apparently! Look I would normally be with you on this, but this really did happen! I mean just a couple years ago half of the world’s population came back. Five years before it was wiped out. We’ve had aliens, alien-deities, and murder robots to name a few. Is this so hard to comprehend?”

Steven couldn’t believe that she was arguing this.

Wait, why was he arguing this?

He shook his head, “Love, I love ancient Egypt, but even I would be getting my head checked if I saw Osiris in the corner there,” he gestures to a random part of the room.  He continues, “Besides, that kind of craziness doesn’t happen to normal folks like us. What happened to you in Namibia was horrible, but besides that…” He shrugged.

He pushed to get out of bed, enough was enough, he was going to get her to an A&E.

Until Sasha grabs his arm, “Wait.”

He stops and turns to her, “Enough, you need your head checked. Bloody hell I may need my head checked just in case….” He trailed off, “Hold on… how come I’m not in pain?”

Sasha swallowed, “Well I had Bastet heal you as well in the process.”

Steven blinked, “I’m sorry, what?” He shook his head, “That isn’t possible.”

Sasha sighed, apparently tired of this as well, “Okay, I’m going to show you something that cannot be explained by a concussion.”

She, surprisingly, quickly gets out of bed.

Steven scrambles to support her, “Hold up, you might still be concussed, be careful!”

She ignores his support and walks over to a clear space in the room, “Give me a sec.”

Steven wanted her to move, but what if she keels over, and he gets in position to attempt to catch her or something.

He implores her, “I’m grateful you’re up but let’s take advantage of you being upright, and get you some help.”

Sasha holds up a hand, forcing Steven to stop and stay back.

What appears to be Ancient Egyptian armor flows over her clothes until she is covered from head to toe.

Steven’s brain short circuits as he gapes, beyond stunned at what he is seeing.

Oh My Days.

This isn’t possible!

Yet, clearly it is! There is no way to explain this.

Hypothetically we could both be hallucinating from concussions…but it would be a stretch to hallucinate the same thing.

Maybe nano-tech?

And she could suddenly afford nano-tech, that doesn’t make a lot sense, eh?

Sasha finally interrupts Steven’s train of thought, waving a hand in front of his face, “Steven? Love, are you, uhm, okay there?”

Steven shakes his head, the armor could actually be a way to signify Bastet’s presence, since there is no way this can’t be real.

Steven blurts out, “Are you Bastet?”

Sasha was clearly baffled, “What?”

Steven plows forward, “Is that what the armor’s for? Is Bastet inhabiting you or something?”

Sasha quickly shakes her head, “No, Bastet is not here right now. The suit is more of a way to represent that I’m her…Avatar. Which is apparently a….way for the Egyptians gods to interact with our lives.”

Steven’s head was reeling again, “Wait, you’re what? An Avatar? Like the blue people or the cartoon?”

Sasha shakes her head, “More like….well you know those super intense role player video games?”

Steven nods, a couple work associates were really into those.

After seeing him nod, Sasha continues, “I’m like the video game character, whose actions represent the commands, no tasks, Bastet gives me. Bastet can’t directly interact much with the physical world, like how you or I can’t with the video game world.”

Steven furrows his brows and starts to feel dread, “This…this almost sounds like slavery or some type of puppeteering. Like do you have any control over your actions anymore?”

Sasha raises her finger, “Well, thanks to your brilliant life-partner here, I negotiated to prevent that from happening.”

Steven breathes a sigh of relief, “Well that’s a relief innit?”

Sasha grins, “Yeah, I thankfully clued into it pretty early on, and I think with her being just freed she was willing to negotiate.”

Steven tilts his head, “So what do you do then as her newly minted Avatar?” He frowns and then panic sets in, as the reality of what’s she’s saying sinks in, “Is there an out-clause though? I mean is this a life-time commitment or just temporary?” Steven starts to pull at his hair, “How will you work? Are you going to be a superhero then? What are your tasks going to involve? Oh shit, are you going to get arrested like the Avengers did?”

Sasha quickly walks forward and carefully grabs Steven’s wrists, pulling them away from his head, “Steven! It’s going to be okay. Give me a min and I’ll explain.”

Steven shakily nods, “Al-alright. But please tell me this first. Are you okay, like did Bastet hurt you when all this happened?”

Sasha gives him a small, weary, smile, “I’m okay and Bastet didn’t hurt me. She healed me and ended up healing you as well.”

Steven nods, “Good. That-that’s good.”

Sasha waits, and then explains the entirety of her duties.

By the end of it, Steven is Very Concerned to the point of questioning his love’s Sanity.

Though all of his previous questions were answered, which does bring some…minimal relief.

But before Steven could voice anymore concerns, a phone rings.

From inside the locked backpack.