"Me?" Thea squeaked. "What? How? Why? I don't understand--"

To her surprise, Aqen pressed his index finger to her lips. When he smiled at her, the warmth had returned. "You are perfect. Let me explain.

"For centuries I have waited for a candidate. My plan has to be perfect; perfectly planned and perfectly executed. No detail has gone past my eyes without fiercely scrutinizing it. It has taken me this long, and now I have finally found you."

"Look, Ahmed--I mean Aqen, sorry." Thea furtively wiped her face. "While I am truly, deeply honored by your confidence in me, I--"

"Thea Amaris. Do you know what your name means?"

"Means? I'm not sure I follow--"

"Goddess, promised by God."

Thea felt faint.

"A Pharaoh is thought to be a living God, correct?"

Thea nodded.

"If you became Queen, you would be a living Goddess."

Thea was nearly positive she was going to faint.

Aqen put his hand to his chest, grinning at her. "Promised by God--me."

Thea lept to her feet. She spun on her heel, holding out her index finger at him. God or not be damned. Thea's nostrils flared. "You did not."

Aqen looked perplexed. "Why are you angry, Thea?"

Thea let her arm flop to her side, and she let out a slightly unhinged laugh. "Why am I angry? Why am I angry?"

The God blinked at her innocently.

"You--you--you came sweeping into my life, ripped me out of my reality--"

"You were the perfect fit--"

"--flung me into the far past--"

"--your disposition is exactly the type that Ankh adores--"

"--scared me half to death--"

"Your name was practically predestined! And then your job made you knowledgeable--"

"--made me fall for someone--"

Aqen looked pleased, a broad grin coming to his face. "Oh delightful, you do have feelings for him! You're very hard to read, Thea, do you know that? He's absolutely head over heels for you--"

Thea gripped at her hair and let out a frustrated shriek. Aqen blinked. Thea closed the space between them, grabbed the God by the shoulders, and shook him. "You hijacked my life!"

Aqen frowned. Thea released him and began to pace back and forth. "What, Aqen? I'm supposed to just--be transported back in time? Fall in love with Ankh, save him, settle down with him and start a family?!"

Aqen blinked. "Well--yes. I have seen your dreams, Thea. You long to live back then. It would be perfect for you, would it not?"

"Excuse me?" Thea raved. "What is in it for me? Huh? I'm expected to leave my family behind--Rose behind--my job behind--so what? Just so some dead, forgotten God can live vicariously through me?!"

For a moment Aqen looked enraged, and Thea promptly cowered. He stood to his full height, threw his shoulders back, and gave a look that made Thea surprised she wasn't struck down by lightening on the spot. His eyes flashed, his nostrils flared. Perhaps it was her reaction, or perhaps he simply was able to keep his temper checked; regardless, the petrifying look melted from his features nearly as quickly as it had appeared.

Aqen's shoulders slumped. "I believe I have made a grave error."

Thea relaxed slightly.

"I thought you would be perfect." Aqen looked at his feet, speaking quietly. "Your empathy, your good heart, your occupation, your name."

Aqen tilted his head all the way back, face to the ceiling, and closed his eyes. "I've been such a fool...Perhaps this is why it is forbidden we interact with humans. This is all so...devastating."

Thea felt the first pains of guilt. The God opened his eyes, tilted his head back down, and looked Thea in the face. "I am sorry, dear Thea, for muddling in your affairs. It almost got you killed." He looked at his feet again, whispering, "You are right. Your life is not worth my unrequited love. I am sorry to have inconvenienced you."

Thea brought a hand to her chest.

"I will wipe your memory of me, and Rose's. I will leave you with the vases--your museum can keep that," he spat.

Thea swallowed. "The canopic jar?"

He looked at her and glared. "That is all I have left of him. Please do not take that from me, too."

Thea burst into tears. She sank onto the ground, holding her head in her hands. For a moment, Aqen merely peered down at her.

"I am confused. Why are you crying now?"

"Because I don't know what to do!"

With some hesitation, seeming unsure of himself, Aqen knelt besides her. "I do not understand, Thea. You just said--"

"Fuck what I just said!" she snapped at him. "You saved my life, and I'm being ungrateful."

Aqen paused. "Technically I wouldn't have had to save your life had I not put you in a dangerous situation in the first place."

"You're not helping your case!"

"Or perhaps this is why we're not to deal with humans; I am so confused right now. What is happening?"

Thea threw herself at Aqen, nearly making him topple over. For a moment he stiffened. Then, still very confused, he gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Aqen, your story is moving, it truly is. And I do love ancient times. It's all so beautiful. I love it even more than I possibly could have ever imagined!"

Thea let go of him and sniffed. "But...You have to understand. You're asking me to give up my life. Everyone I know. Everything I've worked so hard for and done."

"I know, Thea, I should not asked it of you--"

Thea gently cupped his face in her hands. The God was clearly stunned. Thea shook her head. "Most importantly, Aqen, it wouldn't fix anything. You're making him fall in love with me. I would be with him Aqen--me. Not you. Isn't that what you want, Aqen? To be with Ankh?"

The God's face crumpled, fresh tears springing to his eyes. "No, Thea. I just want him to be alive."

Thousands of years worth of pent up sorrow was released. Aqen allowed himself to mourn the man he loved. He doubled over, sobbing without shame. Hesitantly, Thea rubbed his back. She then drew him into her arms and held him.

It was like this that twilight broke, a modern woman consoling the long shattered heart of a forgotten ancient God.