Crimson Snow

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy franchise, I just own this little plot bunny that would not go away.

The ambush went wrong almost as soon as it was planned. Not only had Alex and Rick disagreed on the plan and the weapons to be used, but everyone was unsure as Rick's idea was set in motion. Yet, nobody was willing to argue with the man who had vanquished quite a powerful mummy almost singlehandedly twice, and who also happened to keep a vast amount of weaponry around his person. So, despite misgivings, fear of avalanches, and nervousness about the explosives that composed the Plan B, it was the one everyone went with.

However, nobody counted on the amount of guns and bazookas the soldiers would have, or the supernatural powers that the mummy possessed. It forced the O'Connell's into retreat until they had no other choice but to implement the plan that involved blowing up half of the mountain. Another setback was made, as the soldiers forced Jonathan into hiding instead of setting fire to the dynamite. Lin also had the idea of summoning Yeti to help them out, but it wasn't enough. The mummy's powers combined with the soldiers were just too much for the resisting group.

To the horror of the O'Connell family and the ancient protectress, the Emperor was able to ascend the tower and set the diamond on the top, illuminating the path to the fountain of eternal life, the gateway to Shangri-La, something that must not have been allowed. Their task of protecting the path to the mystical place had failed as soon as the light struck the gorgeous diamond.

Alex noticed how much they had failed, and instantly, he resolved to destroy the soldiers and the mummy, even if he had to use his father's backup plan to do so. Disregarding his own life, and maybe intending to seem brave for a certain Chinese lady he had just met, he leapt out into the open with explosives in his hand. At the moment when he aimed, he didn't realize that he had bared his back to the Dragon Emperor, leaving himself wide open for attack. Although, if he had thought about it, he might have thought that it was a fitting sacrifice in order to bring the mountain down.

As he swung the dynamite several times, intending it to land in precisely the spot that he had pinned down on his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if his father's plan, however flawed, would work.

-)-(-

Rick had been distracted by the battle taking place around him when he noticed how his son had stepped out into the open, into the aims of several people who might wish him harm. He resisted the urge to yell at Alex, scolding him for his obvious stupidity, because he knew that if he were to call attention to the fact that the blond was the perfect target, someone would undoubtedly take the shot.

Rick's worry was not unfounded. The Emperor had noticed the young man's actions and he raised his blade. It was the cruel man's intention to destroy everyone who opposed him, beginning with the stupid young adult who had helped bring him out into the open and unknowingly allowing his revival. The Emperor was never grateful for anything, however. He was too powerful to be grateful for anything. Besides, the blond had tried to prevent him reaching the point that he'd reached after so long, and now, he intended to cause another problem to the Emperor's quest. That was something that could not be tolerated, which was why he was going to erase this problem from his life.

The Emperor raised the long sword, aiming at the blond just as the blond aimed for the perfect spot on the mountain. However, he was quicker to let go, and the blade sailed quickly through the air, its edge glinting in its hunger to pierce young and tender flesh.

Rick saw the Emperor's actions, and he ran forward, intending to push his son out of the way. He didn't care about himself, or what might happen to him. All that mattered was that Alex be safe. At that moment, many memories surged through his mind: how his young son had always gotten into trouble and it would be his job to help him out, save him. It had been a pretty usual occurrence, that is, until Alex had gone off to school and Rick had stopped seeing him. He wouldn't have admitted it, but he missed his little boy, and was actually happy to be with him again, despite the dangerous circumstances.

Yet, at the moment that the sword flew through the air, heading towards his son, Rick wished that the boy was somewhere else. Anywhere would be all right, except the place where he was standing right now. In fact, Rick was willing to take his place, and for a moment he prayed that somehow, they would be able to switch positions, and he could be able to take the blade that was just inches from his son's body.

"Alex!" he screamed, his voice breaking from the force that he exuded, the danger he warmed about, and the love that he held for his son.

Alex heard his father's voice just as he released the dynamite into the air. He turned, searching for Rick, believing the older man to be injured or something… otherwise, why would his father sound so terrified, so vulnerable? Alex had never seen his father that way, ever since Evy had died, in one of their past adventures. Naturally, hearing Rick scream his name made him assume that something of the nature had happened once more.

Alex's searching eyes failed to see the sword flying through the air, heading straight towards him. Instead, he spotted his father's face, and he smiled as he saw that the older man was ok. But, Rick was screaming. Why was he screaming?

A sudden piercing pain filled Alex's chest, and from the strength with which the blade was thrown, he was forced to the ground. He landed heavily on his back. For a moment, the noise of the battle was muffled in comparison to Alex's breath and heartbeat, the sounds of which were magnified as the young man looked down at himself and saw a large sword sticking out of his body. It was a beautiful, if cruel-looking, blade. Somehow, it looked satisfied now that it was soaked in his blood, digging into his chest.

His back arched as the blade flew out of his torso, making its way back to the Emperor's hand. It left a large, gaping hole in the middle of Alex's chest, which somehow felt less painful than having a sword forced into his body. But the relief of having the weapon out of him came with the knowledge that, no longer stopped, out flowed his life's blood, soaking his skin and clothes with the crimson liquid. Alex choked, noticing that he was also steadily wetting the ground under him with the vital fluid. The blade had gone straight through him, as neatly as a bullet could go through a piece of cloth. His flesh had barely resisted the intrusion, and now, it was begging for something to stop the blood that kept rushing out.

His hearing returned just as Rick landed next to him, on his knees. Alex was confused by the tears soaking his father's face, something that he'd rarely seen before. He couldn't stop thinking how his father was the strong one in the family, the one everyone could depend on. His father was never-changing, ever-powerful, ever-strong. But now, the man was breaking down before him.

"Alex, Alex," the man kept repeating, his whispers sounding extremely loud because of the intensity behind them. Rick's arms surrounded his son as he struggled to stem the blood that kept rushing out of the young body. Alex's eyesight flickered as pain overwhelmed him. His father noticed, and his begging quickened. "No, don't you dare, Alex. I forbid you to." Rick never said anything about what he forbade his son to do. He was too afraid to voice it, but it was implicit. He would never allow his son to die.

Alex, however, wasn't so sure that he would be able to obey his father this time. It wouldn't be the first time he disregarded his father's orders anyway. Surely Rick would be able to get over it. He gasped for breath, suddenly realizing that the simple instinctive action didn't seem so easy anymore. In fact, every breath was a struggle against a mountain that seemed to sit on his chest, making oxygen extremely hard to inhale. He tried to tell his father how hard it was, and how sorry he was that he would have to disobey him one last time, but the only thing that left his throat was a choking gasp.

Rick noticed that blood was beginning to trickle out of his son's lips, the garishly red color contrasting with the pale white of the boy's face. It was a color that didn't belong there, or leaking out of Alex's body. That color deserved to be as far away from his son as possible, and yet, it was Rick's fault that Alex was there now. If Rick had told his son that he was proud of him, even once, as Evy had always asked him to do, maybe Alex wouldn't have been so eager to wake this mummy, and maybe he wouldn't have gotten stabbed. Alex would be fine if Rick had simply been a little softer, not as strong as he always had to be.

Rick opened his mouth to apologize, to say something to comfort his ailing son, but was unable to as an explosion sounded. Rick ducked, shielding his son from the flying debris, noticing out of the corner of his eye as a Yeti jumped towards them and stood over the pair, covering them. Snow flooded the place, and Rick coughed as a few flakes flew towards his face. But he didn't care about his own health as he pulled Alex closer to him, trying to not only stop the blood from flowing, but to allow his boy to keep breathing, keep living.

The avalanche seemed to go on for an eternity, the snow thundering overhead. Every second seemed an hour to Rick as he noticed his son's declining health, each weakening breath, each softer pulse that forced even more blood to rush out of the wound. His son's voice rushed through his mind, telling him that his plan of blowing the whole place up was insane, it would end up killing them all. He only wished that he'd listened, for once. Maybe the avalanche would kill Alex, not from the snow or suffocation, as they were safe from that thanks to the Yeti, but from them being buried underground instead of in the open air, with Alex receiving the aid that he so dearly needed.

It took a while, but soon all was quiet in the little empty space that they were in, except for Alex's gasping breaths. As soon as that happened, Rick began to frantically yell. The Yeti reacted, beginning to dig through the white cold ceiling above it, and yet trying to keep the whole place from caving in. Rick would have helped, but he didn't dare to stop applying pressure to his son's wounds.

"D-dad?" a stuttering voice sounded, and Rick looked down into his son's face. The blue eyes were glazed over, looking up at the snow, not seeming to see how his father was kneeling right over him. "Dad, I feel so cold."

Rick instantly sprang into action. The small space, despite being surrounded by snow, was actually beginning to feel warm. His son's feeling cold had nothing to do with where he was, but because of how weak he was beginning to be. He'd lost too much blood, suffered too much pain… he was even beginning to lose focus. He wasn't going to survive much longer.

Rick pulled his son even further into his arms, only losing grip on the bleeding wounds once, but it was enough to coat the snow with a fresh spray of blood. His arms tightened around Alex, his breath ruffling the blond hair above Alex's forehead. Carefully, Rick rocked back and forth, hugging his son to his chest, trying to make him as warm as possible.

"You're going to be ok, Alex. You'll be alright," he said. He noticed that his voice was shaking, and he refused to admit that it was fear or anything related to that emotion. He couldn't feel afraid, he wouldn't… otherwise, it would mean that it was because he didn't believe what he was saying… that he knew that his son wouldn't be ok. That was something that Rick would not allow. His son would survive, he had to. Alex was his only boy.

Alex seemed to hear his father's words, and suddenly, his eyes focused as he stared into the older man's face. He smiled and coughed slightly, releasing a small trickle of blood that soaked his lips. "For a moment there," he gasped out, his grin weakening as he looked up at Rick, "I thought you were hurt."

Rick laughed, a choked, sobbing sort of laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. "No, I'm fine." He didn't say what else he was thinking. He shouldn't be fine. He should have taken his son's place. He should be dying instead of his son. Something he had heard once flowed through his mind. There is no greater tragedy than a parent burying his son. He'd barely paid attention to those words at the time, but now, they struck him with a great truth. That phrase was true. He couldn't allow his son to die; it would be the worst thing that could happen, maybe even worse than Evy's death. His son could not die!

Snow was being parted overhead, and Evy's voice was suddenly heard. "Alex!" she was screaming, as Rick had done right before that moment. "Alex!"

Rick looked up at his wife, noticing that tears were rushing down her face. As she saw her son, she blanched and she cried even harder. Lin's face could also be seen in the small open space, her small body framed by the sky. She seemed more serious than usual, almost sad. In her accented English, she said quietly, "We have to take him to Shangri-La. There, he can be healed by the waters." She looked up at Evy, as if asking for permission. "I can take you there."

Evy nodded, before reaching down to her son. Rick stood up, his boy cradled in his arms. He wouldn't let go of Alex for anything in the world. He would take his son to this place, he would be healed, and everything would be fine. He had to accept that, Alex would be fine.

With a strength that surpassed any he'd ever had before, Rick carried his son out of the hole in the snow. He looked at Lin with a stern but frightened face. "Lead the way," he said, and he began to walk. Lin took a few hurried steps and then took the front of the group, taking them to the place where the young man would be healed. Somehow, deep inside, she knew that Alex would be fine.

(A/N) Did you guys enjoy this little oneshot? I sure did. I kinda needed a break from the other universes, and so I wrote this. Also, this was a special request from my sister, so you guys have her to thank for this! That is, if you liked it.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and please review and let me know your thoughts!