A/N Sorry for another wait, everybody, but I kind of lost my train of thought on this story and it took me a while to get it back! Anyway, I hope, if nothing else, that this makes up for it. I don't have any more chapter planned for this fic, but it really has been a fun little thing to write; I hope you all enjoy and have enjoyed!

I awoke the next morning alone, faintly aching, and incredibly annoyed that Rameses had, apparently, simply decided that just leaving while I slept would be a good idea. I slid the soft sheet from my body and stood gingerly, the ache intensifying into a dull pain as I moved. Oddly enough, I found it… not exactly pleasant, but I still grinned a little like a madman at the feeling.

Glancing down at myself, I noticed that Rameses had at least cleaned me off before he made his great escape, so I just went ahead and covered myself with my shift then left, making my way towards the throne room and feeling a little strange for doing so.

For whatever reason, I couldn't help but remember my younger years in the palace, horrified of ever stepping foot in that room without invitation because it was father's place. That Rameses was pharaoh now hit me again, hard and a little terrifying because he had always been closer to me than anyone, more human and more touchable and more there even than the woman I'd always called mother. I didn't think Rameses would be quite as annoyed by my intrusion as father had once been, however, and the thought drew a little laugh from my throat.

I pushed open the door lightly; maybe Reseph would be inside with Amun, happy and smiling and well even after his ordeal the day before. I was eager to know how he was, after all; I knew there were few places where he would get better attention for his wounds than here, but still I worried. He was so slight, after all, and I had grown to like the boy just as I'd grown to like Amun.

The moment I stepped into the room, though, I knew that something wasn't right, that there was trouble afoot; the whole room was full of clamoring people, most of them looking like lords, and all of them shouting at Rameses to be heard. He himself sat on the throne, head in hand and headdress looking far too heavy, Nefertari sitting beside him like a goddess and somehow managing to make herself look more interested than he. Neither Amun nor Reseph were anywhere to be found, which, honestly, I probably should've been grateful for at that point.

Rameses did light up when he saw me, though; I took that as a compliment and tried for a smile as he waved me over to stand beside him. The people begging his attention settled suddenly, some bowing when I passed and others only glaring as though I were a plague. I realized suddenly that I wasn't wearing anything but the shift, none of the jewelry Rameses had given me that marked me as royal; I might've passed for a servant, and I'm sure plenty of the lords had noticed, thus hardening their gazes. Or perhaps they merely didn't like me no matter my dress or my status; I always had been the more disappointing son.

"My brother," he said, fondness to the words, hand settling easily around my waist even as he lazed on the throne. "I'm afraid I won't be much good for you this morning. It seems my… decree has caused a bit of unrest amongst these fine gentlemen who think it wise to question their pharaoh." My people; I should've known there'd be trouble about them being freed. I cleared my throat, not entirely certain as to what I should say. I never had taken to ruling like Rameses had.

"I can go wait somewhere if you'd rather," I said, trying to keep my voice light but unable to keep the nerves completely out of it. He chuckled, squeezing where he held, eyes lidded and dangerous as he stared out over the men. They all stiffened suddenly, and I could understand their terror. Had I not known Rameses as I did, I might've been frightened of that expression on his face as well.

"Pharaoh, please," one said, bowing low until his forehead nearly touched the ground. "We think only that you were...," I could see him trying to think of a way to phrase the statement that wouldn't be seen as questioning his choice or his strength. "That perhaps you did not know the entirety of the story." Rameses raised a single brow, his frown deep and very, very bothered.

"I am the morning and the evening star; I know my kingdom, and I will not sit here and have that knowledge questioned. I freed the Hebrews and they are gone; I will not go after them, nor change my decision. My kingdom will continue to grow without them even as it would have had they remained, and your lives will be as unaffected by their absence as they were by their presence. Pharaoh has spoken," he said, final, and Nefertari's lips actually curled, a bit. I jerked; I couldn't remember having seen her smile before. She really was beautiful; regal and proud and still, somehow, human in an entirely unexpected way. I could see suddenly why Rameses had considered her such a good friend, and wondered if I would ever be able to see her that way as well.

"What my husband means is that the decision was made with careful consideration. We do not wish to be a kingdom built upon the backs of slaves; we will create great things with the hands of our own people." The people gazed upon her reverently, her words settling them like soothing balm and I almost wondered why in the world she wasn't pharaoh until I realized she'd likely known what to say from the very start and had only been waiting in order to… tease, I suppose, Rameses. I bit back my smirk when I saw that Rameses realized that quite clearly and had obviously grown very used to it.

It was strange, how life had gone on here without me; that Rameses had, even with all this, been holding a place for me, waiting for me… it was enough to make any man a bit less than humble. I let my own hand land on Rameses' arm, light and easy and familiar, happier than I dared imagine as I looked at the slowly dispersing crowd.

Some were still upset, of course; Nefertari's words had calmed the riot and soothed the worried of many, but others were still very obviously angry with what was done, wanted Rameses to reverse his proclamation as if doing so would magically draw my people back here when I'd demanded that they flee as far as they were able, to the promised land of milk and honey. When the room finally emptied of everyone, Rameses heaved a world-rending sigh, giving me an exaggerated look of annoyance that made me laugh.

"Thank you, Rameses, for not… for facing this for me," I said, because I was under no illusion that he'd done it for my people, that he cared any more for them than he ever had. He chuckled, arm jerking once and forcing me to sprawl over him.

"You always did get me into trouble," he said laughingly, and I writhed, playfully fighting to get away from where he held me. Nefertari watched curiously and I felt only a little shame that Rameses was her husband.

"Oh, like none of it was ever your fault!" I crowed, and he lifted his jaw with false haughtiness, though his eyes shown with simple pleasure.

"I do not remember ever being to blame," he said, and I squawked, ready to argue again when Nefertari spoke.

"It is nice to see you smile again, Rameses," she said, and he stroked a hand over my hair.

"I'm glad you think so, Nefertari, but please do not think you have to congratulate my happiness when I see on your face that you want nothing more than to go spend some time with your own." She looked almost embarrassed, noble face slipping for only a moment, before she stood and strode off like the queen she was. Rameses laughed, and I gazed up at him curiously. He shrugged. "I told you that I allowed her to do as she would with whomever she would like. Did you think she had no lover?" I offered a vague, helpless expression, and he smiled, still not letting me up from where I was sprawled over his lap.

"I never thought about it," I finally said, and he nodded.

"I suppose you wouldn't, my brother. Come, you're surely hungry, aren't you?" I nodded and he finally let me up, following me quickly and keeping his hold around my waist. We talked quietly along the way, about the events of the previous days. He told me that Reseph was well, resting with the doctor, that Amun hadn't left his side the whole while, and the thought made me smile. He discussed politics as well, of course, what he planned to do about the discontent, and he sounded confident even if I didn't comprehend every plan he mentioned. He talked about the future, too, about what we might do, and though I was almost frightened, terrified of what the citizens would say if ever they heard of this, terrified of what would happen to us, about Rameses being forced to exile me, I was also ridiculously happy, ridiculously ready. I was home, and I was strong, and I would have Rameses at my side, my friend, my brother, my lover. The future was a mystery, but it was a mystery I was more than ready to face.

Aaron's POV

We were not deep in the desert when I first heard the two of them plotting, my sister Miriam and my brother's wife, Tzipporah. I didn't think much of it at first, really; they were angry and they were frightened. I could understand that because I felt the same. I'd known Moses only a little, of course, and hadn't always liked him or what he'd become, but in this ending, he'd sacrificed himself to pharaoh for us, and that… I had never cared for pharaoh, but this only made me despise him more.

Really it was only normal for them to huddle together and talk about silly things in response, talk about charging the palace and saving Moses from the wicked man. When, as we travelled, the discussions took on an air of certainty, though… I had to step in. I'd lost the brother who thought I hated him already, without even a chance to really apologize for things I'd said in anger. I wouldn't lose the sister I'd always protected, and I wouldn't let his wife kill herself for him because I knew he wouldn't have wanted that. I confronted them about it one evening when we all sat huddled, desperately cold in the frozen desert night, around a meagre fire.

"We cannot go back, Miriam. You know that." Her eyes blazed with righteous fire, small, narrow body looking suddenly a thousand times larger in the shadows. Tzipporah's strong, dark eyes glared at me, her hand clutching Moses' staff like a lifeline.

"So we let our brother suffer? You can't think that, Aaron! You know what pharaoh can do, you've seen it! Do you want our brother to suffer that, suffer his anger, for us? Must he be made a slave so we can be free?" I flinched, turning my face away but knowing I had to say what I would say.

"I don't want to, Miriam, but he made his choice, and he made it for us. Do you want to make that choice in vain? He wouldn't want you to die for him." Tzipporah bared her teeth at me, brandishing the staff in my face like a weapon.

"You're almost as poor a brother to him as the pharaoh," she hissed. "Why do you speak like he's dead?" I wrapped my own hand around the staff, above hers, and finally managed to fix my gaze to hers no matter my discomfort, my fear.

"Because by now he may as well be, if he isn't really. The pharaoh is not kind and you know he would have been angry. He will have taken his rage towards us out on Moses, the only Hebrew left in Egypt. If he isn't dead he will be soon, but we will all see him again eventually." Tzipporah jerked the staff away from me and stood, the picture of pride.

"Don't give up on him so quickly," she said, biting, as she strode away. Miriam clenched her fists, not willing to look at me, and I sighed, taking her by the wrist and settling in front of her.

"You know I care for him too, Miriam, but I won't make a mockery of his sacrifice. He did this for us. We should be glad that he cared for us all so deeply."

"I can't stand to think of what pharaoh will do to him," she whispered, and for the first time in years, I pulled her into a hug, the both of us looking for comfort. "We'll… Tzipporah won't give in so easily," she murmured.

"We'll stop her. Moses certainly wouldn't want her to die for him." She nodded, taking in a deep breath, and pulled away.

"Come, let's go find her. We all need to rest; we've got a long trip ahead of us." I managed a faint smile and stood, the two of us together going to find Tzipporah. We had a history of struggle and pain, I knew that; we would face more on our journey. Moses, though… he really was a noble, good man, my brother. I would keep the ones he'd loved safe with everything I had, in honor of what he'd done. I'd tell his story to anyone who would listen, tell it until he'd be remembered forever for his bravery, for freeing us from Egypt. If only that could ever be enough.