IMPORTANT NOTES: I wanted my comments to be at the top of the page instead of pushing in at the end. This story has come to an end, I never expected when I began this story that I would gain so many WONDERFUL readers and I never actually thought I would be so inspired throughout this story that I would actually have the motivation to complete it. It's really all thanks to everyone who reviewed this story, I would never have gotten to the end without you, and I'm so happy and grateful for all of you. THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart!

I have GOOD NEWS for everyone who has enjoyed this story! This is not the end of Atem and Eshe! For a long time now, I have planned a second story that will be like a collection of oneshots from the lives of Atem and Eshe, HOWEVER, it will take place in a semi-alternate universe in which Atem and Eshe were allowed to live the rest of their lives on Earth with their friends, and would enter the afterlife when they passed. This story will be a tad more interactive in that I will take requests from reviewers for things you want to see happen! I do not yet have a title for it, but for the moment, lets call it the 'Oneshot Fic' for the sake of identifying it.

I will begin writing for the Oneshot Fic after I come back from my two-week holiday to Florida, which I leave for on the 28th October, so expect the first chapter of that to come from mid - late November. Remember to add me to your author alert list so that you can see when I post that story! I will be starting it off with a mature rated oneshot, but most of the oneshots after that will be overwhelmingly fluffy/adorable genres. If you have any questions regarding it at all then feel welcome to send me a private message!

Finally, before you read the final chapter, I just want to say an enormously special thanks to MetallicalyLove for being my utmost biggest source for motivation, affectionately promising to kick my butt if I didn't update on time, and delivering some absolutely wonderful essay-long reviews that had me laughing and squealing with happiness as I read them - and above all, thank you for becoming such a wonderful friend of mine and always making me smile.

Please enjoy, and as always, please review ;)

Transcending Time

Epilogue: Wherever You Will Go

Eshe felt like she was walking on starlight and swimming through a sea of caressing warmth.

A peculiar thing it was, to die. One moment Eshe was all too aware of the dull ache set within the muscles of her arms and legs, which were a lingering result of the fierce battle in the Outer Dimension, she could still feel the heat of the air on her skin as she and Atem passed through the gateway, each step bringing them further from the living realm, and the next moment, nothing.

It was vaguely alarming and sudden, the way all the minute pains in her body just simply dispersed and vanished, leaving nothing but an odd sense of calm content. The tiredness that had been clouding Eshe's mind was gone - she was awake, serene and placid.

She couldn't see Atem. The dazzling light was far too great, though her eyes did not seem to want to look away.

Then, suddenly, she could no longer feel the presence of Atem's hand in hers.

"Atem?" her own voice sounded far away and dream-like; she reached out around her, searching for his touch again, and as each second passed without him by her side, the more the bubbling anxiety in her stomach grew.

Until the bubbling anxiety ceased to exist, and her mind was flooded with unexplained tranquility; despite Atem's unforeseen disappearance, Eshe felt that there was nothing to fret about, and that patience would reward her with his company again soon.

A hush breezed through her mind and her eyes fell shut, and then the soft warmth of the Egyptian air enveloped her skin.

She opened her eyes, the light retreating to reveal a familiar and very spectacular sight; Eshe was home. Blue sky and orange desert sands greeted her, the sight of a great kingdom laid out before her very eyes, prosperous and bustling with happiness. She could hear faraway music playing, as though some sort of celebration was taking place, and the wonderful smell of delicious food wafted from somewhere, bringing buzzing pleasure to her senses.

Eshe stood on the balcony of the palace's royal chambers as she did many thousands of years ago, looking out over the city that Atem had saved after his three-day rule as pharaoh; everyone was there in the afterlife, smiles on their faces, happy. It made Eshe smile with unbridled joy.

She turned quickly, leaving the balcony to search the room for Atem, figuring he had to be nearby; he was nowhere in sight, but the visage of their shared room brought wonderful memories back to her. She stepped forwards, running her hands along the linen sheets of the blessedly soft bed, she recalled the times they slept side by side, encompassed with security and love.

Her gaze was drawn across the room to the vanity desk which held a vast array of jewellery, and with precise eyes, she spotted a familiar item that made her beam; sitting unconcernedly upon the rich wooden surface, amongst gold and jewels, was the jade hairpin from the market stalls that Atem had gifted her as children.

Without hesitation, she plucked it up and affixed it into her hair; the small jade carving of the bird with its wings outspread matched with the beautiful lapis necklace Atem had presented her with as an engagement gift left her gleeful, both of the items were extremely sentimental to her, it made her happy that they hadn't been left behind in the living world and had, in fact, followed her into the afterlife.

Atem wasn't in the room, which meant he must've been elsewhere in the palace; without another minute to spare, Eshe headed towards the door, desperate to find the boy she loved so dearly.

The throne room was the obvious choice, so she endeavoured to check there first, because if she were an elusive pharaoh, that's probably where she'd end up; her sandals clacked against the smooth stone as she walked, and her white and gold embroidered dress swayed in time with her movements.

She remembered the passageways and halls of the palace well; a sweet sense of nostalgia thrumming deep within her mind, bringing a smile to her face as she walked. She passed by palace guards, servants and maids, all of which beamed at her, bowing their heads in respect; she bowed back, greeting them like old friends. She felt more and more at home with each person she met.

Eshe rounded a corner and slowed her brisk pace significantly, not quite to a stop, but the sight of Priest Seto speaking with Priestess Isis by one of the wide apertures caught her off guard; it wasn't that she didn't expect them to be here, but the prompt appearance of them made her heart pound.

"Queen Eshe", Isis's eyes widened very slightly as she noticed the girl, a small smile reaching her face. Eshe eyes shone with watery emotion at the priestess's exclamation; for a brief moment she had wondered if, after three-thousand long years, the people she knew would remember her face. The delight and surprise on Isis's face was evident of the answer.

Priest seto turned, his piercing blue eyes as stern as ever, but Eshe saw the miniscule twitch in his face that softened his expression as his gaze rested on her; biting the inside of her cheek, Eshe offered the man a smile, "It's good to see you both again", she murmured softly, wondering whether they were aware of everything that had happened with Atsu. Isis nodded to her, while Seto continued to give her a long, drawn-out look that made Eshe swallow. Perhaps he was unaware of the events that had taken place, and still believed she had willingly taken her own life all those years ago.

"Seto, I'm sorry-" she began, but the blue-eyed man stopped her.

"I apologise for everything you have gone through", Priest Seto told her, his voice steady and meaningful, "I have been informed of the troubles you have faced, and why you had to face them", he paused, his gaze lowering briefly, "I regret that I was not efficiently watchful enough in the past, after Atem's sacrifice. It is my fault that Atsu was able to do what he did…"

Eshe shook her head, eyes glossy from his words, "No, Seto, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known", she smiled again, "Besides, that is all in the past now. Atsu is paying for his sins."

His blue eyes rested on her for a moment longer before he blinked, nodding his head; after a few seconds of staring, he spoke again, "...It is good to see you again."

Eshe beamed, it was somewhat surreal seeing them again, it made her excited to think of who else she might run into in the heavenly realm; there were so many people from her past life that she wanted to see again.

After bidding Seto and Isis goodbye, Eshe continued to make her way towards the throne room, her steps increasing in speed at the prospect of finding Atem.

The delicious aroma of freshly cooked meat made her pause in her brisk steps, and she hovered past the hallway that lead to the kitchens; the sound of enthusiastic chattering caught her attention and Eshe's head tilted curiously, she was sure she knew that voice.

Following her nose, she was lead to the meal hall; there were a handful of people in the room, eating quietly together, except for one person. Eshe blinked, a smile forming wide on her face as she caught sight of Mana talking animatedly about the spread of food before them, by her side was Mahad, and a little further down the table, Rura.

Mahad was the first to notice Eshe approaching, quickly standing as she drew closer, "Queen Eshe", he breathed, the pleasant surprise on his face evident; and as he spoke, Mana turned as quick as a lightning bolt, and her eyes became as wide as saucers.

"ESHE!" the girl screeched, her face alight with joy as she leapt from her seat and practically dived at the queen, her arms wrapped tightly around Eshe with extreme eagerness, and for once, Mahad didn't stop her and remind her of her manners.

"Mana!" Eshe squeaked back in surprise, a rush of elation flooding her senses at the keenness of her old friend; immediately Mana began to hastily speak, with little coherency, about how long it's been, how happy she is to finally see Eshe again, how proud she is, and so on- Eshe was barely able to keep up with the girl's words as she tightly squeezed her.

Mahad watched them with a warm smile, giving Eshe a nod of greeting, his way of reunion was a little more composed, electing not to scoop Eshe up in a crushing hug like Mana was prone to do.

Eshe could only smile, but she did note the spark of remorse in Mahad's eyes, possibly blaming himself for Atsu's actions just like Seto did; why was everyone so ardent on holding responsibility for the nefarious actions of others? Eshe would speak to Mahad a little later and assure him that the only person Eshe held accountable for Atsu's actions was Atsu.

When Mana finally peeled herself away from Eshe, her brown eyes were glossy with tears and her lip was quivering uncontrollably, "I'm so glad you've finally come back to us, Eshe", she whimpered, "You and Atem both, though I haven't actually seen him yet… I hope he turns up soon", she wiped away the wetness on her cheeks and beamed brightly, "He's probably wandering around looking for you!"

Eshe blinked, a thoughtful look on her face, hoping that Atem would assume Eshe would head to the throne room first - it was the logical place to find a mighty pharaoh, after all. She smiled, nodding her head, "I'll find him, and then we can all hang out like old times!"

Mana let out a cheerful yelp, reminiscent of an excitable puppy, and Eshe chuckled, turning her attention a little ways down the banquet table.

Rura's steely grey eyes watched her, an impassive look on his face, and Eshe frowned slightly, the recollection of his brave sacrifice coming back to her; she took a step down the table and gave the boy a strained smile. "Rura, I am so grateful to you. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have been able to overcome Atsu… so, thank you", she bowed her head to him, and his eyes broadened a little. After a beat of silence, his mouth formed a small smile.

"I am glad I could be of service", he spoke simply.

Eshe's smile grew sad, "I'm sorry you were stuck in that place all this time, only to sacrifice yourself the moment you left…"

"Don't be sorry", Rura said, plucking a sugary date from a bowl on the table with his nimble fingers, "I was never meant to exist in the modern world, I did not belong there. I belong here", his eyes flickered over to Mana and Mahad, his mouth curling in the corner with a smidgen of amusement as he held the date up to his lips, "I think I missed these the most."

As he popped the small fruit into his mouth, Mana pouted, crossing her arms, "Nice to know we were missed, Rura", she grumbled slightly, and Eshe giggled softly, glad that the boy was content. She looked over her shoulder, shifting on her feet, wondering if Atem was waiting for her in the throne room.

"Go and find him", Mahad's voice drew her attention back and she looked curiously at him, the master magician smiled, "I can tell you're itching to return to him."

"Yeah, go find Atem, and then bring him back so we can all have lunch!" Mana snapped with a grin, "We've got a whole three-thousand years to catch up on!"

Eshe chuckled, nodding her head, "Thank you, I'll bring him back", with a wink and a wave, she turned on her foot and left the room, falling once again into a brusque pace towards the throne room. She felt a little guilty leaving her friends so quickly after reuniting with them, but her heart was pushing her to find her husband as quickly as she could - she had to know Atem had gotten to the afterlife alright, though she was pretty sure it would be quite a feat to get lost on the way there given how linear the passage was - and as Mana said, they would have time later to catch up.

At long last, Eshe came to a stop in front of the throne room doors, and the guards on either side were happy to open the way for her; as the entrance opened, Eshe's heart pulsed for the brief moment her eyes were bathed in golden light, but as it cleared, she noticed that Atem was not sat in his throne.

Atem wasn't even in the room, but somebody else was.

Atem's father, Pharaoh Aknamkanon stood by the base of the steps leading to the throne, speaking amicably with two others.

Eshe's mother and father.

Long, black hair cascaded down over Sabiya's shoulders, the silky locks ruffling as she turned to face her daughter; her tanned skin was gorgeous and clear, and her eyes were lined with kohl, making the gold-speckled brown of her irises stand out warmly. Her smile was dazzling, she looked young and beautiful and far from sickly as she had the last time Eshe had laid her eyes upon her.

"Mama?" Eshe whispered, her shaky hands rising to cover her mouth, lips parted with shock.

"Yes, my dear Eshe", Sabiya spoke, her voice melodic and tender. The woman held out her arms and Eshe's eyes began to sting with welling tears, her feet taking her towards her mother of their own accord.

"Mama", was all Eshe could say, practically speechless at the sight of her stunning mother who was standing right there before her; the last time they had been together, Eshe had been five years old in her previous life, never once had she forgotten the woman's beguiling appearance. Eshe stepped forward into those outstretched, loving arms, resting her chin against her mother's shoulder as she let herself cry.

"Eshe… it's been far too long", Sabiya whispered against her ear, "You've grown into a beautiful, kind woman, just like I knew you would. I am so proud of you", she trailed off, running one of her hands through Eshe's hair. The action was simple and oh so affectionate, and made Eshe feel warm as she basked in her mother's love.

"I missed you… so much", Eshe whimpered, hardly able to believe she was seeing her mother again; it was something she had dreamed of so many times in her past life.

"Oh, my darling… I never truly left you", her mother whispered, there was a hint of a smile in Sabiya's voice and Eshe pulled back slightly to look up at her mother through bleary eyes.

Over Sabiya's shoulder, Eshe watched her father, Nizam, smile broadly at the touching reunion, stepping closer to place a comforting hand on her back.

"I was always with you, Eshe. I wasn't able to speak to you, but I spoke to the birds", her mother spoke, "They heard me. They helped you when I could not."

Eshe blinked a few times to will her tears away, the soft realisation of what her mother's words implied tickled her consciousness and made her feel cherished. Her mother had been with her every step of the way, throughout all the hard times she faced, and with her guidance, the birds helped her overcome the things she faced. Anxiety, loneliness, and with their help, she and her friends had defeated Atsu, all thanks to her mother.

"...thank you, mama", Eshe whispered, smiling gratefully at the elegant woman; she relaxed in the embrace of her parents, "I… I'm so happy to see you again."

"As are we, my child", Nizam spoke softly, "It broke my heart when I left the living world to find that you were nowhere to be seen; I'm glad you're finally with us again."

Eshe was glad, too. It hadn't crossed her mind until she'd entered the throne room that her parents would be there to greet her and welcome her home.

Pharaoh Aknamkanon smiled at the heart-warming scene, nodding his head cordially as Eshe caught a glance of him; it reminded her that she was still searching for a specific someone.

"Have… you seen Atem anywhere?" Eshe asked tentatively, a hopeful look in her eyes, and Aknamkanon's smile brightened further.

"Indeed, I have. He was looking for you", the man answered, and Eshe's eyes widened briefly.

"Do you know which way he went?"

With a soft chuckle, the man responded, "I believe he was headed in the direction of the palace gardens."

Eshe blinked; of course that's where Atem would be. Excitement bubbled inside her, she needed to find him, but she didn't want to walk away from her parents - they hadn't seen each other in three-thousand years.

Sabiya gave her daughter an amiable look, "Go, my dear Eshe, go and be with him."

"But what about you?" Eshe asked gently, her eyebrows furrowing apologetically.

Her mother winked, "We have an eternity together now, my child, I can wait just a little longer for you."

Eshe's gaze softened, looking up at the graceful woman whose love for her was endless; she rubbed her eyes free of the emotion that tried to force its way out and gave her mother a watery smile, "I love you mama, papa", she murmured softly, "I'll be back soon."

Her parents watched her as she turned and scurried out of the throne room, practically speed-walking out of the room before breaking into a swift run as soon as she had entered the corridor.

Sabiya giggled softly, "She's truly head over heels for your boy", she spoke, glancing over her shoulder at Pharaoh Aknamkanon, who chuckled in return, nodding his head.

"I'd always known something marvellous would come of their friendship", Aknamkanon agreed, and Nizam gave the man a knowing look.

"Just like we both planned", Nizam said, an unusual note of mischief in his voice, and Sabiya rose an eyebrow at him.

"Come, Nizam, you can't tell me you actually planned for them to fall in love", the woman murmured dubiously, a skeptical eyebrow arched.

Running a hand through his hair, Nizam shrugged slightly, an almost sheepish look on his face as he glanced from Sabiya to Aknamkanon and then back, "Why do you think we made a deal and moved Eshe to the palace in Lower Egypt?"

"It was my own suggestion", the man beside him admitted, "I believed it was a great way to truly unite our kingdoms as one."

Sabiya looked between her husband and the old pharaoh with an astonished expression, "Well, aren't you two just a couple of schemers."

Both of the men had the decency to look bashful in response; Nizam quickly spoke up, "Now, now, Sabiya. We never forced anything into their heads!"

Sabiya smirked, "I should hope not. Our girl has always has always been clever; if you'd even once tried to push anything to happen between them, I'm sure she would've caught onto your plan in an instant."

Nizam put his hands up in defense, "But I didn't push for anything to happen! It happened by itself!" His tone was playful, knowing that his wife wasn't truly in protest of his admission.

"Good, because if she had suspected you for one moment of trying to arrange a marriage for her, she would've rebelled ruthlessly", Sabiya laughed, "I know my girl, she would never stand for such a thing."

Nizam shrugged his shoulders, a reticent smile on his face, "That's exactly why I didn't push anything."

Aknamkanon looked genially between the bickering couple and smirked, "I believe it was fate that those two fell in love."

Sabiya gave the pharaoh a contemplative look, and then smiled softly, "They have something very special… I think you may be right."

Eshe was at least ninety-two percent sure that the booming voice she heard echoing after her as she ran through the palace hallways belonged to a somewhat disgruntled Shimon. "No running in the palace!" he had called after her, and there was a tiny chance he probably hadn't noticed it was her, but Eshe felt beyond a shadow of a doubt that Shimon knew damn well it was her sprinting down the corridors, sandals clacking loudly against the stone floors. Some things never changed.

But Eshe didn't have time to stop and apologise; running past the familiar apertures of the courtyard, she swung around down the few steps into the wide open space that held the decorous clay pots and the exquisite water fountain that nudged fond memories into the forefront of her mind. She recalled the times Atem and herself had sat beside it, spending several hours a day just talking together.

They were sweet memories, but nothing was sweeter than the memories of sitting with the boy in the palace gardens, surrounded by nature and the soft singing of chirping birds.

Eshe stared at the arch that led to the gardens, an odd, tingly anticipation building in her stomach; she had only been with Atem not too long ago as they entered the afterlife gates together, but it already felt like a lifetime had passed.

The palace was a big place, but Atem had sense to the know eventually Eshe would've ended up in the gardens of all places - it certainly took her long enough, so Eshe hoped the boy had waited patiently for her instead of heading elsewhere when he realised she wasn't yet there.

This wild goose chase had gone on far too long for Eshe's liking.

Eshe took a breath, a deep inhale and a heavy exhale, and took three long strides through the arch and into the garden.

It was as beautiful as she remembered.

Rich, bright colours overpowered her gaze, vivid and delightful; the sight took her breath away and filled her with an evocative sense of nostalgia. The vast array of different shades of green implanted a ecstatic sensation within her mind, her eyes travelled across the grass and shrubbery to the radiant flowers lining the garden, soft and gentle pastel hues of violet, yellow and pink danced in her vision, putting a euphoric smile on Eshe's face.

The trees dotted around the open area cast rustling shadows upon the ground and Eshe could smell the scent of nature all around her as she stepped forward, inhaling the sweetness of the flora and fauna.

Her eyes fell to the pond and her heart pounded in her chest, her gaze trailing from the shimmering water to the boy knelt beside it, his back turned to her.

For a while, Eshe simply stared. The regal purple cape draping from his shoulders looked to be of a silky and luxurious material, the golden sapphire earrings hanging from his earlobes shone in the warm, encompassing sunlight, and his ever-spiky hair stood up in all directions, as it always did.

The brief moment in which Eshe was stunned seemed to pass, and she took another step closer, her sandals tapping against stone.

Atem's head tilted before he looked over his shoulder and Eshe felt her breath catch in her throat.

There was never a time in her life that she had seen Atem looking more at peace and alive as he did in that very moment, which was rather ironic because technically neither of them were alive anymore, and the appearance of the growing smile on his face only succeeded in bringing tears to her eyes.

This was how Atem looked when he was free of worries and void of conflict, completely and utterly tranquil and happy; there was nothing left to trouble him, nothing threatening him or anyone he loved, and it truly showed.

His eyes, jubilant and deep with that gorgeous purple she had always adored with stray flecks of magenta hiding around his pupils, were unparalleled in beauty; he stared at her with such a profound look, it made her feel special and significant.

His skin, golden tanned and flawless, appeared almost radiant in the light of the sun; his cheeks peppered red with an intense excitement and happiness that she hadn't seen on his face in such a long time, made her knees wobbly and weak.

He looked grand in his kingly attire, enhancing his allure tenfold; Eshe sniffed as she looked at him, not even bothering to try and quell the tears running steadily down her face.

Atem's head tilted and his lips parted, but before he could speak, Eshe darted towards him, arms spread wide to swing around the boy. His foot jerked back in preparation of the impact and as she flung herself at him, he picked her up and swung her around, letting out a note of rich, baritone laughter that sent wonderfully pleasant tingles down Eshe's spine.

"Eshe", the boy chuckled, though his voice was strained with emotion, "Why are you crying?"

With her face shoved into the crease between his neck and shoulder, Eshe let out an uncontrollable whine, "I don't know…"

Atem pulled back, his finger moving below her chin and encouraging her to raise her head, she spied the unshed tears in his eyes very clearly; his divine face was almost too much for Eshe to handle, she knew exactly why she was crying - her brain hardly knew how to react to seeing a boy so pretty, so it defaulted to forcing emotion to leak from her face.

The cut that had been very prominent on Atem's cheek was completely healed, leaving no scar, nothing to suggest anything had hurt him in the first place, and his once heavily-bruised hand was back to its normal tan colour, not a blackened mark in sight. The boy wiped Eshe's tears away with a thumb against both of her cheeks and the girl blearily noticed the object clasped around his wrist.

The dark green malachite stones, speckled with light spots, were attached securely to the fastened bracelet he wore, the very item she had gifted him on his twelfth birthday, was back where it belonged.

"Atem", Eshe whispered, looking up at him through watery eyes, "Stay with me forever."

He smiled, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears in his own eyes, "I wouldn't dream of leaving you again."

She relaxed in his embrace, ducking her head below his chin as she leaned against him, his body warm against her's, and a content sigh left her mouth.

"I love you", Atem whispered into her ear, his lips brushing against the side of her head.

"I love you too", Eshe breathed, raising her head to face him again, and her eyes flickered to his lips as his tongue darted out to wetten them; she smiled slyly, gently biting her own lower lip.

"Can I kiss you?" Atem asked softly, and Eshe's eyes glinted in the rays of light blessing them from the sky.

"Do you even have to ask?" she inquired rhetorically, before pushing up on her tiptoes to capture his lips with her own.

Atem's head dipped, deepening the kiss immediately, and his hand trailed up from her back to her neck, gently rubbing his fingers through the shorter hairs on the base of her head - the gesture was simple, and yet it overflowed with affection and made Eshe shiver delightfully.

She felt as though she could kiss him forever, but she settled for a few passionate minutes until Atem pulled back, his cheeks adorably red and lips spread into a wide smile; he embraced her again, pulling her tightly against himself as he let out a joyous laugh, a beautiful noise of which Eshe couldn't help but join in with.

The feeling of holding and being held by someone who loved you so dearly was a feeling Eshe would cherish forever and never forget, especially a love so unconditional and true, pure and warm; safe and sound.

A love that transcended time, and death.

The end.