Chapter Text
Larry watched as McPhee made his way out through the revolving doors and he gazed up at the stillness around him. Was this really going to be the last time they'd all be together? Was this really going to be the last time he'd see his friends? He shook his head with a sigh, he'd made a point of visiting them every now and then over these past twenty-two months, almost two years had gone by since he'd hung up his uniform for good and moved onto greater things.
“Hey, hey buddy. How're you doing about this huh?” he asked as Rexy began to nuzzle his cheek, “You want what's in here, huh?” Larry asked playfully, rubbing the dinosaur's nose as he reached into his bag, “You think I've got something for you huh?” he asked teasingly as a multicoloured knotted rope appeared in his hand, “Think you're stronger than me huh? Think you're stronger than me?” he teased as the skull latched onto the rope and the pair began to playfully tug at it. Before long, playful had turned into unintentional violence as too strong a tug sent the ex-night guard soaring across the lobby, landing in a soft heap of packaging. He pulled himself to his feet, chuckling slightly as the dinosaur stood there grinning, wagging its long bony tail. The wooden crates all around him burst open sending little Styrofoam peanuts into the air like overweight snowflakes. All over the place his friends were sitting up and climbing out of their crates as the President made his way over atop his horse.
“Lawrence!” Teddy called out cheerfully, extending his hand, “Good to see you lad.”
“Yeah. You too Teddy.” Larry replied gripping Teddy's hand in a firm handshake.
“The guardian of Brooklyn has returned.” Ahkmenrah said emerging from the corridor leading to his makeshift tomb with a broad grin plastered on his face.
“Hey Ahk.” Larry greeted, “Look. McPhee told me what's going on around here, I had no idea.” he said turning back to Teddy and Sacagawea.
“Indeed.” Teddy said solemnly, “A lot has transpired since your last visit. One would say that – ” he was cut off by the buzzing and the bleeping of Larry's mobile, “Oh. Cricket.” he muttered as the former night guard held up and hand before checking his phone.
“Hey!” Jedediah's muffled voice called out from within a closed crate, “Little help over here!”
“Hey.” Larry said placing his mobile back into his suit pocket. The lid jiggled about as the miniatures beneath it fought to move it, but it was to little avail. “Hey fellas.” Larry said easily lifting the wooden lid and discarding it to the side, “How you doing?” he asked whilst Jed and Octavius, the unlikely duo, climbed out onto the ledge.
“Well lookie here. If it ain't Mr Big In The Britches himself. Come back just in time to see us off. ” Jed's surprisingly loud voice called out accusingly as he gazed up at his old friend.
“Yeah Jed, I heard. Look, I don't even know how this happened.” the incessant bleeping of his phone interrupted him once again and, holding up a finger in the universal sign of “One second please”, he pulled out his phone.
“Real mystery how this happened.” Jed huffed, “Maybe the answer's on the magic buzzin' box there in your hand. You weren't here Gigantor! That's what happened! Ain't no mystery!”
Octavius chimed in, nodding in agreement, “The fact is Larry, there's no one else here to speak on our behalf during business hours.”
“None none. Dum dum.” The old Easter Island head chimed in, causing an uproar of agreement from the Neanderthals.
“Whoa whoa, guys!” Larry said in a bid to calm things down, “It's okay. I’ll call the board in the morning alright? I've got some pull now, I'll handle this. We're gonna be okay here.” he said turning back to face the bothered Roman and the fuming Cowboy.
“We?” Jed exclaimed, “You hear that? You hear daydream Johnny?” he muttered in disbelief to his Roman comrade who simply nodded in agreement. He couldn't have put it better himself. Well. Actually. That was a lie. He could certainly have said it with more grace but Jed's words had the desired effect anyhow.
“There ain't no we since you put us on the pay-no-mind list.” Jed continued, “And that's a cold place to be boy.”
“Larry. What's done is done. Even the glory of Rome had to come to an end.” The tiny Roman said looking up at him before staring off into the distance, for dramatic effect, hoping to give his words more oomph that way.
“Would you please not look dramatically into the middle distance when you say that? Makes me feel worse.” Larry said with an exasperated sigh.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Where're you looking?” he asked looking over his shoulder, “Where are you looking I'm over here.” he said with a little wave.
“Just a bit of wall.” Octavius said with a shrug before furrowing his brow once more once he'd realised he'd broken character.”
“Look guys, maybe it won't be so bad.” Larry said encouragingly before being interrupted by the Hun, “Yes. You make a good point. But this is the Smithsonian we're talking about here!” he said enthusiastically, “Dexter you don't know that.” he said in response to the Capuchin's squeaks of protest.
“You're missing the point Gigantor!” Jed yelled up with a sigh, “They're shipping us out!”
“Larry, I know you're trying to make us feel better. I can see that you're genuinely slightly bothered. But it's never going to be the same, all of us here. Together. In this place.” the tiny Roman said in a bid to make his taller friend understand.
“It ain't never gonna be home, boy.” Jed sighed in defeat.
“Jedediah please.” Teddy spoke up, “Lawrence, these are emotional times for all of us. But it is our last night as a family, and I don't want to see it squandered in self-pity. So who will join me for one final stroll through these hallowed halls?”
Neanderthals began to grunt in agreement as Octavius turned to his enemy-turned-friend, “Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.
Jedediah shook his head, “Nah, no, I'm just gonna squander in self-pity.” he said walking away, shoulders hunched in dismay.
“My dear, shall we?” Teddy asked assisting Sacagawea up onto his mount.
The elephant trumpeted sadly as the great family all went their separate ways down the empty halls.
Dawn was on its way all too soon and Teddy could feel a tear come to the corner of his eye as he helped the woman he'd been too afraid to talk to all these years into her straw-filled crate.
“It's almost dawn Lawrence.”
“Yeah...” Larry said sadly, casting his eyes over the wooden crates, “So uh, where's your crate Teddy?”
“I won't be making this journey Lawrence. It seems myself, Rexy and a few of the signature exhibits will be staying here. For now.”
The yelling of the Hun drowned out their conversation as he charged down into the lobby screaming and tumbled into his crate.
Larry shook his head and turned back to Teddy, “Staying here? Without the tablet?” he asked.
“In truth Lawrence. Ahkmenrah's tablet will be staying here. With him.”
“What?” Larry asked, certain that he'd misheard.
“They're going without the tablet my friend. I'm afraid this night is their last.”
“You didn't tell them.”
“Sometimes it is more noble to tell a small lie than deliver a painful truth.” he said casting a final glance over to his true love. With sadness in both their eyes, Sacagawea blew Teddy a kiss before sliding back down into her crate and pulling the lid over her head, a sense of finality steeling about them as the lit slotted shut.
“Are you gonna be okay?” Larry asked Teddy as she vanished back into her crate.
“I shall do my best. Who knows, sometimes the greatest change brings about even greater opportunity.” Teddy said with an optimistic smile as he climbed back onto his steed, “Look at you Lawrence, you left this place and created quite a life for yourself.”
“Yeah.” Larry nodded, “Guess so.”
“I should hope you do more than guess, my friend. You're a captain of industry now, the world at your fingertips. Seems you have everything you wanted.”
“Yeah no I know.” Larry said with a slow nod.
“No you don't.” Teddy said sadly, “If I may lad, allow me to offer you one piece of advice. The key to happiness, to true happiness is –” he was cut off once again by the buzzing of Larry's mobile. But when the former night guard looked back up, the old President had assumed his position as dawn broke into the sky in bursts of colour that flooded into the museum's halls.
“See ya Teddy.” he muttered feeling like a fool but unsure as to why.
Standing on the steps outside, Larry watched as the crate was loaded onto a flatbed truck and trundled away with all occupants accounted for – plus two stowaways.