A/N: Short little Jed/Octavius one-shot that popped in my head because I've been watching Night At The Museum far too much lately. Takes place a couple weeks after the 2nd movie. Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Things were as normal as they could have been following the events in Washington DC. The tablet was back where it belonged. Ahkmenrah apologized profusely for the actions of his older brother, and then apologized again for not being able to fight with them. The museum now had new extended night hours three nights a week which everyone loved participating in. Surprisingly Attila was wonderful with small children who would often sit to listen to his stories, Teddy gave rides on Texas to any youngster who was willing to try and Sacajawea found herself enjoying the job of leading groups through the museum.
Yes, everyone seemed to have adjusted to the new life at the museum. Everyone except on exhibit. The miniature cowboy Jedediah had not quite been himself since he had returned from the Smithsonian. His usual feisty and excitable demeanor was replaced by one far more quiet and less lively. The usually dedication he put into the construction of the railroad in his exhibit was nowhere to be found. He walked with less confidence and a glint of fear in his eyes, though he tried to hide it. His own home drove him mad. When the sun set at the night he made sure to hightail it away from the sandy landscape of the western exhibit.
Alone.
Jedediah couldn't stand to let anyone see him in the state he found himself in since the hourglass. It made him feel weak. The constant panic attacks he would have as he came alive every night and found himself surrounded by sand were more than he could bear. The miniature cowboy did his best to shake the feelings off but they always found a way back.
Tonight was no different. The sun slowly set replacing the bright orange sky with one of navy blue, covered in sets of cotton white clouds.
As the other exhibits stretched out their bones and came to life, Jedediah jolted up from his slumber. The sand from his exhibit scratched at his neck. His eyes were wide with the same fear that lived in them the last few weeks. As his breath grew shorter, he found himself being consumed in a world of sad again. He blinked his eyes trying to clear his blurring vision. When that didn't work he bolted from the exhibit, running as quickly as his small feet would carry him.
Octavius didn't know what to make of his friend's strange behavior. In the two weeks since they had returned from the Smithsonian the centurion had noticed a drastic change in the cowboy's behavior. He was nowhere near as cocky or sure of himself as he used to be. If he was honest with himself, Octavius was worried for his dear friend. He missed their daily adventures and excursions in their toy car.
As he awoke that night he set it in his mind to see what was going on with his companion. He left his gleaming and pristine city of Rome and made his way over to the Western diorama. There was no sign of the cowboy.
"He bolted as soon as we woke up," said one of the workers. "Been doin' it every night too."
Octavius nodded and left the exhibit. He had no idea where Jedediah might have been. This wasn't like him at all. He had never known the cowboy to abandon his people, or him for that matter. He wandered around the hall of miniatures for several minutes before sitting down on the ledge of a nearby bench.
He worried greatly for his friend. It was difficult for Octavius to think that there was a time where they despised each other. The two would spend hours bickering and fighting over land that wasn't there's to give away in the first place. Now he couldn't bear to think of a life without Jedediah and the cowboy's growing distance was concerning.
Had Octavius done something wrong? He thought he'd been a faithful friend. Could he have been a little more speedy in rescuing Jed from the hourgl-.
It hit him. The hourglass. Perhaps that was the source of Jedediah's distant and alarming behavior. Octavius was almost sure of it. The general made his way to the toy car which Larry generally left tucked away in an unnoticed corner of the room. He tucked his helmet in the backseat and stepped into the blue race car.
Octavius sped over the linoleum tiles of the museum searching for his friend. He figured if he was upset he would have tucked himself away in one of the more secluded areas of the museum, away from everyone. Sure enough, after several minutes of driving Octavius spotted a small trembling figure in the second floor gift shop. He stepped out of the car and approached the shaking cowboy who was lying on a multicolored quilt.
It pained Octavius to see Jed like this. He was normally so steadfast and unwavering. Curled on the blanket shaking and whimpering he looked so vulnerable.
He placed a gentle hand on the shoulder of his friend.
"Jedediah?" he asked quietly.
The cowboy thrashed about on the quilt, his whimpers becoming louder. Octavius brushed a few strands of damp blonde hair out of Jed's face. He tried to wake him once more, tapping his shoulder a few times, hoping it would do the job.
Jed sat up quickly. His eyes darted around quickly, taking in his surroundings as he tried to catch his breath. He settled his eyes on his Octavius'. The corners of his lips twitched up in a half smile of relief as he saw his friend.
"Hey Toga-boy," he teased.
Octavius returned the smile, happy to see that his friend was not void of his sense of humor. He took a seat on the quilt next to his friend.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.
Jedediah remained silent. He didn't want to reveal the nightmares and visions he'd been having since the hourglass incident. Maybe if he remained silent Octavius wouldn't ask any more questions.
"It was the hourglass wasn't it? That's what's causing you all these problems isn't it?" Octavius asked softly putting an arm around the cowboy's shoulder.
Jed bit his lip. He didn't want to think about it. He wanted to forget it.
"Its nothin'. Ain't nothin' for you to worry your head about."
"Jedediah, how long have we known each other?"
"A looooooooooong time Octavius."
"Then do you not think I would know you better by now?"
Jedediah looked up to the chestnut brown eyes that bore into his blue ones. He felt the comforting hand of his friend running up and down his left arm trying to soothe his still trembling figure. The cowboy anxiously swallowed and sighed.
"I can't shake 'em. Same thing every night. I wake up feelin' like I'm back in that damned hourglass. The sand keeps piling up 'til I can't breathe anymore." He paused.
Octavius sensed his uneasiness and pulled him closer until Jed's head was resting against his chest.
"Is that why you leave you exhibit every night? The sand?" He could feel Jed's head nod yes.
"Why didn't you come to me?" asked Octavius.
"Didn't need you thinkin' of me as weak." Jed replied simply.
Octavius lifted Jed's head off of his chest so that he could face him.
"If I recall correctly the only reason you ended up in that hourglass is because you sacrificed yourself for me. I don't view that as weakness."
"Yeah well you woulda ended up in there with me if I hadn't. Too damn stubborn," he mumbled.
The two of them shared a small laugh before a silence drifted over them again.
"Perhaps if you had something else to think of feeling, when you're panicked?" suggested Octavius, a sudden heat rising in his cheeks.
"Not much else to replace the feelin' of sand drowning you."
"What about this?"
Before Jedediah had time to react or ask what the centurion meant, he found his lips pressed against Octavius'. The kiss took him by surprise but he quickly adjusted to the sensation. He relished the feeling of having the centurion's lips on his. They were gentle and had a faint hint of something minty on them. The cowboy savored the moment. Jed sighed contentedly as the general pulled away, the lingering taste of mint still on his lips.
Jed rested his head back on the general's shoulder. For the first time in weeks he didn't feel panic stricken and anxious. There was no paranoia or fear clawing at the back of his mind. It was just him and Octavius. The way he liked it to be.
"Might needed some reminded of what the feels like every once in a while y'know," Jed teased.
Octavius laughed.
"That can be arranged," he said before kissing the top of the cowboy's head.