Return to the Smithsonian

by moredreamslesslife

The Museum has received a call from the Smithsonian asking to study Ahkmenrah and his tablet, which is all well and good until Jed's curiosity gets the better of him and he and Octavius are accidently shipped to DC as well. There, the trio meet a new wax figure of Kahmunrah, still out for revenge, and a new old friend to help them escape. But Kah is ruthless...No/ ON HIATUS.

I do not own Night at the Museum or anything related to it.

Thanks to Mythicalnightguard for help with this.

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Curiosity Killed the Cat

Larry stifles a slight yawn as he drums his fingers on the lid of Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus, trying to calm the young pharaoh's nerves until dawn breaks in about five minutes. He knows how much Ahk hates the sealed casket, but climbing back into the thing is unfortunately a necessity, especially tonight.

A week ago, the museum had gotten word from the Smithsonian Museum in DC that they wished to study Ahkmenrah and his tablet for six weeks. After losing Kahmunrah's exhibit under "mysterious circumstances" (to them, anyway), they had decided to do some research on his brother and his famed tablet.

Dr. McPhee had been less then pleased – Ahkmenrah was, after all, a priceless Egyptian mummy and one of the museum's biggest draws – and he had been reluctant to hand him over. It had taken copious amounts of assurance that Ahk would be in safe hands to eventually mollify him, and even then only enough to agree. He's still somewhat grouchy about losing such a big attraction, even if it's only temporarily.

But the point is that McPhee had agreed. This meant that not only would Ahk be leaving the museum, but his tablet would be going with him, depriving the other exhibits of their night life for six weeks. Breaking it to them – and, for that matter, to Nicky - may have been one of the hardest things Larry had ever had to do, but they had all eventually accepted it, knowing that the tablet would be returned eventually.

"Larry?" Ahkmenrah's voice sounds, a little shakily, from his coffin, and Larry realizes that while he had been deep in thought, his drumming fingers had stilled.

"Yeah? I'm still here, Ahk." He checks his watch. Two minutes until sunrise. He never though that he'd come to slightly resent the dawn, but somehow, he has. "You okay?"

There's a pause before Ahk speaks again.

"I am now. Thank you, Guardian of Brooklyn."

Larry smirks a little at the nickname. He had previously tried to explain to the pharaoh that it was a little bit of an over-glamourized title for him, but by then, the name had stuck. So Guardian of Brooklyn it was.

"You're welcome, Ahk."

Another glance at his watch. Only one minute left.

"Good morning, Lawrence! Smile boy, don't smirk!"

Larry jumps and swings around as Teddy's voice booms through the building. He squints into the distance, and although Teddy is too far away from the Egyptian exhibit to actually see, Larry is sure that his eyes are twinkling.

"Morning, Teddy!" He calls back, unable to stop his smirk from switching to a grin, even though the president had spoken in jest. But it soon falls off his face as he realizes that his minute was up and he sees – no, feels - the life ebbing out of the museum. "Good morning, guys" he says, softer this time, as he knows he won't be heard anyway.

His job is going to be very lonely for a few weeks.

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"So what do ya think's in it?" Jed asks his Roman friend the next night, as he stares up at the quite frankly massive box sitting just outside the Egyptian exhibit. "Should we open it up an' see for ourselves?"

Octavius shakes his head, making his helmet rattle a little.

"No. I believe, Jedediah, that this box contains Ahkmenrah and the tablet. Larry did say that they would be leaving us tonight, if you remember."

Jed frowns. He does remember.

"Yeah, but what if ain't Ahk?"

"I am ninety-nine percent sure that it is, Jed."

"Only ninety-nine percent?"

The Roman resists the urge to roll his eyes.

"Ninety-nine point nine nine percent, then. I cannot be certain as I cannot see through the box, but I can assure you that it is highly likely that Ahkmenrah is inside."

Jed hesitates very briefly, glancing between Octavius and the box. On the one hand, Octavius is probably right – Gigantor did say that tonight was the night Ahkmenrah and the tablet would be leaving – but on the other hand, what if it isn't Ank in the box and ignoring the thing would simply waste a perfectly good night of exploring?

"Well…"

Sometimes, Jed is just too curious.

"…I'm gonna take a look anyways!"

"Jedediah!" But Octavius words are lost as the cowboy begins to climb up the side of the box, panting hard as he clambers atop the enormous structure. Octavius sighs, but scrambles up after him. Upon reaching the summit, he discovers Jed tapping on the box.

"Anybody home?" he calls.

His answer is in the form of a loud frantic banging, combined with shouting in a voice that's far too muffled to understand.

"There's someone in there!" Jed gasps, and Octavius nods.

"Yes, my liege. Ahkmenrah. Like I said."

Jed decides that this is his friend's equivalent of jeering "I told you so!"

"But what if it ain't?" Jed argues, "It don't sound like Ahk."

"That's because his voice is muffled by this box."

"You don't know that! It could be a new exhibit!"

"I doubt that. Surely Larry would have told us if a new exhibit was arriving?"

"He might not know." Jed puts his ear to the box, listening as the frantic thumping and yelling inside becomes steadily louder, quickening in pace. "They're probably confused, wakin' up in this place. We should free them!" He glances around for something to open the box with, and his eyes fall on the wide, brown tape holding the flaps of the box shut. He scrambles over to it. "Give me a hand here, Ockie!"

Octavius sighs, but kneels down to help the cowboy, heaving and tugging to pull back the shiny tape. Eventually it comes loose, but in the process sends the miniatures flying with rather surprising force, Jed losing his footing on the newly-opened edge of the box.

"Shoot!"

Octavius darts forward to grab his friend's wrist, but the force of the fall sends them both tumbling down into the box.

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"And this is what comes of curiosity, Jedediah." Octavius says haughtily, standing up and beginning to scrounge around for his helmet, as it had slipped off in the fall. Jed scowls a little.

"I only wanted to see what was in here!" And if Octavius didn't know better, he would have sworn Jed was whining as the Roman fixed his helmet back on his head. "But yeah, partner, you were right on both accounts"

"Both accounts?"

"You realize we're standin' on Ahk's sarcophagus, right?"

Octavius' eyes widen as he glances around, realizing his friend is right. And that the banging is coming from inside the sarcophagus. The screaming is in a language he doesn't understand, though he presumes it's Egyptian. He glances at the lock on the tomb.

"I think we ought to free Ahkmenrah. I have overheard Larry saying that he does not like small spaces."

Jed frowns.

"An' how are we supposed to unlock the thing? Gigantor has the key, not us."

"We could pick the lock?"

"With what?"

"I'm sure we can find something…"

He heads for the side of the box, but before he can reach it, the flaps on the top are roughly snapped shut again, jostling the box and sending him stumbling backwards as he and Jed are plunged into darkness.

"Damned box isn't sealed up." A male voice that neither miniature recognises mutters crossly.

"Well, what do you expect from that buffoon McPhee?" Another counters. The first voice mutters something else unintelligibly, before the sound of tape being drawn and smoothed out can be heard. Jed curses softly under his breath.

"Oct?"

"Yes, my liege?"

"Where did Gigantor say Ank was bein' taken again?"

Octavius thinks for a minute.

"To DC. Back to the Smithsonian, I believe. Why?"

Jed's eyes widen in fear and he thanks whatever God is up there that Octavius can't see in the inky blackness.

"The Smithsonian? That's where we met Kahmunrah and…"

He has to fight to keep the tremor out of his voice. He feels Octavius place a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"There is no need to fear. We defeated Kahmunrah, remember? He is long dead by now…"

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And that's the rather abrupt ending to this chapter! I wasn't really sure how to finish it, so I decided to stop it here, but it does feel like a bit of a sudden stop.

Not sure how well I did with characterization, either…

I hope you enjoyed this, though! This is my first NatM fic.

Review?