I made some edits even to the first chapter. Because of some plans for the future bits of the story, I am changing so that Sacajawea and Teddy are only engaged, not yet married. I'm keeping the first chapter pretty much the same. The remake will be much better than the first! I promise!
"That's not fair!" Shouted Sam. "You can't just... just ship her off like she's-!"
"Mr. Rutger," McPhee rolled his eyes, "it's..." he moved his arms around, searching for the word and hoping Sam would take the meaning. Finally he sighed and added, "It's a wax figurine." Sam bit his lip to stop a stupid statement that would give away the museum's biggest secret. She just got engaged, though! Teddy had so thoughtfully sought his and the other nightguards' advice as to rings and had even braved the internet (totally foreign to his understanding) to get an idea. He had actively chased down Rebecca, who had become firm friends with her former dissertation topic, to get her advice as well. So much thought had gone into it, and now they were to be torn away from one another before they got a chance to wed.
"But-" Sam tried in vain one last time, maneuvering himself to block the exit route of the movers.
"I'd be careful, Mr. Rutger," Dr. McPhee warned coolly, "or your position as a guard here could be in jeopardy." As the museum director walked out the revolving doors, Sam turned around and kicked the welcome desk hard.
"Ouch!" He hopped around and sat down sulkily, hand in his head. He sunk down to the marble floor, a small figure in the open hall. The museum gradually became darker and still Sam did not get up. As Teddy came to life, Sam groaned. "I tried, Teddy..."
"Samuel, lad," Teddy smiled sadly, "Your efforts were valiant and will not go unseen."
"They just packed her up and... left."
"She's gone? What? Tonight?" Bobby burst in the door with Starbucks coffee for himself, Sam, and Larry and a hot chocolate for Nick, whom they knew would be accompanying his father to the museum this Friday night. "I thought they were going to take her on Monday!"
"I'm afraid, Robert," Teddy shook his head, bits of his facade crumbling, "they took her away earlier this afternoon."
"Just missed her," Sam added bitterly, grabbing one of the coffees and sipping at it.
"God, Ted," Bobby ran his hand through his hair, "I'm so sorry."
"Larry's going to be late, right? Something with Nick?" Sam changed the subject quickly. Bobby nodded. Teddy attempted to look calm and collected. Tex pranced back and forth nervously. The horse knew something was wrong, too.
"As far as I've heard."
"Well if it ain't Hugo and Goliath," a familiar drawl echoed in the lobby. Rexy rattled with excitement and sniffed around in search of their miniature friends.
"Down here, Jedd," Sam sulked.
"Now, my boy," Teddy leaned down to pat the young man on the shoulder, "There was not much you could have done."
"What's got you down, Goliath?" Suddenly, Jedd and Octavius were on the counter with Malinche, the Mayan princess. The Mayans had been released from nightly lockdown soon after Bobby had arrived.
"Well, I don't know if you missed the memo, Tiny," Sam spat bitterly, "but Sacajawea's gone."
"That hurts my feelings, Goliath," Jedd whimpered pitifully.
"I will admit, my liege," Octavius piped in for his friend, "that was a bit uncalled for."
"I know," Sam sighed, "I'm sorry Jedd. I'm just frustrated, is all. I tried everything!" Monkey chatter erupted above their heads. "Yeah, I know, Dex. But I can't help but feel like..."
"Dude," Bobby shoved his friend in the shoulder and said plainly what everybody else was trying to communicate, "Calm down. You did everything." Sam shrugged and straightened out his collar.
"You're right," Sam grinned, "How are things going in the Maya, Mal?" Malinche smiled serenely and Octavius wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Jedd glared at his Roman counterpart.
"I can hardly go home because I have these Roman and Western tumors attached to me," Malinche shoved Octavius's arm off her shoulder.
"You sicken me," Jedd joked to Octavius, replacing his friend's arm across Malinche's shoulders. She squirmed out of his grasp as well and gave a heavy sigh and eye roll. Clearly, neither Octavius nor Jedidiah had met another miniature woman who was worth pursuing.
It wasn't long before Larry joined them with his thirteen-year-old son, Nick.
"Hello, Lawrence," Teddy faked a grin, "Good to see you, Nicholas!"
"You, too, Teddy," Nick smiled. "Where's Sacajawea? We were talking about her in American History class at school today, and I wanted to tell her about it. I've actually got a really funny story for her!" Everyone stood quiet.
"They shipped her off about an hour ago," Sam finally told the child. Nick scowled.
"They what? Who?"
"She's been requested by the Smithsonian-" Larry almost shuddered at the memories. "-as part of their new exhibit on important women in history," Bobby explained.
"But Dad, you've been to the Smithsonian!" Nick turned to his dad.
"Yeah," Larry backed up, "and I am never going back." The gigantic museum had been all but destroyed by his previous visit. There were many reasons he did not want to return, chief among them encountering any of his old buddies like Napoleon Bonaparte or Al Capone. Of course, there had been some good memories from that night, too, but they were too bittersweet to consider and made him wish too strongly for impossible things.
"But that's not fair!" Nick glowered, interrupting Larry's reverie. "She's your friend! She's Teddy's fiancee!"
"Listen, Nick," Larry brought his son aside, "I know you're upset. We all are. But there's not much we can do-"
"There's a lot we can do! We can go to Washington with the tablet and bring her back!" Nick insisted.
"And explain to McPhee that she, what, just walked back in?" Larry shook his head. "She may be 'animatronic,' but even McPhee would never buy that one. No, Nicky. I'm sorry." Nick ripped himself away from his father to stare mutinously at the other guards and exhibits gathering. Tears formed in his eyes.
"And you're just going to let them take her?" Nobody said a thing. "Stand by passively while they pack up and ship off a part of your family?" Nicky reiterated.
"Nicholas, my boy," Teddy rode up to the boy on Tex, "We will all miss her-"
"Ahk, your tablet!" Nick dashed towards the stairs, at the top of which stood the young pharaoh. "Is there anything it could-?"
"I'm afraid its magic only goes so far," Ahkmenrah smiled at the boy. "But I admire your ardent enthusiasm." Nick steeled his gaze, finally finding an ally in the two newest additions to the night guarding team. "Come on, Sam! Bobby! You guys can't think this is okay!" Sam and Bobby shared a glance.
"Know what?" Sam finally decided. "I'm with the kid. I'll book the flights tonight."
"Sam!" Larry was shocked. Sam merely shrugged. "It won't work!"
"I think Nick has the right idea. It'll all work itself out," Bobby calmed everyone, "If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, and if it does, then great! Saca's back. But we'll never know if we don't try." Nick grinned at the two and gave his father an 'I-told-you-so' look while Larry prayed for some sort of divine intervention. He would be returning to the Smithsonian.