Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age or Night at the Museum.
AN: And this is the second version - decided I liked this one better. So ignore the first version since I think it's ok and can explain a few things. Don't be surprised if some facts or things are repeated in this one. The second one is basically a rewrite, more loyal to the summary...again, Diego/Sacajawea. Enjoy!
Sacajawea peered into the main lobby. Tonight, everyone was going out to the Observation Deck in order to see the falling comet. Larry and Nick had arrived not too long ago, and had been ushered by Teddy to meet the girl he had fallen in love with - Pochahantus. The new statue of the other Native female.
Unlike Sacajawea, Pochahantus fluently spoke English, and was a confident woman whose aura just spread calmness to those around her. She was sharp and sly, and could do everything Sacajawea could do, but better. Well…except for tracking, that was, but who would need someone to track for them around here?
Diego, the new wax statue, was sitting around the behind the information desk, looking out wistfully.
He and his herd had arrived not too long ago, much like the many new exhibitions. Unlike the rest of the museum, his 'herd' was genuine animals frozen in ice, and so couldn't be brought alive. Since only a skeleton of him had been found - not all of the pieces had been found - they had built a wax statue based on how they thought he looked and how the other sabre looked like.
What seemed to bring him down was the fact that his former mate had found another sabre. The herd had practically replaced him, though he had assured the rest that he was sure it was not their intention.
A curious thing - even as an animal he could talk, but he turned human the second he stepped out of the Ice Age exhibition.
He now looked a lot like Sacajawea or Pochahantus - wearing clothes made of sabre-pelt. When he had first stepped out, he donned a large winter coat, and had chosen to take it off, since the Museum's temperature was usually warm. Underneath his coat he wore a sort of tunic that attached itself to his arms, before become loose and flowing. Along with that, he wore long trousers which were tucked into winter boots. Around his neck was a loose necklace that had two sabre's teeth attached to it - his, most of them presumed. He had coppery tanned skin, but light brown hair. Large hazel-green eyes constantly glared at anyone who got on his nerves.
Sacajawea never got the opportunity to learn more about him.
While Pochahantus was from the Natives not far from England (why she had been sent here was beyond Sacajawea's knowledge), Sacajawea came from roughly the same area that Diego had a few million years ago.
As she approached Diego, his figure gave no outward indication that he knew she was there, but she knew from the other exhibitions that he could already sense her. He had somehow kept his advanced hearing and sense of smell, and didn't need to turn to know who it was. They may have all been made from wax, but their clothing differentiated them.
"Diego?" Sacajawea approached cautiously. She stood right in front of Diego now, who was still sitting. He looked up, and intense green eyes bore into her.
"Yeah?"
"I was wondering why you were here. Alone. Everyone else is on the observation deck, watching the comet."
"Then why aren't you?"
"I came to find you."
"I don't need to watch it." he was dismissive in his answer, as if it really wasn't that important.
"Why not?" Sacajawea asked, curious.
"It doesn't matter." the answer was tight.
Sacajawea racked her brains. "Is it something someone said?" the answer was clearly no, but Sacajawea needed more information to go on. There was nothing special. No sort of exhibition had been around lately, and it wasn't the annual anniversary when the Ice Age exhibition had arrived. Then what…oh.
His death.
"You died today."
"About a few billion years ago." his tone was bitter.
"Then why are you upset? You get a chance to live again."
He turned to her, eyes narrowed. "It's none of your business."
"Is it because of your herd?"
Bingo.
He tensed up suddenly, eyes concealed. "It's none of your business." he repeated, before standing up, prepared to do.
Sacajawea leapt forward, hand closing around his wrist. "What is it? You can trust me."
"Can I?" his eyes was cold, tone bitter.
His posture was tense, and Sacajawea realised that she was treading on eggshells now. There was nothing friendly about his posture, and it was clear that this was a touchy subject for him that he'd rather not talk about. But it was bothering him, and Sacajawea felt connected to him somehow. As if she could understand his pain. The connection had been there ever since the exhibition with him and his herd had arrived at the Museum.
And she wanted to know why.
"Yes." Sacajawea tried to convey all of her earnestness in her expression and voice.
A hesitation. "I died. I never know how they got over me. How they mourned. How they reacted. All I know is that they buried me and then left me."
Sacajawea frowned. "But that means that they cared for you. They respected you."
That didn't make any sense.
"Are you upset that you can't talk to them?"
Spot on.
His body tensed, and, suddenly, all his anger came out at full blast. "I don't know what they did after I died! They just left me to ROT in the ground and abandoned me! I'm not an IDIOT, Sacajawea, I know that MY mate mated with another. THEY just REPLACED me, like I'm replaceable. Sid went missing, we searched for him. WE NEVER REPLACED HIM. Eddie's mate was PRESUMED DEAD! HE NEVER REPLACED HER. SHIRA was presumed dead. I NEVER TRIED TO REPLACE HER. SHE WAS MISSING FOR TWO YEARS! I know my math. She had two cubs. HIS SCENT WAS ALL OVER THEM! He fathered THEM. SHE REPLACED ME, just like that!" he snapped his fingers.
Sacajawea stood, frozen, finally understanding the direction he was coming from. His mate and his herd. He had defended them from day one when he arrived, yet he finds out that they had replaced him only a few months after his death.
"Maybe something happened? Something you don't know?" she tried to soothe him, slightly terrified now.
"Yes, something happened. They MATED!"
Sacajawea examined him for a moment. All tense. He had finally unleashed his rage, and he seemed to realise that as he calmed down, looking down to the ground. "I'm sorry." he turned and started to leave. Sacajawea reached out and grabbed his hand again.
He turned, surprised and stunned.
She could understand how he felt. She had felt that way with Teddy, before Pochahantus had arrived, and he had fallen all over her.
"I don't think to understand how you feel." Diego started at her voice, calm and confident. "But I know that this is not good for you."
There was silence as both looked at one another, hazel-green eyes boring into warm brown eyes and vice versa.
"Then what do you want me to do?" the voice was quiet, slightly hoarse, and completely honest.
Sacajawea acted without thinking, and didn't know exactly what she had done until she found her arms wrapped around Diego, head against his chest. He was surprisingly warm, even as he stiffened, before carefully putting a hand on her back.
She held on, until he silently reciprocated.
Eventually, she looked up at him. "Is this alright?"
He looked down at her, not answering.
But the look in his eyes was all the reply she needed as she continued to hug him tightly.
He had been abandoned by his Herd and his mate after death.
She had been abandoned by her love when he fell for anther.
They were both alone.
But maybe…just maybe…they could be alone together.
