DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Night at the Museum, or any of its contents, characters, actors, ideas...or anything at all related to it. I never have, and I never will. This is written for fun. I'm dirt poor, so sorry. This is for my entertainment and for those who read this.
I also don't own anything remotely recognizable in the story; music, devices, brand names or anything; if you recognize it, I don't own it. I make nothing off of anything. None of my works provide me a profit. Basically, I own absolutely nothing. Point blank.
Thank you to all who've reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! I've even gained a few new people following and favoriting me as an author, and that's just...amazing. Thank you all!
As always, review replies:
To keacdragon: Ah-ah-ah! I'm caught up to the movie, now, and we'll be diving in to said movie in this chapter, but I do change a few things...not much, until the end of the first movie, though (Name) steals a word or two of Larry's, at times. So...we'll see if your predictions turn out. Ehehe. But thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
To animechick247: They were! And I shan't spoil it, so you'll have to wait to find out if they do. And true enough, but, after all, even if he has no kingdom, Ahk is a king, so, therefore, Emma is his queen; he'd think of her that way, anyway. He was raised a prince and groomed to the throne; I imagine he imagines Emma in a crown and the garb of his people, at his side, though he can't really act on it. So...that was his little moment to give her that, if only briefly. And he's supposed to be! I know very little about children, but I hope he's behaving as a child of his age would, and I know he would be very delighted and absorbed with his father; he's never even had a grandfather, so Ahk, at least, is a brand new experience. And I will say, now, that no, it doesn't; I wouldn't do that, as the child has enough fright before him with giant dinosaurs and snakes and such, let alone to feel whatever the tablet might do to him. I'll offer an explanation in a later chapter to that, since Evan is a product of the tablet. Around chapter...thirteen? I think that's the one I'm about to write, at the moment. Anyway, thank you for your review!
To Dominosowner: Thank you! And I thought it important, too, since her mother is all she has. And me too! I think Ahk would make an amazing father. And yes, it did! I thought it was about time that they had a little moment to themselves, with their feelings known.
Okay. I sincerely apologize for not having this up earlier! Usually, it's at like seven in the morning (my time, anyway) or thereabouts, but I had a heck of a day yesterday and when I got home, I just absolutely crashed, and my mother is sick, so I had to take her a few places today. I'm so sorry this wasn't posted sooner! It's not got as much of Ahk in it as I'd like, but I think Emma's involvement in the third movie is important.
That said, I shan't delay you any further. Enjoy!
Chapter Nine
He had certainly seen it when he awoke, and he felt dizzy as he saw it climb just a little higher; he dared not touch it.
But time was flying and by the time he had come out—he did not realize his dizzy spell was very, very severe and lasted far longer than it should have—the others were preparing for the show that night, and Larry was in a hustle. The night guard hurriedly followed him at his urging, and what Larry saw worried him...but Ahkmenrah did not let on how much it had affected him moments before. The pharaoh feared to frighten Larry more than his current fluster, for all his work, but a part of him wondered if he should. But what could they do? The show would go on, regardless of what was happening.
"Have you ever seen it like this before?" It was Larry's muted voice; the pharaoh's hall was great and echoing, and he didn't want to alarm the others.
"Ahk?" It was a soft, sweet voice, and Ahkmenrah turned at it instantly; he knew it before even a second had passed—it was Emma.
Whatever fears he might have had about the tablet fell short and sudden; another, utterly different kind of nervousness grew in him and he found it hard to swallow. The sight of her was enough to steal his breath, and it certainly knocked the sense from his head. His wife was utterly beautiful no matter the circumstances, but she looked...she was... "You look like a goddess," he managed.
She wore a long, white dress and heels, and she had her hair styled carefully. She wore golden jewelry, and what stood out to him were the braces on her arms; below her shoulders, and around her wrists; they reminded him of what he would have had her wear at his side. The dress fit her perfectly and flattered every movement, and he saw that she was blushing under his gaze; he had to go to her, and he wrapped her in his arms, kissing her a little too fiercely, but suddenly, his fears had vanished in the place of astonishment and love. "You are...beyond words," he managed, holding her hands, now, aware Larry's eyes on them.
She blushed, but she was smiling, "Mom had promised she would keep Evan for one night, for us...I thought, perhaps, I might actually look the part for one night," she admitted shyly. "I just didn't expect it to be this soon," she added, sheepish.
"You're perfect," he whispered, sensing her nervousness and doubt, and he smiled at her. "Thank you for coming," he murmured, squeezing her hands. "Seeing you has eased all my fears," he admitted.
She wondered at the fact that such a regal pharaoh might be nervous, but she smiled at him. "What on earth would a pharaoh fear?" It was softly teasing, but he heard the worried tone under it; she knew he was nervous, but something...well, something felt wrong.
He took her hand, then, and she felt it tremble; something had happened. He tugged her gently with him, back to Larry's side, and stood between the two, carefully gesturing to the tablet on the wall. He turned back to Larry, "Never. This corrosion has never happened before. It's always been exactly the same," he said, and Larry didn't miss the worry, this time; he didn't have to be holding the pharaoh's hand to see the nervousness creeping through the Egyptian's carefully-guarded face. He heard the urgency in his tone.
Still, though Larry could sense the worry, he couldn't take it too heavily—they had so much to do, and so little time, he couldn't have another thing weighing on his mind. "I wonder what's up with it," he said, admitting his concern, but he knew that he would have to look in to it soon; he was ignoring an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"I have no idea," Ahkmenrah breathed, his voice filled with emotion; his mask was slipping and his fear was showing and Emma gripped his hand tighter, clutching him. "And to be honest...my father knew the secrets of the tablet better than I did," he admitted, and Emma heard something in his voice she had never identified before; exhaustion. "Unfortunately, he swore he'd never reveal them," he added, sounding horribly disappointed, and his voice was resigned when he finished, hopelessly, "He never did."
But now he gasped, and she saw him, suddenly faint, and heard him groan...but it wasn't just a groan, it was like the breath seeping out of him with finality; not breathing, but an aching groan that was deep in his chest. He fell lax, and Emma and Larry both grabbed him; the former was on the verge of panic and, though Larry let go of him with respect, the woman saw what the guard didn't; his expression going blank and his eyes wide, and it felt like she couldn't swallow, and her heart hit against her chest so hard her head spun. She clung to him, even after he seemed better, her heart beating hard and fast against her chest. They saw, suddenly, that the green stain had crept higher along the tablet and it was sure to be that it was what had affected the pharaoh.
"You okay?" Larry, at least, sounded more concerned now.
But Ahkmenrah brushed it off, "Yes," he said, sounding a little startled, but still cognitive, "Yes. I'm fine," he affirmed.
She knew he was lying.
Larry had to accept the statement, though, and the pharaoh wanted him to; they had to go on with the show that night. He told the Egyptian to take it easy, and he indicated that they had to go; they had to work. Though he lingered, looking at the tablet, he finally turned to Emma, and he bent his head, kissing her softly, when she wouldn't set him free. "I promise," he said, slowly and distinctly, "I'm fine."
"You're a poor liar and you look like a mouse cornered by a cat," she returned, fiercely.
He froze, and he knew he couldn't lie to her. But he knew he must do his duty. "Emma, I must go with the others...I promise to come back and speak with you. Will you trust me to do that?"
She clung to him, and he saw the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, "Swear you're going to come right back when it's done," she begged.
He bent his head again, and he kissed her softly, "I promise," he said, meeting her eyes.
She hesitated, but reluctantly, she backed away from him, letting him go with care, and she thought for several moments, before she reached up to her throat. She had a golden ribbon fastened about her neck like a choker, and she released its clasp carefully, and then she took his arm; she nudged his robe up and, with his build, and her small stature, the little ribbon fit around his arm tightly enough not to slip; she clasped it and allowed the sleeve of his robe to fall back in to place neatly. "Bring that back, or I hunt you down for it," she threatened, but he heard the fear in her voice.
He reached for the ribbon beneath his sleeve; it was warm from her skin and it smelled like her, he'd noted, as she'd brought it closer. It was silky and soft and he took a moment, just tracing it around his arm, but he smiled at her, and he bent to kiss her once more. "I will," he promised.
She followed him to the exit of his exhibit, but she knew she could go no further; she'd been let in with the promise that she would stay out of sight, considering the event, and she watched him leave, fear bubbling in her stomach.
She decided, immediately, that she was going to inspect every inch of his exhibit for clues.
In the end, though she didn't hear the ruckus, Emma knew something was wrong; she had sensed it in her bones, and turned to see the cursed stain rising higher and higher, and in desperation, she had gone to the tablet herself; she gripped it, tears welling in her eyes, pleading with the inanimate object not to do what she feared it was. But her pleas went unanswered, it seemed, for not too long after, Larry and Ahkmenrah had returned to the exhibit, and Larry seemed to be keeping closer to the pharaoh than normal. Had he fainted again? Her heart twisted in her chest.
But what truly made her chest ache was the look of exhaustion on her husband's face; he never truly showed outward signs of exhaustion. He was ever young, and he seemed to be alive and energetic with the magic of the tablet. But now, he looked older; worn, and like he had not slept in too many nights.
Her heart ached so fiercely she had to press her hand to it, looking at the two, wide-eyed. "Something happened," she stated; there was not a single guess in her voice.
The two explained, haltingly, that the night had been beyond ruined; the exhibits had gone utterly mad and damage was done and Larry admitted that he'd scolded the entire crowd...aside from Ahkmenrah. He'd found the pharaoh collapsed in a corner, seeming utterly unaware of his surroundings, and had helped the Egyptian to a safe place until he could collect him; the king had done nothing wrong, and, Larry suspected, had nearly passed out.
Larry's eyes wandered to the tablet; the green was higher than before and he knew, then, that he must do something about it. He promised to spend the next day doing research, and Emma begged to help; she desperately wanted to assure that the pharaoh, her husband, her love was alright, when she could see so clearly that he wasn't; the creeping green climbing the tablet made her sick to her stomach, especially when the two men explained what had happened that night.
"Larry, I beg you, let me help," she asked, and they saw her eyes fill with tears; she was scared, more scared than she had been since she had found out she was pregnant. "Please, I can't...I can't," she said, shaking, and Ahkmenrah wrapped her tightly in his arms. "Let me help, I'll do anything," she insisted.
Despite the look the pharaoh gave him, Larry knew he could use the help. And Larry knew the look in her eyes, the fierceness in her; she would do anything for Ahkmenrah...and for her son. After all, the child had just found out that Ahkmenrah was his father; she wouldn't want the little one to both gain and lose the Egyptian all in a moment, and it would seem it, to the little one.
"Will your mother look after Evan for the day?"
"She will when I explain tonight," she said quickly, gently thumping the pharaoh on the shoulder when he began to protest, "And you, shush. You can't help during the day and I won't watch this happen and not try to help."
The pharaoh was both stunned and impressed by her strength, and he knew he couldn't persuade her not to try. So, at last, he nodded, and Larry spoke again, "Meet me here tomorrow."
The two arranged the meeting, and Larry admitted he had to make her leave; he was going to lock everything up, considering the night's events, and he promised the pharaoh he would take her home.
She lingered, and Larry gave them a moment, knowing what must have been going through their heads; Emma's fear had been so clear that he knew he couldn't take her away when she was so worried.
She clung to him, clutching his hands in hers, "You were in pain," she breathed, confronting him about his earlier behavior; he'd evaded her with the excuse of the night's event.
He knew, when he met her eyes, that he couldn't lie to her; she was anxious and frightened and she needed the truth. So, softly, he spoke; he didn't want to tell Larry, he didn't want to frighten the guard, though, in truth, he didn't want to tell Emma, either. She was so scared already. "I felt...I felt as though I was dying again," he admitted in a whisper.
Tears rolled down her cheeks the moment he said it, and she gasped, "Without...without the tablet, you can't...and if it's like this, then you must be..." It had already crossed her mind, the moment she saw him faint, saw the look in his eyes. It scared her, and her heart ached so fiercely that she was sure it would rip from her chest. "I can't lose you," she said desperately.
He knew that Evan's intelligence didn't come from only himself, and he gathered her close, wrapping her in his arms tightly, "You and Larry will find something tomorrow. Everything will be fine," he promised, trying to comfort her, though he, too, was scared. He would admit it to himself, but he knew he must be brave for her; she was so frightened he feared it would break his heart. Still, he clutched her closer, keeping her little body sheltered in his own, "And you'll have me for all time," he swore in a whisper in her ear.
She buried her face in his neck, trembling softly. He was hiding it, but she knew he had to be scared. He had to be as terrified as she was; he had to be out of his mind with terror, to feel as though he was dying again. She clutched him, tears brimming in her eyes, but she knew she shouldn't cry; he was so strong, and she could not imagine being so tough in the face of this. Her arms tightened on him, and she looked up at him, the tears catching on her lashes, "You can't..." She took a breath. "You can't leave. You can't leave Evan," she said, fierce. She was determined to have a reason, to give him a reason to fight, to be strong, and she needed it, too.
He kissed her softly then, squeezing her in his arms. "Everything is going to be fine," he promised again. "And I would never leave Evan," he swore, feeling his heart twist in his chest at the mere thought of it; the child had just discovered that Ahkmenrah was his father. He wouldn't leave him, not like this. "Nor will I leave you," he added, squeezing her again, kissing her softly once more.
He saw the tears fall again, and she gave a little, trembling gasp, a broken smile on her face. "You'd better not," she threatened, but he knew how afraid she was. He knew how afraid he was, too. Still, she kissed him in return, capturing his lips fiercely, not letting him go until they were both breathless. "I love you," she breathed, still clutching him; the words were against his lips.
He smiled at her, and it was real, for the strength of her words. "I love you too, my little queen," he said, kissing her once more. "And I promise, all will be well." He paused suddenly, and he smiled at her, "I did bring your necklace back," he reminded gently.
"Keep it, love," she said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. "I don't think anyone's going to check your sarcophagus tomorrow...so when you wake up, you'll have it with you," she added, smiling, but her attempt at teasing was destroyed by the tears welling in her eyes. "You'll have me with you," she explained.
He liked the idea; though he'd felt the awful, sickening sensation when all the exhibits had been losing control, something had drawn his attention to the tight band around his arm. It had been warm from her skin when she'd clasped it around him, and his mind had called to that sensation, a reminder of her soothing warmth; it had been part of what kept him from panic—Larry had found him, nearly senseless, in the floor, but his hand had been tucked beneath his sleeve. He had found comfort in stroking the silky ribbon. "I thank you, my love," he offered, his voice gentle. "And I promise, when you and Larry find the solution, I shall return it to you."
She gave a reluctant nod, but at last, she knew they must part. She liked the idea; that he wouldn't need it, that he would be okay, but her heart was heavy and her head was pounding. Her emotions were relentless and she could feel her exhaustion, but she forced herself to believe him, despite her fear. She gave him one more kiss, and slowly slipped out of his arms, unable to keep from looking back even when Larry offered her his arm; he had promised to take her home. She barely managed to swallow her sob, but it escaped when the elevator doors closed, and Larry put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly. "We're going to take care of it," he assured.
She had to believe it, because she had no other option, and she allowed him to take her home; inside, when her mother saw her, asking what was wrong, she broke in to sobs that she barely muffled in the older woman's shoulder, gasping out an explanation, glad that her son slept so deeply; her mother had worn him out, somehow.
Emma, too, was worn out; she cried herself to sleep and every dream was a foul nightmare; she barely rested, feeling sick and dizzy by morning.
When Evan asked what was wrong, her mother told him that Ahkmenrah was sick and that Emma had to go and take care of him, and that Evan shouldn't be near him; it was very dangerous. Though not true, it was a lie that had to be made, and Emma slipped away from the hotel in utter misery.
When she met Larry, he paled. "You didn't sleep," he stated; there was not an ounce of a question in those three words.
"It would have been better if I hadn't," she corrected, clutching herself.
She looked small and vulnerable, and so unlike the confident young mother that he knew that he nearly hugged her himself, but he feared she might break apart if he gave her reason, so he made himself resist. "Nightmares?"
"Every single one," she admitted, and they began to climb the steps to the museum; they were heading toward the archive records to look up information on the tablet. "I've had some strange dreams, since I first met him...distantly familiar figures or endless desert...I mean, nothing solid, but I've never dreamed like that before," she muttered. "It's like I'm dreaming of Egypt," she added, and he saw her clutch her arms tighter around herself, "But last night...last night, I couldn't wake from my nightmares. I didn't understand them and I saw figures...figures I've never seen, and they were speaking in a language I don't understand, and...and I think...I think I saw...I think I saw someone kill him," she admitted, shaking. "It must have been his brother...I don't know," she said. "But I saw it every other dream," her voice squeaked, but it was so weak he had to strain to hear her. "And the others...the others, I don't know...I don't know that I'll ever sleep again," she breathed.
He was disturbed by that idea, by the thought that sleep wasn't rest, and he wondered how she was functioning; she looked as though she hadn't slept in weeks, not a single night, and she was hunched and drawn in to herself, and a thought slipped in to his mind; she had seen the pharaoh die. She had watched him be murdered. He couldn't imagine...despite their divorce, his relationship with Erica was still good. They were friends. To never see her again...to think of something happening to her...his heart ached. He knew now why she looked queasy and lost. He wondered, now, if she might feel as though her heart was broken, or even ripped from her chest.
They had to fix this.
It was not just the exhibits or the museum at risk...it was not only himself that would feel lost. Evan would lose a father, and Emma would lose the man she loved...the man she deemed had saved her life.
He was more determined than ever to find out what was wrong and fix it.
They made it inside and Larry managed, with some effort, to get the grumpy archives woman to tell him what he wanted to know, and to get her to let him bring Emma—he'd made up a quick story, which was something he was very, very good at, considering his background. They found the section they needed and, determined, set to reading everything in it.
Nothing.
They found nothing, and Emma was on the verge of tears, grasping desperately at straws as they traded theories in the dusty papers around them. Larry couldn't quite let go of a photo he'd found, wishing he knew where the people in it were right then; they were the ones that discovered the tablet in the first place, and the pharaoh with it. If anyone knew more than was recorded...if anyone knew anything, it would be the people that found it, wouldn't it? Or Ahkmenrah's father. He wondered if they could find where he was being displayed and go there; surely the Tablet would wake him up, too, and he could tell them how to fix it...
The archives woman came back to them some time later, and she questioned Larry about why he was interested; she didn't seem to care at all about Emma, as the younger woman had nothing to do with the museum.
He explained that it was just a hobby of his, and the woman seemed to buy it. But Larry was still holding that photo, "I wish I could talk to these guys," he said.
"Well, you can't," the woman said bluntly, sourly. "'Cause they're dead."
Larry took that in stride—perhaps because he was so accustomed to the insanity of the museum itself—and kept staring at the photo. "But, uh, look at that one." He pointed to one of the figures in the image; it looked like a little boy, not even old enough to have been out of school. Younger than his own son, even. The woman reached for the photo as she put down her coffee, "Looks like a kid, huh?"
The woman took the photo and seemed to stroke it, a smile on her face. Emma eyed her strangely, feeling exasperated. She was exhausted and her body was aching; her restless sleep had left her in dire need of rest and, worst of all, her heart felt absent. She felt like it was hiding in Ahkmenrah's tomb, bound up in his wrappings and tucked in his chest; she felt empty and cold. Somehow, the fear seemed to have stolen her warmth and her happiness, and though a part of her knew, beyond doubt, that she must be strong and take care of her son...a part of her would gladly give her very life to repair the tablet. It had given her a miracle, it had given her happiness and life, when she felt her world had ended. It had given her Evan, her dear, sweet son, and she loved him more dearly than anything in the world; though she loved Ahkmenrah, truly loved him, her son was her true heart. Her mother had always insisted that, once she was a mother, Emma would understand; she would love her husband, but her child would be everything, the air she breathed, even on the worst days.
She did understand.
And yet...yet, she did not know what she would do if she were to lose Ahkmenrah. Evan would be devastated; to be given his father and have him stolen away within days would rip his heart to shreds, and the little boy, Emma was sure, would be forever affected by the event.
She felt torn in two; she wanted, needed, to care for her son. She needed to be there for him. She needed to watch him grow. Yet she needed to save Ahkmenrah. She needed to save her husband, she needed to protect him.
The two were so very different, and yet irrevocably intertwined; Evan would be devastated to lose his father...and perhaps, even worse, to lose his mother.
But, in the hollow ache in her chest, she knew she would give nearly anything to keep Ahkmenrah, to give her son the father he deserved.
Her head began to swim and she felt sick. Tears brimmed in her eyes and she buried her head in her hands, doing her best to hide behind the barrier.
Larry noticed, and he reached out, putting his hand on her shoulder; he knew she needed it, and he felt her trembling in his grip. He didn't pressure her, but turned all his attention to the grumpy woman, "You didn't know him, did you?"
"C. J. Fredericks," she said. "He worked here."
"He worked here?" Larry sounded shocked, and his grip tightened on Emma's shoulder, though he didn't mean to hurt her—hope had leaped in to his chest at that news.
The woman looked at him like he was crazy, "Yeah, when he grew up," she barked in her sour tone, as though he should've known it.
"No."
"Yeah," she insisted. "He was a night guard. Same as you," she added, looking like she was waiting for the penny to drop.
"Wait a minute," he said, catching on. "C. J." He paused, and it began to bubble in to his mind, and his heart leaped—he knew! "C. J. Fredericks..." he turned to her, his hand squeezing tighter on Emma's shoulder, "Cecil Fredericks?"
As the strange, grumpy woman went on to talk about her attraction to the previous night guard, Emma's heart began to bang against her chest. Larry knew this guy. Larry knew who they were talking about, what they were talking about, and she began to feel a faint thread of hope tugging the life back in to her body. "Larry," she breathed, and the guard turned to look at her, finding her eyes wide and pleading.
"Yeah," he said, knowing precisely what she was thinking. They thanked the woman and left, nearly at a dead run—Emma insisted.
They arrived at a retirement home and Emma wondered, faintly, if the man would even still be alive...but they found him, dancing with multiple women, and he greeted Larry with a smile and a handshake. Emma listened to them talk, listened to the old man—and then two more—deny the night guard, and the woman was on the verge of screaming at the top of her lungs; she was at a loss and didn't know what to do and she had to do something, anything, and it threatened to burst from her in the only way she could.
But Larry had his head on straight. Larry pulled out the picture, and the old man changed his tune in an instant, and Emma followed the two men, grabbing on to Larry's jacket; she feared she would burst if she didn't have an outlet, and the grip she had on the night guard was telling enough that he didn't even think to shake her off.
They went outside, in to a greenhouse, and despite the cold, Emma found herself numb to it; she needed information. She needed it now. The two men went back and forth, and surprisingly, the old man never said a word about her presence. He just explained what had happened; he admitted that he'd been drawn to the tablet from the moment he saw it, that it had stuck with him for endless years. And when Larry explained what was happening, he blurted out an ominous statement, "'The end will come.'"
Emma's hand clawed at her knee, "What?"
"The locals, they warned us," he said, his eyes turning to her like he hadn't seen her, at first. "They begged us to leave that tomb alone." He paused, his attention turning back to Larry, "And I thought it meant the end of the world." He stopped again, his eyes going wide and worried, "But maybe it meant the end..."
"End of the magic?" It was Larry's voice, and Emma's voice came out in a sob—her chest ached so hard her hand went to it, clutching at her heart.
"We should have listened," Cecil said, slowly. "Should have listened," he said again, angrier. "Instead, we shipped Ahk and the tablet off to New York..." he paused again, finally looking at Larry, "and his folks to England."
Larry stopped short, like Cecil had punched him, and then his words came out faster, "Wait, wait." He leaned closer to the old man, "Ahkmenrah's parents are in England?"
"It was a joint expedition," Cecil explained. "Some of the artifacts stayed in Egypt. The rest was divided up between New York and the British Museum," he finished.
"Ahk said that his father knew the secrets of the tablet," Larry said, hopeful. "I think I have to go talk to him," he added, thoughtful.
"Larry," Emma breathed, "I have to go. I have to come with you," she said, grabbing on to his sleeve again.
"Emma, you have to take care of Evan," he protested. "Imagine what Ahk would think if you—"
"Ahk can deal with it," she spat, her eyes fierce. "I'll bring Evan and my mother and if you won't take me with you, I'll just meet you there," she said, staring at the man with the most determined expression he'd ever seen. "I'm not going to stand idly by and wait to hear if things get fixed. I won't. That magic gave me my life, it gave me hope, and I would rather die than not fight to protect it," she declared. "And I won't wait here, when it could be the last time Evan could see his father. I won't wait here when it could be the last chance I have, Larry, and you can't stop me from coming along," she said, on her feet now, clutching his sleeve, but more fierce than ever.
Larry stared at her in awe, surprised that the shy young woman he'd first met had become so fierce, but he knew he shouldn't let her, "But Evan—"
"Is coming with me," she hissed, tugging his sleeve.
"It'll be dangerous," he tried again.
"You should know a mother will protect her child from anything, everything. I daresay you'll be safer with us there, for that matter," she insisted.
"Larry, let the girl go," Cecil injected, seeming amused. "No wonder you're divorced."
Of course the night guard resented that statement, but he sighed. "Passport?"
"Got it. We've gone to Canada."
"What about your mother?"
"I'll go back and talk to her."
He sighed again, "Ahk is going to murder me..."
"He can do it after the tablet is fixed," she said, tugging him to his feet. "Thank you, Cecil."
The old man seemed more amused than ever, but he heard them discussing the plan; Emma would talk to her mother and Evan and meet Larry back at the museum as soon as possible. She gave the man a quick hug, fleeing the retirement home, and took off running at top speed. Larry, too, knew it was time to go, so he thanked Cecil, too, and bid him goodbye.
He would have to convince McPhee to let him take two of his precious exhibits with him to another country...and that, he thought, was going to be very difficult. With a deep breath, he decided to go at once. He couldn't deny that they didn't have any time to spare.
When McPhee had approved the plan, he found Emma waiting outside for him, "I have to go get my son from school," he said slowly. "But we're leaving tonight."
Emma froze up, "But...but Ahk...Ahk will be locked...in a crate...in a plane," she said, slowly.
"I know he's got claustrophobia," he said quickly. "But I don't think we can wait." He smiled at her, though, "We'll tell him tonight...we won't have long, since they'll be packing him up shortly after sunset, but..."
She hesitated, but nodded, "...I suppose...you're right," she admitted, at last. She hesitated, "Evan's coming with us, and my mother. She said...just in case, she wanted to be there," she explained.
They were walking now, "We're going to fix it," he said quickly, trying to reassure her. "It can't be too hard to find Ahk's parents there...I mean, they probably have an Egyptian wing, and I'm sure they'd be on display there," he said slowly.
She shivered, "Have you made flight plans?"
"No, I have to argue with my son about him coming along," he said begrudgingly. "I can't leave him here. He threw a party last night and he's going to be in trouble until he graduates," he grumbled.
"Teenager?"
"Senior in high school," he confirmed.
She chuckled, "I remember those times...but, if I may," she said slowly, "I'm also a parent...and while Evan isn't that old yet..." She paused here, but she sighed. "He's at the age where you can't control him and teenagers...well, they think they know everything," she murmured. "I should know. So...maybe, in this case, take a deep breath, and walk through it a step at a time. Talk to him and give him a bit of space. As stubborn as teenagers are, they won't learn until they experience it themselves," she explained.
He thought that over, "You should know, as a parent...I can't just...leave him to it," he said, slowly.
"I didn't say to do that," she said quickly, smiling. "You can't control him, no, but you can sit down and talk to him. May I ask what's going on?"
They crossed a street as Larry thought about it. "He doesn't want to go to college. Wants a year off," he explained.
"That's quite common in other countries, actually," she said quickly. "Of course, it also so happens that education is much less expensive in many other places..." She thought about that. "Do you know what he wants to do?"
"No," he admitted. "I didn't really give him a chance to tell me."
She thought about that for a while. "Might I suggest talking to him? Mind you, let him know you're not agreeing—you just want to know what he wants to do." She flashed him a quick smile, "Say he wants to road trip it across the US...give him a semester off. Not a full year, but a little time and freedom," she suggested.
He gave that a couple blocks of thought. "You know...you're right," he said slowly. "Maybe I'll just talk to him," he murmured thoughtfully.
"That's all you have to do, really," she said softly. "Give him an ear."
He nodded, but they fell in to silence, both thinking, and went to collect Larry's son; with introductions made, they went to pack bags for the two men, and then headed to the museum—they had to tell Ahkmenrah what was going on.
As sour as Nick was about the whole thing, even he seemed to care about the tablet, for he met Ahkmenrah in his tomb with the others. The tablet awoke him, and they heard his sharp breath; it was rattling and on the verge of painful, but he was climbing out moments later, and Emma reached in to help him out carefully. He looked worried, and worn, and they saw his hand slip beneath his sleeve, rubbing the ribbon there, until he was fully free and could wrap his wife in his arms. He gathered her close and kissed her slowly, bringing tears to her eyes, "Still here, love," he soothed.
She nodded in to his neck, but she kept her arms around him. "You...um...you're still...claustrophobic, aren't you?"
He stiffened in her grasp. "Regretfully, it seems something that has not quite faded with time," he admitted.
"I'm sorry," she said, and she pulled back to meet his eyes. "But...but we...might have found a solution."
When he asked, Larry and Emma managed to explain, a little hastily, the situation...and the fact that Ahkmenrah would have to climb back in to his sarcophagus for them to move him. The pharaoh shivered, looking, wearily, back at the tiny space he'd been freed from, "I...suppose I must," he said slowly, "To...figure this out."
Emma reached beneath the sleeve of his cloak, rubbing the ribbon she'd placed there so carefully, "Focus on this. Think of Evan."
He nodded slowly, "Yes. I shall have to be strong, if only for him." He glanced behind her, worried, "Is he...?"
"Mom is packing us all up and getting them to the airport," she explained. "I promised to meet them there, as soon as we could," she said softly.
His features hardened, "It is far too dangerous for either of you," he said swiftly, shaking her once, gently, but frightened for her safety. "A first night with the tablet in a new museum will have unknown dangers. I will not allow you to do any such thing," he insisted.
"Unless you kill me—and the tablet would just get me back up, I imagine—you can't do one thing to stop me. I won't wait idly by while my husband works to save his life," she declared. "I won't allow you to condemn me to pacing my hotel room, waiting for a phone call with news. The last phone call about my life was a sour one. I won't take another phone call that could rip my heart to shreds. I will give my all to fix this problem and you can't change my mind," she insisted, more fierce than ever.
The pharaoh watched her, thinking over that, but at last, he gave a heavy sigh and leaned his forehead against hers, "I daresay that this king would be nothing without his queen...and I know well enough when my queen has made up her mind," he said slowly. "But should it become dangerous, I expect you to run as far and as fast as you can with Evan. He is far more important," he declared, squeezing her once. "Promise me that."
"I will protect Evan...but I intend to protect you, too, Ahk. Evan would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you," she said, and her smile was weak and her eyes were on the verge of tears. "So. Do you think you can...?"
"I shall think of both of you," he said softly, slowly. "Would you..." He trailed off, and he shook his head. "I do not want you to see me. You three must leave, mustn't you?"
Larry nodded, "We need to catch a flight. Are you gonna be okay?"
He nodded, and the others left—they had too much to do to linger, and Emma stayed only long enough to kiss her husband slowly, offering her love.
End Chapter
Well, that's not precisely as the movie was originally, but I think it's relatively close for adding in an entirely new character and such. Anyway, the latter bit is me thinking that, after Ahk found out he had to be shipped off, he probably went to Teddy, and Teddy told the others, and it just turned in to this big mess that had a bunch of exhibits as stowaways.
Also, Emma's dreams are not premonitions or borrowing the memories of others; the tablet has affected her in the past and I imagine that the tablet does some memory recovery; these are just bits and pieces that might have reflected the time in which it was created and the life it calls back to Ahk's mind. So, with its history with her, I think she probably still has some of its magic in her, to raise Evan the way she has, and I think, with its foul behavior, it might, in fact, affect her, too.
Anyway, enough with my explanations. Thank you all for your continued support and love; you guys are all amazing, and I appreciate every review, follow, and favorite I get for this, and for myself as an author. You guys honestly just make my day and my heart soars when I get these wonderful messages.
Thank you all so much!
