The One with The Goodbye

*trips down stairs, lands face first into a rubbish bin.*
oh uh hey there friends. Long time no see, uhm how has everyone been?
I've been great – yeah…
so on with the story.

-x-

Stella felt the small notion of excitement bubble in her stomach as the gang ran up the stairs of the theatre. It could have been the fact that their counter was running out, or the fact that the people who were starring as Arthur and Gwen were probably two of her favourites at the moment. Hugh Jackman. If I'm lucky I'll bump into my fellow Aussie. Stella had to control herself from fist bumping the air. One because it looked weird when no one else knew why you were doing so and two her…boyfriend was kinda dying along with all of the others. Right celebrate this fact later. When you aren't going to look like a massive prick. They knew what stage they were headed too because the hue and cry coming from said stage audience kind of gave it away. Then came the massive storm of people trying to leave the room.

The group managed to push past the scared audience with Larry up front calling out Lancelot's name. Hurrying up the steps to the stage, Stella almost stumbled over her own two feet as she saw Huge Ackman* standing there, in the Camelot costume, while his face was drawn in an utter confused expression.

"Yeah, come on up." He said waving his hand towards the group, as they stumbled onto the stage and towards Lancelot, who was backing out towards the door that accessed the roof. "Oh, monkeys. Terrific." Stella beamed slightly as she caught the fellow Aussie's stare, and was about to open her mouth, when her hand was grabbed and she was pulled towards the stage. Stella could only watch on in sadness as Larry back tracked and praised Hugh.

"Sorry. I just gotta say, you're the whole package, man." Larry uttered as he gave him the thumbs up. Alice and Hugh looked at each other and then back at Larry, wearing a smile.

"Thanks, buddy." Larry turned back on his heel and rushed towards the more important matter at hand. Though Stella had to tug against Ahkmenrah's grip as she leaned towards the two actors.

"Hugh! Fellow Aussie! Gotta say, you make the rest of them look half decent." Though she never got to hear his response as they all stumbled out onto the roof. Her moment of 'fangirlness' faded as she saw Lancelot standing near the edge of the roof, he wasn't seriously thinking of jumping off the roof. Was he? He'd probably survive the fall, maybe. Not possible in anyway.

"Hey! Give me the tablet!" Larry called out as he rushed over to stand in front of Lancelot, his hand held out in case the knight decided to use the torch that he was holding in his other hand against him.

"Stand back!" Lancelot called as he moved the torch from his face. Revealing … a very melted nose. Stella had to slap a hand across her lips to stop the snort that threatened to escape them. Her other hand tightened its grip against Ahk's, as she turned away from the scene and buried her head against his shoulder. It was pretty funny to look at.

"Whoa!" she heard her brother exclaim. She could only imagine that Larry's face was scrunched up as he stared at the melted nose.

"Back!" Lancelot called, before there was an audible silence. "What?" The knight spoke up finally, as Stella lifted her head and turned back to face the scene in front of her. A hand still firmly plastered across her lips. God why was it incredibly funny?

"Your nose, it's…" Larry started but didn't know how to finish his sentence, he made an action with his hand, showing that his nose had started to melt downwards.

"What about my nose?" Lancelot's expression was confused and utterly concerned that someone had found a flaw in his appearance.

"Your nose is dripping." Larry finished. Stella did really want to stay glued onto the conversation between her brother and the knight, but her attention really needed to be placed on Ahkmenrah. His grip was faltering in hers and she started to chew the inside of her lips. His skin was a grey colour that she really wished she would never have to see. But there it was, the man she lo…

He was dying in front of her. He was dying all over again.

Her body instinctively shifted closer to his, hoping that she could at least give him some of her body heat, even if she was freezing cold. This couldn't be it. Not after everything they had gone through, with the last eight years of their lives practically joined at the hip. The two of them shared a bond that most of the other exhibits couldn't understand. That even her brother couldn't understand, and he had the same. A bond with the exhibits. They were family.

"I'm sorry man. I know that's hard to hear. But right now, you really have to give me the tablet. Please." Stella let her head drop again, blonde hair falling into her face. They were still arguing with Lancelot. They needed that tablet.

"And what then?" asked the knight. "Back to the museum? To stand there as little children ogle… and point?"

"And learn," Teddy's voice broke the small silence that entered in between. "And get inspired to do great things of their own. There are less noble fates, my friend." Stella couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips. She had her head leant against Ahk's shoulder, one arm wrapped around his waist, managing just enough strength to hold him up.

"Not for me, there aren't." The knight shook his head and Stella held in a groan. "If there is no Camelot…there is no Guinevere and no Lancelot. Then I'm nothing. Just a sad lump of wax." His eyes flashed with a glare and Stella felt her stomach drop to her feet. They weren't going to get the tablet back in time. There had to be something she could do? Distract him? Tackle him to the floor? Mention his melted nose again? "Stop looking at my nose!" came a shout.

"I wasn't." Larry spoke up as his hands came up to defend him against the rather large sword.

"You were, I saw you." Lancelot leaned forward, making his nose move with the faint wind. Stella scoffed slightly and tried to turn it into a cough, but Lancelot had caught on and pointed to her. "You especially!" Stella frowned and made to retort back, but a squeeze of her hand had her shutting her mouth. "You were like this…hmm hmm. Staring."

"I wasn't like that." Larry rebutted and that went on for what felt like a year and a half. With Larry finally stopping the bantering with the same question. "Could you give me the tablet, please?" stepping towards Lancelot, who stepped back, holding the tablet out of reach. "Give me the tablet." Larry forward. Lancelot back. "If you give me the tablet, I promise I won't look." Again another round of 'do not look at my nose.' Before Stella snapped and pulled away from Ahk, moving down the stairs.

"Oh my god. Will you two just … stop!" Her voice was raised and everyone paused to look at her. Larry rose a brow and she gave him an icy blue stare. "Seriously, if you keep bantering like this - everyone is going to end up dead and then we'll have no one to save." Her accent grew in thickness as her anger grew. It was a surprise that anyone could still actually understand her. "Jesus…stop acting like five years. Lancelot will you give my brother the fucking tablet. Please?" that stopped everyone again. Stella hardly swore. There were the odd occasions, like if she hurt herself badly, or she was really really pissed off with you. But the silence didn't last long when the tablet started to glow again. There was a thud on the floor, Stella turned and spotted that Attila had fallen to the floor, his whole body frozen, next she saw Teddy go stiff and fall back against the glass of the windowed ceiling.

"Lawrence." Teddy spoke as Sacajawea froze as well, her expression filled with worry and Stella copied that expression as her head spun towards Ahkmenrah. He was losing his breath and his skin grew a darker grey. She took off back up the stairs.

"Larry," Ahk spoke, leaning against the railing, his skin almost crumbling under the power of the tablet. "We've run out of time." Stella could feel her heart beating in her chest, it was quick and hard and it hurt so badly. Ahk fell to the floor, his arms still wrapped around the railing, as she almost fell on top of him.

"No, no, no, no. Come on, Ahk," she muttered as she scooted across the snow covered concrete, placing her hands on either side of his face. "Please don't do this. You have to keep fighting, Ahk." Her voice cracked only slightly, her head tilting to the side as she could hear the slow intake of his breath. Stella looked around hopeless on what she could do, her whole life seemed to fading away all around her. Her head turned back to watch Ahk, making sure that he was leaning at least half against her.

"I understand now. The monkey was the quest." Lancelot's voice filled Stella's ears and her head shifted slightly to look through the railing, to see the knight holding out the tablet to Larry. Her heart rate picked up again. "It was never about the tablet. It was about them." Yeah yeah, okay we can have the pleasantries when they all come back to life. Stella thought irritably, her hands keeping their grip against Ahk's forearms. "Forgive me. It is I who have been the fool." Larry grabbed the tablet, standing up from his position over Dexter and started to fix the pieces on the face, making sure that they were all facing the same way. It made a noise, and Stella could almost feel the power the tablet was giving off. It felt like ages, before the moonlight hit the tablet and it started to glow again. This time gold and the dull green corrosion faded away. Everyone slowly started coming back to life.

Stella felt Ahk breathe in against her shoulder, and he pulled back. His face no longer covered in cracks, his brown eyes were wide again. A laugh escaped her lips. "You're back!" she breathed out, her hands almost clenching too tight against his skin. "You're back. You are back." She repeated over again, her eyes tracing over every inch of his features.

"I'm back, Stella." Ahkmenrah let the smile that was on his face widen as he leaned forward, letting his lips gently place on Stella's. Her body froze for a second, before her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed him back. Harder than before. Pulling away she let her head bury itself against the crook of his neck. "I'm back." Her arms tightened their grip around him, before she reluctantly pulled away. Ahk stood up first and offered her his hand, a grin appeared on her face as she took it and jumped up onto her feet again. Only to be suddenly pulled down the stairs and into the massive group hug between the others, and for Larry to hold out the tablet towards Ahkmenrah.

"Here's your tablet." He then pulled the Pharaoh into a hug. Stella watched from her position beside Sacajawea with a bright smile on her lips. It was then after all the celebrating had tone down, they all turned to face Lancelot, who was staring out over London, before his head slowly turned towards the group again. It was Larry, who stepped away from the group and moved over to the knight. "Hey thank you." Lancelot turned away again, his nose was still melted, and pushed it back into place. Well as best he could. It sagged slightly and was crooked. Stella had to press her hand to her mouth again.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"Like someone punched you in the face." Stella mumbled and Sacajawea nudged her side, shushing her.

"You look like Lancelot." Silence then filled the air, before Stella pulled away from Sac.

"Well – I don't know about you lot, but I am really kinda hoping that we could go back to the museum now?" she questioned looking at the back of Larry's head, before he turned around and nodded. Stepping away from Lancelot and called the group over with a wave of his hand, before they all walked back inside of the theatre. "Because I also really have to pee." There was a wave of groans throughout the group as Stella snorted from the back of her throat. They were back.

-x-

Stella breathed out through her lips as her hands ringed together. She knew that something was off when they decided to walk back to the museum, Ahk had seemed too quiet. His gaze only placed on the tablet that he held between his hands for the whole journey back, which was when he grabbed onto Stella's arm, pulling her back from the group. Telling the others that they'd join them in a moment, the second she met his gaze, her stomach dropped and her heart started to beat faster. That could be a problem. Maybe I should have that checked? The thought crossed her mind for a second before she nodded her head slowly. She knew what he wanted, of course he wanted that. He just found his mum and dad again, who would want to leave your parents after 2000 years alone.

"Yeah - I understand." Was her reply. Ahk's only response was a gentle kiss against her forehead, like now he was afraid to touch her. So when they reached the Egyptian wing, her sudden fear of being left alone crept up into her subconscious. Pressure had built up behind her eyes as she stepped back with the rest of the group, watching the interactions between Larry and Nick and Ahk's parents. Oooh she planned on not crying, nor did she plan on not not crying. Her lip felt raw from where she had been biting down, too hard.

Larry had come over to her, placing a hand against her arm. She looked up at her older brother. "Just - let me say goodbye." She muttered. Larry looked at his watch and then back towards Ahkmenrah, who was surrounded by his mum and dad, his eyes every once in a while jumping to his blonde.

"Yeah. Of course. We'll wait for you outside." Stella nodded her head and watched as he jogged slightly to catch up with the rest of the group. It was only a couple of seconds before she realised that Ahkmenrah was standing in front of her. They could only just stare at each other for what felt like years, the one sided conversation between Lancelot and the now dubbed 'Trixie' seemed to fade when Ahk stepped closer to her, almost trapping her against the wall behind her. Stella could just see over the top of his shoulder, that his parents seemed to be watching the spectacle in front of them. Their eyes held an unknown emotion, well unknown to what she could tell.

So Stella took a deep breath and let her ocean blue eyes find his chocolate brown ones. She licked her top lip, as she shuffled in her spot, her hands still clenching together in front of her. "Am I going to see you again soon?" the questioned was asked in such a soft tone that Ahkmenrah felt like he hadn't of heard her properly. He didn't know how to answer, his hand coming up and pushing some of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"I'm not sure." Was his response, as said hand came to rest against her neck, just below her ear. The glistening in her eyes pulled something in the pit of his stomach, well if he still had one. "But that does not mean we will never see each other, Stella."

"All those years ago when I left to go home," she started having to take a breath in, just to keep the tears from falling. "I didn't know what I was doing. There nothing for me back home. So why did I go home?" the question was rhetorical, but Stella's eyes dropped from Ahk's gaze, her hands pulled away from each other only to grab onto the sides of Ahk's cape. "It was because…I was running. I was running from - the museum, from the others…from you." Her head moved back up as they met each other's gaze again. Her grip against his cape tightened. Ahk unconsciously stepped closer again, they seemed so close that he could feel her body heat and almost hear the sound of her rapidly beating heart. "Running from what I felt…for you." There was no point in holding back those tears, as one quickly slid down her pale cheek.

"From me?" Ahk asked. He almost knew what her reply was going to be. Considering that he had felt like running away from those exact same feelings that Stella was talking about. Ahkmenrah then bowed his head, moving his hand from the base of her neck to press against the wall and ever so slightly place a kiss against her cheek. Kissing away her tear. He could feel her breath against his neck as she sighed heavily. In the back of his mind, he was thanking his parents from slipping out of the room quietly.

"I…fell in love and I shouldn't have," Stella answered, her hands moving from his cape to rest on either side of his neck, pulling him back slightly. "And you shouldn't have either."

"Stella…" he tried to say but her fingers slightly curled against his skin and hair on his neck as she shook her head.

"No, Ahkmenrah. We shouldn't have … because … I am going to grow old and you're going to stay the same. Year after year and eventually I'll be gone and I don't want you…" she was cut off when he leaned forward again and placed his lips against her cheek again.

"Don't think about that. Just focus on the here and now and the here and now is much more important than the future." A small laugh escaped her lips. Ahk's hands moved to grip onto hers and pull them away from his neck. He placed light kisses against each palm of her hand before looking back up at her. "Stella, I love you…" she looked down more tears threatening to fall.

"No…" came the soft whine from her lips.

"…and no matter how far apart we are. That will never change." A sob seemed to escape her lips. "I will love you forever."

"Ahk you can't…" he never let her finish however when his head ducked and his lips met her own for the fourth time that night. Stella stood frozen for a minute, before she reacted. Eyes instantly shut and her arms pulled from his grip and wrapped around his neck again. Lips moving against each other, they were met with the taste of salty tears. Pulling away, Stella heaving in a heavy breath, Ahk then pulled her into a hug, her face burying itself into the crook of his neck.

"I love you too." Came the muffled reply through the silent sobs of the blonde. It might have seemed unrealistic, but when you spend every night time with a person, you tend to have deeper feelings for them. Even if they never acted upon them before, it was better late than never.

"Be safe, my love."

-x-

*peeks from rubbish bin* is it safe to come out yet?
hahaaa, yep sorry for disappearing from this fandom,
just everything else happened and life happened. But
I watched Mr. Robot tonight and I think I feel in love
with Rami all over again and then I watched the movie
again & go sh darnit.

I really hope Ahk wasn't too out of character for the ending?
and
ha haaaa yeah I hope you like TH At ending.