Twenty-Seven: Goodbyes and New Beginnings

Almost instantly, everyone was revived. Dexter leapt up into Larry's arms and the friends embraced.

Following their moment of triumph, Larry turned to Lancelot who stood looking out at the nighttime London skyline. "Hey, thank you."

Lancelot turned away for a moment, fixing his still melting nose. When he turned back, his nose was slightly crooked, but mostly fixed. "How do I look?"

Larry smiled. "Just like Lancelot."

Back at the museum, Ahk presented his parents with the fixed tablet.

"Well done, my child," said his mother.

His father approached Larry. "Thank you for bringing my son home safely. It's a strange thing, watching your boy become a man."

"Yeah, it's crazy," agreed Larry, looking at Nick. "One day, they're riding a dinosaur through Central Park, and then the next they're DJ-ing in Ibiza."

The Pharaoh appeared confused for a moment, before shaking it off. "You have served my family well. We shall build a great tomb and bury you with many riches. I personally will see to it that your organs are removed and placed in separate, jewel-encrusted jars."

Larry nodded. "Uh, thank you-" He'd have to ask Nat about that later.

"Lawrence," said Teddy, waving him over. "The others and I have been talking..."

"Ahkmenrah belongs here with his family," said Octavius. "And he should remain here."

"And the tablet should remain here with him, Son," added Teddy.

"This is where it belongs, Gigantor."

"Yeah, but, that would mean you guys would have to stay."

"We belong in New York," said Sac, Attila agreeing in his native tongue.

"Yeah but if you guys go, you won't be alive after tonight," Larry reminded them.

"We're museum exhibits, Gigantor," Jed reminded him. "It's what we are. Folks come to look at us, maybe learn a little something. That's alive, man. There's worse fates."

"B-but-" Larry couldn't believe it. "I'm supposed to take care of you guys."

"And you have," Teddy assured him. "It's okay Lawrence, we're ready."

Larry shook his head. "But I'm not."

Teddy gave him a reassuring smile. "Let us go, Son."

Larry looked as though he were about to protest further.

"Larry," Nat said gently. He looked to her and Nicky who were nodding in agreement.

"Thank you for bringing me back home to my family Larry," said Ahk. "Guardian of Brooklyn. Now it is time for you to return to your family."

"Dad, if we leave now we can still catch a flight, and get home with everyone still awake before the sun comes up," said Nicky.

"Yeah, okay," said Larry, still baffled. "Let's go home."

"Farewell Young Nick, Sir Larry," Lancelot said when bidding them farewell. "And Lady Natasha, his Guinevere."

"Thanks again, Sir Lancelot."

"It sure is quiet around here," remarked Jed when they arrived back home.

"Without the tablet it's just like any other museum," agreed Octavius.

Laaa came up to Larry. He held his hands out in front of himself. "Dada stay."

Larry chuckled tearfully. "Thanks man but – I-I can't."

He said goodbye to his friends one by one. "I guess this is it," he sighed to Teddy.

"Indeed. And I know young Nick will do great things."

"Yeah," agreed Larry. "He's a great kid, all ready to take on the world, all by himself." He sounded choked up.

"Then you've done your job. And now onto the next adventure. I wish you the best of luck and great happiness, to you, Nick, and Miss Bentley."

"I have no idea what I'm going to do tomorrow," Larry admitted.

"How exciting." Teddy smiled and stepped up onto Tex's back. "Smile my boy, it's sunrise."

Sunlight began to pour in through the windows, flooding the lobby.

Larry looked up at the now still statue of the former president one last time. "Bye, Teddy."

He found Nat standing in the centre of her exhibit, in about the same place she had been standing when they had first met. She stared sadly around at the now very empty exhibit but smiled when she saw him.

"Hey, you going to be okay?" she asked, coming over. He looked like he could break down any second.

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling a little. "You?"

"Yeah." She smiled back. Then she looked back at the exhibit. "Most of my exhibit's gone so, looks like I'm out of a job now."

"Yeah, me too." He nodded.

"I'm proud of you, you know. You did the right thing, taking Ahk home, even though it wasn't easy."

"Yeah, family."

She smiled. "Yeah."

They hugged, holding each other supportively for a moment. Then, taking hands, they left the museum one last time.

Nick was waiting for them on the front steps. "Hey, you good?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"So, Ibiza," said Larry.

"Yeah," chuckled Nick. "Listen, Dad, I don't know if this whole DJ thing is the thing for me, but it's the thing for me right now. After that, I don't know, maybe college. I'm figuring it all out, you know?"

Larry nodded. He smiled and patted Nick on the shoulder. "Sounds like a plan."

Nick smiled. "Thanks, Dad. I'd better get to Mom's."

"Okay, I love you."

"Love you too, Dad." The two hugged.

"I'm not going to let you go," said Larry.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Nick pulled away and hugged Nat too. "I'll see you guys later." The two watched him head off down the street.

Nat touched Larry's arm. "You sure you're going to be okay?"

"Yeah. Listen, Nat, I was thinking about what Teddy said about moving on to the next adventure, which is appropriate cause there's something I've been wanting to ask you-" He reached into his pocket, then froze. He started patting his pockets, then sighed. "Oh crap-" Right, he'd left the ring at home, not wanting to risk losing it in London. "Uh, well, I had this all planned out before, and I'm a bit of a mess, but, here goes-" He reached out and took her hands in his. "Natasha Bentley."

She smiled as though she might suspect. "Larry Daley."

"Will you – will you marry me?"

She sniffled and her hands flew to her mouth. Now she was beaming, a watery-eyed smile. "Now look who's the mess." She wiped at her eyes, smearing tear-stains across her cheeks. "Yes."

"Yeah?"

"Yes!"

"This wasn't exactly what I planned. It was supposed to be sooner, and there is a ring, I promise-"

"Hey, it's perfect," she assured him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Smiling too, he wrapped his arms around her waist and they kissed.

"Yeah! Woo hoo!"

They broke apart and turned to see Nicky standing across the street, cheering. He must have sensed what was about to happen and paused in his walk to wait and see. "Yeah! I get to do the music at your wedding, right?"

Nat and Larry laughed. Then the two embraced again, sharing a tender kiss upon the steps of the Museum of Natural History in the early morning light.

'Sniffle'. These movies had such a touching ending!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)