Here's chapter six!

Part Two

Battle of the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.

Six

Change

Two years later...

After school Nick Daley walked over to the Museum of Natural History.

"Hi Rebecca," he said to the docent sitting at the front desk.

She looked up and smiled. "Hello Nick."

"Is Natasha here?" he asked.

"Yes. She'll either be in her office or in Ancient Egypt."

"Okay thanks."

He headed first to her exhibit, but found it only occupied by people visiting the museum. So he headed to her office. The door was ajar and he knocked.

She was organizing some papers at her desk and looked up when he knocked, smiling when she saw him. "Oh hey Nick. How are you?"

He smiled back. "Good, you?"

"Oh, good. Just decided to stop in for a visit?"

"Yeah, I pass by here on my way home to my mom's from school, so I thought I'd come say hi."

"Well I'm glad you did. How's school going?"

"Oh pretty good. History's my best class."

She smiled. "It was always my best too." There was a pause before she asked, "how's your dad doing?"

"Oh, he's good, I actually haven't seen him in a while cause he's been really busy with work. They just released their newest product so it's been kind of crazy there."

She nodded. "Well, tell him I say hi when you see him."

"I will." He really liked Natasha, and he could tell his dad did too, so he had been disappointed when they stopped going on dates due to his dad's new company. 'Too busy with work' was his excuse. That always seemed to be his excuse now. Nick thought that maybe his dad was a little nervous about starting a new relationship when his last one had failed. But his mom had found happiness with someone else, so why shouldn't his dad?

"It's done. They leave tomorrow morning. It's over." With that, McPhee left, leaving Larry there alone as the sun set.

He couldn't believe it - half of these guys were being shipped away to the Federal Archives at the Smithsonian. He had to do something. But what?

He was pulled from his thoughts then when he felt something nudge his shoulder. Turning around, he saw that it was Rexy, always the first to wake up.

"Hey, hey buddy," he said, rubbing the T-Rex's nose. "How're you doing?" Rexy shook his tail and reached for the bag in Larry's hands. "Oh, do you think I've got something in here for you? Maybe a rope-" He withdrew the thick rope he had brought. Rexy grabbed one end between his teeth and began swinging it around, Larry fighting to hang on. Then Rexy gave a great shake of his head, sending Larry flying across the room, landing near the pile of crates, which one by one began to open.

"Larry?"

He turned to see Natasha, just leaving for the day, come into the room.

He scrambled to his feet. "Oh, hey Natasha. How are you?" Why did he always get into embarrassing situations right as she entered the room?

She smiled. "I'm well, thanks, you? How's your business going?"

"Oh, good, yeah, pretty good."

"It's funny, actually, I saw you on TV the other day, advertising your latest product."

"Oh, yeah." He gestured to all the crates. "So, this, huh?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I talked to McPhee over and over again but there's really nothing I could do. He said it's the board's decision."

"Lawrence!" called Teddy, riding over on the back of Tex. "Good to see you lad!"

"Yeah, you too Teddy," Larry said, shaking his hand.

"Ah, it would seem that the Guardian of Brooklyn has returned," said Ahk.

"Hey Ahk. Listen, McPhee told me what's going on here, I had no idea."

"Indeed, a lot has happened since your last visit," explained Teddy. "One would say that-"

He was interrupted then by Larry's phone beeping. "Sorry, just a second," Larry said, checking it.

"Hey! Anyone? A little help over here!" came Jed's muffled voice then. Larry walked over to a smaller crate and lifted the lid, finding all of the Western and Roman miniatures.

"Well, lookie here. If it isn't Mr. Big-in-the-Britches himself," said Jed when he saw Larry. "Come back just in time to see us off."

"Yeah I heard. Listen, Jed, I don't even know how this happened-" Again his phone went off.

"Well, maybe the answers on that little buzzing box in your hand. You weren't here Gigantor, that's how it happened!"

"The truth is Larry, without you there's no one here to speak on our behalf during business hours," explained Octavius. "There is Lady Natasha, of course, but with her focus being on the Ancient Egypt exhibit she can't be there for us all. She's done all she can for us."

The Neanderthals began grunting all at once, as if to emphasize his point.

"Hey guys, it's okay," Larry assured them. "I call the board in the morning. I've got some pull now, I'll handle this. We're going to be okay."

"'We?'" repeated Jed. "Do you hear him? There ain't been a 'we' here since you put us on the 'pay no mind' list, and that's a cold place to be boy."

"Larry what's done is done," insisted Octavius. "Even the glory of Rome had to come to an end."

Larry sighed. "Well, maybe it won't be so bad." Attila spoke accusingly. "Yes, you make a good point," Larry agreed. "But this is the Smithsonian we're talking about here." Dexter chittered. "Dexter, you don't know that."

"You're missing the point Gigantor, they're shipping us out!" cried Jed.

"Larry I know that you're trying to make us feel better," said Octatvius. "I can tell that you're genuinely, slightly bothered. But it's never going to be the same, all of us together here in this place."

"It ain't never going to be home boy," sighed Jed.

"Jedediah please," said Teddy. "Lawrence, these are emotional times for all of us, but it is our last night together as a family, and I don't want to see it squandered in self-pity. So who will join me for one final stroll through these hallowed halls?"

The others agreed and wandered off, some giving Larry glares on their way by.

"Don't take it too personally," Natasha said. "They just missed you. We all did."

At the end of the night, everyone was getting back into their crates.

"It's almost dawn Lawrence," said Teddy.

"Yeah, so where's your crate Teddy?"

"I won't be making this journey Lawrence. It seems myself, Rexy, and a few of the signature exhibits will be staying here, for now."

"Without the tablet?"

"In truth Lawrence, Ahkmenrah's tablet will be remaining here with him. They're going without the tablet my friend. I am afraid this night is their last."

"You didn't tell them."

"Sometimes, it is more noble to tell a small lie than deliver a painful truth," Teddy said, watching sadly as Sac stepped into her crate.

"Are you going to be okay?" asked Larry.

"I shall do my best." Teddy walked over to where Tex stood. "And who knows? Sometimes the greatest changes brings about even greater opportunity. Look at you Lawrence, you left this place and created quite a life for yourself."

"Yeah, yeah I guess so."

"I should hope you do more than guess my friend. You're a captain of industry, the world at your fingertips. Seems to me you have everything that you wanted."

"Yeah, no, I know."

Teddy gave a sad smile. "No you don't. If I may lad, a word of advice: the key to happiness, true happiness, is-"

Beep beep! He was cut off again by the buzz of Larry's phone.

"Sorry, let me just check-" Larry pulled out his phone and checked it. "Sorry, right, so the key to happiness is," he said, turning back to Teddy.

But the sun had already risen, turning him back to wax.

And so Part Two begins! I hope you enjoyed, thanks so much for reading! :)