Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters besides Laura, Kayla and Steven.
Summery: Just as Laura's trying to get through her last year in high school and forgetting about her ex boyfriend Steven, she goes job hunting for anything. Desperate for a job, she's hired as the second Night Guard at the Museum of Natural History. Working along side of Larry as history comes to life each night, she finds herself falling for Larry...and someone else. But only one of them ends up feelings the same way for her. Will she end up breaking from her heartbreak and let herself be happy once again while trying to help Larry keep peace and order in the museum?
A/N: So...I know the last chapter I had posted took FOREVER to post...but here's the final chapter. Hope it's all okay.
Chapter Thirteen – Where Was My Mind?
I walked into the museum a half hour before closing hours. My sketch book that was a new one filled was tightly hugged to my chest. I knew Ahkmenrah and Larry would want to look at them being that I always knew them to be interested in my work. I looked all around. The museum hadn't changed one bit. It felt as if it was just yesterday that I walked into this place...my first day at work when I found out the whole place came to life and deliberately freaked out like some crazy person. Of course it was Ahkmenrah who was the one who calmed me down.
"...Laura?" I heard a familiar voice ask.
I turned around and found Larry, looking the same from when I last saw him, walking towards me. I smiled brightly as I watched him open up his arms, ready for a hug from me. I walked towards him, wrapping my arms around him as I felt him wrap his arms around me. "It's so good to see you again!" he exclaimed as he quickly tightened his grip on me before he released me.
I laughed as I nodded my head, taking a familiar step away from him. "It's good to see you too. How are ya?" I asked as we began to walk around as people were now leaving.
Larry shrugged as he put his hands on his hips. "I'm pretty good. I'm actually engaged," he announced.
I raised my eyebrows and smiled brightly. "Really? Wow. I'm very happy for you, Larry!" I assured him as we walked into the African Mammals room.
"Yeah...her name's Susan...and I love her," he said with so much meaning.
I couldn't believe this. I was so happy for him. "Wow," was all I could say.
"So what about you? How's you and that...Derrick guy doing?" Larry asked as we then walked into the room that the name escapes me...the room where Sacajawea was in along with Luis and Clark.
"We're doing...good," I said, hesitating the word 'good' by accident.
"Uh-oh. What's wrong?" Larry then asked.
I sighed. Larry was a dear friend. I trusted him. And I had no right to keep things from him and hide up like I used to when I still worked here. "Well...everything feels perfect...but just...something's so off," I said as I shook my head. "Like...it's the same as it was with Ahkmenrah...but then again it's not," I said as I relaxed my arms and held my sketch book in my left hand. "Oh, and here. A new sketch book filled with new pieces," I said as I extended the hand that held the sketch book to Larry.
"Oh! Great!" Larry said with excitement as he took the sketch book and opened it, looking at each and every sketch I did and had little comments for each one. He specially liked the Egyptian romance piece I did where I based the girl off of Cleopatra and the guy off of King Tut.
After he had looked at it, we were right on time. The sun was just finishing setting as exhibits all around were coming to life. Out of nowhere, I felt strong and familiar arms wrap around me and pick me off of the ground. It was Attila. I laughed happily, showing Attila I was glad to see him too. Teddy came over with a big smile, gave me a warm fatherly hug. And then Sacajawea gave me her biggest hug I ever remember getting.
And then I see Cleopatra walk over to me with a cautious expression. "Hello, Cleo," I said, trying to be friendly.
"Good to see you again, Laura," she said in a snooty way.
"How-" I began to say before she cut me off.
"You better go to Ahkmenrah. Since you left, he wouldn't leave his tomb," Cleopatra immediately said.
I sighed and looked all around at the curious faces. I began to walk through the parting group towards the hallway that I remembered that led to the room where Ahkmenrah's tomb is. "Good luck," I heard Larry whisper when I was by him as I walked. I gave him a small smile and walked on.
The room was the same. Dark and dreary with nothing but the torches to give off light. I stopped before the archway when I saw Ahkmenrah hunched over in front of his tablet, sitting on the edge of his tomb. He seemed pretty upset.
"Ahk?" I asked in a weak and crackly voice.
I saw his figure straighten up as he soon sat up, hurrying to turn around to look at me. When he did. A big huge smile widened across his mouth as his warm chocolate brown eyes held mine. "Laura! Oh, Laura...I thought I was just hearing things. It is you!" he exclaimed as he ran over to me, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hold.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, finally feeling what I've been missing. With Derrick, there was always something missing from our hugs. But with Ahkmenrah, everything was right there where it belonged. I knew I belonged with Ahkmenrah and not Derrick. But the only problem was, of course, Ahkmenrah was a wax model and not human no matter what his features came off as.
"I've missed you so much," I let slip from my mouth as I turned my head so that the bridge of my nose buried into Ahkmenrah's neck. We just held each other.
"I'm missed you greatly too, Laura," I heard Ahkmenrah say as I felt him turn his head so his cheek was against my forehead.
Before I knew it, I felt Ahkmenrah slightly pull away fast. Naturally, my instincts told me to do the same. So I did and then I felt his lips crush against mine. My eyebrows pulled together as I kissed him back, moving my lips against him as I felt him twirl me around until I felt the large bricks of the exhibit push against my back. This was what I was missing.
I can't be with Derrick. I know I can't. This is where I belonged. In the arms of Ahkmenrah and not in the arms of Derrick. I knew it all too clearly now. Things were finally becoming clear. And then Ahkmenrah pulled me up so that my legs were wrapped around his waist. My heart was beating so fast, I feared it would rip right through my chest. My mouth opened until I felt the heat of Ahkmenrah's breath and his smooth tongue slip around mine. This was nothing compared to Derrick. A slight moan escaped from me as my sketch book dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Ignoring it, I just kept on kissing Ahkmenrah. When we departed for a moment to catch our breaths, coming up for air, I looked deep into his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. I need to get my job here as the weekend night guard back," I said, shaking my head as my chest rose and fell.
He smiled and went back to kissing me.