One Night - Night at the Museum

Four: The Museum's Secret

It was Friday. He had been there almost a week and it was going incredibly well, the smoothest it had gone yet.

At around eight o'clock Larry's phone began to ring. "Hello?"

"Hi Larry, its Natasha. Sorry to bother you but I realized I left a folder on my desk with a bunch of my work notes in it and I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if I could come by and pick it up?"

"Oh." He didn't know how to respond. He didn't see why not, however, she was in for a surprise, to say the least. Should he warn her? "Oh yeah, of course, no problem. I'll be here."

"Okay great, thank you," she said, sounding relieved. "I won't be long. And I have my own key so I can let myself in."

"Okay just make sure you lock the door when you come in."

"Okay, thank you. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Okay see you then." He was glad everything seemed to be running smoothly, better she see it now instead of the chaos he had witnessed on his first night here. That being said he'd better go and make sure everything was in check.

He had been planning on meeting her in the lobby, but he lost track of time. He was by the Hall of African Mammals when he heard a woman's scream. Maybe he should have warned her after all.

He took off running towards the lobby, passing by many exhibits who were out of their cases wandering and halls. He bounded around the corner just as someone did from the other side. It was Natasha. Both jumped, she shrieking, most likely thinking he was one of the living exhibits. When she saw that it was him she grabbed his arms in an iron grip, looking terrified. "Larry!" she cried. "T-the m-museum - the exhibits - t-they, they're all-"

"I know," he said, trying to calm her down.

"Alive!" she cried.

"I know, and it's okay," he tried to assure her.

She stared at him. "How are you not freaking out!?"

And so he explained, explained that this was an every night occurrence, and assured her that he had been just as shocked when he'd realized. Slowly but surely, she began to calm down. Jaw agape, she stared around her in wonder at all of the exhibits walking around freely.

"Impossible," she whispered. "Incredible. This is amazing!" she scoffed.

"You want me to show you around, introduce you to some of them?" Larry offered.

"O-okay." The notes left in her office were long forgotten now.

"Good evening Lawrence!" called Teddy as he rode by on the back of Tex, tipping his hat.

"Hey Teddy," Larry called back. Teddy and Tex came to a stop before them. "Teddy this is my friend Natasha, she also works here, and Natasha this is Teddy Roosevelt himself."

"It's an honour to meet you Sir," she said.

"A pleasure my dear." The former president shook her hand.

"He's got a bit of a crush on Sacagawea," Larry whispered as they left the former president.

She raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's too bad though, cause she's stuck behind the glass of her case listening to Lewis and Clark argue all night every night." He led her down halls and around corners towards the Hall of Miniatures. On the way, they passed by the Hall of African Mammals. "We've got to pass by here quick," he told her. "Otherwise - whoa!"