Chapter 2: Love in Context

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Larry XXIV

2014 - New York City

Two weeks before the Hayden Planetarium Grand Opening

He was having strange dreams lately.

They didn't make any sense for him; it didn't help when they were short scenes of different things. But they all seemed too real as if he was living through the whole dream. Sometimes he would physically be there, watching the scene unfold at a distance. Sometimes he would be dreaming of conversations of some people or watching a person's life. Sometimes people in his dreams would react to him as himself.

And sometimes they would interact with him - but it wouldn't be him at all. When he dreamt, it was as if he was living through the lenses of someone else. Another person, with a different personality and drive. He would speak differently too, in words that seemed too 'eloquent' for his Brooklyn New York accent.

Strangest out of all of it, Larry felt that the person he was in the dream - was a woman.

A smooth angelic voice, mixed with an accent that he wasn't sure from the tip of his tongue. She seemed to be a worker in some sort of palace, washing clothes and learning reading and writing. 

There was a glimpse when she was a little girl as well, playing with other girls and boys out in a courtyard. She was the outgoing of the group, who would never leave out a person and who would ask if they were alright.

The first dream Larry had was a particular scene, when 'he' was listening to someone talk to 'him' and other children. They wore white linen and sandals, conversing about some stories about the gods and the morals of their culture.

'He' would ask the teacher (well Larry assumed it was a teacher) why Set would seek to take Osiris' place and why Nephthys would give in to telling him where Osiris was. It was a debate between a grown man and a little girl until Larry would wake up - gasping out loud.

His whole body would be drenched in sweat, panting by how surreal everything was until he would fall back to sleep.

However, it wasn't the case for most nights, as he would lie awake until he spotted the sun peaking out or the sun just past the midway point. Larry could only thank Rebecca for being a heavy sleeper, or else he would be forced to take a night off and sleep until he was better. 

He carried on through with these dreams for the past six months as if nothing has changed. For him: he thought it was for the best since there were so many things going on in his life. The museum was his heart and soul for the past four years, having discovered the passion he wanted for his entire life. He had a son that had turned eighteen and becoming an adult.

He also had Rebecca in his life. And was the spotlight the entirety of this day.

"Guys say something."

"Like what?"

"Anything!"

"...Larry."

With an exasperated sigh, he paced around the main entrance of the museum. He was on top of Rexy's podium, who had ran out into the museum to play catch with Lewis and Clark. His feet making a click on the marble floor.

Standing around the room was Teddy, Ahkmenrah, Octavius, Jedediah, Attila and Sacagawea. They had known why he was pacing, and why he felt sick to his stomach. His hands were fiddling each other in front, a nervous tick every time he turned and walked the same direction.

Tonight was the special night, something he had been waiting for almost two years. Planning took him about six months prior, having helped by his museum friends, his family, Erica and Rowen. They all knew what was to come - but no one could understand the stress that was dragging him back all the way to his apartment: and to just forget it all.

However, Larry couldn't. She was waiting for him to pick her up. He was only at the museum to sort the exhibits for the night. Teddy, Ahk and Sacagawea were kind enough to step in his job: knowing he would spend the whole evening with her. Nick was away at a friend's for a sleepover and would text him if he needed something (or to ask if he'd done it).

Now it was just him - no one could pull him back.

"You can do it Gigantor." Jedediah friend encouraged. 

Sacagawea's soft voice assured, "It's going to be alright."

Larry opened his mouth and retorted, "I know but-"

"What do you think she's gonna say?" The cowboy knocked his chin upwards to him and asked, "Whack you in the head and then run away?"

There was a hiss from Jedediah as Octavius hit him in the arm.

He stopped walking and snorted, "Probably the running away part but-"

A hand placed itself onto his shoulder. Turning around, he found the former president halt his way. By looking at Teddy, Larry's face fell slightly from a tense look and he relaxed.

The president always had some effect on Larry especially when it came to his stressful moments. Teddy was always there to stop him from driving himself off a cliff before he would break, using any measure. Either if it was a gentle nudge to calm himself, or mentally slapping Larry to his senses. He was glad Teddy got round this time to stop him once more.

"You have nothing to worry about." Teddy gave him a sympathetic smile.

He blurted, "I know, but-"

The eyebrows on his face spoke otherwise, creasing to a stern look. "Lawrence, breathe," Teddy spoke.

That phrase always got him to follow the instructions. He counted to ten, taking deep controlled breaths until he managed to relax his shoulders and spine. "Thanks, Teddy," Larry said, smiling faintly at him.

The president patted his back and grinned. "Just relax my boy, you can do this." 

Larry thanked him back with the same gesture, noticing that Ahkmenrah approached him as well with a kind smile. The Egyptian pharaoh never ceased to forget reassuring Larry. In fact, everyone around him has supported him with this moment ever since he brought it up to them.

Well, all because Rowen purposefully mentioned it to Ahkmenrah, who then couldn't help gossip about it with the Greeks and Sacagawea. Now almost everyone knew of the night.

The young man bowed his head slightly and spoke, "We give you a good blessing to you, Guardian of Brooklyn."

Larry at all them, seeing the assuring smiles and thumbs up. He turned to Ahkmenrah and patted his shoulder. "Thanks, guys." He said lastly, before exiting the museum and taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

"This is nice."

The restaurant he and Rebecca were in was what he pictured in all of the romantic movies he watched. And Larry hadn't watched enough to know every single detail of that night. Though with the limited films he watched, it seemed all of the scenes that involve the person proposing to their partner somehow ended in either a disaster or some form of accident.

Perhaps he should have watched more movies.

It didn't help the fact that the heart in his chest was smashing against the walls of his ribcage. He could hear it as they sit down at the table he reserved for them. He thanked the waiter for the menus, but before they began scanning through it - he nervously responded to her;

"Nick actually suggested this place, you know." He began, his hands shaking slightly. "And maybe Erica...and Rowen. You know people just give such good ideas, and I can't even choose between wearing black socks or navy socks and-"

"Larry." 

His head flew up to look across the table. A comforting smile rested on her lips as she stared straight into his eyes. One thing that stood out from Rebecca had been her eyes. They were a blend of amber and yellow. Due to the lights from the hanging fairy lights and candles, it brought them to almost glow - capturing him to almost feel the room grow silent.

"Breathe," Rebecca spoke softly.

Following her words, he took a slow controlled breath and exhaled. 'Come on Daley, you can do this.' He said to himself.

When he composed himself, he gulped before speaking. "A lot of people have been saying that to me." Larry continued, "One of them included a wax statue and the other one was a dead king so technically it's rather ironic but-"

He didn't realise that his words sped up until he stopped and looked back to her.

She asked, "But?"

Larry opened his mouth once more to answer. He wanted to confess what's been going on in his head for the past few months. To tell her about the dreams. But somehow his mind prevented any sound from saying anything along the lines about it.

Instead, he shook his head and chuckled nervously. Larry spoke, "Nothing." 

Changing the subject, she slowly spoke, "So...the big night." She gave him a mischievous smile. "Two more weeks."

"Yeah. It's gonna be big." He gushed, another nervous laugh as he took a sip of his wine. "The planetarium was one of the largest projects McPhee and you put together. With the help from Sacagawea-"

"Wea."

"Yeah...and Ahk." He sighed and wryly smile,  "And it's just...I hope it just goes well."

"It's going to go well, Larry." She reassured him, reaching forwards to hold his hand. "Just believe in yourself."

Larry wanted to say that he doubted it. As someone that passed his forties, he was a man that slowly started to see the world from a different perspective than he would have twenty years prior. Perhaps ten years ago, he would still have the same mentally. But with a secret and trust to withhold - the burden and expectations skyrocketed.

What if the night goes badly? What if the exhibits misbehave or create an accident? Or worse: what if one of them reveals the secret? They were already in danger of some secret cult which they've been trying to find for four years now. Nothing has popped up since then and it's been eerily quiet across Cecil's side.

The food came just as he answered, and he quickly thanked the waiter.

Though, he continued to ramble on: "I believe in a lot of things. Like the superstition of putting shoes on the table and whatnot and uh-" Larry paused on more time to see her give him an amused smile.

That smile, however, made his heart swell.

"Sorry, let's just eat." He sheepishly replied and picked up his cutlery.

The rest of their meal was better in his opinion. Their conversation flowed more freely, discussing the recent news worldwide and the local ones. A few years back, before Rowen left, New York City elected a new mayor alongside some changes towards the heritages around the city. Most of the historical sites have been implemented special protection according to Rebecca, adding more 'guards' in some tourist attractions.

She didn't seem pleased about the situation. Larry saw the disgruntled look she gave as well as stressing the antiquities department in America for doing something like it. He could only support his girlfriend with the outcome, knowing well how passionate she was with history. Ever since she returned to her book tour, she had somehow dialled down her passions with the Native American history and spoke more about the issues of historian's place in society.

Of course, Rebecca still talked about Native American History more than the average person (he was quite relieved about it, to be honest). Though now it involved speaking on behalf of the indigenous people in the present day and giving them better representation in the media. What better way to do it is through teaching.

Hence why Rebecca joined the Night Programme to help Sacagawea teach visitors the indigenous history and culture once a week. 

Larry was proud that she had found a way to weave her passion into the present in order to set a better future. A part of the money was given to a charity to support the groups in America, after asking the board dozens of times until they accepted Rebecca's request. It was one of the many reasons why a part of the Hayden Planetarium would be dedicated to the charity itself.

When they were done with their meals - and quite full from the amazing tiramisu - Larry paid and aided Rebecca with her jacket. They thanked the waiter with a tip and they exited the restaurant.

Whilst they stood by the curb, Rebecca turned to him and asked, "Where are we going next?"

Larry bit his tongue from grinning too widely back. He wanted to surprise her with something that he had planned months before. And something she'll appreciate as someone particular for her.

So he held his hand out, and she gladly took it gently. They walked down the road, fingers interlocked and their bodies close. Rebecca hummed again, raising her eyebrows at him.

He finally answered, "I thought you'd like to just take a walk." He wispily spoke, "See our city, you know...And I know just the place."

The special spot which got him evermore nervous was getting closer. It wasn't far from where they parked the car. But for extra precaution, Larry took that chance to blindfold Rebecca with his handkerchief. She was caught off guard by his action, and he quickly apologised and assured that it won't be for long.

Around the block, they slowly cross the road and headed into the main entrance of the complex. He held her hand throughout the journey, catching her as she tripped on a step up to the correct spot he wanted her in.

When they finally arrived, and Larry prepared to remove the blindfold - he smiled and told her she can remove it.

Slowly and carefully, Rebecca unbound the knot and took off the handkerchief.

"Surprise."

Her jaw dropped as she audibly gasped.

Where Larry took her in was the largest botanical garden in the city. Lit with led lamps hanging from the ceiling, the glasshouse was filled with a variety of flowers and plants. The colours were vibrant beautiful, highlighted by how they planted them around the area.

Since it was Spring, it was the perfect place to do it.

He waited for her to blink away the shock. Rebecca's hand was over her mouth before she then spoke, "Wow...this is amazing." She stared at him and questioned, "All the botanical gardens, just us?"

Rocking on his heels, Larry nodded. "Just us." He explained, "I pulled some strings."

"Rowen and Richard?"

Larry raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Actually this time it was Rowen's ex-house keeper. Her daughter works at the gardens."

Humming in response, she held her hand out to him and they wandered around the glasshouse quietly. "It's beautiful." She whispered. "Flowers. Did you know that the Victorians created a flower system which couples usually give to one another? It was rather romantic if I say so myself."

"So you mean like this?"

In his hand, he revealed a small bouquet of flowers. They were a variety of them: asters, bittersweets, red camellias, ferns, heliotropes and irises and singular yarrow. Tied in a white bow, Larry held it toward her and she took it slowly.

Rebecca's eyes sparkled at awe. He could see her thinking carefully at each meaning.

She then creased her brows and said, "Oh, uh..that means-"

Panicking, he took out the begonia from the bouquet and felt his cheeks grow warm.

"Crap, uh. No." He cursed, thinking with annoyance at who would put that there.

'Goddamnit Dexter. This is why I shouldn't bring you out into the city.'

Once he placed the flower in a nearby pot, he nervously scratched his neck and apologised, "Mistaken it for something else. Nevermind." 

"But that's so thoughtful of you." She thanked him with a chaste kiss, leaning in to press her lips onto his.

It was now the right time to do it.

'Okay Daley, you can do this.' Larry breathed. 'You work in a museum and have fought an evil pharaoh - you can certainly ask the important question.'

They stopped in the central dome of the glasshouse, where there was a fountain. Larry turned to face her, holding both her hands in his and took a deep controlled breath.

"Look, um. Rebecca. Rebecca Hutman." He began, smiling wryly towards her. "Docent and now the head curator of the museum. My sweetheart."

He paused to see her reaction. Rebecca kept quiet, but she smiled warmly to let him continue.

"The day I first met you, that night I thought I was gonna be eaten by a fifteen-foot dinosaur skeleton and beheaded by a Hun. And in a few years, I didn't realise we would be basically raising a family together, the museum. Now: we're about to make our home bigger." Larry spoke.

Her eyes watered.

"However, sometimes we need to move. Not in a bad way, no. I mean sometimes moving on is sad for some and good for others." Larry backtracked himself and said, "Okay back to my point. What I'm trying to say is that maybe moving on doesn't mean saying goodbye. Maybe moving on means just changing some things and such...and it's a journey. For me and you. But sometimes we need a partner to hold onto, to keep them afloat. For the journey to not feel so lonely."

With his hands slipping off hers, he fumbled in his pocket and internally sighed in relief. The box was still there.

He bent down in one knee and held the box in his hands - opening it slowly to face the content inside.

"Rebecca Diane Hutman," Larry said. "Will you be my partner on this new journey with me?"

Ears ringing, he could sense his heart pounding out of his chest.

Wiping her eyes from tears, she silently nodded vigorously and stepped forward.

"...Yes." 

His shaking hands placed the ring into her finger. The second after, Larry embraced her into a tight hug and kissed her.

When they leaned out for a breath, he grinned at her and wiped the tears off her cheek. 

"Yes, of course, Lawrence Daley," Rebecca whispered to him. "I will be your new partner in crime."

• 𓎬 ☼ 𓋹⋅☾𓂀 ☽⋅𓋹 ☼ 𓎬 •

Leslie VII

2014 - London

A Week after the Hayden Planetarium Grand Opening

"I've never been to London," Leslie Carter said, folding her arms across her chest. "Rowen always pictured it as rainy and grey. But this is unexpected."

She stood by the large window, looking over the city skyline of the British capital. From here, she could spot the Thames river through the buildings, Westminster and Big Ben poking through all of the tall skyscrapers.

London was entirely different from New York City. Yes, there was the bustling and business of the city, with traffic consisting of red buses and odd black taxis (called cabs). The roads were not blocks and in straight lines, winding and curving from one part of the city to another. There was a pub in every corner of the street, with people drinking pints in the middle of the day. Tourists taking pictures of the iconic monuments.

But what London had that New York didn't was a deeper history, which ran underneath the veins of the city. There were statues of people from history, places where people were born and brought up. They had gone to Shakespeare's Globe to see the theatre in which the famous playwriter used to perform shows. Buckingham Palace was a hotspot for all tourists. She and Garrett tried to take pictures with the red guards and found a good spot for it.

They had managed to go and take a day trip to Kew Gardens, one of the largest estates adorned with glasshouses and beautiful plants and flowers. It had to be one of the most romantic things Garrett had done with her during their time as being married.

Married. It still felt foreign in her mind thinking who she was now.

The ring on her left hand already showed the truth, a beautiful silver band that indicated her love to him. Leslie had worn it for almost a month now, during her wedding day.

It seemed like yesterday Garrett was getting on his knees proposing to her at a restaurant in New York. They were having a last-minute date before Garrett was heading off to D.C for work for two weeks. Her emotional attachment issues did lessen throughout the years after Rowen had left back to the UK. Over time, Leslie began to adjust and grow used to the feeling of the house being empty and her time alone. Sometimes it did give her some discomfort, but she secretly felt proud for withstanding her fear.

Their date was set in the same restaurant Garrett took her for their first date. It was an Arabian style cuisine, with Halal foods and probably the best Baklava she ever had. It was just after desert that Garrett decided to go down on one knee, subtly picking the napkin he 'dropped'.

Leslie was in loss of words.

Tears spilling over her cheeks and she constantly nodded, she whispered the word yes and kissed him. It was every person's dream to be proposed, to finally feel special to someone that they would give their love to you and vice versa. Leslie could never be happier than that night, as the people around them congratulated them for the engagement.

The next two years were a blur. Leslie was now a proficient doctor in her expertise in surgery whereas Garrett became a consultant to Ancient Antiquities for S.H.A - something which she had not discussed with him. 

That day when that man visited her always stuck in the back of her head. Whenever she thought of S.H.A or Garrett's work, she wanted to tell him the day she met the man they wanted to know where her grandfather was and if he knew the location of his work.

Though who she told of the event had been her mother. Irene Carter was every bit of a mother you would expect, and it didn't stop her for being overprotective of her only child being visited by anyone asking for her grandfather. When she first heard this, Leslie asked why she needed to contact the number written in the back of the photo frame.

But all Irene told her was that it was vital for their safety. Not only because she was a Carter, but because her mother seemed too suspicious in her background. Leslie never questioned her mother's background. She had married Dad and had her. But she knew Dad used to live in the UK as a child before moving to the old Carter house. Irene met Leslie's dad during a trip to Europe.

Call it a summer romance, and the next thing Leslie knew she was apparently born after their hasty marriage.

Nothing else was known about her mother, other than her lack of family. It was why when Leslie was planning the guestlist for her wedding with Garrett, most of her family was on the Carter side and some friends from her mum's. Leslie didn't mind. She would never judge her mother's choices, being brought to have what had to be a good childhood and now a career.

Their wedding was a Spring one, a nice reception where her family home was. It was there when she walked down the aisle that Leslie fell deeper in love with the man standing at the altar.

When they first met, Garrett and she hardly knew each other. She was a first-year medical student whereas he was a history student. Both from two different families and contrasting subjects. Their first encounter wasn't until Hailey and Kai decided to ditch them to party and Leslie was hiding in a closet from all the ruckus and noise. Opening the door assuming it was Hailey, it had been Garrett.

Shoved into the closet without noticing her, it took an awkwardly long while until they finally got to talk. Their interests in literature and movies got them speaking the whole night until Kai found them (unfortunately not making out) an hour later.

How time flies when. Now they were here: in London.

Garret wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder. "That's because it's summer and I thought our part two of our honeymoon should be here."

Tilting her head to him, she asked. "We won't be too long though right? You didn't tell me how long we'll be here?"

"Only for a few days." He pecked her cheek softly and explained, "I have some conferences to go to that's why. Since I'm now a specialist in the field of history, they want me to some things with parliament."

Even if they were on their holiday, both of them had their careers in priority.

"Yay work. I also have to be to work in two weeks." Leslie tiredly cheered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Some are on holiday at the moment at work. Sorry that I'm making things a bit too tight."

"Perfectly understandable," Garrett replied, stepping away and beginning to fix his tie.

Leslie turned around and helped him.

He smiled tenderly to her and spoke, "This is why I married a doctor. Savings lives and doing the right thing."

She rolled her eyes back at the comment, but inside her stomach was still rolling in circles. She would never get used to him complimenting her job. "I became a doctor because I loved it. But sometimes other things start to pop up and you don't seem so sure about the whole thing, you know?" Leslie laughed nervously and said, "Sorry, I'm just rambling on again."

Pressing a kiss on her lips, their mouths moulded together. However, it didn't last as long as she anticipated. 

Pouting at him, Garrett laughed and said, "I won't be too long. Tonight, we'll go out. A ferry dinner."

"I'd love that." Leslie grinned and watched him leave their room. When the door shut, her smile faltered slightly.

Even as a woman grown, and a newly wedded wife: it didn't indicate that she had the guts to pick up the phone that began ringing. Not because Leslie was terrified of phone calls. It was because of the contact number.

The same one that had kept calling her since that day the man visited her.

____

Victorian Flower Dictionary

aster - a symbol of love, daintiness

bittersweet - truth

red camellia - you're a flame in my heart

fern - sincerity, humility; also, magic and bonds of love

heliotrope - eternal love, devotion

iris - a message

yarrow - everlasting love

begonia - beware, dark thoughts

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A/N: Ah I'm sorry I haven't been able to post lately. This was supposed to be for last week, but the past two weeks have been very stressful for me. Especially after sorting out things for this coming year.

As I am going to university, the time has been really precious for me and I've been trying to sort irl stuff for it. I know I said I will definitely finish this fic. But it might have to be dragged out so I have time to do other things.

In the meantime, this chapter was really sweet out. Larry and Rebecca are now engaged after seven years. Their relationship has to be the sweetest thing I've been writing.

But let's not forget Leslie and Garrett, which seems to have gone faster than the two. Now married and finishing their honeymoon, they're taking some time in London. Their pov is actually a few weeks ahead of Larry's and Rowena's, as this will be a pinnacle thing for the future chapters.

Thank you again for sticking with me and please kick me in the metaphorical head if I've been quiet about this story. I hope you gave a lovely evening!

Next Chapter: We begin the third movie... :)

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Written: 24/08/2020

Edited: 24/08/2020