The air and space museum was loud and chaotic. Both men hated that, finding it easily overwhelming. It was loud and busy in a way they were simply not used too. A far cry from the type of chaos from the museum in New York. 

Men in pilot uniforms paraded around, tiny model jets shot overhead, large engines fired while crew at controls yelled orders. It was so busy that two men in messy shirts and trousers could easily pass unseen and unheard through the chaos. The second floor was high enough for them to see below while still remain mostly unseen by the occupants on the ground. That meant that they saw from their little secluded bench up on the second floor as Larry and Amelia came jogging round the corner, presumably from one of the building's side entrances. Their two figures, Amelia bright with her red hair and Larry sticking out in his night guard uniform, weaving through the crowds. 

Damian felt Ahk nudge him and turned to look at what he was gesturing at. He watched as Larry seemed to be scanning the room. Then the man lifted his gaze and saw them. The blonde waved. Larry shouted something at Amelia as around them, the airplanes all began to prepare for liftoff at once. Anything he may have said going unheard. 

"This is mission control. Flight check green. We are cleared for launch". A voice announced over the PA. Immediately engines began firing. Damian and Ask watched with their hands covering their ears as more little plane models began to lift off. The full size planes beginning to power up. 

"We are all systems go all go for launch". Two spitfire models swooped overhead caught in a dogfight. Damien flinched back form them, chest still sharp from the World War Two room. Ahkmenrah pulled him into a duck as the planes dive bombed overhead. Damien pressing his head to his chest as they both continued to cover their ears. 

"This is why pilots are all dramatic bastards", he yelled at the pharaoh. Ahk read the words on his lips and gave him a blank look of draining patience. It made Damien grin and the pharaoh lighted. 

"No we do not have commit. I repeat we are decommissioning the launch. This is a negatory, no go. We are in a no fly, no go phase", Larry's voice echoed over the system. The engines all began powering down and the noise level dropped significantly. "That is a November no gorgon phase of no flying. And we're going to say good night. Thank you for all you hard work". 

"Larry!" Damien called as the man stepped away from the command centre. Around them pilots were grumbling in disappointment and the model planes had all swooped into landing. The night guard looked up and beamed in relief upon spotting them. He shouted towards Amelia and they both began jogging up the stairs. Damien debated about going to meet them, but he couldn't be asked right that moment. 

"There you are!" Larry exclaimed upon getting close enough. "I've been looking for you two for ages". 

"We ran into a bit of trouble avoiding Khamenrah's men", Damien offered. "And Ahk hurt his arm". 

Ahk waved the hand of the injured arm in question. "It will be fine by morning, rest assured". 

"Right well, we have a problem". Larry pulled the familiar and rather troublesome golden tablet out from his arm and handed it over to Damien. "Khamenrah's got Jed. And if we don't bring either the password to this back, or you Ahk. Jed is going to die". 

"I thought we were going to ask the Einsteins for the password", Amelia voiced in confusion. 

"This is Ahk's tablet", Damien explained. "He's a pharaoh and it's his tablet that brings us to life every night. He is normally dressed finer than this. He's just borrowing my clothes". 

"That explains the hoity toity  greeting from earlier. Why you look mighty young to be a pharaoh. Is he the pharaoh you discovered Dr Jean?"

"I am", Ahk replied absentmindedly as he glanced down at the tablet in the blonde's hands. "You expect me to walk into a trap?" His gaze was colder as he returned his eyes to Larry. "My brother wants to raise an army the undead to conquer the world, Guardian or Brooklyn. And you expect me to give you the password to my tablet and also return to his capture with you? I would be putting my beloved in danger". 

"I know it sounds bad", Larry made a placating gesture with his hands. "But he has Jed in a hour glass. The others are locked up under his watch too. We may not have a plan just yet but something will work out. We just need to get back before Jed dies". 

Ahk's stare was still cold. Green eyes sharp and it wasn't hard to imagine him ruling a country. Even with Damien's rumpled clothes and his arm in it's makeshift sling, barefoot and ruffled from the night's danger, his face was regal. Damien looked at him and saw the fierce determination and (some would call it cruel) possessiveness that let him make the hard decisions that came with ruling. He wondered how many of those Ahk had made. 

He didn't want Ahk to make this one. Ahkmenrah may have been born to be king, but Damien had not. "We should go". Ahk turned to him with wide eyes. Damien tucked the tablet under his arm and reached over to squeeze his non injured hand. "We have already lived once. So have our friends. But even so, I do not want to leave them like this. Nor have Jedediah's life lost again because of us". 

Ahk's coldness melted. He let his shoulders sag and sighed. "If that is what wish". 

Damien smiled at him. "Thank you love". 

"As you said. I believe we are both facing our fears tonight". 

Larry exhaled deeply. "Good. Right we have ten-minutes to get back to Jed-" 

He was interrupted by a shout of angry French from below. They all glanced down to see a group of Napoleon soldiers, led by the man himself. They were mixed in with some old Russian soldiers that Damien did not have the tie to identify in that moment. Only the fact that the leader was shouting in Russian and was wearing long dark grey robes and was clutching a staff in one hand. There was also a few men in black and white, suits more similar to a time period Damien recognised as being during his own.  "I assume they're with your brother", He remarked as the group ran for the stairs. 

"Gentlemen!" Amelia called to a group a pilots in matching brown leather aviator jackets heading for the stairs. They looked up and the two in the lead saluted at her. "Could you buy us some time please?" He waved at the furious group of mixed history soldiers running up the stairs. 

Larry pulled her into a run, Damien and Ahk on their heels. "That will have to do", Amelia declared as they raced across the second floor. Ahead was a familiar plane hanging from the ceiling. 

"That? But it's made of paper and springs!" Larry complained as they reached the plane. "It's like the first plane ever made". 

"It's made out of spruce and canvas and good old fashioned American ingenuity", she corrected as she began climbing on. Damien didn't waste time and began to climb up after her. He held his hand out to held Ahk navigate the wires connecting the lower wings to the upper wings. Behind them came more angry Russian shouts.  

"You lie down there", Amelia directed them to the other side of the engine. "We have to balance the plane out. You next to your pharaoh Dr Jean. Alright. Let's start her up!" 

The engine trundled to life as Damien lay himself down across the spruce and canvas and felt Ahk press himself close to his side. He reached out, wrapping an arm around the other man's shoulders to held locking him into a secure place. "Your arm okay?" he asked. The man nodded, seeming faintly panicked about the fact they were going to fly. Damien realised that Ahkmenrah had never flown before. 

"Hang on Mr Daley", Amelia declared as she took ahold of the steering stick. "Things are about to get interesting". Then the plane lurched forwards. Damien tightened his hold, tablet pressed between his chest and the canvas below him. It seemed almost warm against his shirt. 

Ahk made a noise of slight panic as the wires holding the plane in place snapped and the whole structure smooth swoop that left their insides churning. "Ah!" Ahk yelped as they almost collided with the very soldiers trying to chase them. Russian, French and nineteen twenties American gangsters all threw themselves down as the plane soared over them. Damien tightened his grip and felt Ahk wriggle himself closer to his side. He tried not to smile. Who would have thought that Ahkmenrah, fourth king of the fourth kings, was scared of planes? On the other hand, Damien was throughly enjoying himself. 

"Oh no". Amelia glanced over at the wings. 

"What do you mean oh no?" Larry's voice was a tad higher than usual. 

"One of the wires is jammed. I am going to have to loosen it. Take the stick". She didn't wait for a reply before she was wriggling down the wing for the right wire. The plane gave a threatening lurch as Larry grabbed the control stick. 

"I don't want the stick. People with flying licenses can have the stick". 

The plane flew through banners and narrowly missed several other suspended airplanes. It swerved left and right fast enough to almost make them sick. Damien could swear he had left his heart somewhere back there but he was surprised to find himself enjoying this immensely. The last time he was in a plane was during the war. He had not thought he could enjoy it this much. Although, Ahk had pressed himself to the blonde's side so tightly that he had buried his head into his shoulder. Damien could feel his fast breath on his neck. Ahk let out another panicked noise as the plane lurched down. 

"Able! The doors!" 

Damien did not know who Larry was shouting at but watched as a monkey threw itself at the big red button locking the loading entrance doors shut. The plane swooped into a dive and they all screamed. Ahk's grip on Damien so tight it hurt. But at the very last second they began to pull up. A red light flashed and Able the monkey screeched as the door opened just quick enough for them to swoop through and out in to the night. Damien laughing, waved as they passed buy.  His heart hammering in his throat from the near miss.

"Beloved. Please don't let go", Ahk grumbled into his shoulder. 

Damien took ahold of the wing again and sniggered. "Sorry love. That was fun, wasn't it?" The pinch to his ribs in response made him cackle. 

unedited 

Hello readers. Missed these history boys?

@Alpha_born requested I update something for their birthday. So happy birthday to them. I had this chapter in my drafts for a while and it needed finishing. I missed these two soulmates. 

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