Mr. Peabody had been trying to keep his calm as he sat outside the principal's office. Once more, he had been called in to speak about Sherman. If he had to go through the process of losing Sherman again, then he didn't know what he would do.

Slowly the door opened and he could see his red headed boy already sitting down with a confused look on his face. He apparently didn't know what he was doing there either.

"Ah, Mr. Peabody, thank you for joining us." The principal was not the same one that he had encountered a few years ago. This one was a little more filled in. He looked kindly on the two as they sat in their seats.

Sherman had figured out how to transform himself back into a human, with the help of his father and Doctor Wolf, but he still had an over sensitive nose and ears, and he also had a tail. Sherman usually had his tail hidden in his pants or his shirt, but at the moment, he was rubbing it as though someone had stepped on it. He glanced at his dad and then looked away, as though ashamed of something.

"Might I ask what this is about? You weren't very clear when you called me in, and… well… is Sherman in trouble?" He glanced at his little boy with worry. The last time that he had been in trouble, he had been taken away from Mr. Peabody.

The principle, Mr. James, had thankfully already read the reports and papers on these two and understood Mr. Peabody's concern right away. "No, no, nothing like that at all. I've called you in here to discuss some things about Sherman, such as his tail, for instance." At this Sherman shied into his seat all the more eager to hide in it. "Now, I know you both gave me warning on this, so I'm not all that surprised about seeing it, but while in P.E. class, Sherman was hit by a dodgeball in the stomach and his tail stuck out."

Both boy and dog winced at that. "I hope he didn't misbehave when the other students reacted to that…"

"Oh, no, no, he behaved much better than expected, you see, I gave warning to some of the teachers about his tail and they promised to keep quiet about it. One of which was the P.E. teacher, Mr. Length. Now, the reason I called you was this. One of the boys noticed the tail before he could hide it again and laughed out loud, calling attention to it. When Sherman tried to deny it, he found himself being held up by his tail until Ms. Peterson… convinced the boy…. To put him down again." Sherman blushed in embarrassment as he remembered having to be rescued by the young girl who had once picked on him.

Mr. Peabody looked at Sherman with a bit of concern. "So… Sherman didn't react at all this time?" Last time Sherman had been hurt and bullied, he had bitten Penny, who had had him in a chokehold.

"Well, no, he reacted, just not violently. He… well… he howled in pain, for lack of a better phrase. The student has detention for picking on Sherman, so the situation is resolved. I just thought you should know what Sherman's reaction was better this time, and I felt that as his parent you should be told of what had happened."

Mr. Peabody nodded his appreciation. He liked to know when someone was hurting his boy. "Thank you for telling me this. Was there anything else?" He glanced worriedly at his son. Apparently, Sherman hadn't expected to be brought to the office when he had been picked on, as long as he didn't hurt anyone, and he certainly didn't want his dad to worry about him.

"Sherman, could you please step outside for a moment? This won't take long. I just need to talk to Mr. Peabody for a few minutes." Sherman glanced nervously towards his father. Mr. Peabody nodded. Sherman walked outside and sat on the bench outside the office. Mr. James looked at the dog with a slight frown. Mr. Peabody had a crushing feeling in his heart. Something else was wrong. "Mr. Peabody, I know that this might not be the right judgment, since I've only known you two since you signed Sherman up for school, but I based on his reactions to some of the students… I think the orphanage might have done more damage to him than he lets on."

Mr. Peabody sighed and nodded. He had noticed as well. His boy no longer seemed to have that courageous spark that had kept him curious and safe throughout their life together. He seemed nervous around other humans. Mr. Peabody had not even brought him to another time period since that day he had lost his boy. "I know… what I don't know is what to do for once… the irony of it is crushing really. Sherman always looked to me for an answer and now… now I don't have one when he needs help the most." Mr. Peabody sighed as he tried to figure out what to do for the poor boy.

"Might I recommend seeing a counselor? Or at least a better social environment for a short time? From what his teachers have told me about him in his classes, he seems to be worried about something. He actually asked to step out of the room when they went over Ancient Troy last week, and this week he kept gripping something in his pocket. His teacher asked him about it, thinking it was a phone, but was surprised to find it was a dog whistle, especially since he's now subject to the same pain that you are when you hear such a whistle." He then noticed Peabody was grimacing at that. "Do you have any ideas on why he had it?"

Mr. Peabody nodded slowly. "I gave him the dog whistle on his first day of school, back when he was just starting. It was so that he would know that I'd always be there for him. I'd do anything for that boy, you have to understand." Mr. James nodded slowly at this. "As for Troy… well… let's just say that we had crashed there by accident and I had never wanted him to go into that war at all. We both got a good scare from that."

"When did you go to Troy?"

"I believe everyone now knows of my time machine that I had made for Sherman?" Mr. James nodded. He had received a full report on that from the courts when he was asked to take the boy into his school, despite his G.E.D. and degrees. "Well it was the day that the Petersons had come over for a dinner party so that we could sort out the whole 'Biting' incident. Penny had convinced Sherman to take her into the past and there was a whole issue with us having to save her from marrying King Tut, her convincing Sherman to fly Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machine, and then … well we crashed in Troy just before the war. Sherman and I had had… a disagreement because of how Penny had been… well in my opinion… corrupting him… I guess she was really just showing him how people his age act though… anyway he went and recruited himself in the Greek army. After that things got more out of hand than they had already been."

"This sounds pretty intense already. Maybe you should both see a shrink for this? It might help him if he knows you're just as worried and you're both seeing help." The dog grimaced at that. "Not that kind of help, but stress can be hazardous for scientists such as you both… for the sake of Sherman at least you should…"

"I agree…"

"I beg pardon?" Mr. James blinked. It wasn't often that someone got Mr. Peabody to change his opinion.

"I'll schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist for both me and Sherman... If Sherman approves of it that is… I think you're right… it might help… but I don't want the other students being told about it, unless Sherman thinks it's alright. As much as I hate to admit it, he's not a little boy anymore, contrary to what his age is and your legal government says. From what he's told me, he grew up the day he was placed in that orphanage. He's capable of making his own decisions… most of which, I'm quite proud of…" Mr. Peabody got down from his chair. "Thank you for telling me this. Is there anything else?"

"No, Mr. Peabody. I believe that is all. I'll walk you out." Mr. Peabody nodded and walked outside with Mr. James right behind him.

Mr. Peabody was shocked at what he found when he stepped outside. Mr. James was likewise stunned. A large boy was holding Sherman upside down by his tail. The two boys could not see the two adults. Sherman's glasses had fallen and the boy was facing the other way. Mr. James was about to react when Mr. Peabody stopped him and made sure he was quiet. He knew that glare on Sherman's face, and it wasn't just because he had lost his glasses. Sherman had a plan.

"So what's this stupid thing even for, Sher-dog?" The boy was a large one by the name of Jack Henson. He was the captain of the football team and the leader of the bullies. To them, Sherman was still fresh meat to be broken in. To Sherman, this was just another bully from the orphanage or college that hadn't yet learned to back off.

"Lots of things," Sherman growled. He closed his eyes and calculated an escape plan. Then he opened his eyes with a slight grin that seemed almost canine. "For instance, say someone has hold of my tail, like you do. I can just push off the floor and tip you off balance, like so!" He pushed himself off the ground with his hands. This tipped the bully off balance. Jack stumbled back, and his grip on Sherman's tail loosened. "And then I'm free." Sherman took advantage of this to run and grab his glasses. Now he was facing the boy head on. He was then suddenly petrified as he noticed his dad and the principal behind Jack. How much had they seen?

Mr. Peabody had a concerned look on his face, but Sherman noticed that he was holding back. He was letting Sherman know that he trusted him to find his own solutions and to be his own person now. Sherman sighed in a little relief. His dad trusted him.

"What's the matter, Sher-dog? You part Chicken hound now?" The boy started to make chicken sounds and flap his arms.

Sherman crossed his arms and let out a low growl. "Actually, I'm part Beagle, if you must know, and a smart one at that." Peabody knew he was referring to his DNA, but at the same time Mr. Peabody had a feeling that the comment also applied to Sherman's intelligence as well. Sherman adjusted his glasses and looked at his options. "I recommend we part ways and forget this ever happened, Jack." Sherman started to walk past him to reach his dad and the principal. He just wanted to go home at this point… maybe help Leo with fixing his model plane again. They hadn't gone back in time since that night…

"And just what makes you think you're getting out of here without being taught a lesson?" Jack asked.

Sherman stopped right next to Jack, both looking in different directions. He grimaced, no longer growling to get his point across. "I don't need to learn anything from you, Jack. I've been places you could never dream of. You don't want to fight me, do you know why?"

"Why?"

"You'd be the one who was schooled." Sherman started walking again towards his father and principal. Mr. Peabody may have been the one who had told Mr. James to stay out of it, but he had nearly burst trying to withhold his own natural instincts to rush in and protect his boy. He was shaking terribly with anger, fear, and concern for his son, but not enough for anyone but Sherman to notice. Sherman always noticed now.

Jack turned and was about to rush Sherman into a wall, when he noticed the two adults. His eyes widened as he saw the cold fire in Mr. Peabody's eyes and he ran the other way. He was in enough trouble as it was, and didn't know how long they had been standing there.

Mr. Peabody didn't sigh in relief until Mr. James ran off after the boy and Sherman was by his side, holding his paw. "You had me worried there, Sherman. I'm proud of how you handled that situation though." Sherman felt his father trembling from fear.

He put a hand on his father's shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Thank you for letting me handle that. That couldn't have been easy for you to watch. Let's go home, Mr. Peabody. I just want to relax…" Sherman smiled softly to his father as his father smirked back to him.

As the two started on their way home in the moped, Sherman was trying to figure out how to calm his father down. Mr. Peabody was still tense since getting Sherman back, though he tried not to show it. Sherman knew his father though. He couldn't hide from Sherman with his fur shaking as much as it was.

When they entered the apartment, Sherman put his bag in his room while his dad went to his office to try and get some work done. He often found that working through his stress could help. Mr. Peabody was about to start on a long paper for a science committee in D.C. when he found himself being picked up from behind like he was a puppy. He struggled against the small arms and gave his son a small glare.

"Sherman, put me down! I'm not a toy." Mr. Peabody groaned. He had been feeling weak already, but was at this point, tired. "What are you doing?"

"We both need a breath of fresh air, and I know the best places for that."

"Oh, really, Sherman, and where would that be?" The dog muttered as he let his boy carry him.

"Not where, Mr. Peabody, when. We're going to visit an old friend of ours." Sherman smiled as he carried his father over to a door. He opened the door slowly and put his father down so he could stand up next to him. "I think we have time to visit the renaissance."

Mr. Peabody scowled at his son, but thought that it would be a good change of pace. "Alright, Sherman, we'll go and visit Leonardo Da Vinci. Just for a little while though."

Sherman smiled and rubbed his dad's head, knowing it would annoy him as well as feel good. "Sounds great, dad, but don't worry. We've got all the time in the world." He chuckled as his father waved his hand away. Mr. Peabody allowed Sherman to call him dad every once in a while now, so long as that in formal things, he was called Mr. Peabody.

Mr. Peabody smiled weakly as he punched in the coordinates for the time period into the WABAC, hoping it would still be capable of travel after all this time. He pushed the red button. Sherman sat next to him in his seat and watched in delight as the lights dimmed and the large red sphere took off. Just seeing the inside of the temporal vortex was enough to make him feel like everything was going to be alright, like the last two years had just been a nightmare.

When the orb stopped, Mr. Peabody and Sherman found themselves at the bottom of a hill next to a workshop. They put on their renaissance clothes and walked outside. Leo was busy trying to repair his flying machine in the yard. He worked on it with a lot of energy and excitement. He had finally gotten his "Son" to be less creepy and actually help out. The little wooden contraption was still creepy, but at the moment, it was just handing its creator a hammer for the machine.

Sherman adjusted his tail so that it was hidden in his clothes again, which was easier to do in this time, since everyone wore robes and dresses. Mr. Peabody took a whiff of the old air and was surprised at how much he had missed the feel of time travel. He looked at his boy and instantly knew he felt the same way. "Come, Sherman, we might as well see if he needs help. For all we know, he's still repairing your mess from last time, heh."

Sherman grimaced as he followed his father. Then he thought of something that was amusing. "Well if at first we don't succeed, fly, fly, again, right Mr. Peabody?" Sherman chuckled.

Mr. Peabody looked at the young boy, stunned, and then chuckled as well. "Yes, I suppose so, Sherman. That was a pretty good pun, by the way." Sherman smiled proudly at that as they neared the inventor. "Ah my friend, Leonardo Da Vinci, how are you?"

"Ah Mr. Peabody, I've been wondering where you were, or at least when you were…" He muttered to himself the last bit until he saw the boy with the dog. "And who is this young man? It can't be little Sherman, he looks too serious!" He attempted to make a serious face to mock the boy, but his face only made him look more humorous.

Sherman tried to stifle a laugh. He had needed this.

Satisfied with making the boy chuckled, the inventor started to talk to his friend about his latest idea for his flying machine. Sherman noticed that some of Mr. Peabody's stress was disappearing. He had needed this just as much as Sherman had. The boy smiled. Their stress and worry may not disappear for a while, but it was still a start, and besides, this was only the beginning.