Here is a new story I'd like to test out on you readers. I'm kind of excited about it! It will probably contain a few OC's, and any spoilers from the movie are accidental. Constructive criticism is always greatly appreciated!

CHAPTER ONE

"No, no, no!" Mr. Peabody yelled, "This isn't happening!"

Unfortunately, the klaxon horns within the time machine proved that it was indeed happening.

"I've got to hurry," Mr. Peabody said out loud to himself, frantically pressing buttons, "If I don't calculate the precise moment..."

The WABAC lurched, throwing Peabody out of his seat.

"It's a good thing I didn't bring Sherman," he mumbled, practically clawing his way back to the controls, "Aha! I have it!"

He pressed several more buttons and made several more calculations, but it wasn't enough. The horns kept sounding. This was starting to get annoying, so Peabody flicked a switch and silenced them. That didn't solve the immediate problem, though.

"Let's see," he said, calculating other options, "Yes! This will do!" He twisted some dials and changed command codes, until all he needed to do to complete the process was press the big red button.

"Now, I must press this at just the right moment," he said, "Or I will miss home entirely. Possibly by several years."

His fingers hovered over the button as his eyes focused on the red screen in front of him.

"Then again, I might not survive this to even reach home at all," he said.

The screen was showing orange now instead of red.

"Steady," he said, "Steady..." The screen was about to show green.

"This is your last chance, Peabody. Get it right..." He told himself, "Now!"

His hand raced for the button. But at that moment turbulence hit the WABAC, and Peabody was thrown out of his seat onto the floor. He quickly scrambled back and pressed the button.

But he knew that he was too late.

Sherman woke up and rubbed his eyes.

"Ugh, is it morning already?" He groaned.

He yawned, and rolled over. Mr. Peabody would come in to check up on him soon, like he always did. Then there was breakfast and the Saturday to enjoy. They were going to go to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon at 9:30 am. Until then, he might as well stay in bed. Bed was soft and warm, and the place outside the bed was not.

So Sherman snuggled deeper under his blankets, and almost against his own wishes peeked at the clock beside his bed.

10:42 am.

"WHAT?" Sherman yelled, jumping out of bed, "How could I have slept in so late?"

He practically threw his glasses onto his face in the same motion that he threw off his covers, and raced to Mr. Peabody's room.

"Mr. Peabody, Mr. Peabody!" He shouted, "We're late! We're..."

But Mr. Peabody wasn't there. His bed was neatly made, and clearly empty.

So Sherman raced to the kitchen.

"Mr. Peabody, Mr. Peabody!" He repeated.

But he wasn't there either, and apparently neither was breakfast.

"Where are you, Mr. Peabody?" Sherman asked. Where else would he be? Sherman snapped his fingers. "The WABAC!" he said.

He raced to the elevator and made his way to the machine. Sure enough, it was gone.

"Well, now I know where he went," Sherman said, "I guess he's just late coming back..."

It didn't make much sense that Peabody would be late when he had a time machine, but Sherman decided to ignore that fact.

"Guess I'll have to make my own breakfast," he mumbled, going back upstairs.

That event soon proved to be a disaster. After he burned his finger trying to make eggs, and he burned the oven trying to make toast-an event in which he also rendered the toaster unusable for all future occasions-he nearly burnt the house trying to make pancakes. So he settled for making cereal and milk, and then proceeded to wait for Peabody in his room.

He waited all day. He made himself cereal for lunch and cereal for dinner, and amused himself by playing with some old experiments in his closet. He learned that day that certain chemicals expire over time, and might turn your hair blue.

When it got dark, he really began to get worried.

"He's going to be back when I get up in the morning," Sherman said as he changed into his pajamas and brushed his teeth, "And then I'll ask what took him so long."

But the next morning, Mr. Peabody and the WABAC were still gone.

So Sherman finally decided to take action. He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Penny?" He began, "It's me, Sherman. Listen, I kinda have a problem..."

"But he's not dead!" Sherman yelled, startling the courtroom, "You're lying!"

"Listen Sherman," said the Judge from his seat, "Mr. Peabody left his house without his wallet, without his car, without his keys and without his boy. When a man-er, dog in this case-disappears under such circumstances for an extended amount of time, we must come to the conclusion that he isn't coming back."

"But he is!" Sherman argued, "He's probably on his way to this courtroom right now!"

"Highly unlikely," said the Judge, "Believe me, we all thought he'd be coming back soon. That's why we have delayed finding you a foster home, and that's why we have let you stay with the Peterson family. But since it has been so long, we must pronounce him dead and open his will."

"No, you can't! 'Cause he isn't dead!" Sherman said.

The judge sighed, and rubbed his temple.

"I know this must be upsetting for you, but try to understand," he said, "Peabody stocks are plummeting. The world is in a recession. We need to do this."

Sherman sniffled, but didn't say anything.

"Now, since the court has officially pronounced Mr. Peabody...dead, a new hearing will be convened tomorrow to discuss his will and the boy Sherman's living situation. Dismissed."

"It'll be alright," Penny said, trying to cheer Sherman up as they left the courtroom, "You'll see."

"Right," said Sherman, "Mr. Peabody will come back. He's just got to."