I do not own Despicable Me.

Sky Troubles

Edith peered over the top of the metal lab tables that were spread throughout Gru's laboratory. Minions were all over the place, building, testing new inventions, cleaning or playing games on the computer. Her adoptive father was nowhere to be seen, but Dr. Nefario was working right by her target.

Crawling from lab table to lab table, she was soon crouched by Nefario's feet. She carefully tilted his chair backwards, and grinned when he swore loudly as he hit the floor. Quickly bouncing up, she snatched the jetpack of off the table and dived under the table again. She scrambled out of the lab and found herself back in the living room.

"Yeah," she cheered. "That has to be my best time yet!"

"Edith!"

Jumping, the blonde whirled around to see Margo glaring at her from the doorway, hands on her hips. "Did you just steal that from Dad's lab?" she demanded.

"No. I borrowed it." Edith smiled innocently.

Margo scowled. "Edith, you can't fly that! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Put it back in the lab or else I'll tell Dad."

Edith crossed her eyes at her sister's retreating back and grinned. "Sure. I'll put it back. After I've tried it out first."

The middle child walked into the hallway and out the front door. She strapped the jetpack to her back and frowned slightly. "Now to figure out how to make this thing take off."

Agnes looked up then from her colouring book and peered out the window. "What's Edith doing?"

Margo kept her eyes on the book she was reading. "What?"

"Edith is outside with a box on her back."

The book clattered to the floor. Running up to the window, she gaped in horror as Edith managed to find the right button and took off in the air with a shriek, and soon disappeared off in the distance. "Daaaad!"

Gru looked up in surprise when his eldest daughter came running into the lab, clutching Agnes' hand tightly. "Gurls, yoo know not to bother me when I am-"

"Edith stole the jetpack for a joyride and now she's who-knows-where!" Margo screeched.

Silence filled the lab. Minions froze and stared. Nefario dropped his toolbox in shock and Gru was going white. In a surprisingly calm voice, he spoke, "Gurls, yoo will come with me and Dr. Nefario. Minions, search the area. Een disguise."

...

Gru could feel his heart trying to escape his chest as he flew through the skies in his ship. What was that girl thinking? Did she not know of the severe danger she had gotten herself into?

Agnes was whimpering and Margo was trying to calm her down. Nefario was peering through the telescope, trying to spot the blonde heathen.

"There she is!"

...

Edith whooped happily as she sailed through the sky. It was such a great feeling, flying over the small houses and people, seeing the world from above. Sure, she could have asked for a ride in Gru's hovercraft, but this was even better. She did a loop-de-loop and spluttered when she smacked into a bird. Coughing out feathers, she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ugh. That was not pleasant." A silver glint caught her eye and she flinched. "Uh-oh. I'm in trouble now.

Taking her chances that they hadn't seen her yet, she flew downwards into the cover of the clouds. Hoping to buy herself a few more minutes of fun, she swirled around in the air. She hummed happily to herself and dived downwards. "Maybe if I hold off, Dad will cool down a bit when he sees that this is perfectly safe."

Ssccrreechhkk!

Or not.

Edith paled slightly when the jetpack gave a nasty grinding sound. The whirring died down, and then stopped completely. "Oh, crud."

With a shriek of pure fear, she hurtled through the sky, past the clouds and straight to her death. Gripping tightly onto her pink hat, she squeezed her eyes shut and wished she had listened to her sister. She wished she had let Dad catch her.

The wind whistled past her and she prepared for the impact that would her short life.

Oof.

Grunting, she opened her eyes as she landed on something soft. Surprised, she realized she had landed on a bunch of minions. Dave groaned beside her, rubbing his head and poking Larry to ensure he was fine. Edith gaped before falling back onto the grass with a relieved laugh. The crowd of minions surrounded her and peered with worry. The blonde sat up and grabbed as many as she could in a hug.

"You guys rule, you know that?"

"Dab! Er'uoy ni a tol fo elbuort!"Larry scolded, waving a finger in her face.

Edith sulked. "I know. I'm a very bad girl. Dad is gonna kill me."

Larry nodded sternly. Then he opened his arms and wailed, "Guh!"

...

Gru collapsed in his seat with relief once the news reached him. The minions had found her. She had landed safely in a park across the street. "Dat gurl will be de death of me."

Nefario snorted. "Darn right she will. What was she thinking, stealing a jetpack? Though I admit, I was wondering where it went…"

"You can ask her after I do." Gru landed the hovercraft in the park and instantly spotted Edith playing with a bunch of terribly disguised minions. Some had thrown on wigs, others hats and scarves, and some wore diapers and bonnets. Edith glanced up and grinned. All anger forgotten, Gru ran up and hugged her tightly.

"Yoo are een so much trouble."

Edith smiled sheepishly. "I know. I'm really sorry. I thought it would be fun. And it was until the jetpack crashed and I free-fell thirty feet."

"Well, as long as-wait. Free-fell thirty feet?"

Edith widened her eyes when it hit her that the minions might not have told her adoptive father everything. From the look on his face, she wasn't going to be seeing the outside any time soon.

I really gotta learn to keep my big mouth shut...