Hi!

Sorry for the delay for ch.3, camp and other things suspended me uploading this earlier. But anyway, this chapter is kind of rushed and I don't really think I wrote it very well, but oh well. It's also pretty short . Thanks for the reviews, I appreciated the feedback.

Thanks again,

PenguinDust

Chapter 3: Old Habits

Leela sat for an hour outside of the police station, obviously her message to Bender didn't get through to him. Bender finally showed up around the corner, humming nonchalantly.

"Bender! Why are you so late!?"

"Stop whining, lady. I needed to get beer in my system." Bender smacked his stomach plate. Leela rolled her eyes and went in to the station, a picture of Fry in hand. She approached the police officer sitting at the reception desk.

"Hello...umm, I'd like to file a missing report."

"For who?"

"Phillip J. Fry." Leela showed him the picture. It was the picture of when they went to the planet Trisol, where he was named king. It feels weird saying his real name.

"When did the kid go missing?" the policeman said in a bored tone, scratching his mustache.

"Umm...May 4th."

"What's this guy's relation to ya?"

"Friend and coworker."

Bender then chimed in,

"Also obligatory love interest."

"Bender!" Leela snapped. She turned back around and gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, he's just crazy."

"I'M crazy? You're-"

Leela whipped her head around and gave Bender a warning look, cutting him off. The policeman watched the two dully and asked,

"Look, just fill out this information sheet and we'll file it under our reports, mmkay?"

Leela nodded and started filling out the paper. Age..27...Birthday...July 13th, 1974...Appearance is usually red, spiky hair, red jacket, white t-shirt, jeans...Marital Status... Leela slightly blushed at that one, it was hard to imagine him married. She flashed back to their date and winced. Single.

Fry felt nostalgic as he entered his old workplace. The Donkey Kong arcade game, the red and white checkerboard scheme, the vats with disgusting stuff in them. It felt like it hadn't changed at all. Fry finally saw Mr. Panucci gaping at him. His old manager had aged a little however, his hairline starting to recede. He was out of place here, everyone had changed and aged. Fry felt like he was Peter Pan, never aging at all.

"Fry, is that you?" Mr. Panucci said in his heavy Brooklyn accent.

"Hi, Mr. Panucci."

The man gave a small smile, curt and bittersweet.

"So...you back?"

Fry gave him a blank stare. Mr. Panucci made it seem like Fry was dead. But I guess I was. Fry decided to let people think he was dead or keep guessing about his disappearance. They'd never believe the truth. Maybe it was better that way.

"Yep...I'm back. So, can I have my old job back?" Fry asked abruptly.

"Uh, about that..."

As Mr. Panucci started to speak, a brown-haired boy entered the pizzeria, some money in hand.

"Hey, Mr. Panucci!" He looked over at Fry.

"Is this a customer?" The boy flashed Fry a bright grin. Fry blinked and gave him a confused look back.

"No, Percy, this is, uh, Fry, ya know, the one I told you about." The one I told you about...?, Fry thought.

Percy's grin immediately faded into a look of disdain. He sniffed,

"I've heard about you. The missing guy."

Fry didn't reply. Percy obviously had some dislike for him, for some reason.

"So...you guys both can be delivery boys now, 'kay?"

Fry frowned. He didn't want to work with some guy who seemed to hate him. Percy winced at Fry, as if he was something putrid.

"What!?" Fry yelled, starting to get annoyed. Unfortunately, our favorite inept delivery boy has poor self control. But wouldn't you if some jerk was staring you down like a piece of trash?

"What do you mean "what"?" I don't want to share my job with some dumb amateur who decided to come back after running away."

"I'm not an amateur! I was working here when you were probably still in high school! And I'm not dumb!" Fry paused, and then quietly added,

"I didn't run away either."

Percy smirked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his corduroys.

"Oh really? Then may I inquire where you've been?"

"Uh...Uh..."

"Uh?"

"I don't know what inquire means!"

Percy gave another snide grin and spat,

"You really are an idiot. Why did you bother even coming back?" Percy exited the pizzeria in a melodramatic finish. Fry stared angrily at the arrogant guy as he left. Mr. Panucci gave a blank look and asked,

"You guys done? I got a call for a delivery an' it needs to be there in 15." He said, gesturing to the clock.

"Why were you talking to that Percy guy about me? Did you really think I ran away? 'Cause I didn't!" Fry yelled.

"Well, y'know, people are gonna talk. You disappear out of nowhere for three years and you don't expect people to talk?"

Fry contemplated this. Mr. Panucci had a point, people would talk. But he was a loser, wasn't he? So why did people care so much about his disappearance? Nobody gave a damn about him before. But then Fry thought about something his parents use to tell him. People don't appreciate things until they're gone.

"So now people actually care about me?" Fry said, glaring.

"You could say that. But y'know, Fry, you were a good kid." Again, he's talking about me like I'm dead! But Fry remembered what he had thought about earlier. It was probably best to let people think what they want to think.

"Thanks, Mr. Panucci." Fry smiled, almost sympathetically. He took the pizza box on the counter and headed back outside. New York shined with the luminous glow of the afternoon sun, the headlights of cars, and the newly-washed window of skyscrapers. This was his home once again.

So, how did you like chapter 3? I'd love to hear your feedback, so please review. Chapter 4 is on the way!