~Chapter 9~

Home

"Why are we s'andin' around here then!" Scrooge said excitedly when he learned there was a treasure with the diamond. "Did ye find i'?" He looked at his sisters with his adventure hungry eyes.

"Yes but..." Quackmore started.

"Where is i' then?" Scrooge interrupted him.

"We sold i'." Hortense said bluntly.

"Wha'! All tha' good treasure jes sold?" He stepped back in shock. Were these people really related to him? "Why, think of all the things ya couldda done wi' all tha'! Ya couldda star'ed yer own com'any and used i' to turn a profi'. Opened your own museum and made money off the ticke's. Even opened a safari ride an le' people relive the adventure. Ya cannea jes..."

"We used i' ta fund our research." Hortense said impatiently. "Here, keep this." She shoved the large diamond into his hands. Anything to make him stop lecturing. He quickly forgave them for there ignorance of money as he began examining the stone. Seeing he was occupied they all started heading for the camp that Launchpad and Donald had set up. Huey, Dewey, and Louie grabbed there uncle by his arms and brought him too. He snapped out of his daze when a lake appeared out of nowhere and he fell in. The lake really hadn't just materialized, he was just not paying attention to where he was being led. The boys thought his yelling and flailing was funny

"You should have just said something if you wanted to go swimming, Mr. McDe." Launchpad joked. This got him a glare from the wet one and laughs from everyone else. He reached down to help Scrooge up. McDuck pulled him into the water. Only then was his glare replaced by a smile and laughter. The kids thought this was hilarious. Once they got back to camp they spent the next couple of hours packing up. Now all that was left to be done was to convince Scrooge's sisters and Quackmore to come with them.

"You have to come with us!" The triplets pleaded.

"We live here now." Matilda tried.

"Nonsense, ya cannea call this bug paradise your home. Be serious, ya mus' come back wi' us."

"Wha' if we like this bug paradise?" Hortense said, her temper flaring. Seeing trouble, Launchpad stepped in.

"Since we're here, and it won't cost ya anything, why don't you come back to Duckburg with us for a visit?" They seemed to think about this. Scrooge and Goldie both couldn't help but recognize that the three of them were communicating with their eyes as you can only do when you are familiar with someone. Scrooge couldn't help but think that he too could have been in on there conversation at one time.

"All righ'. We'll come. Bu' only for a visi'." Matilda spoke for all. The boys and even Webby cheered. The triplets were excited about getting to know their grandma Hortense and Aunt Matilda better. Though from what they already saw they could tell that Hortense had a slightly worse temper than their uncle and Matilda seemed to have no temper.

"Good then. Le's all go home."

"Oh, Mr. Duck! You're back." Mrs. Beakley said as Webby ran up and hugged her.

"Aye."

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes and no. This was all the treasure I go'." He held up the blue diamond that hadn't left his sight since it was first in his hands. "Bu' I did pick up a few extra things." He motioned towards the three new passengers coming out of the limo.

"I'll make something special for dinner."

"Dinnea go overboard." Scrooge directed. He felt that Ms. Beakley could over prepare and spend a little to much money in the process. After everything was unloaded everyone went their separate ways to clean up before dinner. The boys were bathed and ready for the rest of the evening when they heard humming coming from their Uncle Scrooge's room. Naturally, they went to investigate. He only hummed when the prospects of making money were in the air. When they walked in he was finishing up the last touches to his appearance.

"Whacha hummin for Uncle Scrooge?" Dewey asked.

"Can you boys keep a secre'?"

"Sure we can."

"Yeah."

"Look." He pulled out a ring box and showed them the fancy engagement ring inside.

"You mean you're gonna..." Louie started.

"Ask Glitterin' Goldie" Huey put in.

"Ta marry ya?" Dewey finished.

"Aye, lads. I've had this thing for years now. I had i' made from gold we mined on my firs' claim ou' on the Klondike. And that stone is from my very own diamond mines."

"Wowzers, Uncle Scrooge." Dewey said.

"That stone is huge." Huey commented. The stone was larger than your average engagement ring stone, but not so large as to be ostentatious.

"Aye, do ya think she'll like i'?"

"You should probably ask Webby that, Uncle Scrooge." Louie informed him.

"Well, we dinnea wan' ta be la'e for dinner. Come on lads, off you go." Scrooge gave the ring one last polish before putting it in the box and heading down the stairs. The ring box was in his shirt pocket, exactly where he wanted it. Right next to him.

Dinner went exceptionally well. Scrooge was in high spirits and had even invited Launchpad's wife, Sharon, to join them in the festivities. After dinner, Scrooge asked Goldie to accompany him to his office, and he asked Launchpad and Sharon to stick around.

"What are we doing in here Scrooge?" Goldie asked him.

"I have somethin' tha' I wan' ta ask you." Goldie had her hopes but had been waiting to long to assume they would be realized now.

"Oh."

"I've been thinkin' the las' couple o' weeks. Abou' how my life has played ou'. I've lived a long and in'eres'in' life. Bu' I havnea accomplished one of me goals." He pulled out the ring box and her eyes lit up. "Do you know anyone I could give this too?" She smiled and played along in his game.

"I can think of someone." She said as she took the box into her hands.

"Open i'." She did.

"I'll make sure she get's it." She then took the ring out of the box and handed it to him. "But you should ask her properly." Scrooge then bent down on one knee.

"Goldie darlin', will you marry this old duck?"

"Yes, I thought you'd never ask." They walked out of Scrooge's office together and told everyone the news. That's when Launchpad and his wife realized why they had been asked to stay. They congragulated the two newly engaged ducks.

A/N: I didn't want to get to mushy with the proposal. How'd I do?