Ned raced back to his house as fast as he could. When he got there, he found that JoJo was not in his room. That meant what Ned had been fearing-JoJo really was the monster!

"Maybe you should let the police handle this Ned," Sally said to him as he headed back out the door.

Sally locker her arms lovingly around Ned's waist.

Ned sighed. "I don't trust them, and besides this is all my fault. I got so carried away with the Fall Festival, I completely ignored you all. I'm a terrible father. JoJo must hate me."

Sally kissed Ned on the cheek as if to bandage the wound from his own self-inflicted put-down. "Ned," she told him. "You are a wonderful father. Just because you and JoJo had some miscommunication, does not mean that he hates you."

Ned smiled weakly. He then returned Sally's kiss. "I'm going to go and find him. You stay hear and keep the doors locked. And whatever you do, do not panic."

"I won't!" Sally promised, letting of Ned.

"Well, good," Ned said. "Because I just might."

Ned hurried to his shed to find some supplies which included another jump rope. He then grabbed his old unicycle from college. It was quite rusty from lack of use and the seat was much too small for Ned's bottom.

On his bike, Ned looked around as he pedaled and pedaled the pavement. Whoville was a complete ghost town! Not a Who in sight. That meant everywho had followed Ned's order to stay inside. Ned smiled. He felt proud for a moment. The citizens trusted him. He felt more like a Great each day. But right now, being a great father was much more important to him. Ned's smile suddenly disappeared.

As he continued pedaling, Ned's wheel skidded on something slick.

"Whoa!" Ned cried. The brakes tightened and threw Ned off the bike. He landed hard on the cold pavement. "I guess this is what I get for braking my own law-no bike riding after dark."

Ned achingly lifted himself off the ground. He investigated to find what it was that threw him off balance.

"What is this?" Ned said. He strained to get a closer look. He ran his index finger across a slimy substance.

"Mushrooms?"

Ned shrugged and then hopped back on his unicycle. When he made it to the park, he saw JoJo-the monster. It looked as though he were contemplating his next act of destruction. Monster Alice was wedge in between the jungle gym.

Ned then pulled out the jump rope. He had an idea. He tied the ends of the jump rope around the poles of the crushed monkey bars.

"JoJo?" Ned cried. He stood on the other side of the monkey bars. His voice was shaking. Ned had no idea what Monster JoJo was capable of doing to him. Did Monster JoJo even recognize him? He didn't seem all there consciously. It was like he were sleep walking.

"It's me, your daddy-o!" Ned tried.

Monster JoJo slowly turned his head toward the sound of Ned's voice. Ned inched back warily. Monster JoJo's eyes were closed as if he were sleeping.

"JoJo? Come here!" Ned waved.

Monster JoJo swayed over to Ned who was shaking in his knees. He ducked his head under the crushed monkey bars.

Ned inched back. Monster JoJo's footsteps were gated by the jump rope. He fell face forward into the hard soil. JoJo lifted himself up but his head met the low monkey bar. The hard blow kept JoJo on the ground. Ned's plan had worked!

"JoJo?" Ned said gently. He rested a hand on his son's head. Tiny snoring sounds escaped JoJo's nose. He really was asleep.

"It's time to come home now." Ned continued.

Suddenly Monster JoJo thrust his body up from off the ground. The monkey bars soared across the field. His smooth snoring turned to short grunts.

Ned fell back in fear. He started to crawl away from Monster JoJo's reach, but it was too late. Monster JoJo picked tiny Ned up from the ground like a clover.

"JoJo please don't eat me! I'm your father. I love you!" Ned dangled frantically in Monster JoJo's grip.

Monster JoJo levered Ned closer to his mouth.

"JoJo please," Ned begged. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I was being way too self-absorbed. But I promise from now on I'll listen no matter how busy I am because you're the most important thing to me."

Monster JoJo's eyes began to flutter. His grip around Ned loosened until he finally him let go. Monster JoJo's shadow grew longer and longer as his body grew shorter and shorter. He was once again the smallest who of all. His face to the ground and was suddenly wakened by the distaste of grass and dirt. JoJo's eyes bulged wide open.

In the middle of his gagging fit, JoJo realized his dad was standing right before him. "Dad!?" JoJo cried.

JoJo rushed over to his dad and threw his arms around him. "Dad, I never meant to hurt you; I swear! It's just I was so angry I couldn't control myself." JoJo explained. "It's like when you have those vivid dreams where you see yourself doing all kinds of crazy, horrible things and you're trying to wake up but you can't because you're so tired?"

Ned nodded to everything JoJo was telling him. He and JoJo found a spot on the park bench. JoJo went on explaining his frustrations with being the smallest Who of all. He described his daily struggle to reach his locker. His running to Sally's yoga magazine. Ned listened very carefully, JoJo then told him all about The Ain'ts and his running to Dr. Larue for help."

"Dr. Larue says that science takes time, but I think she might have been alluding to the science of growing up," JoJo said. He let out a long sigh. "I wonder how long it's going that's going to take me?"

Ned rested his hand on JoJo's shoulder. He couldn't believe what he had been missing. JoJo had a lot going on in his life and he needed his father's support more than ever.

Ned sighed too. "I'm not sure how long it will take you to grow, but in the meantime I don't think you should be in such a hurry."

JoJo gave his dad a strange look. "What do you mean?"

"There are still so many great things about being your size. I can think of a ton of good reasons." Ned said.

JoJo folded his arms expectantly. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well, I can still easily carry you on my back." Ned said, making a list with his fingers. "You have a much easier time at hide and seek with your sisters."

JoJo chuckled. "Oh yeah, I'm the champ at that silly game."

"You can sure take a hard fall better than I can," Ned continued. JoJo smiled. He definitely wasn't as clumsy as his dad, but still appreciated the uplifting compliment.

It was getting colder and colder as the autumn night hit twelve. Ned pulled JoJo into a loving hug to shield him from the breeze. "No matter how tall you grow, son. You'll always be my little JoJo."

With that, Ned hoisted JoJo on his back, while Alice, the normal sized, Dormouse found a spot on JoJo's shoulders. Ned leaped on his unicycle with everywho in place and pedaled home.

One more chapter to go!