It took Ava awhile to find the bus station. She didn't have a lot of money, but she had enough to leave Duckburg. She got on a bus and rode to another town, then got off. She'd have to travel on foot the rest of the way unless she got more money.

Ava didn't really know where she was going or even what direction she was heading. She did know she couldn't return to New Stork or Duckburg. She hoped she could make a new life somewhere else, somewhere where no one knew her and she couldn't bother anyone.

When it became dark, Ava sat on a bench to rest and think about where she would go next. She held her bag on her lap and hugged it. Once again, tears started falling. They splashed on the bag and on the pavement.

Ava immediately looked up when she heard a deep voice cheerfully say, "Greetings, weary traveler! Mind if I sit by you for a spell?"

The preteen wiped her eyes and saw a male duck in a red and white metal suit. A screen was on his stomach, and a single tire was where his legs would be. Ava recognized the being from the news. "Gizmoduck?"

"The one and only, at your service."

"I guess you can," she answered him, skeptically.

He sat down on the bench by her. "Where's such a young duck like you going at this time of night?"

She didn't answer.

"Not the chatty type, huh? Well, you'll be waiting for a bus for awhile. The next one doesn't come for a few hours."

"I'm just resting," Ava quietly told him.

"You're not in any hurry?"

"No."

"Mind if I keep you company?"

"Don't you have a city to save?"

"Everything has been pretty calm in Duckburg tonight, well, except I got a call about a missing person. You match the description, perfectly. You wouldn't happen to be Fenton Crackshell's daughter, would you?"

"Maybe." Ava looked away.

"Fenton and I are good friends. He called me because his little girl is missing. He's very worried about her, and he asked me to help look for her."

"You'll have to keep looking."

"Well," Gizmoduck said, clearing his throat, "unless this is your doppelganger..." One of the compartments in his suit opened, and a mechanical hand stretched out, holding a photograph of Fenton and Ava. "...I think I've found who I'm looking for."

Ava just frowned, and Gizmoduck asked, "Do you want to tell me what's going on?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm Gizmoduck, beloved and esteemed superhero. I'm supposed to help people out, and I want to help you."

"You can't."

"Oh, give me a chance. I can do anything, even help a preteen with her problems."

Ava rolled her eyes.

Taking another approach, Gizmoduck said, "I bet your dad really misses you right now. He doesn't have a clue where you are."

This seemed to affect Ava, though how much, he couldn't tell. "Tell him...I'm sorry. I can't go back."

"Why not?"

She was quiet.

"I'm pretty good at keeping secrets, if that's what you're worried about."

"No. I'm not an open book to strangers."

"Every friend starts out as a stranger."

Ava thought about this, then sighed. "I just met Fenton. He didn't know I existed until a couple of weeks ago. I...ruined his life."

"Now, why would you think something like that?"

"I'm just another mouth to feed. Plus, it's my fault his girlfriend broke up with him. I'm...I'm bad luck, and it's better if I just stay away from him."

Gizmoduck's confident, deep voice faltered. "Ava, no." Remembering his appearance, he switched back. Hopefully, Ava hadn't noticed. "Well, now, I'm sure that's not true. If your father didn't want you around, he wouldn't be out looking for you."

"What do you mean?"

"He sounded really scared over the phone when he called me. He's been searching all over Duckburg for you all day. If you really were bad luck, he wouldn't want you to come home."

Ava shook her head. "I can't go back now. Not after everything that's happened. Not after this."

"He'll be so happy when you go home. I bet he'll tell you how much he loves you and how much you mean to him."

Ava looked up at him. "You really think so?"

"I know so. Come on. I'll take you home."

Ava hesitated. Finally, she agreed to let the superhero take her back to Duckburg. She sat on his shoulder until they arrived at the trailer.

Gizmoduck knocked on the front door, and Mrs. Crackshell opened it, when she saw Ava, she ran to her and hugged her while Gizmoduck said, "Here, she is, Mrs. Crackshell."

"Thank you so much for finding her, Gizmoduck!" the woman exclaimed, relieved. She then called for her son.

"You're very welcome. I better be going; I have some crimefighting to do. Take care!"

With that, Gizmoduck sped off into the night.

Shortly afterwards, Fenton ran out of the trailer. Ava nervously took a step backward and was surprised when Fenton gave her a big hug and squeezed her, tightly. "Ava, I was so worried about you!" he cried out. "Where have you been?"

"I..."

"Come inside and sit down. You look exhausted!"

The three of them went inside. Mrs. Crackshell made some cocoa while Fenton sat down with Ava on the couch. He held her in his arms and kissed her cheeks over and over. "I missed you so much! I looked all over for you! Where did you go?"

Ava's eyes watered again, and she trembled. Not able to hold back anymore, she cried. "I left! I messed everything up, and I wasn't ever going to come back!"

"What are you talking about?" Fenton asked.

"It's my fault Gandra broke up with you! It's my fault your life is horrible! If I hadn't come here, things would be great! You'd be so much better off without me!"

Fenton began crying a little when she said this. He pulled her close and held her. "Honey, none of that is true. You haven't made my life horrible. In fact, you've made it a million times better."

"How?!"

"By existing. When I found out you were my daughter, I was so happy. From that moment on, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure you had a good life."

He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Ava. Not because of anything you've done, but because of who you are. You're my flesh and blood, a part of me. My baby."

"But...you lost Gandra..."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't have been happy if I stayed with her. I need a lover who will accept me and accept that I have a daughter. Besides, it's not your fault she made the choice to break up with me. Don't worry about it."

Ava sniffled, letting him hold her. Mrs. Crackshell gave her a cup of hot chocolate, and she sipped it.

"I'm so glad you're home, safe and sound," Fenton told Ava.

Ava had never felt so loved or wanted as she did that moment. For once, she let herself relax and feel safe and happy. She was beginning to realize she had a family who truly cared about her.