Whoo!! Yay! This was kind of fun to write because…well…just because writing this story is always enjoyable. 10 chapters and it will be finished. I can't believe it. Anyways, sorry for my ramblings…

On to the reviews:

Doodlegirll: You're good…but then again, I;m obvious. Anywyas, enjoy the story!

On with the show!

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Chapter 20

"Help Me"

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Later on into the night, the Robinsons were all eating dinner in the dining room. The rain was pouring on and the rumbling of thunder could be heard overhead.

"Okay gang," said Carl as he came in and stood right by where Franny sat. "Dinner is served!"

Carl's stomach compartment opened and a bunch of mini-Carl's came out passing dinner to everyone. Wilbur looked at his dinner and sighed: soup.

"So…how was work honey?" asked Franny to her husband. Cornelius looked up and sighed.

"Alright I guess…' he began. "But, one of the Time Machines has gone missing. I'm pretty sure someone from work took it to get it filled up with our special gas, but I still wish I knew who it was…it's been driving me nuts all day."

"Oh…sorry Cornelius…" said Franny with a sympathetic smile.

"So how was your day?' asked Cornelius. Franny smiled and began to talk and talk. Wilbur sighed.

"Aunt Billie…pass the napkins please."

"Coming at you Wilbur!" said Billie as her mini train zoomed around the track on the table and made its way to where Wilbur was. He took a napkin and the train zoomed off. He began to mix his soup around, unable to eat.

"Wilbur!"

Wilbur looked up to see Tallulah looking at him from across the table with disapproval.

"Don't play with your food! It's rude!"

But as he finished her sentence, Lazlo poured his soup ontop of her hair. He laughed and Tallulah sat down, pounting.

"Wilbur…" began Franny, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm not hungry…" said Wilbur pushing the plate aside. Grandpa Bud smacked a hand on top of Wilbur's forehead.

"He doesn't have a temperature…"

"Is he sick?" asked Lucille.

"When is he not sick?" asked Aunt Petunia. Fritz laughed nervously.

"I'm fine guys," protested Wilbur. "I just…want to be alone for a while okay?"

"Well…okay…" said Franny with a worried expression on her face. She turned to face Carl. "Will you take Wilbur upstairs?"

"Sure thing Franny," he said with a small little salute. Just before heading over, he noticed one of the mini-Carl's running away from the train. He grabbed him and stuffed him back inside his stomach compartment and then proceeded to take Wilbur upstairs.

"Gee Wilbur" said Carl once they were out of earshot. "You are certainly NOT acting like your old mischievous self."

"I'm just so bored…I feel like I'm going to tear my own hair out!"

Carl laughed. "I'd like to see you try! I don't think you could pull your own hair out…I mean…all that gel would go to waste!"

Wilbur frowned as Carl laughed. "I'm serious!"

Carl's laughing died a little. "Sorry little buddy…I couldn't help myself."

"I just wish something would happen! Anything! Just something so that I can get out of the house!"

And as if his prayers were answered, a loud trumpet could be heard blaring. Wilbur sighed.

"Someone must have rung Uncle Dimitri's doorbell."

He saw Lefty, their strange mutant octopus butler about to answer it, but Wilbur made a hand motion to him. He stopped and looked at Wilbur who said, "I'll answer it." Lefty groaned and went away.

Wilbur ran up to the door and opened the door. His eyes widened in surprise.

A girl wearing a futuristic dress and was shivering in front of him. Her eyes were red as if from crying. She was extremely pale and her hair was wet and messy. She tried to speak, but the poor girl was shivering from the bitter cold. Wilbur looked at the girl in awe.

"Al Weatherly?" he asked. The girl nodded slowly, still shivering.

"What are you doing here?"

Al tried to speak, but only two words came out of her mouth:

"H-h-h-h-help…m-m-m-m-me…."

Wilbur immediately went into action. He grabbed Al's freezing cold hand and dragged her inside. Al sat on the ground with Wilbur kneeling by her. She continued to shiver and started to cough. Carl ran over to them, unaware of Al.

"Wilbur what's wrong?" he asked. He then, finally noticed the pale sick Al lying on the floor with Wilbur. He gasped.

"Carl…go get my mom," he told him. "And bring some blankets!"

"On my way little buddy,' said Carl as he ran to the dining room. Wilbur looked at Al, who cracked a small smile.

"T-t-t-than—n-n-k…y-y-y-o—u—u-u…"

"No problem Al," he said with a smile. "Wilbur Robinson's got your back."

-

"Here…this might help you feel better."

The Robinsons all surrounded Al, who was sitting on a couch. She had a blanket wrapped around her. Franny was offering her a cup of coffee. She took it and sipped it.

"Thank you…" she said, he nose completely congested, making her sound weird.

"What happened?" asked Cornelius.

"Oh…uh…" began Al. "I got into a fight with my boss. I left and just got caught in the middle of the storm outside and I needed a place to stay and this house was the nearest…I'm so sorry if I'm intruding…"

"Oh…not at all!" said Uncle Art.

"We're glad you came to us," responded Lazlo.

"You can stay as long as the storm blows over," said Bud with a smile.

"Of course," said Franny with a nod.

Al coughed a little before speaking, "Thank you all very much…but…may I speak to Wilbur alone for a minute? I just wanted to thank him properly."

"Sure…" said Franny with a smile. She and the rest of the Robinsons left. Al looked at Wilbur with great concern.

"Wilbur," she began. "Do you know anything about Mike Yagoobian?"

"Yeah…as I matter of fact, I do,' said Wilbur. He suddenly gave Al a weird look. "Why do you ask?"

Al sighed. "Okay…after I wrote that article for the newspaper…"

"Oh, hey I read that! Nice job…"

"Thanks. Anyways, I quit my job at "The Advisor" because Mike Yagoobian gave me a job as his assistant. We became good friends, that is…until I found out about his horrible past…apparently he was teamed up with some lady named Doris, and they were bent on destroying your father's future…I don't know if you knew that but…"

Wilbur jumped up in surprise. "Al…when Bowler Hat Guy…"

"Huh?"

"That's what I called him before I knew his name...old habits…anyway, when he was trying to destroy my dad's future, I put a stop to it. Me and my father's younger self. I saw the whole thing happen."

Al gasped. "Can you tell me a little about it?"

"Sure," said Wilbur. "But I hope you don't mind sitting back for a while, 'cause it's a llllooonnnnggg… story…."

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Later, Al continued to listen to Wilbur's story, amazed at what he told her, and the things Mike did in the past just for the pleasure of ruining a young orphan's life.

(A/N: Wilbur is telling Al the story from his point of view, so only the parts of the movie where he was around the messes BHG made (science fair fiasco, T-rex), when BHG himself took Lewis to his hideout, and when he saw him with Lewis when he reappeared. So, he doesn't know that Doris manipulated him. He still believes he's bad and he just plain doesn't like him.)

"…And my dad wanted to adopt him into the family…I have no idea why, he was the bad guy and all…but he ran away…probably to do more bad deeds…and I haven't heard of him not until he recently became a popular inventor."

"Wow…"said Al in astonishment. "I knew it was bad, but not that bad! And he was partners with a Bowler Hat? Gee…I guess…he was never a good person…"

"No he wasn't," said Wilbur as Al sulked. "Sure…he says he's done some good, but I still don't trust him…and you shouldn't either Al."

Al nodded and sighed. As Al wrapped the blanket around her tightly, Wilbur just remembered something his dad said earlier. It echoed in his head loudly:

"One of the Time Machines has gone missing… One of the Time Machines has gone missing…Time Machine…Time Machine…missing…"

Missing...

"Oh…NO!"

"What?"

Wilbur turned and faced Al, completely horror stricken. "Bowler Hat Guy must have stolen the Time machine!"

"Huh?"

"My dad's time machine had gone missing and I think I know who did it! Bowler Hat Guy! It's the only logical explanation! But for what reason…"

"There is a way to find out," said Al. She blew her nose into a tissue before continuing, "We could sneak in and see if he's up to anything. Plus…I need to get my camera back and I don't feel like confronting him."

Wilbur grinned at her. "Then we're going to need a plan…but we're going to have to work together on this. Deal?"

Wilbur extended his hand to shake. Al took and shook his hand with a smile.

"Let's show everyone what ol' Goob is up to!" she responded.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" said Wilbur to himself. Finally, an adventure that involves sneaking around and being nosy. His wish came true.

"But first…" he said with a devilish grin. "I know someone who can help us…"

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Scheming and plotting...the elements that make a story interesting. The next two chapters will involve sneaking around, love angst and confrontation. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Thanks for reading!

-Kim