Well this chapter was surprisingly easy to write. Then again, it is pretty short compared to the last one. This is mainly just to build suspense, explore more of Sherman's thought process, and lead into the story's climax.

Now as many of you have already pointed out in your reviews, this story is extremely similar in nature to the movie Meet the Robinsons. Yeah... I will readily admit that this movie has had a huge influence on my story, so much so that most of you probably can guess what the climax is going to be. Heh heh... *blushes awkwardly*

I'm sorry, but factoring in how Sherman was abandoned, the fact that he is an extremely, intelligent, curious child, AND the fact that he has a time machine at his disposal, I feel that this idea would've had to pop up eventually.

Thank you all for your awesome feedback! I hope you like this chapter, however short it may be...

Disclaimer: Only Dream Works can own the sheer awesomeness that is Peabody and Sherman!

Light flooded the dimly lit room as the elevator doors opened. Sherman stepped out tentatively, his footsteps echoing across the cavernous hallway. The boy jumped as the elevator doors slid shut, engulfing the room in darkness once more. The only light now was the blinking LED display of the security panel attached to the enormous vault at the end of the hallway.

The seven year old blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, his heart beating hard in his chest. It was so creepy at night without the illuminated hollow-screens, but Sherman didn't dare turn on any lights. As he crept forward, the redhead wrung his hands in his tee shirt, his nerves wound tighter than a clock.

Inside the boy's mind, a raging conflict brewed. Sherman knew what he was doing was foolish and unbelievably risky. After all, he was about to disobey his father's biggest rule: No unsupervised time-travel. Not only that, he was about to break the biggest rule of time travel itself: Never travel to a time where you existed.

His conscience pleaded with him to turn back, to just leave well enough alone and go back to the comfort and safety of his bed. If Mr. Peabody knew what he was about to do...

Sherman bit his lip. Guilt welled up inside him as he thought of his father sleeping peacefully upstairs. For a moment, the urge to run back to the elevator was so strong that Sherman faltered in his step. But the other half of his mind was ready with a counter attack.

Go back? Go back and live the rest of his life with all these questions? Go back knowing that he was so close to finding his past, to seeing her..."

Finally reaching the vault, Sherman punched in the security codes. His heart gave another lurch as the door easily swung open. The guilt intensified as he realized that Mr. Peabody trusted him so much that he hadn't even reset the security codes since the last time-travel fiasco.

The redhead took a shuddering breath as he walked forward. With any luck, his father would still be sound asleep by the time he got back...

Peabody wasn't quite sure what had woken him out of a sound sleep. The dog squinted blearily in the darkness as he sat up in his large bed, reaching a paw to the bedside table and feeling around for his glasses. Eventually his paw closed around smooth plastic.

Placing the spectacles back on his snout, the dog turned to glance at the digital clock. "2:35 AM" reflected across his glasses from the bright display.

Peabody groaned lightly, knocking his spectacles askew as he rubbed his tired eyes. What in the world had caused him to wake up at this ungodly hour?

That's when he felt it, the unsettling twist in his gut. The beagle's fur stood on end as he sniffed the air. Something wasn't right. He couldn't explain it, but something just felt... off somehow.

"It's probably nothing..." He muttered to himself. Still, he'd never known his instincts to be wrong before.

Reluctantly the dog left the comfort of his bed, yawning as he shuffled to the door. Perhaps he could make a quick check on Sherman. Just in case...

As Sherman entered through the vault, the WABAC was there waiting for him. It hovered innocuously in mid-air, eagerly waiting its next expedition. The boy gulped nervously as the floor began to move underneath him. The hole in his gut seemed to get larger and larger as he approached the large red orb.

This would be simple, a snap. After all, he'd driven the WABAC before just fine. Granted, Mr. Peabody had been with him…

As the door creaked open and his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Peabody felt another unexplainable chill go up his spine. Suddenly the dog was much more awake as he padded softly across the hardwood floor. The genius wasn't sure what had him so agitated, but he knew he didn't like it.

The beagle's ears were perked, listening for the sound of anything out of the ordinary. But there was absolutely nothing. His long shadow trailed behind him as he walked, ghosting over the many pictures of Sherman and himself lining the walls.

Honestly he was being ridiculous. For all he knew this feeling could be nothing more than a mere change in barometric pressure. He'd always been particularly sensitive to meteorological phenomenon after all…

Still, in spite of his reasoning, Peabody continued onwards. He knew he wasn't going to get a wink of sleep if he didn't humor his on-edge instincts and reassure himself that everything was fine.

Finally he reached Sherman's door at the end of the hallway. Just a quick peak, he thought to himself, turning the handle and opening the door. Then he could go back to sleep.

Peabody let out a small sigh of relief he didn't even know he'd been holding when his eyes caught sight of the tiny lump underneath the sheets. The dog smiled and chuckled at his own foolish worries. And now to get back to-

But all thoughts of rest fled his mind as he smelled the air. He couldn't pick up Sherman's scent. Come to think of it, he couldn't hear Sherman breathing.

Without hesitation the dog charged into the room, throwing back the covers. His eyes widened at the sight of a large cushion tucked in Sherman's place.

Peabody's gut gave another painful twist, almost as if his instincts were mocking him, telling him "I told you so."

"Sherman!" He called, sniffing around frantically for any trace of his son. But the room was completely barren, any scent his boy had left was stale. Fearful thoughts beat repeatedly at his consciousness. Where could his boy have gone? How could he not have heard him leave?

"Sher-" But the call died in his throat as he heard something crinkle beneath his paw. Ears perked cautiously, Peabody looked down to see what looked like one of Sherman's drawings.

Stepping back, the bog picked up the worn and creased bit of paper, holding it up to his face. The face of a crudely drawn woman smiled back at him. His heart ached as he saw the bright red hair and glasses. It wasn't hard to fathom who Sherman had attempting to draw. Then his eyes came to rest on the shaky writing in the lower corner of the picture, squinting hard to read the messy penmanship. "June 24th, 2007. The corner of 58th and 11th avenue…"

Peabody's breath caught in his throat, eyes widening in horror as he put the pieces together in his mind. No…

"SHERMAN!" The picture fluttered to the floor as the beagle ran out of the room on all fours, nearly slipping on the polished floors as he ran to the elevator as fast as his legs could carry him.

How could he have been so foolish!? How could he have not seen this coming a mile away?! He knew Sherman had been hurting, been desperate to know more. Oh why had he ever left the child alone with those thoughts?

Peabody just prayed he wasn't too late…

Sherman jumped slightly as he felt the WABAC whir to life beneath him. The engine thrummed eagerly as the navigation systems booted up, the many monitors blinking to life.

He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down, angry at himself for being such a wimp. It was just the WABAC after all. He'd been travelling in it his whole life.

"I can do this." He muttered, trying desperately to reassure himself.

The seven year old walked to the console, his legs feeling like jelly beneath him as he sat in his father's chair. "This'll be easy." He kept up the nervous monologue, "Just punch in the coordinates…" He typed in the correct date and place just like he'd seen Mr. Peabody do a thousand times. "And…" Sherman bit his lip, his hand hovering over the bright red button.

The minute the elevator doors opened, Peabody shot out like a rocket. His paws pounded against the smooth floor as he raced against time itself.

Sherman began to hyperventilate, his hand trembling. What was he thinking? He was going to be in so much trouble! Maybe if he just turned off the WABAC. His father would never have to know.

But then, he would never see her. Never know why she'd given him up. If she'd ever loved him at all...

No! The seven year olds fists clenched as his resolve strengthened. He had to see her. He needed to know.

"M'sorry Mr. Peabody," Sherman whispered quietly as he raised his fist and brought it down on the button.

From behind the vault door Peabody could hear the WABAC's engines roaring to life. A rush of fear surged through his heart, nearly stopping it completely.

"No, no, no, no…" Frantically the dog input the security codes, squeezing himself through the vault door as it slowly opened.

To his horror, he saw the WABAC start to rise up, its thrusters activated at full force. "SHERMAN!" he cried at the top of his lungs. But it was too late.

All Mr. Peabody could do was watch helplessly as the WABAC dematerialized in a bright flash of light, taking his son with it.

Sorry to leave you guys on another cliffhanger! I'll try to update as soon as I can, but this next chapter is gonna be a doozy to write...

Please be sure to review! I eagerly await your feedback!

Warmest Regards,

Katie