DISCLAIMER: I do not own Horton Hears a Who!.

Author's Note: I meant to have this chapter up sooner but two things happened: 1. I got called into work, and 2. I got a really bad headache and was forced to spend the rest of the evening sucking down Advils and resting on my couch.

But now I'm back and we can continue the "good stuff," in the words of the Mayor. Stay tuned for chapter 5.

By the way, Horton Hears a Who! is coming on ABC Family tonight at 10. Movie night, anyone? I'll bring popcorn, :D

"Do you think you can handle watching the girls for a few minutes while I go and get groceries?" Sally asked JoJo.

Just then Hazel, Henrietta, and Hannah dashed through the den.

"You can't get me! You can't get me!"

"That's because there's no running in the house," Sally snapped.

The girls stopped on their heels and exchanged their game of tag for hide and seek instead.

JoJo sighed. Ned hadn't come home yet. It was Sunday night; things were usually slower in Whoville on Sundays. What could Ned possibly be doing at City Hall this late on a Sunday...besides of course giving JoJo his desired space?

Sally gave JoJo a sympathetic look. "It'll only take me fourty-five minutes." Sally looked over both of her shoulders in case any of the girls were lurking around. "I'll get you your own cart of Whoberry ice cream if you do this."

Sally watched as JoJo pursed his lips. Everywho knew that ice cream was JoJo's weakness but with the stress he was feeling it may as well be therapy.

JoJo finally gave in. "Okay, Mom."

Sally smiled warmly and then slipped out the front door.

JoJo wandered up the hallway to his sisters' room. He found them sprawled across the plush, pink carpeted floor. Their little hands were rummaging plastic containers of rainbow colored, alphabet beads and plastic, glitter strings.

"Try not to make a mess with that," JoJo said.

The girls looked up at him for a second and then ducked their heads in giggles.

Something was definitely up. JoJo's "little blisters" were never this distracted, but he certainly wasn't about to try and figure out what they were up to. The girls lived in their own separate universe and JoJo wasn't interested in finding out who was dating Tallulah Truffles last week.

With nothing else better to do, JoJo decided head to his room and start working on his letter. He sat at his desk, pulled out his notebook, and suddenly started thinking about his dad again.

'You don't know how bad it hurt me to read those words.'

JoJo swallowed, failing to extinguish the burning he felt inside.

Next door, the girls were cutting up with laughter. A few shushes were tossed around but they failed to make any difference in how loud they were being.

JoJo put down his pencil and decided to go and check on them.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked, although not really caring.

"It's a surprise for you," said Happy.

The last surprise JoJo got from his little blisters was a Wet Willy, and that was just yesterday so he inwardly armed himself for whatever they had in store this time.

"For me?" JoJo said, feigning his pleasure from hearing such news. He slapped a hand over his chest for effect. "What is it?"

Heddy woddled over to JoJo. She had an S bead and a Y bead shoved up each of her nostrils.

"Ellemenopee," she said. "Ellemenopee, JoJo."

"It's not ready yet," Hersey said. "You'll have to wait."

"We'll call you when it's ready," Henrietta said.

JoJo shrugged. Whatever, it's not like he really cared for a boogery bracelet gift anyway.

Back at his desk, JoJo wrote down the words, 'Dear Mayor of Whoville' and then scratched them out.

He was writing to his dad! Did he really have to refer to his own father as the Mayor of Whoville? It was excusable for the Whos in town to adress Ned as Mayor but they probably didn't know his actual name.

JoJo tried again with, 'Dear, Dad' which seemed more relaxed and not like he was just writing this for a grade.

"JoJo!"

JoJo set his pencil down. He still had one more day to get the letter written but suddenly, the boogery bracelet seemed a little more interesting.

He headed to down the Hall of Greats where he stopped short in front of the portrait of his grandfather, Gail McDodd the Great. JoJo never knew him and Ned never spoke that much about him. Sally once told JoJo that Ned didn't have a very good relationship with his father. Maybe that was why Ned was always so persistent to spend time with his own son.

JoJo felt his heart heat up for a moment as he thought about it. He wanted his dad's company and he knew that apologizing was the only way he could make things right, but he just couldn't bring himself to say I'm sorry.

"JoJo!"

"I'm coming," JoJo screeched.

When he got to his sisters' room, he found them grouped together. They each held up their arms cuffed with the boogery bracelets. JoJo thought they looked rehearsed but decided not to mock them for it.

"What's this?" JoJo asked.

Hilda held out her arm to allow JoJo a closer look at her bracelet. It said, TEAM DADDY.

"We are on Daddy's side and we're going to make your life miserable because you are so mean to him!" she explained.

This was worse than the Wet Willy surprise.

"Why don't you all just stay out of my business!" JoJo barked.

He bolted out of the room. Ice cream therapy wouldn't be enough to comfort him tonight.

"That's the last of the groceries," Ned said to Sally in the kitchen later that night.

"Is there anything in specific that you want me to make for dinner tommorow?"

Sally asked.

"No, I love whatever you make, dear."

Sally walked over to Ned and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her head fell against his collarbone. "Have you spoken with JoJo?"

Ned pulled away from her and gave an exasperated look. He wondered if psychology degrees could be taken away because although Sally meant well, she really had no idea what he was going through. She's never had to worry if JoJo hated her or not because he's always told her everything to her face.

"No," Ned said. "I'm just trying to give him space, Sally. That's all." He started wringing his hands around his curled tie.

"JoJo has his own room and the observatory building. He has plenty of space," Sally reminded him.

"I know that," Ned said. He felt his stomach tighten and worried that if he said anymore, he'd be standing in a lake of throw up. "I just want JoJo to be happy...even if he hates me."

Sally held Ned's face in her hands. "JoJo doesn't hate you. He's your son. He loves you very much."

"Maybe so," Ned said, pulling away again. "But that doesn't mean that he has to like me."

Sally kissed Ned on the forehead. They joined hands with each other and then went upstairs for the night.