Author's Note: Who's team are you on? Team JoJo or Team Mayor? Let me know why you choose that team in the reviews.

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

Ned had just finished putting the girls to bed. As he waddled down the hall, heavy from just eating a big stake for dinner and from a busy day's work as mayor, Ned found himself passing by JoJo's room. He had it in mind to go in and check on his only son. But Ned was still feeling stung from the pie prank.

I'd be so thankful if he'd just back off and leave me alone...

Ned sighed. He wished that there was some other way he could make up for being such a lame dad. But every time he tried, JoJo seemed to only further distant himself. And now, he was playing cruel jokes and was even too ashamed to refer to Ned as his dad.

Ned curved to the bathroom instead. He stood in front of the mirror and looked himself over.

These days he really does look like the Giant Meatball with arms and legs attached...

Ned daringly turned his butt toward the mirror. He saw the Giant Meatball sitting up on two legs. Ned drew back in sheer horror.

Why didn't anywho tell him this before? All those stacks of pancakes, green eggs and ham for breakfast every morning. This whole time, Ned thought his JoJo admired him for always finishing everything on his plate, because he knew how badly JoJo wished to be bigger. Ned never realized how lame he was being the whole time.

He examined himself a little harder like a doctor trying to find a proper diagnosis for a patient.

It was no wonder why JoJo's desk collapsed. It was no wonder why JoJo sent him all those meatballs.

JoJo wasn't trying to be mean, he was only trying to make a point. Ned litterally was the butt of everywho's joke and JoJo was just pointing out some of the things Ned needed to work on in order to be less lame of a dad.

"Daddy?"

Ned tore his butt away from the mirror. His heart nearly shot out of his chest. He relaxed a little when he saw that it was only Holly and Heddy.

"Holly!? Heddy!? What are you two doing out of bed?" Ned whispered-shouted.

Holly ambushed him a big hug, while Heddy went for his legs.

"The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T is coming on tonight! Will you watch it with us?" Holly asked.

The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T was the most requested film to watch in the McDodd household, but tonight Ned was in no mood to watch it.

"It starts at nine-thirty. Can we stay up and watch it together?" Holly asked.

Ned knew Sally would blow up in a snik-snak-snoud if it got too late, but he figured the girls would be asleep before the second act anyway. Besides, only a lame dad would give their child a curfew. But Ned still wanted to be sure.

"Would that make me a cool dad?" He asked.

"No," Holly said. "It'd make you an even cooler dad."

"Coo, Daddy!" Heddy said. "Coo!"

"Hey, I think your mother bought some whoberry ice cream. Let's help ourselves,but be very quiet." Ned put a finger over his mouth. The girls willingly followed as he did.

Ned smiled. He knew he probably shouldn't be feeding his massive mass, but ice cream always made him feel better.

"Ned! What's going on in here?" Sally asked in a highly irritated tone. She had her hands on her waist.

Melted ice cream dripped from Ned's chestnut brown hair and streamed from the carton. He flashed her a guilty smile. Normally Ned it attractive when Sally was angry, but tonight it scared him to death.

"Hi, honey! Do you want some?" Ned asked in a shakey voice.

Sally glared. She didn't find any of this funny. "Why aren't you girls in bed?" she asked Holly.

Heddy was fast asleep, her head propped up on Ned's thigh, while Holly was just woken up by the sound of Ned's gasp.

"I told them they could stay up," Ned answered. He didn't want his new found "coolness" to cost the girls weekend's worth of chores or anything.

Sally rolled her eyes. "Ned! They're children! They need as much sleep as they can get. Not only that, it's a weeknight! The kids still have school in the morning."

Sally then directed her glare toward Holly (and Heddy so that she'd feel included) who, knew good and well that that ice cream was specifically bought for JoJo.

"Holly, I bought that ice cream for JoJo. You had the candy bar, remember?"

"Daddy said we could," she said sucking her fingers clean of sticky ice cream. "And besides, JoJo shouldn't get ice cream. He's mean to Daddy and hurts his feelings."

Ned felt his heart heat up and turn to ash.

"Go wash up, and get in bed," Sally said. "And take Heddy with you. We will discuss your punishment in the morning."

As a dissapointed Holly saundered off with Heddy on her back, Sally sat down next to Ned and rested her hand on his shoulder. Ned had his face buried in his hands. He didn't want to look at the half empty cart of ice cream.

"Ned what do you call yourself doing?" Sally asked. "This is so unlike you. Is there another elephant in the sky?"

"No," Ned said. "I just wanted some extra time with the kids since I've been so busy."

"Have you spoken to JoJo?"

Ned gave her a look that said, "What do you think?"

"Why don't you two go out for ice cream this weekend. Just the two of you. It might help mend your relationship."

Ned thought about it for a moment. He wasn't exactly ready to talk to JoJo just yet. Not after the pie prank. Or JoJo's refusing to adress him as dad. But Ned still loved JoJo very much and he knew how much JoJo liked ice cream, so he was willing to try.

Ned stood up from the sofa. "I'll clean up the mess," he said.

Sally stroked Ned's chesnut brown hair, sticky with running ice cream. "I'll clean up the mess, you clean up your act."