Between Sanity and Madness

by The Super Blackwing

Peter's relationship with his religious father Francis and manipulative mother Thelma have always been somewhat toxic on the parents' end, yet Peter was surprisingly tolerant of their behavior. But his patience, love and respect for them will be tested when he offers them to stay at his house when they lose their house to gambling.

3. Act 3

Before I start, just wanted to say I opened an Archive of our Own account to back up some fanfics just in case. It'll mostly be shot for shot copies, but there to expand the audience for the stories. And who knows? Maybe I'll put some exclusives! But for now, here's the account link: /users/TheSuperBlackwing/pseuds/TheSuperBlackwing

With that said, let's continue with the final act of Between Sanity and Madness!

---

[The two elders stroll around a dark alley, not too long after being kicked out]

Thelma: Imagine: kicked out by our own son!

Francis: Yeah, Usually, you have to piss off your wife to get kicked out of the house! [notices Thelma's glaring at him] I mean... I'm so told. But what do you care? We don't need that stinking drunk.

Thelma: Francis, don't be ridiculous! As much as Peter can be a drunk, I mean, a really bad drunk, he's still our boy. After all, we did get invited to his house to live with our possession of our home.

Francis: Thelma, who cares about Peter? I don't? Why, getting kicked out was a blessing in disguise! We don't need to be held down by that boy!

Thelma: Yeah.

Francis: Now that we're free from him, we can live a normal life away from the retirement homes and all those dumb family activities he has.

Thelma: Yeah!

Francis: We can spread our wings and embrace our true potentials! Today, the streets, in two weeks, THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

Thelma: YEAAAAAAAAH-

[One week of failures later, Francis and Thelma are seen with a box during a rainy night and looking like wrecks. With both of their clothes being wrinkled and covered with messy spots and Francis having a five o' clock shadow. The two are currently trying to get spare change in a cup from passersby]

Francis: Spare change? Spare change, sir?

Thelma: Have any money to give to two poor souls?

[A can is thrown at Thelma as "payment"]

Francis: Hey! That's my wife you sinful bent!

Thelma: Francis, please don't lose it on someone else again.

Francis: [sigh] Fine. Okay, so we had a bit of bumpy start. But, I'm sure in time we'll show Peter-!

[Another week of failure later, Francis is seen at a alleyway looking sad at a fire as Thelma waiting to him]

Thelma: Any luck on the job search going?

Francis: Nope. Got let go from five jobs today. Half of them wouldn't let me work, the other half allowed me, but fired me due to, and I quote: [pulls out a notice of termination] "cantankerous behavior and general unprofessionalism". Any luck with the casino?

Thelma: What do you think? Francis, we can't survive on the streets.

Francis: Well, what are we supposed to do, Thelma? We have no money, neither of us can hold jobs for the life of us. Plus, I'm running out of Bible papers to burn for fires.

Thelma: We have Petey.

Francis: Not anymore, we don't. We're dead to him.

Thelma: Fran Fran, he's a good person. If you just go make up to him, he might help us out.

Francis: But what all the time we spent doing this that will be wasted? Besides, what if he doesn't listen?

Thelma: Francis, if you don't do something soon, we're going to be on the streets! And you can't have me help because the poor boy won't listen to me. Between you and me, you were the one who gave him the hardest time when you were a child, and as such you are the only one who can get to him. Besides, two weeks passed and I'm sure Peter might give us a chance with the time to calm down... I hope...

[At the Griffin household, things aren't holding up much better. The family is seen having breakfast]

Chris: Uh, Mom, is Dad gunna be the same way he's been for two weeks?

Lois: I don't know, Chris, but if he does, remember to make him feel loved.

[When a grumpy Peter comes down to eat]

Lois: Morning, Peter.

Peter: Shut up.

[Peter clumps down at eats breakfast silently]

Brian: So, uh, Peter, you got any brand-new pitches for the Toy Factory you wanna talk about?

Peter: I got one. Shut up and let me eat breakfast!

[Peter continues to eat as the rest of the family stays silent, until Lois tries to break it]

Lois: S-so, uh, anyone got something on their minds?

Chris: Dad, I need some advice. See, I don't know if my classmate Barbara likes me and...

Meg: Lardo, I need more help from Dad! Dad, Connie and her friends stole all my books as payback for Grandpa hitting her, and Mr. Berler won't help me...

Stewie: I'm missing Grandpop...

[The voices of the family start to overlap each other, as Peter continues to eat, getting more and more frustrated, until he does something... slam his fist on the table, causing a deafening silence]

Peter: Complain, complain, complain! That's all you guys do! Not looking at who you are now, and you hate about yourself to try to improve, you just mope and complain! [to Chris] You. I know Barbara is in half your classes, so what are you waiting for?! Go up and ask her out during one of your classes! Or else, you probably gonna end up like Meg over here in terms of love, where you're too goddamn shy to admit it, that it eats you up. Speaking of... [to Meg] You. You just mope and complain about how you're taking abuse for someone that is less than a year older than you at most! And why are you taking it? Because she's the popular girl? Meg, popularity means FUCKING NOTHING in High School! I've seen popular girls from my high school become strippers in the strip clubs! Don't listen whatever crap they say to you. And while I'm at, stand up for yourself for once in your damn life! You don't need me or Lois to fight your battles! If you don't show to the world that you are a force to be reckoned with on your own, you'll be walked all over! [to Lois] You! Breakfast sucks ass!

Stewie: Thank you!

Peter: These eggs are overcooked! I know you spend a lot of time alone not doing piano lessons, so what's your excuse? Do a cooking class! [to Stewie] And YOU! Well, I just don't like you.

Stewie: That's - That's just cold.

[Peter takes his plate and drops it to the floor, shattering the plate, and walks out]

Peter: I'm going to work!

[Peter walks away]

Lois: We love you, Peter!

[Peter slams the front door on his way out, proving he didn't hear her]

Meg: Mom, this is the seventh time in two weeks that Dad yelled at us.

Chris: I don't like it when Dad yells at us! Okay, it funny when he yells at Meg...

Meg: Hey!

Chris: But still! I just can't understand why Dad's acting this way.

Brian: I have a working theory. See, Peter was neglected and rarely had any sort of love. And that will get his parents love must have transferred over to us. But with him currently at odds with his parents, the same negative energy is being reflected to the family.

Meg: So, it's like a wave reflection.

Brian: Uh, semi close.

Lois: And if that's the case, the Peter I loved is still in there, just buried deep?

Stewie: It's buried deep down, you better start digger, you hag.

Brian: Bingo. So as much as it urkes me to say this... we need to find Francis and Thelma.

Chris: Alright, let's do it!

Meg: Yeah!

[A bus is heard honking it's horn off-screen]

Chris: After school...

[Around the late night, the family, sans Peter, are out on the streets, calling for Francis and Thelma]

Lois: Thelma!

Chris: Grampa!

Meg: Grandma!

Stewie: Grandpa!

Brian: Bible-Thumper!

Meg: Mom, why would you think they would be here of all places?

Lois: Meg, honey, if there's anything to be learned from almost drowning in a car by my husband's parents, it's that they're not very smart.

Chris: Mom, look! It's Grandpa and Grandma.

[Chris pointed down an alley that had a certain old man and women with their dirty and reeking attire with now blue and purple ropes looking in a dumpster, but Chris could still recognize him instantly]

Meg: Chris, how do you even know it's them? For all we know it can be two homeless bums.

Francis: Damn frickin' fat drunk, making us eat out the damn dumpster.

Stewie: [after a beat] Yeah, that's them.

Thelma: Francis, focus! We still need to think of a way to back in our son's good graces.

Francis: Ah, right... [thinks then snaps his fingers with an idea] Oh, I know! You see, this is it's gonna go...

Cutaway #13

[In Francis' mind, Francis and Thelma are holding a struggling Pope with rope and a blindfold on and chuck him in a van]

End

Francis: And then we drive him to Peter's, beg him to ask Peter for our forgiveness and BOOM! We got our son back.

[Long beat]

Thelma: Francis, that's kidnapping. Plus, he'd know you as an ex-worker. He'll call the police on us the second he sees a phone

Chris: Grampa?

Francis: Uh, I, uh...

[Francis and Thelma dart behind the dumpster as the family walks nearby it]

Chris: Grampa, it's me, Chris. Remember, you're grandson.

Lois: Dear God, Francis. You took look terrible. You two look like you're holding on by treads.

Stewie: [sniffs Francis and cringes back while covering his nose] And you smell as worse as your looks.

Brian: Are-Are you living like this these days?

Francis: What- Living like this? [beat and then laughs as he smacks Lois behind the back] Oh, Lois, Lois, Lois, we're living the great life! We entered a ecochamber planning to attack Peter any minute.

Thelma: They were kinder than whatever Peter gave us, and gave us these beautiful capes.

Brian: That's a dirty robe.

Francis: And this diamond watch.

Chris: That looks stolen.

Thelma: And this wonderful scepter.

Stewie: That's a tree branch.

Francis: Tree branch to you lower spects, high quality gold to us! We're livin' the high life, baby!

[The duo starts laughing out loud, gradually growing more and more discordant and strained, before that laugh progressively melts into sobs, with Francis collapsing the ground, pounding it in disappointment]

Lois: (sighs) Man, I would enjoy this. So why aren't I?

Brian: Maybe because homelessness is a big tragedy?

Francis: Who are we kidding? Our clothes reek, you just saw us dumpster diving and I've had to take craps on the street! It's right there [points offscreen] I call it "The crap block", 'cause I do it there most often.

Chris: Eww!

Meg: Gross.

Stewie: Too much info, Gramps.

Thelma: Continuing, the point Francis and I are trying to make is...uh...

[Her and Francis clench Lois' shirt, weeping]

Francis and Thelma: Please, please let us come home and make it up to Petey!

Chris: Grampa, we were finding you and Gramma just to take you home.

[Francis and Thelma instantly calm down and their tears seemed to have gone away]

Francis: Oh... uh, just to let you kids know, those were real tears, they just, dry up fast for us...

Thelma: Wait, I suspect a catch... what is it, Louis?

Lois: [sighes] Lois! But there's no catch. It's about Peter... he's uh, lost it since he kicked you out.

[The family heads back to the house until Brian holds his hand out in front of the family to stop them]

Brian: Wait... [sniffs out] I smell something burning.

[The family goes around the house to look and see Peter dumping what looks like old pictures of him and his parents in a bonfire]

Thelma: My God! We ruined our child!

Chris: Yeah! Selfish Grampa rules!

Francis: No, selfish Grampa doesn't rule.

Thelma: Francis, this is the time to make things right by Petey.

[Francis nods and walks up to Peter]

Francis: Hey, buddy. Whatcha doing?

Peter: Burning all your family photos.

[Peter takes out a photo from the album that showed him as a child with his parents and throws it in the bonfire, watching it slowly burn]

Francis: Listen, uh, we just wanted to...you know...apologize for our behavior during your visit.

[Peter says nothing back]

Thelma: Look, we know you're mad at us for what we've done... and you do have the right to be mad at us.

[The band Peter hired comes back - this time hired by Francis - begins to play an emotional score]

Francis: Wasn't right what we done. What we done was made from impulse and just immature behavior. And I realized I hurt the feelings of, uh, someone I care about.

[Peter scoffs off the apology, and the band stops playing their music in response]

Francis: Wha-? He just scoffed at us! We apologized, with a band and everything like he wanted, and he scoffed at us?!

Thelma: Petey, why are you being such a moody guy? What happened to the sweet boy who would excitedly ask for stories from our past?

Peter: His parents drowned him in a lake and stole his kids.

Thelma: Eeeeh.

Francis: I know we screwed up, and I'm not gonna act like this isn't our fault, but Peter, please! We can't live like this!

Peter: [in a mocking tone] "We can't live like this!" [normal] Well, you shouldn't have gone out of your way to act like entitled bastards and fuss about me putting you into a retirement home. You two asked for this! Now, you got what you deserved! In fact...

[Peter takes the Bible book from Francis' vest and carelessly tosses the book into the bonfire, causing it to flame out]

Francis: My bible!

[Francis went to retrieve the Bible, but threw it on the ground as it was steaming hot when he touched it, and sprayed it down with a hose to cool it, only to see it was burned to crisp beyond repair. With him only being able to stare at was once his prized possession]

Peter: How does it feel to have ya dreams crushed, eh Fran-

[Peter is cut off as Francis pounces him for burning the book and starts wailing on him]

Francis: YOU BURNED MY BIBLE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

[Francis continues to wail on Peter, with Peter not so much as hitting back]

Francis: AND WHY ARE YOU NOT FIGHTING BACK AGAINST ME?!

Peter: You want me to fight you? Okay...

[Peter grabs Francis' vest to hold him down and clocks Francis so hard it knocks him back. As Francis gains back himself from the knockback, his eyes widen as he sees Peter tackle him, with the two crashing through the study room window and begin fighting in the living room. The family head to the battle and look on at the battle in horror.]

Peter: How's it feel to have you're son fight you back, huh Francis?!

Meg: Oh my God! Dad and Grandpa are fighting!

Brian: Hey, let's place bets on who'll win the fight. I'm betting on Peter.

Stewie: Really? 'Cause my bet's on "Who the hell are you?"

Lois: So, uh, personal question, Thelma?

Thelma: Yeah?

Lois: What the hell do you even see in Francis?

Thelma: Well, I love him because I know under all his rough edges is a genuinely good person...

Francis: I'M GONNA KILL YOU, PETER!

Thelma: [sweat rolls down her face] It's just, uh, buried under that crap.

[The fight continues, as Peter roundhouse kicks Francis to a wall he collides on, only getting him more angry and ready to throw more punches at Peter. Thankfully, before they could fight more, the family came to restrain the two. With Lois and Meg both holding back on of Peter's arms while Brian holds him back from hurting Francis, who himself his having his stomach held back by Thelma and held back by Chris and Stewie.]

Thelma: Franny, quit this! We're supposed to be getting back into Petey's good books.

Lois: And I can't believe I'm saying this Peter, but you need to calm down and listen to them!

Peter: Give me a minute, Lois! I need to wrangle my Dad's neck!

Francis: And I need to find a way to strangle my son!

[Francis shoves Thelma, Chris and Stewie out his way the same time Peter knocks Lois and Meg away from him while tramping over Brian. Fed up, Thelma gets to the top of a chair and...]

Thelma: Alright, that's it! Francis Howard Griffin and Peter Löwenbräu Griffin, STOP FIGHTING!

[The two stop their anger and look at Thelma]

Thelma: This fighting is ridiculous. Francis, you going out to fight your own son over a burnt Bible is proving more fuel for why he should hate us. And Peter, I know you still love us. Please, remember the good times we had and give us another chance.

Peter: [Glares again] I don't remember anything good about you two. The best I remember for you (Thelma) is you throwing whiskey bottles at me and the best I remember about you (Francis) is you hitting me with your bible.

Francis: But please, Peter, we sincerely want to be family again, and ...

Peter: Shut up! [takes a good deep breath in] Now it's clear neither of you took the hint, so let me spell it out for you. Whatever love I had for you two is long dead. I will never love you again. Not now, not in the past, not ever!

Thelma: N'oh, Peter. What could we do to make you ever forgive us?

Peter: [shoves the two out the door] LEAVE! Now get out and get lost before CALL THE COPS!

Francis and Thelma: We love... [Peter slams the door shut and the two sigh] you...

Peter: "Sincerely want to be family again" Ha! What a laugh! How should I even believe if that's the truth anymore?

[Peter slumps back and grabs the family album he kept and goes back outside to the bonfire. He then threw the album in the fire, burning all the pictures in one strike. Peter stares it with a sullen look as Lois and Brian stare at him in just sad looks. Back outside with Francis and Thelma, Thelma is continually banging on the door]

Thelma: Petey, PLEASE! Give us another chance!

Francis: Thelma, stop.

Thelma: You heard that Peter?! Francis is giving you one minute to- Wait, what?

Francis: Thelma, the boy's right. We've done nothing worthy to warrant Peter's love. We manipulated and lied to the boy, crushed him multiple times, and yet never did anything to deserve Peter. What could we say to Peter that could help fix the forty plus years of damage we did to him? We not good people, good parents, or even the flaw parents that still mean to do well. We're just two people who had sex and had a kid neither of us wanted. Nothing less, nothing more. And all we do is screw up his life. And Peter doesn't need in life... [sniffs, as if he's holding back tears] Nobody does...

[Thelma just looks down knowing he's telling the truth. Francis then comes to her side to support her]

Thelma: Come on, Francis. We'll find a good alley to sleep in tonight.

[The two begin to leave, however, Francis gets hit by an alcohol bottle thrown at his head, which is revealed to be Horace]

Horace: That's what you get, asshole!

[An hour or two after the fight, Peter, Lois and Brian are in the master bedroom. With Peter and Lois in bed and Brian on the foot of their bed. However, Peter is turned to the left side, and saying nothing]

Brian: Peter, are you really mad at them?

[Peter says nothing back]

Lois: We know, Peter. You want to accept them again, but don't for a reason you're not telling us, right?

[Peter still says nothing back, only scratching his behind to give an inking that he's still alive, leaving Lois to sigh as she turns on the news, to see Tom Tucker reporting]

Tom: Welcome to the 10 o'clock news with me, Tom Tucker! Usually someone else does this hour and I'm asleep, but I lost a game with the reporter for this hour. [to himself, in a softer voice] Knew I should've chosen Craps instead of Mouche for the game. [normal voice] We'll go into more detail of my humiliating loss later tonight, but first, in breaking news, two [squints his eyes] possibly elderly citizens, geez we need better camera equipment, are on the roof on the Holy Christ Church.

[As the camera zooms in to get a better view of the people on the roof, Lois gasps as she recognizes that it's Francis and Thelma]

Lois: [shaking Peter to look] Peter! Peter, look!

[Peter begrudgingly gets up and looks at the television, and his eyes widen the same way Lois did]

Peter: Mom? Dad?

Tom: While our cameraman and reporters have no said clue on what their motivation is, the possible theory is a suicide attempt.

[Peter and Lois look at each other and jump out of bed to get redress. With them getting out with such force to cause Brian to get flopped off the bed]

Lois: Kids, get dressed quickly!

[The two alongside Brian rush to see the event and leave the master room without turning off the TV]

Tom: Coming up, we answer the question: why are there so many conveniently placed news reports in television shows?

[Cuts to the Holy Christ Church, where a crowd was gathered together to witness the event. Among them were the Griffins, who managed to make it on time and were just exiting their car to see from the back of the crowd]

Meg: Oh my God, Grandma!

Chris: Grampa!

Peter: Hey! Jackasses! Do us all a favor and jump! It'll make us all much happier!

Lois: Peter!

Chris/Meg: Dad!

Stewie: Fat Man!

Lois: What the hell, Peter! Don't be a dick!

Peter: Why not? They're about to die, their lives and my goal were a damn joke, why not?

Brian: Francis! Thelma! Don't listen to him! We all do appreciate you two and don't want you guys to die! [after realizing he's lying to himself] Okay most of us want one of you guys to survive, but you get my point.

Francis: Attention citizens of Quahog. It's I, Francis, and my wife Thelma. You might have seen me around praying and spewing the word of God around. Or as the then-assistant of the Pope. And you might have see Thelma around in casinos in Vegas...

Person #1: (off-screen) TELL US WHY YOU'RE ON THE ROOF!

Francis: I'M GETTING TO IT! BE PATIENT! Er, anyways, the point is, I go around acting like I'm the righteous Man of God, but I'm not that at all. In fact, that should go to Peter Griffin.

Person #1: (off-screen) What?

Thelma: PETER GRIFFIN! You know, Peter? Popular around here. He's our son.

Person #2: Wait, he's your son?

Francis: Uh, yes?

Person #1: Y-You two look nothing like him.

Thelma: Come on, we have some genetics passed on down to him. Needs to wear glasses, floaty eyebrows, funny chin...

Francis: His laugh he does? He got it from me. [does a laugh similar to Peter's, and then pulls a photo of him, Peter and Thelma from around 30 years ago for the crowd to see] I even have this family picture of us.

[The crowd gasps]

Peter: He kept a picture of us?

Francis: Yeah, that's our boy. An idiot, but a lovable one. He always meant well and would do anything for his family.

[A smile emerges on Peter's face from hearing Francis' words]

Francis: And the one thing he asked in return was love. And we couldn't do it.

Thelma: We took him for granted, used him, belittled him, treated him like he was stupid. And now, we've lost him and we're dead to him.

Francis: So now, heartbroken and having ruined the final relationship that was giving us purpose in life, we will end it all where I hurt Peter the most. Here while taking him to church sessions at six in the morning, except that it's night and I'm not taking him to pray. Peter, if you're seeing this, we're sorry we were hard on you.

[Peter is shown to be tearing up, with their words striking a cord in him, especially with the band from earlier, now doing the episode score]

Peter: That's all I wanted to hear. If only you said that when you could. I forgive you in a heartbeat.

Brian: Well, if you want to forgive them, you better start moving fast, Peter. Look!

[Brian points to the two setting themselves up to jump, which gets Peter's eyes to widen]

Peter: Holy crap!

[Peter, in a hurry starts to push through the crowd, and even kicks a few to shave off a few seconds as he's rushing to the Church to catch them. The band plays a suspenseful score, which only makes Peter more anxious to get there in time. Thankfully, Peter caught Francis and Thelma just at the nick of time as they landed on top of him and cushioning their fall. Francis and Thelma soon recovered from the landing, where they found that they were on Peter's stomach]

Thelma: Petey... You saved us?

Peter: Yeah... I did.

[As Peter shoves Francis and Thelma off his stomach, and the rest of the Griffins emerge from the crowd and run out to see the three okay.]

Chris/Meg: Grandpa/Grandma!

Stewie: [embrace's Francis' legs] Grandpop, you're all right!

Francis: Even after all we did to you and your family? But, why?

Thelma: [gasps in realization] Petey... you still care about us?

[Francis then gave the band their cue to play, which they did.]

Peter: Wha-Wha-? I didn't do it because I cared! I did cause it would look bad on my part! [the music stops] They might have thought I did something to you guys and looked at it out of context, and-and I might have gone to court, and...and...

[Peter stops as he looks to see his parents upset and the crowd just in disgust at what he said and leave the scene. and sighs]

Peter: Aw, crap. Look, I've lost a lot of love for you two, and you two have been living nightmares are quite possibly the most horrible people in Quahog, and I'm not alone in thinking that! But at the end of the day, you're my parents. And I didn't want to see you two throw away your lives.

Francis: Wow, that type of love was something my own dad never did for me. I was picked on for my beliefs when I was younger, and when I tried to kill myself out of depression he just shrugged and abandoned to go to the bar with his friends.

Peter: How familiar. That reminds me a lot of you. Guess Griffin habits carry over in worse ways.

Thelma: [to the band] Hey boys, keep playing! I think we're getting something! [to Francis as a new music string starts] Go for it, Frany.

Francis: You know, Peter, I'm sorry for how I how I treated you. I can't believe I was so selfish on you. And you're my son! And one of the few people who seems to accept me. Everyone else pushes me out because of my fundamentalism or just being a nuisance. I didn't realize how lucky I was to have you in my life, and now I feel like a big jackass. But if-if you'll give me a chance, I-I'd like to try to change that.

Peter: But how do I know you won't just hurt me again?

Thelma: Peter, you don't have the answer to that. Hell, Francis and I don't even know the answer.

Francis: For all we know, I could go back to my abusive ways, or you become the abuser, or we just fall into chaos. You never know the answer to certain questions you raise. But, isn't taking a risk better than not having that possibility?

Peter: Well... yeah, I guess you're right... I took many risks in my life, and most of them have ended well for me...

[Peter eyes his family]

Francis: So, Peter, will you let us be your parents again?

Peter: [thinks about it long and hard, then decides] Yeah. I'd like that a lot-

[Francis and Thelma embrace Peter, catching him off-guard]

Thelma: Oh, Petey, thank you!

Francis: I love you, son. Don't you ever forget it no matter what I do...

[Peter, after taking a second to process what Francis said, smiles back and embraces the two back]

Peter: I know you do, Dad. I know.

[As the three hug, a few seconds in Francis notices Peter's not letting go]

Francis: Peter, are you deliberately not letting go of your grip?

[Peter nods his head]

Thelma: And is it because you worked so hard for this and want to cherish it?

[Peter nods his head again]

Peter: You guys don't mind, right?

Thelma: Nah.

Francis: Take all the time ya' want, boy. You earned it.

[A few seconds later, they're interrupted by a clearing of a throat, which is revealed to be Death with a clipboard, the three un]

Death: I'm here to pick up, Griffin, Francis... and Griffin, Thelma.

Thelma: Sorry, hun, it was a false alarm.

Peter: Yeah, it was prevented.

Death: [throws the clipboard down] Damn it! [storms off] I knew my horoscope was right about not going into jobs immediately.

[As Death storms out, the family stays far away to make sure they don't die to him]

Meg: Wait, since Dad was able to get Grandpa and Grandma to like him, that means I actually do have a chance to have Kevin as my boyfriend!

Peter and Meg: Ha! In your face, Chris!

Chris: You're still gonna be disappointed by the results, Meg.

[Meg looks surprised, but then decides to punch Chris in the arm]

Chris: Ow!

Meg: Lemme have this, Chris!

Lois: So, Thelma, Francis, what's next for you?

Brian: Yeah, I mean, after today there's gotta be some plan you have, right?

Francis and Thelma: What's next for us?

[Francis and Thelma ponder said question]

Thelma: You know, if you asked me a month or two ago, I would have said "Hit the casinos!". And I'm sure your father would say something about spreading Christain teachings [Francis nods in agreement]. But after today, I don't really know what I wanna to do.

Francis: Actually, I think I know what we'll do, Thelma. Appreciate our lives. We never knew how good we had it until we lost it. And I feel the suicide attempt, our rekindling with Peter, and meeting with Death symbolizes something. The old Francis and Thelma Griffins are dead. From this day forward, we'll begin anew never again dwell on our past we screwed up. Today, we make a new path for our future.

Thelma: That's- sounds like a good plan, Franny.

Brian: You're-You're not gonna move back in, are you?

Francis: Oh, no, Brian. We'll be far away from you all. Especially Peter. You worked hard, and it's best for us to give you some time away.

Thelma: See you soon, Petey.

[Thelma gives Peter a kiss and begins to walk away with Francis, while Peter watches them leave]

Brian: Come on, Peter...

Peter: What?

Brian: We know you wanna help them.

Lois: And since you were able to get to them to show that side you promised you can bring out, we give you full allowance to help them.

Peter: [smiles to Brian and heads after Francis and Thelma] Hey Ma, Dad, wait! I, uh, haven't cancelled the rooms for the Acres. They're still available if you want them.

[The two smile back at Peter, and a few days later, the Griffin family - minus Peter - is seen watching TV as they always do, with them watching an episode of Bosom Buddies. With Balki walking into the living room to see his cousin Larry looking at a world map]

Balki: Hello, cousin Larry. How are you?

Larry: Not so good, Balki. I've been looking on the map, and it seems there's no Mypos. I think you've been lying to me.

Balki: Of course I haven't. Don't be ridiculous.

[Larry pulls up Dmitri and pulls out a box of smack]

Larry: And I found a kilo of smack inside Dmitri!

Balki: Get out of this city!

Larry: Yeah that's real cute, Balki. Or whoever you are.

Balki: Listen, infidel. You'll know who I am in good time! For now, just shut your mouth and don't go to any shopping malls on Halloween.

[Balki reaches for a bottle of liquor and drinks a swig of it from the bottle. He then throws it to the wall behind him, startling Larry. He then heads out the living room, and shuts the door. After this, it cuts back to the Griffin family as they see Peter quietly walk downstairs and enters the kitchen]

Brian: [whispering to Lois] He hasn't said anything since that night.

Chris: You think he's back at square one, Mom?

Lois: Only one way to know for sure. [Peter exits the kitchen] Morning, Peter! How you doing this morning?

Peter: [while performing unnecessary poses while talking] I think ... I'm doing ... moderately fine... how about ... you guys?

[Peter was then in a pose having his legs spread while having his arms wrapped under his knees. Just then, his pants rip, revealing his underwear]

Peter: Aw crap, I posed too hard.

[Everyone laughed at Peter's joke, even Stewie, as Peter came to the couch to sit with the family]

Brian: That's the Peter I know!

Stewie: I don't get it, what was the joke?

Lois: Oh, it's great to have you back, Peter.

Chris: And it's nice that you and Grampa repaired your relationship.

Peter: Yeah, I have a bad feeling he'll probably go back to his crappy ways later, but the important thing from this is that I can now proudly say there's a moment of true love from my dad. Plus, I have a feeling that what he said was genuine.

Brian: Plus, you finally stood up against your parents.

Meg: Hey Dad, I was wonder, what will happen with Grandpa and Grandma?

Peter: Eh, we came to an agreement. They'll go to the retirement home and are free to visit us anytime... but only once a month, and they have to call in advance. Otherwise, I'm spraying them with the hose.

Chris: So you're not holding any grudges for the past week?

Peter: Well, not entirely. I had them do a little favor before they'll allowed to go. I think the favor is very cathartic.

Cutaway #14

[Francis and Thelma are seen returning to the front of the Griffin House after running the block three times, sweaty and breathing heavily. With Peter blowing a whistle that startles the two and comes in wearing a general uniform]

Peter: [blows whistle, reenters wearing a camouflage cap] All right, you two! Gimmie ten!

Francis: (panting) Peter, can we take five please? This has been no fun.

Peter: You and ma made your own bed, Franics, now you sleep in it. Besides, working for my respect isn't supposed to be fun.

Thelma: W-why not?

Peter: Why not? That's Satan talking! You wanna go to that retirement home, don't ya?

Thelma: (panting) A retirement home would be so bad right now.

Peter: Now, come on you two, I said down and ten! [Francis and Thelma get down and does push-ups]

Peter: And one-and-two, and one-and-two! Are you enjoying the taste of your own medicine, Dad? One-and-two, and one-and-two!

End

[Francis and Thelma open in the family door and knock on it]

Thelma: Guess who?

Peter: [sigh] Didn't we just talk about calling beforehand?

Thelma: We would've if a certain someone remembered the house number.

[Francis rolls his eyes and whistles]

Chris: How was the retirement home, Gramma?

Thelma: Oh, it was wonderful! The place was full of sweet people and the help was lovely assistance.

Francis: [grumbles] Eh, it was decent.

Thelma: Ignore Frany, Petey. He's just grumpy because he needed to request assistance for buttoning his shirt.

Francis: It was ONE TIME! But, like Thelms said it wasn't as bad as we thought. [ruffles Peter's hair] You're a good kid, Peter.

Peter: D'awww, thanks Dad.

Francis: And you know, since we're on good terms again, I was wondering if those could be a great time to see Karen again.

Peter: [fake laughs] Dad, we're-we're not going to see her.

Thelma: Actually, it has been a while since we saw her.

Peter: And we never will again!

Francis: I got her number, I can call her up for a visit.

Peter: Don't you do it, Francis. Don't you even think about do it. [Francis reaches for the phone anyways] Francis! If you push one button on that phone, I'm tackling you. I'm dead serious.

[Francis proceeds to push a button to call her, and, in a split second, is tackled by Peter and put on the ground. Francis squrms past Peter and claws to the couch to speak to Thelma]

Francis: Thelma, call her! Call her! Call her!

[Francis gets pulled back down and proceeds to get in another fight with Peter]

Peter: We're not calling her! You hear me, Francis?!

Francis: You're not my Dad! Don't tell me what to do!

Peter: YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO KAREN!

Thelma: Well, I think Petey and Fran are getting along much better.

Brian: Eh, Sorta.

Lois: Yeah, let's hope so. I'm tired of family drama.

Chris: I'm still processing the full month of absolute - AAAAAAHHHH! - we had to unfold.

Meg: And to make sure, there's for sure no other family drama from Dad's end of the family?

Thelma: Pretty much, dear. We're the last bit of it. Though there was Francis' dad, but I'm sure he's been long dead.

[A knock is heard at the door]

Josiah: (off-screen) Peter, Francis, it's me, Josiah! Guess who came to possibly live with you guys?

[Peter and Francis stop wrestling as their eyes widen in fear]

Francis: Dad?!

Peter: Grampa?!

Thelma: Oh God, no!

Brian: Not again!

Chris: Come on, man!

Francis: Oh, no way in Hell we're doing this. Everyone, into the car! NOW!

[They eight Griffins all dashed into the garage and entered the car, not even bothering to get some belongings with them]

Stewie: [to Thelma] Like son, like father, eh?

Thelma: Not now, sugs. Peter, DRIVE!

[Peter rams the gas and breaks the car through the garage door and drive away as the episode comes to a close]

---

And done!

Thank you for reading this story! Feels good to complete something for once. This feels especially good to complete as this particular idea has been in the works for over a year (from the original writing on Family Guy Fanon to fanfic write)! This won't be entirely the end, as I'll be posting some deleted scenes later on so you all can see what extensions and gags to scenes I had planned to put in the fanfic, but cut during the rewriting phase. For now, don't forget to follow, share and comment as those would truly help me and let me know what you think and liked about the fanfic. And until next time, sayonara!