Tristan quickly ran over, as Gumball's immediate family was reunited.
Judith and Patrick, along with Nicole and Richard, watched with tears in their eyes as their first born children embraced each other once again; along with their grandchildren.
Through his tears from his shell, Patrick was able to regain his composure to once again speak.
"Judith noticed in the corner of eye while in the classroom window two fairies that were outside wandering...a mother and her daughter holding hands...we slipped away to surprise all of you."
Gumball smiled, as he lifted his head from the group hug.
"Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald...if not for you guys we would still be waiting for their return."
Patrick and Judith soon smiled, as they looked to one another; Judith giving a slight nod to Patrick.
"Please...Gumball...call us Judith and Patrick, son. After all you have done for this family and our daughter...you've earned that right, and we couldn't be more proud to be a part of the greater Watterson family."
Gumball, Penny, and the two kids smiled at each other after hearing this, as Penny soon turned toward the classroom once again.
"Oh my goodness...is this..."
The yellow fairy's eyes widened, as she began to survey the classroom.
"It's our old kindergarten, Gumball!"
Gumball smiled and chuckled at the jubilation of his wife, as he pointed to a specific part of the classroom.
She quickly glanced over to where he was pointing, before covering her mouth with a gasp of shock and happiness.
"Gumball...that's when we first met each other!"
Gumball wrapped his arm around Penny, as he pulled her close to touch heads.
"It is..."
Penny's eyes once again widened, as she commenced a silent giggle, before turning to Gumball once more.
"Heh, do you remember what happened at the end of the school day?"
Penny asked, as Gumball soon took a few moments to recollect and contemplate, before his own eyes widened in realization and he began to blush.
"Oh! Uhhhh...yeah..."
Penelope and Tristan both turned to each other with confused expressions, before Tristan shrugged his shoulders at his younger sister.
Penelope then tugged on the dress of her mother.
"Mommy, what happened in this memory with you and Dad?"
Penny's heart melted at the innocence of her daughter, before she quickly picked her up in her arms.
"Well...judging by the time on the clock in this memory, it should only be a few moments..."
Penny finished her remark with a wink, as Penelope giggled.
As time soon progressed, the family drew their attention to the play corner, as the final bell rang for the day.
A younger Gumball and Penny, who had just been finger painting together, soon arose from their sitting position.
They had been thoroughly enjoying their day together, as indicative of their abundance of laughter which had earned stares from their peers and classmates.
They quickly went over to the wash station in the corner of the classroom to clean their hands, as a formation of kids had begun to form at the door of the classroom.
Ms. Johnston soon stood at the front of the door to allow the kids to exit the classroom to be reunited with their parents.
She also spotted Gumball and Penny standing next to each other, and swiftly moved over to their position.
"Hi, Gumball and Penny...did I get that right?"
The female raccoon asked with a kind tone, as Gumball and Penny both giggled simultaneously and nodded their heads.
"Oh wonderful! I just wanted to ask you two if you could wait for a few minutes before I bring your parents or guardians into the classroom, is that okay?"
Gumball and Penny both glanced at each other with confused expressions, before Penny gained enough assertiveness to ask a question.
"Ms. Johnston...are we in trouble?"
Ms. Johnston giggled for a few moments at the adorable peanuts remarks, before she spoke.
"Oh no, no, no sweetie! In fact, quite the opposite! I was just going to bring in your parents to tell them how well you got along with each other today! I didn't have to check up on you guys at all compared to your peers, because you two had such great chemistry together!"
Gumball put on a confused expression.
"Ms. Johnston? What's a... chemistry?"
The female raccoon's heart was absolutely melting at the innocence and polite etiquette the small blue cat and peanut fairy were displaying for their age.
"It means you two are great partners, sweetie! I was actually going to ask you two this question after your parents had arrived but...would you two be comfortable in a seating arrangement together? I'm actually putting together this plan for all of your classmates, but it seems like putting you two together in a duo is an absolute no brainer after today's class! What do you both say?"
Penny and Gumball's eyes soon lit up with excitement.
"Oh absolutely Ms. Johnston! We would love to!"
Penny and Gumball exclaimed, as Ms. Johnston chuckled.
"Haha, alright, alright, settle down you two. I'll go talk to your parents for a bit, I'm sure they'd love to know how wonderful your days' went together.
Ms. Johnston, soon turned towards the door, to see Patrick and Nicole both enter at the same time.
"Oh! Speaking of which!"
Ms. Johnston soon walked over to the classroom entrance to discuss the day with the two parents, as Gumball and Penny both turned to one another once again.
"We sure had a lot of fun today, huh?"
Gumball asked in a shy demeanor, scratching the back of his neck and periodically glancing at the floor.
"We really did...I got to say, you're really one of the kindest people I have ever met!"
Penny exclaimed with a jubilance in her tone of voice, as Gumball began to blush profusely at her compliment.
"Well I uh...I mean..."
Gumball was unable to formulate a proper or coherent sentence, his mouth had become dry and tense, his tongue also had a tinge of intelligible perplexity that had caught the small blue feline off guard.
He was in uncharted territory now, even as a young boy...he was feeling a sense of...love!
He quickly snapped from his thoughts and undivided gaze of the peanut girl, to see his mother quickly shuffling over to kneel down and greet him.
"Well, it sounds like my little Gummypuss had a wonderful first day at school, huh?"
Nicole exclaimed with joy in her voice, as Gumball blushed for an entirely different reason now.
"Moooooooooom! You're embarrassing me!"
The small kitten exclaimed, as Nicole started to chuckle.
"Awwwwwww, I didn't intend to little man! I'm just so happy that you made a friend today! I told you everything would be alright!"
Nicole ruffled the fur on top of her son's head, before embracing him for a hug.
Penny saw this and giggled, as Patrick swiftly came over to his daughter's side.
"Yes, well it's nice that you have found a new friend Penny...truly..."
Patrick said this with a tinge of apprehensiveness, as Nicole's ears perked up.
"Everything alright, Patrick? You don't mind that your daughter and my son are friends; do you?"
Nicole said this with a degree of sternness in her voice, as Patrick looked up to meet eyes with the female feline mother.
"Not at all Nicole! It's just-"
"Just what Patrick?"
Patrick was soon taken aback by Nicole's sudden frustration.
"Well...you remember when your husband was in school as a kid when you were together with him..."
Patrick stated in a calm tone, as to not escalate the situation further, as Nicole soon crossed her arms.
"What are you trying to imply Mr. Fitzgerald?"
Nicole asked in a now calmer tone.
Patrick soon inhaled a deep breath, ensuring to choose his words carefully as he began to speak once more.
"It's just that...if your son and my daughter do forge a long term friendship and start hanging out...will your son be as rambunctious as your husband once was with you? I mean...we all saw what he was like in that get up as the "Cottontail Cavalier" or whatever it was called..."
Nicole was rather agitated from the remarks of the larger peanut, but then took a deep sigh herself.
"Listen, Mr. Fitzgerald...I understand that Richard's actions in the past were a little...abstract. But he always ensured that I was safe and happy, and provided a friendship that we carried through our childhoods into adulthood...and we turned out just fine. If you wish to protest that here and now, then please by all means go ahead...but please do not impede my son's and your daughter's potential friendship by having past inhibitions of my husband and I cloud your judgment...because if you stop this now...who knows what beautiful future could be destroyed because of it?"
Nicole finished speaking, as Ms. Johnston nodded with a smile.
"Very eloquently and succinctly put Mrs. Watterson, and if I may concur to what she just said Mr. Fitzgerald...and I understand that I only have just begun my teaching career...from what I saw today, those two kids really do get along well and are very attentive to one another in the activities I set up for the children today...it would truly be a shame if you separated these two wonderful children..."
The raccoon finished speaking, before a tug was felt on Patrick's hand.
"Please Daddy...can I still hang out with Gumball?"
Penny asked with a genuine plea to her father, her timid voice almost cracking up with tears.
Patrick surveyed the room once more, before looking down at his daughter and letting out a big sigh, and transitioning to a slight smile.
"Very well Penny, you may hang out with Gumball Watterson."
Penny's eyes lit up when she heard this, and immediately began jumping up and down into complete elation to know that her father was okay in letting her hang out with her new friend.
She quickly stopped her excitement, to run over and give the small blue kitten a hug.
Without realizing initially what she had done, she quickly pulled away.
"Oh! Uh...sorry about that Gumball..."
Penny stated, before she glanced at Gumball who was completely in a trance.
"So...this is what Mom meant by love being innumerable? Immeasurable? Inexplicable? What does these words even mean?"
The small blue kitten thought to himself, as Nicole knelt down to give him a warm smile.
"So I guess you're eager to come back here tomorrow?"
Gumball shook his head to bring himself back to reality, as he turned to face his Mom.
"Yes, absolutely! I love school!"
Gumball said with sheer joy in his voice, as Nicole chuckled.
"I'll take that as a yes then!"
Nicole stated, before picking up her son in her arms.
Ms. Johnston stepped forward, and clapped her paws together.
"So, shall I go ahead with the seating arrangement for your kids?"
Nicole and Patrick both looked at one another again, as Patrick acquiescently nodded.
"You may, Ms. Johnston..."
Patrick stated in a defeated tone, as Nicole smiled.
"Thank you...Patrick."
Patrick looked up with a slight smile, before taking his daughter's hand in his own.
"Good day to you Mrs. Watterson, Gumball..."
Patrick began to walk away towards the door, as Penny waved back to her newly found friend and acquaintance.
"See you tomorrow Gumball!"
She said with pure happiness in her voice, as Gumball returned a huge smile and waved back to her.
"See you tomorrow Penny!"
The blue kitten said, as he looked back at his mother, who was smiling and giggling along with him.
"Awwwww, I think you two are really going to get along with one another!"
Gumball smiled, as he began to speak.
"How so, Mom?"
"Let's just call it...motherly instinct and a bit of past experience with someone you and I know very well. Speaking of which, he should be home any time now from the errands I sent him out on!"
Nicole once more looked to Ms. Johnston, who was smiling ear to ear.
"Thank you for the lovely chat Ms. Johnston, I'm very glad to know that Gumball has met and connected with a friend already on his first day of school!"
"I'm absolutely thrilled as well! It's rare for students to really build a bond and connection on the first day, but your son and Penny Fitzgerald certainly seem to be the perfect classmates for each other! I'm sure they have a wonderful year ahead of them!"
Nicole smiled, as she began to walk towards the classroom exit.
"So Mom, can I have some ice cream after dinner? I really want to try that chocolate chip cookie dough flavor that you bought at the grocery store!"
Nicole chuckled.
"Not until you finish all of your vegetables and the rest of the meal I have prepared, okay? Do you promise?"
"Yes Mom..."
The door to the classroom shut, as the memory ended.
The Watterson family looked around to one another. Most were absolutely enthralled and in tears seeing how Penny and Gumball met, but there was one particular member who's face was a little sullen and guilt ridden: Patrick Fitzgerald.
Penny quickly noticed her father's expression and went over to console her father.
"Hey...Dad are you alright?"
Penny asked with genuine concern, as Patrick looked up to his now grown up daughter, lo longer the little peanut girl in the memory; but a mother and a wife to a family of her own.
"I...suppose I am sweetie...just recollecting and recounting that memory again of that day...I shouldn't have let my own assumptions and inhibitions get in the way of you two being friends...if I had stopped you two from seeing each other, I-"
Patrick hesitated for a moment.
"Would we even still have the beautiful family we have today? My beautiful grandchildren being born, you being the wonderful wife you are to such a great man like Gumball? Being a Watterson?"
Patrick's words were now starting to tremble a little, as the guilt started to well up even more within him. A burning sensation in his eyes started to become much more prominent and noticeable to him now, and he could feel his entire body become heavier. His emotions were riding high, how could he have the audacity and selfishness to dictate who his daughter could be friends with? He thought this over in his mind, as he softly began to cry...revealing a vulnerability and weakness he seldom had ever shown to the world.
"Hey, hey, Dad...it's okay."
Patrick heard the soft voice of his daughter, and soon felt the warmth of a hug engulf him and his shell, as his daughter was smiling up at him.
"Don't blame yourself so much...you were just looking out for me, like any good father would have for their daughter...and I thank you for it. You truly cared about my well being and if Gumball was going to be a good friend to me, and as the years passed, you still maintained and ensured that Gumball was the right guy for me; right up until our wedding day. So...from the bottom of my heart Dad...thank you so much for being there for me."
Penny stated with slight tears forming in her eyes as well, as both father and daughter held each other close.
Nicole soon emerged from the group, as she walked forward to meet the two fairies.
Patrick broke from the hug to look to Nicole, who was smiling at him.
"Mrs. Watterson...I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have misjudged your husband and son like that and-"
Patrick stopped, as Nicole raised a paw in the air and made a gesture.
"It's quite alright Patrick, if anything I shouldn't have been so abrasive and sensitive to a valid concern you had that day...you were concerned about who your daughter was meeting, and seeing how us Watterson's could be...you had every right to be a little concerned of your daughter's friendship with my son. So after all these years...I'd like to give you an apology.
Patrick smiled, as he shook his head.
"No Nicole...I don't."
(If "Big Boss Returns theme from Metal Gear Solid by Jonas B. Ingebretsen" is compatible with your device, please press play now)
Nicole turned her head in confusion, as she glanced back to the rest of the Watterson family who was just as confused.
"Why not?"
"When you're in a family, disputes can occur...actually it's inevitable...but two elements always remain, and that is the love and respect you have for one another...no matter the dispute, the trials and tribulations you face as a family...you always support one another unapologetically. When one goes to war, we all go to war and when one of us gets knocked down, there's always one more of us ready to pick up the other to continue the fight...because that is what defines what a family is...through thick and thin...rich or poor...the good and the bad...you will always have each other."
As Patrick finished speaking, the rest of the room went silent. But one member came forward to give an answer to the speech that the large peanut fairy just gave...and that family member was Gumball Watterson.
Gumball didn't say a word, but immediately initiated a hug with his father in law.
Patrick was taken aback from this show of affection at first, but soon accepted it.
"Thank you for taking a chance on the Watterson's, sir...thank you so much...truly."
Eventually the entire room was stirring with emotion, as each member of the Watterson's came forward to initiate a large family group hug.
This hug lasted for a few minutes, before a static spark could be seen emanating from one of the children's books in the corner of the classroom.
Anais being one of the members to be on the outside of the group hug, soon walked over to inspect the disturbance which had suddenly drawn the attention of the entire family now.
Anais apprehensively opened the first page to the book, and saw that there had been an inscription from Rob on the contents of the first page; which were now glowing.
The inscription read:
"Fantastic work Watterson's! You have recollected all of the disjointed memories and have officially vanquished the Void for good! You have saved dimensions and our very world from the threat this caused! You will be heroes by the time you return! You all have shown great poise, determination, courage, and bravery to get here; and I couldn't be more proud of you all! I have spoken with Captain Blubber of the SS. Venture, and he and his crew have recommissioned and repaired your cruise ship to be able to head home! On the back of this book, there should be a transponder that will activate a beacon to allow us to triangulate your position in the Void to bring you back to our world again! I look forward to shaking all of your hands!"
-Rob
Anais finished reading aloud the message, as the Watterson family cheered in unison at the feat they had accomplished. Many broke out into tears of joy as they finally realized that the nightmare was over, and they could finally head home together as a family.
Gumball turned to Penny, who was sharing in the tears of joy and smiles as the rest of the family were.
"We did it Gumball! It's finally over!
The golden fairy stated, as they both hugged and kissed one another.
Gumball tightened his embrace, as he smiled toward the rest of the family who were all just as happy as him and Penny.
Gumball soon looked into the eyes of his wife, who were filled with relief and sheer gladness.
"It really is honey...we defeated the Void...and got our family back..."
Gumball and Penny then turned to see Anais activate the portal, which whirled and spun around the Watterson family.
"Ready when you all are! I got to say...I could write my next scientific thesis on this entire trip!"
Everyone laughed and chuckled at the female rabbits remark, as the Watterson family gathered one by one near the portal.
Each member entered the portal, before it was just Gumball and Penny.
"Shall we walk through together?"
Gumball gestured with his paw for Penny's.
"Like we have always done my love."
As fairy and feline entered, the portal closed once again...The Watterson's were heading back to Little Elmore.
*END OF CHAPTER*