This is NOT for people that doesn't like character death and are very sensitive. I warned you. This story has NOTHING to do with any other of my actual and future MPaS stories. And this story is for a friend of mine. She knows why I wrote this.

The Violin

Sherman heard it. He was finishing his homework with Penny in his room when he heard it. It was amazing how Mr. Peabody played the violin. Sherman always though it was the musical instrument that the dog played best. Why? Well, he put all his might and passion in it. That's why.

When he was little, his dad will play for him slow melodies till he fell asleep. But not anymore. He used to play day and night without stopping. When that happened, he had to get up from his bed and literally drag his dad to bed. Those were funny times. Times that may no longer come back.

"Your dad sure plays an amazing violin. I never heard him before." Penny said. "I love violin music. It's beautiful." She looked at Sherman, who was writing away the last page of their homework, and blushed. 'He's so cute when he is concentrating.' Then, Sherman sighed. It wasn't because he was tired, it was a sad sigh. This worried Penny. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Sherman continued to write. "Mr. Peabody only plays the violin when he is sad." He sighed again. "When I was little, he will play it for me all the time. But suddenly, he just stopped. And never pick it up again, except when he was sad." He looked at her. "That's what worries me."

"Have you ever asked him why?"

"I already knew why he stopped. But he just can't let go of the past." They looked at each other for a few minutes and then turned away from each other, blushing. Ah… Young love.

"Why did he stopped?"

Sherman looked at her again. "It pained him to remember a dear friend so constantly."

…..

He could not keep playing this anymore. He threw the violin aside and sat on the cold floor. He rubbed his eyes, trying to contain the tears. It had been three years. Three for goodness sake! And still, he couldn't forget the one friend who showed him how to play the violin. He shivered. He did not wanted to think of her, but the memories flowed like water.

"Come on, Bubo!" a little girl, probably around the ages of six to seven ran through the puppy barn. Her farming jumper too big for her height. She made a stop on a pile of hay. She called for the snow white puppy running on four legs and panting. He wore a red bowtie and big round black glasses. He made the same stop over the pile of hay and extended his legs.

"Melody… you know my legs are still too short to run like that…"

The little short blonde girl just giggled. And laid beside the puppy. She was the puppy farm owners' daughter. "Don't worry Bubo. You'll run fast eventually." She grabbed her chest. It was bothering her.

The puppy looked at her. He was irritated with that nickname. "It's Peabody. Not Bubo."

"Whatever Bubo, I like that name for you, it fits you way better than Hector…" suddenly she stated coughing. This has been going on for about a month now.

"Melody, you alright?" the puppy looked at her; he was worried that coughing wouldn't go.

"Don't worry. The doctor already checked me. He said it was the flu." She stopped her coughing and closed her eyes. She took deep breaths. "How is the violin?"

"It's great! Thanks for teaching me how to play it!"

"I haven't teach you everything know…" she smirked.

Another cough came from the girl's mouth.

"Well, don't you think if it was the flu, it would have already be gone by now?" he asked. But the girl could not answer, she was having a terrible coughing attack.

"Melody?"

He knew he had to do something, so he ran back to the owners' house and told them about Melody as fast as he could. Melody was taken to the hospital after that.

Peabody waited five days; still no news about his dear human friend Melody. He didn't even wanted to get adopted, so he could stay and find out what was going on. Melody's dad came up to him. He was bringing him to the hospital to see Melody! But with the condition that he had to act like a normal dog while outside her hospital room. He seemed sad. The pup did not liked the man's face.

Upon arriving the hospital, many ill kids wanted to smooth his head. They seemed to like him, only because he was acting like a normal dog.

They arrived at Melody's room. The poor girl was laying on her bed, so weak. The man put Peabody aside her. And then went outside with the mother to hear the doctor's diagnosis.

"You ok?" he asked.

"…Weak…"

Peabody could see the doctor's and the parents' shadows on the curtain. He could see the mother's shoulders trembling until she fell on the floor, the man trying to calm her down. The pup and the girl looked each other in the eye. They knew this was bad.

Months have passed. And the girl grew weaker and weaker everyday thanks to the therapy. She could no longer run with the pup. She could no longer play outside. Her cancer would not allow it. She was starting to lose her beautiful blonde hair.

Peabody decided to play the violin for her.

It seemed to enlighten her mood and she gave him tips on how he could improve his skills. He was his teacher. His friend. He had made friends with the other puppies, but she was different.

Years passed. He was already an adult dog and the girl grew up to be a beautiful young woman. It was discovered that 'un-normal' dogs like him could last as much as a human could. Melody had moved to the city when Peabody did. She was a music student. A prodigy.

The 'adopting-a-human-boy' fiasco occurred and Melody, who had grown her hair again, was still fighting off cancerous cells. Those were not deadly, though. When Sherman was five months old, Peabody decided to introduce Melody. She came almost daily to play with Sherman. She lived close by anyway.

But unfortunately, it was almost five years later, that she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her body could no longer hold on. She started to feel even weaker than when she was a child. Melody did not wanted to alarm her life-time friend, who was now dealing with parenthood. She lost her hair again, that's when she knew she couldn't see Peabody like that. She already knew he was suspecting something.

One day, Mr. Peabody received a phone call. He alarmed. He left Sherman with his trusty neighbor and made a run towards the hospital. Room 678. Melody Clinton. Terminal cancer.

When the dog, reached her room, he let the tears go as he saw his friend surrounded by her parents and older sisters. She was connected to a breathing machine. She had lung cancer even though she had never smoked in her life. She could not saved.

"Hey Bubo… Have you been practicing your violin?" she weakly asked.

The snow white dog walked towards her; her family made way for the respected dog. "How can you joke in a time like this?" he tried to hold back tears.

"How can you be mad at me in a time like this?" Melody smirked. She weakly took hold of his right paw. "Play for me."

"I did not bring my violin." His lips were quivering.

"Mine is over there." Truth to her word, a black violin case was sitting in one of the room chairs. He grabbed the case and went back to Melody. "Can everybody go out for a little bit?"

Her family looked at each other, but agreed any way. Now it was only Peabody and Melody in the room. The dog took out a chocolate brown violin with ruby strikes on the back. The young woman smiled. "Now that I look at you…" she took a moment to take a breath. "… all grown up, you look more like a 'Hector' than 'Bubo' to me…"

"Now that I look at myself, I think I like 'Bubo' way better than 'Hector'." He smiled sweetly at her. He started to play Melody's favorite 'melody', Swan Lake.

He stayed there like her family all night. He made a quick call to the neighbor who was taking care of Sherman. She agreed to take care of him one night.

The next day was disastrous. Melody had died holding her violin and a note for Peabody. She must have write it during the night, when everybody was asleep.

'Dear 'Bubo' or 'Hector' or 'Mr. Peabody',

You have always been my best friend. Aside from my family, you were my only shoulder to cry on, even if your shoulder was very small and furry for my face. When you read this, my body might seem the only thing on this bed, but I'll be sleeping, like bears. They sleep a lot. Keep my violin. Teach little Sherman how to play it, I know he will be as great as you when he grows up. I love you… 'Bubo'…

No matter how many challenges you may face. No matter how far away I might seem, as long as you remember me, I'm with you little brother.'

With a heavy heart, Peabody went home with violin case in hand and the note on the other. 'Nobody will be as great as you, big sister...'

The funeral was fast and silent. She was just sleeping. A sleep that she'll never wake up from. Everybody put sunflowers on her tombstone. They were her favorites. Peabody put a sunflower aside her name; little Sherman placed his beside it.

She was just sleeping underground…

From that day on, he never played the violin again, only the times he felt like he had to be reminded of her. But those times ended up like now; throwing his violin aside and start crying. Never having the guts to finish the song. He felt so guilty. Though cancer was something he could not control, he should have seen the signs. Never wanting to come for a visit, not playing with Sherman… no violin music. She wanted him to teach Sherman, but how? How could he teach something that even he said he was not good enough for? She was the teacher, not him. She was one with the natural violin skills, not him. She should have stayed a little longer so he could have taken her to meet Beethoven… just a little longer…

"Mr. Peabody?" two little voices asked from behind. He wiped his teary eyes before replying, but not turning around. "Yes, kids?"

They stood there in silent. Peabody turned around. But Sherman was holding a picture frame; a picture that Mr. Peabody could not see. The boy turned around the frame showing a picture of… of…

"You and Melody at my fourth birthday. Remember?" the dog took the old frame; how could have he forgotten about this? In the picture, a young healthy blonde woman was playing a chocolate brown violin with ruby stripes on its back. A younger Sherman seemed to be enjoying the cake and the violin music, while a white beagle was holding some refreshments. The party was between them only.

This picture did it. It cracked something inside the beagle that wanted to get out three years ago. He sank on the floor, sobbing. He was quickly embraced by two pair of hands, which he welcomed. Sherman and Penny were hugging him, letting him know that there were still people who cared about him. But he felt a third pair of hands embracing him as well. They were lighter. Almost as if they were made out of thin air. He looked behind his back, but there was no one there.

"Did you felt that?" he asked the kids.

"Felt what, Mr. Peabody?" Penny asked. He looked behind his back again. There was only a chocolate brown with ruby strikes violin on the floor.

"Never mind." They embraced each other again. The dog wondered why he felt that other pair of hands when there was no one else behind him. Then, he remembered. No matter how many challenges you may face. No matter how far away I might seem, as long as you remember me, I'm with you little brother.

"Sherman, I'm going to teach you how to play the violin."

"…the truth is, he is now exploring an unknown, uncertain place. He leaped into vicious waters to get there. Who among us is brave enough to venture into that darkness without knowing what lies beyond it? He was not yet one of our members, but we can be assured he was one of the bravest!"

-DIVERGENT book one