A/N: Hey everyone, how's it going? Hope you've liked what I've written so far (even though there are no reviews as of now,) cause I'm not letting this story go. I'm gonna finish it, come hell or high water. I was going to have Chapter Five out a little sooner, but I've been kind of sick, plus I've had a lot of shifts, plus I spent much of the last two days traveling to Canada with my family. So I haven't had much time to type. Or sleep. But regardless, on we go! Now, this was originally going to be a lot longer, but much like the first two chapters, I feel I can split them up. So while I work on Chapter Six, Chapter Five will be available to read. Enjoy!

Thanks For the Adventure, Now Go Have a New One

Chapter Five:

The young boy and now middle-aged man stared at each other for a minute, both struggling to comprehend what Carl had said. Considering the places they'd gone and the creatures they'd met in just over a day, one would think they'd be used to this by now. But this island somehow hept finding ways to surprise them.

"Getting younger?" Russell questioned, hardly believing his own words. Nine year olds tended to have a more vivid imagination than more jaded and learned older people. However, literal age regression was not something he would've expected in his wildest dreams to see in real life. "...Are you sure?"

"Well, I mean...look at me kid!" Carl shouted, gesturing to himself. "Did I look like this this morning?!"

"Uh, no. But...I mean...you don't look that young…"

"Russell!" Carl interrupted, his voice becoming more and more wild. "I can't be more than fifty now! I'm almost young enough to be your father! The point is I'm not an old man anymore! I'm changing, and I have no idea how it's happening or if it's ever going to stop!"

Russell froze in response. "Are you saying you...you could…"

"Become a kid? A baby? Get so young I don't exist anymore? I don't know, maybe!" Gasping for breath, Carl began walking frantically in circles around Russell. He roughly clasped his hands around his head. "Oh god, oh god, ohgodohgodohgod, this can't be happening to me. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any of this!"

"Hey, Mr. Fredricksen, it'll be okay." Russell said hopefully, reaching to pat Carl on the back in a vain attempt to calm him down. The boy was finding it hard to comprehend what he was seeing. This younger version of Mr. Fredricksen, even though Russell had only known him for a few seconds, wasn't as closed off as his older counterpart. He seemed to be more open to expressing himself, but that also meant his emotions were coming out with less restraint, like a dam about to burst. Russell wasn't sure what he could do.

"How can you even say that?!" Carl asked in shock, shaking off Russell's hand. He pointed at the boy harshly. "You're not the one being forced to go through his life in reverse like...like some freakshow! I could vanish by tomorrow and you want me to calm down?! How stupid do you have to be to expect something like that?!"

Even though Carl was nearing hysteria, and for good reason, he knew instantly that he had made a mistake. Because as soon as the words left his mouth, Russell clammed up. For the first time since they had met, the boy had nothing to say. The happy, energetic Wilderness Explorer that had led Carl's house through the rainstorm and persuaded him to adopt both Kevin and Doug, had suddenly been replaced by the vulnerable child that had confessed about his neglectful family last night. And Carl couldn't help but feel bad about it.

"I...I just wanted to help."

His demeanor sobering, Carl rubbed his hand down his face with a groan. "Look, Russell...I'm sorry."

The child looked up at the older man. "Really?" He asked softly.

"Really, I mean it. I know you were trying your best to make me feel better. But…" Carl paused, considering for a moment whether he should confess to Russell why he really took his house to Paradise Falls. He was aware the boy at least knew part of the reason why, but he was also afraid the whole truth would traumatize him. Carl decided to skirt around it.

"Did I tell you at any point why I wanted to come here?" Carl asked, doing his best to keep his voice level.

Russell paused, putting his hand to his chin. "I...don't think so?"

"I came here because years ago, I made a promise to a little girl that I would take her. We tried saving up for the trip, but every time we almost had enough, something would happen and force up to spend our savings. And then, one day..." Carl stopped, feeling the emotions welling up within him. "...One day, she got really sick, and before the doctors could help her, she was gone."

Russell's face fell open in shock. "You mean she died?"

"...Yes."

"Was...was she your friend?"

Taking a deep breath, the formerly old man let it exhale slowly from his lungs, his form slumped against the wall. "More than that." He said solemnly. "She was my wife."

Russell gasped.

"Her name was Ellie."

"You mean your house?" Russell asked.

Carl nodded.

"So...even though she's gone, you still wanna keep your promise?"

Another nod. "Yes, more than anything in the world." Carl shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "But I don't know if there's a point anymore. Even if I somehow get the house all the way to the Falls, she isn't here to see it. She isn't with me." Lost in his thoughts, the older man failed to notice Russell's expression hardening at his words.

No longer able to support himself, his body sagged to the ground, the weight of his confessions making him feel almost fifty pounds heavier.

"This would've made her so happy." Carl croaked, tilting his head up towards the ceiling, the beginnings of moisture building up in his eyes. "And I was too late. I failed her."

"No!" Russell suddenly shouted, grabbing the middle-aged man roughly by the shoulders and forcing Carl to look at him. Carl was shocked by the action, but was even more surprised to see the return of the fire in the young boy's eyes, which had seemed much duller a few seconds ago. "You haven't failed her, Mr. Fredricksen! I'm not going to let you fail! We still have time to get your house to the Falls!"

Carl wanted to laugh sarcastically at that, but deliberately held back. "Kid, I don't even know if I'll be around long enough to make it over there. By tomorrow or the next day, I could be a baby. Or worse."

"But what if you don't go back that far?" Russell countered, refusing to believe the older man's words. "What if it stops?"

"And what if it doesn't?" Carl argued back. "We could go back and forth on this forever, Russell."

"Back and forth on what?"

Carl and Russell jumped at the third voice, turning around from where they were on the floor to find Charles Muntz not fifty feet from them, a gaggle of dogs at his feet.

"Mr. Muntz!" Carl yelped, hastily stumbling to a standing position. He attempted to make himself look presentable to his host, quickly shoving his now unusable dentures in his pocket. "I'm so sorry we took so long! I really had to go and I had to wait for Russell to finish, and…"

"Now now," Charles responded, holding up a hand, silencing Carl immediately. "It's alright. I understand."

"You do?" Russell asked.

"Of course!" The elderly man answered with an easy smile. "I've had plenty of meals pass through me like that!" He punctuated the sentence with a snap. "But now, it appears as if you're finished, so won't you join me back in the dining room?"

Carl paused, realizing he had forgotten to come up with a reason for them to leave. "Well, I'd uh…. really like to, but we really must be getting back to my house. It's late, and the boy needs to sleep."

"...I believe I just asked you to join me in the dining room." And just like that, Charles' smile had vanished again. The dogs around him narrowed their eyes as a pregnant silence filled the room. Carl attempted to formulate a response.

"But...we've had such a long day, and…"

Charles interrupted him again. "Oh please, I insist. You haven't even tried our dessert yet." He gestured towards his chef hound. "Epsilon here makes a delicious Cherries Jubilee! And he'd be practically insulted if you didn't try it. Wouldn't you, Epsilon?"

The chef growled at Carl and Russell in response, large teeth dripping with drool.

"But...but…" Carl stammered, running a hand through his hair, which had become damp with sweat. "We really have to…"

"What, you can't stay here for a little longer and have a nice dessert before going off to bed?" Charles turned around and began walking back, while his dogs surrounded Carl and Russell, forcing them to follow.

"Your nighttime preparation can't be that long, can it?" Charles continued, his voice mellowing into an even tone. He turned back around and fixed his gaze directly on Carl. "What do you have to do? Stretch your limbs? Take your pills? Brush your teeth?"

Carl stopped dead in his tracks, instinctively patting his pants where he knew he had put his dentures.

They were gone.

Looking down, Carl was shocked to find them in Alpha's mouth. He hadn't even felt them leave his pocket. The dog's eyes glowed menacingly as he almost dared the human to try and grab them. Mouth gaping, the middle-aged man caught Charles' gaze, only for the older gentlemen to give a vicious smile and turn away.

There was no doubt now.

Charles Muntz knew.

A/N: And there's Chapter Five! Thanks for the wait, everybody. I'll tell ya, each chapter is getting harder. This is the first one that's entirely original material, and I struggled at keeping the characters consistent, particularly Russell. I'm not used to writing kids, so I'm trying to keep his dialogue simple without making it sound too adult. But, now, time to start Chapter Six, where the inevitable confrontation between Charles and Carl happens. See you then!