Hi everyone, so this was my first ever fanfic. I spent a great deal of time on this and am actually quite proud of it and it turned out better than I thought it would. Hope you enjoy it, onto the story…

"Great, this going to take longer than I thought." Peabody said as he dusted himself off.

His normally immaculate white fur was covered with streaks of black here and there. He was in his penthouse garage leaning over the moped that he would usually use to drive Sherman to and from school.

Normally it was whole but on this particular day, it was in bits and pieces. The sidecar was completely disconnected and the main part was completely dismantled. Peabody had been trying to find the problem and fix it all morning and part of the afternoon. Yesterday the moped had just stopped while he and Sherman were driving home from school and Peabody had had to drift to the side of the road and then call a tow truck as he and Sherman couldn't push it all the way home themselves.

Today was a Friday in May so the weather was pleasant. He looked at the digital clock over the doorway. "If I start walking now I should make it just as Sherman is getting out of school…."

"Well why don't you just ask him?" Penny Peterson, Sherman's best friend asked him.

"Because I'm not sure how he'll react, I think he'll probably be angry or offended because he IS a dog too." The redheaded boy replied.

They were standing outside the school waiting for their respective parent(s) to come and get them. Sherman had been conversing with Penny over the past few days about asking Mr. Peabody for a pet. Penny had recently gotten a cat and Sherman had come over to her house to see it. It was right then and there that he decided he did not like cats.

"So why don't you like Cuddles?" she asked again.

"I've already told you Penny, there is something about the way she looks at me and rubs against me like she's up to something, and I think I'm allergic because my nose started itching after I left."

"Oh come on, cats are cuddly and don't mean you any harm, that's why I named her that."

"Well I don't want a hamster, or any other kind of rodent, and I don't want any kind of reptile such as a lizard. You can't DO things with those kinds of animals, like run, play fetch, that kind of thing. Which leaves… a dog. And Mr. Peabody certainly isn't going to stop and be my pet for a day when I ask him."

"Yeah, that's true…" She and him both laughed as they remembered that day that Sherman had struck up a bet with Mr. Peabody to become Sherman's pet for the day. He had lost it and had to be Sherman's pet for the whole day, which he had not taken a liking to, having to put away all his usual pride and dignity.

"You should just ask him, I mean it's just a question, what harm can it do?" She said.

"Ask who what?" Mr. Peabody said from the sidewalk.

"Mr. Peabody! Uh, were you not able to fix the moped?" said Sherman.

"No, it's still in pieces in the garage, I think the fuel line broke but I'm having a hard time getting to it to replace it. So I decided to walk today since it's such a beautiful day to come get you." He replied as he finally reached them.

"Oh! I see my parents, bye Sherman, bye Mr. Peabody!" Penny cried as she ran to her parent's car.

"Bye Penny." they both said.

"So," Mr. Peabody clapped his paws together. "Shall we get going?"

"Sure." Sherman smiled.

The walk home was spent in conversation mostly about how Sherman's day went, as usual, but Peabody couldn't help but notice that Sherman had something else on his mind besides school.

They were nearing a pet store and Sherman decided that this is as good a time as any to ask the question that had been eating at him for the past few days.

"Uh, Mr. Peabody?" he said as they neared the pet store.

"Yes, Sherman?"

"CanIgetadog?"

The words fell out faster than he meant them to.

They both stopped walking. Peabody noticed Sherman looking longingly at one of the puppies in the shop window. "Sherman what have I told you about talking too fast?"

"Sorry. Can I… uh, can I get a dog?"

"Like, you know, a pet?" he added quickly.

He watched Peabody's face carefully, trying to see what emotion it betrayed before the dog actually spoke. Peabody quickly looked from Sherman to the puppy and then back to Sherman again. In those few seconds Sherman thought he saw a hint of anger, followed by sadness.

"No, I don't think so Sherman."

"But Penny has a cat and a lot of my other friends at school have a pet, I think 8 must be the proper age to get one and I promise you won't have to do anything to take care of it. I'll be responsible-" He said as he gestured to the puppy in the shop window.

"I said NO, Sherman." Peabody interrupted.

"Is it because you're a dog too?" Sherman knew he went too far after that. Peabody's face was the epitome of anger. "No, it's not because I'm a dog!"

"Then why?"

"Because…I uh, don't… want one."

The rest of the walk home was spent in awkward silence. They reached the penthouse and entered the elevator. Sherman stood there wishing that Peabody would put some music in it to cover up the awkward silence that was currently reigning in the elevator.

"Since tonight's Friday I'm making pizza, what kind do you want?" Peabody broke the silence.

"Supreme." came Sherman's one word answer.

They both exited the elevator and Sherman headed for his room, Peabody for the kitchen to make said pizza.

In the kitchen, Peabody started getting mushrooms, peppers and onions out of the fridge.

"Why can't you just tell him Peabody? He needs to know why."

He brought the vegetables over to the counter and grabbed a knife from the knife holder and began chopping the pepper.

"Ever since the time continuum incident where I…. almost lost him. And after that when I told him I loved him… I just need to explain the whole thing, that's what I'm going to do."

He finished making the pizza and inserted it into the oven "Sherman!" he called. Soon Sherman came trudging through the dining room and into the kitchen.

"I need to talk to you…about today."

"Ok." Sherman sat down on one of the bar stools at the counter and waited. Peabody joined him moments later and began speaking.

"Sherman first of all, I'm sorry for snapping at you. You know I've always had a hard time dealing with emotions and feelings. And today just set them off more than normal."

Peabody sighed. "Before I found you I was a cold, distant person to anyone I met because I had buried my feelings so deep that I had no idea if they were still there anymore."

"Why did you do that?" Sherman asked him.

"Well mostly because of rejection, rejection can do that to a person. During my years at the adoption center, I guess my ability to speak and relate with humans possibly on an emotional level is what caused them to reject me. I would go out to see all the children and hope to get adopted but they would pass me by because I spoke to them or even get scared and thought I was a "freak of nature" as most of them would call me. But whenever I saw any of the other dogs getting adopted I would see something in both the child's and the dog's eyes, I didn't know what it was…but I knew it was something I wanted so desperately, but I never got it because no one would adopt me. Do you know what it was, Sherman?" He said as he smiled at him.

"I think so; it was love wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's what it was… But I confused love with a home. I took the phrase 'Home is where the heart is' quite literally. So I decided to go life alone, not interact with anyone. I figured I would help the human race anyway I can, that way maybe some will consider me a 'part' of it. If children treated me like this, then adults probably will too. But I always felt this emptiness that never seemed to fill, no matter how much I accomplished, or how much I acquired. Finding you, Sherman, was the catalyst that slowly began filling that emptiness, although it took about 7 ½ years to fill it completely I would say." He laughed lightly. "You remember the day after the time continuum incident? When I told you 'I love you'?"

Sherman smiled. "How could I forget?"

"Was that the first time I ever told you?"

Sherman flashed his signature smile, equivalent to the one he had given Mr. Peabody that same day. "Yes, but I knew you loved me even before that."

Mr. Peabody smiled. "Ever since I found you Sherman, you've been chipping away at the cage, hole, or whatever we should call whatever held my emotions and feelings. And that day I would say was the day when the last piece was chipped away. I've never felt so good Sherman as I did after that and have since been excited to tell you I love you even more. So, to begin making up for 7 ½ years… I love you Sherman."

Sherman smiled and hugged him. "I love you too Mr. Peabody."

"Today, when you said you wanted a dog, I guess I became like those people in those soap operas I hate so much. I became jealous. I didn't want to lose your affection to some common canine."

Sherman stared in surprise. "You thought I would stop loving you?" He laughed. "That could never happen. You're my dad, you've taken care of me, helped me, and I don't think I could love any dog I get more than you."

"Oh," Peabody figured there's probably still a lot to learn about emotions and feelings and with Sherman being a human he would probably be the best place to start. "Well then I guess you can get one, because that's all I was really worried about."

"Really Mr. Peabody?! Thank you!" Sherman threw his arms around Peabody in a hug again.

"Just know that having a dog is a big responsibility you will have to be very responsible with it, feed it, clean up after it, take it on walks, and play with it."

"I know, I will be."

"I know you will." Peabody smiled, thinking about the day Sherman had flown the WABAC by himself for the third time to save the universe.

They both heard the timer for the pizza buzz, and Mr. Peabody got up and scooped it out of the oven.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Starved." replied Sherman smiling.