Note: This story was made by both me and my co-creator, Dusk19. He was the one who came up with the plot while I make the story for him. Anyway, The Nut Job and it's characters are owned by Toonbox Entertainment, Global Box Entertainment, and Redrover International.

Today was a dark day. Inside of the Oakton's Hospital, a boy and his mother were in the hospital wing, waiting next to a door. This boy was name Todd Lloyd, a six year old black-haired light skinned kid, and his mother was Alexa Lloyd, a brown haired woman who was light-skinned as well. Todd seemed pretty sadden and Alexa was extremely worried as they waited to hear some news.

Apparently, earlier ago, Todd and his mother went over to the store to buy some groceries, but the moment they came back home, they found Todd's father, Ben Lloyd, lying on the ground, barely breathing. Todd was horrified to see his own father down like that as he rushed towards him and tried to wake him up while his mother immediately called 9-1-1 for help. Soon after, the ambulance came over and took Ben to the hospital, with Todd and his mother headed over there as well.

Now, Todd and his mother wait patiently but worriedly to hear some news if Todd's father was gonna make it. Five minutes later, a nurse walked out of the room, frowning sadly. Todd and his mother saw her walk out as Alexa got up from her chair and walked towards the nurse, with Todd holding her hand.

"Excuse me, nurse?" Alexa called, gaining the nurse's attention. "Is...my husband gonna be okay?"

The nurse looked down sadly as she shook her head and said "I'm sorry but...we can't cure his cancer. I'm sorry, we tried everything but I'm afraid there's nothing we can do." Alexa covered her mouth in shock and let out tears while Todd became shocked to hear what is happening to his father.

"M-mommy...is Daddy gonna?..." Todd couldn't finish his sentence as he began letting out tears out. Alexa bent down and hugged her son, smiling softly.

"Don't worry sweetie, we can go see him." Alexa stated, cheering Todd a little. Alexa then turned to the nurse with a pleading look as she said

"Well...can we see him please?"

The nurse looked at her before looking down at her son, seeing how desperately he wanted to see his father again. The nurse let out a sigh as she smiled softly at them.

"Yes ma'am." The nurse nodded as she opened the door, letting them in before closing the door. There stood Ben Lloyd, a tanned skinned man in his late 30s as he was laying on the bed, breathing heavily as the monitor showed his heart rate slowly decreasing. He then noticed both his wife and son entering as smiled weakly at them, happy to see them...At least, one last time.

"Daddy!" Todd rushed towards his father as he smiled happily to see him again.

"Hey kiddo, how it's going?" Ben asked, smiling weakly at him.

"I-I'm doing alright, what about you?" Todd asked, wanted to know if the nurse was wrong and his father was doing alright.

"Of course I'm okay." Ben nodded, smiling at his son. "I'm just a little sick and I'll be better, that's all."

"A-are you sure?"

"Yeah, I mean it." Ben said before coughing badly, which Alexa noticed. She frowned a bit before smirking to herself. Her husband was always known to be stubborn, but she loved him for his kind and caring heart to everyone on Oakton Street, even her and her son.

"Ben, you know, no matter what happens, you always know who to make us happy." Alexa said, chuckling a bit, even Ben smiled before coughing.

"Of course Alexa. What? You expect your own husband to just die? I'm fine, honest." Ben said before coughing badly.

"Ben…" Alexa raised her voice, now both sternly and worried. "You don't have to lie to us, the nurse already told us about your...condition..."

Ben became a little surprised as he smiled sadly. "Oh...I see."

Todd turned to his mother with a both an angry and sadden look. "Mommy! That can't be true! D-daddy is fine! I know he'll-"

"Todd...please stop." Ben pleaded, which Todd turned back with a confused expression.

"Huh?" Todd asked.

"I-I'm sorry kiddo, it's the truth." Ben said, letting out a cough.

"N-no! Daddy, it can't be true! I know you're alright!" Todd exclaimed, letting out tears.

"Todd…" Alexa muttered in sadness.

"Hey, don't be sad kiddo." Ben said, ruffling Todd's hair a little bit before coughing. "Now listen Todd, you must follow your heart. Don't give up." Todd then held his father's hand, looking at him with tears coming out. "If you keep listening to what your heart tells you, I'm sure you'll see the light in the end."

"But d-daddy! I don't want you to leave me! I want you to be with me and mommy forever!" Todd pleaded while crying. Ben smiled weakly and said

"I'm sorry kiddo...but I'm afraid life has different ways we have to go through. And please don't forget…" He stopped mid sentence as he let out another cough.

"...First you have to grow big and strong and make a man of yourself." Ben finished.

"...O-okay…" Todd nodded, looking at his father. "I-I promise that I'll be a man, like you daddy."

"I...know you will…" Ben said as the heart monitor began decreasing, which Alexa noticed.

"Ben?" Alexa asked, worriedly.

"Please Todd...become a great man...just like your old man…" Ben said as he opened his arms up for Todd, and hugged him one last time, which Todd embraced. Todd began crying and sniffing sadly as Ben smiled one last time before closing his eyes and muttering "Show them...what a great...man...you can...be…" Before you know it, he went silent, which Todd noticed.

"Daddy?" Todd called to him, but no response. "Daddy! Daddy!" Todd kept shaking his father, but he didn't give a response as his face showed that he smiled as his heart monitor showed a 'zero' response coming from him.

"Ben! BEN!" Alexa shouted in worried. Todd began letting out all his tears as he watched his father's lifeless body as the nurses came in and went in to see what was happening. Todd just stood there with widened eyes and stood there emotionless and pale. Alexa came over and held her son as Todd let out tears because he knew...that his father was gone.

Few Weeks Later
Todd and his mother were gathered in a cemetery, with everyone they're so close to. All their friends and family members as they were gathered in Ben's funeral service. Everyone closed their eyes and started to mourn for Ben. But nobody was more heartbroken than Todd as he closed his eyes and frown sadly while holding onto his mother's hand while Alexa held an umbrella as it was raining. Everyone stood there and began crying as they looked at the memorial of Ben Lloyd.

"Why? He was such a good man…" A woman in her late 30s muttered.

"I know. He always care for us and was always gave us a helping hand around Oakton Street. It's just not fair…" A man in her early 20s agreed.

"Well...at least he's in a good place. May his soul rest in place…" A old man in his mid 60s added, praising for Ben.

Todd sat down on a chair as his mother was called up to make a speech. Everyone looked at her with sad looks as she cleared her throat and said "Thank you all for coming. I just...I don't know how to say this, but Ben was a sweet and lovable man. He always been there for me and my son, he's been there for everyone. He always inspire us to be strong, and that's what he wants us to be right now, he wants us to keep moving forward and stay strong. Because...that what he'll always do…" Alex covered her face as she began crying. The undertaker for Ben's funeral walked towards her and hugged her, cheering her up a little.

"It's alright, we're all going to miss him…" The undertaker stated. Soon after, Ben's coffin began to lowered down into its grave as both Alexa and Todd watched with tears in their eyes. Todd held a flower in his hands as he threw it down onto Ben's coffin. Alexa softly smiled at his son before frowning as she knew how much both her son and husband been so close as she closed her eyes and began letting out tears. As soon as the coffin went down to the lower reaches of its grave, the undertaker began burying the hole as Todd closed his eyes, remembering the times he had with his father before his death. He then remember the last words his father muttered to him.

Become a great man like your old man.

Todd smiled softly as he gazed at his memorial. "I promise daddy...I'll be a great man like you, I promise…" Todd muttered as he closed his eyes and thought he heard his father's voice.

Yeah, I know you will…I'll be watching over you...Todd…

Todd reopened his eyes as he gaze at the memorial, smiling softly as he promised to be a man like his father.

"Goodbye...daddy."

To Be Continued