The Love and Treachery of Scrooge McDuck!

Greener Pastures!

2019

He woke up and cursed his aging bones. Still, he was thankful that he was a morning person because he could handle his business with no interruptions. He pulled himself to his office and made the necessary phone calls.

There was a small knocked. It cracked opened and ____ step in. She carried two plates of traditional English breakfast. He waved her in and hastily hung up on Bradford. She must've thought she was in trouble to take the time to make a full breakfast.

"Ah, ____, I was hoping you would pop by for a visit," he said, tucking his phone away.

"I know you wanted to talk to me last night, but with everything going on," she shrugged and let the words hang in the air.

"Yes, I had something I wanted to ask you about." She shifted. He could have asked her anything. She was in no place to lie. Though that felt a little too much like manipulation for his taste. Reluctantly, he asked about another question that had been bugging him. "The photo. What would happen if the boys found that photo?"

She took a long minute to contemplate the answer. It couldn't possibly be that bad. Then again, she looked like she might cry.

"What did you do with it?" she asked hesitantly. She wasn't one to answer a question with a question.

"What I do with it depends on what it does to my family," he lied.

He wasn't proud of that, but he knew her well enough to know her answer. He just wondered if she included herself in the word family. To him, she was the key component.

"Destroy it," she jumped. He nodded, and she continued. "If you don't and the boys get their hands on it, your family will be pulled apart from the inside out. They'll blame you for Della's disappearance. I couldn't stand to watch that. I just got a family. I don't want to lose it over some petty fight."

He nodded, but she was in tears. He wanted to wipe it away more than anything he had ever wanted. Instead, he dug his nails into the armrest of his chair. He was relieved to know that she felt welcomed, but terrified she thought a piece of paper could pull them apart. He took a deep breath and tried to steal his nerves.

"____, I know that we will have to tell them one day but," he shook his head. "I can't believe they will hate me over it."

"Donald did," she whispered.

There was no malice. It was just what he needed to hear. His nephew had turned away from him for ten years. Who was to say the younger ones wouldn't do the same?

"Ay, he did. I suppose it's for the best that I, what is that infernal ticking?" The noise was so loud that my eyeballs were vibrating.

"I think it's coming from the desk." She stood as he opened the drawer.

His hand dipped from a small weight and ____ was standing over him. The time device was hovering in both of their hands.

"How in Dismal Downs did you get over here?" She was so close.

"The ticking stop," she scoffed. She didn't know if she should step back or not. She had just made her first trip back in time. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew it would take more than one trip.

"Ay, it has. How'd you manage?" he didn't even know when she went. Then he saw his nephew slipping out the door.

"The Spear," he cleared his throat quickly, "it was the answer."

"Yeah, Louie found a loophole of sorts, but I think she had different intentions for the device." They both looked at it, and he tightened his grip. She blushed but didn't pull away. "I think she wanted memories of them while she was gone."

"She loved her loopholes," he chuckled.

"Like mother, like son. You'll get her back soon," she whispered.

"How soon?" His heart skipped. He didn't think she would answer.

"A little after Christmas."

"Really!"

He couldn't help pulling her into a hug and spinning around the room. He was getting everything he could want. ____ was living with him and he was currently squeezing the life out of her. Della would be returned. The children didn't hate him. He could pretend the city had just been slightly destroyed. He could've lived in this moment forever. ____ just let the hug happen for a long time until he realized he had no reason to be holding her like that. He turned back to his desk.

"Come on. Our food's getting cold." She smiled and took the seat next to him.

He could get use to this.

Word Count: 801