Futurama

Fan Fiction

Blast To The Past, Part 2
By Officer 1BDI

OPENING SEQUENCE

TEASER:

TEXT: November 16th, 2000

FADE IN:

INT STREETS OF OLD NEW YORK-- ABOUT 12:30 AM

We pick up where we last left off; FRY's carrying his nephew MATTHEW through the nearly empty streets of Old New York. He glances around the place, a look of nostalgia screening his face. As he walks on, we get a bit of inner monologue/recapping.

FRY'S MIND: Wow. I'm really back. This is just like one of those weird dreams where you're walking down the street that you grew up on, and right before you get to the house, BAM, that three-legged alien babe is chasing you down the streets in a 4-wheel drive Toyota convertible. (PAUSE) Do they even make those things? (Glances down at Matt) Awww, he's so cute when he's asleep. But that stupid gremlin doll of his is butt-ugly. I better burn it and look up some anti-voo-doo curses before he gets too attached to it. Where the hell did Anthony get that thing, anyway?

I gotta remember to tell Tony and Sandy; only one day. That's all. Or else Leela's gonna send Amy back here to kick my ass. (frowns) Ohhhh, but there's so much I need to catch up on, so many people I need to see... (angry) This isn't fair! Just because she never had a family, she makes me spend less time with my own.

(Glances down at Matt and sighs) Maybe it wouldn't hurt if I spent one more day here than I told her. Just enough time to figure out why Matt was kidnaped. Just one more day...

END OF TEASER

THEME STARTS

CAPTION: Ray guns not included.

TV SCREEN: <Undecided>

ACT 1

INT APARTMENT 2123003-- LIVING ROOM-- ABOUT 1:00 AM

The camera pans around what looks like a rather classy-looking apartment. We're talking about one of those places with the Picasso pictures on the walls and all those worthless nick-nacks that come from all over the world, one of those living rooms where the bookshelf is twice the size of the TV (it's sort of like Fraiser's living room, without the ratty chair). This is definitely not a place of Fry's standards. Or anyone else on the crew, for that matter (well, maybe... no, not even Leela). But then again, this isn't Fry's place to begin with.

The camera finally stops at the back of a couch. Someone's sprawled across it, but all's you can see is his hair and his feet. He sighs deeply, there's a few seconds' pause, and then...

SFX: PHONE RING

The frantic man's up in a flash. Now the audience can see him clearly. For starters, he looks a lot like Philip Fry. Well, no, that's not totally true. He's built much better than our carrot-top (leaner, slightly stronger), and he looks a few years older. Actually, he's not even a carrot top; his hair is more or less a reddish-brown, and his bangs fall into his face, as opposed to Fry's (and yeah, Yancy's) bizarre hair style. But aside from all that, he could pass as Fry.

Back to the phone call. Now, there's a reason he's wearing a frantic look. This is ANTHONY, Fry's brother (no, not Yancy...). And if you remember correctly, he's currently missing a son...

ANTHONY: (unnerved) Hello?

FRY: (VO) Tony? That you?

ANTHONY: (puzzled) Phil? Wha... where are you? Were have you _been_?

FRY: (VO) I'll explain later. Look, I called, 'cause I think I have something of yours.

PAUSE

MATT: (VO) Hi daddy!

Anthony sits there, stunned for a few moments. Then, the shock dissolves and he sinks down into the couch, relieved beyond belief.

ANTHONY: Oh my God. Matthew, are you okay? Listen; Don't. Go. _Anywhere_! You hear me? I'll be right over... wait, put your uncle back on.

FRY: (VO) Yeah?

ANTHONY: Bro, where are you?

FRY: (VO) I'm just at a phone booth. Don't worry, I'm bringing him over. I'll meet you in the lobby of your building, okay?

ANTHONY: Okay, okay, fine. And Phil?

FRY: (VO) What?

ANTHONY: (hesitates) Just be careful, okay?

FRY: (VO) Alright, alright. Jeeze, I disappear for a year and you still haven't changed!

CUT TO- APARTMENT LOBBY- NOT MUCH LATER

Tony's pacing the room frantically, glancing up at the clock, oh, every five seconds or so. Outside, the snow's still coming down. After what seems like forever, Fry and Matt enter, the latter curled up in Fry's arms, fast asleep.

FRY: Hey, bro.

ANTHONY: (totally ignoring him) MATTHEW! God, don't you _ever_ do that to me again! (Snatches the now awake Matt out of Fry's arms) We were so worried... we thought we'd lost you forever.

FRY: (sarcastic) 'You're welcome' said the ignored hero.

ANTHONY: (finally noticing him) And _you_. Where the hell have you been? How did you find him? Do you know how worried we were?

FRY: Uh... worried sick?

ANTHONY: *sigh* Come up to the apartment with us. I'll wake up Sandra, and then you can explain.

They head over towards the elevators and get in.

ANTHONY: Phil. (Fry looks up at him) You have no idea what you've just done for us.

The doors close.

CUT TO- APARTMENT 2123003- LIVING ROOM

All's quiet in the dark room. A door opens and the two guys (and a toddler) walk in, Tony carrying Matt.

ANTHONY: I'm going to wake up Sandra. Brace yourself.

Anthony takes his son and walks out of the room (and OS). There's a brief pause as Fry just stands there, idly.

SANDRA: (OS, hysterical) OH, MY BABY! Oh Matthew! You came back! My precious angel... what? Someone brought him... who? (Walking into the room) Let me see who... *GASP* PHILIP!

SANDRA runs up to him and throws herself on him in a hug attempt, but knocks him to the floor instead, which is pretty funny, because she's actually a short and petite young woman, with shoulder-length blonde hair. Now might be a good time to mention that she's from England, so she speaks with an accent (and yes, there's a reason she's from England, which I'll get into in a different story).

FRY: *Ack* Sandy, geroff!

SANDRA: (blushing) Sorry, Philip. (Gets off him; he stumbles to his feet and doubles over, gasping) It's just you have no idea what we've been through.

FRY: (still wheezing) I can imagine.

SANDRA: Where have you been?

FRY: Uh... you know, around.

SANDRA: Right... do you have a place to stay tonight?

ANTHONY: (OS, panicked) Hey, wait a minute...

FRY: Not really.

SANDRA: Then I insist you stay with us tonight.

ANTHONY: (OS) But Sandy...

SANDRA: Oh come now, Anthony. He's your brother.

FRY: Yeah!

ANTHONY: (OS) Fine. But only for tonight.

Sandra shoots a Look off in the direction of her husband.

ANTHONY: (OS) Okay, three nights. (PAUSE) A week? Oh come on, Sandra!

CUT TO- MATT'S BEDROOM

Anthony's been in here the whole time, trying to get Matt ready for bed (but he continuously falls asleep on him throughout the scene)

SANDRA: (to Fry, OS) You can stay here as long as you like.

ANTHONY: *Sigh*

MATT: (groggy) Wat's a mattah?

ANTHONY: Nothing, Matt.

MATT: Can I sleep wit you and mommy?

ANTHONY: Yeah, sure.

MATT: Is Unkie Phil sleeping ovah?

ANTHONY: (resentful) Yes.

MATT: Okay...

...and he promptly falls asleep. Tony eyes him adoringly for a while, then carefully lifts him up and carries him off.

CUT TO- LIVING ROOM- LATER

It's a few hours later, but still dark. Fry's sprawled out on the couch, trying to get some sleep, but he just keeps staring out the window.

FRY: My God. I never realized how different the future was. No aliens, no flying cars, no cool jobs, no robots...

ANTHONY: (coming On-S) Hey, there's robots. I should know, I make them.

FRY: (startled) What are you doing up?

ANTHONY: I couldn't sleep. You?

FRY: Me neither. (Afterthought) It's hard to sleep in a place where you're not wanted.

ANTHONY: Hey, you try being a guy who has to give up his home to a ne'er-do-well brother who once almost ate his kin out of house and home for two months.

FRY: Really? You tired that? Man, that must've been hell.

ANTHONY: *Annoyed Sigh* Sandra has a point, though. You did save our son.

FRY: *Pff* It was nothing. I just happened to see him around, so took him back.

ANTHONY: (shakes his head) No, you did a lot more than that... (see's Fry's puzzled look) never mind. You wouldn't understand.

FRY: So who's the weirdo after Matt?

ANTHONY: Hmm? Oh, right, David.

FRY: David?

ANTHONY: Yeah. He and I haven't exactly been buddy-buddy for the last few years. According to Rosa, he's the one who broke in the other day.

FRY: How is she? Matt said she got... you know... shot. Is she dead?

ANTHONY: *Sigh* She got lucky. It caught her in the arm. She won't be able to write for awhile, but she'll survive. (SOTTO) For awhile, anyway. (To Fry) But I'm curious to find out; where the hell have you been for the last eleven months? And how'd you find Matt?

FRY: Uh... if I told you, you wouldn't believe me.

ANTHONY: Try me.

FRY: Okay...

START MONTAGE

The montage is basically several second-length scenes of Fry explaining how he ended up in the future. Every scene shows Tony reacting to the story in obvious ways (denial, disbelief, curiosity, etc.)

END MONTAGE

FRY: (CONT) And I have to be back by midnight tonight, or Leela's be really PO'ed at me.

ANTHONY: Philip, do you realize that you have fed me the biggest load of crap I have ever heard?

FRY: You don't believe me, do you?

ANTHONY: Well, I didn't say that.

FRY: (surprised) You believe me?

ANTHONY: Well, I didn't say that, either.

FRY: Augh! Make up your mind already!

ANTHONY: I'm sorry, Phil, but I just need more proof than that.

FRY: (thinking) Wait a minute. I think I have a picture...

Fry begins rummaging through his pockets, pulling out various scraps of paper, money, gum wrappers, a bottle cap, his watch, part of that Men's Room sandwich...

FRY: C'mon, c'mon, I know it's here somewhere!

Anthony sighs and his eyes travel to one of the dollar bills lying on the table. He picks it up and gaps. The date on the bill is 3001. As Fry continues rummaging, Anthony holds the dollar up to one of the lamps in the room (you know, to check for that watermark), and after doing so, continues to stare at the dollar in awe.

ANTHONY: (amazed) Wow. You really were in the future. Or some really accurate counterfeit money scam.

FRY: (equally amazed) Wow! That dollar bill tells time?

ANTHONY: (ignoring him) But if you were in the future, then how did you find Matt?

FRY: I _told_ you. Matt fell into a time warp or something and my friend found him. We used the same thing to get back here.

ANTHONY: (absentmindedly) Time warp, eh? In the cryogenics lab?

FRY: Yeah, the one I was frozen in.

ANTHONY: Hmm. Interesting... (Intrigued) You didn't happen to meet up with any of our distant relatives or something, did you?

FRY: 'Course I did. I found your great-great-great-great-great...

CUT TO- SAME SHOT- MUCH LATER

FRY: ...great-great-grandson. I think he's your grandson.

ANTHONY: (whistles) That's a lot of 'greats'. What's he like?

FRY: Well... (puzzled) if his clone has anything to do with him, he looks like me, but he's smart like you. Or is that Yancy? I dunno, I never figured that part out.

ANTHONY: He has a clone?

FRY: Oh yeah. Invented him himself. He's a professor.

ANTHONY: Of what?

FRY: I don't know. What do I look like, some sort of rocket-scientist genius-person?

ANTHONY: *Sigh* So, what's it like in the future? Did you do anything exciting?

FRY: Well...

START MONTAGE

As the clips play, some corny song like Blink 182's ALL THE SMALL THINGS plays in the background.

Fry and Bender sitting in the bar in Space Pilot 3000

The whole gang watching ALL MY CIRCUITS from I, Roomate

Fry, Bender and Amy high-fiving each other from The Series Has Landed

The whole gang out at Madison Cubed Garden just as Bender catches a fly player in Fear of a Bot Planet

The crew dancing on the floats from Mars University

Fry and Bender recording the Popplers theme from The Problem with Popplers

Fry and Leela comforting (the head of) Bender on the stairs of a presidential monument from A Head in the Polls

Fry winning the Video Game in A Bicyclops Built for Two

Fry, Bender and Leela running into Farnsworth's Lab after his latest invention has been created from A Big Pile of Garbage

Bender strangling Fry from The Honking

Bender feeding Cubert to Nibbler and the rest of the crew laughing.

Leela reaching for Fry's hand from X-Mas Story

The crew receiving their paychecks and stuffing them in their pockets, and Bender pickpocketing every one.

Fry, Leela and Farnsworth sitting on the couch in the PE Bridge as Bender counts a large amount of jewels and gems from A Bicyclops Built for Two

Leela, fighting her way through the crowd of Trisolians as Fry and the gang watch, horrified from My Three Suns

Fry trying to explain how he saved the world by writing a book to the professor (and failing miserably) from The Day the Earth Stood Stupid

Fry and Bender having a water fight while washing the ship in Brannigan Begin Again

Fry, Bender and Leela marching out to the ship, holding their helmet/head in A Big Pile of Garbage

Fry and Leela (and eventually Bender) holding hands in Space Pilot 3000

Leela and Fry wrapped in each other's arms (in her room) from the shipper's episode Parasites Lost

And lastly, but not least, Fry staring misty-eyed at his namesake nephew's grave from Luck of the Fryish

END MONTAGE

ANTHONY: (impressed) You really did all that?

FRY: (shrugging it off) Meh. It's not like I did anything important, like discover Mars or create a rock band or save a TV Network or anything. (PAUSE) Hey Tony?

ANTHONY: Yeah?

FRY: (awkward) Um... while I was, you know, gone... did you guys... miss me?

ANTHONY: Of course we missed you, Phil. It hasn't been the same without you.

FRY: Really?

ANTHONY: No, not really. I was just trying to make you feel better. They looked for you for about a week, then decided you'd drowned in some puddle on 5th Avenue and tried their best to go on with life.

FRY: (disappointed) Aww... can I at least call them?

ANTHONY: Well, you can try, but you won't get anywhere. Mom and dad are gone on vacation. Yancy's on a Hawaiian cruise with his girlfriend.

FRY: Damn it. The one day I come back, everyone avoids me.

ANTHONY: Don't sweat if, Phil. Even if they were here, I probably wouldn't let you see them anyway.

FRY: What? Why?

ANTHONY: Think about it. The future as you know it revolves around the fact that you disappeared without a trace. If you suddenly appeared out of nowhere, then obviously some of the actions that would have taken place had you _not_ been here will be changed, causing the future, in the long run, to change as well.

Fry stares at him, puzzled.

ANTHONY: It's a chain reaction of cause-and-effect. If you change the cause, you change the effect.

More puzzlement from Fry.

ANTHONY: It's like that Simpsons episode where Homer went back in time and he kept stepping on that bug, and every time he came back to the present, the world had changed.

FRY: Oooohhhh! Now I get it! (Thinks) Wait, so because I talked to you, I might have changed my future?

Anthony shrugs.

FRY: (disappointed) Ohh... I liked the future I had! (Glances out the window) Wonder how the others are doing without me.

CUT TO- PE CONFERENCE ROOM- AFTERNOON (Feb. 13th)

Ah yes, back to the other stars. Oddly enough, nothing has changed. HERMES is in the room, looking over some bills, when the VideoPhone rings.

SFX: VIDEO PHONE RING

Hermes turns it on, and the screen shows an humanoid KOMODO DRAGON, with an annoyed look on his face.

DRAGON: I was calling about my package. When's it going to come through?

HERMES: Er, it _should_ have been there over an hour ago.

DRAGON: Well, it hasn't shown up yet.

HERMES: I don' understand. Leela's hardly ever late wit a delivery. I wonder what happened.

CUT TO- PE SHIP- BRIDGE

THE CREW sits inside, arguing about the situation at hand.

AMY: ...Well I'm not going to deliver it!

BENDER: Neither am I!

They both look at LEELA.

LEELA: Well, don't look at me. I've already done my part.

AMY: Lets face it. If anyone delivers it, it'll be like taking over Fry's job. And obviously, none of us are up to doing that.

BENDER: Exactly!

LEELA: But we can't just _not_ deliver the package, either!

The three ponder over this.

LEELA: *Sigh* I miss him. Even if he was a cowering idiot, I still miss him. I hope he found out who that bastard was who tried to shoot his nephew.

CUT TO- 21th CENTURY- MISC. OFFICE BUILDING

Gathered inside a darkened room is a group of furious-looking men. One of them is the blonde guy who tried to do away with Matt. He looks twice as angry as any of them.

MAN: I just don't get it. (To a guy next to him) Josh, tell me how I could possibly loose a three-year-old in a cryogenic laboratory! How?!

JOSH: Don't ask me. I told you to kill him off at Tony's house, David. But noooo, you had to go to the _lab_. You had to go to the largest and most distinguished building in New York City!

DAVID: Don't you insult my mistakes, Joshua! If I'd killed him at Tony's house it would have been too easy to trace me. I took him to the closest building with the least security that I could think of. The lab came to my mind first, okay?!

JOSH: Then why didn't you just take the girl there, too?

DAVID: I wasn't expecting _her_ there. Shooting her was a mistake, a reflex. But she knows who I am now. We'll have to watch out for her.

They all murmur and nod in agreement.

DAVID: (CONT) We have two kids to bring down now. Josh, I want you to keep an eye on Rosa, make sure that if she breathes a word on us, it'll be her last. (Josh nods) I want you to keep an eye on Tony's place, too. If you hear any word on the youngster and his whereabouts, I want you to contact me as soon as possible. We've still got some unfinished business to take care of. (Grins evilly)

END OF ACT 1

ACT 2

INT APARTMENT 2123003- FRY'S VIEW- THAT MORNING

Well, assuming Fry's asleep, all's the audience sees is black.

SFX: FRY'S SNORES

MATTHEW: (VO) (Unintelligible mumbling)

FRY: Wha...?

Fry slowly opens his eyes. The first and only thing he sees is this enormous purple head with long thin ears, big green eyes, and a pink button nose.

FRY: WHAAAAGGG!!

CUT TO- SHOT OF COUCH

Fry, who _was_ lying on the couch, scrambles into a sitting position, throwing Matthew and his stupid doll to the other side of the couch. Matt looks at him and laughs.

MATT: You'we funny, Unkie Phil.

FRY: What the hell was that?!

MATT: Bwueberry. He wanted to say 'good morning'.

FRY: Uh, right. What are you doing up so early?

MATT: It's not early. Da sun already made the shadows go away.

Fry stares in confusion, then checks a nearby clock. It's already noon.

FRY: Where's your mom and dad?

MATT: Mommy left for wurk. Daddy's getting ready.

FRY: For what?

MATT: (excited as only a three year old can be) We're gonna see Wosa today, and I get to show her da picture I made, and she's gonna pway wit me, and, and, and you'we coming too, wite?

FRY: What?

ANTHONY: (coming out of the hall) Yeah, I forgot to mention that. I want to drop by Rosa's place today, you know, see if she's doing alright.

FRY: Why do you need me?

ANTHONY: Uh... Matt, go get your picture out of the kitchen, okay? (Matt scrambles out of the room) I need to talk with her, and if things get rough, I want you to take Matt out or something.

FRY: Rough?

ANTHONY: After what happened the other night... I don't want to risk it again. I'm going to tell her that we'll have to look for another sitter. She's gonna be PO'ed, but what can I say?

FRY: Oh come on, bro. It wasn't her fault. She couldn't help it if someone put a gun up to her head...

ANTHONY: (interrupting) No, not because of Matt. I don't want her risking her life just to babysit my son.

FRY: You think this whole thing has to do with her working for you?

ANTHONY: (distant) Yeah... working for me...

Silence. Matt comes bounding into the room, picture in hand, and looks curiously from his uncle to his father. He tugs at Tony's pant leg impatiently.

MATT: C'mon daddy. I wanna go now!

ANTHONY: Okay, kiddo. (To Fry) You coming?

FRY: *sigh* yeah. There's nothing else to do around here.

The three exit the room.

CUT TO- ROSA'S APARTMENT- LIVING ROOM

Unlike Anthony's place, this home looks really cheap. A young Hispanic girl of about 12 years of age is sprawled across a couch, watching TV, with a bored look on her face. This is ROSA. It has to be; her arm's in a sling.

SFX: DOORBELL

ROSA: Bryan, go get it! (PAUSE) Bry? Aw man.

She gets up and heads for the door. Upon opening it, a three year old fireball latches onto her legs, tripping her. Anthony pokes his head in moments later.

ROSA: Whag! (*THUMP*) What the... Matthew! Oh my God! You're alive!

MATT: Hi Wosa! I got you a picture!

Matt proudly displays the picture he drew; three undistinguishable blobs. Rosa looks at it, puzzled.

ROSA: (fake) Oh, it's adorable, Matty! Uh, what is it?

MATT: Silly! It's a picture of you beating up the guy who shot you!

ROSA: Oh, how sweet. C'mon, let's go hang it up in my room. (to Tony) I'll be right back, Antoni.

ANTHONY: No prob.

ROSA: (walking off with Matt) And you drew this all by yourself?

MATT: Yah! But Bwueberry helped a little (follows her OS).

FRY: (walking in) Woah. Cheap place they got here. Is her mom on welfare or something?

Anthony elbows Fry hard in the ribs ("Ow!")

ANTHONY: (whispers) She lives with her brother. She's never met her dad and her mom's a crack addict who's living God knows where right now. This girl's really sweet so keep your mouth shut!

Before Fry can say anything, Rosa comes back into the room.

ROSA: I am SO glad you got him back, Antoni. Your son is a gem. I (sees Fry)... aaaaaaahhhhh! What are _you_ doing here?!

FRY: I'm Matt's uncle. I brought him back.

ROSA: _He's_ your brother, Antoni?! Why didn't you tell me? I would have let you known...

FRY: Know what?

ROSA: (deep breath) Oh God, you haven't heard. I thought your boss might have traced the address or something, especially after you disappeared. I swear, thought, it was all Bryan's idea!

ANTHONY: What was Bryan's idea?

ROSA: The prank phone call!

Fry get's a stunned look on his face as he thinks back to some fateful day...

CUT TO- FLASHBACK- NEW YEARS EVE 1999 (taken from FRCR's episode capsule)

Fry, carrying a pizza, enters a room labeled "Applied Cryogenics." The room is full of ominous blinking lights with cryogenic tanks lined along one wall.

FRY: Hello? Pizza delivery for (looks at the card) I. C. Wiener! Oh, crud. I always thought by this point in life, I'd be the one making the crank calls.

He sits down in a nearby chair and pulls out a beer.

FRY: (toasts) Here's to another lousy millennium.

As he toasts, a building outside the window lights up with the number 10. We see all the civilizations around the world counting down, and as they reach 1, Fry blows a noisemaker, which hits him in the face and sends him backwards into an open tank. The tank sets itself to "1000 YEARS." A few seconds later, he's frozen...

END FLASHBACK

Fry, now with a furious look on his face, turns at Rosa.

FRY: You!!

ROSA: *shriek* (dives behind Tony) I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I tried to stop him! I swear to God I did!

ANTHONY: Your brother was the prank caller? And you never told us?!

ROSA: I thought if I told you, you'd fire me or something! Please, Antoni, I didn't mean anything against you...

FRY: (PO'ed) Because of your brother I was frozen for 1000 years and ended up in a future that I reasonably enjoyed!

ROSA: (perplexed) You were in the future? (Fry nods) Cool. How'd you get back?

ANTHONY: Um, I'll explain. Let's go in your room. I need to talk with you.

Tony takes Rosa gently by the arm and leads her off to another room. Fry starts to follow them.

ANTHONY: ..._alone_, Philip.

FRY: Aw...

ANTHONY: Why don't you take Matt to the park or something? *Ahem* Just in case...

The two walk OS, about the same time Matthew walks back On-S. He stops in front of Fry and stares expectantly at him.

FRY: You want me to take you there, right?

MATT: Uh-huh!

FRY: *Sigh* Fine.

MATT: Yay! (Rushes off for the door)

CUT TO- BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF OLD NY STREETS FROM AN APARTMENT ACROSS THE STREET (man, that's the longest CUT TO shot I think anyone's ever written...)

As Fry and Matt exit the building, a shadowy figure watches them from the window. A few seconds later, there's a flash from one of the windows in the apartment they've just exited. The shadowy figure grins, and the walkie-talkie in his hand crackles.

DAVID: (to walkie-talkie) Josh, are you there? Josh! I see the kid. He's with a new man, I can't tell who. It's not Anthony, though. Rosa's nowhere in sight.

JOSH: Da... *static* ...ony and the girl *static* gone, then? Request permission to follow and att... *static* kid. Did you read m... *static*

DAVID: Permission granted.

CUT TO- PE CONFERENCE ROOM- EVENING

(Hermes has rounded up Amy, Leela and Bender, wearing a Ticked-Off look on his face)

HERMES: I cannot believe dis! You three actually thought you could get away wit it?

AMY: So we dropped the package!

HERMES: Oh, you dropped da package alright. From da ship, while it was flying over da palace!

BENDER: (defensively) But it only fell through the roof!

HERMES: Yeah, right into da king's throne room!

BENDER: Well, no one was killed! Right?

HERMES: (dryly) Da roof caved in and killed three palace guards!

BENDER: Well, er, it's not like the _package_ killed anyone!

HERMES: Da package flattened da king!

CUT TO- KOMODO DRAGON'S PALACE- AT THAT MOMENT

(Several cops interview witnesses in the background. In the foreground, a JANITOR sweeps past the giant crate from earlier, the KINGS's arms and legs sticking out from underneath. He "Tsk's" a few times before moving on)

CUT TO- PREVIOUS SHOT

LEELA: Look, we made a mistake and we're sorry. But none of us could personally deliver the package.

HERMES: You better have a good reason for not delivering it personally. Or else I'm going to have to deduct this from your paychecks.

LEELA: But Hermes...

HERMES: I don't care if you just moved out of that cramped apartment and into that new house, Leela. It's still coming out of _your_ check! Now; any good explanation for this whole incident?

AMY: Well... (pause) no, not a _good_ one.

HERMES: Dis wouldn't have anytin' to do wit Fry, would it?

BENDER: Of course not! Impossible! Not in a million years! (Pause) Yes.

HERMES: Listen, I know you three miss Fry, but life goes on, mon. Okay? Now, no more of dis nonsense. (Starts to leave the room, stops and turns around) Oh, and you'll be deliverin' a package to Fragilana, the glass planet. (Leaves)

BENDER/LEELA/AMY: Yes sir.

PAUSE

BENDER: So... you wanna drop it from the ship again?

AMY: Okay.

END OF ACT 2

ACT 3

INT CENTRAL PARK- LATER

Well, Fry took Matt to the park as promised. He's sitting on a bench, musing to himself, as Matt plays with his Blueberry doll in the sand box.

FRY'S MIND: I don't like the looks of this. I know I have to stay now. Why the hell would a guy try to kill the kid and the babysitter. C'mon, brain, think! Why would he go after the kid and Rosa? What do they have to do with anything?

As he continues to think, Josh strolls nonchalantly onto the playground. He glances around casually, spots Matthew, and grins evilly.

JOSH: (into a walkie-talkie) I see him David. What should I do?

DAVID: (VO) *static* him off. He knows about us and the attempted murder of the gir... *static* we can send Tony a little message. When *static* join us for a little f... *static* on Tony's turf.

JOSH: Got it. Over and out.

He continues to watch the Small Fry until he looks up at him. That's when he motions for him to come over.

Fry glances over at his nephew, only to find that's he's coming up to a total stranger at the edge of the park. He raises an eyebrow and starts to get up off the bench...

CUT TO- BUSHY AREA

As the name suggests, there's a clump of bushes at the edge of the park. Josh ducks down into them, and Matthew follows suit.

JOSH: Here we go. All nice and alone.

MATT: So when do I get da candy?

JOSH: Oh, soon, soon.

MATT: (realizing) Uh oh. I fowgot. I'm not awoud to talk to stwangers. Dat's wat my daddy told me. I gotta go back to my unkie now.

JOSH: Oh, don't worry. I'm not a stranger. In fact, you're dad and I are old buddies.

MATT: Weally?

JOSH: Oh yeah...

At this time he pulls out a long thin dagger from his coat pocket. Matt watches with interest.

MATT: You gotta be careful with dose things. Mommy says knives are weally sharp.

JOSH: (darkly) Oh, don't worry, Matt. I'll be _very_ careful.

He grins not-so-nicely at him, and only then does Matt start to think that he made a mistake. His eyes go wide. The man sneers an in one swift movement swipe the knife at... thin air? He looks up and snarls at Matt, who's been jerked away by Fry at just the right moment.

FRY: (really pissed off) What the hell...

Josh says nothing, just dives at Fry, who yelps and bolts from the brush, his nephew clutching him tightly around the neck. The man ditches the knife and follows him closely as Fry dodges various visitors of the park (including, *gasp* the mysterious Number 9 Man!) and finally gets to a sidewalk corner.

FRY: Taxi!

Almost immediately, a taxi zips up to him (as only a taxi in a cartoon can...) and he jumps in. Joshua reaches the corner just as the car begins to pull away. He swears colorfully (too colorfully for a PG 13/ PG LV rating) and storms off.

CUT TO- CAB INTERIOR

Fry watches the stranger warily, then turns his attention to a sobbing Matthew.

FRY: Oh my God, Matt I am so sorry. He didn't hurt you, did he?

MATT: *SOB* No... but he wipped my shirt...

Fry takes a peek at his shirt and gulps. There's a tear right in the middle, where the knife cut through. He hugs Matt tightly and continues to glance out the window nervously.

The man's still there, watching him.

CUT TO- APARTMENT 2123003- EVENING

Fry's pacing the room nervously. Sandra is sitting on the couch, rocking Matthew, who looks ready to doze off any second.

SANDRA: Oh, my poor baby. You've had to go through so much in so little time.

MATT: (mumbling) I wasn't scawed. Bwueberry was, but I wasn't. I knew Unkie Phil would save us.

FRY: Where the hell is Tony?!

Speak of the devil; Anthony enters just as Fry finishes that line, Rosa in tow. He has a black eye, and her face is cut badly.

SANDRA: Oh Lord, Anthony, not you too!

ANTHONY: David paid us a special "visit".

FRY: At Rosa's place?

ANTHONY: (angry) No. (To Sandra) Not at _Rosa's_ place.

Sandra bites her lip.

ANTHONY: (CONT) He got all of us! Ali, Miff, Toby, Rich, Bryan, Lis, Lune, Ben, Lisa, Mark, Steve, Jay D., Ashley, Rosa... she's staying here with us tonight, by the way.

SANDRA: Oh, of course.

ANTHONY: I don't know what to do anymore. This is getting way out of hand. We have got to get a better security system than this...

MATT: (sleepy) Someone tried to hurt me wit a knife.

Anthony stops his ranting long enough to let that sink in.

ANTHONY: (to Fry) Did I just my own son say he was almost stabbed today?

FRY: Uh, maybe?

Anthony looks ready to kill. He storms off down the hall and slams a door shut, before going into a loud, raging clamor that is hardly muffled by the door. Fry, Rosa and Sandra all exchange looks. He finally comes out of the room, looking somewhat calmer.

ANTHONY: Alright, first thing's first; Phil, we've got to get you out of here.

FRY: Hell no! I don't even know what's going on. You can't kick me back into the future without telling me why some group of killer... er... killers are after _my_ favorite nephew! (Rosa coughs impatiently) And his babysitter.

ANTHONY: Look, bro. Under any other circumstances, I'd be flattered. But as soon as they find out your related to me, they're gonna add you to that hit list faster than Lightspeed. I'm not gonna risk another family member's neck because of this.

FRY: (indignant) What about Yancy? You gonna shove him off with me, too?

ANTHONY: I would, but he's lucky he's smart enough to keep his nose in his own business. Philip, you can always come back later. It's just that now is not the best time in the world.

FRY: (troubled) What about you guys? What if they do something to you, and I never find out? What if for some bizarre reason, that Blue Streak doesn't work anymore, and I can never see you again?

ROSA: Nothing will happen to us. Your brother will be alright. Go back to the future, like in that Michael J. Fox movie. We can take care of ourselves. Hell, we got out alright today.

FRY: But out of what? You guys won't even tell me what's going on.

SANDRA: The less you know, the safer it is for you, Philip. You're no use to them if you don't know what we're doing...

ANTHONY: Let me explain, Sandy. This whole thing... somewhat revolves around my work.

FRY: This is all about robots?

ANTHONY: (winces) Sort of...

ROSA: Just don't think about it too much. It'll drive you insane if you do.

FRY: I guess. So, I gotta leave?

Anthony nods. Fry glances at Sandra and Matt.

FRY: Well, until we meet again... (hugs Sandra)

SANDRA: I still can't thank you enough for saving our son. You'd better come back to us in one piece, alright?

FRY: Yeah... bye Matthew. (Rustles his hair) Keep out of trouble, and stay away from those guys handing out candy.

MATT: Even those guys at the mall who sell it?

FRY: Especially those guys. (To Tony) Well, I'm ready.

MATT: Wait! Unkie Phil?

FRY: Yeah?

MATT: Bwueberry wants to go with you.

Rosa starts snickering at Fry's horrified Look. Tony glances at Matt's doll uneasily.

ANTHONY: Uh, Matt, are you sure...

MATT: (CONT) He thinks he's safer wit you. You'll take care of him, wite?

FRY: (phony) Uh, yeah. Sure, kiddo.

He gingerly takes the doll and quickly stuffs it in his jacket pocket. He takes one last look around the apartment, and his stare falls on a picture his whole family. Parents, brothers, kids; they're all there.

FRY: Tony, do you mind if I take that picture on the table? You know, just for back home?

ANTHONY: Sure.

Fry quickly slips the photo out of the frame and pockets it. He waves a feeble goodbye to the girls before he and Tony exit. There's a few seconds pause, and Rosa also heads for the door.

SANDRA: Rosa, where are you going?

ROSA: I have to go apologize to Philip again.

SANDRA: But I thought you already...

SFX: DOOR SLAM

Rosa has left the building.

CUT TO- BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF OLD NY STREETS FROM AN APARTMENT ACROSS THE STREET

The two brothers are already outside. Rosa's figure bolts after them.

ROSA: Antoni, Phil, wait!

ANTHONY: Rosa! I told you as soon as we got home you were to stay with Sandra...

ROSA: I want to see that wormhole that Phil used. Please, Tony?

ANTHONY: I dunno...

FRY: Oh come on, bro. Just let her come. What could happen.

The three silently agree and continue on. David watches this all from the shadows of his hiding place, and smiles wickedly.

CUT TO- CRYOGENICS LABS- NEAR MIDNIGHT

Tony, Fry and Rosa are standing in the room impatiently. Rosa's marveling at the Freezing Capsules (Stephen Hawking likes to refer to them as Hawking Chambers, mind you Z8-P ) she wipes the steam that's already gathered on capsule 40 and gaps. Fry's... er also in there.

ROSA: Philip?! There's two of you!

FRY: (stares at the capsule) Wow. Cool!

ANTHONY: This must be the you that first went to the future in the first place. (Rosa reaches out to touch it) No, don't touch it! Any slight change could destroy whatever future Phil left behind.

Rosa jerks her hand away quickly.

FRY: Hey, how do you know all this stuff about time travel, anyway?

ANTHONY: Well, I'm a lot older than you.

FRY: Oh that's your excuse for everything.

SFX: CLOCK STRIKING MIDNIGHT

With every *dong*, the three tense up. After an eternity of hour tolls... nothing.

FRY: Maybe it's la...

There's a great blast of CGI-enhanced light, and the sapphire vortex appears once again. Anthony's jaw hits the floor, Rosa stares at the worm hole in awe, and Fry just stares. He glances at his brother awkwardly.

FRY: Uh, well, I guess I have to go.

ANTHONY: (regaining composure) Yeah. I guess.

PAUSE

FRY: Tony, if anything happens and I can't get back, I just want you to know... uh...

ANTHONY: I'll miss you too, bro.

Another hesitation between the two. Rosa clears her throat impatiently. They turn to stare at her.

ROSA: Oh, don't mind me. I'll just look the other way while you two "men" decide how to express yourselves without looking fruity.

ANTHONY: (Sarcastic) Ha ha. (To Fry) Well, bro, you'd better get going.

FRY: Yeah. See you around.

He starts to step into the vortex, but Anthony suddenly blurts out...

ANTHONY: Philip, wait! There's something I have to tell you.

ROSA: (SOTTO) Oh sweet Jesus, he wouldn't...

ANTHONY: It's about David. He's not after me because I work on robots.

ROSA: (groans and buries her face in her hands) He would...

FRY: What?

ANTHONY: Rosa, Sandy and I are a part of a secret organization that Dave's trying to bring down.

FRY: Organization? You mean engineering?

ANTHONY: Forget about the robots for a second, 'K?! It's a top secret government project. It's code-named PROJECT AL...

SFX: BAM

The once closed door crashes to the floor, and David storms in, fully loaded. Rosa shrieks and without hesitation, Tony shoves Fry into the vortex. David's eyes bulge at this new... thing (sorry, ran out of synonyms for wormhole), but then narrow.

DAVID: Another one of your games, eh Tony? Well, I've got one for you and Rosa to play. (Raises his gun) It's called "tag".

He fires, but not at any person. The bullet goes straight through the vortex.

CUT TO- BLUE STREAK- INSIDE

Here we are, back in the blue swirling mist. Fry glances around, straining to hear any bit of noise coming from the date he's just left.

FRY: (frantic) Anthony?! Rosa? You guys okay? (Meekly) Anyone?

This is about when the bullet enters the scene, coming straight at Fry. He screams.

FRY: Valentine's Day, 3003! Valentine's Day, 3003!!!

In another flash of white, the date 2/14/3003 comes up. Fry grabs it.

CUT TO- CRYOGENICS LABS- 3003

Leela's waiting impatiently at the vortex, when Fry comes flying out, landing on top of her and sending them both crashing into the wall. The two scramble to their feet.

LEELA: Fry, get off! I hope you didn't crush your nephew doing that...

FRY: (staring at the vortex) Leela, something really weird's going on back there...

Just as he finishes that last word, the bullet comes flying out. Now, picture this. Fry and Leela are pressed against the wall, staring straight at the charging bullet. But time seems to slow (or is it really slowing down?) And the bullet comes to a nice, hoovering halt about an inch away from Fry's skull. The room, once glowing that eerie blue, is engulfed in an acid green color, as is the vortex. The bullet begins to dissolve rapidly into thin air, like it's made of sand. There's a moment's pause, and then, the vortex explodes into a fine green powder that lingers in the air for only a few seconds more. Then, everything goes dark, as if there was never any vortex there to begin with.

LEELA: What the hell was that?

FRY: No... no, it's gone! It can't be gone! It wasn't gone yesterday! It didn't just explode like that yesterday!

LEELA: (consoling) Don't worry, Fry. Maybe it'll be back tomorrow night.

FRY: (hopeful) You think? Really?

LEELA: (helpless) I don't know for _sure_, Fry. I'm just saying... you know...

PAUSE, as Fry stares distantly at the space where the Blue Streak once was. Leela reaches out to take his hand and lead him away, but stops.

LEELA: Fry, what's that?

FRY: Huh? (Glances down at the Blueberry doll sticking out of his jacket pocket). Oh. A present from Matt.

LEELA: It's, uh, cute.

FRY: Yeah...

The two just stand there for a few more moments in pondering silence.

CUT TO- PE BUILDING- CONFERENCE ROOM- LATER THAT DAY (AFTERNOON)

Fry is slumped over the computer, mumbling its contents out loud to himself. Leela comes in, shoots him a Look, and glances over his shoulder.

LEELA: (reading) Major Projects of the 21st Century. Fry, what are you doing?

FRY: Tony said something about Project AL. I'm trying to figure out what the hell it was. (frustrated) And there's no frigging record!

LEELA: (gently) But that's in the past now. There's hardly any record on your old life nowadays. I've never even heard of Project AL before. (PAUSE) Fry, please. You haven't stopped thinking about the past since you came back.

FRY: (stubborn) Not until I figured out why those guys were making my brother's life a living hell!

He continues browsing the computer. Leela watches him worriedly for a few moments, sighs, and exits the room.

TEXT: November 18h, 2000

CUT TO- OLD NY GENERAL HOSPITAL- WARD 299- AFTERNOON

The door slowly squeaks open and Anthony steps in. His eyes wander the room curiously, finally falling on poor Rosa, who's stranded in the hospital bed, staring out the window. Anthony clears his throat.

ROSA: (noticing) Antoni! You came!

ANTHONY: Of course I came. Why wouldn't I?

ROSA: I thought you'd be like everyone else and leave me out in the cold.

ANTHONY: Well, I'm not everyone else, now am I?

Rosa's silent. Anthony pulls out a small package.

ANTHONY: I, uh, got you something, you know, for being shot again and all. One, I've decided you can still babysit Matt. (Rose looks extremely pleased) And two, I got you this. (Hands the package to Rosa. She looks perplexed at Tony) Go ahead, open it!

Rosa glances cautiously at he box, then rips it apart. Something small and soft falls into her lap, and when she picks it up to get a good look at it, she squeals in delight. It's a stuffed animal, identical to Matt's "mutated rabbit", except it's green with brown eyes.

ROSA: Oh Antoni, he's _adorable_!

ANTHONY: I gave Matt mine. He keeps calling his Blueberry... he wants you to call yours Lime.

ROSA: Ohhh, he's so cute!

ANTHONY: Um, I went back there last night. The Blue Streak never showed up. (Furious) David shot it on purpose! He knew that bullet would screw it up.

ROSA: So you'll never see Philip again?

ANTHONY: (downcast) Yeah, I guess not.

ROSA: Antoni, why the hell did you try to tell him about PA?

ANTHONY: Uh, you know Tyania, right? (Rosa nods) Remember what she told me that one day?

ROSA: Uh, no...

ANTHONY: She said I'd have to pass it onto someone else, and that they would help us save the damn project. I don't know why, but I got this... implication... that Philip might be that person.

ROSA: (scoffing) Philip? Not Yancy? Or Matt? Or any other person in your family?

Anthony shrugs helplessly, and the two fall silent. Uncomfortable with the awkwardness of the situation, Rosa begins fiddling with her little mutated rabbit doll.

ROSA: How long do you think this is going last? I mean, the project. How long can you guys at CL keep it under wraps?

ANTHONY: (glances out window) God only knows...

FADE OUT

TEXT: February 15h, 3003

FADE IN- LEELA'S ROOM- LATE EVENING/EARLY MORNING

Leela's sleeping peacefully, until her VideoPhone wakes her up. She grumbles as she turns it on. Bender's on the other line.

BENDER: Hey eyeball, is skintube over there sleeping with you?

LEELA: (disgusted) No. Why?

BENDER: Well he sure as hell ain't over here. I haven't seen him since we got off of work.

LEELA: Really?

BENDER: Nu-uh. You _sure_ he isn't over there?

LEELA: Yes! Stop asking!

BENDER: Then where is he?

LEELA: (musing) I think I might have an idea.

CUT TO- CRYOGENICS LABS- LATER

Leela and Bender sneak into the room cautiously. It's dark in the room, despite the wide window on one side. Fry's nowhere to be found.

LEELA: Oh no, he went back.

BENDER: Aw crap. Now I have no one to shove around! Unless... Leela, I order you to binge drink until you puke and pass out.

LEELA: Shhh! Do you hear something?

SFX: SNIFFLING

Leela reaches over and flips on the lights. The room is illuminated in the bright glow, but still no Fry. Of course, that's before she turns around. She motions silently to Bender, who also whirls around.

BENDER: (awed) Damn...

Fry's huddled in the corner closest to the entrance, his jacket thrown over his head as he sniffs quietly. Leela bites her lip as Bender continues to stare.

BENDER: What's wrong with him? Did he snap?

LEELA: Bender, shut up.

The two kneel down next to their friend, Leela placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

LEELA: (gently) Fry, are you okay?

FRY: (muffled; monotone) It never came.

BENDER: What? The wormhole?

FRY: (CONT) *sniff* I thought if I came back it would be here, but it never came.

BENDER: Yeah, good riddance. That big-ass hole was doing damage to the decor.

LEELA: (comforting) Well... at least you got to see _some_ of your family. And at least you got to say goodbye, right?

FRY: Right. *sniff*

LEELA: And I'm sure they'll figure out what happened to the Blue Streak sooner or later.

BENDER: Yeah! So what's the big deal. (PAUSE) Buddy?

Fry starts sniffling harder into his jacket, and Leela gently pulls it off his head, revealing his tear-streaked face and his misty red eyes. He lets out a dry sob in protest, but nevertheless, he explains.

FRY: They're dead. They're dead, and I miss them, and there's nothing I can do about it! (Starts bawling)

As he wails on into the night, Leela and Bender sit there helplessly. Leela tries to fit some words of comfort into the silent dialogue, but she fails to come up with any. Even the selfish Bender seems perplexed by the situation and how he can't improve it. Because truth be told, the past is dead; and there's nothing they can do about it.

~FIN

Buddies