Carland Ellie had been married for many years. It was decades ofhappiness for both of them. For better or worse and richer or forpoor they stood by everything. They got though all the hard timestogether no matter how bad. While they never got to go to ParadiseFalls like they planned they were still happy. Carl did find a wayafter her death. They met when they were children. They were bothfans of Charles Muntz and wanted to explore the world like he did.Carl was a shy and small boy. Still, he liked to have fun. Ellie wasupbeat and social; quite the opposite of Carl. Though they stillbecome friends. Her name didn't start out as Ellie though.
"It'sokay. I don't bite." She removed her hat to show she was justanother kid. "My name is Elliot." She gave Carl a grape soda poppin.
"Youand me were in a club now."
Shewas actually a boy. Though everyone saw her like that she had a deepsecret. One that she would tell Carl and change her life.
"We'reover the Bermuda Triangle now, partner!" Carl said. "Permissionto get lower to investigate."
"Permissiongranted." Elliot said. Carl took the wheel and pretended to golower. In front of them was a picture on the Bermuda Triangle theytook from a book.
"Ihope we don't get lost." Carl said. "People disappear here allthe time."
"Iknow. And the worst part is no one knows why. Did the crash getsucked into a whirlpool? Enter a wormhole? Get abducted by aliens?Who knows." Elliot replied. Carl gulped. They went deeper into theTriangle when...
"OHNO!"Elliot screamed.
"Wha-What?"Carl shook.
"There'sa ghost ship right in front of us." Elliot said. Carl's mouth wasopen. "It's okay we'll just.....No! There's a whirlpool thatway.... and there's a wormhole the other way. We have no choice putto turn back." They took the wheel but then... "There's aliensbehind us. There's no way out!"
"We'lldoomed!" Carl yelled.
"Waita minute is that..." Elliot stuck a picture of Charles Muntz andthe Spirit of Adventure on the wall. "Yes. It's Charles Muntz!We're saved." The two kids pretended to get on the airship and tookoff for a new adventure.
"Thatwas amazing." Elliot said.
"Yeah.I thought we we going to die."
"Don'twe always." They both laughed.
"Iguess I should get home. I'll see you." Carl began to to leave butElliot stopped him."
"Wait.Before you go there's something I need to tell you."
"Whatis it?"
"it'sa secret. So I need you to promise to not tell."
"IPromise."
"Pinkyswear." He stuck out his pinky.
"Pinkyswear."
"Crossyour heart hope to die stick a needle in your eye!" Elliot got intohis face."
"Yesyes. I promise." Carl feared a little." Elliot nodded and sighed.He leaned in closer to Carls and and whispered.
"I'ma girl."
"Huh."
"I-I'm a girl." Elliot said a little scared. Carl looked confused.What did he mean by that? He thought Elliot was a boy. Was heactually a girl this whole time and he didn't know? He thought Elliotwas a boys name too. Maybe Elliot found out and was offended hethought he... or she was a boy.
"I-Don't get it. I thought you were a boy."
"Well,everyone seems to think I am.... but... I think I'm really a girl. Ihave a boys name and look like one. But inside I'm a girl. That's thebest way I can describe it. I know it sounds weird."
"Haveyou told anyone else but me?" Carl asked. Elliot shook her head.
"No.You're the first one. I was afraid to tell you because I thought youwouldn't want to be my friend anymore." Elliot looked down andsniffed.
"You'llstill my friend, Elliot."
"Also.I don't want Elliot to by my name anymore. My new name is Ellie. Ichose it myself."
"Ellie?"She nodded. "That's a pretty name." Ellie smiled.
"Ionly get to be Ellie in secret. I like to wear my moms dresses whenI'm alone. I also wanna be a mom one day."
"Sodoes this mean you won't want to be an explorer anymore?"
"Ofcourse I do. I still like to explore and be like Charles Muntz. Ijust want to do it as a girl. As Ellie." Carol nodded.
"Okay.Ellie it is then."
SoCarl and Ellie continued their playing adventures. As they grew olderEllie got worried about her body. She knew she had to tell herparents sooner or later if she wanted something to be done. Carl waswith her when she told them. They were upset at first thinking it wasa bad joke. Ellie threatened to hurt herself or runaway if theydidn't her her be Ellie. They resentfully gave in. In time they cameto love Ellie though. They took her to a doctor who knew a way tostop her natural hormones though it will leave her sterile. In herteen years she was given a new pill that would allow her to developlike the other girls. Both Carl and Ellie grew closer throughoutthose years going to prom together. After high school Ellie finallybecome fully herself. The two eventually got married.
"Ellie."Carl said on one knee. "Will you do the honor of marrying me andbecoming my bride." Ellie put her hand on her chest breathing hard.She then put her hand to her mouth and cried.
"Yes.I will Carl Fredricksen." She hugged and kissed him. Ellie lovedgoing shopping for a dress with her mother. It was a true motherdaughter moment. They said their vowels.
"Doyou Carl take Ellie to be your lawfully wedded wife. To love andcherish her for as long as you both shall live."
Ido." Carl said.
"Doyou Ellie take Carl as your lawfully wedded husband. To love andcherish him as long as you both shall live."
"Ido."
"Thenby the power I process I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kissthe bride." They had their best kiss and began their new lives. Notlong after marriage they wanted to have kids; but Ellie couldn't getpregnant. They met a doctor who might change that. They wanted to puta uterus in Ellie to test making people like her pregnant. After atalk she and Carl agreed. She was nervous but the surgery was asuccess. After they were given the go they tried but things didn'twork out like they hoped.
"Itseems that your new reproductive organs didn't respond." The doctorsaid. "The egg didn't get anything and it never will."
"I'llnever get pregnant" Ellie broke down.
"I'msorry." It was hard on Ellie and took her time to recover. Whileshe and Carl talked briefly about adopting they decided to move on.Over the years they made many new memories together both good andbad; mostly good though. They grew old together like couples do.Eventually Ellie got sick and had to go to the hospital. She wouldn'tcheck out.
"Youalways stuck with me. From the moment I told you I was a girl youbelieved and helped me. I love you for it and I loved you beforethat, Carl."
"Ilove you too, Ellie."
Elliewould later die leaving Carl alone and bitter. He would eventuallymet a young boy who would open him up again. Carl was happy knowinghe made Ellies life happy. That he made Ellie Ellie. They had allthose wonderful years together and it was because Ellie was truly agirl inside. He was glad he believed her.
