Willow crept quietly into the open doorway of the truck, where her father was going through some of his things he stopped to thumb through a book before putting it back. Now was her chance. She just had to be very quiet.

She put her hands around the music box and lifted it carefully, doing her absolute best to not make a sound. She smiled to herself as she slouched away with her new treasure.

"Put it back."

"Ugh!" Willow made a show of slamming the box back onto its shelf, "How did you know I was here!?"

"Your wheels are still squeaky." WALL-E looked up at her from his work, "I thought you went out with your mother to get that fixed."

She didn't respond.

"Lemme guess, you ditched her."

"Daaad!" Willow wined, "It's not fair! I just want to play with you! I don't want to go out with Mom!"

"She just wants what's best for you."

"I don't want to go back to the mechanics shop! It's musty and gross and it smells like oil! I don't care if my wheels are squeaky!"

"If you don't get that fixed, it could cause problems later." WALL-E finished reorganizing his treasures, "It did for me."

Willow kicked at the dust in the truck with her tread, "I don't like Mom."

"Don't say that."

"She isn't fun! She always has to be serious all the time! Why can't she be more like you!?"

"Watch your mouth! That's my wife you're talking about! She has an important job and you know that!"

"But can't she learn to have fun sometimes!?"

WALL-E took a moment to calm himself down before he said something he would regret, "Listen, Willow. Your mother has a sense of humor. I know that more than anyone. She would love to slow down and spend more time with us, but being a captain is serious business. She's just been stressed out lately, that's all."

Willow looked down at the floor.

"There you are!" EVE had arrived, "I was afraid you had been kidnapped!"

WALL-E took EVE's hand, "Listen Evah, don't be too hard on her. She just misses you."

"Hm?" EVE didn't get it at first.

"You're too serious." he explained, "She wants to have fun with you."

"Oh." EVE took Willow's hand, "Come on. I've got the day off tomorrow. We can play then."

She beamed, "For real!?"

EVE giggled, "Come on. Those wheels won't fix themselves!"

"Oh. Right."

WALL-E watched them go with admiration clear in his optics. He had no doubt they'd be on good terms by the end of the day.