Over the next nine months, Amber existed in a murky stupor. There seemed to be a force field around her, warding off anyone who might try to cheer her up. Robin might have made it through, but she was off tending to the mysterious baby, which even Leslie hadn't been able to shed any light on; she was just as surprised as anyone else, and Robin had disappeared completely, leaving behind only a sticky note with a heart and her signature on the fridge.

So without Robin to distract her, Amber vented at whatever captive audience she could find.

"It was just so sudden!"

"Um, that's nice ma'am, but I really need you to ring these up for-"

"No, you need to get a perspective on life! Losing someone close to you does that to you, and now I can't help but wonder if I'll be the next one to die in the jaws of a rampaging tyrannosaurus rex."

"That's a very colorful metaphor."

"It's not."

"Maybe you just won't give yourself any chance to be happy; you're denying yourself and blaming it on- what was his name again?"

"Mike."

"-right, blaming it on Mike's death."

Leslie covered her face hopelessly. "I can take the next customer..."

In hopes of salvaging whatever customer service the store had left, Amber slowly migrated closer to the storeroom daily, until her main job was keeping Ultracar from extorting patrons.

Finally, she got the text message.

Hi, it's Robin! Come see the baby.

Amber smiled slightly. "This should be interesting..." Where?

Come outside and close your eyes.

...aren't I supposed to see the baby?

Nooo, I want you to come out and open your eyes and BAM, there's an adorable baby!

Amber sighed. "Faz, watch Ultracar. I'm going outside for a second."

"I, Faz, will await your return eagerly."

"You do that."

Amber clutched her arms against the sudden chill outside, pulling out her vibrating phone with a frown.

Your eyes aren't closed!

She closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Robin, if you can see me, just talk to me already, no more texting."

"Sorry, sorry. Okay, here's a pen." Amber felt something slide into her hand, and heard Robin's voice grow slightly fainter like she was talking to someone else. "C'mere, you, I told her I'd let her autograph you."

"I autographed your mom."

Amber's eyes snapped open, and she dropped the pen. "Holy shit-"

"Hi," said Mike indifferently.

"Are ya surprised?" Robin asked gleefully.

"Holy shit!"

"In my defense, I'm pretty sure it wasn't legal to tell you about this until now, and I still can't explain the details," Robin continued. "Seriously though, you should see the look on your face."

"Holy shit!"

"Out of the door, I have some stuff to do before my shift ends," Mike grumbled.

"NO!" Amber latched onto his midsection frantically, "You're not going anywhere!"

"You do realize that I've eaten things bigger than you."

"Then I'm not going anywhere!"

"Fine by me, you can just sit there and lose circulation in your arms."

"You two are so cute!" Robin squealed. She followed them around as Mike dragged Amber into the store.

"How did you do it?"

"If it's your mom, all you need is a quarter."

"Not that, Mike- Robin, you have something to do with this... How is this even- Mike, stop banging me into shelves!"

"I didn't know you were chaste now."

"That's not what I- Nevermind. Mike, how are you alive?"

"Sheer force of will. Leslie, I hate your face."

"The hell- is that Mike?"

"I'm almost willing to believe you." Amber closed her eyes and pressed her head against Mike's lower ribs. "Robin, any hints?"

"Sorry dude, like I said, it's probably not legal for me to say."

"Ethan, congratulations, your mom just raised her price to ten cents."

"Lay off already, I bought you flowers for your... funeral... Wait, what?"

"So you're just going to pop back into my life with no explanation?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

THWACK!

"Faz is now very aware of his sinuses..."

"Off," Mike demanded. Amber hugged him more tightly, and he glared at her. "Off!"

"You can miss just this one day, they wouldn't fire you even if you burned the building to the ground," Amber said hopefully, careful not to mention McAwesome's by name. Mike's eyes narrowed.

"I can and will break your arms from this position, Amber."

"Fine," Amber said softly, getting to her feet and rubbing some feeling back into her arms, and staring at the tile floor. "I guess you're going, then, you got pretty much everybody in the sto-" Mike grabbed her again, and kissed her for the entire last minute of his shift.

"No, now I got everybody in the store. Leave the door unlocked, I'll be home late."

He disappeared into the stockroom.

"Really a shame, though," Robin tsk'd. "He always said he wanted to die by dinosaur."

"Up yours, Robin, I did die by dinosaur!"