Willow swung her treads back and forth in the dead of night. EVE had left for V-GR's planet to collect information on the barrier around it, looking for a way to break through to the ground below. The rest of the family had gone back to their normal lives, but Willow had reached a stalemate. She was trapped, dead inside a moving robotic husk.
The lake below her reflected the moonlight beautifully. She wondered what it would feel like to jump in, to feel the cold water on all sides of her as she drifted to the bottom. What would the sky look like from down there? She almost wanted to find out...
"Willow?"
"Oh!" Willow scooted backwards on the ledge behind her house, "Hey, Dad..."
"You're still up?" he sat down beside his daughter.
Willow looked out across the lake, "I couldn't sleep..."
"Hm." WALL-E looked with her, "I understand...it's really hard for me to sleep without Eve..."
Willow gave a heavy sigh from her speaker, "Daddy?"
"Hm?"
"How did you cope?" she asked, "With being all alone?"
He froze.
"S-sorry..." Willow backpedaled, "Bad memories?"
He sighed sadly, looking down, "I don't know...I haven't had to think about it in a long time..."
The silence over them was heavy, as Willow was unwilling to break it.
"It's...interesting..." WALL-E looked down into the water, "The overwhelming silence didn't bother me at first because I had no conscious...it wasn't until the day before your mom came to Earth when I realized how lonely I was..."
He took her hand in the dark, "But after she shut down...after a few days of watching from a distance and meeting her officially...I...I realized that I could never be alone again..." he became wistful in his nostalgia, "That became all the more true when you came around...one of my worst fears is waking up in my truck one day to find that all of this was just a dream...and I'm really just stuck on the destroyed planet...all alone...forever..."
"Daddy! That's rediculous!" Willow shook his shoulders, "We're here to stay! So don't worry about that!"
"I know, I know..." he wrapped one arm around her, "But that's why it's hard for me to sleep without Eve. I love her so much. When I woke up just now, the only indication that I wasn't dreaming is seeing your trinkets on the shelf and the space you sleep in."
"I see..." Willow leaned into her father, seeking comfort from him, "I miss V-Gr..."
"I know, Sweetie...I know..." WALL-E watched the sky with her, "We can miss them together..."
Willow still wanted to see the bottom of the lake, but there's no way she'd jump in with her dad there. She just took comfort in him with her, watching the night sky as it shifted from night to dawn.
"Wall-E? Willow?"
Willow's eyes opened groggily against the noonday sun, "Mom?"
"I'm back." EVE kissed WALL-E tenderly, "Wake up, Baby..."
"Eeeeve...?" WALL-E blinked, "Am I still dreaming...?"
"Nope! This is real!" EVE swung him around, "I missed you!"
"Ah...I missed you too..."
"Mama!"
EVE shifted WALL-E to her left arm so she could hold Willow in her right, "I'm glad to be home."
"Mom, did you find a way to get V-Gr back?"
"I don't know yet. The scan results are still being processed." she explained, "We'll know as soon as it's done."
Willow barely dared to hope. She loved V-GR so much now it hurt to feel him so far away. She wanted to see him again, to refresh him in her memory. She feared that she'd forget him.
It was a scary fear.
EVE seemed to sense her distress, "Come on. Let's see if M-O wants to play."
Willow?
It had been awhile since M-O joined the family at the park. Normally, Willow would've laughed at M-O's silly behavior around the human kids, seeing as they were always dirty. But Willow didn't even smile this time.
M-O was saddened by this, Willow...
Just leave me alone, please? she responded, despondent.
M-O, in reply, jumped up onto the bench with her. He was different from her in every way, but she was his best friend's daughter. He was initially sour towards her, but it eventually turned into reluctant understanding and then acceptance. It was hard seeing someone who was spunky and outgoing cave in so suddenly.
It had a reasonable catalyst, but it was still jarring.
Willow...I'm sorry about V-Gr...but you can't sit here and mope forever...
She turned her head away from him.
You remind me of someone, you know... M-O continued, After we landed on Earth, your mom almost accidently killed herself. Everyone thought she wouldn't make it.
Willow had heard that story before. EVE was so mad at AUTO for what he had done to WALL-E that it caused her body to overheat lethally, but Wil didn't interject as M-O recounted the story.
Your dad was just like you are now. He caved in on himself, wanting to be left alone. I tried to reach out to him, but he just kept pushing us away. It was like he wasn't even himself anymore, like the person he'd come to be inside died along with EVE...
Willow curled her fingers around the seat of the bench, Okay? So what's your point?
I think you know already. M-O shrugged, WALL-E finally let us in, and we shared his heartache. He smiled when we surrounded him with warm robot hugs!
Willow didn't giggle at that like she normally would have, but she did manage a small smile, You helped him cope...
Exactly. EVE wasn't WALL-E's only friend by any means. That's even more true now! So, can I give you a friendship hug?
Willow was skeptical, I thought you didn't like dirt.
But you aren't dirty. M-O replied, Even if you were though, love is more important to me than dirt could ever be.
You would override your directive for me?
Is WALL-E ever clean?
Willow sighed, tucking her treads underneath herself, Alright...
"Woo!" M-O set his brush on top of Willow's body, nuzzling in his version of a hug. She instantly felt warmer inside. It still ached, but it was less noticeable now. It was nice.
Thanks, M-O...
Mhm.
"Willow?"
Willow blinked, "Mom? Did you find it?"
"We did."
She gasped, "Th-then...?"
EVE picked her up swiftly, "Let's go save V-Gr."