The gang all felt bad about Porsha spraining her ankle. She felt like she was letting everyone down. Just like when she got fired by Buster. Well, she wasn't really fired, she just overreacted a little. Thankfully, they made it to a great hotel in Canyon City. And everyone was getting a two-week break from the show. It just stunk that she'd have to spend most of it with a cast on her right foot.

Porsha was lying in bed, filled with dread when there was a knock at her door. Ash, Meena, Johnny, and Nooshy walked in.

"Hey, Porsha," Johnny asked with a kind smile. "We were wonderin' if ya wanted to come with us to the diner and hang out?"

The wolf managed a half-smile. Seeing them all so close knit made her feel inadequate. Why couldn't she have that?

"Well, I don't know…" she muttered, frowning. Ash gave her a sisterly punch in the arm.

"C'mon! You really wanna stay cooped up in a hotel room all by yourself?" asked the porcupine with a broad grin.

"Ash is right. We'll get you a smoothie. With extra chocolate lava," Nooshy chirped in a singsong voice.

The idea of something sweet, something previously forbidden by Jimmy, appealed to her. "Well, uh, I've never been to a diner before. Or had a volcano smoothie. Or any diner food."

Nooshy's jaw hit the floor. Everyone was stunned into giggles. Porsha joined in too. The lynx then replied, "Alright, well, that's gonna change. Now. C'mon, sis."

'Sis'. Porsha never had a sister before—even if she was a different species. It gave her a funny feeling. And her tail started to wag! Was she…happy? She was sure that she'd been happy before.

Wasn't she?

—

Immediately after sitting in their large, half-circle booth, the gang was met by fans of Out Of This World. Everybody was really nice, but most of them were drawn to Porsha. She was a little overwhelmed by the attention, along with the photos and autographs and compliments. Some people even called her a star! Nobody had ever called her that before. Not even her dad.

After all the fervent excitement, with the last of the autographs signed, Porsha saw something that made her heart sink: a golden retriever, sitting all alone, looking disheveled, with his head in his hands. Her heart swelled with sadness. She needed to help him, had to. It was who she was.

"Guys," Porsha said, gesturing for the others to look, "he's all lonely over there. Can he sit with us? Please?"

"Uh, I don't think that's a good idea," Ash replied, skeptical. Nooshy agreed, but Meena and Johnny were more receptive.

"The least we could do is brighten up 'is night," Johnny chimed in. He knew what it was like to feel lonely. Nooshy was vehemently against it. Meena shared his sentiment, saying, "Yeah. Besides, he seems normal. Just a little sad."

"Look, Porsha," the lynx reached over and took her little sister's paw, "I know you wanna help others. And that's great, ya know? But we gotta make sure we're all safe. We can't just invite random people into our fold."

Ash then chimed in, "Nooshy's right. We gotta look out for each other."

Porsha reluctantly relented, as did Johnny and Meena. Within the secret inner cloisters of her heart, however, the wolf was doggedly determined to help this guy in any way she could. She waited until the rest of the troupe left to approach the golden's table. He hadn't moved from his sorrowful position all night, except to go to the bathroom.

"Hey," Porsha said with a soft smile, "mind if I join ya?"

To say that the sight of Porsha Crystal (on whom the male golden retriever had a huge crush) shocked him was putting it mildly.

"Are you…an angel?" asked Balthazar, blushing bashfully, eyes wide. Porsha giggled and replied, "No, silly! I'm Porsha. Wanna sit together?"

Balthazar felt a lump in his throat, a tiny twitch of hesitance, shoulders hunched forward. Porsha noticed these subtle movements and came to a quick conclusion: he was hurting, closing himself off. She was certain of that. The wolf knew the importance of body language—in shows and in life. Hurt was a language she spoke fluently.

Balthazar nodded and Porsha sat behind, hazel eyes sparkling like gems. He was certain he'd swoon right then and there. But Porsha was concerned. She reached her paw over and placed it over his.

"Do you wanna talk, maybe? You looked sorta sad, so I…wanted to make sure you're okay," she said.

"I'm fine," Balthazar blurted out. Although, the fact that he was shaking said otherwise. Porsha glanced at him with a compassionate smile that said: "You can open up to me. Promise." Balthazar couldn't refuse. His heart began to thump rapidly in his chest.

The tale of woe the golden shared with Porsha was nothing short of heartbreaking. Balathzar lost his mother after she was t-boned by a drunk driver. His father, Pierce, subsequently blamed his son for it—even telling the young golden that he "murdered her"—and he was kicked out, with only a duffel bag of cloths, personal items, and some cash he'd stolen from his father. When Balthazar finished, he whimpered, teary-eyed, "…I think he might…try to find me."

Porsha took the male's hands in her own and gave a gentle squeeze. "Come with me. You can join our troupe, with Mr. Moon and everybody. We'll keep you safe. And be a family for ya. I promise you, from the bottom of my heart."

The golden retriever nodded. There was no hesitation. He chuckled softly and said, "You had me at 'family'."