Ben Song sees blurred images of vaguely humanoid shapes. He had been in a doctor's office for perhaps an hour now.
He feels the doctor applying a bandage.
"Very lucky," says the doctor. "Another half-inch and youd've lost that eye."
"Thank God you're all right," Nadine says to the leaper.
"I'm having trouble seeing," says Ben.
"The swelling's puttin' pressure on yer eye," says the doctor. "He'll be seein' fine in a couple o' days. At the very least, he'll see well enough for the Elk Ridge fireworks show tomorrow night"
"The race's tomorrow," says Lenny. "Will he be able to drive?"
"That's up to him."
Ben feels himself being pulled up.
Oooooooooo
The yellow Chevrolet Camaro pulls up on the asphalt street next to the Ketchum residence.
"Listen, we're gonna replace the tire on the truck," says Lenny, sitting behind the steering wheel. "We wanna tow this baby to the track tomorrow. And then we're gonna take a second look at this baby here."
"See you," Ben says to them. He looks up and can already tell that the sky is turning purple.
He hears the tires squeal against the asphalt.
"I have an idea," says Nadine. "Let's elope."
The leaper can see Nadine's facial features more clearly than since the doctor's office. He can tell she is sincere.
And yet, even though he had only been leaping around time for a few months, he knows he must not accept any marriage proposals on behalf of their hosts; it is one thing they must choose for themselves.
"I can't make a decision yet," he says.
"Why not?I thought you wanted to get married."
"I have a race tomorrow."
"But what if you don't make it?"
"I'll make it."
"How can you be so sure?"
Da..I need my shot to prove myself."
"You know I love you," says the teen.
"That's why I can't lose."
The mission is clear now.
What Danny "Fireball" Roberts does once he is inside the door is up to him.
It is up to Ben Song to make sure Danny gets inside the door in the first place. He kisses Nadine on the forehead.
"What's going on here?" asks Frank Ketchum, stepping out to the front porch. "I thought I told you to stay away from my daughter."
"Daddy," says Nadine.
"Uh, Mr. Ketchum," says the leaper, "why don't you give me a chance?"
"Get off my property."
"Daddy."
"Get in the house!"
Nadine walks into the house, tears in her eyes.
"You know you're gonna lose her," says the leaper.
Frank turns back towards Ben.
"She loves you a lot," continues Ben, "But she's not going to let you ruin her life."
"You got a lot of nerve talking to me that way," says the older man.
"I do, but that's because I love her."
Frank walks into the living, sitting on the fifteen-year-old couch. He keeps wondering why Nadine is going with Danny.
He keeps wondering what kind of life Danny could provide. Mr. Ketchum wishes he could provide more; family vacations were basically weekends in Indianapolis.
Randy could provide a better life. And if things do not work out, Nadine will be able to provide for herself with half of Randy's assets.
He feels as if his little girl's feelings is clouding her judgment.
oooooooo
Ben stands outside the Roberts residence at night, looking at the stars.
"Pretty night," says Addison Augustine. "Lucky you can see it."
"He didn't give me a choice but to fight."
"You saved the eye."
"Well, since I'm still here, I have to make sure our friend Fireball gets into NASCAR."
"That's right. Ziggy does say you don't have to make sure Danny succeeds once he's in NASCAR."
"Just give him a chance."
"I had an interesting conversation with Nadine's family. I wonder if they're okay."
The observer touches the screen on the handlink. "Ian, do me a favor." She and the leaper wait a few minutes. "Ian had Ziggy pull Nadine's Facebook and InstaGram accounts."
"And?"
"She made absolutely no mention of her parents. I should remind you, it may mean she simply keeps her family situation private. I mean, you never even got to change your relationship status before you leaped."
"Maybe if I get Danny into NASCAR, Nadine's relationship status with her parents will improve."
"I will be there tomorrow," says Addison. "See you at the starting line."
She presses the screen of the handlink, and disappears.
Oooooooooooo
Over a thousand spectators are at the race tracks. There are far more concessions stands than there were during the time trials yesterday, with people buying beer and soda and hamburgers and hot dogs and even ethnic foods like spaghetti and souvlaki and chow fun. Race track personnel do last minute details to ensure the track is ready, and mechanics in the pits do last minute checks on the race cars.
"..and we want to give a word for our sponsors," says the announcer. "Blockbuster Video, where you can rent movies recent and classic. Planet Hollywood, where the food is the star. And after the race, don't forget to watch Independence Day, starring Will Smith.
Inside the pit, Bump and Lenny do the finishing touches on the Camaro as Ben watches.
"I wonder where Nadine is," says Ben.
"Right now, you need to worry less about Nadine and worry about the race," says Lenny.
Bump revs the Camaro's engine. "This is the sound of victory!"
Addison appears.
"You look great," says the leaper.
"is it that greasy overall look?" asks Bump.
"We decided to get dressed for the occasion," says the observer.
Ben looks at Addison. She wears a racer's outfit. Printed all over the outfit is the phrase "Team PQL"
"Team PQL?" asks Ben.
"Team Quantum Leap," replies Addison. "gotta represent."
"Yeah," says Ben, walking a few meters away from Lenny and Bump so he can have a word with the observer.
Elsewhere in another section of the pit, Mitch speaks with Randy Butler even as he looks at the engine of the Ford Mustang convertible.
"I know that Danny's racing here," says Mitch. "You're not racing against just him. He's just another driver. Just concentrate on getting first place."
"I will show that trash."
"Listen, this isn't Mario Kart. There are no mushrooms, fire flowers, stars, or turtle shells. You and that stallion are all that you have to race against the others. The others, not just Danny."
Randy gets behind the steering wheel.
He feels that Nadine is the real prize.
And if he shows her that "Fireball" is just trash, he will win his prize.
Mitch looks around and the other racers, and he notices the man who appears as the teen nicknamed Fireball.
Fireball appears to be talking to someone else, someone invisible.
"You don't have a cell phone," mutters Mitch.