Tim stood in front of his dresser inside his hotel room. He had started packing but stopped. He sadly picked up the hand puppet on the desk. So long had he wanted to see his friend again, and just like that it was over. He stood for a moment, finally deciding he needed a second opinion. Grabbing the phone, he dialed a number before waiting a bit. Someone finally picked up. "Ungh… Hello?" "Hey, TF. I need some advice." A sigh could be heard. "Alright. What do you need help with?" "I'm trying to figure out if I should leave or stay." Tim leaned back in his chair. "Well, I can see why you'd want to leave, but why are you considering staying?" TF asked. "Um… well, it's… It's just… I've waited years to meet Rachel again, and I haven't even talked with her for more than a day. Now she wants to stay. I was…. I was hoping we could get out of here together, and start something." There was a pause. "Something as in a relationship, right?" Time felt his face heat up. "Um… well…. Maybe." TF laughed. "Well, I say follow your heart. Jobs may be rare, but love is by for the rarest." Tim smiled. "Thanks TF. I think I know what I have to do now."
"Alright, what's gotten into you?" Foxy laid his wrench down on the counter. Rachel looked up. "What do you mean?" "You know what I mean, Rachel." Foxy got up from where he was working on Baby's circuitry. "You're never this distant, ever. You haven't even moved from that spot since you got here." Rachel frowned. Foxy was right, she had been distant the entire morning. "Well… I never expected my reunion with Tim to be so…. Blunt. I remember he would jump at a chance to start something, so I thought he would be elated to help me." Foxy shrugged. "Going months without a job and barely any money can really damper your optimism. Plus he has a famous, rich cousin. I doubt that helps the circumstances much." Rachel nodded sadly. "It's just that I don't really know where to start here. I was hoping a new view would help…." Rachel thought back to the days where she first got to Blue Skies. She had been driven around by TB and given an impromptu tour of the town. It wasn't pretty. "That there was the Smith's place. They were nice people, always willing to help a friend in need," TB had said. "Shame, their apartment caught fire. The fire department here is barely capable of putting it out. They lost everything, and with no insurance, they can't rebuild. Last I heard they are staying behind a hotel somewhere. That building there is the Toreador Diner. Believe it or not, it used to be one of the most popular places in town. All the employees got fired eventually, and they closed down." The tour went on, and it was very impactful on her. Rachel was shocked at the depressing and sad state of the town, with the gray faded buildings and children playing near shut down businesses. "Hey, if you get a chance, maybe show him around town. Show him why this town's worth saving." Foxy nodded towards the door. "Go for it." The door opened, and Tim walked on. "Hey, Rachel… can we talk?"