Hi again!

So, based on the awesome feedback I got from the first chapter (thank you so much!), it seems like a lot of you were somewhat interested (and confused) with where I was going with this new story. Of course, I had to continue...so once again...thanks!

Although I got a nice idea from KathrynAV on what to name the fanfic, I thought about the whole "plotness" of the story and decided to name it It's All In the Timing, as you can see. Thanks to Kathryn, though, for being the only one to offer an idea. ) It's very much appreciated.

Okie dokie then. Everything that got you guys confused in the last chapter should most likely be explained in this one, so hang in there!

It's All In the Timing

Unfortunate Realizations

"Honey...what's going on?"

The silence that had fallen over the Diffy family after Phil's outburst was suddenly broken as Barb turned to gaze at her son in concern. There was something about the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, the way he was acting...

Even Lloyd, who was determined with a passion to get back home without any more setbacks, stalled the Time Machine to hear what Phil had to say.

Pim, on the other hand, rolled her eyes.

"This should be good."

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"In other categories..." Keely glanced down at the blue paper in her hands. "Best Dressed: Archer Slickman."

The boy next to Owen threw his arm into the air in triumph, and Owen did a silent whoop and high fived him, accidentally knocking the camera off-screen in the process. Keely shook her head in pity, suppressing a small smile, as her friend quickly attempted to get the camera back on focus. With another thumbs up sign from Owen, she scanned the blue paper once more.

"Cutest couple: Keely Teslow and..."

Her eyes widened in silent disbelief as the blue paper dropped from her hands, the name scribbled on its face practically screaming at her in mockery. 'What the---'

A "psst!" from Owen pulled her out of her stupor, and she stared blankly ahead at him and the rest of the crew as the entire school waited for her to continue the results. But her mind was somewhere else far away, and she simply ignored the frantic signals Owen was trying to give her...

Instead, one question plagued her mind as her emotions went out of control.

'Phil...where ARE you?'

Without a second thought, Keely stood up and was out the door before anyone could stop her.

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"Look at this."

Phil thrust Curtis's scarf into Lloyd's hands, and he stared at Phil uncertainly. "Son, are you sure about---"

"Look at it, Dad!" He repeated in exasperation, pointing vigorously at the scarf. "We've all seen that before, that exact scarf you're holding!" Phil turned to the rest of his family as Lloyd studied the knitted fabric, still slightly confused. "Even the bag of lobsters Dad found in the house, they're both the same! He said he packed those in the Time Machine before we left, right?"

Lloyd was just about to answer when Phil cut him off. "Those lobsters were way too valuable for you to leave behind, Dad, and you know it. Even Curtis, he told us himself that he never makes the same scarf design twice!" He paused to rub his eyes, a shuddering sigh escaping through his lips as he gave his family one last penetrating stare.

"...So why is it that we're seemingly seeing double all of a sudden?"

And instantly, the truth dawned on all of their faces.

"Honey...it can't be..."

"Our Time Machine is based more on getting people to a certain year, not day, right?" Phil turned to his father, who nodded shakily.

"Well, most Time Machines are much more accurate to certain specific dates, but since we're talking about a rental, here...I-I can't really say that it has the same capabilities." Lloyd swallowed nervously, knowing exactly where this was heading, and hesitantly continued. "Most of the time the RV should lock on to the date set---"

"And it did...the first time." Phil finished, now pacing back and forth as the stress ate away at his mind. "But what if, when we came back to get Curtis, we accidentally went too far back in time?"

He took back the scarf from his father and handed it back to Curtis.

"What happens if we came back...before the Time Machine was even considered fixed?"

Silence.

And yet, that silence confirmed everything he had been dreading, and it only made everything feel that much worse.

Because the silence only meant that he was right.

"Keely's reading those yearbook results, and I'm not there." Phil said quietly, falling back against his seat and dropping his head into his hands. "Which means that we're not together yet."

"So what happens when she realizes that I'm already gone?"

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Her converse shoes pounded heavily against the pavement as she sprinted through the familiar neighborhood, her hair whipping behind her in a blonde rush. No longer caring, no longer thinking, she headed towards the only place her mind could instinctively register as the dread crashed on her in waves...

She came to a halt right in front of their driveway, her breath coming out in short, harsh pants as she gazed at his house in silence.

'No way he'd leave without telling me. He couldn't have.'

She slowly walked towards the garage, her feet dragging like weights beneath her as her heart rate spiked out of control.

'I know him. He wouldn't do this to me...'

A turn around the corner...she made her way around it, and found nothing.

The Time Machine was gone.

She whipped around in a panic, her mind still unable to believe it as she dashed to the road and stopped dead in her tracks.

Burn marks were clearly visible along the black pavement directly in front of the house, marks that she knew hadn't been there before...which meant only one thing.

Keely dropped to the ground in shock as the truth finally registered in her mind, her fingers barely brushing against the marks on the road in utter disbelief.

'He's really...gone?'

And finally, the tears began to fall.

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A/N: Whoo. Major drama right there. Well, I hope everything was sort of cleared up in this semi-short chapter, cause I definitely had an extremely difficult time explaining it in just the right way. Anyways, have an awesome Fourth of July! Pop some firecrackers, light some illegal fireworks, and don't forget to freak people out with those poppers. Oh yeah...and don't forget to review! Thanks again!