Mike awoke that morning to that sound of shouting and broken crockery. He quickly got his dressing gown on and ran out of his room to the kitchen, where he found Tom and Crow trying to make breakfast. "Guys!?" cried Mike, "what on Earth are you doing?" Crow and Tom looked behind them at an unimpressed, half asleep individual. "Just making breakfast Mike!" said Tom, "do you want some?"
"No I don't want some, why didn't you wake me if you wanted breakfast?" asked Mike, as he bent down to pick up the broken pieces of china. "We were hungry and we wanted to be up early so we could see Joel," explained Crow, trying to reach the coco-pops. "Um… a little help here Mike?"
Mike quickly poured the cereal for the bots and started to make some coffee. "What are you guys going to do with Joel today then?" asked Mike with a yawn. "Ooh ooh! I want to go to the theatre!" piped Tom, hovering above his chair with excitement. "No Servo!" said Crow sharply, "I want to go to the zoo instead! THAT'S fun!"
"Well I guess you can talk to Joel when he gets here," Mike laughed. His plan had certainly worked, he hadn't seen the bots this happy in a long time.
Joel turned up to the apartment shortly after the bots had eaten their breakfast. He walked in with a smile. "Hey everybody!" he said happily. "Joel!" exclaimed the bots in unison. "Is any of that coffee going?" Joel asked, turning his attention to Mike.
"Joel, what are we gonna do today?!" asked Crow excitedly. "Can we go to the zoo please please please? Mike hasn't ever taken us there!"
"Okay buddy, we've still got time, I'm going have to some coffee and talk to Mike a bit okay?" said Joel softly. "Ugh, you guys are so boring!" said Crow, "Tom… I'll race you down the stairs!"
Joel sat next to Mike on the small sofa, their thighs almost touching. "Joel…" sighed Mike, "I'm really sorry… but I'm going to have to ask… what's going to happen after this? I mean, these few days, they've been great… uh, for the bots, and, um I want… well, I know they want… you to stay in touch." Joel looked at Mike sympathetically, "Don't worry about it man, I'm planning on it. I didn't realise how much I missed the bots until seeing them again; and uh well, you seem like a nice guy and it'd be great to get to know you better." Mike blushed and took another sip of coffee. He composed himself and cleared his throat. "So what is happening after this?" Joel leaned back and sighed, knotting his eyebrows. "Well, I guess, we can keep in touch online and stuff for the mean time, and maybe you and the bots could come and stay with me. Y'know, for holidays and stuff."
"I'm looking forward to my holidays already," said Mike with a smile.
Suddenly, the door swung open with a panting Crow in the doorway. "I won!" he exclaimed, and ran into the apartment while a defeated Tom Servo trailed behind. "Can we go to the zoo now Joel?" Joel laughed, "Yeah, c'mon boys."
"Is Mike coming?" asked Tom quietly. "I'm gonna stay here Tom," said Mike, "you guys enjoy Joel, because he's gotta go home tomorrow."
Joel carefully parked the car and Crow and Tom clambered out. "You guys ready?" said Joel excitedly. "Yeah!" said both the bots excitedly.
Joel led the bots around, trying to remember as many facts as possible about the animals they saw. The bots were captivated. Crow was asking if he could ride on all the animals, and Joel had to politely explain that he couldn't. Tom spent most of his time playing with the rabbits in the petting zoo, liking the quiet accompanied with it, the rabbits didn't make loud noises like a lot of the other animals; they just sat with him.
Joel and Crow left Tom with the rabbits in order to see the whole catalogue of animals. After an hour of playing with his floppy eared friends, Joel came to get Tom for an ice cream. "Joeelllll," whined Tom, "can we get a rabbit? Please?"
"I don't think a rabbit would like it in Mike's apartment, there's no grass," said Joel softly. "What about your house Joel?" asked Tom. Joel froze, he swallowed loudly. "Oh I don't know…" murmured Joel. "How about that ice cream then? Crow's waiting," said Joel tactfully changing the subject.
Driving back to Mike's, now full of ice cream and animal facts, the bots were dozing in the back of the car. Tom's comment was running through Joel's mind. What did he mean by that? Did he really want to move in? Or was he just pushing his luck? Doesn't he want to stay with Mike? What would Mike think? Would Servo saying this hurt Mike? I don't want to be responsible for hurting Mike.
Joel walked his robot friends up to the apartment. Mike welcomed them in with a big smile. "Did you have a nice time?" Mike asked eagerly. "Yes!" the bots replied loudly and happily. "Well," said Joel quietly, "I'd best be going while it's still light, it's a long drive back home. See you guys soon, I love you."
"Joeeellll!" Tom and Crow whined, "Are you coming back?" Joel bent down to become eye-level with the bots, "Of course! I was talking to Mike this morning and we said that you guys can come and stay with me for holidays, how does that sound?" The bots looked slightly brighter by this reassurance, "Okay Joel," said Crow sadly. "We'll miss you Joel!" said Tom tearfully. "I'll miss you too guys," Joel said, giving the bots a small kiss.
Joel got into his car and fired up the engine. The radio came on with a click.
"Satellite's gone way up tomorrow…" sang Lou Reed's voice from the speakers. Joel looked out of his car window with a sigh, and looked up towards Mike's and the bots' apartment, and with that he drove home to Osseo.