Li finally got her date on Wednesday morning.

Li, the card read. Let's go relax today.

The Datsun, who'd been a little high strung since the flat tire incident, immediately whizzed to the carwash to go get ready. Clean and waxed, she met Angela by the truck.

"You're looking really pretty, Li," Angela complimented as the trailer door closed.

"You saying I don't usually look pretty?" Li fired back at the hostess, New-York accent cutting through.

"No, not at all," the Mini soothed. 'I can just see you put some extra effort into your appearance. How do you feel about today?"

"Glad it's finally my turn," Li said happily. "I mean, it's kinda hard to hang out with Fillmore what with you telling us about the rules and everything."

"Oh… Well…" Angela fumbled with the right words. Reversing a little, she mumbled into her mic, "hey, Bill, maybe we should mute…"

"You talkin' to me?" The high-strung Dutson demanded. "YOU TALKIN' TO ME, ANGELA?"

The Mini quickly assured Li that she most certainly wasn't talking to her, or talking down to her in any way at all.

They finally arrived at their destination, much to Angela's relief. For Li's date, Fillmore had chosen a cute little tea shop on the outskirts of the city. Li backed out of the trailer curiously.

"He's waiting inside for you," one of the camera crew said. Li pushed open the door and drove inside. Strange smells drifted around the store. Cans of all shapes and sizes were hanging by the windows, some of them porcelain.

"Li," Fillmore greeted, and the Datsun saw him parked by a small table. A forklift was there with a bandana wrapped around her above her eyes.

"Hey, Fillmore," Li came over and parked across from him. "What's this all about?"

It came out a little bit harsh and demanding but Fillmore didn't take offense.

"I know, Li," the Volkswagen said slowly. "That you are often quite stressed."

Li glanced down, mouth pulling up into a frown. Well, yeah, she was a bit intense sometimes. She came from a second-generation Asian family in New York for crying out loud! They had places to go and things to do!

"I've been trying to relax," she said firmly. "But New York moves fast and you gotta move fast with it." She stomped her front tire down and winced as some of the porcelaine cans shuddered.

"Li, you've done spectacular with relaxing," Fillmore wasn't thrown off by her show of defensiveness. "But today, I'm going to show you a trick."

"What trick's that?" Li asked, moving forward a little.

"Tea," Fillmore nodded to the forklift. She deftly lifted a teapot, swirled it, then slowly poured some of the warm liquid into a teapot. The smoke drifted up and Li shuffled a little closer, liking how warm it was.

"Breath it in," Fillmore said, taking a deep breath to show how it was done. Li followed his example and felt herself relaxing. This tea thing… she liked it.

Angela was almost afraid to interview Li after her date but tried anyway.

"I liked it," Li grinned, lugging several tea bags towards the kitchen back at the mansion. "I'm going to go practice right now!"

"Practice?"

"Sure, Ang," Fillmore came up beside the Mini. "True relaxation requires practice."

Bill tried unsuccessfully to suppress his laughter in the background.

Karin was making her way back to her room. Fillmore had chosen a date with Li for the morning. It really didn't surprise her. Fillmore was such a gentlecar, giving every lady the same amount of time, not showing any preference. Karin wasn't sure how she felt about that. On the one hand it showed that Fillmore was willing to give anyone a chance and didn't judge on appearances. On the other hand, was he a car she wanted to spend a significant amount of time with? She was starting to think that yes, he was.

The Opel Rekord was pulled out of her thoughts as she saw Bianca parked by a banister, looking dreamily outside. Karin braked before turning in to park beside her.

"What is it, Bianca?" She asked, accent still heavy. She was happy to find another European to talk to. Although Germany and Italy weren't exactly neighbours it was refreshing to talk to another car who wasn't raised in America.

"Just... the gardener," the Ferrari sighed dreamily. Karin glanced over the railing curious. A little blue forklift was down there, pulling weeds. He glanced up to them and waved in a friendly manner. The Opel gave him a smile but Bianca pulled back. If she weren't so red Karin was sure she could see the Ferrari blushing.

"What is it, Bianca?" She asked worriedly.

"He waved at me," Bianca flushed. "Oh, he noticed me."

"Well, ja," Karin nodded. "It is rather hard not to." She lifted up her tire to indicate that Bianca was, well, a red Ferrari.

"Is he not handsome," Bianca sighed, driving backwards as her powerful engine hummed.

"I suppose..." Karin was confused. Bianca wasn't listening as she drove off, humming an Italian love song to herself. The German car was left stunned. Bianca... in love with a little forklift gardener. How completely bizarre.

Li had practiced making tea for most of the afternoon and that night at supper she presented everyone with a cup. All the contestants noticed she looked a whole lot more relaxed and less defensive. The only lady not present was Everly.

"Has anyone seen her?" Li questioned. "Her tea will get cold."

"She went down to the workshop," Lilith spoke up. "Saw her talking to some of the forklifts."

"Is she ok?" Claire asked.

Fillmore was about to ask a forklift serving them about Everly's health when her engine sounded. The doors to the dining room flew open and all the contestants glanced up.

There was Everly, still in her dark green paint job. But as she drove further into the room everyone stared. With the help of a designer and the forklifts, Everly had added pink flowers down her side. They were arranged in a clever little pattern, flowing from her front headlights all the way to the back ones. Small, not flashy, but most certainly noticeable against her dark green paint.

Fillmore smiled.

"You're all quieter than a church mouse," Everly mumbled. "What do you think?"

"Everly!" Claire exclaimed first. "It's beautiful!"

She rushed over to the truck and ran a tire down her side.

"You got a new paint job?" Bianca asked.

"It's so pretty," Lilith came closer, comparing Everly's flowers to her own.

"Why'd you do it?" Li asked, going around to the truck's other side.

Everly met Fillmore's eyes and the van gave her a small nod.

"I'm a truck," she shrugged. "But I like flowers. Ain't nothing wrong with that."

Bianca's date card for the week indicated a restaurant.

Bianca. Let me offer you a taste of home.

Sure enough, she met him for lunch at quaint little Italian place that had a view overlooking hills and valleys.

"Fillmore," she greeted, smiling as the black Fiat waiter showed her to the table.

"Bianca," the hippie smiled, pushing the wine list towards her. "Please, choose whatever you want."

Bianca accepted the list graciously. She'd gone on a few other dates before and those cars had always insisted on choosing the wine for themselves. That was one of the things she liked about Fillmore - he was willing to allow someone with more experience make the decisions. Her ex boyfriend, a rather dull French car, had always insisted on picking the wine, and would often pick the worst possible ones.

The wine came and the two cars clinked the glasses together. A soft Frank Siata song was playing in the background and Bianca felt at ease.

"So, Bianca," Fillmore asked, breaking the lazy silence. "How you've been doing?"

"Good, very good," Bianca nodded, but there was a tint to her voice. Just a little bit of sadness.

"Missing your work?" The Volkswagen prodded. He knew Bianca was an accomplished professor who had studied at Carvard University and even taught for a while at Carbridge. An accomplished car like her might be feeling a little restless after a week of pampering. Or perhaps it was more than that.

"No, not as much as I thought I would," the Ferrari sighed, glancing out over the countryside.

"Tell me, Bianca," Fillmore said quietly. "What's on your mind? I can see it's weighing you down."

Bianca glanced down and took a sip of her wine through the straw. Should she tell FIllmore? Yes, the professor decided. She would tell him.

"I've found someone I think I'm in love with," she admitted quietly. Fillmore's eyes lit up and a small smile appeared on his kind face.

"This is great news, Bianca," he said, pushing his glass aside. "You must go, pursue this car, and tell him how you feel."

"He isn't a car," the Ferrari sighed. "And I don't think that would be entirely proper."

"Love has no boundaries," Fillmore said resolutely, glancing out across the countryside. "Tell me… Who is it?"

Bianca almost told him. But remembering the mics and the cameras she hesitated. But this was Fillmore, right? She could trust him.

The Ferrari drove forward quickly and whispered something just loud enough for Fillmore to hear. In the back of the restaurant, Angela and Bill were watching the interaction on screen.

"What'd she say?" Angela demanded.

"Dunno," Bill shrugged. "Mics didn't pick it up."

Fillmore's smile turned into a grin as he heard who Bianca was in love with. For there was no doubt in the van's mind that this was indeed love. In fact, it was destiny.

"It's silly, I know," Bianca glanced down, taking a sip of wine.

"Not at all, Bianca," Fillmore assured her. "Not at all. In fact, once this show is over, I'll introduce you."

"You… know him?" The Ferrari sounded optimistic.

"It's destiny, Bianca," Fillmore settled back on his suspension. "Of course I know him."

Frank Siata is supposed to be the Carsverse equivalent of Frank Sinatra. Siata was an Italian car company.