As the sun rose on Monday morning, the gang piled into Ms. Knight's car, ready to embark on their journey back to Los Angeles. Lucas and Audrey settled into their father's vehicle, while the car hummed to life and the wheels began to turn.

In the quiet of the car, a sudden, piercing scream shattered the air, causing Logan to startle awake from his slumber. His eyes darted around in a panic, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding.

"What's going on? Who screamed like that?" Logan demanded, his heart racing in confusion.

"It was me. Cramp in my leg," Carlos grunted, his face contorted in pain as he massaged his cramped muscles.

"Calm down, buddy. You just need some potassium. Have a banana or some pickle juice," Logan suggested, trying to soothe his friend's discomfort.

Carlos shook his head. "Not in the mood for pickles. Hungry, though."

"You're always hungry, man," Kendall quipped, half-asleep and still groggy.

James chuckled at the banter, briefly waking from his slumber before drifting back into peaceful sleep.

As dawn breaks, Ms. Knight pulls into a gas station, allowing Carlos to dash into the store for a banana. After that, she heads to McDonald's to grab breakfast for everyone.

The group settles into the car, ready to enjoy their meal.

"Why did you wake up when Carlos yelled about his leg cramp, but no one else did?" Katie inquires.

"Because his scream was practically in my ear! He was sitting so close to me. At least the ringing in my ears has finally stopped," Logan chuckles.

"Mom, can we go play in that big grassy field over there? Tyson needs to stretch his legs!" Katie pleads.

"Of course, just stay within sight, okay?" Ms. Knight replies.

"Yay! Thanks, Mom! Come on, Andy, Steven, and Tyler, let's see how fast Tyson can run!" Katie exclaims, sprinting toward the expansive green space.

"The German Shepherd is incredibly agile and athletic. Tyson is like an Olympic sprinter in dog form," Andy remarks, following her with Steven and Tyler, while Tyson bounds ahead, tail wagging in excitement.

Mr. Mark steps out of his car, eager to stretch his legs alongside Lucas and Audrey.

As they take in the scene, they spot Katie, Tyler, Andy, and Steven darting around, laughter ringing in the air as they chase after Tyson, who barks with uncontainable joy.

Eventually, the time comes to hit the road again…

"I still don't understand why you'd want Tyson and Steven around," Lucas remarks.

Logan rolls his eyes at the comment. "What do you mean by that?" he replies.

"They're just going to hold you back from living normal lives," Lucas explains.

"What are you even saying?" Kendall interjects.

"Steven has special needs, right? You have to tiptoe around him to avoid hurting his feelings," Lucas continues.

Logan sighs, facepalming. "We told you over the weekend that we're not going out of our way to be nice to Steven. We genuinely care about him, and kindness is something everyone deserves, regardless of their differences. Don't you have any neurodivergent kids at your school?"

"Probably just a few that I don't even know by name," Lucas admits.

"Maybe you should take the time to get to know them," Logan suggests.

As Katie is about to settle back into Ms. Knight's car, Giggles tumbles from her grasp and hits the pavement. Before she can retrieve her beloved stuffed animal, Audrey swoops in.

"Is this a stuffed monkey? Who in your family still clings to stuffed animals?" she mocks.

"It's mine! His name is Giggles. Please give him back," Katie insists, her voice tinged with urgency.

"Oh, it's a 'he'? What a ridiculous name!" Audrey cackles, her laughter ringing out.

"Giggles isn't a silly name! Just hand him over!" Katie pleads, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.

Audrey continues to chuckle. "Giggles? That's the dumbest name I've ever heard for a stuffed animal!" she retorts.

Katie exhales deeply, feeling the sting of defeat and the threat of tears, unsure of how to defend herself any further.

Just then, Carlos can't stand by any longer. "Hey! That's enough! She's asked you multiple times to return Giggles, and you're just ignoring her! Give her back her stuffed monkey right now!" he demands, his voice firm and protective.

"Who thought up the name Giggles? Was it her?" Audrey sneers.

"I did," Carlos replies, narrowing his eyes at her. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Audrey's smirk falters, her bravado fading. "N-N-No, of course not," she stutters. "You really named the stuffed monkey?"

"Yes, I just said that. Did I stutter? I named Giggles for Katie when she was three. She loves him, and you're being cruel by not returning him and mocking her for having a stuffed animal! Stop bullying her and give it back, then apologize!" Carlos asserts, handing the stuffed animal back to Audrey.

"Here you go, Katie," Audrey says, reluctantly returning it. "I'm sorry for teasing you. Giggles isn't a silly name for a stuffed monkey."

Katie snatches her property back. "You probably had a collection of stuffed animals when you were younger, didn't you?" she challenges.

"Yes," Audrey concedes.

"Then why make fun of me for having one if you were just like me?" Katie retorts, irritation evident in her voice.

"I can't explain why I teased you; it just felt right in the moment," Audrey shrugs, her indifference palpable.

"That's a pretty lousy excuse," Katie retorts, her frustration still simmering.

"Indeed, Katie is correct. What you did is unacceptable," Ms. Knight interjects firmly. "I witnessed the entire incident."

"Witnessed what?" Mr. Mark asks, emerging from the store with a bag of snacks in hand.

"Audrey mocked Katie for having a stuffed animal and refused to return it until Carlos intervened. Do you grasp the situation? You need to take action and discipline her," Ms. Knight insists.

"Is that true, Audrey?" Mr. Mark questions.

"Absolutely not, Dad! The stuffed monkey just fell out of Ms. Knight's car. I picked it up, and Katie flipped out, accusing me of trying to steal it. Then Carlos came along and threatened to punch me if I didn't give it back," Audrey fabricates instantly.

Carlos stands there, his mouth agape in disbelief.

"That's a lie! I would never intentionally hurt anyone. I was raised to be better than that," he protests.

"Are you certain? Because it looks like you might have a bit of a temper," Mr. Mark replies skeptically.

"I swear, I didn't harm Audrey," Carlos pleads. "Please trust me."

"Mark, stop grilling him. He didn't hurt Audrey. She's the one causing trouble, not him," Ms. Knight asserts.

"Fine. Audrey, don't fabricate stories about him hurting you if he didn't," Mr. Mark concedes.

"He did hurt me, Dad! I'm being honest! He's the one lying!" Audrey argues vehemently.

"Can we leave now, Mama Knight? I'm tired of being insulted and wrongfully accused," Carlos says, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Yes, sweetheart, we're going," Ms. Knight replies, watching him climb into the car. "Mark, I'm disappointed in you. Carlos didn't hurt Audrey. He's a good kid. If you think defending Katie is wrong, you need to reassess your moral compass. He spoke firmly to Audrey to make her listen, but he never laid a hand on her. I saw it all."

"I stand by my daughter," Mr. Mark asserts.

"You mean you stand by her falsehood," Ms. Knight retorts as she gets into her car and drives away.

Mr. Mark lets out a deep sigh before sliding into his car and driving away.

Later that afternoon, as they pull into the Palm Woods...

"It feels amazing to be back home," Kendall exclaims as he steps out of the vehicle. "Hey, Carlos, are you alright?"

"No! I'm still furious that Audrey accused me of threatening her, and Mr. Mark actually believed her and said I have a temper! I'm not violent at all!" Carlos retorts, frustration evident in his voice.

"We all know that, man. It's going to be fine. You're not in any trouble," Logan reassures him while popping open the trunk. "Could you do me a favor and grab your luggage? It's blocking my suitcase."

"Sure thing, Logie," Carlos replies, moving his bag aside.

"Thanks, buddy. Just remember, Mr. Mark can't punish you," Logan adds, trying to lift Carlos's spirits.

"Look who's coming, it's Mr. Mark," James announces. "He's about to give Carlos another lecture. Let's head inside and dive into some video games, guys."

"Sounds perfect! Steven and I can keep ourselves entertained while we wait for our dad to pick us up," Andy replies.

"Carlos, I need to have a word with you," Mr. Mark states firmly.

"No, thank you, sir. You didn't believe me when I insisted I didn't hurt Audrey. I'm not interested in talking," Carlos responds, trying to keep his tone civil despite his frustration.

"That's exactly what I wanted to discuss with you," Mr. Mark continues. "Just hear me out for a moment."

"Why should I? You ignored me when I was trying to prove my innocence," Carlos retorts. "My head is pounding. I just want to get inside. Audrey will never confess to lying. As her father, you'll always take her word over mine, regardless of the truth. That's how it's been all weekend."

"I truly believe you were telling the truth," Mr. Mark insists.

"How can you say that? You accused me of having a bad temper. That really hurt," Carlos replies, feeling the sting of the accusation.

"I apologize for doubting you and for any offense I caused. While I was in my car, I reflected on your character, and I see that you are calm and composed. You're not a mean kid at all," Mr. Mark explains.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, but you wouldn't listen!" Carlos exclaims.

"I should have trusted you, Carlos. I deeply regret not doing so," Mr. Mark laments. "There is no evidence of any harm caused to Audrey."

"Of course not, because I would never lay a hand on her! Katie is like a sister to me, and I would never hurt someone I care about. Even if Audrey and I aren't close, I would never physically harm her, no matter how angry I am. I may speak firmly to her, as I did at the gas station, but I would never resort to violence against a girl or a woman," Carlos asserts. "I deserve an apology from Audrey."

"Fine. Audrey, go and apologize to Carlos," Mr. Mark commands.

"But Dad!" Audrey protests.

"Do it," Mr. Mark insists.

With an exasperated groan and an eye roll, Audrey begrudgingly mutters, "Sorry," in a tone that lacks sincerity.

"You're not being sincere in your apology," Carlos accuses.

Mr. Mark intervenes, "That's enough. She did what you asked."

"It wasn't genuine," Carlos insists.

"It seemed genuine to me. What more do you expect from her? You and your kind are always so unpredictable," Mr. Mark retorts.

"My kind? Your prejudiced ways are coming out, as expected," Carlos remarks, shaking his head. Turning to Ms. Knight, he adds, "I hate to meddle in your personal life, but he's not worth your time."

Ms. Knight responds, "I'll have a talk with him about that. Why don't you go take care of that headache?"

Carlos nods and retreats inside with the others.

"Mark, this just isn't going to cut it anymore," Ms. Knight declares firmly.

"Wait a second, Jennifer. Let's not jump to any drastic conclusions just yet," Mr. Mark replies, trying to maintain calm.

"We really shouldn't have this conversation in front of your kids. It's better suited for a phone call," Ms. Knight insists, turning to head into the Palm Woods and up the stairs to Apartment 2J. She enters, letting out a weary sigh.

Kendall glances over from the couch. "Are you okay, Mom?" he asks, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Yes, darling, I'm perfectly fine," Ms. Knight responds as she makes her way to her bedroom.

"She's definitely not fine. She's just pretending everything's okay, but I can tell something's bothering her," Kendall observes.

"What do you think it could be?" Katie inquires.

"I'm not entirely sure," Kendall admits.

Andy sets aside the game controller and glances at a message on his phone. "Dad's waiting for us in the lobby. Stevie, hurry up and put your shoes on," he urges.

Steven acknowledges the request before turning his attention to Tyson, who is sprawled out on the floor, his ears twitching occasionally.

"My goodness, Tyson looks absolutely spent," remarks James.

"He really does. Andy, do you think he'll be able to get up?" asks Carlos.

"He probably won't, but he's too heavy to carry," Andy replies. "Come on, Tyson. Wake up, buddy. It's time to head home."

Slowly but surely, Tyson rises to his feet, yawning before happily wagging his tail.