"Mr. Babbitt?" Mike asked, opening the door.
"Mike," Mr. Babbitt began. Then he noticed what seemed to be female forms in the room. "What's going on in here?"
"Well, y'see," Mike started to explain.
"Look, I know you're young and all, but," Mr. Babbitt said.
Mike looked at him confusedly. "No, man, the power went out!"
"Oh. I was just coming to ask about that. That's easily fixed¦I hope," Mr. Babbitt said, starting towards the garage.
"OW," Jean exclaimed.
"What happened," Tippy called.
"Mr. Babbitt, you stepped on her," Davy said.
"I'm sorry, m'dear. Are you alright," Mr. Babbitt asked.
"Yeah. My hand is a little on the sore side now, but I'll be alright," Jean replied, rubbing her hand.
"Good, good," Mr. Babbitt said, continuing to the garage.
The group sat in silence for a few minutes.
"I don't like the dark much," Jean remarked.
Davy slid closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, luv. The lights will be on soon."
Someone started humming the Jeopardy theme song. The other girls joined in.
"What was that all about," Micky asked when they had finished.
"It's the theme song to a game show from our time," Nancy told him.
"Oh," Micky replied. "Ok, this is getting dull. We have to think of something to do."
"Like what," Rose asked.
"Like...Who's up for some ghost stories," Micky suggested.
"No," Peter cried. "Something else!"
Everyone sat around, thinking. Suddenly the lights came back on. The group cheered.
"Now we can really figure something out," Tippy said.
Mr. Babbitt came out of the garage. "Well, I guess I fixed it, huh?"
"I guess so," Mike answered. "Why did you come to the back door, though?"
"It was closer at the moment," Mr. Babbitt said. "Now, I've got more places to check on, so I'm leaving."
"Bye, Mr. Babbitt," the girls called as Mike showed him out the front door.
The rain was still pouring down outside.
"And I thought it never rained here," Jean commented, thing of a song.
Desy, who had been quiet for quite some time now, spoke up, "Micky's right. This is a little on the dull side."
"You know my girl just called me up," Rose began with a smile. "And she woke me from my sleep."
Jean made a snooring sound.
"You should have heard the things she said," Rose continued, laughing. "You know she hurt my feelings deep. I'm gonna buy me a dog!"
Davy and Micky took over from there.
"A dog?"
"A dog."
"Why?"
"Why? Cause I need a friend now," Micky sang.
"Babe, you need all the friends you can get, I'm tellin' ya," Davy smiled.
"I'm gonna buy me a dog. My girl, my girl don't love me no how," Micky continued.
"Fat chance," Tippy laughed, causing both Micky and Nancy to blush.
The others laughed.
"Now, this is much bettah than any ol' beach pahty," Davy said.
"Definitely. Too bad we had to skip the volleyball, though," Jean said.
"Let's dance some more," Nancy suggested, tugging on Micky's hand.
"Oi! Again with the dancing," Desy sighed as the music began playing.
"Let's sit outside for a while," Mike suggested.
"Good idea," Desy nodded, following Mike to the porch. They sat down comfortably.
"So, how have you been feeling lately? I mean, are you finally getting to where you don't feel like such an outsider," Mike questioned.
"Actually, it's a little better," Desy answered, glancing at her friends. She laughed at the site of the girls showing the guys how to do the funky chicken.
Mike followed her gaze and chuckled.
"You were right, Mike," Desy continued seriously. "They do appreciate me. I guess I'm just a little down sometimes."
"Well, now, I think we all have our times, but just don't make it too much of a habit. They love you, Desy," Mike told her.
"I know. I know they do, and I'm very thankful for it," Desy replied.
Meanwhile, at Tippy's apartment, the robot got up and quietly went outside to continue trying to reach the aliens.
"Come on! You've gotta answer," the robot said, getting agrivated with its situation. "I've just gotta keep trying!"
The funky chickens at the Pad collapsed on the floor laughing. The dance was silly in itself, but with this particular group, things tended to be much funnier than they were originally.
"I think we're the funkiest chickens I've ever seen," Nancy said, trying to pull herself up. Micky helped her to a sitting position at least.
"Speaking of chicken, I've worked up an appetite again," Jean said, heading for the leftover chicken.
"Me too," Rose agreed.
"Well, look at that. You two are both hungry. Surprise, surprise, surprise," Tippy laughed.
"Oh, hush, Gomer," Jean replied with a chuckle. She sat at the table with her chicken and began to munch away contentedly.
Peter made a face at the happy way Jean and Rose were eating their meat.
"Cards, anyone," Nancy asked. "How about a nice, friendly game of poker?"
"Count me out," Jean called. "I don't play poker. Someone tried to teach me once, but…Hey, how about Spoons instead?"
"Spoons," Micky asked. "What's 'Spoons'?"
"Well, I'll show you," Jean answered. "Someone see if Desy and Mike want to play first, though."
Tippy walked outside and came back with Mike and Desy behind her.
"Alright," Jean said and began to explain the game.
Thirty minutes later, Mike laughed, "Well, look at that. Our teacher loses this round."
Jean laughed and backed away from the shrinking circle. "Gimme a spoon, somebody," she said.
Rose handed hers to Jean as Desy shuffled the cards and passed them out. The game was down to Mike, Desy, Rose, Tippy and Micky.
Those that were out of the game watched on as the cards were passed in a circle. Suddenly Micky dove for a spoon. The others followed his lead and grabbed for the remaining spoons.
"Shoot," Tippy said. She stood up and took Mike's spoon from him. The others threw theirs back into the middle and started a new round.
"Wahoo," Desy said as she beat Micky and won the game.
The others laughed. Jean picked up the cards and Tippy took care of the spoons, while Micky and Nancy tackled the dishes.
"Good reflexes ya got there, Desy," Davy said.
"Thanks," Desy smiled.
"Wow! Look at what time it is," Rose said. "It's already two in the morning!"
"Oh! We'd better get some sleep, 'and't we?" Davy asked.
"We should," Tippy agreed with a yawn. The others nodded, suddenly realizing how tired they were.
The girls started for their room.
"Hey, Mick," Rose said, turning around. "Thanks for that dance. I love to swing."
"My pleasure," Micky said with a bow.
Rose laughed and went into the bedroom. It wasn't long before all the girls were asleep.
The next morning everyone woke up late.
"Oh, the sun is shining today," Tippy observed.
"Great," Jean said. "Now I can get down to the beach for a while. Funny, I was so sick of it at home. Now I wanna go."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere until I have breakfast," Nancy said.
"Me either," Tippy nodded.
"Hey, Desy," Tippy threw her pillow at Desy.
"Direct hit," Jean said as Desy poked her head out from under her blanket.
"Whaddaya want," Desy yawned.
"Let's go have some breakfast. We're all going to the beach today. Do you want to go," Rose asked.
Desy moaned slightly, then she sat up. "Sure."
The girls headed for the kitchen.
"Good morning, sleepy heads," Peter said.
"Morning," the girls replied.
Micky was flipping the television stations and Peter was messing with his guitar.
"Where are Mike and Davy," Tippy questioned, sitting next to Peter.
"They went out to get some stuff for breakfast. We ran out of eggs and the likes, so they went to get some more," Micky explained, shutting the TV off.
"So then she says, 'The box says "eight years", but we got it done in forty-one days'," Davy said as he and Mike walked in. They started laughing.
The girls went over to the bags the guys sat on the table and began pulling out the groceries.
"We'll take care of breakfast," Nancy said, getting a pan out of the cabinet.
"G'morning, luv," Davy said.
"Morning," Jean replied with a smile. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders the day before.
The girls set to work fixing a nice breakfast for everyone.
In the real world, Metty and the others were just getting up themselves.
"How are we gonna get the girls out of the TV and into this dimension again," Linds lamented.
"Good question. If I know them, though, they're probably trying to figure it out themselves," Tiff said.
"Let's watch again tonight to see if they are," Connie suggested.
"Ok," Metty nodded. "In the meantime, though, let's talk to that robot some more."
The group headed for the closet.
"Oh no," Connie cried. "It's missing! The robot is gone!"
"Where did Davy and Jean get off to now?" Mike asked.
Everyone was down at the beach. Micky and Nancy were sitting on a blanket behind Tippy and Peter. Peter was playing his guitar. Rose, Mike and Desy sat together nearby, talking about whatever came to mind.
Micky wiggled his eyebrows in response to Mike's question. Nancy hit him.
Suddenly Jean ran by, Davy very close behind.
"What was that all about," Tippy asked.
Davy and Jean came back and fell down, exhausted and laughing.
"Davy, don'tcha think you're taking the term 'skirt chaser' a bit far," Micky said.
Jean laughed. "We were racing. I won, but only because Davy stumbled over a piece of driftwood."
"Oh," Micky said.
"I'm about ready to take a shower now," Jean said. "It's so hot, and now I'm covered with sand."
"Jump in the water to cool off," Peter said.
"I don't do oceans," Jean answered.
Peter looked confused, but shrugged and continued playing.
"Well, guys, what's on today's agenda," Desy asked.
"Nothing, actually. Today's completely free. Whatever you wanna do," Micky answered.
"Oh," Desy replied. "I guess I'll do some reading or something like that. Maybe sketch some."
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to take a shower, change, and look around town. Maybe have some lunch somewhere," Jean said.
"That sounds fun," Nancy agreed. "I'll go with you."
"Me, too," Tippy agreed.
"What about you, Rose?" Desy asked.
"I'm just gonna hang out and read a bit myself," Rose answered. "What about you guys?"
"Well, I'm going with the girls," Davy said.
"Count us in on that," Micky said of himself and Peter.
"I'll stick around and work on my song some more," Mike said.
Jean went up to the house to get a shower, making sure to lock the bathroom door behind her.
"Well," said the male alien, "Desy will be here practically alone."
"Practically isn't completely," the female replied. "That Mike fellow will be around, as will Rose, who was the one that figured the robot out in the first place."
"Point taken," the male said. "What'll we do?"
"We continue to wait," the female told him. "We wait until we can get Desy alone. She's bound to be alone sometime. We must have patience."
Jean stood outside on the porch waiting for the others to get ready. Rose came outside and stood next to her, both of them looking out at the water silently while leaning on the railing.
"What are you thinking about," Rose asked after a few minutes.
"Things," Jean replied.
"What kind of things?"
"Well, I was just thinking of how grateful I am about Davy becoming a Christian. The fact that he wasn't was starting to really bother me. I mean, not only for the sake of his soul, but I didn't want to date a non-Christian, sweet as he may be. I'm not trying to sound prejudiced or anything, but you know what the Bible says about being unequally yoked."
"Understood," Rose said. "I'm sure you feel relieved."
"You don't even know," Jean sighed. "I feel so much better now."
"I would imagine so," Rose smiled at her friend.
"I was starting to worry that I was going to be just another girl to him. I may very well end up being that, but I'm not worried about that any more," Jean said.
"Well, I'll tell you one thing, Jean. I've seen him around other girls, but this time its different somehow. Its like he genuinely cares," Rose told her.
Jean nodded. "I certainly hope so."
Just then Tippy walked outside. "We're ready to go, Jean," she said.
"Alright," Jean replied. She started to go inside, then turned and gave Rose a hug. "Thanks, Rose," she whispered.
Rose smiled and followed Jean inside.
"Are you sure you guys don't want to come with us?" Peter was asking Mike and Desy. He directed the question to Rose when she came inside.
"I'm sure," the three answered together.
"The twin syndrome is spreading," Tippy said with a chuckle.
"Well, let's get going. I'm hungry," Micky said. "I know this great little place," Micky walked with Nancy out to the garage.
"See you in a bit," Jean said to the three staying home as Davy took her by the hand and they, too went out to the car.
"We'll be back soon. Be good," Tippy said and she and Peter walked out, closing the door behind them.
Rose sighed and settled on the couch with a book. Mike sat on the bandstand plucking his guitar and mumbling to himself. Desy found a seat in the light and started sketching.
In the real world, the girls were looking around for the robot.
"How on earth do we lose a robot?" Tiff asked.
"How on earth did we get the robot in the first place?" Linds said.
"Good point," Tiff chuckled.
"Well, it's not outside," Connie said as she and Metty walked through the door.
"Where can it have gotten to?" Linds asked.
"I don't know," Metty replied, "but we've got to find it."
In the other dimension…
On to Part Nine!
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