Leonard passes out and wakes up at the vet with Johnny Cash music playing. The vet notes that Leonard is “going through a lot” (62) and needs rest and calm. That night, Leonard misses home.

Leonard ruminates on immortality. He feels like he is wasting time and needs to get to Yellowstone. He is paralyzed with fear. Olive puts E.T. on the television. Leonard has little in common with E.T. except for their love of flowers. Olive smiles at Leonard and Leonard tries to smile back but it doesn’t seem to land. Leonard wonders if Olive can tell he is an alien.

Leonard tries to be more catlike. His homesickness grows and he longs for the helium clouds and rivers of his home. He misses his hive. Olive tells him about how cats are fierce animals. She can tell that Leonard is super smart because he listens to her when she talks. 

Olive asks him to promise that he won’t think she’s weird. She tells him that she loves animals because her dad loved them. She admits that Frank told her she was socially inept and other kids might find her weird. He signed her up for Girl Scouts, but she couldn’t shake what he said and quit. Leonard makes a comforting sound that feels inadequate but hopefully reminds her that she isn’t alone. Leonard doesn’t understand how anyone can see Olive as a problem when she is so clearly good. Leonard considers telling Olive his secret.

The next day, Q picks them up in his car. He brings Leonard a collar and leash. Leonard purrs for the first time. They go to the aquarium to clean up at night. Leonard learns that Norma’s son was Olive’s dad. Norma came to work in the aquarium after the shrimping industry dried up. Q is a longtime aquarium employee. 

Leonard relaxes while they clean the exhibits and care for the aquatic creatures. Q takes Olive and Leonard to the cafeteria for ice cream, asking Olive about her potential move to California. Olive starts rattling off facts about animals then stops herself, afraid of being weird. Q reassures her that everyone takes their own path and asks her for more animal facts. That night, Olive asks her mom if she can keep Leonard for real.

Leonard feels guilty about getting Olive’s hopes up. Olive’s mom agrees to consider adopting Leonard. Leonard resolves to tell Olive about his alien identity. He plans to look for a crayon. He finds a box of crayons and selects a brown one that looks like E.T.’s coloring. Leonard writes the word “alien” with the crayon using his mouth. Leonard panics as he waits for Olive to see it. Olive rushes around looking for her book and doesn’t notice the message. Leonard meows, but Olive only grabs her beach towel and Leonard’s leash. 

Leonard is overwhelmed by all the sights at the beach. Rather than go in the water or play, Olive hides behind a sand dune and remains quiet and hunched. Leonard isn’t sure why she behaves this way. Leonard sees a group of young people playing volleyball, glancing at Olive and laughing. They make mean observations about Olive. Olive picks up Leonard and runs away. Leonard notices her crying.

Leonard wonders if he has misjudged humans and if they are worse than he thought. Olive grabs her computer and searches how to be normal. Leonard tries to turn her attention to his message. 

When Olive runs off to get a tissue, Leonard types a message to her explaining his identity. Olive gapes at him in disbelief. She deletes the message and asks Leonard to type it again. He types a new message asking for her to help him get home. She runs out of the room and paces, mumbling to herself, thinking she has imagined everything. 

After a few hours she comes back and asks Leonard for more proof. He assures her she is not weird. She needs time to think.

Olive and Leonard stay up late, talking through the keyboard. Leonard tells her about his planet and Olive tells him about Earth and her life. Leonard asks Olive to help him get to Yellowstone. She doesn’t know how they’ll do it, but she agrees to help. Olive asks if there are any human experiences he wants to have since he didn’t end up getting to be human. Leonard asks for a raincoat.

Leonard marvels at the feeling of wearing his new raincoat. Olive talks Leonard through the plans and obstacles for getting to Yellowstone. They’ll need Norma to take them, but Norma has a massive “Save the Sea Turtles” event two days before Leonard’s pick-up date. He will have to wait until the event is over. Norma hears Olive talking and asks if she’s on the phone. Olive and Leonard will have to be careful about talking in public. 

At the aquarium, Leonard tries to act like a normal cat, though he still wears his raincoat. As Leonard leans against the glass, the fish notice him and swim over, asking him questions. When people begin to stare at the strange conversation happening, Olive whisks him away. Olive is amazed that Leonard can talk to fish.

Back at home, Olive asks Leonard more questions about his communications with animals. Before he can tell Olive what Stanley says, Norma comes back with dinner. Norma nearly discovers Leonard typing but Olive covers it up. Olive carefully tries to broach the topic of a trip, but Norma only wants to travel locally. Leonard feels bad about the burden he has placed on Olive to help him.