Joan attended a lake camping trip with astronauts, instructors, ASCANs, and families, bringing her niece Frances with Barbara's blessing and concern that Frances might miss out without a father. Joan reassured Barbara of their support. At the campsite, Joan and Donna helped set up tents while Joan avoided looking directly at Vanessa Ford, with whom Joan had been strained and unable to meet eyes in recent weeks.

When Lydia Danes's tent collapsed, Joan and Donna offered help as Marty and Jimmy made crude jokes. Lydia laughed along, frustrating Joan. A debate followed between Joan, Lydia, and Donna about coping with sexism at NASA: Lydia and Donna argued that, being outnumbered, women had to be seen as "like the men" to be chosen for missions, while Joan rejected laughing off sexist behavior and insisted on pushing back. They acknowledged the shared burden women carried in the program, cooled the argument, and ended on a lighter note.

Later, Kris showed that Frances had fallen asleep alongside Julie, and Kris encouraged Joan to let the girls remain there. Joan and Griff then walked by the lake. Griff told Joan she no longer needed to give him space, comparing his feelings to a bad cold that passes, and they agreed to resume friendly routines like walking to JSC together. Joan expressed admiration for Griff as a good man, though she sensed something between them was irretrievably changed.

Before they returned to camp, Griff carefully suggested that if Joan had feelings for someone, NASA might not condone certain relationships, and he offered to support her regardless. Joan deflected, but Griff affirmed he would stand up for her right to love who she chooses, despite their past awkwardness.

Restless without Frances beside her, Joan left her tent after midnight and found Vanessa on the dock skipping stones. Bathed in moonlight, Vanessa happily identified constellations and told Joan, "The whole sky makes sense to me now, because of you." Joan, overwhelmed by her feelings, internally panicked at the depth of their connection.