I don't know how we got to this point, but then again, I rarely do.

Rick's asleep in my lap, after taking the last driving shift of the day. Two am driving, it's the worst of the lot. I must be mad to have offered to drive through the night, at least until the sun comes up again and Mickey wakes up.

Mickey, yeah. He decided that we'd keep going south, for now. We're heading for Tennessee or Alabama -- the place where we have to decide: Mexico or Cuba. Neither has too much appeal, though I've wanted to take Alex to Tijuana for a while, now. Wait out the storm in that dump; when the coast is clear, try the west one instead of east. Maybe move to LA or San Francisco. They're more right for me than New York.

I think. Maybe New Orleans.

Or that city on the tip of the Baja. I could edit documentaries, sand, surf. Not that I surf. Rick could come; he makes enough money to buy DVDs and have them shipped to us, out on the ocean. We could be happy there.

Or at least, it's easy enough to pretend we could be.

In between picturing living with Rick on the beach for the rest of my life, my mind is babbling at me, 'what the fuck are you doing here?' It's been doing that for days. How did we end up in a van running for our lives? Must be my-- must be their karma. I'm just along for the ride.

So how'd I find myself driving?

I run a hand over Rick's hair, petting his neck gently, my fingertips moving instinctively to stroke his skin. He opens his eyes and smiles sleepily. "Is it Mickey's turn to drive, yet?"

I shake my head, blinking to clear the sleepy fuzz from my eyes. Softly, so the rest of the van wouldn't hear me, I reply, "Nah. I still have a few hours to go."

Rick looks concerned, eyes looking up at me. "You want me to take over?"

I glance down as he shuffles around, pillowing his head more comfortably on my thighs. Put my free hand on the nape of his neck again, ran my fingertips over his hair slowly, gently. "Nah. I can manage. Go back to sleep, luv."

Rick nods, and I take a breath. Driving. I can handle it. At least until dawn.