beyondtheline | I sure like the feeling of an endless road

[Johnnie glances toward the door Chrissy takes to go clean herself up, then decides, what the fuck. Now he's inside, there's no point standing by the door like some kind of scared child. He's going to swagger on inside and make himself comfortable, like he owns the place. He can be confident and fucking pissed off.

As he helps himself to a seat at the kitchen table, he also takes stock of the place. It's a decent house, small, furnished plainly, could have some real potential, but he sees the unwashed dishes piled up by the sink, and the occasional scattered bottles and cans. As much as Papa seems to want to pretend he's cleaned up and responsible now, that really doesn't look like it's completely true. Must have a job that pays well enough, must be able to function at that job, and then what, he comes home and drinks every evening until the next day? Fucking pathetic, and nothing new.

Ed sees his eyes wandering, of course, and settles into a chair at the table himself.]

So, are you going to tell me the truth about why you showed up here tonight?

[Johnnie rolls his eyes as he rests an arm on the tabletop.]

I didn't want anything from you. I really didn't fuckin' mean to smack into your house. Fuck, I mean, I just knew you lived around here somewhere but I wasn't even gonna stop by, I was on my way to San Francisco. It was an accident an' that's the fuckin' truth, okay? I didn't even know this was your place until you came out an' fuckin' yelled at us.

[That's both the truth and not the entire truth all at once, and Chrissy goes to sit in the chair next to Johnnie's despite the temptation to climb into his chair with him. This is his father, she can control herself for at least ten minutes.

Ed watches her as she sits down, and rather than addressing anything Johnnie's just said he decides to try and keep the peace.]

So, are you two serious?

[She realizes he's talking to her more than Johnnie.]

Oh, I'm Chrissy. Me and Johnnie have been together for...oh gosh, about four months now, I guess.

[Ed takes this in and slowly nods in response.]

So you're not married.

[That makes Chrissy laugh, and she gives Johnnie a small nudge beneath the table.]

No, not yet.

[Is that a vague enough answer? She hopes it is, because she's not elaborating any. This guy just isn't going to get what she and Johnnie have together. There's no way.]

What, you're gonna take a fuckin' interest now?

[Honestly, the only reason Johnnie doesn't storm off immediately is to give the cops plenty of time to decide they're not wanted and to clear out. If they're still parked out there taking notes or some bullshit, he doesn't want any part of it.

But really and truly, fuck this asshole for deciding to ask questions now or whatever this bullshit 4 am interrogation is.

Ed raises his hands in a pleading sort of gesture.]

My youngest son drops in out of the blue and you don't expect me to ask questions? I'm just trying to understand here, Johnnie. I'm not your enemy.

[Johnnie snorts, clenching a fist.]

Oh yeah, like hell you aren't. You know what, though? Don't you dare fuckin' apologize for "not being there" or some shit. We didn't need you anyway.

[Her poor baby, he really hates this. Chrissy's heart aches for him, and she reaches over to rest her hand at his knee and rub the area a little. She's here for him, even if she isn't sure what to say to his dad. She wants to be polite, but she also wants to say fuck that guy and just leave.]

I think you need to understand that the way you treated Johnnie, his brothers, and their mom when they were kids means they may never forgive you. You put them through hell, you know?

[Ed glances over at her, surprised she knows so much about things. They must be serious if she knows the other boys and their mama. It's like she's a part of the family already. He doesn't say anything right away, too busy thinking about how this girl fits in with the family he left behind. Chrissy takes advantage of the opportunity and keeps talking.]

You can't just beat your wife and expect everything to be okay just because you think enough time has passed.

[She leans forward as she says it, a perfectly polite smile on her face. She never was able to confront her own parents about the abuse they dealt to her for seventeen years. Here and now, she's able to confront Johnnie's monster. And that's therapeutic for her somehow.

Ed's about three shades paler and looks like he might be sick.]

I'm not going to apologize.

[He looks to Johnnie, his eyes pleading.]

I know what I did was wrong. But I'm a different man now. And I want to be there if you'll let me.

[Shit, that's a dick move. Chrissy hurries to grab hold of Johnnie's hand and gives it a tight squeeze.]

Bullshit.

[Johnnie stands abruptly and slams his hands down on the table - one part intimidation, one part trying to keep himself from crossing the last two feet it would take to hit the guy himself.]

If you were different we woulda heard from you before tonight. You woulda shown up, said a real apology, paid us all back for every fuckin' year you put us through before and after you got dragged out the front door. Hell, even that wouldn't do it, but it'd be a start. 'Course, you won't do that 'cause you're fuckin' scared, I know it.

[As he should be. Johnnie is managing to keep his anger entirely verbal. He's not so sure Alex and Dale would be so kind.

Ed flinches back from the slam of the hands, still not recovered from what Chrissy said and now dealing with this all on top of it. But being labeled a coward? Too far. He clenches his jaw, a spark of anger of his own in there somewhere as he finds words for a reply. The look in his eyes is one that reminds Johnnie of Dale, really. It's more familiar than anything else has been so far.]

I fought for this country. You can call me all kinds of things, Johnnie, but I'm no coward. Watch your tongue.

Bullshit.

[This is going to bad places really quickly. She doesn't mean to be overwhelmed by the anger in the room, but seeing a man she doesn't know get so angry makes her skin crawl. She hops up to her feet and worries her hands together, trying to ground herself. The last thing she needs to do is give in to her rapidly mounting emotions.]

I gotta go outside.

[She whispers to Johnnie, and her tiny hands ball up into angry little fists as she hurries out the front door. The cops are gone, thank fuck, and she's able to go over into the driveway to pace and try to get herself to calm down. The nerve of this guy to talk to Johnnie like that, after everything he put him through!

She knows that making his dad explode on accident would essentially be a hard end to their relationship, and he'd probably hate her forever. So she has to do whatever she can to stay calm and in control.

Back inside, Ed and Johnnie are having a stare down. He's not going to say something until Johnnie does. It's taking all of his restraint not to reach across the table and slap the boy for being such a little shit. He opens his mouth to speak as the sound of the front door draws his attention.

Chrissy comes back into the room looking close to tears, and she's not all that confident as she looks between the two men.]

Johnnie? I think we should go. Before someone gets hurt.

[She means his dad. She doesn't want to hurt his dad, and doesn't think he wants to hurt him either.]

Yeah. Let's get the fuck out.

[Before he does something stupid, like breaking this dude's jaw. It's so tempting but it would definitely make the situation worse. The cops would be back for real, and not so easy to get rid of.

And speaking of, Chrissy suggesting they should go after she went outside must mean the coast is clear. Johnnie straightens up, only to lunge at Ed again - just a step forward, just a threat, just to remind him to stay the fuck back and keep his hands and stupid words to himself.

And so despite whatever protests or pleas or promises may follow, Johnnie turns his back and makes for Chrissy, and for the front door, which he slams closed behind him once they're both outside. He's unusually quiet as he strides his way toward the bike, hops on, and turns the radio full blast.

It takes him a few seconds of driving before he snarls and slaps at the handlebar as a pathetic little way of letting out his anger.]

I shoulda fuckin' punched his face in for that bullshit. I can't believe him!

[She stays quiet for a little longer, letting him vent. All she does is rub at his back and be there for him. It's hard to verbalize what she was so upset about, but he's given her a good opening.]

I was afraid I was going to lose control and kill him on accident or something. Does he really think he can just act like nothing ever happened? He's delusional.

[A kiss is pressed to the back of his neck, and she leans forward to more fully recline against him and hold on. She has a feeling he's going to drive faster and faster, just so they can get far out of this stupid city.]

You're better than he is, you know. You could've beat him up. You should've beat him up. But you didn't.

[Johnnie has no idea where they are, of course. A neighborhood like this in the east bay? Could be fucking anywhere. But for now, he's picked a direction and is just going to drive. They'll see signs for something eventually. Getting away is what's important.]

Yeah. Yeah, fuck him. Man, he's fuckin' lucky it's me he tried that with, that's all I gotta say. He got off easy. You saw he's missin' a thumb, right? That was Alex.

[Alex, always protecting them. Fuck. Maybe he should give Alex a call. Or Mama. Someone, to warn then in case Papa decides something really stupid like trying to call them after this incident, trying to spin it somehow in his favor - not that any of them would believe a word out of that bastard's mouth.]

Maybe you should try calling him. I bet he's still home.

[She's so, so grateful for Alex. He's always protecting everyone, but especially his family. If he had been here tonight, she's not so sure Ed would be alive right now.]

Let's drive until we get a few towns away and then we can find a gas station and use the payphone.

[They run the risk of potentially ending up in another time completely, but at least for right now they seem to be in 1967. It shouldn't be too hard to get ahold of Alex.

Driving for another fifteen to twenty minutes has her pointing out an approaching gas station, and she waits for him to park before hopping off. There's thankfully pay phones right outside the building, and she reaches into her pockets to find some coins to hand over to him.]

I'm gonna try finding a bathroom while you call your brother. I have to pee so bad after being so afraid and then angry.

Yeah yeah, go on.

[The drive has calmed him down some, thankfully. He tugs her in for a quick kiss, full of appreciation even if it's brief, then lets her go so he can grab the phone and lean back against the wall of the booth.

His timing is good - Alex picks up. Home before dawn.]

Hey man, you got a minute? I got a story for ya.

[Because this definitely requires some context - the storm, Chrissy pulling them through time and space and all that darkness, the cops. It's all important for Alex to understand exactly why Johnnie ended up at their dad's doorstep.

Somehow he can feel through the phone not just Alex's anger, but also a feeling of waiting for the other foot to drop. But it never comes.]

Yeah, so we just fuckin' bailed after the cops left. I couldn't handle hangin' around there another second, I woulda made him lose a few teeth.

[Alex exhales, on the other end - a sound like an angry bull thinking about charging horns-first.]

Fuck. You should've. He deserves it.

[Johnnie nods, as he watches for Chrissy to come back out.]

Yeah. Yeah, he fuckin' does. But he's apparently buddy-buddy with the cops now or some shit. Didn't wanna make a shitty situation even worse.

[Chrissy emerges from the back of the building, looking a lot less tense now that she's peed. Seeing Johnnie on the phone has her jogging over, and she waits for him to finish before taking the phone out of his hand so she can talk to Alex.]

Hey, Alex. Maybe you should tell your mom Ed might reach out. I think us showing up really freaked him out, and I don't know if he'd try to talk to your mom about it.

[Alex sounds really pissed off, but agrees to talk to her in the morning. She thanks him and wishes him well, and he tells her to watch out for Johnnie.]

Yeah, we'll keep an eye on each other. Just like we always do. I love you, Alex, okay? Be safe.

[It's the first time she's verbally said that she loves him, and he really isn't sure how to handle it. He knows she means it in the familial sense though, and the exhale he gives in response is warm and amused. The phone is handed back to Johnnie and she leans over against the nearby brick wall. The sun will be coming up soon enough. She's able to take in the glow on the horizon and notices how crappy this little town they're in looks.]

[Johnnie says his goodbyes and hangs up, and then goes to join her, standing there and watching the horizon. It's not a terrible thing to do for five seconds while his brain calms down and catches up. He lights himself a smoke for lack of anything harder on hand.]

Okay. Where the fuck are we, even? What's -

[He turns to look at the gas station sign. "Marv's Gas 'n' Go". Great, not helpful. Gas stations should all be named after towns for his convenience.]

Okay, well. I know he lives in Oakland, or somethin' close enough to Oakland to call it that, but that don't really help, 'cause we went for a while. Lemme gas up the bike while we're here, an' then maybe we drive around until we figure out where we are an' what we wanna do next. But I gotta offload the sparkly shit before we get stopped by cops again, y'know. Just in case. So... Look for signs, look for a pawn shop.

[Just, in a minute. After he finishes the cigarette. They can't pay for a motel room without cash anyway, but after all that, he's sure not tired.]

[When it seems like he's had his fill of the cigarette, she holds out her hand so he can pass it off to her. She just needs one or two drags to take the edge off her nerves.]

There has to be a pawn shop somewhere in a place like this. We'll find one, don't worry.

[But there is a little concern on her part. If they don't sell any of that stuff, then they'll be out of luck as far as food and hotels go. They don't need to stay indoors, she's fine sleeping outside. Her head turns as she slowly exhales smoke, and she passes the cigarette off to him.]

Hey, I just wanted to say sorry again. For pulling us here in the first place. We probably should've just stuck out the storm and tried to make it through it, huh?

[He takes the cigarette back to finish it off, then flicks the butt to the ground and stuffs his hands in his pockets.]

Oh, I dunno. That coulda been real bad. I don't think a canyon's a place to be caught in one a' those, we woulda been blown up into the sky with all the rest of that shit. Mighta met the stars.

[Which is nowhere near as romantic as it sounds.]

Don't apologize. We're here, not hurt, not extra-dead, so it worked out just fine. Life ain't always fun but we make it through so we can have the good times, right?

Yeah. That's right. Everything will be a lot more fun from here on out.

[His outlook makes her smile, and she grabs hold of his shirt to pull him in close for a slow kiss. It's nice and sweet, and leaves her grinning as she lets him go and they head back to the bike.

She goes to try and get the gas started, but realizes she's never pumped gas before in her entire life and ends up just taking the nozzle off the pump and holding it out for him to take.]

Maybe if we rest enough we can go out dancing before we find some places to steal from.

[They did just go out with Cid and Angel, but it's been a while since they've been out just themselves to go dancing. This time they won't drink so much so they can show everyone up. That would cheer them both up.]

[Something about her standing there waiting with the hose in hand makes him chuckle, and he comes to retrieve it so he can fill up the tank.]

Yeah? Like tomorrow night, you mean? Sounds nice.

[She's doing her best to help cheer him up, and it's working. She's too damn cute for him to stay mad for long. They left his Papa in the dust where he fucking belongs and there's no point dwelling on their meeting when it's just going to make him feel pissed off again. He'd much rather look forward to a night of dancing.]

Y'know, something we oughta try sometime is keepin' some stuff from this time, or even earlier, an' sellin' it in the future to an antiques place. Find the right dealer, I bet they'll pay top dollar for somethin' they think is real old but somehow in perfect condition.

We'd be real time bandits then.

[The idea makes Chrissy grin, and she decides to reward him for being so smart by pressing in close to him. Sometimes it's nice to just exist in the same space.]

Let's pick out the junkier stuff and sell it at the first place we find. But save the expensive looking things for when we land in the future. We'll have to make it there eventually.

[Her fingers tap at his chest as she speaks, and she laughs a little as she imagines them rolling around in piles of money. Maybe they could even make out on top of it. Yeah, that'd be fun.]

Oh, I'm sure we will.

[With a smirk, he catches her hand with his free one and brings her tapping fingers up to his lips to kiss, really just as a teasing sort of gesture. They're right there, anyway, he can't help it.

With the tank full, Johnnie decides he can't and doesn't want to try to pay and they're best off just fucking booking it, so he grins as he hops on the bike and pats the seat for her to join him.]

Better run before anyone notices. I dunno where we're goin', but, I guess the water's prob'ly west of us somewhere. Where's west from here?

[Sun's not up yet so he's not sure, but hell, he'll figure it out. If they get toward the shore they can follow the roads there to a highway somewhere. Or a pawn shop somewhere. Either way, he's getting them on the road.

The direction he heads winds up being more vaguely south than west, but that seems to work just fine. There's a major road here that looks like the main trucking route from the harbor, and that leads to a highway, and that has a sign for a bridge over the bay to the weird little peninsula that San Francisco and its satellites are on. Excited by having managed that much, Johnnie whoops for joy as they get themselves onto the bridge. Across the bay are tall buildings and lights - maybe not quite as much city as LA, but definitely one that will have everything they want and more as their first big stop.]

Hell yeah, rich people, come buy our shit!

Yeah! Buy our stuff or die!

[She cheers right along with him, letting out a whoop as they drive over the bridge. That turns into an all out howl, and she dissolves into giggles that consume her for a good mile or so. It's easy to be in a light and silly mood now that they've got a plan and they're in some kind of city. They can leave his stupid old dad behind in the dust, and hopefully Johnnie will be in a great mood after they stop to sell their stuff.

As it turns out though, finding a pawn shop isn't that easy. There isn't one as they leave the bridge and drive into town, and it's not like they can stop and ask someone where the nearest pawn shop is. That would be really suspicious. But there's bound to be a downtown area nearby they can find what they need.]

Let's see if we can find someplace that has a pawn shop near a motel. That way we can sell then stop for the night.

[She knows he may not want to sleep, but she's exhausted after pulling them out of the storm and to his dad's house.]

Gettin' toward sunrise, but yeah, in a place like this you gotta figure somewhere's open all hours, right?

[Right? Maybe not. The first pawn shop he manages to spot, deep in the city center after wandering from street to street, definitely is closed. Hours 10 am to midnight. Maybe this place sleeps a little more than LA does.

After striking out another couple times, Johnnie pulls over at the curb for a moment just so they can stop and think. The pink light of sunrise is starting to reflect off all those tall, tall buildings with all their windows.]

Shit, man, even the local gangs are gonna be asleep at this rate, that was my other thought, see if someone was still up who'd maybe trade. We can keep looking, I guess. Man, I'm fuckin' hungry, do we still got snacks?

[Starving, actually, now he's had a minute to stop and think and not be pissed off at his Papa when not driving.]

Yeah, we still have stuff. Let's just find a park or somewhere we can sit at a picnic table and eat and then try to rest there for a while. We've got like...what, four hours until these places open?

[They've slept outside plenty of times, and this wouldn't be the first. But if he's not ready to rest, it would drive him crazy to have to keep watch over her.]

I mean, I'm good to stay up until then. It's just that I'm really tired every time I use those weird void powers. I don't think I'm going to pass out or anything, but a snack would be good.

[She glances down at the curb they're parked against. They could even just sit here and eat what they've got in the backpack.]

Do you want to just eat it here?

Here? Nah, let's find somewhere we can camp out for a while. I don't really know the city, but most places put parks by the water, right? Man, I shoulda seen if I could get a San Francisco map at that last gas station. Maybe there'll be one down the road.

[Turns out finding a park here isn't that hard. San Francisco has a lot more green spaces in the middle of things than he expected. Rather than heading back toward the bridge - it's pretty industrial on the side they came in on and probably not the most relaxing place to be as work picks up down there in the morning - he aims toward what looks like a cluster of trees up on a hill.

It's a long, narrow, winding road, very much the same sort of road he's used to driving in the hills outside of town back home, but this is right in the middle of everything. They get one hell of a view as they come up to the crest, and Johnnie pulls up next to a sign.]

"Twin Peaks Park". Are these peaks? Kinda looks like hills. Nice place, though. Kinda windy. Let's see if we can find a spot on the side of the hill that blocks some a' that.

Those are definitely hills.

[Not her idea of a peak, but it clearly is to the people here. So Twin Peaks Park it is. She hops off the bike as he parks and goes to open the saddlebags to get out her backpack that's tucked inside. His guitar is taken off and passed over to him, and she slips on her backpack so she doesn't have to carry it as they walk. Everything else is probably safe on the bike, especially given how early it is.]

It's hard to tell what year we're in here, isn't it? I tried looking at cars and stuff. I think we're past our own time, but not as far as like when we were visiting New York.

[This is the first time she's casually mentioned 1967 as her own time, and she doesn't even really realize that she's done it. To her, she's so settled into her life in LA that it feels like she's always been there.]

This is a really nice park though, you're right. There's some nice trees over there we can sit under.

[Typically she'd ask if they could sit there, but today she sets off straight for them to lead the way. Maybe she's a little hungry and eager to dig into some food.]

Trees sound good to me.

[He's definitely bringing his guitar along, yeah. There's no wood up here for a campfire and it's too windy to get one started anyway, which is a shame, but they can still sit with their backs to the trees and enjoy the view, maybe doze a little while after eating. It's plenty peaceful up here.

Once they have a comfortable spot to sit, he sets the guitar beside him and settles his hands behind his head as he leans against a trunk.]

I was tryin' to work out how far we shifted in time too, I noticed it as we were goin' over the bridge. Somethin' about the skyline changed but it was too dark to see it real well. Maybe 70s? Early 80s? I dunno. I gotta - hey! I was gonna say I need a catalog of cars from different times but maybe we should just take pictures, then I can learn 'em better. We gotta get you more film.

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