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Apr. 19th, 2025 at 7:28 PM
[A few hours of open road makes for easygoing fun. It's great to be traveling again, and the feeling of Chrissy leaning up against his back, holding on tight while he whips ahead on a wide-open freeway through the pitch black of night is like nothing else. The last time they were racing up and down this freeway, they were on the way to go burn a bunch of people's lives down - but now that's hours back, back with the rest of the city. They've left the lights and have nothing to look at but the pavement in Johnnie's headlight, the glimpses of stars shining weakly through hazy clouds, and occasionally an oncoming car.
Johnnie hasn't exactly been trying to tune in to his senses or abilities or whatever it is he has - he's just been cruising, letting the night go by, enjoying their plunge northward without a care or a thought. So it is deeply irritating when the pavement quickly fades to a well-worn dirt track that almost tosses him and Chrissy to the ground, and it takes all of his skills to get the front wheel under control and to slow down before they hit a rock that really might launch them into the nearest alfalfa field. Or whatever it is that's here, whenever they've found themselves. Somewhere pre-freeway. Boo.
But there are a few lights ahead, and he did need a stop to pee, so, fuck it.]
Well, shit. Y'know, I dunno exactly where we are. Last sign said San Jose was still fuckin' hours off. You good? That was kinda shaky.
[As long as this dirt road stays packed, they can drive it, but it's going to be slow. Good thing they're almost to somewhere.]
Johnnie hasn't exactly been trying to tune in to his senses or abilities or whatever it is he has - he's just been cruising, letting the night go by, enjoying their plunge northward without a care or a thought. So it is deeply irritating when the pavement quickly fades to a well-worn dirt track that almost tosses him and Chrissy to the ground, and it takes all of his skills to get the front wheel under control and to slow down before they hit a rock that really might launch them into the nearest alfalfa field. Or whatever it is that's here, whenever they've found themselves. Somewhere pre-freeway. Boo.
But there are a few lights ahead, and he did need a stop to pee, so, fuck it.]
Well, shit. Y'know, I dunno exactly where we are. Last sign said San Jose was still fuckin' hours off. You good? That was kinda shaky.
[As long as this dirt road stays packed, they can drive it, but it's going to be slow. Good thing they're almost to somewhere.]
Comments
[Honestly, it's taking every shred of decency he has to not fly off the bike right now to punch his Papa's lights out at an insult like that.
Yeah, he feels bad for Chrissy's nosebleed but that's something they can sort out somewhere else. They don't have to go far. They can find themselves somewhere to pull over out of this asshole's sight. Fuck. He starts the engine, and the sound roars over his father's protests.]
Johnnie, come on. Bring her inside, she can get cleaned up, then you can go. That's all I'm asking.
[But Johnnie barely gives him the time to finish his sentence. He's leaving, Chrissy is coming along, fuck that guy for pretending to care now, suddenly, too many years too late. He served his purpose getting them out of the storm but anything more and Johnnie won't be able to contain the fight in him. Chrissy doesn't need to see him beat on a pathetic fucked up drunk asshole anyway. He huffs an angry breath, then gets the bike rocketing down the street, going who knows where.]
I'm sorry.
[She isn't sure what else to say. There's a lot she's feeling apologetic for, but she can't put any of them to actual name right now.]
He's not what I was expecting.
[And she has no idea of that's a good thing or not.]
[That came out more acidic than he'd meant it to. She's not the one he's mad at. With a sigh, he reaches back to squeeze her knee, and lets that show of gentleness help diffuse some of the anger boiling at the surface.
They ride just a short distance until they come across a tiny little park with a picnic bench and a streetlight, and weirdly to Johnnie, nobody here pushing anything. But it's three in the morning and maybe everyone, local dealers included, have called it a night.
Johnnie parks beside the picnic table and hops off after Chrissy.]
He's not a good dude. Alex an' Dale kicked him out for a reason, told him never to show his fucking face around us again. Every once in a while he used to get all guilty, prob'ly when he was extra fuckin' drunk, an' might call on someone's birthday but that's about it. We didn't wanna talk to him then either.
[He's pacing, he knows it, but pauses and pulls out a clean handkerchief and offers it to Chrissy to dab at her nose.]
I just sensed something that felt like you that wasn't you and pulled us to it. I didn't know for sure it would be him. But I am sorry it was. I hate seeing you so upset.
[It's just a part of life that some things make them this way though, and they have to deal with that. He needs to pace and get that out of his system, so she hops off the table she's sitting on and goes over to try and look at her reflection in the mirrors on his bike. It's too dark to see a damn thing.]
I guess I was expecting to see someone that looked...I don't know. Not some old guy you could beat up if you wanted to.
[She pauses, turning so she can step in a little closer to him.]
He just looked like any other asshole dad, I guess. Just like mine would if you ever met him.
[That came out... more profound than he meant it to. He still really wants to fucking hit something but instead he'll settle for a cigarette if only to spare his fists the splinters they'd get from smacking that table.]
Worthless piece of shit, I can't believe he just fucking said that! I can't figure out what Mama ever saw in him. Not that I care.
[Yeah yeah yeah he was different before the war fuck off. Anyway it's not like she defends him either. Fuck. Dude's lucky he hasn't swiped a bottle of hard liquor from one of their stops yet, that house would be up in flames so fucking fast.
Which wouldn't solve anything and might not even make him feel better but it's just about the best idea he can come up with.]
[Great minds must think alike, because now violence and fire are her first thoughts when it comes to taking care of something that bothers her. It can't bother her anymore if it's dead or burnt to nothing. In this case maybe both need to happen.]
If you didn't want to because it's your dad, I could go take care of it. You could wait here, and I'd do it for you because I love y-
[She goes quiet as the sound of tires on the road draw her attention to the parking lot. A cop car pulls up to the closest point of the lot and turns on their lights. There's no siren, thankfully, but just seeing the car with the lights is enough to put her on edge.
Two men get out and linger by their car, watching them and talking quietly to one another.]
Is your name Johnnie, boy? Your daddy put in a call to bring you back home. Said you had a girl with you in rough shape that needed some help.
[The flashlight gets turned on then, and it's shone over on Chrissy. Their light is so much brighter than his dad's stupid flashlight that she's left squinting and trying to shift so she's hiding behind Johnnie just to block out the light.]
You okay, honey? It's alright. We're here to help.
[Seems a reasonable response to cops pulling up. Johnnie feels a prickle of heat rise up the back of his neck and race down into his fingers. What the fuck do these guys want, all the way up north here?
But of course it's because his fucking asshole father called them. Of course.]
Hey, man, we're fine. Just havin' a late night.
[Fucking lights, what is with people? He squints, turning his face aside just to try not to be blinded again. That's a cop tactic for sure though, trying to make it so he can't see shit. Assholes.]
Well, why don't you come on over, we'll bring you on back home.
[Says one of the officers, while the other stays silent, trying to keep his eye on Chrissy. She hasn't said she's fine yet, after all, and she's with this real rough-looking guy.]
I -
[Her voice shakes a little, and she figures that goes along just fine with how she's trembling.]
I'm okay. Johnnie's my boyfriend. We were just stopping before heading back home.
[The light stays focused on the both of them, and the cops look to each other before slowly making their way in toward them.]
Why don't you come with us, honey, and we'll get you looked over. Johnnie can follow us to the hospital.
[That makes her panic rise up even more, and she shakes her head. It's becoming hard to control her emotions, and she has to try so she doesn't accidentally blow these guys up and cause a lot of trouble.]
No! I don't want to go to a hospital. I just want to go home.
[One of the cops makes a sympathetic sound and moves in close enough that he can reach out to grab Chrissy by the arm and gently pull her into the open. She stumbles along but does give a little tug to try and pry her arm free. He doesn't relent his hold on her, not even when he notices her shaking like a leaf. His partner keeps his flashlight on Johnnie as she's looked over.]
Come on, then. Let's get you back to Ed before you two worry him sick.
[Ed? They're on a nickname basis with the guy? Gross. Chrissy gives a harder tug of her arm as the cop that's holding her starts walking. She goes along with him for now, but glances back at Johnnie with a look that's asking how he wants to handle this. The method these two are clearly using is separating them to try and get a resolution.
As soon as he notices his partner forcibly escorting Chrissy over to the car, the other cop looks Johnnie up and down.]
Your daddy said you crashed your bike right into his house. Got that girl's nose busted up somehow. Her parents are probably up worried sick about her. Want to tell me what you're doing with her out at this hour, son?
But "smart" doesn't describe how Johnnie is feeling right now as his anger boils up at the cop manhandling Chrissy like that. She's fucking terrified and she's probably seconds away from snapping and sending these two bastards into a fucking black hole where they deserve to be - but he doesn't want to make her do that, she already pulled them here, and who knows how much it puts her through to do this shit. A nosebleed is just a nosebleed, but there's stuff under the surface he bets neither of them see.
So he catches her glance back at him, but it's just a fleeting look. He doesn't have the patience to plan or any big ideas here. He has a loaded gun tucked away in his jeans that's definitely illegally acquired, a whole lot of stolen jewelry in the bike, and zero desire to get in a cop car. They don't play nice and give free rides, they'll search his shit, he knows this. He's already some kind of suspect for some stupid bullshit crime they've made up in their heads and they'll pin it on him whether they have evidence or not because it's what cops do.]
She didn't do nothing. Let her go.
[Cops play by dumb rules that they make up on the fly but he's pretty sure they can't force her to go with them if she's not under arrest. Johnnie, meanwhile, he plants his feet and doesn't budge. He's not answering that question.
The cop facing him sighs and he feels so fucking patronized by it, but he keeps his hands steady, rather than clocking the guy square in the jaw.]
You come with us back to your daddy's place, or you come with me to the station, son, those are your choices. I'm asking nicely, here, I don't mean to be unreasonable. Come on, now.
[He beckons, takes a half-step back like Johnnie might just be talked into coming to the car if he's nice enough. It's that or the handcuffs. There's enough that's fishy here where he sees plenty of reason to break those out if it comes to it.]
No. He's the one who hit her.
[Now that's a blatant lie, but Johnnie says it with absolute conviction. If nothing else maybe it'll confuse these two bastards for long enough that they slip up. Fuck it, if they have to fight these two off and bail, he's ready for it. He's itching for it.]
Now why would he call us if he's the one who hit her?
[Still, the way the kid says it seems like he genuinely believes it. So he's confused, and isn't really sure what to think.]
Go on and get your bike and follow us back to the house. We'll sort things out there.
[He can tell that Johnnie isn't going to be a willing participant in any of this, so he figures adding some extra incentive might be helpful.]
We can either do this the easy way or the hard way. And I don't know about you, son, but I'd prefer it if she didn't have to see you in handcuffs. I don't want to upset her more than she already is.
[Back in the car, Chrissy isn't speaking to the cop that's questioning her. She's told him her first name, but that's about it.]
How old are you, sweetheart?
[That question makes her turn her head so she can look at him, but she doesn't say anything.]
Sixteen? That looks about right.
[She turns her gaze downward and refuses to answer. He sighs and reaches over to pat her on the shoulder like he's comforting her.]
Don't you worry. We'll make sure he doesn't get near you again.
[It's obvious he's talking about Johnnie and not Ed, and that's what sets Chrissy off into pure upset. Tears come to her eyes and she shakes her head, and tries darting out of the backseat.]
Johnnie!
[Her control slips as panic settles in, and she's thankfully knocked out of it as the cop grabs her by the arm and puts her back in the car and shuts the door. He's had enough of these kids already, and they haven't gotten them anywhere near being back home yet.]
Fuck. Well, no winning this one.]
Yeah. I'll follow.
[Man, what the fuck is he going to do, though? Well, no time to plan. They're going to have to deal with whatever happens as it happens. Johnnie hops on his motorcycle, gets the engine started, and suffers the slow drive back those few blocks.
The cop car pulls up in his Papa's driveway, and Johnnie parks the motorcycle on the curb but doesn't immediately hop up to go join them all. If he has to bail, he wants to already be on the street.
And there's his stupid asshole father, waiting, ready to open the door right as one of the cops gets out to knock, while the other offers her a hand out of the back seat and holds the door for her like pigs can be gentlemen or some shit.]
Evening, sir. We found them just down the street.
[Papa looks from Chrissy to Johnnie, the tiredness in his eyes showing. It's late. Or early. This isn't how he wanted to start the day.]
Thanks for looking after them, officer. Johnnie, come on over.
[Johnnie bristles, and very nearly stays exactly where he is. But he takes a second and a half to think on it, then hops off and slowly strides toward the door. He's a lot of things right now - pissed off, for sure - but he's no coward.]
We told you we were on our way. What the hell more d'you want, old man?
Her arms wrap around him on impact, and she clings to him even as the cops approach and try to pry her off of him.]
She's real worked up, Ed. Won't tell us anything, though.
[Marv looks over to his partner trying to pull the girl off of Johnnie. She's doing a really good job of clinging to him. Maybe she's not afraid of the kid after all.]
The thing is, Ed, your boy told us that you're the one that hit her. Is that why she's so upset?
[Something clicks in her head, and Chrissy decides she's had enough.]
I'm upset because you keep trying to take me away from Johnnie and he's the only one I trust! He'd never hurt me. Ever. He's nothing like his dad.
[Does that count as her putting the blame on good old Ed? She doesn't care. She just wants the cops to leave. She also wants to make sure Johnnie's dad hears this next part, so she pulls free from Johnnie's arms on her own accord and turns to look him right in the eye.]
He grew up to be a good man. He protects me. Takes care of me every single day. He makes sure I'm safe. I'm never afraid of him.
Ed looks at Johnnie, at Chrissy, and then at the cops.]
I never - a good man doesn't lie.
[Johnnie snorts.]
You are so fucking full of it.
[The police look unsure as to what to do here - caught between letting these three handle this, or maybe bringing them all in. But Johnnie's father sees them about to ask more questions and shakes his head.]
Sorry to trouble you, officers. Thanks for bringing them back. I need to talk to my son. Johnnie, come on inside. Please.
[Johnnie breathes in a slow breath through his nose, gives Chrissy a squeeze, then takes a tentative step forward. He has no interest in talking, he just wants the cops to fuck off, but that's a good enough reason to cooperate for now.]
Fine. Okay? Fine. I'll come in. Long as those two clear out.
She's giving this reunion five or ten minutes tops before they're leaving again.]
Why don't you go use the bathroom to clean up.
[Ed suggests, gesturing over to the hallway on the right.]
Second door on your left. Take all the time you need.
[She nods and heads that way, but rushes to wash her face and rinse away all the blood so she can get back as fast as she can. There's no way she's missing much of the conversation that's going to be happening. She comes back about a minute later, curiously watching the two to try and get a read on how things are going.]
Is everything okay?
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.
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.]
[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.
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.]
[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.
[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.]
[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!
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.
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.]
[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.
[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.