I thought for hours straight. Around one in the morning, I turned in the chair and shook Nick's shoulder gently, " Hey, get up."

Nick grumbled something. A sigh expanded his ribcage, and he sat himself up, rolling his shoulders and neck, " what? why?"

" I'm sorry." I said, realizing I had probably woken him up from a half-decent sleep, " You can go back to sleep, but can I drive? I'm bored as hell."

Nick didn't answer, just opened his door and tossed me the keys. We switched sides. I ran my palms over the unfamiliar leather of the wheel and sighed softly through my nose. The key slid smoothly into the ignition; the mustang purred so sweetly I shivered. Nick slid into the passenger side and reclined his chair. He said, " just follow this road. Stop when you want to or when you see a the town we dropped the van off in."

I nodded, " alright. Night Arson."

He was already half asleep, " Night Angel."

I pressed the gas petal and the thing moved forward fluidly. Before long, I was gliding along the road a little faster than I should have been and enjoying it a lot more than I normally would have. With Nick asleep, I played the radio softly, Happy Little Pill streaming through the speakers.

I drove so long that the gas started to deplete and on the eastern horizon a faint dull orange had started to eat up the sky. I drove a little faster.

Before long I saw a small city. Nick woke up and put his chair back. I asked, " What do you plan to do with the mustang when we get the van back?"

" Morning to you too." He teased, ruffling his hair with one hand.

I rolled my eyes, " no seriously. We can't just leave it, can we?"

" Nope. My plan is leave it here in a car shop and find a way to get Jericho to pick it up for me." Nick said, " I bet that guy with the van will be happy to hold it for me."

I shrugged, " I guess that'll work."

I slowed to a stop and we switched sides again. Honestly, not a detail of the town had stuck in my mind. The only things I remembered were Jacob and the large silver building with the over glossed business man.

We pulled up to a generally white building that had a large black square of an opening to the garage. Jacob emerged from it, hands smudged with grease; body decked out in a blue jumper. He smiled, " hi folks, what can i do for ya?"

" We're here to pick up the van." Nick said, a dashing, but tilted, smile barrowing his lips.

Jacob grinned even more, " Mr. Nicholas. You'll be happy to know that everythings still fully functioning and she works like a doll."

" I wouldn't have it any other way." Nick replied.

Jacob took us inside the garage where the van was stationed. It did look better. The paint looked brighter and every hint of metal on it was shinier. Nick asked, " could you house a car for me while I drive this back upstate?"

Jacob rubbed his chin, " It'd cost ya a little, but I think we can arrange something. What's up?"

Nick said, " Need a place to put my mustang until I can find a way to get it home safely."

" Fair enough. It'll be a monthly fee but the price isn't too bad. I'll show ya where to park it."

Nick and Jacob parked the mustang and I put my stuff back in the van. Inside it smelled like descretely of pine. I took a deep breath, then sighed. The interior was so familiar. The couch was scratchy. The bed was small but usable. The front dashboard was a little dusty and the wheel's leather was worn. A little pine tree hung on the rear view mirror.

Nick came in with his stuff and dropped it in the back. He sighed the same way I did, " it's like walking into home."

I nodded, and fell onto the couch.

Nick had already paid for the first month for his mustang, and he paid the fee for the van's fixing too. It wasn't too long until we were saying goodbye to Jacob and pulling out of the garage. Nicholas ran his hands over the wheel, " I missed this thing."

" Dude." I said, " same here. So frickin' comfortable."

He laughed, and started the van. It purred. The van purred.

We gave eachother a look that said whole. E. Shit.

We drove out of the garage and the van moved so smoothly I could have cried. It had seriously needed this tune up. I practically rolled in the material of the couch. It made my skin itch and it was wonderful. Nick was practically molesting the wheel, but the leather on it was so smooth I would have done the same thing.

And it was so quiet. The engine barely made any noise at all. It was a gentle purr. I used to be able to feel it move when I sat in the passenger side; now there was nothing. When we turned on the radio, the music didn't have to be that loud for us to hear it.

" Nick." I said, my tone dead serious.

" yeah?" He asked, eyebrows drawing together.

" I'm marrying a van. Screw humanity. Mechanics is where it's at." I said, still serious, my arms sprawled out on the dashboard.

Nick threw his head back in laughter and the van glided to the side slightly. I didn't mind, it was love at second sight. It was new and improved. It was currently a he so I could love him forever. Casually flicking through the radio stations, my mind didn't cease to be blown by the way the channels just flipped. I didn't have to crank the volume nob all the way to the right.

This, was life.

Nick was obviously in the same trance, so relaxed in the seat I thought he might melt. His tone was rich as he said, " I know he didn't do any interior work but it all feels so new."

I nodded. He continued, " I know the mustang was great but I missed this thing."

" arson, me too." I reclined my chair back one and closed my eyes. I could feel the sunlight on my eyelids, on the top of my head and arms. A large part of me would miss the beautiful weather, the clear blue skies and the endless beach and freedom. Another part of me missed the towering buildings of New York, a city built up not out. I missed the bustle on the sidewalks and the horrid traffic that clogged the streets. I was raised in that mess, it was the surest thing I knew.

But the sun and the sky was new and wonderful and accepting. It kept my skin warm and I could wear shorts all day and night. It wasn't cold and the ocean was wonderful.

Oddly enough I thought of Nick in the water. The way the droplets cling to his skin and his eyes reflected both worry and the waved Was all mesmerizing.

I thought about grandma, and if she loved the ocean. Maybe I got it from her. I said, " my parents alway hated swimming."

" but you don't." He said, arching a brow.

" maybe I got it from my grandma." I said, nonchalantly.

" why'd she move to california?"

A sigh, " she was tired of being boxed in. She wanted to feel the open and wanted to be on the sand. She never said anything about the ocean though, just watched it."

" you got it from her."

" I guess... I know you're not afraid of swimming, but are you afraid of the ocean? Like, not the water part of it-"

" I know what you mean, Angel." He dead panned. Then his tone got softer, " I'm not afraid of it, I think the idea of what can happen to the people I care about in it is was worries me."

" what about yourself?"

" what do you mean?"

I shrugged a shoulder, " what about yourself in the ocean, doesn't that ever scare you."

He shook his head, " I'm hardly concerned about myself. Angel, you have to understand on thing about me. I don't worry about myself. I'm not suicidal, I'm just more concerned about others."

" so you wear your heart on your sleeve?"

" nah. I guess going through shit makes you immune to that."

He was right, " fair enough."

Casually, he arched a brow, " why so many questions."

I shrugged again, " I don't know, I guess I just... You can ask me questions too."

Nick drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, absently biting his lower lip, " I can ask you questions too, huh?"

" thats what I said."

Casually, he asked, " Do you really want to go home?"

" Good question." I replied. Then I stood, and got myself a glass of water. The van was so smooth on the road I could balance three golf ball on the counter. Sitting back down, I said, " I don't know."

He sighed, clicking his tongue, " Good question, not a good answer."

" Fine." I said, tone flat. It took a lot of thought. Granted, I missed the high standing buildings and clogged streets and rude people. But when I thought about the California ocean and the openness, I realized I was a lot more like my grandmother. I liked being free. Even so, California had cities too, " I don't really need to go back." I said, slowly, " but it's the right thing to do."

He nodded, " mhm."

Then he was silent. I decided to follow his lead. We ate from what we had bout at convenient stores; nothing healthy, sadly. Honestly, it was easy. I could sit in silence with Nick and feel completely at home.

When it got to late for Nick to drive, we parked on a tourist spot in the road. We brushed our teeth, changed into pjs, and I shook my hair out. Then, we sat on the bed with a map and planned a few, but not many, places we could stop just for kicks.

We would stop at Jericho's house for a night, a few hotels, and try camping once. From what I'd heard, the forest life wasn't my life. Nick wanted to do things. I did too. At the same time, I felt bad about it. My grandmother just died and I was going to mourn about it by bee lining home while making various lively side stops.

There weren't many side stops and they weren't anything major. Just stuff like Jericho and Motels. To get out of the van.

By the time we were done there were a few pins on the map. He got up and laid it out on the dashboard.

When he returned I was already snuggled in the bed. He fell onto the matress and sighed. I could hear the faint swish of his beanie flying through the air and landing in a puddle on his boots. I turned to face him, " Was this a bad road trip?"

" I think plane tickets would have been more efficient." He teased.

I pushed him gently, " Shut up."

He smiled, then his features softened, " I think this road trip was worth it, that it had some ups and downs. But what road trip doesn't?"

" Yeah." I sighed softly.

Raising a brow, he looped an arm around me, " If it helps, I don't regret this."

A small smile touched my lips, " It doesn't really. But it helps that you're here.... believe it or not." I stuck my tongue out at him.

He rolled his head, "Go to bed, Angel."

" shut up, Arson."