A Thousand Miles From Nowhere

Rated T

Disclaimer: characters not mine. Come back later.

The steering wheel was wet and slick under his palm. For hundreds of miles, all Elliot had to look at was dust and the occasional sagebrush that dotted the barren landscape. He was hot and dirty - very dirty - but figured he didn't have to make a proper entrance.

They had her. Now he was coming to get her.

New York was a thousand miles ago. He could hardly remember the flight to Amarillo. Houston was a daze, LaGuardia a logjam and the cattle class on Continental a bore. Thinking about having her there on the flight back kept Elliot alive. Looking out at the ribbons of road he prayed for her as the radio faded in and out and the sun went down.

Tucumcari loomed out of the night. Its garish lights meant food and a bed. Elliot wanted to drive all night but his body was sending signs it was time to stop. No one looked at him in McDonalds; the desk clerk at the Blue Swallow paid little attention to his dusty clothes. Even though the room was barren it was somehow soothing. Just sitting in the air conditioning and watching TV seemed like something so normal in a week that was nothing but.

It took almost an entire hotel bar of Ivory soap until Elliot felt clean. Then, padding from the bathroom to the bed, he fished a curled picture from his small bag. She smiled out of the past, holding a coffee. Olivia's tanned skin and smile were all he needed to fall asleep.

"I'm going to find you. I promise," he said, touching the picture gently, then clicking out the light.

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