00A.) Road Trip - written by Corli

[Note: This and Food Court were written as modern AU shortly before we got the idea for MEU.]

"We're here," Aragorn said as he pulled the van up to the pumps.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Pippin said, frantically crawling over his fellow hobbits, jumping out, and running to the restroom.

The rest of the fellowship took their time getting out. As soon as Aragorn popped the tank release, Boromir began pumping the petrol. Gandalf sauntered over towards the road, taking long, satisfying puffs on his pipe.

Sam paused from his washing of the windscreen to stick his head into the van. "Are you okay, Mr. Frodo? You still look a little green."

Frodo nodded slowly, popping another lemon drop in his mouth. "I think I'm gonna ask Gandalf if I can ride shotgun for awhile - I usually do better in the front seat."

"I'll ask him for you, Mr. Frodo. You just sit tight." And Sam walked over to the wizard, dripping water from the squeegy as he went.

"I still don't see why we didn't take the train," Gimli grumbled, stretching his legs. "The Moria Express has sleeping compartments AND a buffet car. And my cousin Balin promised he could get us a group discount."

Legolas was studying the map for the umpteenth time. "I think we took a wrong turn back at the Old South Road," he said, pointing on the map to show Aragorn. "We can take the 405 to the 70 and then we'll be back on track, but I don't think we'll get to Glanduin tonight. We should cancel our Motel 6 reservation now before they charge us."

"No," said Aragorn. "We can make it - we just might get there a little later than we'd hoped."

"The tank's full," Boromir announced, wiping his gas-stained hands on his shirt.

"Okay, everybody," Aragorn called out the window. "Let's go."

Gandalf begrudgingly put out his pipe, grumbling, "Why couldn't we get a rental car that allowed smoking?" as he climbed into the middle seat.

Frodo had already moved to the passenger seat, and he lay his head down on the open windowsill.

"Are you sure you'll be okay, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked one last time before climbing into the back.

"Where are the other hobbits?" Aragorn asked, doing a quick headcount.

"I'll go get them," Boromir said, running inside the convenience store.

"Why can't the hobbits clean after themselves?" Gimli grumbled, brushing crumbs away as he took Frodo's place in the backseat. "At the very least they could throw away their candy wrappers."

With a roar, a gang of motorcycles drove by with "Dunland" tattooed on their arms and backs.

"You could've let me finish the game," Merry complained as Boromir dragged him outside away from the Ms. Pac-Man. "I only had one guy left."

"Don't worry, Merry," Pippin said, holding up the huge bag of food he'd purchased. "I bought new batteries so we can play the GameBoy again."

Aragorn stared in amazement as Pippin crawled into the backseat, tentatively balancing his overflowing Big Gulp. "Are you kidding?"

The Took looked blankly at Strider. "What?"

Aragorn just shook his head, annoyed.

Legolas turned in his seat, asking, "Did you get my lembas?"

Pippin shook his head. "I forgot. But I got pork rinds," he said, holding out the bag to the elf.

Legolas sighed, turned around, and put his headphones back on.

"Everyone in?" Boromir asked before sliding the side door shut.

"I hope everyone went," Aragorn said, starting up the motor, "because we're not stopping again until Nin-in-Eilph."

Frodo sighed and popped in another lemon drop as the van slowly pulled away from the station.

THE END