:) xxx

Syed turned his case, the wheels making a perfect circle in the yellow earth, and leaned it against the telegraph pole. Squinting in the sunlight, he took in the rocky scenery, gazing out to the line of mountains shimmering on the horizon, and, despite the frisson of joy that the stark beauty of his surroundings moved in him, wrinkled his nose.

"Is it too late to hide?"

Dropping the rucksack beside the case with a grunt, Christian placed his hands on the top of his buttocks and stretched his muscles with a grimace of pain.

"Hop on my shoulders and we'll shimmy behind the pole, no one will ever notice…. Please tell me you're not going to want to do a runner and I'm going to have to lug this bugger all the way back to that garage? That bloke in the dungarees gave me the creeps. The hills have eyes! What's up?"

"Oh nothing."

"Sy." Christian raised one eyebrow, tipped the brim of his cowboy hat low over his forehead and regarded Syed sternly, making him laugh.

"Okay, okay! Just had a wobble. We've had such a brilliant time. I wish we could have stayed there, just you and me. New York was awesome."

"Yeah, it was…"

In a brief and comfortable mutual silence, they both remembered the past fortnight. Memories of trudging through the snowy streets, arm in arm, drinking hot chocolate in Central Park. Watching art house movie and feeling as if they were in one. Dancing in a small, achingly trendy club, until a mutual longing forced them to leave, rushing through the crowds to their cheap hotel room, to make slow, tender love for hours. Lying together afterwards, bodies wrapped around each other, bathed in the neon glow of the advertising signs beyond their window, listening to the wail of passing sirens, the drone of the traffic and the beat of their hearts.

"…Fucking freezing though. At least it's a bit warmer here." Smiling, Christian broke the spell and gave Syed's arm a reassuring nudge with his own. "You hear that creaking noise?"

"Is it your knees?"

"No it isn't, git. It's our bubble expanding to let other people in. We're going to have a ball."

Trying to seem convinced, Syed nodded and perched on top of the case, pushing his feet out in front of him.

"We always do."

"Yes we do, and don't you forget it. Though I don't know why matey wanted to meet us out here in the middle of nowhere, a bar in San Francisco would have been a damn sight more convenient. Oh! NOW I see. Here come Dastardly and Muttley, making an entrance…"

Christian reached for Syed's hand and pulled him upright. He pointed along the long road. It dipped and rose, snaking into the distance, flanked by the stark avenue of telegraph poles, joined forever by a lace of wires, seeming to stretch to infinity. Following the line of Christian's finger, Syed traced the approach of a vintage red convertible, watching as it roared towards them at terrifying speed, stirring billows of dust in its wake.

The car screeched to a halt, tyres crunching on the rough verge, forcing Christian and Syed to step back, avoiding the spray of stones that nearly peppered them. One hand on the wheel, his elbow resting on the edge of the door, Michael beamed with delight.

"Hurrah! I was worried you'd change your mind. You both look dazzlingly fit. Cool hat, Christian. You'll give Ror an aneurysm, he loves a cowboy. It's so good to see you!"

He vaulted out of his seat with ease and grabbed them both into a crushing hug.

"Looking good yourself! " Christian extricated himself and tugged at the dark growth on Michael's chin. "That's a big old beard!"

"I'm sick of it. Had to grow it for a shoot. Please tell me you'll let me use your trimmer. Someone forgot to bring mine…"

Rory, still in the passenger seat, trying to smooth his tousled hair and painlessly extricate strands of it from the hinges of his glasses, shrugged his shoulders.

"Hello. I'm someone, who might have forgotten it accidentally on purpose. As well as loving a cowboy, very nice hat Christian, I also love a salty sea dog."

To Syed's relief, Michael stopped raining kisses on his cheek, like an over excited puppy, to grumble a response,

"Tough. It's going. You blew it when you said I looked like Captain Haddock."

Syed laughed at the unkind comparison and waved a greeting.

"Hey Rory. Is it tickling your fancy?"

"His fancy can do one, no more pirate fun for him. He doesn't have to wear the beast. I keep getting stuff in it." Michael pouted, looking pleadingly at Christian for support.

"Stuff?" Christian's mouth drooped in mock compassion, and Michael winked, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Mmm. Stuff. How are you? Your Mum and Dad all right, Christian? How was New York?"

"They're fine, thanks, bellyaching about the weather, but secretly pleased to be home." Christian gently touched the soft nape of Syed's neck. "And New York was fantastic. Did you have a good Christmas and New Year?"

"Eventually! I nearly spent Christmas day at Beijing airport. Had to deploy an oil slick of charm to get a flight home."

"Such an effort for him…" Rory said dryly.

Christian barked with amusement and strolled over to the convertible, running his finger along the shining chrome appreciatively.

"Isn't it! Nice wheels. You finally traded in the green monstrosity, then, Michael?"

"How very dare you! Though I might, for this… Nah, this is only borrowed. Got to drop it off at the next town."

Puzzled, Syed frowned.

"What are we going to do a road trip in then? Or have we got to walk to Vegas?"

A horn blasted, making him jump in alarm and clutch his chest. The honking noise was followed swiftly by an unmistakeable shriek. Rory rolled his eyes and slumped down into the cream leather seat, muttering, "oh god" under his breath and Christian clapped in delight.

"Fuck me; it's Godzilla, spleen of the desert!"

The Winnebago, a sleek, huge, aluminium bullet, growled ever nearer, Steve grinning broadly through the windscreen, while Sam hung precariously out of the open window, holding a lilac scarf high in the air, letting it ripple and flap in the breeze, yelling obscenities at the top of his voice.

Syed stood beside Christian and slipped his arm around his waist, hissing through a rictus grin,

"I told you we should have hidden…"