El's POV

We didn't stop all night, just kept going and going. I found it hard to fall back asleep as the hours crept by. We didn't talk, we didn't sleep, and we just went.

Under normal circumstances, he and I would have talked about anything and everything, being each other's best friends. But the magnitude of being on our own had seemed to set in. Though Edward looked a little unsure of himself from time to time, he seemed more determined to get away.

Sometime early in the morning, we crossed into the New Mexico Desert, and I noticed the gas needle on 'E.'

"Edward…" I said softly.

"I know, El. There's a gas station up ahead."

"Sorry."

"You didn't do anything. I'm just…tired."

"Do you want me to drive?"

"No. You haven't slept at all."

"Neither have you, silly." I smiled.

He looked at me, and for the first time since we'd left, he smiled back. Good, it made me feel better that he was out of his mood.

A minute later, we pulled into the gas station. Edward got out, and I did too, stretching my stiff legs for the first time in what felt like forever. It was extremely hot out of the air-conditioned cab of our silver truck, even my thin yellow tank top and jeans felt like too much.

I took the elastic band on my wrist off and pulled my dark brown curls up into a ponytail.

Edward entered the station, soon coming back our and shrugging.

"There's no one here."

"That's great." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Well, we need the gas…I'll just leave the money on the counter. Go see if you can grab some ice."

"For what?"

"Your eye." He said tensely.

I remembered and automatically reached up to touch it, wincing as it stung beneath my fingers.

"Don't do that." He said firmly.

I went into the store, slowly looking around, it smelled like…something. But I'd never smelled it before, so I hurried about finding the ice, also grabbing a plastic bag to put it in.

Pressing it tenderly to my eye, I came back outside, Edward was just finishing filling the tank.

He traded me a few twenties for the ice pack, and I saw that there was only one bill left, but he quickly shoved it back down into his pocket.

I didn't want to be in that creepy store longer than necessary, so I hurriedly threw the money on the counter and ran back out to the truck.

Edward laughed a bit at my apparent nervousness.

"In a hurry?" He asked.

"It's just…creepy. Can we go?"

He nodded, cranking the truck and riving away.

The bright sun was behind us.

I still hadn't slept, for some reason, sitting on my butt for long periods of time never had made me very tired.

Edward on the other hand, was nodding.

I kept offering to drive, but he said no, so finally, I resorted to talking to him, trying to keep him awake.

At last, what I had been afraid of happened.

"…Edward."

No response.

"Edward?"

I looked ahead, and saw the gigantic rock in our path a second too late.

"Edward!"

His head snapped up, but not soon enough. He slammed on the brakes, but we still hit the rock head on, too hard for comfort, and my head rolled forward on my neck, the seatbelt cutting into my stomach.

I don't think I screamed.

For a second, all was still, then I started breathing heavily again, Edward looked over at me.

"Oh my God, El! Are you okay?!"

I nodded. "I'm fine."

He hit the steering wheel. "Damnit!"

"Edward…:" I said, then looked out the windshield. "Edward, look."

There was a faint column of smoke rising in the sky ahead, only a few miles away.

He got out, then came around to meet me as I did the same. "Think there are people out there?" I asked.

"Hopefully, because I don't know anything about cars."

I looked at him. "Guess that's where I get it from."

He scowled playfully, then started walking. I followed, anxious about what lay ahead.

Then again, what could possibly happen in the middle of the desert?