Joey seems rushed to get back. I thought we would take our time to reconnect, to enjoy being back together, but he suggests we pack right away and hurries to his room to get started. I don't know why his urge to save everyone from town is suddenly this strong, but I don't want to stop him. I feel the need to help my loved ones, but I'm too crippled by fear to feel that motivated over the matter. In fact, it worries me more how urgent Joey is making this.
I get packed and we check out of the motel and get right back on the road. It feels like we never left the car. Joey and I both call our jobs while traveling. We tell them there's a family emergency and we are not sure how long we will be gone. Gunther is fine with this and tells me my job and he will be waiting for me to return... sometimes my boss is a little strange. Joey tells me his boss isn't too happy being that he maybe worked all of one day, but sounded empathetic in the end. Joey doesn't seem bothered.
We drive for the rest of day. I'm basically falling asleep by the time Joey finally pulls into another motel and we stop for the night. We check in and without even discussing it, we crawl into the bed and into each other's arms. I love being so close to Joey again, smelling his hair, his skin, his entire scent. After only a minute or so, my mind can't help, but wander.
"Aren't you scared?" I ask aloud. Joey stays quiet for a moment. I turn over so we are facing one another.
"A little," he responds.
We gradually start to see more than just the outline of our faces in the dim lighting.
"I'm scared," I whisper to him.
"I know, but I think it's only right we do this," he tells me.
"I know, I want to go back, I just can't help, but be scared," I admit to him.
"Hey, I'm not letting anything happen to you, you know that right? No one is taking you away or locking you up," he tells me in a firm voice. It does settle my nerves. I just love that we're back. I hated every minute we spent apart. I lean in and kiss him gently. He kisses me back and then strokes my face with the back of his hand. I grab onto his hand and then flip back over, wrapping his arm around me. We drift off to sleep.
We keep driving the next day. It's hard for things to feel normal when I'm more and more on edge with everyday we get closer to our old town. I guess we are both on edge because even today not much happens between us. When we check into a second hotel for the night we merely kiss goodnight and get straight into bed. We do discuss our "plan". Basically, we plan to separate. Joey will drop me off at my old house so I can talk to Barry and he will head to Cindy. After that, we will find our parents and friends and hope they can all help us spread the message.
We drift off to another nervous night before we wake up to one last day of driving.
Joey thinks we will reach Greenwich by late afternoon. My bones are literally rattling with fear and neither of us say a word as noon is approaching on the car clock. Finally, around 1 pm, we make a stop, but neither of us have an appetite. So, we use the bathroom and buy a bottle of water.
As I'm walking back to the car, I know this is it. It'll be another hour or two and then we will be back in the hell we left. We will have to face our family, our friends, our neighbors... everyone.
I hate thinking this might be the last time Joey and I are free, but I can't help, but imagine the worst. I get in the car and turn to Joey who is about to start the car up again. He puts the key in the ignition, but I place my hand over his before he gets a chance to turn it. He pauses and looks at me.
"Joey, maybe we should make one last good memory... just in case," I suggest. He removes his hand from the key so I remove my hand as well.
"Rachel, we're going to be fine," he reminds me, but it's not working as well to settle my nerves.
"Ok, but we've barely had time to reconnect. I think it might relax us," I try.
"Rachel, we spent two nights together and you didn't need to reconnect then. You're only saying this now because your scared, but it's like I told you-" he starts telling me, but I don't need to hear it again. I jump up and climb over him, placing myself on his lap, in between him and the steering wheel.
He looks a little disappointed at my stubbornness.
"You're telling me you don't want to?" I test him hoping he'll cave.
"Not if you're reasons are only out of fear," he say sternly.
"They're not-I'm horny, really," I tell him.
He narrows his eyes at me with a smirk.
"Well, I'm not in the mood so how about we save this for tonight instead."
I narrow my eyes back at him.
"Not in the mood?" I challenge and I press my hips down into his crotch and start circling my hips right over his dick.
"He-hey that's not fair," he quickly stammers and tries to push my waist up and off him. I don't budge and keeping pushing my hips back down and it turns into a struggle of him trying to lift me back to my seat and me trying to keep my ass planted.
"Arggg alright!" I finally pant out, frustrated. I annoyingly crawl back to the passenger seat. I buckle my seatbelt, cross my arms and huff an angry sigh.
"Rachel, come on, I don't want you to be mad at me," Joey pleads, but I stay in my childlike pose and ignore him.
"Rach, please," he tries again and places his hand on my shoulder, but I still keep quiet.
"Here if you want I'll give you a memory," he says and suddenly his hand travel down to my crotch and up my skirt. I instantly squeeze my legs together and grab his hand, bringing it back in plain sight.
"Joey!" I exclaim shocked.
"What? I don't want you to sit here horny," he smiles widely at me.
I smirk at his ridiculous actions.
"I can't believe you," I try to hold back a laugh that's crippling up my throat. I think he can tell I find this amusing.
"I'm fine, I'll just have to be uncomfortable the rest of the ride," I state.
"Hey, I'm the one that has to drive with a boner."
"But you don't have to!" I turn back to him frantically, too excited that he might actually be turned on.
"No," he points a figure at me and I slouch back in my chair.
He finally turns the key in the ignition and we start driving again.
Eventually, we start recognizing the roads right outside town and finally we pass the Greenwich sign. It's funny they even have a sign... who ever leaves, at least no one is supposed to leave, and I would bet Joey and I are definitely the first to ever come back.
We drive into the town and no one is shooting us down or beaming any sirens. Everything is quiet and normal. Joey keeps driving until we get to my street and I can barely breathe at this point. My whole body feels heavy and I'm terrified. He finally stops the car outside my house. I don't move. Joey puts the car in park and looks over at me.
"You okay?" he speaks in a hushed tone.
I try to breathe in a deep breath, but my body can barely do anything at this point.
"Rachel, he's not going to hate you," Joey says as if he is reading my mind. I look at him, shocked he knew I was thinking it.
"How do you know?" I whisper.
"Because you're saving him. We're saving everyone from this place," he tells me and I realize that's true. It makes me feel a little better. I breathe slightly steadier now.
"Besides, who could ever hate you," Joey adds sweetly.
"You're just saying that because you love me," I smile tensely.
"That's true, so even if he hates you, I still love you."
I smile at his words and his face. I lean in quickly and kiss him. I try to remember the feeling of his lips, every part of the warm sensation his kisses give me.
I let him go and take one last look at him. He nods his head.
I get out of the car and force myself to the front door. I open the door and look back at Joey one last time who's waiting for me to go inside. I walk in and I hear him drive away.
I close the door so gently, as if I'm sneaking in. I stand frozen for a moment, so scared to face Barry. I finally walk into the house and soon realize he's not downstairs.
I make my way up the stairs and hear the tv on in the bedroom. I see the door slightly ajar and I know he's in there. I walk to the door. I take a deep breath and then push it open.
Barry is lying on the bed. He freezes when he locks eyes with me.