It was dark and nearly midnight by the time the three of them made their way into Sturgis South Dakota. All of the tension and road weariness they'd felt for most of the trip seemed to melt away when they saw the menagerie playing out all around them. There were bars everywhere with their doors wide open. Loud music carried out of each one and mixed with the constant rise and fall of revving engines to create a sound that to most would be chaos but, to Tanya and Erica it was the sweetest song in the world.

"How do you feel now?" Tanya laughed as they crept three across down Main Street. She watched her friend's eyes glitter with a light she only ever found this time of year.

"How do you think I feel?" Her smile was as wide as Tanya had ever seen it as Erica waved and reached over, shaking hands with a very large man they hadn't seen since last year. The redhead said something to him then gestured to Tanya and then to Ashley. The grisly old biker revved his engine and raised a fist to each of them before gunning his engine and disappearing in the opposite direction.

"Who was that?" Ashley yelled to them as a bike with particularly loud pipes shot past them.

"That was Bear; he's been coming here for years." Tanya answered. "He likes us because we're not like the rest of the women who ride."

As if right on cue, an old Indian rolled past with a woman on the back screaming as if her life depended on it. She had one arm wrapped around a weathered old man's shoulders and she was standing, waving her shirt over her bleached blonde hair.

"Yeah, we're not like that." Erica reiterated. The younger redhead nodded stoically and actually shook her head to clear the image.

"Ooh! Get over!" Erica called pointing up ahead. "Get over! We're going to One Eyed Jack's!"

"SWEET!" Tanya agreed and immediately forced her way into a column of bikes on her right. Ashley glanced from friend to friend and followed suit before Erica plowed into her.

Their bikes parked safely amid fifty thousand others, the three of them headed inside. Tanya and Erica seemed so at home in this environment, Ashley couldn't believe it. She followed close behind them as they entered. Immediately, she was blasted with the loudest band she'd ever heard! She winced slightly and grabbed a hold of the back of Tanya's vest to keep from getting lost.

It seemed to take them forever just to make it up to the bar. Every few moments, either Tanya or Erica would stop to shake hands or to pull someone into a boisterous hug. Each time they'd take a moment to introduce her and before she could run screaming, she'd be wrapped into the same big bear hug as her friends.

"I'll never remember all the names…"

"Don't worry; chances are they're too drunk to remember you either." Erica laughed.

"Well let's see… I've been introduced to Dog, Bear, Ice man, Unk, Dyer, Curly….Jesus; don't these people have real names?"

"I'm sure they do but we don't know'em." Tanya laughed as they squeezed up to the bar and held up their money. It took a minute or two but the bartender made his way over to them. He looked like the rest of the patrons. He was older with a scruffy graying beard and he was wearing a leather vest over his bare chest and rotund belly.

"What can I get you gals?" He asked with a thick southern drawl. Ashley began to order but Erica slapped a hand over her mouth.

"I've got this one. Three shots of Jose Cuervo." The old bartender nodded and walked away to pour.

"The traditional opener I see." Tanya smiled appreciatively. Ashley however, looked like she'd swallowed a frog. "What's the matter?"

"I don't do shots."

"Well," Erica slapped her on the back as she spoke. "Ya do now."

The bartender returned with three glasses and filled them to the brim. Tanya grabbed two and handed one to Ash as Erica paid the man and thanked him for his time.

"Alright ladies…" The tone of Erica's voice seemed to cut through the raging background noise as she raised her shot glass high above her head with Ashley and Tanya following suit. "To friends…" Both women nodded laughing. "To this wondrous place…" The redhead continued overdramatically. Her two friends gave a loud whistle to accentuate her point. "And finally…" Her head drooped just slightly. "To Mark, wherever he may be. May he ROT IN HELL!"

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" Tanya yelled clinking her glass off the other two and pounding it back, slamming her cup onto the bar in perfect time with Erica. Ashley set hers down a bit more slowly.

"Wow! That hurt!" The little auburn haired woman wheezed one hand to her chest as if she were trying to make sure the alcohol stayed where she put it.

"It's supposed to." Tanya chuckled as she ordered a second round.

Seven rounds later, the three women where laughing hysterically as Tanya and Erica told stories of the many years past. They'd found a table comfortably away from the craziness so they could hear each other. In between their multiple shots, more people had come over to say hello and offered to buy drinks. Ashley was still working her way through a big rum and coke and Tanya was sticking strictly to the shots they were buying. Erica however, drank whatever was set down in front of her. Her two friends were almost beginning to worry about her. Tanya had even said she'd never seen her this drunk. It was as if she were trying to drown the last couple of days in alcohol. Ashley on the other hand, had a sneaking suspicion that the only thing she was drowning was her liver.

"OK!" The redhead slurred leaping out of her chair and knocking it backwards. "We need more shots!"

"How the hell are you gonna get your bike out of here?" Tanya scolded her. Erica let out a very deep breath and waved off her worry even as she wobbled on her feet.

"I'll worry about it tomorrow. For now, MORE DRINKS!" She threw her hands up into the air as she spoke and, hopping happily in a circle, disappeared through the crowd toward the bar.

Erica didn't remember it being quite that hard to find the bar. Every time she thought she was close, she'd find an exit. Once, she even found herself standing in the bathroom. No, not at all, that was not where she'd wanted to be.

Staggering back into the main room, the redhead squinted and took a good long look around. Yes, there it was, right where she'd left it. It's location fresh in her mind; she made a beeline for it. She could see the old bartender's shoulder and, in her drunken anticipation reached into her back pocket for her wallet when WHAM! She hit a wall of flesh.

"HEY! Look out! I'm walkin here!" She grumbled and took two small steps backward to keep her balance.

"Looks like you're stumbling to me there baby girl." A deep rumble sounded from above her. Erica took two more steps backward and looked way up to see just who was talking to her. Her face paled when her gaze met his face. She took two more big steps backward.

"Don't go runnin…" Mark said and reached out catching her wrist. He couldn't help but laugh as she bounced back toward him when she had fallen back as far as her arm would let her. "Do you think maybe we could go somewhere a little quieter, I'd like to talk to you." Erica's eyes were glassy as he spoke.

"NO! I can't do that!"

"And why not little girl?" The big man drawled as the redhead stumbled again. Before he knew it, he'd put out his arm to catch her.

"See…" She slurred squinting up at him. "I'm kinda attached to somebody. I think I really fucked that up though…He looks kinda like you but he's…Texas." She grinned goofily as Mark set her back on her feet.

"He's Texas?" The big man couldn't control his laughter. Erica nodded furiously.

"YES! That's what I said… He's Texas! Are you even listening? Geez…" Mark shook his head almost sadly and before she could protest, he lifted her up off her feet until she was cradled in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing?" She screamed and for a moment pounded on his chest.

"Alright baby girl, point me to your friends." He chuckled. Apparently quieted, or distracted, he wasn't sure which, Erica laid her head on his shoulder and pointed feebly in the direction she was pretty sure they were in.

"OH my GOD…" Tanya breathed her eyes wide as she saw the big man work his way through the crowd. Ashley swiveled in her chair to see what her friend was looking at.

"MARK!" The little girl gasped and leapt out of her seat, tackling him around his waist. The big man actually had to lift Erica up a bit higher to keep Ashley from head butting her.

"Hey there little girl…" He chuckled as she squeezed his middle.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came up here to get away for a while darlin. I never expected to run into you guys." Mark said as he inched past Ashley and set Erica's inert form against the back of the booth next to them. "I guess she'll be alright there for now."

"I thought you hated us." Tanya's voice was cool and measured as she spoke. Mark shook his head and pulled off the blue bandana he'd had tied over his hair before he ran a hand through it as he sighed heavily. His eyes never left Erica.

"No kid, I don't hate you." He said quietly and sat down in Erica's chair. "I don't even hate her."

"You didn't have to leave…" Ashley's face was a cross between hope and misery. Mark reached over, squeezed her knee, and smiled.

"Yes I did. She made sure I did." His voice was the epitome of regret as he spoke.

"Mark, she didn't mean it. Whatever she said, she didn't mean it." Tanya sympathized. She didn't like that look on her friend's face.

"Ya know, an hour ago I wouldn't have believed you." He chuckled. "But she just finished tellin me she was with some guy and he was Texas."

"What?" Both women blurted.

"Yeah, she doesn't know I'm here." He was laughing a little harder at the memory. "She says I look a lot like some guy she's attached to but it got all messed up…and he's Texas."

"Don't you mean he's in Texas?" Tanya offered. Mark covered his eyes as a giggling fit overtook him and shook his head.

"Nope, she said that the guy she's attached to IS Texas."

"Yeah wow, she's really drunk." Ashley chuckled.

Suddenly Mark jumped and jammed a hand into his pocket. A split second later it emerged with his cell phone. The big man checked the caller ID and flipped it open.

"Hello?" He answered it. "Yeah, I know. Alright, I'm on my way. Okay bye." He flicked the little screen shut and shoved it back into his pocket. "I've gotta go. Adam's been waiting by the bikes for nearly half an hour." He said standing. Tanya and Ashley stood with him, each in turn wrapping him into a big hug.

"Are you going to be here tomorrow?" Mark shook his head at the tiny brunette.

"No, we're actually leaving now. That's why he's by the bikes. All of our stuff is on'em."

"Tell Adam I said hi ok?" Ashley asked him as he squeezed her petite frame to his chest.

"You know I will darlin. He'll be really sorry he missed you." Sucking a deep breath, Mark turned to look back at Erica as she dozed drunkenly behind them. "Take care of her for me alright? Lord knows she won't let me do it."

"We always do." Tanya reassured him. The big man nodded almost sadly and started to make his way toward the exit. "MARK!" Tanya yelled over the crowd. At first she didn't think he'd heard her it took him so long to turn around. When he did however, the look in his green eyes made her feel justified in what she was about to say. "She does love you Mark. I know she does." She watched as sideways grin slid across Mark's face and couldn't help but smile herself.

Tanya waved a quick goodbye and stood watching until he'd been swallowed by the crowd. When she turned back, Ashley was slumped in her chair, staring at the table, and biting softly on her lower lip.

"What's wrong?"

"I really miss those guys."

"I do too."

"I really wish Erica wouldn't have scared them off." Tanya nodded and sighed, glancing back at their prone friend.

"I suppose we'd better find something to do with her." She giggled. Ashley looked back at her and couldn't help but laugh. Erica had managed to slide down the booth until her head was wedged into the corner between the wall and the seat and her arm was sticking up at an odd angle. Her mouth was open and Ashley had the sneaking suspicion that if the music hadn't been so loud, she could have heard her snoring. "Stay with her, I've got an idea." Before Ashley could protest, Tanya had ducked through the crowd.

"Alright, I just acquired us a place to stay for the night." The brunette told her as she returned. "We've just got to get her upright and out the door first."

"Where are we staying?"

"My parents are camped here." Tanya grinned happily and grabbed Erica's leg, pulling her closer toward the end of the bench.

"OW! Fucker…" The redhead muttered then lapsed back to unconsciousness.

"Your parents?" Ashley's eyes were huge.

"Yeah, I haven't seen them in years. This'll be great!"

"Don't you think we should talk to them before we take her comatose ass to their place?" Tanya cocked her head slightly to one side, confused.

"Why would we do that?" Ashley shrugged and didn't mention it again. Tanya obviously knew better how things worked out here so, hoisting one side of Erica's inert form up onto her shoulder, she took a deep breath and decided to go with the flow.

"HEY! What's a girl gotta do to get a little help around here?" Tanya screamed as the two of them all but dragged their third down a dirt and gravel path lined with bikes and campers. Through the trees, Ashley could see glimpses of campfires and hear the din of laughter as she did what she could to keep Erica's feet under her.

"Who's out there?" A voice called from somewhere.

"Just tell Beast his only child is here!" She called back but never broke stride.

"Shhhhhh… You need to shuddap." Erica slurred as her head bounced with each of their steps.

"Well, at least she's not dead." Ashley chuckled glancing over at Tanya. For a split second, she looked away from her feet. Immediately, Erica went limp and tangled her legs around both of theirs. With a yelp, all three of them went down on the gravel below.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Ashley growled rolling Erica off of her lap. The red head landed on her back with a thump and a puff of air both conscious women feared would be her last. Tanya let go a small sigh of relief when her chest expanded again.

"Mark you… fucker…" Erica garbled trying feebly to roll onto her side. After three tries, she succeeded and curled herself into a ball. All the while, she muttered drunken curses, apparently at whomever she could think of.

"We should get her drunk like this more often." Tanya chuckled as she attempted to peel her friend's arm away from the rest of her body.

"Why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Because tomorrow, WOW is she gonna hate herself." The brunette laughed heartily finally coaxing her friend to a somewhat upright position.

"Somebody out there?" A voice called from the distance.

"Is that you Dark Wolf?" Tanya's tone held just a touch of laughter as she recognized the voice behind the flashlight that was coming closer to them.

"Tanya?" The man chuckled back as he walked through the trees and up to them. "I'll be damned; I didn't expect to see you here."

"Haven't gotten away from my parents yet huh?" The brunette laughed as she pushed the majority of Erica's weight onto Ashley and stood up, wrapping the man in a tight hug.

"'Course not. I've been waiting for you to come back. You know that."

Ashley sat staring at the two of them as they greeted each other. She'd met so many people that day but she had a sneaking suspicion that this one would make a lasting impression. He wasn't terribly tall. He was five foot eight if he was an inch with shaggy, shoulder length black hair and a goatee to match. He had the bluest eyes she'd ever seen next to Tanya's and they sparkled with delight as he gave Tanya a quick, but friendly, once over.

"Ashley, this is Paul but everyone out here just calls him Dark Wolf, or Wolf if that's easier." Tanya said happily. Ashley reached up to shake his hand. He crouched down slightly and clasped her forearm the way Erica had earlier that day.

"Nice to meet you sweetie." He said in a gravelly baritone before standing and wiping some dust off the knees of his battered denim overalls. "…and who's this?" He continued glancing down at the crumpled heap that was Erica.

"She needs somewhere to sleep it off." Tanya explained to him. Wolf shook his head chuckling and crouched back down pulling a purple bandana out of his bib pocket and wiped at her face. Erica's face transformed as if she'd bitten into a lemon and she flailed wildly at him.

"Calm down you…" He muttered and pried open her eyes one at a time. Finally nodding, he stood up jamming the bandana back into its pocket. "Well, she's not dead but she'll wish she was tomorrow."

"So we can bring her back to the camp?" Ashley asked, her eyes full honest concern.

"Of course you can. Any friend of Tanya's is welcome." Wolf chuckled producing a top hat seemingly out of nowhere and popping it onto his head. "This way ladies." He bowed theatrically and gestured with the flashlight.

Tanya walked to him smiling and pulled him into another hug before bending down to drape Erica's arm back over her shoulder.

"Come on Erica, time to get up." She grumbled as she tried to lift the redhead to her feet. Erica slid bonelessly back to the gravel.

"Get her legs. I'll get her shoulders." Wolf said reaching down and hoisting her effortlessly off the ground. Tanya nodded and she and Ashley each took a foot. Erica muttered a feeble protest then finally lapsed back into unconsciousness. "Okay, just down that trail to the right. You can't miss it."