Recommended Music: Haunted by Evanescence

"Hey, bird, we're stopping."

Trixie opened her eyes to Killer shaking her gently as he pulled into a truck stop. She readjusted herself so that she sat up fully then rubbed her eyes. She couldn't recall falling asleep.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Since we left Philadelphia," he replied. "Probably about three or four hours."

"Oh . . ." Trixie gazed out the window as Killer pulled next to a pump. Climbing out, she stretched her legs then made her way inside. As she browsed through the snacks, Trixie smiled a little. If it had been her and Speed on this journey, Spritle and Chim Chim would be with them. And they'd be asking for all sorts of candies and snacks. And sodas. Trixie idly wondered where exactly everything those two ever ate went to as she picked up some gummi worms, a bag of Doritos, and some Cokes. Killer had walked in just as she had finished paying for everything, including the fuel.

"We're all set," she stated.

"You paid for the gas?" he blinked. She nodded. "You're as bad as Torie."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help!"

"I know," he grinned. "Here." He handed her the keys. "You can drive for a while, kay?"

"Okay."

As she waited for him, Trixie rested her chin on the steering wheel. Doubt nibbled at her as she stared off. Was she doing the right thing, running away from Taylor like this? He had lied to her and on more than one occasion. Should she just abandon Speed once more? So many questions and she had very little answers.

"Something wrong, bird?"

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest at the sound of Killer's voice.

"Don't do that!" she snapped. "You scared me!"

"Sorry," he grinned again. "It's just we've been sitting here for five minutes and you looked rather . . . sad."

"Oh . . . Just thinking," she replied, starting the car.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know," she murmured. Killer tilted his head slightly, as if studying her.

"Wondering about your decision to leave the way you did?"

"Yeah," she nodded after a moment.

"Regretting it a little?"

"A little," Trixie conceded.

"That's to be expected. You're what, nineteen? Twenty?"

"Nineteen, yeah."

"And Torie gave you her no regrets speech, right?"

"Mm-hmmm."

Killer chuckled. "Yeah, she's good for that. Maybe that's why everyone likes her so much. Nice yet bitchy. Listen to her words. She has been there before and hasn't forgotten what it's like to be there."

"She doesn't seem like she's grown up," Trixie smiled.

"You're as old as you feel, they say. With Torie, it's true. She feels no different now than what she did at sixteen . . . except maybe that she's a lot happier now than what she was then."

"So you've learned to live with no regrets?"

"No regrets, bird. No regrets."

"What if the decision isn't a right one?"

"It's never too late to change your mind."

"I know . . . I just don't want to put him through anything more. He's been through so much already."

"I think you underestimate his strength, Trixie," Killer said. "Just like I think you underestimate yourself."

"Huh?"

"I'm saying that if you want to go to him then go to him. Don't make you and him both suffer."

"I . . . can't go to him . . . Not yet."

"Then it sounds like you need to discover your own strength, bird."

"I'm not a strong person, Kyler," she murmured sadly. "Look at what I did to the one I love . . . I believed someone else over him. I need to stay away . . . if only for a little while."

"It's up to you, bird."

Trixie nodded then frowned. "Why do you call everyone bird?"

"Because babes are beautiful, like birds! That's why!"

Trixie laughed. An honest to goodness laugh, something she hadn't done in what felt like an eternity.

"You're something else, Kyler. You know that?"

"That's what I'm told."

They fell silent for a few moments, the CD playing song after song.

"What's in California, Kyler?"

"A buddy of mine. His name is Jack. He lived in Philly for a while."

"Then where are you going after that?"

"Japan."

"I got my socks drying in the microwave . . ."

"I can't believe she put that song on here!"

Trixie laughed as he groaned about the song. No regrets. That's how she needed to look at this situation. What's done was done and her decision made.

'Time to live with it,' she thought as they continued down the turnpike.