Chapter 22: Road Trip Part 1

A/N: In this chapter I am following a format set out by stupid_drawings in her "The Long Drive" series over on Live Journal. (I highly recommend them if you like BBC's Sherlock) In this fic. the numbers indicate time from when the trip starts. So 1.43 = 1 hour and 43 minutes.

-55
Marie and Elise hurry to get everything packed before Sarah pulls up in her small Ford Focus hatchback. Sarah pulls up at that exact moment and honks the horn. Elise shouts down that she and Marie will be down shortly. Sarah doesn't believe them.

-34
Elise runs back inside to grab her iPod which was left on the table.

-32
Elise runs back inside again to grab her cell phone.

-31
Elise runs back in one last time to grab her purse.

-15
Sarah, Marie, and Elise are all happy to finally be on the road towards San Francisco, California. Snacks are broken out and bottles of water are passed around.

-3
Marie forgot her cell phone as well, so they turn around.

-2
Sarah asks in a frustrated tone if anyone else has forgotten anything.

0
Marie and Elise shake their heads and they are finally on the road.

28
Elise and Sarah begin talking about Jareth.

36
Marie kindly requests they stuff a sock in it.

37
Elise and Sarah ignore her and continue discussing the Fae and his motives.

49
Marie starts singing loudly to a song only she can hear in her head.

50
Elise and Sarah agree to stop discussing Jareth if Marie will stop singing.

54
Elise put her iPod on and she and Sarah start to sing along with the dramatic acoustics of Josh Groban.

1.43
Marie is wondering when she'll get to put her iPod on. Sarah and Elise happily sing-a-long to Simon and Garfunkel. Marie thinks she needs an alcoholic beverage.

1.47
Elise tells Marie to stop sulking.

1.48
Marie sticks out her tongue at Elise.

1.49
Elise rolls her eyes and gives in. Marie happily passes over her iPod to be plugged in. Sarah and Elise grimace as heavy metal blasts through the speakers.

3.28
The first stop is taken at a random gas station. Marie rushes out to visit the restrooms after drinking too much water. Elise and Sarah take their time stretching their legs and using the restrooms themselves.

3.42
Elise has hidden Marie's iPod and Marie is loudly expressing her displeasure at this. Sarah tries to intervene, but only half-heartedly since this means she won't have to listen to Marie's music anymore.

3.56
The trio are once again on their way. Marie's iPod has been given back to her, but on the condition that she listen to it with earphones. Sarah is driving and thinking about how much longer this trip is going to be. Elise is in the passenger seat singing along with The Beatles now.

4.18
Marie pulls out pre-made sandwiches from the cooler and passes them around. They look at their sandwiches a moment before passing them around again, this time making sure that the each had the right one.

5.12
They stop at another rest stop to stretch their legs.

5.23
They resume driving. Elise is now behind the wheel, Marie is in the passenger's seat, and Sarah is taking a nap in the back seat. Marie and Elise agree to listen to Ellie Goulding and Chameleon Circuit.

7.46
After listening to Ellie Goulding's album twice and Chameleon Circuit's two albums, Elise and Marie agree to listen to Florence and the Machine of which Marie has two hours worth.

8.11
Elise and Marie start to play the mind association game. Elise starts with "Storm".

Marie replies with "-ageddon". Elise says "Doctor Who". Marie says "Awesome".

Elise says "Nerdfighter". Marie says "John Green". Elise says "Hank Green". Marie says "Henry Green". Elise says "Henry Ford". Marie says "Trucks". Elise says "Monster". Marie says "House". Elise says "Greg". Marie screams "PHIL'S NOT DEAD!" Sarah jerks awake from her nap. Elise calms her and shushes Marie. Sarah falls back asleep. The game continues a bit quieter.

8.33
They stop at another gas station. They fill the tank and go inside to walk around a bit and use the restroom.

8.36
Marie starts flirting with a red head in the salty snacks aisle, while Sarah and Elise pay for the gas.

8.42
Marie nurses her split lip from when the red head's lesbian lover punched her. Elise holds back her smile as she passes Marie ice from the cooler in the back seat. Sarah doesn't bother to hold back her laughter.

9.38
Marie takes over driving as night approaches. Elise moves to the back seat; Sarah shifts to the passenger's seat.

9.46
Marie smirks at an idea that pops into her head, pulls over to the side of the road once she's sure Elise and Sarah are asleep, then resumes driving after five minutes.

12.22
Marie curses and swerves to miss a family of raccoons on the side of the road. The raccoons, she's nearly positive, intentionally walked out in front of the car. Elise and Sarah sleep through the event and don't wake up when the car thumps quietly because Marie fails to completely miss one of the raccoons.

15.24
Sarah wakes up to relieve Marie from her driving. Marie smiles as she trades seats with Sarah.

15.26
Sarah notices a large black mustache drawn onto her upper lip in marker while looking in the review mirror. She glances back to see that Elise has a spectacular handle-bar mustache as well.

15.28
Marie has been sent to the back seat as punishment. Elise is angrily settling into the passenger's seat while Sarah mutters death threats. Marie continues to smirk.

16.41
Sarah pulls into another gas station and she and Elise run to the bathroom to scrub off their mustaches while Marie fills the gas tank.

16.48
Sarah and Elise return from the bathroom with faint black smudges on their upper lips. They resume driving after purchasing coffee and donuts.

16.59
Marie falls asleep.

21.35
Marie wakes up.

21.36
Marie realizes the reason she woke up was because her hands have been taped behind her back and Simon and Garfunkel are playing on her headphones from the iPod in Elise's hands.

21.37
Marie kick's the back of Elise's seat causing Elise to spill her can of soda.

21.42
Marie gladly cleans up the spill with paper towels from the trunk, anything to get away from Simon and Garfunkel.

26.11
They reach the eastern boarder of the state of California. Elise cheers loudly. Marie rolls her eyes, but is grateful the trip is almost over. Sarah smiles and is grateful the trip is almost over.

29.48
They arrive at the Halliwell manor.

29.50
Piper comments about Marie's semi-healed split lip.

29.51
Marie exclaims loudly that she didn't know the red head had a girlfriend already.

29.52
All laugh and Wyatt Halliwell asks why Marie would get hit for talking to another girl.

oxoxoxoxo

Charmed (c) CBS

Sarah (c) Jim Henson & Co.