AN: I never intended to continue with this story but it's fun to write and I thought hell, if people read it then there is more to be said. This could be the end, it could go on... I've yet to decide.

Enjoy.

He pulled back out onto the shadowy highway; the only illumination was of that from their headlights racing past the golden column that ran down the heart of the pavement.

Tommy snuck a peak at Jude, a smirk stretched amply across his face.

"Are you serious?" she half laughed, observing as the landscape that was not so long ago a motionless horizon was now one long distortion as it hastily rocketed past her.

He skewed his head to look at her, shrugging his shoulders as he raised his eyebrows in the 'I don't know' kind of way. He gradually brought his eyes back to the path in front of him—pitch black nothingness at the forefront.

"I can't believe you," she situated her backside against the door, "Really, I mean making me sit in the dirt? As if I wasn't disgusting enough? And in the freezing cold?" she closed her eyes as she trembled at the reflection, "Who knows what kind of eerie creepy creatures were out there," her eyes distended as she took in a heavy breath, "I could have been eaten!" she half shrieked, hitting him.

He massaged his upper arm, "Yeah, well, that was part of the plan."

Jude repositioned herself once more, this time facing out the window. This road trip seemed doomed to failure from the start, but as she looked back on it now she was pleased she came. A smile played on the corners of her mouth as she thought about Tommy and how one little not-so-stranded trip to the desert could fix their relationship. Sure they still had much to work on, but this was a start and she was willing to give it her undivided attention.

They drove in hushed calmness for the next hour, the drone of the engine the only resonance between them, every couple minutes sneaking a quick look at each other.

"I can't wait to get into bed," Jude sighed, slumping down in her seat and lifting her legs out the window where the balmy air from outside was raging her hair into an even more tousled disarray.

Tommy's eyes fell upon her, exploring her up and down, "I can't wait to get you into bed," he smirked mischievously.

She glanced at him, a grin on her face as she twisted the ring on her left hand, playing with it unconsciously.

She felt Tommy accelerate as the engine roared a slight more intensely—she let out a diminutive giggle, "careful," she paused before rotating her head in his direction, "She's old."

Tommy lifted his foot off the gas, slowing them down by at least ten miles per hour, "Sorry, I got excited," he crooked his head towards the obscurity to his left, lifting his arm out the window, letting it roll simultaneously with the current of air.

Jude's eyes grew heavy and she only opened them again when she felt the car slow down, "are we home?" she groggily solicited.

Tommy smiled at her, not breaking the silence he shook his head, "Gas," he mouthed.

Dazzling neon lights buzzed overhead, Jude brought her feet in from the window and listlessly sat up in her chair, rubbing her eyes and disappointedly trying to run her fingers through her hair she stretched out her restful body.

"My legs could use some movement," she opened the door and emerged the same time Tommy did on the left, "You want anything from inside?" she pointed towards the mini-mart ahead of her.

"I'm good," he detached the nozzle from the pump and slid it into the gas tank. He leaned his back against the surface of the car, watching as Jude made her way into the store. It didn't matter all the differences they had, he loved her just as much today as he did the first time he met her.

He observed her through the glass windows as she quizzically looked at everything surrounding her. Turning down each isle, she picked up random items and set them back down with either a look of uncertainty or aversion on her face. He laughed as he watched her—decisions were by no means her thing.

She leisurely made her way up the register, making sure she didn't overlook anything she may want. She set the heap that was in her arms down on the counter and picked up the newspaper as she waited for her total. She glanced over the front page of the paper before she turned to look at Tommy outside—he waved when her eyes met his.

She emerged a few minutes' later arms bursting with drinks and random eats. She dawdled back to the car, glancing up from the objects in her hands to meet Tommy's gaze. His eyes followed her as she made her way back to the other side of the car before disappearing underneath the hood.

He finished filling up before sitting behind the steering wheel once again and pulling them back out onto the highway.

"Did you see how many stars were in the sky?" Jude lifted her head towards the moonless night sky.

Tommy shifted his body inclining over the dashboard to browse up at the shady sky through the windshield.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

He leaned back in his seat and turned his head to look at her, "Yeah," he murmured, "Beautiful."

"Tommy?" Jude brought her head in from the window and caught him looking at her.

"Hmm?" he didn't look away.

"Why'd you want to come on this road trip?"

"You mean you didn't get my whole 'we're stranded in the desert with only each other' plot?" He blinked his eyes back towards the road before looking at her once again.

"No… I mean… yes, I got the plan," she crossed her legs underneath her, "I mean… never mind," she took a heavy breath giving up on her inquisition.

"I saw you pick up the paper," he was intently looking out in front of him, his eyes now glued to the road, "Did you really think I'd forget?"

"I did."

"Yeah, well…" he leaned over in front of her, his left hand still on the wheel as he opened the glove compartment. Fishing around he finally found what he was looking for, "Happy three year anniversary Jude," he handed her a silver chain with a simple white gold ring on it.

"Tommy—" She froze, taking the necklace in her hands, the chain slipping through her fingers, the ring resting in her palm, "I cant believe you planned all this."

He shrugged as she slid across the seat and leaned against him. He wrapped his right arm around her, pulling her closer to him.

This road trip was becoming everything he was imagining it would be from the start. Her touch was comforting, it had been so long since he felt her against him, and they leaned into each other, fitting together perfectly as they continued down the desolate open road, towards the distant city lights.

Their headlights reflected against a road sign, "Forty more miles and we're home," Jude leaned her head on his shoulder, "Back to life, back to reality," she hummed almost silently under her breath.

"We could always turn back around," Tommy looked down at her, kissing the top of her head, "There is a whole world out there for us to discover."

"Thirty-nine more miles."

"Or I could keep going straight."

She tilted her head up, kissing the bottom of his jaw, "Turn around," she mumbled against his chest.

"Turn around?"

"Turn around."