It was afternoon and Max noticed that they were getting low on gas. Looking up from the gauge, she sighed and briefly glanced in the rearview mirror. Alex was asleep in the backseat, sitting up with her head against the headrest while Lydia had crawled to the back to fall asleep herself. Max didn't know why, all she knew was that somehow Lydia fell asleep faster while squished in-between luggage.

Max then glanced to the side and smiled; Crysta was asleep as well, leaning against the door. Her mouth was slightly open and Max's smile got wider when an idea hit her.

Fishing around for one of the plastic spoons that littered the car, she picked one up and carefully placed it in Crysta's mouth. Crysta stirred and Max froze, hoping that Crysta wouldn't wake up. Whatever deity was on watch then decided to throw Max a bone and Crysta didn't open her eyes. Continuing to smile Max then grabbed her cell phone and flipped it open. Activating the camera, she took a picture and saved it to the phone's memory.

Then, Max reached for the volume dial and turned up the music slightly.

Carry on my wayward son/There'll be peace when you are done/Lay your weary head to rest/Don't you cry no more

Max gave the dial a fast twist, and it blared just as the drums crashed down and the guitar solo started.

"Gah!" Crysta shot straight up, confused. At the same time Alex said, "Wha'?"

They heard Lydia mummble something that sounded like 'demonic bunnies'.

Max laughed at their reactions and turned down the music.

"What the hell was that for?" Crysta grumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Yea, what gives?" Alex asked, stifling a yawn.

Max just grinned and turned onto the off-ramp. "I needed some entertainment." She said while showing the picture she had just taken to the both of them.

"Yea well could you find some other way to find 'entertainment'?" Crysta groused. "Something that doesn't involve us losing our hearing or giving us a heart attack?"

"No promises." Max replied as they pulled into the gas station and up to a pump. After popping the gas tank hatch, Max got out saying, "Your turn to pay Crysta."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the rules; shotgun pays." Crysta said digging through her purse.

Crysta and Alex got out of the car as well, to stretch their legs and get the kinks out of their bodies, leaving Lyida still in the car sleeping. Soon the car was filled up and they all headed in to grab snacks and drinks after making a stop.

Lydia opened her eyes and stretched, yawning. Seeing that they were at a gas station she realized she needed a pit stop so she ambled out of the car heading towards the bathroom, which was in the back of the building.

"You think we have enough not to stop until we're done for the day?" Alex asked as they came out of the store loaded with bags of chips, candy, and each carrying two bottles of the drink of their choice.

"Maybe." Max replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Anyhoo, lets hit the road."

"Sounds good." Crysta said as they neared the car.

They all got in and after a few moments of settling Max turned the car on and drove off.

"Still sleeping back there Lyd?" Alex called out as they jumped back onto the highway.

There was no response so Max said, "I think we'll take that as a yes."

Lydia walked out and squinted, the bright sunlight a stark contrast to the dim bathroom. Cracking her knuckles, she headed towards the car only to stop.

Where was it?

Blinking rapidly, she scanned the staion thinking that Max had just moved the car since she was done filling the car.

It wasn't there.

"Crap." Lyida thought as she tried to think of what had happened. Carjacking was the first that came to her mind, a prank being the second. "That's what it is." Lydia told herself while smiling. "They thought it'd be funny to leave me and see if I freaked out. They'll be back any minute now to see if I'm hysterical."

She waited.

And waited.

"Any minute now." Lydia said outloud to no one in particular.

She waited for a half-hour until she realized that they weren't coming back for her. "Aw, hell." She muttered as she got up to head into the store.

Later...

"You left me at the gas station!" Lydia admonished as they made their way down towards their motel room.

"I thought you were asleep in the back." Max said sheepishly.

"You didn't notice that the car was suddenly lighter!?"

"I was more concerned on how far we could get before it got dark."

"And you drove right past me and the state trooper!"

"I thought he was flagging down someone else." Max admitted, her face turning red. She really had thought that the trooper was trying to get someone else's attention.

"Who looked exactly like me!?"

They reached their room and Crysta slid their key in, opening the door. As they walked in she said, "Yes Lydia; Max left you at the gas station, yes she drove past you and the trooper but we realized the mistake and picked you up. Everything's back to normal so you can stop griping about it."

Lydia grumbled something unintelligible as she set her suitcase down.

Max just sighed and shook her head; she could just add this to the list of things she'd never live down.