"I knew it," Saratoga moaned as she pressed her nose against the road map. "We did take the wrong turn."

"Yeah, it seems so," Enterprise stared into the road ahead as the old Malibu came to a complete halt. According to Saratoga's instructions, they should've seen...something at this point. Some kind of landmark or town. She couldn't exactly remember what, but given what sprawled before her was another long stretch of road, seemingly off the beaten path, they were definitely lost. Just when the dusk had started to settle in, no less.

"Gah! We should've taken a left—"

"Don't say it—"

"The left turn at Albuquerque! Now we're in the middle of nowhere!"

Saratoga tore herself away from the map when she heard Enterprise's muffled laugh. Her friend was leaning on the steering wheel, quaking.

"Seriously, Albuquerque must be a thousand miles away from here," Enterprise remarked, and Saratoga shrugged before turning her attention to the map again.

"No kidding—but I've always wanted to say that during a road trip at least once," she said, chuckling. "More importantly, who made this thing? This reads more like Einstein's science paper than a friggin' road map! I might be cute, but I ain't no genius!"

Enterprise had a peek at the map. Though Saratoga's rant was amusing, she had to admit that, at first glance, it did appear daunting and esoteric to look at, filled with so many turns and intersections and little symbols to figure out—and that if they could find where they were on it in the first place. Even reading sea charts would be easier—if only because they were more familiar with it.

"Do you need me to help you?" Enterprise eventually offered, noticing Saratoga was still busy mumbling to herself as she struggled to find the directions, but she brushed it aside.

"Eh, you've been driving for hours now. 'Sides, it's my fault for getting us lost," Saratoga said, opening the door and stepping outside, to Enterprise's curiosity.

"By the way, it's going to take some time until I figure this thing out, so you might as well take your time and catch a breath," she said before Enterprise could ask.

Enterprise nodded. To set her legs free for a while from the confines of the car, especially after so many hours, indeed felt tempting—so she turned off the engine, opened the door, and stretched her legs out. It was hugely relieving.

She stayed that way for a while before exiting the car into the hot summer night. Looking around, it did seem like the middle of nowhere, unmarked and empty. Saratoga was absorbed in studying the map she had spread on the hood, occasionally humming or grumbling. Enterprise noted that it was cute in its own way to have her being all serious like that.

"Rats. Sorry, Enty. This might take a liiitle longer than I thought. I don't want us to somehow end up in Tijuana...or worse, Brazil—so I'm not taking chances here," Saratoga said after a while, without looking away from the map. Not even when Enterprise laughed at her jest. But she smiled at that.

"It's fine," Enterprise leaned on the Malibu. Despite the strain they had put it through, it was still robust, and she had warmed up to it despite initially finding it to be little more than a rolling junk.

Having grown tired rather quickly looking at the dullness of their surroundings, Enterprise figured she would watch the sky instead—and came across the radiance of a million stars, their shine lighting the road.

She remembered what Saratoga had promised when she invited her to their trip. A place of lights, smiles, and laughter. A carefree place. A paradise.

But even when they had yet to reach that promised place—and heavens know when they will—she had seen lights along the way.

She had smiled.

She had laughed.

She had been carefree.

Even if they're not quite sure where to go.

And to be with someone you care about and care about you in return throughout it all—it was a paradise of its own.