Dean parks his car outside an apartment building, his fingers drumming on the wheel in time with a Metallica song. Elizabeth is supposed to stay hidden in the backseat so that Sam can be guilted into coming with Dean to find their dad, but Dean won't be alone if Sam doesn't fall for it. A car trip with Dean isn't always a bad thing as long as they're able to have some downtime in a motel.
"Ya know, you have to actually get out of the car to convince Sammy to come with us," Elizabeth points out when Dean doesn't move to get out of the Impala. He turns in his seat to look at her, scowling. Unaffected, Elizabeth points out his window towards the apartment building. "Go get him or I will."
"If you feel like breaking into an apartment building and fending off a six foot four Golden Retriever, then be my guest," Dean retorts, not looking behind him. Knowing he'd only go with a little push, she arches a brow and purses her lips, the expression familiar to Dean as the do it or I'll slap you into next week level of annoyance. He makes a noise before exiting the car as fast as he can.
"Stubborn ass." Elizabeth climbs into the backseat and turns on her iPod, humming along to a Toby Keith song while she tries to stay awake. It's been a long twenty-seven hours and she can only argue with that man three times about the proper way to layer a S'more before she's ready to strangle him with his own boxers. At least they've made it to California, though, that's what really matters in the grand scheme of things.
She yawns, stretching out with a lazy smile as the song changes, the new song making her emotions go from happy to sad and then settling somewhere in between. It's a song she can vaguely remember her father singing to her when she was little, and her uncle continued the tradition whenever she got sick.
"May God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true," she sings along softly," may you always do for others and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever young." She trails off, settling on a quiet hum as she hears the sound of voices and then the front doors opening. She jumps when a duffel bag is thrown on her and someone slams their door shut, brows furrowing as she stops the music and sets the iPod in the floorboard.
What's the proper way to inform your best friend that they'll have to have surgery to remove the next duffle bag they throw on you?
"I'm surprised you didn't drag Elizabeth into this," Sam grumbles, fiddling with something. Scowling, Elizabeth rises up on her elbows, spotting Dean and Sam in the front seat. The comforting hum of the engine does nothing to drown out Sam's words. "But maybe she's finally gotten over her little crush on you." She raises a brow, but stays completely quiet as she lets the man dig his grave deeper. "And even if she hasn't, we'd have to have separate rooms so I'm not disturbed by you guys' activities."
Dean's mouth opens slightly before closing, eyes widening when he catches Elizabeth's gaze using the rearview mirror. Sitting up fully, Elizabeth wraps her arms around Sam's neck with her lips brushing his ear when she speaks.
"Come on, it's not like I get loud or anything," she says, smiling when Sam jumps in surprise. "By the way, Dean and I have never—"
"And we will never," Dean interrupts, glaring at his younger brother. That's a lie, but Sasquatch doesn't need to know that. Elizabeth gives the back of Sam's head a light slap before leaning back in her seat, picking up her iPod. "You better watch what you say around Liza. She may have got a little soft, but she could still kick your ass." Elizabeth nods smugly at the lie, drifting into a light sleep.
"Sleeping Beauty," Dean calls, walking out of a convenience store," want some breakfast?"
"Gummy lifesavers," Elizabeth yawns, running the fingers of one hand through her tangled hair. I hate mornings so much it's unreal. She's able to spot Sam in the front seat as she sits up, going through Dean's cassette tape collection with one foot hanging out his open door. Dean is finishing putting gas in the Impala, doing his absolute best to test Elizabeth's patience. "C'mon, Dean, I'm wastin' away here!" A bag of candy is thrown into the backseat, Sam sending her a small smirk as he steals a handful of it.
"Remember the rules, Liza, you gotta share the candy," he says when she tries to slap at his hand. "Dean, how'd you pay for this stuff?" He sticks his head out the door so he can see Dean better. "You and Dad still running credit card scams?"
"Yeah, well, hunting ain't exactly a pro-ball career," Dean says defensively. "Besides, all we do is apply, it's not our fault they send us the cards." He makes a valid point, it's not like credit card companies would have to worry about stuff like this if they bothered to look into their customers.
"Yeah and what names did you write on the application this time?" Dean rolls his eyes as he gets back in the car, handing a bottle of Coke to Elizabeth to ensure she's wide awake during the drive into town.
"Uh, Burt Aframian and his son, Hector." Elizabeth laughs at that, sharing a smile with her friend when Dean catches her gaze.
"You should've put Burt and Ernie," she says. Dean rolls his eyes, giving her his usual goofy grin. "You know, now that I think of it, that does sound a little far-fetched." Sam raises an eyebrow, shutting his door. "...Just a little bit." He lets out a small laugh, focusing back on the cassettes.
"Hey, Liza, agree or disagree," Sam asks without looking up. "Does Dean need to update his music?" She pauses mid-chew as she thinks the question over; Sam has a good point and one day they may need to buy a new car that probably won't have a tape player. Besides, she can always transfer his collection to a CD if worst comes to worst. Elizabeth dips her head in a nod, ignoring Dean's wounded look.
"Why," he demands," and how dare you side with this over-educated college student?"
"For starters, they're cassette tapes, Dean. Black Sabbath, Motor Head, and Metallica? They're the greatest hits of mullet rock." Dean takes one of the tapes from Sam and opens its case before sliding it into the slot in the dashboard.
"House rules, Sammy. Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole." Elizabeth raises her hand, smirking as Dean answers her unasked question. "Backseat keeps shotgun in line." She lowers her hand, content to do just that if it means making Sammy blush.
The car starts and Back in Black drowns out whatever it is Sam's attempting to say about being a fat ten year old.
I looked it up and it would take Dean and Elizabeth approximately 26 hours and 23 minutes to get to Stanford by car from OKC and it takes around thirty or so minutes to get to OKC from Chandler, so the math should be about right. The song Elizabeth sings along to is Forever Young by Bob Dylan.