FicWad

Actually, I'm not really sure how much time has gone by, but if it matters to you, hunt me down and tell me and I'll try to figure it out for you later. For now I'm just going to say that a "long time" has passed, Mike's car

They were driving through Oregon, and making good time because, let's face it, there's nothing to see in Oregon.

Billie Joe was starting to worry about their three new passengers. Not one of them had said a word since they'd gotten in the vehicle. "Are those guys still alive back there?" he asked.

Emma looked back. The only signs of life was a constant clicking of Patrick on his laptop and a slight rustle every once in a while from one of Andy's comic books. She turned back to Billie Joe. "Yeah. They're just quiet. Isn't it nice?"

"I'm just used to snogging, and other random outbursts," Billie Joe admitted.

Emma got an idea. "You want me to get a reaction out of them?" She dug in the glove box and pulled out a tape that was simply labeled, "Emma's annoying car songs."

Billie Joe took one glance at it and smirked.

Mike took one look at it, looked pained and tried to take it from her so he could throw it out the window.

Somehow, Emma was able to get the tape in the player and sit completely stoned faced as the opening notes of her favorite Romanian techno song played.

Andy smiled slightly, then grimaced and looked up, "Are you listening to the 'Numa Numa' song?"

Joe, who had been sleeping soundly against the window, fluttered his eyes opened and frowned. "What the fuck?" He looked at Emma, shook his head and leaned back on the window. "You're weirder then I thought," he murmured.

Patrick took his headphones off and waved them around. "Man, I can hear it over these monsters!" he complained, then he looked thoughtful and stuck one of the phones back on his ear. "And I kinda like this bass line. Can I barrow your tape?"

Emma snickered and reached over to turn it off.

Patrick, forced to absorb something other than a computer screen, looked around and tapped Emma on the arm. "Hey, did Pete happen to mention where we were staying tonight?"

"I don't know. I thought the plan was we were just going to drive until we found a hotel that had three open rooms."

"I like surprises," Joe mumbled.

Suddenly, Billie Joe's phone started to ring. "That's probably Stoop," he admitted and answered it. "Hello!"

"Where are we stopping tonight?" Pete asked on the other end.

Billie frowned. "Oh, it's you."

"Where are we stopping?" Pete practically yelled.

"I don't know! Jeez! Calm down, I thought we were going to drive until we found a place with enough rooms for everyone."

"I'm pulling over at the next hotel I see!" Pete declared.

"Why? We can still get a couple hours in."

"I can't stand being in this car with these people! I want my uncool friends back! I'll even take," he paused and realized he couldn't remember the name, "er, whatsername."

"Emma?"

"Yeah! The Chicka! I'm pulling over." Pete turned off the highway, into a little motel that was creatively named, "Motel."

Billie Joe snapped his phone shut with a sigh and followed him.