Wheelsy AU ~ Tire changing

[noteasytobepink]

"You know Bill..." Clarice drawled cheerfully. "When you said you wanted to show me the nearest 'city' I thought you meant we'd actually get there." She took her hat off and fanned herself with it, the ballcap doing little to stir the hot, damp air, but at least it was better than glowering.

"And yeah, that really does look like dry rot in the spare there. Never seen it in a tire before but I've seen it in other materials..." She wasn't even sure why they had headed out. A better bar where no one expected him to fix their problems? A place she was suppose to get fitted for a civilian aid uniform? Who knew!

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[no_andy_taylor.insanejournal.com]

Bill was kneeling in the dirt beside the jack, looking at the miserable remains of his busted tire, and the pathetic condition of his spare.

"Just... gimme a minute."

He scrubbed his forearm across his brow and sighed.

It was damn hot. He'd hoped to get there just as evening was falling and the night life of Columbia was getting started, but right now there was too much damn sun left in the sky, and it was burning up the air.

Even he wasn't a sure why he'd come out here. Part of him had needed to get out, he'd spent too much time lately stuck in a rut.

He'd also needed to get away. Everyone in town seemed to know about Starla, and he'd gotten tired of the whispering, and sad looks tossed his way. He felt like a dog left on the highway; everyone was sad to see him standing there, but no one was kind enough to stop and pick him up.

Except maybe Clarice. She was trying to get him through it and push him along, but even that was something he needed a break from.

Since he couldn't have a drink at the lodge without the looks or people's problems finding him, and he couldn't do it at the house without Clarice monitoring him and disappearing things, he thought to head out of town.

So here they were, stranded on the side of the road. Obviously this was a great plan.

"Shit."