Collected

They were gossiping with each other.
They were bickering with each other.
They were annoying each other.
They were kidding with each other.
In the end they just collected each other. "Mom, you can collect the stuff and catch us up later, we're going to the car now." And so they did, walked back to the car the 2,5K, the oldest safely grabbing the hand of the youngest when they crossed the road.