Summary: Bella is heading back to Forks to start a new life. Edward is going to his sister's wedding. Two strangers on a cross country trip. Could fate have something planned? AH; ExB; Romance/Humor/Drama/Friendship.

I own nothing Twilighty.

This was my donation to the Fandom Fights Hurricane Sandy compilation.

Midnight Cougar beta'd this thing and Joey pre-read. I love them.

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1.

BPOV

Everyone told me I was nuts to do this, but I couldn't imagine a better way to spend my last few weeks of freedom before starting my real adult life.

Taking a plane from Jacksonville to Seattle would have been the easiest route. Sure, it would have taken less time, but where's the fun in that?

I had the few possessions that I'm going to need sent over by UPS, which Dad assures me he's received, so now all I have to do is sit, enjoy the scenery, and of course, make sure I get on the right bus.

The first few days fly by quickly as I engross myself in some naughty e-books while listening to music. Sometimes, I watch the colorful fields wisp by through the window that is usually to my right.

Unfortunately, for the last five hundred miles or so, it's been obscured by a rather large older lady. She's nice and all, but the knitting needles are a little scary, so I haven't bothered asking for the window seat.

I'm okay though, these seats recline and I find the noise from the tires on the never ending stretch of road soothing, and before I know it, I've been lulled to sleep.

"Sioux Falls, South Dakota," a loud booming voice announces over the speakers. I stretch, groaning, as I realize the lady next to me is attempting to get out of her seat and is practically sitting on my lap.

"I'm sorry," she says, smiling apologetically while her canvas bag of death needles comes within an inch of my eye. I take a deep breath, keeping my eyes closed until I can't feel her around me anymore.

When I'm sure nothing else of hers is going to slap me in the face, I pick up my own travel bag and leave the bus.

This little adventure is more fun than I thought. I've met a lot of different people over the past couple of days and it's weird how people are so different from one state to the next. Before this, the only states I'd visited were Florida and Washington.

I lived in Forks, Washington most of my life. My parents' divorce, when I was eight, was hard to deal with, but I stayed with my dad while Mom went to sow her wild oats.

After graduating high school, I decided to go spend time with my mother while attending college in Florida. It was great and I love the sun, but I'm a daddy's girl at heart.

Nothing in Florida tugged at me to keep me there, so after working on getting my teaching credentials, I transferred to the State of Washington. When an opening came up at my old middle school, I jumped on the opportunity to go back home and teach there.

Now, after five years of fun in the sun, I'm opting for rain and clouds. It's fine though, I sort of miss the cold and the rain.

The plan is to go live with Charlie, my dad, for a little while until I get my shit together, and eventually move into a little place of my own. I don't have too many belongings as it is, since I've always lived either in dorms or with my parents, so I'm looking forward to whatever the future brings.

Right now though, Sioux Falls, South Dakota looks to be pretty bare. Or maybe it's just that the bus depot is in the middle of nowhere. Also, it's pretty late and there aren't too many people meandering around. This should be interesting.

Although, it's not too bad, I guess, considering all the shitty little places we've stopped in. At least here there's an ice cream shop that's apparently open twenty four hours and a small department store next door that's unfortunately closed. Well, damn, there goes my opportunity to go on a midnight madness shopping spree.

Rolling my eyes at myself and looking at my schedule, I notice this is the place with the longest layover.

Three hours of nothing from eleven PM to two AM. This bites, but it is to be expected considering all the travelling I'm doing.

I can't help but notice there's nowhere to sleep around here either. No motels or hotels, which kinda sucks 'cause I sort of smell just a bit and really want to wash the bus grime off my body.

I had everything shipped to Forks except for what I'm carrying with me, which consists of a few changes of clothes, my iPhone filled with music and e-books, and the necessary cleansing products I may need on this week long journey.

Praying I don't catch anything, I decide to use the depot's bathroom and make the best of this situation. Thankfully, I had the foresight to pack washcloths and at least one towel for a case like this. Since I have plenty of time at my disposal, seems like locking myself up in the ladies' room and washing my hair, would be a good idea. Once I get in there though, I notice there's a full shower and it's actually clean, so I opt to use it.

In spite of the lack of water pressure and the fear I have of being spied on by some creepy dude hiding behind a hole in the shower stall, it feels pretty good to let the water sooth away the last few days' cooties. Seriously, buses are dirty and full of germs; I won't be surprised if I end up catching something. Although, I still wouldn't change this journey for all the money in the world.

Once I'm freshly reclothed and clean from head to toe, I find myself debating about what to do with the wet towel. I know it won't have time to dry and putting the wet towel with my dirty clothes is certainly not an option. I decide on the safest route and kiss my pink flowery towel adieu and leave it hanging over the stall wall to dry, since I can't bring myself to throw it out.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I'm assaulted by a cacophony of people rushing around and trying to get to their proper departure point. By now, I know where mine is and I know not to meander around too much. It's a rather large depot and if I didn't have another two and a half hours to spare, my ass would be sitting right over there near that door.

But I'm bored and I want to make sure I have all the right departure times, so I walk over to the ticket counter anyway and speak to an attendant. She confirms that my bus leaves at two AM so I go and sit by a nearby seat because I have no clue what to do with myself in the meantime.

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That was Bella... Edward is next...