After his life became a complete and utter shit show, there's one thing that Jackson Whittemore knows for certain. He has to get the hell away from Beacon Hills, before his father ships him off to England. When Harley picks him up on the side of the road. At first he assumes everything's normal. Until he discovers she's on the run.

As new enemies emerge, new battles begin and a whole new war is declared - will Harley and Jackson survive? And as they begin to grow closer - will they finally find that elusive thing known as love? And what happens when the new threat heads for Beacon Hills. Will Jackson be able to change his ways in order to save his friends and the girl he loves, or will they lose the battle?

One journey. Many sacrifices. New friends and new enemies. Jackson thought his life was a shit storm before, but nothing could've prepared him for this. Set after S2. AU.

Lust for comfort

Suffocates the soul

Relentless restlessness

Liberates me (sets me free)

I feel at home

Whenever the unknown surrounds me

I receive its embrace

Aboard my floating house

Wanderlust, relentlessly craving

Wanderlust, peel off the layers

Until we get to the core

Björk - Wanderlust

In just a few, short months - Jackson's life had done a complete three-sixty.

It started with freaking Scott McCall, and ended with him becoming some psycho's puppet and murdering a whole bunch of people. Yeah, different didn't even begin to describe it.

Then, he'd broken free, and things had started to look up. Until his adoptive father had made the decision to move Jackson to England.

There was no way in a billion years that Jackson would move to England. And that's how he found himself here, in the dead of the night. Standing by the side of the road, hoping, praying that somebody would be coming soon.

Someone who hopefully wouldn't try to kill him, not like it'd work or anything. He'd just rather not have to deal with it. He was done with killing people. Done with death in general.

It was at that very moment when two square headlight shone brightly over the top of the hill. The car was moving relatively slow, and Jackson made the split second decision to hail them down. He had no idea that this decision would change his life, yet again, forever.

As the car got closer, it began to slow even more. Jackson's prayers had been answered, this car was a godsend. Eventually, it rolled to a stop in front of him. Jackson took a few moments to look over it.

The car was a relatively new -from what Jackson could see- Chrysler 300. It was deep water blue, and had chrome highlights. The car was spotless. Whoever owned it, took immaculate care of it - it still looked brand new.

The window whirred as it slid down, Jackson was able to make out that the interior was leather, but that was all he could see. It was silent for a moment before Jackson finally opened his mouth.

"Where are you heading?" he asked. He could hear the heartbeat of the driver began to speed up at the question. Inhaling softly, the almost intoxicating scent of vanilla and coconut filled his senses, followed with a waft of strawberry shampoo. Like the one Lydia used to use.

Lydia. He shook the girl he loved from his thoughts quickly. He had to forget about her.

"Nowhere, anywhere," a feminine voice spoke from inside. Her voice was light and soft, Jackson couldn't help but enjoy hearing it. There was a pregnant pause before she said, "Anywhere but Agoura Hills."

Jackson nodded, accepting her answer. He had a feeling she wasn't being entirely truthful, but she wasn't necessarily lying either. "I need to get out of Beacon Hills." Nobody moved for a second, before the passenger door of the car clicked open.

As he got in, lights illuminated the cabin and Jackson got his first look at the girl in the driver's seat. She had dark, tousled hair that had lighter highlights throughout. She was pale and looked about as tall as Allison. She turned to face him, hazel eyes shining. It was here that he noticed the array of bruises littering the side of her face, as well as her busted lip and grazed neck. They smelled fresh.

His eyes didn't linger however, as he turned and threw his bag into the backseat, where it landed next to her own. Neither of them said a word as she closed the door and they pulled away.

Deciding that the girl wasn't a threat, Jackson remained content with watching the scenery roll by, ignoring the calls of his Alpha as he did so. For the first time in weeks, he smiled.

: OTM : OTM : OTM :

Harley felt the familiar purr of her baby as she pressed down on the accelerator, allowing her to surge forward. The car, aptly named Baby, roared - almost in exhilaration of the freedom they both now possessed.

Finally, the young girl was no longer bound by their rules. She was free.

It had happened today, she had finally turned around and said no more. And they, they had listened. Thrown her things in her face, kicked her out and told her to make good with the world.

Their words could've almost been kind, if she hadn't had known what she did. How they were going to scour the earth looking for her. Not resting until she had finally either proved herself, or died. But for once in her life, Harley didn't care. Harley was free. For the first time in her life, she was free. And she was happy.

She didn't care that her face was throbbing and broken. She didn't care that she hadn't eaten in the whole six hours she had been on the road. She didn't care that she was all alone in the world, that she had nobody. She didn't care. She was content with the feeling of freedom, with the ability to allow Baby to roar, to purr. To go fast and slow as she so pleased. That feeling was irreplaceable. It was addictive. She never wanted to be captured again, from now on, Harley would be free - always.

It was late now, the night air crisp and cold - forcing Harley to keep the heater on to stop her windowscreen from fogging up. She had just passed through a town named Beacon Hills. Small and quaint, it was your idealistic country town. She didn't stop though. She didn't dare, she was still way too close to Agoura Hills for it to be safe. She would only stop for necessities. Gas, and eventually - food. But first she needed to get away. Far away.

She was coming down a dark, bare road when she saw him. He was standing under the only streetlight that was illuminating the road. With blonde, cropped hair, a strong jaw and athletic body - he looked a lot like the guys whom she used to live with. He spotted her car, and hailed her.

Harley had no idea what to do. She wasn't too sure of the correct way to handle hitchhikers. What if he's one of them? He looks like one of them. He can't be, can he? She internally debated. Eventually, it was the desperate look on his face that caused her to roll Baby to a stop.

She rolled down the window. It was silent as he looked at her, awkwardly.

Now that he was up close, she could make out his green eyes. His muscles were bulging, and she could clearly see his abs under his tight fitting shirt. He looked exactly like the guys she had lived with, the ones from Agoura. Her throat tightened in fear as she began to try and control her breathing.

There was no way that this guy could have beaten her from Agoura. But they have connections in other places. They said they'd give me eight hours. They go back on their promises. You'll never be truly free from them. Not until you've proved herself.

Her nerves were reaching a breaking point when he finally asked. "Where are you heading?"

She froze. Her thoughts were firing rapidly, creating a mess of jumbled thought in her head. She cringed as she debated her answer. "Nowhere, anywhere," she finally answered. It was vague. They liked vagueity. They alway told her to tell just enough to keep them satisfied, but not enough to make them intrigued. "Anywhere but Agoura Hills," she added as a second thought.

The boy nodded instantly. "I need to get out of Beacon Hills." His voice was deep, and thick. Yet it was emotionless, and that piqued her curiosity. Without saying a word, she popped open the passenger door. He got in, the smell of his aftershave filling the car almost instantly. She had her pedal to the floor before he had even thrown his bag in the back.

They continued on in silence, but she noted the way he looked at the scenery as it passed by - a genuine smile on his face.

About an hour later, Harley was feeling awkward. The guy hadn't said anything. His eyes were glued to the window. It was kind of creepy in all honesty, and was very unsettling. He seemed to sense it too, because he sighed and said, "So, what's your name." She tensed.

"Harley," she responded.

"Harley…" he questioned.

"Jane. Harley Jane." She refused to give him her last name. That's what they had always drilled into her. Your last name is sacred, treat it as such.

"Jackson Whittemore," he gave back. She shot him a shocked look, eyebrow raised. He was already giving her his last name? Wasn't that the ultimate sign of trust. She scoffed to herself.

"What?" he stated, semi snarling.

"Nothing, nothing. You hungry?" she asked. He nodded slowly.

"'K, we'll stop at the next station then. Got any cash?" she questioned again. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Of course, who do you think I am? Do you have cash," he shot back. She grinned, mockingly.

"Duh. Maybe I should rephrase that, can you count the money you have?" she stated. "Or are you too stupid." He bristled in the seat next to her, causing a victorious smirk to slide onto her face. One of the things being theirs had taught her was too hold her own. Oh, and the best way to insult a guy is to talk trash about their ego.

As expected, he fell right into her trap. "Says the one who's driving the mock Rolls Royce. Hardly surprising, I can tell that that level of quality," he gave her an eye over. "Well, it's just too good for a chick like you."

Harley was taken aback for a moment, before she quirked an eyebrow at him. Looking at him from the corner of her eye, she scoffed. "Says the idiot who was standing by the road like a lost puppy dog. What were you thinking?" she snapped. Then she grinned. "Or could you not afford it?"

She could see from the way he flinched that she had surprised him. Harley knew how to hold her own, even if most of it was false bravado. "For your information, I own a Porsche," he said childishly. Harley laughed.

"That bag isn't a Porsche." Jackson turned in his seat to face her. He looked annoyed, but not exactly mad.

"No shit. The Porsche is at my...parents' place." Harley didn't miss the way he faltered at parents. She was officially curious about the guy who was currently in the car with her. But she knew better than to ask him why he was hitchhiking. Even though she'd never picked up a hitchhiker before, she assumed it was best not to have that conversation.

Instead, she motioned for the glovebox. "There's a map in there. Get it out, take a look. Decide where you want to go." He didn't respond, but opened the glovebox anyway. He studied it for a few moments before saying, "Well, we're heading into Oregon."

"Oregon?" she stated exasperated. He nodded.

"I've always wanted to go to Kentucky," she admitted softly.

"Minnesota. I want to go to Minnesota. It's the home of our biggest rivals."

"Rivals?" she questioned, he nodded.

"Lacrosse." His answer was short and sharp. Harley could tell that his ego was about to inflate. "You know, we won the championship three-" he started to say. But she immediately cut him off.

"I'll take you to Minnesota," she finished.

Jackson nodded, before getting out his phone. Harley watched as he looked it over, before turning it on. He read it and sighed. He was on it for a few moments, before he clicked it off. Finally, he rolled down the window.

"What are you-" she started to ask, but he never got a chance to respond. He threw his phone out of the window, before settling back into his seat.

"What?" she questioned, but he merely shrugged his shoulders.

"To a new beginning, Harls," he responded, mockingly. There was a glint in his eye, one she couldn't put her finger on.

"Harls?" she repeated, slightly astounded. He grinned at her, a sadistic grin.

"Yeah, Harls."

Jackson / OC Fic. AU. Hitchhiking.

So it's just occurred to me that this chick has a similar name to my other OC, Hazel :') Too good.

Please review! Much love,

Rei_Nyx xoxo