A/N: I don't own this, we all know who does. What I do own is a container of cupcakes with green sprinkles and Breaking Dawn rings. I saw it at the store...I had to have it. :D I ate a cupcake with an Edward ring. I had to work hard to keep my mind out of the gutter as I licked the frosting off his backside... I mean, the backside of the Edward ring. :D Not that I would be opposed to licking frosting off Edward's backside... :D

I did research this chapter for awhile. I've never driven along the West Coast, so this may be horrible. Who knows. Bella's never driven it, either, so just go with it. :D

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Chapter 10

It didn't take me long to pack. I owned nothing of any value, and I could only take what I could fit in my car.

I mapped out my first day, deciding to drive south along the 101 until I reached Astoria, Oregon. I planned to stay there for the night, then drive along the coast until I got to Crescent City, California.

Staying on the coast would afford me plenty of chances to stop, and I didn't plan to push myself. I would just drive until I felt like stopping, then get out and enjoy the scenery.

I hoped that by taking my time, I would find whatever it was that I was looking for. I had a feeling this trip was leading me to something. Something big. It was exciting, and terrifying. I couldn't wait.

The second night as I stayed in Crescent City, I called my parents, telling them all about my drive that day. They seemed excited, yet still nervous about me being alone. I tried to reassure them I was fine. It was true...for the most part.

I stayed on the 101 South until I reached Leggett. The interstate continued on to San Francisco, and I knew it was the safer, straighter road. But I was done with safe and straight. I wanted to see things, to experience things. It was a longer drive, but I opted for Highway One that would lead me down the coast again.

All the little towns and cities along the way appealed to me, and I stopped a few times before finally pulling into San Francisco for the night. I had site-seeing I wanted to do. My hotel was booked for two nights. And I slept well in a big, plush bed that first night.

Seeing all the places I'd only heard of or seen in movies was incredible. For the first time in months, I didn't think about Jasper or Alice at all. It was a welcomed change.

I sent my parents a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge, and sent some chocolate to my mom from the Ghirardelli factory. After staying another night in the city, I began traveling down Highway One again, enjoying all the tiny little towns I passed through.

There were always boats and surfers dotting the water, and I pulled over several times to watch them. The breeze coming off the ocean was filled with salt and it smelled amazing. It was different from the ocean water in Washington, and I knew I would never get tired of it.

I made my way along the coast until I reached Monterey. My dad watched a lot of ESPN, and I knew there were several golf courses there. I spent some time driving around the city and seeing the things I'd only ever seen on television.

It was beautiful. A whole different world than what I was used to.

I knew the next day would involve lots of small towns as I traveled farther South, and I was up bright and early, ready to go.

I drove through Big Sur, Lucia, and Plaskett before finally stopping for the night in Cambria. It was a nice city, surrounded by miles and miles of vineyards, and I wandered the main streets for a few hours, trying to get familiar with it. Something didn't feel right, and the next morning I headed out again.

I started down the highway and after about twenty minutes, pulled into a little town called Cayucos. It was small, quaint, and something about it drew me in. I'd planned to drive to Los Angeles that day, but as I stood on the beach, looking at the long pier that jetted out into the water, I couldn't leave.

I canceled my hotel reservation in L.A. for the night, and found a bed and breakfast along the main street of the town. They had a few open rooms, and I snatched one up.

My stomach grumbled, and I knew I needed to eat. The sweet older woman who ran the B and B recommended a small restaurant just down the street. I walked along the sidewalk, enjoying the view. South Ocean Avenue ran along the beach for a while. Pacific Avenue split off from it and continued to run along the beach, but I kept on South Ocean, looking for the restaurant.

It was easy to spot. Flowers along the sidewalk. Music wafting through the air. Bright open windows. It looked inviting, happy. Like some place I needed to be.

Walking into Rockaway Cafe felt comfortable. Familiar. I felt like I was home.

It was honestly the last thing I was expecting.

And that was only the beginning of my surprises.

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A/N: Cayucos looks like a really cool little town. I'll put the link I found to it on my Facebook group. If you wanna check it out, find me and I'll let you in the group. It's secret, so no one even has to know you're there! :D (BeegurlOneThree FanFickee)

Boy oh boy...you're all out for blood with Jasper and Alice. I love it. :D Like I said, we'll see more about them later. :) Thank you for ALL of the amazing reviews and for pimping this story out to your friends. That's so sweet of you... :)