(Hey guys! I'm so glad you all have enjoyed the fanfic so far! I will be writing more about Doc in Radiator Springs soon, so stay tuned! Please feel free to leave reviews! Constructive criticism is totally okay with me! Thank you!)

Journey

It was late October, 1967. Hudson was now thirty-five years old. After graduation, Hudson searched for work in the city but found nothing that suited him. And after he obtained his degree, Hudson started to rethink his life. He wasn't sure if he wanted to work in a busy hospital all day. He needed something more. He knew he needed to get back to the man he used to be, but he was finding that hard to do. He wanted out of the city. Perhaps he could find a quieter job somewhere else. The city was too busy and too bustling for his liking. Now that he couldn't hide in school anymore, he had to get away. He wondered if people would ever recognize him as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. He doubted it. It seemed as if he had disappeared off the face of the planet. People didn't care. They had moved on. Glenn was right all along. Hudson wished he could have understood at the time. He was much older now and had learned a thing or two.

Hudson decided to head out to California. He didn't want to go down South again. He grew up down there, and he wanted something new. It was time for a fresh start. Hudson began to pack up his place. He didn't own much. There were only a few items that had stayed with him the whole time he was in medical school. Hudson still owned all of the newspapers from his racing past, and all three of the Piston Cups he had won in the fifties. They sat in the closet and collected dust over the years. Hudson always told himself he'd keep them as a reminder never to go back. But if he didn't want to go back, wouldn't it be best just to get rid of it all and forget about it? Hudson couldn't do it. Part of him couldn't let go. It was in his blood. He was born for racing. Whenever those thoughts came back to Hudson, he flushed them out of his head and moved on to continue packing. Hudson felt like he was doing the same thing he did twelve years ago. He packed his car, and simply started driving. A job was not guaranteed for him in California; Hudson did not know what to expect. He would drive, and drive, and see where it got him. Either that or he would go as far as his old Hornet would take him. Hudson left New York in December and never looked back. He had begun another long journey across the States. The first night, Hudson stopped at a motel in Illinois. That was a thirteen-hour drive. Hudson was drained, emotionally and physically. He went to bed early, without dinner. At this point, Hudson didn't care to eat that much. He ate as little as possible, just enough to get him enough energy to stay away. He knew he needed to rest for the journey the following morning. Hudson drifted off to sleep quickly and slept completely through the night.

The following morning, Hudson's alarm went off at 5 AM. He rolled out his warm bed, and slumped around the room, gathering the things he had brought into the motel room. Hudson wasn't the only one up this early in the morning. Many other travelers were starting to check out, to get back on the road after their Christmas vacations. Hudson forgot it was even December. He didn't even celebrate Christmas this year. He never did. As some families packed started to leave around Hudson, a man leaned over the railing of the balcony above Hudson's room. His family was getting ready as he waited outside, puffing a cigarette.

"Now ain't that a swell car," he said in a familiar voice.

Hudson turned around quickly, confused when he heard the familiar voice. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat. Smokey?…

The man smiled. "Did I scare you, boy?" He laughed a little. Hudson saw him and calmed down. It wasn't Smokey. Hudson couldn't tell if the voice was actually similar to Smokey's, or if he was just tired and getting delirious.

"Thank you, sir."

"Hornet?"

"Yes, sir. She's a '51."

"And she's a beauty, let me tell you that," the man said kindly. "You got a nice car on your hands, consider yourself lucky."

Hudson flashed a small smirk. "Thank you, sir. Been a good car through all the years. I can always trust 'er."

"Now that's a good car," the man added, tipping his hat. "Safe travels to you."

Hudson watched the man go. He sounded like Smokey, and he reminded Hudson of Smokey. It hurt his heart. He missed his friends. As Hudson started to prepare for his trip, he found himself grieving more than he was angry. He didn't feel sorry for himself, and he didn't feel upset at Glenn and the company anymore. Hudson was lonely and depressed. He now knew that something was missing, but he still needed to figure out what was missing, and what he was going to do next.

Hudson continued on, sometimes driving at night, sometimes in the day. No matter what mood Hudson was in, he still enjoyed driving. He sat in his comfy driver's seat with the radio tuned to his favorite channels. Driving the highway reminded him of the road trips he used to take with his family when he was just a boy. He remembered his father telling long and boring stories. His mother was constantly panicking, asking her husband if he had the correct directions. He and his siblings played with toys in the back seat, and every hour, they asked in unison, "Are we there yet?"

The memories made Hudson smile to himself as he drove. He missed his family. He missed those memories. He missed the times when life was easy, and all he had to do was finish his homework and go out and play with his friends. Those were simpler days, and with every year, things seemed to get more and more complicated. Hudson found it hard to accept the changes right away.

The blue Hornet slowly crawled across the United States. Hudson met many different people from lots of different states, but he never made an effort to talk to any of them for longer than a few minutes. He didn't want any personal questions to come up because he didn't want to answer them. He didn't want to open up or trust anyone. He didn't want to create any strong bonds or lasting relationships and didn't want to get caught in the same situation as he did back in the 50's. Hudson knew he needed to change, but he was consistently finding it hard to do. It wasn't easy to reach out and meet people or find something to do that would interest him. He was so used to living alone, after all. Sometimes, he'd go to a local bar for a drink or two. He always sat next to people, and as much as he wanted to talk to someone, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Hudson always made excuses in his head.

"I won't be here long, I'm leaving tomorrow. It doesn't matter."

"I've got to get to California. I don't have time to get to know people."

"I'm just a quiet-natured person. It's my personality."

At the end of the day when Hudson settled into his hotel room, he always regretted not stepping out of his comfort zone. Something didn't feel right. Something was still holding him back.