"Monty McQueen, will you marry me?" Doc asks.

3 years after Lightnings wreck and a 8 months after Chicks death and 2 months since Lightning came back to the racing scene, he's still slowly getting back to his normal life. he was still waking up from nightmares in the middle of the night, still calling people in the night to check on them, though he was utterly hesitant to call Sheriff. Doc had had to have a very long talk with Sheriff after Lightning had called him one night and Sheriff had blown up on him. Doc had woken up to the younger sobbing and his phone thrown across the room. it had taken him three days to get what had happened out of the younger, but he'd immediately gone and talked to Sheriff, who had been very guilty. he hadn't even let Lightning get a single word out, had just blown up on him expecting it to be one of those robo calls. it was four days after the call and the younger still hadn't left the house, despite Docs asking.

Doc sighed walking into the house. it was a hot one outside today.

"hey kid." Doc smiles at him. he's sitting on the couch curled up under a blanket looking tired. he'd stopped sleeping all night, just napping here and there in a desperate attempt to keep from having nightmares and calling people. Smokey had even called Doc yesterday morning to see if everything was alright because Lightning hadn't called him in nearly a week.

"hey Doc." he mumbles.

"you call Smokey?" Doc ask.

"no." Lightning mumbles.

"why not?" he asks. Lightning shrugs.

"don't want to bother him." Lightning says. Doc frowns and tosses the younger his cell phone.

"Smokey already told you that you don't bother him." Doc assures gently. "just give him a call." Doc says, heading for the kitchen.

"I don't want to. I'm fine Doc." Lightning mumbles.

"Monty, please, just give him a call. he's worried about you. he called me this morning to ask if you were okay because you haven't called him in almost a week." Doc says, turning to look at his fiancé. fiancé. god that was amazing. Lightning is 27 and the two had been engaged for nearly three months. he'd popped the question immediately after the youngers first race back. he hadn't expected the younger to say yes and for the first few moments he'd actually thought the younger was going to laugh at him.

"wh-what? are you serious?" Lightning asks stepping back slightly out of shock.

Doc smiles slightly to himself, remembering the moment fondly.

"as serious as a heart attack kid." Doc murmurs, holding out the ring.

it wasn't a fancy ring or anything. it was a ring Doc had gotten when he first started racing. it was as blue as his Hornet with the number 51 on it, though it stood for 1951 it also matched the number on his beloved car. Smokey had given it to him when he got his first Piston Cup, had told Doc he was proud of him. Doc had worn the ring in every race after for good luck.

"y-you're actually serious..." Lightning says staring in disbelief. "even after all this crap, I thought you'd change your mind and leave me. I'm a lot of drama."

"course I'm serious. can't get down on one knee, we both know I'd never get up." Doc adds. Lightning lets out a laugh and stares at him. Doc holds out the ring. "so is that a yes?" he asks hesitantly.

Doc finds himself replaying the scene over and over in his head all the time. the younger man had been absolutely shocked and beside himself that he wanted to stay even after the hell they'd been through. Lightning had stared at him for what felt like forever, it was really only about two minutes. but he'd stared at the older man making Doc doubt himself for a few minutes.

Lightning stared at the ring, seeming shocked that Doc had even gotten one. the older man wasn't really a hopeless romantic, but it kind of felt like in that one moment he was.

"yes." Lightning mumbles, throwing his arms around the older and pulling him down into a kiss. Doc held him tightly.

"sure took your sweet ass time." Doc huffs, holding him.

"I wanted to make sure you were for real. I kind thought you were going to leave me." Lightning admits.

"never." Doc murmurs, pulling him closer.

Lightning sighs and grabs the phone and Doc smiles catching a glance of the ring on his hand. Doc hadn't worn the ring in years, it was too small for him, but it was just right for the younger.

"hey." Doc says. Lightning looks up, phone pressed to his ear.

"what?" Lightning mumbles.

"I love you." Doc says softly. Lightnings lips twitch upward slightly in a smile, face turning a soft pink.

"oh hey Smokey. uh, Doc said you called him..." Lightning said. Doc heads for the kitchen. "no m'okay... just realized I was bothering people when I called them so I stopped." Lightning says. "thanks Smokey, I appreciate that. no I'm gonna be fine. uh, the Rusteze guys think I should get a service dog though. I dunno. maybe they're right I should. Rusty and Dusty are seriously pushing the idea. I'm afraid if I don't, that they're gonna fire me and I really don't want them to." Lightning mumbles. "yeah. okay, thanks Smokey." Lightning says. he laughs as he hangs up, smiling a little.

"whats so funny?" Doc ask.

"he promised to leave his phone on for me tonight." Lightning mumbles. Doc smiles.

"he's a really good guy and as long as I care about you he does." Doc murmurs, walking over to him. he leans down over him and kisses him deeply, Lightning immediately grabs the front of his shirt and holds him into the kiss. Doc smiles pulling back a little. "feeling any better than?" Doc ask.

"I guess." he mumbles.

"good, then get up. Sheriff wants to apologize." Doc says.

"no I don't want to talk to him. he's going to shout at me again." Lightning mumbles.

"no he won't. baby, he didn't realize it was you. he'd gotten several robo calls and thought you were another one. he just wants to tell you he's sorry." Doc murmurs. "besides Mack and Red got a cat and Reds been waiting for two days. to show him to you so you can help name him." Doc says.

"a kitten?" Lightning asks, getting up. Doc chuckles.

"I could make a nasty joke, but I'll keep it to myself, thats not really my style." Doc says. Lightning laughs slightly. "go shower and change clothes and meet me out here." Doc murmurs. Lightning pulls him close and leans back to look at him. Doc smiles down him.

"I'm going to change clothes, but you have to take me to Flos for food. I'm tired of living a life of pity and misery." Lightning mumbles. Doc smiles at him, kissing him.

"good job, go." Doc says, letting him go gently. Lightning heads for their room. he comes back out in a pair of jeans and Docs Fabulous Hudson Hornet deep blue button up, its unbuttoned like it always is when he wears it. Doc snorts and smiles at him. "want me to roll up your sleeves?" Doc ask. Lightning held out one of his arms.