"I know I shouldn't, but you worry about how much time you have left with Ramone right? or Mable?" Lightning ask.

"well I do think about how long I'll be here for Mable, but Ramon and I are in our 60's honey. we're the same age." Flo shrugs.

"Docs 44 years older than me." Lightning mumbles.

"guaranteed you're going before him kid." Flo snorts.

"I'd rather him go first so he's not alone again, you know? he was alone for so long. I think he's done all the time he needs to alone." Lightning frowns, shutting his eyes so the hair doesn't get in them, so he can't see Flo smiling at him.

"thats sweet kid, I think." Flo shrugs. "your hairs going a little red again, you might want to re-dye it." Flo says, trying to change the subject.

"I know I need to. ugh. Doc thinks I should stop, but like, the blond is part of my look." Lightning said.

"it is. its cute on you." Flo smiles. Lightning gives a small smile before sighing.

"I dunno, maybe Docs right." Lightning sighs. "I started dying it to help hide from my father but he's found me so I guess its stupid to do that now if he's already found me." Lightning mumbles. Flo stilled a moment.

"your fathers here?" Flo ask.

"yeah, apparently he vandalized the house last night." Lightning sighed, with a shrug.

"hmm. thats bullshit." Flo frowns. she steps back. "alright kiddo, done." she smiles. Lightning stands, shakes his hair out on the ground and smiled.

"thanks Flo. I guess I should've waited for a shower." he snorts, grabbing his shirt. Flo smiles at him.

"have fun kid." Flo smiles. "and be careful. we expect you both to live a long while." Flo says firmly. Lightning flashes her a grin and heads for the house.

"hi buddy." Lightning chuckles as Bolt walks over to him. "you're a good boy yeah?" Lightning asks, scratching his head. Bolt barks at him, tail wagging.

"hey, he's been walked already, but he might want some breakfast." Red smiles walking over. "nice hair cut, Flo cut it again?" Red asks.

"yeah, she really should've gone to school for this, she's good at it." he smiles. Red nods in agreement. "you get that crap scraped off the house?" Lightning ask.

"Doc told you about that?" Red frowned, looking back at the house.

"sort of." Lightning sighs. Red frowns a little.

"do you want to talk about it?" Red ask.

"not really." he says shaking his head. Red nods at him, watching him head inside. "I'm back." Lightning calls.

"hey, Flo have time to cut your hair?" Doc asks.

"yeah pretty much demanded she cut it. said it was too long." he chuckles. "I'm going to go rinse the hair off." Lightning said, heading for the bathroom. Bolt heads for the kitchen for food.

"do you need me?" Doc asks, poking his head out of the kitchen.

"hmm... no I think I got it." he assures.

"alright. shout if you change your mind kiddo." Doc smiles.

"I will." Lightning said. Doc looks over at Bolt, scratching the pups head gently as he walked past the pup. he headed for the bed room to wait, if anything happened he didn't want to be far. he double checked the suit cases, even the one he'd packed for Bolt, just to make sure they have everything. "are you going to be okay with Bolt riding with us in the Hornet?" Lightning ask.

"yeah. he's a pretty good boy. I trust he won't tear up my seats or anything." Doc shrugs. Lightning comes out, drying his hair.

"we leaving soon?" he asks.

"yup. packing up the car now. make sure Bolt eats before you bring him out." Doc says, grabbing his and Lightnings bags. the younger nods at him and heads for the kitchen, pulling his shirt on.

"race is tomorrow right?" Lightning ask.

"yeah, so you better rest on the way so you're not tired tomorrow." Doc says, walking out the door. he'd pull the Hornet around to the front of the house before calling Lightning outside. he wasn't to give the car a chance to cool off, he'd worked on it but sitting up all those years had really taken a toll on the old car and sitting up nearly another year and half hadn't done it any favors. the AC had gone out sometime and Doc had yet to get it working again. he backs the car out of the garage after putting their bags in. he rolls the windows down and parks the car in front of the house.

"you guys getting ready to go?" Mack ask, walking over.

"yeah. you hitched up?" Doc ask.

"yup. hitched and ready to go." Mack grins.

"try not to lose the car on the way to California this time." Doc teases.

"hey he was sleeping in the car last time. okay? and he met you guys so." Mack shrugs.

"yeah it was a dump idea for him to sleep in the car." Doc frowns.

"well it wasn't our idea. Harv insisted he rode with the car because it was too expensive for me to destroy." Mack huffs.

"another good reason that idiots out of our lives." Doc says getting out of the hornet.

"I'm going to go a head and leave, Reds coming with me. he was going to stay but Mater said he was staying here with Flo and Sally." Mack said. Doc nods. "oh and Sheriff." Mack adds.

"Sheriff?" Doc ask.

"he doesn't want to chance the boss seeing him while driving and having an absolute melt down, out of his control, but still." Mack says. Doc nods in thought.

"yeah thats probably for the best. if Maters not coming whose going to come get you and Red?" Doc ask.

"Fillmore and Sarge are gonna take Fillmore's van so they can come get us." Mack assures. Doc nods.

"alright. we'll meet you there Mack. just be careful. the kids dad'll probably follow us. I don't want that car sabotaged. got it?" Doc frowns.

"I'll make sure to put it in lock up. I'll just tell them some of Chicks old crazies are still after him." Mack assures. Doc nods and watches him go. he heads back inside the house.

"hey kid, you ready?" Doc ask.

"yeah sorry." Lightning mumbles from the bedroom. Doc pokes his head in, watching him grab his Glock from the drawer. "just trying to decide if I really should take this with me." he sighs.

"its for the best." Doc assures gently. Lightning nods and hands it to Doc.

"here, I don't want it somewhere Bolt might chew on it." he frowns. Doc nods.

"come on. lets go, Mack just left. we shouldn't be too far behind. I don't want to risk anything happening." Doc says.

"you're scared my dad will hurt Mack." Lightning says.

"Mack and Red are big boys. they can handle themselves. I want to be able to hit rest stops and still make it before dark." Doc said. "no way Bolts going to make a 10 hour trip and neither are you." Doc snorts. Lightning huffs, but shuts the lights off, grabbing everything he needs, before following Doc out. "Sheriffs coming over, go a head and get in." Doc murmurs, kissing his head. Lightning nods and climbs into the Hornet.

"come on Bolt. come on." Lightning grins, motioning for the dog to get in. Bolt jumps in happily as Doc walks towards Sheriff.

"so, not coming?" Doc ask.

"figured it was better for the kid if I didn't. plus I can keep an eye on the town." Sheriff says. Doc nods.

"alright, we'll see you in three days. if anything happens, call me. okay?" Doc ask. Sheriff nods.

"you got it." Sheriff smiles.

"sorry I freaked like that Sheriff." Lightning says. both look over, he's sitting in the car staring at the house. he can talk to Sheriff, of course, he does so on the phone, it's seeing him that sets the younger off.

"not worried about it kid. just get out there and be careful." Sheriff chuckles. Lightning nods once at him. Doc climbs in and starts up the Hornet.

"California, here we come." Doc smirks. he watches carefully for Sheriff to get out of the way, then speeds off out of the town. the drive is supposed to be a 10 hour drive, but with Doc, it's more likely to be a five hour drive. Sheriff has cop friends from Arizona all the way to Washington, and then some, and they usually don't mind when they see the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, in his Fabulous Hornet, speed down the road with Lightning McQueen in the passenger seat. as long as Docs careful, he hasn't caused an accident yet, they generally leave him be. Fillmore, Sarge, Ramone, Guido, and Luigi have all left before them. hours before them, knowing if they want to get to the hotel any where near Doc and Lightning, they have to leave pretty early.

"Sheriffs not coming?" Lightning ask.

"nope. he wants to stay in case your dad doesn't follow us. I'm pretty sure he will but it never hurts to have a back up plan." Doc smiles.

"are you sure the Hornets going to make it Doc? its been falling apart it seems." Lightning says, scratching Bolts head gently.

"he'll make it. we just won't have AC or radio." Doc says.

"we never use the radio so thats fine, though no AC will suck, I'm sure we can manage." Lightning chuckles, leaning against him. he sighs happily relaxing into Docs side. "hey Doc?" Lightning ask.

"here we go, 20 minutes in and already starting 20 questions." Doc teases. Lightning flushes softly and huffs quietly, looking out the window. Doc snorts softly and takes his hand. "yes baby, whats your question?" he asks.