"please?" he asks. Doc nods and takes his arm, rolling the sleeve up. it was no surprise how everyone knew about them, even if they hadn't seen the ring, Doc had sent if off immediately after Lightning said yes to get it cleaned up and fixed up. it had just come back in yesterday. Doc rolls his other sleeve up. "thanks." Lightning mumbles.

"your gorgeous baby." Doc murmurs, gently running his fingers though Lightnings hair. "come on. lets get you some real food." Doc says. he leads Lightning outside, smiling.

"do you think Rusty and Dusty are right?" Lightning ask.

"right about what Monty?" Doc ask.

"do you think I need a service dog?" Lightning ask.

"I don't know. I already told you I think you need to talk to a therapist and get their professional opinion." Doc says softly.

"aren't you a professional?" Lightning ask.

"I'm a profession doctor of the body, not the mind kiddo. big difference." he murmurs.

"Lightning!" Red calls. Lightning looks over. Red is walking over quickly with something grey and white curled up in his hands. "check it out." Red grins holding the kitten out to him.

"where did you fine this cute little guy?" Lightning asks, looking at the kitten.

"in your car. Mack and I were working on getting the 95 put into the truck and I heard him crying." Red said, cuddling him.

"he threatened to call the damn thing Hornet." Doc huffs.

"well he needs a name." Red pouts.

"why Hornet?" Lightning ask.

"because his eyes are nearly the color of the Hornet." Red smiles, hugging his kitten.

"aww." Lightning smiles reaching out and scratching the kittens head.

"he bit Mack pretty good earlier, he said it stung." Red murmurs.

"call him Wasp." Lightning grins. "you can't get angry because your car is the Hornet, not the Wasp." he says, looking over at Doc. Doc rolls his eyes.

"if you weren't so damn cute I'd smack you." Doc muttered.

"I think Wasp is a cute a name. thanks." Red smiles, hugging him tightly. Wasp cuddles to Red happily.

"how are you and Mack?" Lightning ask. Red flushes slightly, shrugging one shoulder with a small smile. he cuddles back to Docs side.

"I'm going to take him back inside, it's too hot for him out here." Red says. Lightning nods and watches him go.

"come on, lets get you some food." Doc murmurs, taking his hand gently.

"hey Doc, are you okay with everyone knowing?" Lightning ask, looking up at him.

"its kinda knew for me really..." Doc frowns. "its, people from my time... you've heard my story Monty." Doc says.

"yeah I know. people back in your day gay people were beaten and murdered and shit... thats why I'm asking." Lightning says. "cause I can stop hanging all over you, let your hand go, and stop wearing your clothes in public. stop wearing the ring out in front of them." Lightning shrugs.

"no kid. don't change anything about you at all. okay? I like that you wear my shirts and my ring. you're helping me change kid. 50 years ago I never would've been able to be happy, but I know they don't care here. I've seen Red and Mack out and about and no one bats an eye. I'm okay with it." Doc murmurs. "I'm happy, you make me happy. it makes you happy to wear my clothes right? and the ring? to hang all over me? does it make you happy?" Doc ask. Lightning nods.

"yeah. makes me happy to wear your shirts. I like them. the ring of course it makes me happy. means your not planning to just leave me, and I hang all over the people I love, generally drives people away, like Sally." Lightning mumbles. he craves contact, good or bad and its taken Doc a long time to get him to understand that he's only going to get the good here in Radiator Springs.

"the problem with Sally wasn't that you pushed her away, the problem was you were too busy being in love with me." Doc snorts.

"yeah thats probably true too." he murmurs.

"kid if it would make you happy, I'd kiss you in front of the whole town." Doc assures.

"no I won't ask you to do that. I know it'd make you uncomfortable." he murmurs.

"and yet I'd do it anyway because it would make you so happy." Doc smiles.

"kid! Lightning!" Flo squeals, dropping whats in her hands and running over to hug him. she's been doing it every time she's seen him since he and Doc came back from Thomasville.

"hi Flo." he smiles, hugging her.

"aww look at you kid. has Doc not been feeding you over these past three years?" Flo asks looking him over.

"I've been trying." Doc mutters. "but he refuses." Doc huffs. Lightning shrugs a little.

"some people stress eat, but I don't." Lightning mumbles.

"no you stress starve." Doc says.

"sit and I'll feed you." Flo says.

"come here." Doc says pushing him into their usual booth. he sits beside him and Lightning leads on his shoulder happily. "Flo is right kid. you've lost a lot of weight and you're going to get that back. its not healthy for you to be this small." Doc warns. Lightning nods and cuddles closer to him.

"okay." he mumbles. "m'sorry." Lightning says.

"its okay kid. stress hurt people in different ways, I know that. we'll build your appitite back up like we built your muscle back up. we'll up your exercise routines, pump the protien. we'll get you back to being healthy in no time." Doc murmurs, kissing his head.

"I've missed this place. so much. I've just missed Radiator Springs. I've missed our friends, our home." he mumbles.

"speaking of home, you gonna offically move in with me? or you gonna keep living with me nad keep your stuff in the Cone?" Doc ask.

"I dunno, do you want all my junk, my crap, in your house?" Lightning asks. Doc chuckles softly.

"if it'll make you finally call it our house, then yeah. I want all your stuff. I want every part of you baby. your crap, your personal belongings, your personal problems, your everything. you're mine and I'd rather have all of you than just some of you. so yeah, I'd like to have your stuff in the house." Doc murmurs. Lightning flushes softly, playing with his fingers.

"okay." he says, cuddling to his side. he looks up when Flo sets their plates in front of them. "thanks Flo." Lightning smiles.

"you better actually eat it kid." Flo says firmly. Lightning nods.

"I've missed your food Flo." Lightning smiles at her. she grins and walks away. "seriously, tell me what you think about Rusty and Dusty's idea. if not with a professional opinion, then give me the opinion of my fiance." Lightning says. Doc frowns slightly, taking a moment to chew the bite he'd eaten.

"well..." Doc says after a moment. "I think it would do you some good. honestly. your have anxiety attacks and PTSD attacks. I think it would do you some good honestly kid, with my opinion as a lovers opinion and not a professional opinion." Doc says.

"would you be okay with that? if I got a service dog?" Lightning ask.

"yes, because I seriously think it would help you." Doc says.

"okay. I'll talk to the team." Lightning says. Doc watches him eat, before turning back to his own food. once they're finished the two clean up their table and leave.

"McQueen!" Mater shouts, running over. Lightning tenses up, but he's smiling so Doc knows he's just preparing for impact. Mater hugs the man tightly. he's been getting this from pretty much everyone since they came back. he's getting used to it honestly. he's going to be sad eventually when it stops. he laughs softly.

"Mater okay put him down kid." Doc frowns. Mater lets him go.

"sorry buddy. I jus' got a little excited." Mater says, chuckling slightly.

"thats okay pal. I'm fine." Lightning assures. "I'm exited to be back in town. I'm excited to be back home." he smiles at him. Mater smiles at him and heads off to do what he was already doing.

"come on kid. lets go see Sheriff." Doc murmurs, throwing his arm around his shoulders.

"Doc I really don't want to." he says hesitantly.

"I know, but you need to, because he didn't mean to snap at you." Doc says.

"I'm not a kid Doc, I don't need an apology." Lightning replies.

"no, you're not a kid, but you are a man who deserves an apology from someone who made a mistake and Sheriff really wants to." Doc says. Lightning sighs and follows him.

"I should really call Rusty." Lightning says.