the rest of the three hour ride is filled with silence as Lightning either sleeps, or pretends to sleep so he won't have to talk to Smokey. as they pull over into a rest stop and Smokey gets out, taking Bolt with him. Red walks over to move him. he's sat up in the seat at this point, but still looks tired.

"hey, you awake?" Red smiles at him. Lightning shrugged a little.

"sort of." Lightning mumbles half asleep.

"wanna ride with me and Mack or with Louise and Maddie?" Red ask.

"wanna ride with Doc." Lightning mumbles.

"yeah but the safest option is to-" Red starts.

"m'riding with Doc or you can jus' leave me at this rest stop. I want Doc." Lightning says firmly. Red frowns and shuts the door heading over to Doc. the older man is leaned against his Hornet, stretching.

"he wants to ride with you." Red said. Doc shakes his head firmly.

"I'm not an option. everyone knows he always rides with me." Doc frowns.

"well he says its you or we can just leave him here." Red sighs.

"oh lord boy we don't have time for drama. I'll talk to him." Doc mutters, heading for Smokey's truck. he opens the door and Lightning meets his eye, he looks utterly miserable, but he does crack a small smile seeing Doc. he almost looks a little relieved. "look kid, you can't ride with me right now. you know that. everyone knows you always ride with me." Doc frowns.

"but, but I want to. please Doc? no one will even know I'm there." Lightning ask.

"no. its not safe. do you want to ride with Red or Louise and don't be so dramatic kid, we've got to go quickly." Doc frowns. its silent a moment and Doc is about to just say fuck it and leave him with Smokey, but the younger finally answers.

"I'll ride with Red and Mack." Lightning mumbles, sounding like he's honestly about to cry. Doc sighs a little, ruffling his hair gently.

"thank you." Doc frowns, stepping away from the truck. "okay Red, he's yours." Doc said, heading back towards the Hornet. Red walks over.

"can you walk or should I just carry you?" Red smiles.

"I dunno, they drugged me pretty good." he mumbles. Red smiles and scoops him up chuckling a little. "I wanna ride with Doc, but he won' let me. I didn' wanna be left with Smokey. I'm afraid Docs gonna start thinking the way Smokey does and I don't want that." Monty adds.

"whats wrong with Smokey?" Red ask. Monty doesn't answer, but cuddles closer to him. Red drops him off in the back of the semi cab. "stay with him." Red said, walking back off. Mack looks confused, where the fuck else was he supposed to go?

"hey boss, you good?" Mack ask.

"can you get Bolt?" he ask.

"I'll get him as soon as I can boss." Mack assures. Red jogs over to Doc car.

"what happened with him and Smokey?" Red ask. Doc looks up.

"what do you mean?" Doc ask.

"he didn't want to be left alone with Smokey again. he wanted to ride with you because I guess Smokey was making him uncomfortable or something." Red frowns.

"kid never said anything to me." Doc said.

"maybe you didn't give him a chance." Red frowns. "he said he wanted to ride with you. he probably would've talked if he was with you." Red mutters, walking off. he heads back for the semi and Mack is loading, or attempting to, Bolt up in the cab.

"oh come on Bolt." Mack frowns. Bolt is fighting him pretty hard, so Red decides to help. he barks and struggles with Mack. "oh come on, be a good boy and get in the semi." Mack frowns.

"aww Bolt come on, get in the truck. come on." Red coos. he walks around to the other side, trying to convince Bolt to get in. "come on good boy." Red smiles. Doc walks over to the cab, watching the two before poking in to look at Lightning.

"okay kid, whats going on with you and Smokey?" Doc ask. Lightning looks at him tiredly.

"he doesn't think I love you." he mumbles, curling up more. he knows Doc has drugged him for the trip home, his stomach hurt so bad at the hospital he'd probably be super car sick if Doc hadn't, but he's wishing at the moment he hadn't.

"thats crazy kid he knows you love me." Doc said, rolling his eyes. Lightning pushes away the urge to fall back to sleep and gets up. Doc reaches to help him, but Lightning pulls himself away. Doc looks confused. "kid whats wrong?" Doc ask.

"nothin' jus' gonna go pee and then find Bolt." Lightning muttered.

"kid you can't really do that alone." Doc said, watching him.

"then I'll get help from Red." Lightning huffed. Doc is confused as to why his young lover is suddenly angry at him, but he's going to get hurt. he watches the younger go, Red walking over quickly to catch up with him. Mack finally gets Bolt into the cab and gives Doc a confused look.

"what happened?" Mack ask.

"he and Smokey aren't really getting a long." Doc mutters.

"why would they?" Mack snorts. "I've heard him say something to you casually asking if you were sure the Boss was with you for you or because you used to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. he probably finally ask Lightning himself, boss has already told me he over heard you and Smokey talking back at Smokeys place, when you thought he and Red were asleep on the couch." Mack said rolling his eyes. "I mean is obvious Smokey likes him and is willing to help you keep him safe, but I think he's stuck in the bosses past and just assumes he's using you. Smokey's a nice guy an all, but he doesn't trust Lightning. how have you not noticed?" Mack huffs, rolling his eyes. Doc raises his eye brows, before turning and leaving the semi cab. Mack watched him go and pets Bolts head. "you know Bolt, Docs a smart man, but he's an idiot." Mack said. Bolt barks, wagging his tail happily.

"hey Smokey." Doc said walking over to him. he's talking with Junior, River, and Louise.

"hey Hud, whats up?" Smokey ask.

"what did you say to the kid?" Doc frowns. Smokey frowns back.

"what are you talking about?" Smokey ask.

"you know what I'm talking about Smokey. just be straight with me. he's already not happy with either of us." Doc frowns.

"Hud what the hell are you talking about?" River ask

"Smokey keeps accusing both to me and Monty that the kids only with me because of who I was 50 years ago." Doc said, good hand on his hip.

"Smokey?" Louise ask shocked.

"I am just looking out for you." Smokey frowned, copying Docs posture.

"I appreciate you as a friend, but I'm not in my 20's anymore. I'm fine. you need to tell the kid you're sorry." Doc said.

"Hud, you know-" Smokey starts.

"its not up for debate. you owe him an apology." Doc said firmly, before walking off. he gets back in the Hornet silently. Red loads Monty back up into the semi and he's almost immediately asleep. Bolt sits up between Red and Mack, begging for attention as they load up.

"whats up with Doc?" Red ask. Bolt lays his head on Reds leg with a whine and Red gently pats his head. "you're a good boy Bolt." Red smiles petting him gently.

"he finally understands Smokey doesn't exactly trust that the boss loves Doc." Mack shrugs.

"finally." Red sighs. "I know Smokey actually likes him, but its not hard to realize he doesn't like the two dating. you don't think Smokey actually is a homophobe do you?" Red ask hesitantly.

"no. I don't. I just think he was used to Doc being so young last time he really saw him, that he took on a guardian role and doesn't know how to stop." Mack shrugs. "he's certainly not a homophone though. Doc's told the boss about how Smokey used to beat up the people that attacked him for being gay. he just doesn't like that the kid he protected isn't a kid anymore, he's a grown man and he can make his own choices." Mack adds.

"stop talkin' 'bout us." Lightning mumbles.

"go back to sleep boss. you're fine." Mack calls. Lightning grumbles a little and Bolt gets up from his spot to curl up with him. Bolt cuddles to him and wags his tail happily.

"good boy Bolt." Lightning murmurs. he hugs the dog tightly and yawns. Red glances back at him.

"did Doc really have to drug him?" Red ask.

"it was just a few sleeping pills Red, you heard the boss earlier. his stomach hurt so bad the hospital wanted to keep him." Mack frowns.

"are you gonna ride with Louise and Maddie next?" Red ask, looking back at Lightning. the younger man snores softly.

"I figure unless he asks to, he'll just ride home with us." Mack said. "I mean, one of us is going to have to carry him in anyway, Doc can't do it and I doubt Smokey would." Mack frowns. Red nods. Bolt wiggles free and heads back up front for more attention from Mack and Red. Red pets him carefully and frowns.