(Chapter 25 not 26 sorry.)

"hmmm...?" Lightning ask, shifting a little to look over at him.

"shhh, go back to sleep." Doc murmurs, nuzzling his neck. he pulls the blanket over both of them and cuddles to him. Lightning cuddles to him and murmurs.

"m'kay, ol'man." Lightning mumbles.

"goodnight kid." Doc murmurs, nuzzling him gently.

Doc shifts and mutters sitting up. the beds empty beside him, but Bolt is still in his crate.

"kid?" Doc mutters getting up.

"m'in here." Lightning calls from the living room. Doc gets up and stretches, opening the door of the crate so Bolt can get out.

"what are you doing out here baby?" Doc ask.

"I've been up for a few hours and I didn't want to wake you up. so I came out here and watched tv." Lightning murmurs. Doc sits with him and pulls him close. Bolt jumps up on the couch and cuddles to them.

"you don't have to worry about that. you can always wake me up." Doc murmurs softly, kissing his head. Lightning cuddles to his side and smiles.

"I didn't want to. you needed to sleep." he mumbles.

"I'm okay kid." Doc murmurs. Lightning nuzzles his neck and curls up.

"you didn't even change clothes." Lightning said.

"do you want me to?" Doc snorts.

"I figured we'd go get some breakfast." he mumbles. Doc looks at him, smiling.

"yeah? you're hungry?" Doc ask.

"a little." he mumbles, shrugging a little.

"alright. here, let me up." Doc says. Lightning sits up and lets Doc up. "might need your help to button up my shirt though." Doc adds, heading for the bedroom.

"m'kay." Lightning murmurs. Doc decides it's better to just not wear a button up and pulls on an old t-shirt and some jeans and heads back out to the living room.

"hey." Doc frowns. Lightning looks up. "button my pants." Doc mutters. Lightning snorts and walks over, button his pants before buckling his belt.

"well, all these times of you rolling up my sleeves, now I'm going to be the one doing stuff like that for you." Lightning grins.

"only in your dreams." Doc snorts, ruffling his hair. he shifts the sling a little to keep it from digging into his neck so hard. "come on. I bet Flos dying to see you, must've been lonely for her with out her side piece." Doc teases.

"oh yeah, figured me out. she's my secret girlfriend." Lightning says, rolling his eyes. Doc laughs and heads out of the house. Lightning and Bolt follow behind. he easily catches up with Doc, though he's careful not to bump Docs bad arm. since Doc is left handed and Lightning is right handed, he always walks on Docs right side so he can hold the olders hand without having to worry about needing to write anything, but even now that Docs right arm is injured, he still can't convince himself to walk on the olders other side. he pulls open the door to Flos diner and follows Doc and Smokey in.

"oh my gosh! you're back!" Flo says running over. she looks Doc over carefully, before hugging Lightning tightly.

"mmhmm." Lightning manages.

"take it easy Flo, these past few days have been rough." Doc mutters.

"I know! we all saw it on the tv. the whole track just went up in flames. are you two alright?" Flo asks looking over at Doc.

"we're fine." he assures. Flo turns back to Lightning.

"oh honey, what did you do to your hair?" Flo frowns.

"I got attacked. it's fine. it'll come out in a few washes." Lightning mutters.

"alright, you guys go on and sit. I'll get you breakfast, oh what should I get for Bolt?" Flo ask.

"he'll just get scraps off my plate until we go back to the house." Lightning assures gently. Flo nods and watches them sit before walking off. Bolt wags his tail happily sitting under the table between Lightnings feet. "hey buddy. if Mater catches you chewing on that thing he's not going to be happy." Lightning snorts. Doc looks down.

"oh just let him have it. it's not like you sleep with it or anything. its just a little stuffed cow." Doc snorts.

"I know." Lightning says. Flo brings over their food, though she catches both of their attention with the little slice of pie. Doc certainly doesn't eat sweets, so its not for him.

"don't think I didn't notice that ring." Flo grins, walking away. Lightning looks down at the ring on his hand.

"guess I forgot to take it off." he mumbles. Doc smiles a little.

"they were gonna find out sooner or later." Doc shrugs. he smiles and grabs slice of toast from his plate. "here." Doc mutters offering it to Bolt.

"you're gonna have to drop the cow buddy." Lightning snorts, watching the dog. Bolt does eventually drop the cow and take the toast happily. "yeah we couldn't hide it from them forever." Lightning murmurs. the two eat until Smokey sits himself in the seat across from them with a cup of coffee.

"look we three need t' talk." Smokey frowns. Lightnings not sure what in him broken but he glares at Smokey.

"why? so you can sit here and tell us both you don't like this?" Lightning snaps.

"kid." Doc says softly. Lightning snaps his mouth shut and pokes at his food. Bolt whines lowly, nudging his leg gently. Lightning pets his head. "okay, so talk. you heard what both of us have had to say." Doc frowns.

"m'sorry. you're right. I over stepped a boundary." Smokey says. Lightning doesn't seem to be listening. he's trying to keep himself in check, he doesn't want to blow up and get both Smokey and Doc angry at him. Bolt barks, laying his head on Lightnings knee. "its none of my business. just forgot your an old man now too." Smokey half smirks at Doc.

"I don't want to hear anymore from anyone you've been saying shit about us." Doc frowns. Smokey nods at him.

"and you won't. there ain't nothing to say. there shouldn't have been in the first place. I just have to keep an eye on you." Smokey says. "well I thought I did at least. I'll leave you two to your breakfast." Smokey said, getting up. Doc watches him go and looks over at Lightning.

"you okay kid?" Doc ask. Lightning gives him an awkward half smile.

"yeah. just prepared myself for some yelling and screaming." Lightning muttered.

"nah." Doc assures. "just eat kid, okay?" Doc murmurs. Lightning nods picks up his fork and pokes at his food. Doc knows that Lightnings probably not going to eat anymore and silently curses at Smokey. of all the times to come and do this, he picked the time Lightning was actually eating. Bolt whines a little. "come on Monty, you need to eat, and don't tell me you aren't hungry." Doc says.

"but m'not." Lightning mutters.

"you were just eating a minute ago kid. come on. don't do this again." Doc murmurs softly. "come on kid, at least eat the pie, gonna hurt Flos feelings if you don't." Doc adds. Lightning sighs a little and looks over at the slice of pie.

"okay." he mutters.

"good. thank you." Doc says. he looks over at the younger. "we're gonna take a beer and wash your hair, see if we can't get that shit out of your hair." Doc frowns.

"a beer?" Lightning ask, mouthful of pie.

"forget how young you are sometimes." Doc teases with a snort. "yeah we'll wash your hair with some beer later." Doc smiles.

"m'not young. I'm 27." Lightning mumbles.

"I'm 44 years old, you're young." Doc snort.

"you have a birthday coming up soon." Lightning says looking over.

"yeah don't remind me." Doc said. "yours is first. so don't even think about it." Doc frowns.

"yeah don't say anything." Lightning mutters.

"don't tell mine I won't tell yours." Doc says.

"deal." Lightning agrees. "here, eat it." Lightning mutters, holding a forkful of pie out to Doc. Doc scoffs and pulls back some.

"no get it out of my face." Doc mutters.

"eat it." Lightning says.

"no. stop." Doc huffs, pushing his hand away.

"gonna make Flo cry." Lightning says.

"hey I said you were going to hurt her feelings." Doc huffs. Lightning gets a weird look on his face coughs, putting the fork down. Doc watches him. "I'm still not eating that." Doc frowns.

"jus'... eat it." Lightning mumbles, scratching his neck.

"no." Doc frowns. Lightning coughs again and blinks in confusion.

"I... I don't feel good." he mutters. Doc raises an eye brow.

"kid?" Doc ask. he has an almost uncomfortable look on his face.

"uh..." Lightning mumbles.

"hey Monty, you okay?" Doc ask worriedly.

"I... don't think..." Lightning tries. neither have a chance to react before he projectile vomits all over the table.

"whoa!" Doc shouts, grabbing Bolt and pulling him from under the table so he doesn't get covered. Lightning covers his mouth but it does nothing to stop him from puking again. Doc pulls his arm free from his sling, knowing that it will hurt later.