"yes. we'll leave in a bit. it starts around 6 or so, and it's only a 2 hour drive from here." Doc murmurs. Cal nods and eats the food Doc had given him. Lightning sits down and eats happily. Doc watches him and chuckles, eating his own food.

"yes you're invited what kind of stupid question is that?" Monty snorts. Cal grins at him.

"well I appreciate it." he smiles. they eat and clean up.

"go get dressed and ready both of you and we'll go for a race at the Butte." Doc say. Cal nods and leaves smiling. Monty heads back to their room to get dressed in something other than his pjs and a hoodie. he strips to his boxers and hums happily digging through his and Docs shared dresser for clothes. "you sure you're okay?" Doc murmurs, wrapping his arms around the youngers waist. he shivers a little and leans back into Doc.

"mmhmm. I'm fine." Lightning smiles. Doc kisses his neck gently and holds him. "don't be all over me like this. m'gonna need more if you don't get off." he murmurs, pushing Docs hands away, flushing.

"I'm just holding you. I'm always holding you baby." Doc chuckles.

"well at least let me get dressed." Lightning murmurs. Doc laughs a little and kisses his neck again before ruffling his hair.

"I'm glad you at least look like you're feeling better." Doc murmurs, changing his own clothes.

"I do feel a little better actually." he smiles, pulling on his pants. he pulls on and shirt and turns to face Doc. "hey Doc, you don't think that the concert will cause another seizure do you?" Lightning asks hesitantly.

"no I don't. I think you'll be okay." Doc assures. "come on, Cals waiting for us." Doc murmurs. Lightning nods and follows him. he cuddles closer to him.

"okay. I don't think Cals ever raced on dirt before." Lightning frowns looking over at him.

"thats okay. he's racing you not me." Doc chuckles. Lightning smiles at him and nods. he pauses as he steps out of the house, Red and Mack are heading towards them. Lightning immediately turns to Doc.

"I think he'd rather race you." he mutters, heading back into the house quickly.

"baby?" Doc asks, turning after him. Lightnings already gone inside and shut the door behind him. Doc frowns and opens the door, following after him. "hey, whats wrong?" Doc ask.

"nothing. I just don't feel like racing anymore." he mutters quietly. Doc raises an eye brow.

"this wouldn't have anything to do with Red and Mack walking over would it?" Doc frowns.

"Doc I just don't want to race." Lightning muttered.

"mmhmm." Doc frowns. he opens the door again at a knock.

"look I know he doesn't want to talk to us, but Cal said you guys were going for a race and he needs to see this." Mack says.

"see what?" Doc ask. Mack shows Doc a picture on his phone. not only is his semi destroyed, but so is the 95.

"we woke up this morning and they were just destroyed." Mack says.

"hey kid get out here. your dad struck again." Doc says. Lightning heaves a sigh and heads over to them. he stares at his car.

"guess m'not racing." he mumbles. he sighs and leans against Doc.

"guess not. you call Rusty and Dusty and let them know what happened. get them to send a team out to get everything fixed up. your semi us considered Rust*eze property so it should be covered when they fix the 95." Doc says. Mack nods.

"I think he needs to go back to Thomasville. I know thats not what either of you want, but he's safer there with a bunch of people who always carry guns." Mack says.

"yeah I'm coming to that conclusion too." Doc frowns.

"I don't want to go back. not after last time." Lightning says firmly.

"I know you don't, we'll talk about it later." Doc assures gently. Lightning nods a little. "did you let Cal know?" Doc asks.

"yeah he said he'd head back over after a shower and see what you guys wanted to do." Mack says. Red hasn't said a word, but he's staring at Lightning, who is avoiding both of their gazes. "look boss, I was just horsing around. I didn't mean it-" Mack starts.

"well it wasn't funny." Lightning snaps. he's tired of holding his tongue. "I get it. I'm a burden and I'm hard to handle. I'm always up in your space and all over you guys, I fucking get it and I don't care what the fuck you say about me behind my back as long as I can't hear it, but you basically said it straight to my face. I'm sorry I'm such a fucking burden to you guys, but don't worry about it. you're obviously not my friends. you're just my hauler and the town firefighter and I don't give a fuck what you two say anymore. I've learned my lesson. the only time I'll even talk to you Mack is when it's something to do with Rust*eze and racing. don't worry about that, and I won't call you unless somethings on fire." Lightning says looking at Red. Red opens his mouth to say something, but Lightnings not done yet. "there, everything's settled, yeah? everything's done." Lightning adds, heading back into the bedroom, shutting the door to curl up on the bed with Bolt. Red whines quietly looking after him.

"I think he's being just a little dramatic about this..." Mack sighs softly.

"no he's not. he's right Mack. you can't pretend to be his friend and then say stuff like that behind his back. give him time to calm down and he may come around, or he may not. you're just going to have to wait and see. I guess he figures that since you two were around when all that shit with Chick happened, that you'd understand why he does what he does, I know I thought that, but you apparently don't. he's not a burden. he's not hard to handle. he doesn't need a 'babysitter'. what he needs is time to heal and friends that help with that. if you two don't understand that, thats fine, but get the fuck out of the way so he can find friends that will help him." Doc glares. Red frowns at him and moves Doc out of his way, he's going to talk to Lightning whether the younger likes it or not.

Red needs Lightning to understand, he's just as angry at Mack as Lightning is, but this is how Macks been handling the stress. that a lot more with his father has gone down and Mack has been furiously protecting Lightning from it. that his father was the reason Chick had found them in Thomasville. he needs to understand that his father was the one going around and helping Chick and that Mack has been trying to protect him from his father for years. when things get bad, he makes shitty jokes and unfortunately Lightning was one the end of this joke. Red wasn't happy at Mack either, the other man had been sleeping on the couch since the 'joke' was made as Red refused to share a bed with him until he fixed things with Lightning, but it seems like Lightning isn't going to let Mack talk, so Reds going to talk for him.

Doc watches Red go and shakes his head.

"you need to take him back to Thomasville Doc. he's safer there." Mack frowns.

"I know that, you know that, he knows that, but he doesn't care. he doesn't want to go back and I don't fucking blame him Mack. you two need to leave him alone. its his birthday just leave him be." Doc snaps.

"I won't leave him alone until his fucking dad isn't out here trying to kill not only him, but all of us!" Mack glares.

"I'm doing the best I can Mack. he doesn't want to go back because he's scared and I'm not going to force him." Doc snaps.

"you would if he wasn't your boyfriend. if he was still that rookie that blew through your shoddy town all those years ago, you would and you wouldn't give a fuck if it upset him. instead of being his lover you need to be the voice of fucking reason." Mack glares.

"I am the voice of reason. you know what you are? a fake. you're a fraud. you pretend to be his friend but then you go around to Red and call him a gremlin, say he needs a babysitter, call him a burden. what the hell kind of friend are you?" Doc snaps.

"I'm not trying to be his friend right now. I'm trying to be his bodyguard. I'm not giving a fuck about his feeling I'm trying to keep him safe." Mack frowns.

"well I can't help that you can't do both." Doc huffs, rolling his eyes. he closes the door and huffs. he sits on the couch and waits for Red to leave the bedroom so he can go comfort his fiance. its about 45 minutes later when Red comes out, looking relieved and leaves the house. Doc goes to get up, but Lightning walks over and plops himself into Docs lap and curls up. "baby?" Doc ask.

"hold me." Lightning mutters. Doc nods and holds him tightly.

"anytime. all the time." Doc assures gently. "can you tell me whats wrong?" Doc ask.

"no. just hold me." Lightning mutters. Doc nods and holds him gently, kissing his head.

"okay. I'll hold you. its okay." Doc murmurs softly. he curls up and drops his head onto Docs chest. Doc kisses his head and rubs his cheek gently. "I got you baby." Doc assures. he holds him tightly, letting the younger curl up in his lap. "don't worry about anything kid, in just a few short hours you'll be sitting in a crowd with Maddie and Cal watching one of your favorite bands." Doc murmurs.

"I know." he mumbles. Doc kisses his head.

"its okay baby." Doc murmurs. Docs not sure what Red said, but he holds Lightning tightly and and nuzzles him. he doesn't even move the younger from his lap when Cal knocks and enters the house.

"hey Mack come show you what the 95 looks like?" Cal ask.

"yeah, I knew we should've stored that thing in the garage with the Hornet again." Doc mutters, holding tighter to Lightning. Cal nods a little.

"so am I driving tonight then?" Cal asks curiously, looking at Lightning.

"no. you and Maddie are riding together. I'm driving Lightning." Doc says.

"alright." Cal smiles. "I'll be back later." Cal waves, leaving to give them time together. Lightning seems upset and Cal doesn't want to bother them. Lightning curls up and holds onto Doc tightly.

"Doc?" Lightning ask.

"yes baby?" Doc ask, nuzzling him gently.

"I love you." he murmurs. Doc smiles a little and holds him as Bolt comes walking over.

"I love you too baby. I always love you." Doc murmurs, holding him. he squeezes the youngers thigh gently. Lightning lays his head on Docs shoulder and smiles, petting Bolts head.

"aww hi buddy. we didn't forget you. you were just eating." Lightning murmurs. Bolt jumps up onto the couch and drops his head onto Lightnings leg happily, wagging his tail. Doc pets the dogs back gently.

"good boy buddy." Doc murmurs. he's alerting gently, but Doc already knew Lightning was on the brink of an anxiety attack.

"do you think he'll be okay at the concert?" Lightning ask. "I don't wanna take him if its gonna upset him." Lightning frowns.

"I'm not actually sure... we can take him with us and he can stay in the car with me just in case." Doc assures. Lightning nods and cuddles closer to him.

"m'kay." Lightning murmurs. he nuzzles Docs neck and sighs happily. Doc holds him gently, petting Bolt with his free hand. Lightning flips on the tv and holds onto Doc tightly, playing with the older mans hair gently, his other hand playing with Bolts ear. "I've never had this before." Lightning murmurs. Doc smiles a little looking at him.

"never had what baby? a dog? a fiancé? a quiet cuddle on the couch with both?" Doc smiles. Lightnings quiet a moment.

"a family." Lightning said softly. Doc immediately tightens his hold on him.

"me neither kid, but it feels nice." Doc says just as softly. Lightning nuzzles his neck, cuddling closer.