Doc knew it was going to be a strange day the moment he woke up to quiet giggling. he mumbled slightly. things had been weird any way for the past few weeks. ever since some weird lady had driven through town with pentagrams on her car and shouting things at Lizzy. first Lizzy had died, then a week later everyone but Lightning suddenly dropped in age. now he was hearing giggling. he groaned lowly getting up.

"sounds like Docs awake." Sally giggled from the living room. Doc mumbled in confusion and walked into the living room. he froze for a moment, staring.

"what is that?" Doc ask.

"he is your little boyfriend." Sally laughed, ruffling the little blond curls happily. Lightning scold at her, smacking her hand away.

"fuck off." he mumbled. Doc blinked in confusion a moment, before shaking his head.

"I need coffee." he mumbles. "what happened?" he ask from the kitchen.

"I found him wondering outside. his head was bleeding pretty bad." Sally said. Doc heard the sounds of little feet on the floor and turned around, looking down.

"you guys get t' be in your 20's and I'm six!" Lightning snapped, glaring at Doc.

"well I didn't do it." Doc huffed.

"its not fair!" Lightning glared stomping his foot and glaring up at him.

"well acting like a baby isn't going to help." Doc said, picking him up and putting him on the counter.

"I'm tired and angry and Sally won't let me have my coffee." Lightning hissed, snatching Docs cup of coffee.

"yeah, and you're not getting any." Doc said, taking his cup back carefully. Lightning growled.

"fine! I'll just get coffee from Red." Lightning mumbled. standing to jump off the counter.

"don't you dare!" Doc hissed. Lightning flinched back looking at him, almost hesitantly. "I am not spending my day fixing whatever bones you break jumping from that counter." Doc hissed.

"I won't break anything." Lightning huffs. Doc grabbed him and put him on the ground. Lightning stuck his tongue out at him and headed for the door. it took standing on his tippy toes, but he managed to get the door open and took off outside.

"kid!" Doc shouted. Lightning stumbled down the stairs, falling on his face.

"stupid stubby legs." he grumbled, getting up. he dusted off and headed for Reds house. "Red! hey! lemme in!" Lightning shouted. Red opened the door and frowned. "I'm down here. that stupid witch shrank me!" Lightning glared. Red looked down and snorted, grinning. he scooped the younger up and cuddled.

"well aren't you cute?" Red ask. Lightning pouted at him.

"fine, I'll be cute if it gets me coffee." Lightning said. Red frowned a little, seeming hesitant. "please?" Lightning ask pouting. Red nods after a moment and sets Lightning on the counter, handing him a cup of coffee. "thank you. Sally wouldn't let me have any." Lightning mumbled, sipping the coffee happily.

"what happened to you?" Red ask.

"same things that happened to you guys last week." Lightning huffed. he was grumpy, but seemed to be happier with a little coffee in his system. he grins to himself, kicking his feet.

"oh shit." Mack muttered. "too late Doc, Red gave him a cup of coffee." Mack frowned. Red looked over.

"what? whats wrong?" Red ask.

"yeah well Red found him before I did. take that from him." Mack said. Lightning sets the empty cup down, sticking his tongue out at Mack.

"ha ha. I got my coffee." he grinned.

"he drank it all ready." Mack said. "yeah we'll keep him here until you get a shower." Mack added, hanging up his phone.

"whats wrong?" Red ask.

"you just gave a six year old a cup of caffeinated coffee." Mack said.

"I'm not six. I'm in my 20s." Lightning glared.

"and he's cute." Red said, scooping him up and hugging him tightly to his chest.

"don't squeeze me too hard or you'll crush me!" Lightning huffed, struggling. Red loosened his hold on the younger.

"have you eaten?" Red ask, cuddling him.

"like 3 hours ago. Sally gave me a poptart." Lightning huffed.

"how long have you been up?" Mack ask. Lightning shrugged.

"can't remember. I just remember Sally carrying me back to Docs house and giving me a poptart while she cleaned a gash on the back of my head." Lightning said.

"I'll go talk to Sally, you get him something to eat." Mack said, walking out.

"I'm not a child!" Lightning glared. Red cuddled him and sat the younger back down on the counter with a smile.

"waffles?" Red ask.

"fine." Lightning mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Red chuckled and ruffled his hair gently. Lightning smacked his hand out of the way. "don't do that." he snapped.

"aww you're cute." Red smiled. "tell you what, let me cuddle you and I'll give you another cup of coffee." Red offered. Lightning narrowed his eyes.

"feed me first." Lightning glared. Red grinned making him a waffle.

"syrup?" Red ask. Lightning gave him a suspicious look.

"you're gonna give me coffee and sugar?" he ask. Red shrugged.

"you're cute, plus once Doc gets out of the shower you're his problem." Red smiled. Lightning grinned a little eating his waffle happily. once he was done, Red scooped him back up and gave him another cup of coffee. "just don't tell Mack." Red said. Lightning huffs.

"if it gets me coffee I'll never tell a soul." Lightning said, sipping his coffee. Red was careful with him, not wanting to hurt him or cause him to spill his coffee.

"wanna watch tv?" Red ask.

"are you gonna hold me the whole time?" Lightning ask.

"do want more coffee?" Red ask. Lightning thought a moment before holding out his half empty cup.

"you may hold me, but only if you put creamer in it this time." Lightning said. Red grinned taking the cup. he made the smaller another cup of coffee and carried him over to the couch, sitting with him. he sat the younger in his lap and cuddled him. he let Red hold him until Doc came knocking. he scrambled out of Reds lap and ran over to the door, trying to reach the lock. "go away!" Lightning glared. Red snorted and grabbed him, before opening the door.

"hey Doc." Red smiled.

"how much coffee did you give him?" Doc glared.

"only 1 cup, but he did have some waffles." Red said, putting him down. immediately the younger bolted from the house and Doc sighed, watching him go.

"how many Red?" Doc ask, looking at him. Red looked away his cheeks turning red.

"w-well... he was cute... and he said please..." Red mumbled. Doc sighed at him. "3..." Red mumbled. Doc sighed and headed after Lightning. "h-hey Doc?" Red ask.

"what?" Doc ask.

"he... uh he's... he's already forgetting things. be gentle with him, I'm serious. he gets scared if you get mean." Red said.

"I'll keep that in mind." Doc said. he went after Lightning, watching the younger trip over a rock and face plant into the sand. he sat up spitting sand from his mouth.

"gross." he mumbles. Doc grabs his ankle quickly and pulls him up, holding him in the air by his leg.

"you have too much energy." Doc said. Lightning blew a raspberry at him.

"put me down old man!" he glared. "put me down or I'll scream!" Lightning warned. Doc frowned.

"do you remember who I am Monty?" Doc ask.

"I ain't never met you! put me down!" he screamed, spitting at Doc. Doc sighed slightly. there was two ways he could do this. give him back to Red, who he seemed comfortable with or let the kid idol him.

"thats no way to talk to the Fabulous Hudson Hornet." Doc said. Lightning blinked in confused and looked at him.

"you're not the Hornet." Lightning said.

"yeah I am. I'm just old now." Doc assured. "you can call me Hud." Doc murmured.

"you're not the Hornet." Lightning said.

"oh yeah? wanna go sit in my Hornet? I'll prove it to you." Doc murmured. Lightning watched him curiously.

"'kay." Lightning mumbled.

"okay." Doc said. he turned the younger right side up and carried him towards the garage. he opened the garage door. Lightning stared in wonder as Doc put him down.

"wow." Lightning mumbled walking over to the car quickly and looking it over. Doc watched him. now that the kid sort of knew him, maybe he could get him to behave a little.

"would you like to go for a ride?" Doc ask. Lightning looked over, there were practically stars in his eyes.

"can I? really?" Lightning ask, grinning.

"yeah." Doc smiled slightly. he opened the door and scooped the younger up. "go sit." Doc said, Lightning crawled across the seat giggling. Doc sat in the car with him and texted Mack to come over. the kid was going to keep forgetting things, he wanted a picture to show the kid in case he forgot. he knew a little about the youngers past and knew that if he forgot him, it would be bad. he got Mack to take a picture and send it to his cell phone.

"how is he?" Mack ask. Doc got out of the Hornet, letting the kid sit behind the wheel giggling.

"just about screaming that he gets to sit in the Hornet." Doc muttered, looking at the kid. he was giggling and playing with the wheel.

"what are you doing with him?" Mack ask.

"letting him do whatever he wants as long as it doesn't hurt him." Doc shrugged. "don't jump in my seat." Doc warned, turning to face him. Lightning climbed out of the Hornet.

"m'hungry." Lightning said.

"thats not surprising. come on, we'll go to the diner." Doc said, closing the door to the Hornet. he reached for Lightnings hand only to find him gone. "where did you go?" Doc sighed looking around.

"whose car is this?" Lightning ask, looking at the 95.

"its another race car, come on, you said you were hungry." Doc said. Lightning nodded looking at the car, then walking back over to Doc. Lightning took his hand, looking hesitantly at Mack.

"whose that?" Lightning ask, looking at Doc.

"thats Mack." Doc said, leading Lightning towards the diner. the younger was watching Mack warily. Doc mumbled and scooped him up. he really was too old to deal with a child, but since the child was his partner he wasn't going to just abandon him. Doc carried him into the diner.

"so its true." Flo grinned when they walked in. "he's freaking cute. look at those little blond curls." Flo giggled. Lightning watched her, holding onto Doc.

"Flo, kids hungry. do me a favor and leave him alone." Doc said.

"have a seat Doc." Flo smiled. Doc walked over and plopped Lightning into their usual booth, then sat down beside him.

"here." Mack said, dropping some crayons and a few blank sheets onto the table. Lightning looked confused. "what you've never colored with crayons?" Mack teased. Lightning stared at the paper.

"here kid." Doc murmured, handing him a crayon. Lightning took it hesitantly, looking at Doc. the older man smiled a little at him, taking a crayon and writing 'Monty' in the top left corner. Lightnings eyes carefully followed his movements.

"what do I do with it?" Lightning ask, looking at the crayon.

"why don't you draw yourself a race car?" Doc ask. Lightning looked at the paper, then looked at the crayon in his hand.

"okay." he mumbles. Doc glared at Mack.

"don't make fun of him." Doc glared.

"I wasn't." Mack assured. Doc looked down and watched the child beside him draw. he was actually pretty good. Doc could clearly remember once, sometime after they started dating, that Lightning had told him when he'd run out of money after running from his dad, that he'd sold paintings and drawings to help him and Mack, not that he'd ever told Mack that. Doc had never seen him draw, though he'd given him a drawing book once. a few days later he'd found a very well drawn pencil sketch of himself on the bed. he kept in his nightstand and never brought it up.

"just watch yourself." Doc warned after a few quiet moments. Mack nodded. Doc looked back down at the kid. "so kid, you haven't ask any questions on how you got here." Doc said. Lightning shrugged, grabbing another crayon.

"he always said he was going to give me away or something." Lightning mumbled.

"who?" Doc ask.

"my dad. he hates kids, he hates me." Lightning murmured. Doc frowned slightly.

"its okay kid." Doc assured gently. "I don't mind kids." Doc said ruffling his hair, the boy smiles at him. that wasn't entirely true. he didn't really like kids, but he wasn't going to say that out loud, mostly because this child would eventually return to normal and be his lover again.

"how are you so old? you don't look old on the tv." Lightning said looking at him. Doc snorts.

"yeah cameras make you look younger." Doc said. Lightning was going to as another question but Flo sat a plate of food in front of him.

"whats that?" Lightning ask looking at the sandwich.

"PB&J." Flo said. the boy stares at it a moment before going back to drawing.

"what happened? you were sooo hungry five minutes ago." Doc said. Lightning shrugged one of his shoulders slightly as he continued drawing.

"m'not anymore." he mumbled. that was a lie, anyone could tell you that.

"kid look, you're gonna have to eat or I'm taking the crayons." Doc warned. Lightning looks at him.

"I'm allergic to peanut butter." Lightning said.

"what? Doc ask. Lightning nods.

"dad always tells me he's gonna force a jar of it down my throat if I don't stop asking questions." Lightning said. Flo looked even more confused.

"but he eats those all the time?" she said quietly to Doc.

"some people grow out of allergies occasionally." Doc mumbles. "I didn't know either." he added.

"well, thats fine, I'll just make you a different sandwich." Flo assures, reaching to take the plate.

"don't do that." Lightning mumbled. "thats just wasteful. I can eat it." he says reaching for it. Doc grabs his arm gently and pulls it away.

"no its dangerous for you to eat it." Doc said.

"its okay kiddo, I can just make you a grilled cheese instead." Flo assures, grabbing the plate and walking away. Lightning watches her go and pushes the crayons and paper away.

"why'd you do that? thats just wasteful." Lightning said. "if my dad were here and he saw that, he'd beat me for sure." Lightning added. Doc frowned, he usually couldn't get the younger to talk about his past.

"beat you?" Doc ask. Lightning nodded. "he do that a lot?" he ask.

"yeah. I told you he hates kids." Lightning said.

"whats he do?" Doc ask.

"this one time, I wore a pink shirt, mom said it was cute. he didn't think so. he said... only girls and fags wear pink. he threw my mom through a window and hit me. I had a bruise on my eye for a whole week." Lightning said, looking at Doc. "but I didn't cry." Lightning assures. Doc looks up making eye contact with Mack.

"yeah... he throw your mom around a lot too?" Doc ask. Lightning nods a little.

"m'not really supposed to talk about this stuff." Lightning mumbled. "whats a fag?" Lightning ask, looking at Doc. the older man frowned and debated one what to say.

"it's not a very nice word. don't say that." Mack says gently. Lightning looked over at him, then at Doc, who ruffled his hair gently.

"Macks right. don't say that." Doc says. he offers the boy a fry from his plate. "here." Doc says. Lightning takes it happily. "so Monty, what else happens when your dads angry like that?" Doc ask.

"he said I'm not supposed to tell anyone." Lightning said shaking his head. Doc smiles.

"well, I'm not just anyone right?" Doc ask. "did he specifically say you couldn't tell the Hudson Hornet?" Doc ask. Lightning thought a moment, before shaking his head.

"no... I guess not. but I can't tell him." Lightning said pointing his french fry at Mack.

"thats Mack. he's my friend. its fine." Doc assures.

"I dunno. I don't really want him to push me down the stairs again." Lightning said hesitantly.

"I'm here to keep that from happening." Mack assures. Lightning looks over at him. "your own personal bodyguard." Mack adds.

"whats that?" Lightning ask.

"it means if he tries to push you down the stairs, I'm gonna stop him. I'll keep you safe." Mack explains. Lightning frowns a little.

"well... okay." Lightning mumbles.

"so what else happens when he gets mad?" Doc ask.

"he likes to beat up people. mostly me and my mom." Lightning explains. "he hit me with his gun once." Lightning added.

"what did you do?" Doc ask.

"I was pickin' flowers. he said that was for girls." Lightning frowned.

"you said you didn't want him to push you down the stairs. has that happened before?" Doc ask. Lightning nodded.

"I told one of the neighbors that I hadn't eaten in a few days an I was hungry and these people came to the house and ask me lots of questions told dad they were gonna take me away, but they didn't. he was so angry when they left, he pushed me down the stairs. I got a really cool scar from it though." Lightning said getting up. he pulled his shirt up a little and showed them a scar on his side.

"very cool." Doc murmurs.

"told me I had to be good or he'd do it again, but I'm not good. I can't be or else he wouldn't hit me no more." Lightning mumbles. Doc gently reached out, but pulled his hand back quickly when the younger flinched and pressed himself backwards against the corner of the window and booth.

"what else can you tell me? where's your mom?" Doc ask. the child got quiet a moment looking at the crayons on the paper.

"one time he told me I wasn't being a very good boy so he shoved a hose in my mouth and turned it on until water came out my nose. I puked up water forever after that." Lightning said, Doc frowned a little, watching the boy color while staring at the paper hard.

"mmhmm. what about your kid? where's she at Monty?" Doc ask.

"m'hungry." Lightning mumbled, grabbing a fry from Docs plate and shoving it into his mouth.

"okay, Flo's getting you a sandwich." Doc said. "can you tell me anything about your mom?" Doc ask.

"my dad used t' lock me in a closet an he wouldn't feed me for days at a time, but once the people came and threatened to take me he stopped doing that, he'd just take my food from me and throw it away. he'd tell me I was bad and didn't deserve food." Lightning explained.

"why won't you tell me where your mom is?" Doc ask. the crayon in Lightnings hand snapped.

"oops." he mumbled. Doc frowns and grabs him another crayon, handing him another. its obvious the boy is avoiding his question. it made him nervous just to hear the question. maybe, Doc could bribe it out of him.

"okay, how about, you tell me about your mom and.... I get you some ice cream?" Doc ask. Lightning looked at him.

"whats that?" Lightning ask.

"you'll like it." Doc promises. Flo sets the grilled cheese in front of him.

"does that mean I need to go dig out his favorite?" Flo grinned.

"if you would. gonna see if I can bribe some information out of him." Doc said. Flo nods.

"just let me know when he's done and I'll bring it over." Flo smiled. Doc nods at her and watches the younger grab his sandwich. he huddled himself into the corner of the booth and took the biggest bite he could.

"woah, easy kid. no ones gonna take that from you. little bites." Doc said. Lightning turned away from him, holding his sandwich and watching Doc carefully. Doc pull back from him. "okay. okay. just try not to choke." Doc said. Doc had spent six weeks getting Lightning to stop eating like this, but it kinda made sense. eat quick or it'd be taken away and he would go hungry. the whole have to be a good boy thing would explain his constant need for praise no matter what, a praise kink/fetish explained by past abuse. it also explained why he'd tried so hard to prove that he was straight before finally giving in and letting himself be happy.

"so Monty, whats your favorite thing you ever did with your mom?" Mack ask after a moment. Lightning paused, staring at his sandwich, blinking a moment.

"mom liked to bake and she taught me how to make frosting." Lightning said, grinning a little. he finished his sandwich in a minute flat. Mack and Doc looked at each other and Mack mouthed 'liked?' at him. Doc nodded slightly.

"okay, so the deal is, I let you try ice cream okay?" Doc ask.