Lightning raced into the house, slamming the door shut behind him, making Doc jump in the kitchen. quickly locking the door behind him, Lightning looked around paniced.

"Doc!" he shouted. Doc looked up from his computer, where he was video chatting with some old friends, something Lightning had gotten him into. Doc tried to look around the kitchen wall and see the front door but couldn't from where he was sitting.

"whats up Hud?" River mumbled. Doc motioned to them to be quiet a moment.

"kid?" Doc ask confused.

"you okay Hud?" Louise ask.

"hold on." Doc said getting up from his chair. Lightning ran in, he was covered in blood. "kid? holy shit! Lightning what happened?" Doc said, walking off camera. his friends on the computer couldn't make out what Lightning was saying, it was just a blubbering mess, but it made sense to Doc apparently. "get out the back door and go get Sheriff, I'll handle him." Doc said. Lightning turned and ran for the back door. on camera they could hear loud thumps, then a crash. there was some shouting. "I thought I told you to stay outta my town!" Doc hissed.

"Hud?" Smokey ask hesitantly. Doc suddenly went flying backwards into the cabinets in front of the camera. he growled angrily. they couldn't tell what was happening, but someone else walked onto camera shouting angrily. they pulled back and punched Doc hard in the face.

Lightning ran from the house, stopping just under the four way light to look around, spotting the Sheriff he ran towards him. Sheriff seemed shocked to see him.

"son, whats-" Sheriff started. Lightning looked up at him, looking horrified and panting like he'd run a mile. blood dripped from his face, he was holding one arm closer to his body than normal.

"Docs in trouble." Lightning panted. Sheriff stood immediately from where he was seated and ran over to his car. he quickly grabbed his side arm and motioned for Lightning to show the way. immediately the younger took off running for Docs house, Sheriff and Mack following behind. Lightning had no idea when and where Mack started following him, but he didn't care. they reached Docs house and it was silent. the door was kicked opened, the frame split apart. Sheriff stepped in front of Lightning, carefully leaning inside the door.

"holy..." Mack muttered, looking around. Sheriff nodded in agreement, poking his head inside a moment.

"Doc? m'coming in!" Sheriff called, inching his way into the house. he motioned for the other two to stay behind him, but they ignored him. Lightning walked around him, staring at the legs that he could just barely see behind the couch. there was blood from the kitchen to the living room, shatter glass, thrown and broken furniture everywhere.

"I-I was only gone less than five minutes." Lightning said.

"a lot can happen in that time." Mack said, standing closer to Lightning, just in case he needed protecting.

"Doc?" Sheriff ask hesitantly, looking at the legs. Lightning looked around before catching a glimpse of something in the kitchen. Lightning stepped closer to get a better look.

"Lightning, be careful." Mack said, carefully stepping around things.

"Doc!" Lightning shouted, running into the kitchen. he dropped beside the man propped up against the lower kitchen cabinets. he was a bloody mess and Lightning couldn't tell if he was breathing. Mack stood at the edge of the kitchen staring.

"kid? whats going on?" Smokey shouted. Lightning looked up, Docs laptop was covered in blood. with a big splot on the camera, but he could still make out the three faces on screen.

"Docs in pretty bad condition." Lightning said. his eyes were closed and he was unmoving. Lightning looked him over before reaching out for his hand. he took it carefully, the mans knuckles were almost as busted as his face. "Doc? can you hear me?" Lightning ask hesitantly, squeezing the mans hand. Doc visibly winced and squeezed back slightly. Lightning let out the breath he'd been holding and looked behind him. "Sheriff he needs a doctor!" Lightning called. Sheriff was knelt beside the other man, feeling his neck gently. Doc had beat the other man in a way his face was unrecognizable. he immediately called for an ambulance, then stood and walked over to Doc.

"don't worry Doc, helps on the way." Sheriff assured, patting the mans leg gently. he was doing his best not to end up like Lightning, who had all but sat in the growing puddle of blood beside Doc. Doc hissed quietly at the pat on his leg. "sorry." Sheriff muttered. he looked over at Lightning as Doc finally managed to open his eyes. his right eye was swollen, both eyes half lidded as he looked over at the younger man holding his hand, then to Sheriff. Sheriff nodded slightly and reached out to Lightning. "go step outside." Sheriff said. Lightning's gaze snapped over to him.

"wh-what? are you kidding? no! it's my fault and I'm not going any where!" Lightning hissed.

"son, c'mon, you don't need to be in here for this." Sheriff said.

"I'm staying here until the ambulance gets here." Lightning glared. Sheriff looked over at Mack, who frowned but sighed. his shoulders drooped a little, one of the perks about Lightning so small, was also a con of Mack being so tall. Mack could, would, and was generally expected to, pick him up and remove him from things when Lightning was too stubborn to do so himself. Mack walked over and, before Lightning could notice what was happening, wrapped his arms firmly around his waist and lifted him from the ground. immediately he was covered in nearly as much blood as Lightning. "Mack! put me down!" Lightning shouted, trying to pry his arms off but the blood on his hands made them slippery and unable to grab hold. Mack carried him out of the house, just barely missing the paramedics as he walked out.

"just hold on boss." Mack said. Lightning grunted, trying to fight him. "we need to stay out of their way so they can get Doc out." Mack added looking inside the house. he turned back to look over the town. their friends and even visitors were staring in the direction of the house. Mack dropped Lightning carefully on the ground, watching him wince and rub his leg.

"oh shit! what happened?" Sally ask, running over to look Lightning over. he pulled away from her with a hiss of pain, nearly backing himself against Mack as the others ran over.

"man, you need some new clothes." Ramone muttered.

"he needs a doctor." Flo frowned.

"I'll get one after they help Doc." Lightning muttered.

"who was that?" Mack ask. Lightning didn't answer. the adrenaline he'd previously felt running through his body, was gone. he mumbled quietly and stumbled, before collapsing against Mack. "Lightning!" Mack yelped, catching him.

"Stickers!" Sally shouted running over to him. she knelt beside him as they carried Doc and the other man out, loading them up into the ambulances. by this time Doc was back in his right mind, arguing with them all.

"I'm fine." Doc muttered, as they strapped him down.

"sir you have a head injury." one of the paramedics said.

"don't call me sir." Doc grunted. he turned his head a little. "what happened to the kid?" Doc muttered.

"he just collapsed." Mack frowned.

"get him loaded up too." one of the paramedics ordered. before anyone could argue, not that they would, they whisked all three men away and out of the town.

when Lightning woke up he was in a hospital bed. he groaned lowly and sat up.

"what the hell happened kid?" Doc hissed, sitting beside him. his body was bruised all over and his left wrist was in a brace.

"who was that boss?" Mack ask. Lightning groaned.

"he hit me with his car on my morning jog." Lightning grumbled lowly.

"who kid? who was that?" Sheriff ask. Lightning winced rubbing his side.

"Chick Hicks." Lightning grumbled. "he got out and threatened to beat my ass. so I grabbed his keys from his car and took off running. he caught me once or twice, but I made it to Doc's okay." Lightning muttered.

"why Doc? why run straight through town past me, Red, or even Sheriff?" Mack ask. he, of course, knew the answer already. he was the only one in town to know about the two dating.

"I was hoping Doc would shoot the bastard." Lightning muttered.

"didn't get a chance to get to my pistol. he was in the door right behind you." Doc said.

"what happened to him?" Lightning ask after a moment.

"oh Doc used a chair to beat his head in." Sally frowned.

"hey the son of a bitch hit me with a cutting board, in my own fucking kitchen." Doc huffed.

"Doc broke his neck and nose, but he'll recover." Mack assured.

"oh boy so he can come back and hit me with another car." Lightning muttered getting out of bed.

"what do you think you're doing?" Doc ask.

"going home." Lightning muttered, rubbing his head. besides some bruises, a minor concussion, and a limp in his right leg, he was fine. "I hate hospitals. I'm going home." Lightning added.

"you really should wait for the doctors." Mack said.

"has Doc been released?" Lightning ask turning to look at them.

"yeah." Doc said. "but I wasn't hit by a car." Doc frowned.

"Doc has worse injuries than me and he's been released. I'm going home." Lightning said firmly.

"you and Doc can ride in the Semi with me." Mack said.

"good, Fillmore's van always smells like weed." Lightning muttered. he rubbed his leg and winced. Doc followed after him, followed by their friends. "are you okay?" Lightning ask, looking over at Doc.

"I'm fine. he hit me with a cutting board." Doc huffed. Lightning smiled slightly, then looked away.

"I'm sorry that I dragged you into that." Lightning mumbled, once they were far enough ahead from the others that they couldn't hear them anymore. "Mack was right I should've got to him. thats part of his job, literally crowd control and body guard were in his contract." Lightning sighed. Doc looked over at him.

"kid I'd do it again in a heartbeat." Doc assured gently. "I don't hold you and tell you I love you for nothing, and I don't need a piece of paper saying I have to do it." Doc murmured. Lightning smiled slightly, but it fell when he saw Docs busted up face.

"I should've paid better attention. I knew he'd come after me when I caught him cheating in that last race." Lightning sighed softly.

"kid you couldn't have known he'd come after you with his car." Doc said.

"but I should've-" Lightning started. Doc stopped and grabbed Lightning's shoulders roughly.

"listen here boy," Doc snapped. Lightning got quiet looking at him wide eyed, the others pausing behind them to watch curiously. "you didn't know he'd hit you with his car. you didn't know he'd chase you down. you came to me and I beat the fuck out of him. yes he hit me with a cutting board, but I beat his ass with a chair. I'm fine, you're fine, he's not. now shut up." Doc snapped. Lightning nodded slightly and continued to follow him out to the parking lot.

"hey McQueen!" someone hissed. Lightning groaned lowly, looking over as one of Chicks pit crew losers walked over. "what the fuck!? first you say he's cheating, then you and your crew chief put him in the hospital!" he snapped, getting in Lightning's face. Lightning just blinked boredly at him, pushing him away some.

"first, personal space, dude god. look, you're four foot away and I can smell your breath, maybe brush your teeth if you're going to get in close to someone and try and intimidate them, or well, actually, maybe not. the only thing intimidating about you is your breath. second, can we get on with this I'd like to go home." Lightning said. the other growled and pulled back a fist and swung at him, Lightning winced when he punched him in the face. he shook his head and muttered. "one of these days I'll stop running my mouth." Lightning muttered under his breath to himself as the other pulled back, ready to hit him again.

"hey!" he hissed when Mack grabbed his arm. Mack glared stepping between the two protectively, using his body to put space between his friend and his friends attacker.

"hands off the boss." Mack hissed. Lightning smirked, but it was quickly wiped off his face as Red walked over to him.

"Red! what the fuck!?" Lightning hissed as Red wrapped an arm around his waist and picked him up off the ground. Lightnings face was bright red. "look I know I'm only 5'5 but I'm not a child!" Lightning glared, arms crossed over his chest. Red was silent holding him out of the way of Mack, who was tearing into the Chicks friend. Red gave an amused chuckle, holding him gently. the older was almost a foot taller than him and a lot stronger, so there was no point in Lightning fighting with him. he'd learned this quite a few times. he huffed and looked over at Doc, who was snickering. some how Lightning was the shortest and, not surprisingly, youngest person in town and generally the bigger men would pick him up and move him out of the way when ever they pleased knowing there was nothing he could do about it, no matter how much he bulked up. they would always be bigger and stronger. Red usually would pick him up to get him away from a fight, Mack if he just needed Lightning to move a few steps over but the younger wasn't listening, and Doc whenever he wanted. just to piss Lightning off, when the younger couldn't reach something, whenever he felt like making the younger pout. Doc didn't really need an excuse. "I can walk." Lightning said, but he kept the anger from his tone, Red was sensitive and was honestly just trying to help even if he knew Lightning didn't like it. he wouldn't yell at the older, he didn't want to upset Red, he just wanted him to put him down! Red just smiled at him.

"give it a rest Stickers. you know he's not putting you down until we get to the vehicles." Sally snickered. Lightning shot her a dirty look, before giving up and leaning back against Red with a pout.

"you guys are jerks." Lightning huffed. Red carefully dumped him onto this feet beside's Macks semi, before ruffling his hair with a smile. Lightning swatted at his hands.

"don't be a bratt." Doc chuckled. Lightning huffed at him, annoyed.

"fuck off." Lightning muttered. Mack walked over and unlocked the passenger side, then headed over to the drivers side, pausing only a moment to say something to Red. whatever he said had Red grinning and chuckling to himself, before walking towards Fillmore's van. Lightning buckled himself in while Doc laid in the back. he watched Red and Mack wondering if the two would ever just get on with it and fuck each other, or just sit there and soak in the sexual tension. he huffed at the thought, making Mack look over when he got in.

"you okay?" Mack ask. Lightning mumbled something. "what?" Mack ask. Lightning looked him dead in the eye.

"why don't you and Red just fuck already?" Lightning huffed. Mack looked away immediately.

"why don't you and Doc just do the same?" Mack hissed.

"we already do and you know this." Lightning huffed.

"keep me out of this." Doc snapped from the back.

"sorry Doc." Lightning chuckled. Doc grunted, before leaning up front.

"but the kids got a point Mack." Doc said.

"no he doesn't." Mack muttered, trying not to let them see his face. Doc watched him a moment before he started laugh.

"oh ho ho. I see." Doc grinned.

"there's nothing to see." Mack said. Lightning looked confused a moment before his eye's widened, seeing something in Docs hands.

"oh my god." Lightning said. "you already are." Lightning grinned.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mack muttered. Doc laughed and waved the shirt he'd found in the back at Mack.

"this says different. no way Red just loaned you his favorite shirt." Doc chuckled. Mack snatched it away from him.

"don't!" Mack said quickly.

"oh, Mack and Red sitting in a tree." Lightning laughed.

"doing a lot more than kissing it seems." Doc teased.

"shush! you can't talk like that. someone might hear." Mack said. Lightning patted his arm gently.

"don't worry buddy. you keep our secret. we can keep yours." Lightning assured. he was being serious and Mack knew it, but then a grin broke out on Lightnings face. "but your boyfriend totally picked me up and hauled be around like a spare tire so I'm going to keep teasing you." Lightning grinned.

"keep going and I'm going to push you out." Mack mumbled. Lightning laughed.

"okay kid, take it easy." Doc chided.

"in all seriousness Mack, good for you man. I was afraid for a while there that you being my driver and such was having a negative effect on your love life, but I'm glad its not." Lightning said. Mack mumbled, his face a dark red.

"look at it this way Mack, at least it wasn't Mater who figured it out." Doc smirked. Mack laughed slightly.

"Docs right, he would've been singing it from the fucking helicopter." Lightning chuckled.

"I've been trying to figure out how to get this shirt back to him all week." Mack muttered. Lightning raised an eye brow before reaching over and taking the shirt.

"I'll handle it." Lightning assured. no one would think twice of Lightning just walking anywhere in town, but Mack rarely ever wondered. Lightning could walk into anyone's house and no one would bat an eye, he did it often. plus, he owed Mack. back before he'd started living with Doc, he'd left some clothes at Docs house and Mack had returned them for him, so the two wouldn't be caught. Mack smiled slightly at him.

"thanks." Mack said.

"you did the same for me." Lightning said. Doc nodded in agreement. thankfully they'd been able to stop running around to hid them whenever Sally decided to remodel the Cozy Cone, once business had picked up. Doc had casually offered his spare room and that had been the end to running around. it gave them both a perfectly logical reason for their clothes to be mixed together or strewn all over the house. perfectly logical. Mack generally lived in his truck, though Sally had tried to convince him to come live in the Cozy Cone, Mack had rejected it. Mack had lived in his truck for years and wasn't going to stop anytime soon, but it did make it harder for him, it's not like he could just invite Red in for tea or something. occasionally he'd be invited to Red's, but the man really didn't let people over often.

"we're here." Mack said, pulling up and parking in his usual spot. Lightning nodded, grabbing Macks jacket, it was windy out, enough for him to get away with stealing the bigger mans jacket long enough to return Reds shirt. he climbed out of the cab, watching the others go about their business. he carefully tucked Reds shirt into the jacket. Doc climbed out with Macks help, watching Lightning wonder over to Red.

"hey Red!" Lightning said. Red looked over at him. "I got a bone to pick with you." Lightning huffed. Red looked confused and raised an eye brow at him. "you have to stop picking me up and slinging me around like a spare tire man. I have dignity." Lightning huffed. Red snorted and reached out grabbing him. god, Mack better love Lightning forever for this. "hey!" Lightning yelped as Red threw him over his shoulder and walked off with him.

"you're gonna owe him for that." Doc smirked. Mack nodded a little. Lightning struggled with Red a moment, making sure everyone was going about there business before he stopped.

"I have your shirt." Lightning muttered. Red stalled a moment.

"huh?" he ask softly. his voice was always quiet on the rare occasion he'd talk. Lightning squirmed some.

"don't panic and drop me here Red." Lightning grumbled. Red tightened his hold some. "I have your shirt that you left in Macks truck. he's been trying to get it back to you and I owe him for getting my clothes back from Docs before I moved in with him." Lightning muttered. Red huffed and carried Lightning off towards Docs house, intent on throwing him in the little pond near by, like always. "I'm serious Red." Lightning said. Red nodded a little. Doc and Mack couldn't hear what was being said.

"I'm going to owe him big time." Mack muttered, watching.

"wa-wait! wait! wait! it's don't ruin Macks jacket!" Lightning yelped. Red paused a moment and Lightning was quick to squirm out of the jacket, wrapping Reds shirt in it carefully. Red took the jacket and immediately dumped Lightning into the little pond. Lightning yelped, surfacing with a dirty look towards Mack. a flat evil look. Red snickered at him.

"thanks." Red mumbled so quietly, Lightning almost didn't hear him. Lightning nodded at him, climbing out of the pond. Red walked over to Mack. he carefully tucked his shirt under his arm so it wouldn't be seen and passed the jacket to Mack.

"thanks for saving my jacket." Mack chuckled. Red nodded a little looking back at Lightning, before meeting Doc's eye. his cheeks were a soft pink and Doc chuckled at him a little, before walking over to Lightning.

"you know what kid?" Doc ask. Lightning muttered at him, trying to wipe the water from his eyes. Doc offered his shirt sleeve to him. Lightning wiped off his face.

"what?" Lightning grumbled.

"sometimes I remember just why I love you." Doc smirked, walking away from him. Lighting glared and grabbed his arm pulling him towards the pond. "hey! no! don't get my brace wet! stop that!" Doc glared, shoving him away. "you're soaked get off me!" Doc glared.

"aww whats wrong Doc?" Lightning laughed, letting go. he headed for Docs house.

"you come up with that idea all on your own?" Doc snickered.

"it was the only think I could think of." Lightning muttered. Doc chuckled and unlocked the house.

"come on go get cleaned up and we can curl up in bed for a bit." Doc muttered. Lightning smiled and headed off for a shower. getting his ass kicked didn't seem so bad now.