Doc groaned lowly sitting up off the floor. how had he gotten on the floor? why did his head hurt... why was the hotel room a mess?

"M-Monty?" Doc called, slowly getting out of the floor. he rubbed the back of his head, there was blood. he was slowly getting flash backs and his eyes widened in horror. "Monty! Lightning!! Montgomery!!!!" Doc screamed. "KID!" Doc shouted. he grabbed his cell phone, tearing up the room, but there was no where for him to hide. "Sheriff Lightnings been kidnapped! son of a bitch!" Doc shouted. he searched everywhere, but the younger mans cell phone was gone, good maybe he could call him. Sheriff came bursting into the room, with police not long later.

"Doc, Doc are you okay?" Sheriff ask, walking over as paramedics look him over. he shot Sheriff a silent and dirty look.

"what happened here?" one of the cops ask, looking at Doc.

"I walked in and he was tied up on the floor. he has a cold, I ran down the street to get some fever reducer. got ambushed when I walked back in. someone hit me, I don't know with what." Doc muttered.

"my guess, that." Sheriff muttered, motioning to a broken lamp on the floor.

"probably." Doc muttered. "his cell phones missing, I was thinking of-" Doc started. he cut himself off when his phone started ringing. life is a highway, it was Lightning. he snatched the phone before the cops could, shooting the one who reached for it a dirty look. "Lightning?" Doc ask. Sheriff motioned to the phone. Doc put it on speaker.

"D-Doc...?" Lightning mumbled quietly.

"hey kid." Doc sighed relieved.

"thought they killed you." Lightning mumbled.

"I'm too stubborn. can you tell me where you are?" Doc ask.

"we're movin'." he mumbled.

"are you in something?" one of the cops ask. Lightning sniffled, coughing and curling up.

"who was that?" he mumbled.

"a cop kiddo. I called Sheriff when I woke up and he called the cops." Doc said. "what are you in Monty?" Doc ask.

"I dunno.... uh... maybe a car...?" Lightning mumbled. "I... I think m'in the trunk. I found somfin' cut the tape off m'arm." he added.

"thats great kid. just hold on." Doc said, before muting himself on the phone. "now what? one day after he gets threatened by Chick Hicks he's kidnapped and stuff into a trunk." Doc snapped.

"keep him talking, come on stations down the road. keep him on the phone." one of the officers said. Doc nodded and got up, following them, though slightly slower. he was still dizzy from the hit on the head.

"D-Doc?" Lightning whimpered, his voice cracking. Doc looked back down quickly, unmuting the phone.

"hey Monty, I'm still here. don't worry. don't panic." Doc assured.

"are you okay?" Lightning ask.

"I'm fine kid. they hit me on the head, but I'm okay." Doc assured. "are you bleeding or anything?" Doc ask.

"cut m'arm open g-gettin' the tape off." he murmured.

"is it bad?" Doc ask.

"nah, wrapped the tape from m'wrists 'round it. t' stop the bleedin'." Lightning murmured.

"ask him what he see's." Sheriff said quietly. Doc nodded.

"hey kiddo, can you tell me what you see?" Doc ask.

"d-dark. m'eyes won' adjust like they should." Lightning murmured.

"possible concussion. won't know until I get to look you over. they hit your head or something?" Doc ask.

"dunno, think so. woke up in a trunk." he murmured.

"okay." Doc murmured. he muted the phone again. "I'm at a loss. I'm a doctor, a judge. I'm not a cop." Doc said, looking over at Sheriff.

"let me talk to him." Sheriff said, reaching for the phone. he saw Doc reflexively tighten his hand on the phone, but he handed it over. Sheriff unmuted the phone. "hey kid, are you laying on your back?" Sheriff ask.

"n-no. Doc said I shouldn'. can breathe..." he murmured.

"I know kid. you've got a cold, just do what Sheriff says." Doc said. they could hear him shifting, wheezing hard and coughing.

"m'kay." he mumbled.

"can you see anything Lightning?" Sheriff ask. Lightning made quiet nose, looking around.

"um... what I think is tail lights." Lightning said.

"okay kid, if its a newer model car you'll see an emergency tag." one of the cops said.

"huh?" he ask.

"do you see something glowing green in the dark? hanging off the lid of the trunk?" Doc ask.

"no." he mumbled. "s'on the carpet beside me." he mumbled.

"okay." Doc said.

"alright kid can you remember what this person looked like?" the cop ask. he started coughing again.

"s'Chick or his team." Lightning mumbled. he whimpered quietly.

"are you okay?" Doc ask.

"he hit the breaks an I hit m'head." Lightning mumbled. he started coughing again.

"okay Monty, roll back onto your side, face the tail lights." Doc murmured.

"k'Doc." he mumbled. Doc took his phone back and walked off.

"baby how long have you been on the road?" Doc ask

"I'unno. m-maybe an hour?" Lightning muttered. "Hud I can' breathe." he whined.

"I know. I'm sorry I left you alone." Doc murmured softly.

"y-you were only gone 5 minutes." Lightning mumbled.

"I know Monty, but a lot happened in those five minutes." he murmurs.

"D-Doc...?" Lightning ask.

"yes Monty?" Doc ask.

"m'scared. I can' breathe. I wanna come home." he whimpered.

"don't worry baby, we're going to find you. it's okay." Doc assures. he whines quietly.

"we stopped." Lightning muttered. Doc frowned and headed back out where the cops were scrambling around.

"hey kid says they stopped." Doc said.

"car still running?" Sheriff ask.

"Monty is the car still running?" Doc ask.

"y-yeah. think we're at a red light... maybe a stop sign." Lightning mumbled. "movin' again." Lightning mumbled.

"okay kid, what I want you to do is tell me when you stop, when you go, when you turn. can you do that?" the officer ask.

"who're you?" Lightning mumbled.

"Officer Poole. we're tracking your phone, but we need a little help." Poole said.

"where's Doc?" Lightning mumbled.

"I'm here too kid." Doc assured.

"m'chest hurts." Lightning mumbled. his wheezing was getting louder.

"can you follow directions or not?" Doc hissed. he hated to get mean with the kid, but he didn't need his lover right now, he needed his crew chief.

"yeah." he mumbled. "b-but can you not yell?" he ask.

"fine I'll keep my voice down." Doc agreed.

"how long have you been awake?" Poole ask.

"um... as soon as I woke up and realized where I was I called Doc." he mumbled. Doc looked at the screen.

"about 45 minutes ago." Doc murmured.

"ow." Lightning mumbled.

"kid?" Doc ask.

"we stopped. w-we're turning left." he mumbled. Doc looked over to make sure Poole heard, the officer was writing something down.

"alright Monty." Doc murmured.

"Hud, m'gettin' tired." Lightning murmured.

"stay awake, or when they find you I'm going to beat your ass and drag you across the Butte with my Hornet." Doc warned. he whined quietly.

"uhg." Lightning whined, coughing.

"Chick Hicks can't be driving. we've got him and his whole team is accounted for." another officer said.

"all of them? even the one he just fired?" Doc ask.

"we don't have anyone that just got fired." Poole frowned.

"Chuck." Lightning mumbled. "he ran over Chicks foot an got fired on the spot." Lightning yawned.

"stay awake kid." Doc said.

"hey if he's on the interstate, or getting on the interstate, we're never gonna find him. he's as good as dead." Sheriff frowned.

"like hell we aren't." Doc snapped, snatching his phone from the table. fuck these guys and if they found out their relationship or not. the whole town of Radiator Springs knew so he wasn't worried about Sheriff, just the cops. "baby listen to me are you wearing your shoe's?" Doc ask.

"uh-huh." Lightning murmured.

"I want you to take your foot and kick that tail light out." Doc ordered.

"b-but Doc-" Lightning started.

"kick. the. tail light." Doc ordered. Doc listened quietly, he could hear thumping and the younger man grunting.

"i-its... s'not budging." Lightning mumbled.

"then you're not kicking it hard enough." Doc said. "have you tracked the damn number?" Doc ask, glaring at the cops.

"narrowing it down. they're going pretty fast." Poole said. Sheriffs eye's widened.

"if he's speeding and the kid is stuffed in his trunk, what if cops start shooting at him, try to make him stop or something?" Sheriff ask.

"we've put out a notice. they won't shoot and they ram them from behind. every cop in the city is aware Lightning McQueen is in some guys trunk." Poole assured.

"Hud! I-I got it!" Lightning shouted, shifting so he could look out it.

"can you see anything kid?" Poole ask.

"not really. it's all blurry." Lightning mumbled. Doc smacked himself in the forehead.

"god damn it, dumb ass." Doc muttered to himself. he heaved a sighed. "Monty, where are your contacts?" Doc ask.

"think m'wearing them." he mumbled.

"either they're on the bathroom counter at the hotel, or he's got a pretty serious concussion." Doc warned, looking around the station.

"m'sorry can' remember." he mumbled.

"kid can your arm fit out the tail light hole?" Poole ask.

"n-no. s'really swollen an painful." Lightning murmured.

"hey got a call some guy on the interstate, said the car in front of him just lost a tail light. it hit his car." an officer said.

"get the plate, tell them not to flag the car down." Pool said. the officer nodded.

"Hud?" Lightning ask.

"yes baby?" Doc ask.

"m'tired." he mumbled.

"do not fall asleep kid. you could have a concussion." Doc said. he groaned quietly.

"but m'tired." he repeated pathetically.

"I know. I'm sorry." Doc murmured.

"kid look out the tail light, cops are in route. can you see anything?" Sheriff ask.

"uh.. no. just cars. but... I hear...." he mumbled.

"hear what Monty?" Doc asks.

"sirens. I hear'em." Lightning mumbled, sniffling. "m'nose is bleedin'." he mumbled.

"its probably that cold you have going on." Doc assured.

"h-hey!" Lightning shouts.

"kid?" Doc ask.

"I see lights." Lightning said. there was a loud thump and a shout. "m'okay. hit m'head." Lightning mumbled.

"tell all units to be aware that kid can see one of the cars." Poole said.

"can you make anything out Monty?" Doc ask.

"no. lights are real bright." he mumbles.

"is there anything you can stil out the tail light?" Sheriff ask.

"uh... um.. I think..... uh think a can of paint. it keeps hittin' me." he mumbled.

"got anything in there to pop it open with?" Doc ask.

"I can try." Lightning mumbled. Doc met Sheriffs eye, he frowned at the older man, but Doc waved him off.

"okay." Doc murmured.

"he's speeding up." Lightning grunted.

"he's see's the cops. guys speeding up. you get that paint open yet?" Doc ask.

"uh-huh. I got it." Lightning sniffled.

"pour it. pour it out onto the road kid." Doc said.

"such a pretty red." Monty mumbled.

"thats great I'm glad its a pretty color, now dump it." Doc murmurs.

"but-" Monty tried.

"kid please. just dump the paint and let the cops know you're there." Doc said.

"okay. I dumped it Hud. I dumped it out of the hole, but I missed." he mumbled.

"did any get out of the car?" Doc ask.

"yeah, a lot of it did." he mumbled.

"then thats good enough Monty." Doc assures.

"Doc I'm tired I-" Lightning started. there was a loud crash and tires squealing. Doc paled.

"kid? Monty?" Doc ask. he moaned loudly in pain.

"D-Doc they hit us." Lightning whimpered.

"Poole one of the officers said another car saw the paint pouring out and slammed into the other car after hearing the kidnap alert go out over the radio." an officer said.

"they heard someone was in a trunk and rammed the car they were in!?" Doc hissed.

"it's okay." Poole assures.

"okay? okay!? they just hit the car he was trapped in!" Doc shouted. "kid? Monty hey talk to me." Doc murmured.

"D-Doc my body hurts." he whimpered

"I know baby. hang on. is there an officer?" Doc ask.

"yeah here." Lightning murmured. there was the sound of his phone dropping.

"Monty!" Doc hissed.

"hey we got the kid, we're taking him to the nearest hospital." the officer said.

"I'm going to meet you there." Doc said, hanging up.

"we'll give you a ride." Poole said. Doc gave him a dirty look, but followed him.

"Sheriff call the others in the hotel, update them. let them know I'm going to the hospital to meet them at the hospital." Doc said.

"go." Sheriff said, picking up the phone.

"Doc barely let the officer stop the car, jumping out, running into the hospital. he got there just in time for them to wheel Lightning in from the ambulance.

"D-Doc?" he ask with a dizzy half smile.

"hey kid, I'm his emergency contact. god, please tell me most of this is paint." Doc said, looking at one of the paramedics.

"he's pretty beat up. he's got some wounds on his left arm, distal radius fracture on his right wrist, complete fracture to his right tibia, two or three broken ribs." one of the paramedics said. Doc nodded.

"possible concussion. the whole time I was on the phone with him he wasn't acting right." Doc said paramedic nodded.

"H-Hud." Lightning whimpered, reaching for his hand.

"I can't take your hand baby. you've got a broken wrist and your other hand is cut up pretty good baby." Doc murmured. "I think you got some broken fingers there." Doc added.

"don' go anywhere Doc." he mumbled. "please. jus' stay with me." he whimpered.

"I'm going no where kid. don't worry. I'll be right here." Doc assured. one of the doctors moved Doc out of the way.

"D-Doc... Doc! w-wait Hud!" Lightning shouted, trying to turn and look at him.

"easy baby. I got you I'll be right there." Doc assured.

"he's gonna need surgery, as soon as he wakes up you can see him again." the doctor murmured.

"alright, thanks. just, can I stay with him until you put him out?" Doc ask. the doctor seemed hesitant, but nodded. "trust me I get it. I'm a doctor. I did my rounds, I did my time at Mercy Hospital a while ago. about nearly 30 years. I'll do my best to stay out of the way, but this kid, he needs me." Doc said. the doctor nodded.

"its okay." he assured, leading Doc back towards Lighting. "Mr.McQueen, your crew chief is stay with us okay?" he ask.

"Hud." Lightning murmured, turning his head to look at Doc, relieved. he was a mess. bloody, covered in paint and bruises. Doc smiled at him slightly, relieved he was alive, but worried by his condition.

"told you I'm not going anywhere Monty." Doc assured. he whimpered as they moved him.

"H-Hud I wanna go home." he whined.

"I know kid. this is no way to be celebrating your win yesterday." Doc murmurs. "he's got the flu also. thats how he got grabbed. I uh, went down the road to get some medicine. I came back and he was gone." Doc murmured. the doctor nodded.

"we'll get him treated. promise." he assured. Doc nodded, gently ruffling his young lovers hair.

"its gonna be okay Monty." Doc assured. "they get the guy?" Doc ask.

"two other men came in. both drivers. one his beat up pretty bad, he rammed the car. he was trying to help, he made it worse." the doctor said. Doc scold slightly and looked at Monty.

"yeah I heard." he mutttered. "I was on the phone with him when it happened." Doc said.

"Hud, I wanna go home." he whimpered.

"I know Monty. I know just, relax okay? you're gonna go to sleep and I'm gonna be right here when you wake up, okay?" Doc ask.

"but Hud-" Lightning tried.

"hush. when you wake up, I will take you back to the house in Radiator Springs okay?" Doc ask.

"o-okay." he whimpered.

"okay." Doc murmured.

"p-please...?" he whimpered, reaching for Docs hand. the older man looked hesitant, but reached out and took his hand.

"don't worry Monty, I got you, okay? look at me. I got you." Doc assured. "just focus on me baby, okay?" Doc ask. Lightning held tightly to his hand, Doc was careful of his injuries. he stayed with the younger as long as he could, until they knocked him out. he headed out to the waiting room. their friends looked up, but didn't move to get up.

"how is he Doc?" Sheriff ask.

"broken wrist, leg, ribs, fingers. he's beat up, bruised. thats all they told me, that all they really knew." Doc said. "he's upset, in pain, and his one request is he wants to go home." Doc frowned.

"is he going to be okay?" Mack ask.

"he's gonna be fine guys. they just took him in for surgery. you guys just relax okay? he's going to be okay. they let me stay with him until they knocked him out, once they're done they let everyone in two at a time to see him. okay, you guys go back to the hotel once you've seen him, pack your shit, and get ready. we leave as soon as he's released." Doc said.

"is that a good idea Doc?" Sally ask.

"yeah I mean, he's going to be in a lot of pain. maybe we should wait a few days." Sarge said.

"hey you want to go in there when he wakes up, go in there, look him dead in the eyes and say sorry son, I know you're crying to go home, but I think it's going to hurt you too much to let you go. and watch him cry. go a head." Doc snapped. "that kid was in tears, sobbing, begging me to take him home. if you want to tell him you're not letting him go home, do it, but I'm taking him home." Doc assured. the team looked at each other, almost nervously.

"okay, you're right. why don't we head back and start packing. we can go a head and get everything back to town. you can call us when you're on your way back." Sheriff said. the others nodded slightly.

"you don't want to stick around and see him once he gets out?" Doc ask.

"we'll see him when he gets home." Sally assured. Doc nodded and watched them all go. he sat silently waited in the waiting room, pacing back and forth.

after several hours, Doc was called into a room. Lightning was still asleep on the bed, bandages everywhere. he walked over and gently took the younger mans hand, sitting beside the bed.

"don't worry baby, I got you, everything will be alright." he murmured, softly, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of the youngers hand. "you wake up and I'm gonna take you home Monty." Doc murmured. "m'gonna take you home and keep you safe kid." he sighed softly. at least the younger man was still in one piece. he was broken, but still in one piece, and alive. thank god he was alive. if he wasn't Doc wouldn't make it. without Lightning, Doc would be done. he'd die, it'd be like a bullet to the heart, but the younger had lived. he'd be okay. he'd be just fine. everything was okay.