"cool I need to come get some stuff for Doc, I don't think he has anything in this house." Lightning said.

"I have a bottle of migraine medicine if you want to come get it, or I can bring it to you if you don't feel like walking." Sally offered.

"no I'll come get it. I'm getting a little tired of staying in the house." Lightning said.

"alright see you in a few minutes." Sally said.

"be careful." Mack warned.

"it's a two minute walk Mack. I'm sure I'll be fine." Lightning chuckled, heading out of the house and towards town. "you at Flo's or the Cone?" Lightning ask.

"Flo's. we're waiting for the news to come on." Mack said.

"why?" Lightning ask.

"because I wanna hear what Doc had to say to those reporters. we all do." Sally said. Lightning snorted.

"I'm sure it was nothing." Lightning chuckled.

"they ask him why you were going back and he didn't." Flo said. Lightning got quiet a moment, frowning.

"I'll be there in a few." he muttered, hanging up. he headed for Flo's. how could they ask a question like that? Lightning knew reporters were insensitive but he didn't realize they could be that insensitive. they really didn't care what they said or who they hurt as long as they got a story.

"hurry up Stickers, the news is coming up." Sally said, pulling him inside. Lightning stumbled when she let his arm go, but Mack was quick to catch him. Lightning shot him a grateful look.

"Sal, I'm just here for some headache medicine for Doc." Lightning said.

"shh it's starting." Sarge said, looking up at the screen. Lightning sighed and sat down beside Mack to watch. oh boy it was a train wreck from the start. they were asking questions about this and that and Doc was just walking away from them until he got coffee. he shielded himself from the sun, wincing a little at their loud questions, before he started answering them. the whole diner seemed to wince when they asked if Lightning would be going back since Doc didn't. the whole interview took thirty minutes and by the time it ended you could hear a pin drop in the Sheriffs department across the street the diner was so quiet. Lightning looked around between his friend before turning to Sally.

"nice. can I have the migraine medicine now?" he ask curtly. Sally swallowed and nodded, handing him the bottle from her purse. Lightning grabbed breakfast for both him and Doc. once he had both the breakfast and pills, he stood and left the diner silently, heading back for Docs house. he entered quietly and headed for the kitchen.

"kid?" Doc muttered.

"hey Doc. hows your head?" Lightning ask.

"pounding." Doc grumbled. Lightning grabbed a cup of water and the pills Sally gave him.

"here." Lightning said, bringing it into the room. Doc looked over confused.

"whats that?" Doc ask.

"some medicine to help with your head." Lightning smiled at him. Doc blinked at him slightly confused, but reached out and took the bottle and the cup.

"uh, thanks." Doc muttered sitting up slowly. Lightning smiled at him.

"I got them from Sally, I wasn't sure if you had anything here for it." Lightning said, rubbing the back of his neck. Doc popped the bottle open and took a few of the pills.

"thanks." Doc muttered moving to get up.

"what are you doing?" Lightning ask.

"can't let this headache keep me down kid. I still have a living room to clean." Doc said.

"I already did." Lightning said. Doc paused and looked at him.

"what?" Doc ask.

"I cleaned the living room." Lightning said. "you said your head hurt and you went back to sleep, so I cleaned up." Lightning shrugged.

"huh... thanks." Doc said, getting up. Lightning nodded.

"I would've made some breakfast too, but I burn everything." Lightning said, repeating the words Doc had told him. the older gave an amused smirk. "so I picked some up from Flos." Lightning added. Doc nods a little rubbing his back. "you okay?" Lightning ask.

"yeah my back just hurts." Doc muttered. Lightning frowned.

"I don't have anything for that." Lightning admits.

"its alright kid." Doc assures, getting up out of the bed.

"you going to be up for some training later or should we put that on hold?" Lightning ask. Doc frowned a little in thought.

"I'm not sure. back pain I can deal with. depends on how long this headache stays." Doc muttered. Lightning nodded and walked out of the room, he came back a few minutes later with a plastic bag.

"here. it's really bright in the rest of the house." Lightning said.

"sometimes kid, you're a god sent." Doc muttered, taking the bag. though he winced at the sound of the bag, he was grateful.

"its nice to be able to at least try and help after you've helped me so much." Lightning admits. Doc nods a little and sets his food on the nightstand. he pulled his fork out and Lightning paused a moment, looking at it. Doc met his gaze.

"kid?" Doc ask.

"did anyone take pictures of my car besides the media when I wrecked?" Lightning ask. Doc frowned and thought a moment.

"Ramone, maybe Sally? Ramone should have some pictures." Doc said. "why?" Doc ask. Lightning blinked at him before turning to leave. "kid?" Doc ask. Lightning headed for the front door. he didn't stop until he got back to Flo's diner.

"hey Lightning, whats up?" Flo smiled.

"where's Ramone?" Lightning ask.

"probably in his shop." Flo said sounding confused. Lightning nodded and left quickly, leaving his friends just as confused as Doc.

"Ramone!" Lightning called pushing the door open.

"kid?" Ramone ask, walking out in a set of paint covered coveralls. "whats up?" Ramone ask.

"do you have any pictures from my wreck?" Lightning ask.

"I have pictures of the car after the wreck, sitting in the shop though. I have one or two the media took. I needed to know how much work it was going to take. why?" Ramone ask.

"I need to see them." Lightning said.

"I don't think so." Ramone said.

"I really need to see them Ramone." Lightning urged.

"kid you could have all kinds of negative reactions to see those things. I'm not showing them to you without Doc." Ramone said.

"Doc has a migraine. I can do things without him. give." Lightning said.

"I dunno kid, you should really-" Ramone said.

"someone tried to kill me. let me see them." Lightning said more firmly. Ramone sighed and walked over to his computer. he pulled out a small folder and slid it across the counter to Lightning. Lightning immediately grabbed it. "I'll bring this back later." Lightning said, heading for the doors. Ramone nodded in confusion. the others watched him head back for Docs house with a determined look on his face. he headed straight for Docs garage. Doc wondered in a few moments later, with a hat firmly on his head to block as much sun light as possible.

"whats going on kid? first Flo calls saying you look upset, then Ramone calls saying you said someone tried to kill you." Doc said, walking over. "accidents happen you-" Doc started.

"this wasn't an accident Doc. this has been a reoccurring nightmare that I assumed my mind made up, but it didn't." Lightning said, flipping through the pictures. he pointed to one. "look. see that. a simple wreck doesn't cause gouging like that." Lightning said, turning to look at Doc. Doc, against his better judgment, walked over to look at the picture. he took his hat off, ignoring the ache in his head, and looked the picture over.

"kid that could've been caused when you hit another car." Doc said.

"not like that Doc. look at those. three nearly perfect half circles. if something did that to my paint, to the body of my car, what would it have done to the tire?" Lightning ask.

"what exactly are you suggesting kid?" Doc ask. Lightning frowned.

"who hit me?" Lightning ask.

"I didn't see." Doc replied. "kid, you're not making any sense here." Doc said.

"remember about 10 years ago they made those tire spikes illegal on the track because some guy got hit with them and it destroyed his car?" Lightning ask.

"of course. the kid nearly died when one of the spikes broke off and took out his eye." Doc said. "you're not saying someone on the track is using illegal spikes are you?" Doc ask. Lightning pursed his lips.

"I need to talk to Mack." Lightning said.

"kid you need to calm down." Doc said. Lightning gathered all the pictures and turned, heading for the Cozy Cone. Doc grabbed his hat and followed after him. he trailed behind Lightning, who was on a mission.

"Sally!" Lightning said, making the woman jump.

"Stickers?" she ask.

"where's Mack?" Lightning ask. Sally shrugged a little, looking around, before pointing behind him.

"over there, talking to Sheriff." Sally said. Lightning turned and his eye's landed on Mack. he immediately headed over there.

"Mack!" Lightning shouted, making both Mack and the Sheriff jump.

"boss?" Mack ask. Lightning slammed the folder down on the table.

"who hit me?" Lightning ask. Mack looked confused.

"what do you-" Mack ask.

"who caused my wreck?" Lightning ask. Mack frowned in thought.

"I... I don't know." Mack admitted.

"green car. number 86." Sheriff said.

"Chick." Lightning hissed.

"you okay?" Mack ask. Lightning bit his lip and headed off quickly. Doc was watching him from the Cozy Cone front desk looking tired. Lightning marched up to him.

"Chick tried to kill me." Lightning said. Doc sat up, immediately looking around for the man.

"where is he?" Doc ask.

"no he's not here. I mean... he... on the track..." Lightning struggled trying to figure out how to say it. Doc looked confused. he grunted slightly and frowned, before looking at Doc. he swallowed hard and looked at him. "Doc... I remember." Lightning said, willing him to understand. unfortunately Doc didn't understand, his head hurt too much.

"Lightning, kid-" Doc tried. Lightning huffed and grabbed his arm, pulling him back towards his house. he remembered so much seeing the pictures of the wreck. Doc looked confused and followed him. Lightning pulled him into the house and closed the door, looking around outside. closing the window curtains. Doc watched him confusedly. "kid are you okay?" Doc ask. Lightning walked over to him and pushed him down on the couch. he pushed the hat off and stared into Docs eye's.

"listen, please. I know your head hurts, but please listen to me. Doc, please." Lightning said. Doc grabbed his hands gently, looking at Lightning.

"I'm not an idiot, speak." Doc said. Lightning swallowed slightly.

"I remember the wreck. Chick did something illegal Doc, knowing it could kill me. he did something that was made illegal for killing 7 other drivers. I remember." Lightning said. "I've got to get back out there before he kills someone." Lightning said. Doc sighed slightly thinking to himself, before nodding.

"okay. okay. we push the training. you're not going to like it, but we push the training. tomorrow, or whenever my headache goes away." Doc said. Doc gently pushed him away and headed for his bedroom. Lightning watched him go, a thought nagging at the back of his head. he needed to tell Doc his thoughts during the wreck, when he thought he was going to die.

"Doc...?" Lightning ask. Doc sighed in annoyance and turned.

"what?" Doc snapped, rubbing his temples. Lightning stepped back slightly, the confidence he'd had to say what was on his mind, dashed.

"never mind." Lightning said, shaking his head.

"spit it out kid. my head is aching." Doc huffed.

"then just go." Lightning said, walking out the front door. Doc watched him go before shaking his head and heading back to his room.

"Lightning, are you okay?" Mack ask. Lightning nodded and headed for the Cozy Cone that he'd been living in before the wreck. Mack followed him. "hey, Lightning come here." Mack said, following him.

"just go away Mack." Lightning said trying to keep his voice steady. Mack gently grabbed his arm and pulled him gently into a hug.

"its okay." Mack soothed, holding him. he'd known Lightning long enough to know when the younger was upset. Lightning easily shoved him off and shut the door to his room, locking it. Mack stood there quietly on the other side of the door. he frowned and headed back over to continue his conversation with Sheriff, but both kept their eyes on Lightnings door. after a few hours, Lightning left the room, with his jumpsuit on. he headed for his car.

"this can't be good." Sheriff said. Lightning climbed into his car, fighting back the anxiety. he swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"come on. you have to do this. what if Chick ends up killing Col?" Lightning murmured to himself. he started up the care. "Doc doesn't care. he's not going to hold your hand in the race, you have to do this yourself." Lightning said. he looked at his broken hand and he sighed slightly, carefully putting the car in reverse. "come on idiot." Lightning said softly, easing up on the break.

"kid! what are you doing?" Sheriff ask running off. Lightning's chest was heaving.

"training." Lightning said. he took a deep breath. "come on. come on you can do it..." Lightning murmured, hitting the gas gently. he backed up, keeping an eye on Sheriff. "do it. gun it. come on." Lightning murmured.

"kid you need someone with you." Sheriff said.

"there won't be anyone with me at the race." Lightning said. he took a deep breath, then put the car in gear and stared at the road ahead.

"you don't need to do this without Doc." Sheriff said.

"he can't hold my hand all the time Sheriff." Lightning snapped. he took one more deep breath. "go." he murmured to himself, slamming his foot down on the gas. his car immediately sped off.

"Mack! you go after Doc I gotta go after the kid!" Sheriff said, scrambling for his car.

"faster than fast. quicker than quick. I am Lightning." Lightning murmured with his eyes squeezed shut.