"asshole." he grumbled, turning his face away. he was blushing like mad, he hated when the bigger men just moved him. Doc chuckled softly and kissed his cheek.

"you're the one who said I couldn't do it." Doc said. he huffed. Doc chuckled. "take the boot off kid." Doc said. Lightning grumbled and took the boot off wincing. his leg looked fine, it was fine, Doc was just over reacting. or maybe just looking for an excuse to pick him up. Lightning sat there annoyed while Doc ran his tests until it got dark outside. Doc was about to start another test when Lightning climbed off the table and headed for the door. "and where do you think you're going?" Doc ask.

"to get pie before Flo closes for the night." Lightning said, grabbing his boot and heading out the door. "my leg is fine, other than, you know, the fractured ankle that put me in this stupid boot." Lightning muttered. Doc sighed and shook his head, locking up the clinic and following him. he followed after the younger. it wasn't hard for him to catch up, his leg seemed to be hurting worse after the tests Doc had put him through, though he'd been sitting the whole time. he was limping even more now than before.

"kid you said that the pain is worse in your hip but radiates down your leg, right?" Doc ask.

"yeah." Lightning mumbled.

"come here." Doc said. Lightning looked over.

"no, leave me alone." Lightning said.

"just come here." Doc said. Lightning shook his head. Doc rolled his eyes and grabbed him gently. he pulled the younger to his chest and grabbed hold of his hip, carefully pushing on it. it gave a loud pop.

"ow!" Lightning glared, shoving him away. he turned and glared at him. "what the fuck Doc! that hurt!" he snapped.

"better?" Doc ask.

"that hurt!" Lightning hissed.

"does it feel any better now?" Doc snapped. Lightning grumbled.

"yeah it does, but it still hurt." Lightning glared.

"your hip was out of place. you're fine now. it had pinched a nerve." Doc said, heading for Flo's. Lightning followed after him, his hip did feel better but he was in a bad mood and didn't really care if it felt better. Doc didn't seem to mind, getting Flo to just give them a couple slices of pie. Lightning waited for him silently, before following him back to the house. "tomorrow we'll sit you behind the wheel in the Hornet and see what happens." Doc said as they walked back to the house. he could almost feel the younger tense up at his words.

"wh-what?" Lightning ask.

"relax, I won't start it up, I just want you to get comfortable behind the wheel." Doc assured.

"no way! Doc I've never sat behind the wheel of the Hornet <i>ever</i>!" Lightning said. so he wasn't nervous to sit behind the wheel of a car, just the fact that it was the Hornet, Docs baby. "no one has except you!" Lightning added.

"it'll be okay kid. you're not driving it you're just sitting behind the wheel." Doc assured.

"but that car is your baby." Lightning said.

"nothings going to happen. you're not going to drive it. don't panic here." Doc said, opening the house door. he let Lightning in and watched him sit on the couch.

"I can't last time I-" Lightning started.

"you've never sat in the drivers seat in the Hornet so don't." Doc said. "the only thing stopping you is your fear kid." Doc added. Lightning nodded slightly as though it were obvious.

"yeah, the fear of how and where you're going to dispose of my body if something happens to your car." Lightning said. Doc snorted and handed him a slice of pie.

"the keys will be in my hand. okay? Maters already offered a lemon from his junkyard for us to let you drive until you get more comfortable. I just want you behind the wheel of a race car to make sure you can handle it, even if you're not driving. sometimes you just have to sit in the car, mostly for the news and pictures and you don't want to have a panic attack on camera." Doc said. Lightning nodded slightly.

"but we can't do it tomorrow. we have to go get my cast removed." Lightning said, waving his arm at Doc, clearly looking for any excuse he could get to not have to sit behind the wheel of Docs beloved

"I know, thats why we're doing it after. it'll be easier if I can just reach in and pull you out without having to look out for your arm." Doc said sitting on the couch beside him. he held a fork out to the younger. Lightning took it and frowned. "come on kid. you need to do this. we need to get you back out there in time for the first race of the season, or it could cost Cal. the rookie is good, but not as good as you. he's not going to be able to get himself out of a situation if Chick starts anything." Doc said. Lightning grumbled quietly and took a bite of his pie. he knew Doc was right and knew he needed to get back out there to protect Cal. he got lucky that Chick didn't kill him, what if Cal wasn't so lucky?

"I know. I know." Lightning sighed.

"if you're right about these spikes, you were probably the first person he used them on, he'll know a little more how to use them now." Doc said.

"but at the same time, if I was right, how come he didn't use them the rest of the season?" Lightning ask.

"we don't have any proof he didn't." Doc said. "we didn't watch the rest of the season." Doc added. Lightning nodded with a frown.

"yeah, maybe I should call Cal and find out." Lightning muttered, reaching for his phone on the table. he paused as Docs phone started going off.

"damn it Ramone." Doc huffed. he answered. "Sheriff?" Doc ask confused. "you got who in the impound?" Doc ask. "hang on we'll be right there." Doc said getting up.

"whats up?" Lightning ask.

"don't bother calling him, Sheriff just impounded his car." Doc said.

"for what?" Lightning ask.

"didn't say. come on." Doc said. Lightning nodded and followed him. they were almost to the impound when he heard someone shout for him. he paused.

"Lightning!"

Lightning looked around confused, until someone slammed into his back. arms wrapped around him tightly.

"man am I glad to see you up and walking around!" Cal grinned, stepping away.

"Cal, hey. what are you doing here?" Lightning ask. Cal gave a nervous laugh.

"my cars been impounded. I heard you were back home from the hospital and got excited. I kinda sped through town and Sheriff got me." Cal chuckled hesitantly.

"really Cal?" Lightning mused.

"sorry, I couldn't help it. man I thought you were dead!" Cal shouted, hugging Lightning tightly. Lightning smiled and hugged him tightly. "when I saw that car flip I thought you were gone." Cal said.

"I'm okay Cal, promise. how'd you manage to sneak away from Dinoco long enough to come all the way out here?" Lightning ask.

"I told them I was coming to see you." Cal said.

"let me guess, you saw it on the news that he was home?" Doc ask.

"no way, Chicks telling everyone he came to say hi and got his ass thrown out of town." Cal said.

"stay away from Chick." Lightning warned, stepping back. Cal looked confused.

"why? he's just a sore loser." Cal said. Lightning went to say something but Doc stopped him, slapping a hand over the youngers mouth. he didn't want the kid to get into any trouble. Lightning glared and pulled away from his hand.

"Lightning is pretty sure Chick made him wreck like that on purpose, so just be careful." Doc said. Lightning frowned.

"oh, well, I'll be careful. just gotta wait for my agent to come bail me out, I'll be out of the town in a bit." Cal chuckled hesitantly.

"don't worry about it kid. I'll handle it." Doc assured, heading to talk to the Sheriff.

"it's kinda late Cal, you sure you want to just head out right now? I'm sure Sally has an open room." Lightning said.

"oh, no way. I won't stick around. I just wanted to check on you." Cal smiled.

"are you sure? I'd really feel better if you just stuck around for the night." Lightning said. "its late Cal. just stick around." Lightning added. Cal sighed.

"fine." he mumbles. Lightning nods and leans him to the Cozy Cone, Sally was just getting ready for bed.

"hey Sal." Lightning said. she looked up.

"whats up?" she ask. "oh hey Cal." Sally waves.

"Cal got impounded by the Sheriff. mind if he stays at the cone?" Lightning ask. Sally snorted and handed him a set of room keys.

"yeah sure. room 9. night guys." Sally waved and headed for her own room. Lightning showed him to the room before waving. he headed back into the house, Doc wasn't there yet. he shrugged and changed clothes, grabbing a pillow from the spare room, before curling up on the bed. the bed. not Docs bed. sometime in the last few weeks it had become the bed, their bed. not verbally of course. if anyone asked he was still in the spare room. it was nice to feel he actually had a place he belonged, somewhere he could rest and not be hounded by this person or that. curling up under the blanket he briefly wondered just if he'd be able to convince himself to sit behind the wheel of the Hornet without panicking. not because he was afraid to be behind the wheel again, no that last little wreck had reminded him that wrecks happen and he just had to dust off and keep going. no, he was worried because the hornet was Docs baby. his pride and joy. he knew he wasn't going drive the car, she was a beauty and he'd never be able to drive it, but that didn't help with the anxiety of what if I break something? what if I move the seat too much? or mess up the seat? bump the mirror? move the steering wheel? what if I-

"kid? you in here?" Doc called.

"yeah." he muttered.

"where's Cal?" Doc ask walking into the room.

"room 9 at the Cone." Lightning said. "convinced him he didn't need to drive all the way back home this late at night." Lightning added. Doc nodded. he changed his clothes and laid on the bed. "and I'm using your blanket." Lightning grumbled. Doc chuckled and pulled the blanket over himself. he gently wrapped his arms around the youngers waist and pulled him closer, Lightning melted into him. with Doc around there was really no need for a blanket, the older was like a heater, but he couldn't sleep without one

"thats okay. just don't hog it." he grumbled back, burying his face into the youngers neck. Lightning huffed.

"if I do just take it back." Lightning grumbled. Doc snorted into his neck.

"I'll just dump some cold water on you." Doc murmured. Lightning curled up more and grabbed hold of Docs hand. he smiled slightly and moved his arm up a little, hugging his chest gently.

"you wouldn't dare." Lightning mumbled. Doc snorted softly.

"didn't you learn anything about challenging me earlier?" Doc ask.

"it wasn't a challenge." Lightning murmured. Doc smiled and settled in, sighing happily.

"you can't turn off the alarm in the morning we actually have to get up so we can get to your appointment on time." Doc mumbled. Lightning groaned and Doc could almost hear him pouting.

"I hate that stupid thing." Lightning mumbled. Doc chuckled softly and closed his eyes.

"get some sleep kid." Doc muttered. Lightning grumbled at him, closing his eyes. Doc held him tightly and kissed the back of his neck.

he groaned when the alarm went off, it felt like it had only been like five minutes since he closed his eyes. Doc shifted behind him, letting go of him so he could roll over and shut the alarm off.

"get up, come on." Doc mumbled, getting out of bed. "lets get you out of that cast so we can throw you in the Hornet." Doc said, stretching. Lightning muttered and got up, heading to change clothes.

"I seriously don't want to." Lightning said.