"come on out McQueen!" Chick called walking out of the bedroom to look around. Lightning took a deep breath and silently crept after him. Sheriff was laying still on the floor with a bullet in his side and one in his leg, but Lightning could see his chest rising and falling, so he was probably just unconscious. Lightning ducked behind the couch quickly when Chick went into the kitchen. where the fuck was Doc!? he frowned and looked over at Sheriff again. he watched Chick walk back into the bedroom and looked over at Sheriff. he bit his lip and crawled over to him quietly.

"Sheriff?" he whispered, watching the bedroom. Sheriff groaned quietly and Lightning grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him carefully towards the back door. he froze and took shelter in the spare room.

"I know you're in here kid!" Chick growled lowly. "you moved his body, he's dead kid!" Chick snapped. "get out here or I'm blowing his brains onto the carpet just to make sure he's dead!" Chick hissed. Lightning glared slightly, getting in the door way and carefully lined up a shot.

"get away from him!" Lightning shouted firing the gun once then once more. he shot Chick in the chest and watched as he dropped. Lightning scrambled out over to Sheriff as Doc came busting in the front door with the others. "what the hell took you so long!? I'm in here fighting for Sheriffs life and safety and you're out there doing whatever!" Lightning shouted. Doc ran over, looking him over, before turning to look Sheriff over.

"we got held up by ambulances and news crews." Doc murmured. Red ran over dropping to his knees beside Lightning, cupping his face and looking him over.

"I'm fucking fine! other than I just shot Chick!" Lightning shouted. Red scooped him up and carried him outside, covered in blood from Sheriff. Mack helped Doc get Sheriff out, before dragging Chick out. the entire town was loaded up into ambulances and taken to the nearest hospital.

Lightning sat silently after being patched up, waiting for his friends to be released. he'd been treated for a bullet wound, just a graze on his arm he never even realized Chick had fired back when he shot him, and shock. the others had been treated mostly for stab wounds, Sheriff was the only one being treated for something other than a stab wound. even Doc had managed to get stabbed. he looked up when Doc came out.

"hey kid. you okay?" Doc ask. Lightning shrugged slightly.

"define okay. all my friends, everyone I've ever considered family, has been attacked by Chick after he came and tried to kill me. Sheriffs been shot twice and everyone has been stabbed at least three times." Lightning said. Doc sighed and hugged him, the younger man was still in shock and Doc knew it would take him a while.

"what happened in there?" Doc ask, sitting back but not removing his hands from the younger. he hoped a little physical contact would do him some good.

"he caught me trying to drag Sheriff out the back door, so I shot him." Lightning said.

"did he shoot you?" Doc ask.

"shot my cell phone. he could hear you shouting on it and he shot it. no big deal or anything." Lightning shrugged. Doc crouched in front of him, gently placing a hand on his cheek.

"hey are you okay? come on. lets get you out of here. come on, you haven't had anything to eat today except a bit or two of a sandwich about eight hours ago." Doc murmured.

"no way, I'm not leaving until I see that everyone's okay." Lightning said. Doc stood and gently pulled him up.

"come on Monty." Doc murmured gently. "come on." Doc said leading him out. he wasn't surprised the kid was quiet on the walk to a restaurant just a few blocks away. the first time he'd even showed Lightning the pistol, the younger had freaked out. he didn't like guns, he didn't care for guns, he didn't ever want to touch them, and he'd just shot Chick. nothing that would kill him, just keep him down for a few weeks. they walked into a random diner and headed for a table.

"don't call me that." Lightning muttered once they'd sat down in a booth at the diner. Doc looked up surprised.

"call you what?" Doc ask, confused.

"Montgomery." Lightning muttered. "you called me that over the phone. what if someone had heard you? I don't mind if you call me Monty but don't call me Montgomery." Lightning ask. Doc frowned.

"I was afraid you had been shot or something. give me a break." Doc said. he ordered himself a coffee and he ordered Lightning a hot chocolate, hoping the sugar in the drink might help. "I won't call you that again. I'm sorry." Doc murmured gently, patting his hand. Lightning looked at him and pulled his hand away, but Doc stopped him. "what happened to your hand?" Doc ask. Lightning shrugged slightly looked at the bandage on his hand.

"caught my hand in the hammer of the pistol like an idiot." Lightning mumbled softly.

"you're not an idiot kiddo, you've never fired a gun before it was an accident." Doc murmured. Lightning shrugged a little.

"why do you call me kiddo?" Lightning ask. Doc shrugged a little, with a small smile.

"nah. can't tell you that right now." Doc murmured. Lightning looked confused, watching as Doc smiled lifting his coffee cup to his lips. "I mean, it's not like I can just flat out tell you I love you." Doc murmured softly, taking a sip of his coffee. Lightning looked up confused.

"h-huh?" Lightning ask. Doc chuckled softly.

"you are clueless aren't you?" Doc teased, bringing a lighter tone to the conversation he was terrified the younger man was going to pull back to the events of earlier.

"thats what it means when you call me that?" Lightning ask confused.

"sometimes, other times it means just that, kid, kiddo, son, boy." Doc smiled slightly.

"but you've been saying that for years." Lightning mumbled to himself. Doc smirked at him, looking up when their waitress came back over. he ordered himself some food before looking at Lightning.

"want waffles?" Doc ask. Lightning shrugged and nodded slightly. Doc went ahead and ordered Lightnings food. he sat back in his seat watching the younger man, who was already struggling to process things do to his recovering from shock, struggle to figure out what exactly Doc was saying.

"so you..." Lightning trailed, looking at him.

"so I?" Doc ask raising an eye brow. he was going to be patient and let the younger figure it out himself. the younger was already having a hard time trying to think.

"but you've been calling me that since we met." Lightning mumbled.

"didn't always mean the same thing. probably since that first race." Doc said. Lightnings eye brows furrowed.

"so you've always been telling me then...?" Lightning ask. Doc nodded slightly.

"mmmhmm." Doc chuckled slightly, it was almost like watching a light bulb going off in his head.

"oh." Lightning mumbled. Doc chuckled, pausing when his cell phone went off.

"its Sally, I'll be right back kid." Doc mumbled, his teasing tone now serious. Lightning nodded watching him get up and walk outside. Lightning watched him pace out in front of the diner. he jumped and looked up when the waitress came over.

"oh sorry sweetie, just bringing your food over." she smiled. Lightning nodded at her slightly, sitting back as she sat the plates down. "you want some syrup?" she ask. Lightning just nodded silently. she smiled and walked off to get some. Doc came back after a few minutes.

"most of the others have been released. Fillmore, Mack, and Sally are all being held for a little longer. course you know Sheriff isn't getting released for a while." Doc said. Lightning nodded slightly. "are you okay Lightning?" Doc ask.

"yeah. I'm fine I guess..." he mumbles. "my family was attacked by a someone who wants to kill me so I shot him, but I missed and he's going to live." Lightning said. Doc sighed.

"Monty, you didn't miss. you shot him twice." Doc murmurs.

"I missed his head." Lightning said.

"kid this is the first time you've ever fired a gun. okay? you hit Chick and you didn't miss. you fired two shots and made two direct hits. okay you didn't get what you aimed for, but you shot him. you stopped him." Doc murmured. Lightning poked at his waffles, dumping some syrup onto them. Doc watched him with a soft sigh. "Monty, please eat something. come on kid, you can't just let this get to you." Doc said.

"not really all that-" Lightning started. he jumped slightly and looked over when someone put a hand on his shoulder. Red smiled at him quietly. he looked over and Mater had sat himself with Doc. Lightning scooted over his seat and Red smiled, sitting beside him. he patted the youngers leg gently, before pushing the plate of waffles back in front of him.

"thanks. heres your waffles." Red murmured. Lightning leaned away from the table and against the window, pushing the plate towards Mater.

"here pal, don't want them. enjoy." Lightning mumbled. Mater looked shocked, so did Red.

"ye feelin' okay buddy? ye don' jus' turn down food." Mater frowned.

"I'm fine Mater." Lightning assured, lifting his head up to give Mater a small smile. he dropped his head back down against the window and mumbled. Red frowned and immediately shot Doc a dirty look.