"relax you two. he's still sort of in shock. geez he saw Sheriff bleeding out on the floor then he had to shoot someone." Doc murmured, elbowing Mater hard in the side. Mater pouted and rubbed his side. Red kicked Doc under the table before looking over at Lightning.

"maybe we should go back t' town." Mater murmured.

"don't let me ruin your meal." Lightning mumbled at him.

"besides we don't want to go back home until they're done cleaning up the house, and half the town is still in the hospital can't leave without them." Doc mutters. "we'll be staying in a hotel until its all cleaned up." Doc added.

"would you like to go to the hotel Lightning?" Red ask softly.

"yeah lets just go. I'd rather just go lay down." Lightning mumbled. Doc frowned, but held out a card to Red.

"we're sharing rooms like its a race. this is our room. 302." Doc says. he handed him another card. "and yours and Macks room is 301. I have the others cards." Doc murmurs. Red nodded and slipped out of the booth.

"come on." Red murmurs. Lightning slipped out of the booth and followed Red.

"hows your hand?" Lightning ask. Red smiled and showed him the bandages on his hand. Lightning nodded slightly and let Red lead him away. Red wrapped an arm around his shoulders gently and lead him to the hotel that they'd be staying in. it was odd that the younger was this quiet, it didn't suit him, Red actually wanted to fill the silence for once.

"are you okay?" Red ask quietly. Lightning nodded slightly. Red frowned and opened the door, gently pushing Lightning in. Lightning stared quietly at the two bed hotel room. it wasn't like their normal hotel rooms, it was nice, but not like normal, though Lightning couldn't find it in himself to care. Red watched him a moment before simply picking up the younger man and sitting him on a bed. "Lightning?" Red ask. Lightning looked at him. "do you want a hug?" Red offered. Lightning gave a half smile and Red immediately hugged him tightly,

"thanks Red." Lightning murmured shakily.

"you'd think Doc would be the one to do this for you." Red murmured softly. Lightning pulled back confused and Red chuckled in amusement. "I know about you two." Red said. Lightning gave a slight smile.

"always gotta watch out for the silent ones." Lightning said softly.

"we see everything." Red murmured.

"don't say anything... Doc doesn't want people to know, might ruin my career he says." Lightning said quietly. Red nods slightly.

"would you like me to stick around until he comes?" Red ask.

"you don't have to. m'okay. I promise." Lightning said. Red saw through it. he stood and kicked his shoes off before flopping onto the bed, before reaching over and yanking Lightning down gently. the younger man curled up with him, letting Red hold him. the bigger man was like a brother and it was nice to have someone here to hold him while he as unable to think properly. Sheriff could've died because of him, hell the whole town could've died because of him. he felt Red tighten his arms and heard him shush him gently.

Red shifted and blinked awake. someone was standing over him.

"hey Red." Doc murmured softly. "you can go to your room if you want, or you can stay. kid seems content to stay curled up with you." Doc murmured. Red blinked and looked down. Lightning was curled up, face buried in his chest, arms wrapped around him, and fast asleep. Red looked up at Doc and held slightly tighter to the younger man gently. Doc nodded. "okay." Doc murmured. he ran a hand through Lightnings hair gently and the smaller whined softly. Red glared at him, growling quietly, and holding tighter.

"boyfriend or not, wake him up and I will hit you." Red warned quietly. Doc seemed shocked.

"wait, what?" Doc ask.

"I'll hit you." Red repeated, though slightly less confident. Doc was an intimidating person and he wouldn't hesitate to hit the older man, but he had no doubt Doc would hit back.

"no I heard that and I believe you. what was that other thing?" Doc ask.

"oh... th-that you're... y-you and... y-you and him..." Red said quietly, almost shrinking in on himself, squeezing Lightning tighter.

"the kid told you?" Doc snapped. Red shook his head.

"n-no. I figured it out." Red said nervously. "I-I swear Doc. I figured it out." Red repeated, holding Lightning protectively. as though he was afraid Doc might lash out at the younger.

"damn it. this is going to ruin his career." Doc hissed. Red shook his head no quickly, tensing up. Doc plopped onto the other bed head in his hands.

"I... I over heard him and Mack talking. I knew he was talking about you. he told me once a while ago, drunk I think... when he kept staying with you after telling Mack he came clean to the person he... I put it together." Red murmured quietly. Doc nodded slightly.

"just don't say anything to anyone." Doc said. Red nodded and smiled at him slightly. Lightning shifted and mumbled softly, holding onto Red tighter. "he been doing that since he fell asleep?" Doc ask. Red nodded slightly. he wouldn't be talking anymore and Doc knew it. he'd made the other man too nervous and upset for him to want to talk again. Red held tighter to the younger man when he tensed up.

"D-Doc..." Red said slowly backing away from Lightning. Doc looked over, Lightning was shaking.

"Lightning? kid? Monty!" Doc shouted walking over quickly. he felt the youngers pulse. "shit, son of a bitch. Red call an ambulance, he's having another seizure." Doc shouted. Red immediately picked up the phone and dialed for an ambulance. after a few minutes Lightning slowly came to and jerked up with a scream. "kid! hey! it's okay. listen to me." Doc murmured. Lightning panted heavily and looked at him. "lay down. relax and don't move." Doc murmured. Lightning mumbled some gibberish and Doc shushed him gently. Red watched them silently until the ambulance took them away.

Lightning groaned quietly as he was poked and prodded by doctors.

"nothing like being rushed back to the hospital." Lightning mumbled. Doc quirked a small smile at him. "you don't have to rush me off after every little seizure Doc." Lightning sighed.

"yeah I do. you weren't having them before your wreck." Doc frowned.

"I did when I was a kid. I grew out of them. I'm fine." Lightning said. "I used to have absent seizures." he shrugged.

"well we can go back to the hotel later as soon as they tell me you're fine." Doc said.

"yeah and you can apologize to Red. I heard you getting angry with him. you leave him alone Doc." Lightning frowned.

"I will tell Red I'm sorry." Doc assured.

"be nice to him Doc." Lightning mumbled. Doc nodded and walked over ruffling his hair gently, but Lightning wrapped his arms tightly around him, thumping his head against the older mans chest.

"you okay kid?" Doc ask softly.

"yeah just... need a minute." he mumbled. Doc wrapped an arm around him gently, running a hand through the youngers hair.

"okay kid." Doc soothed gently, pulling him closer.

"hey boss. Red texted said you had another seizure." Mack said, walking in. he was covered in bandages. his chest, torso, arms, and hands were covered in them. there was even one on his cheek. Lightning let go of Doc, letting the older man step back.

"hey Mack, yeah. I'm okay now. heard anything on Sally or Sheriff?" Lightning ask.

"Sheriffs out of surgery. he'll live. Sally's fine. she'll be released in a bit. when you guys head back I'm going with you. I was already released." Mack said. Lightning sat up, pushing away from Doc.

"you okay?" Lightning ask.

"yeah. I'm good." Mack smiled, walking over and hugging him. Lightning hugged him back.

"I'm going to go check with the doctors. I'll be right back." Doc said, walking out of the room. immediately Lightning pushed back and smacked Mack hard.

"you told Red." Lightning glared.

"I had to the guy told me he's been watching you and Doc dance around each other for a while." Mack huffed. "he was about shove you two in a room together until you kissed. geez." Mack sighed.

"just don't tell anyone else. you could've ruined everything." Lightning frowned. Mack nodded.

"I won't and I haven't. just Red." Mack assured. Lightning nodded.

"Mack, I want to go home. can you convince Doc to take me back to the hotel?" Lightning ask.

"I dunno, you should probably just stay until the doctors say you're good." Mack said gently.

"I'd rather go back to the hotel and curl up in bed." Lightning mumbled. "but thanks for taking his side." he huffed.

"don't be like that Boss, it's safer for you here." Mack assured. Lightning flipped him off.

"fuck off Mack." he mumbled. Doc walked back in,

"okay kid. they're done running tests on you. come on, lets get back to the hotel." he said.

"finally." he mumbled.

"we're gonna have to walk." Doc said. "only about five blocks. neither of us have our vehicles." Doc added. Lightning started walking and the other two followed him.

"boss, your leg okay?" Mack ask. Lightning nodded, his boot thumping against the ground. he'd done more damaged to his leg trying to drag Sheriff to a safe spot and was limping harder, breathing harder. "I can carry you if you'd like." Mack offered. Lightning huffed at him.

"I'm not a child. I can walk." he huffed.

"it's not meant to be insulting kid. just relax. he's offering to help because of your leg." Doc said, shooting him a dirty look.

"the answer to every problem <i>isn't</i> picking me up all the time. it's not carrying me. it's not moving me out of your way." Lightning snapped.

"don't be a baby. he doesn't want you to hurt yourself walking the whole way.so shut your mouth or just say no." Doc glared. Lightning snapped his mouth shut and glared silently, heading for the hotel.

"leave him alone Doc. I've known him a hell of a lot longer. this is just how he gets." Mack said. Lightning huffed at them and kept walking. by the time they were half way there, his leg was absolutely aching and he'd managed to be slower than the other two. the older two kept casting glances at each other, then back at the younger. he was angrily staring at the ground in front of him, though he seemed utterly exhausted, and was trudging forward silently. eventually Doc met Macks eye and nodded back towards Lightning encouragingly. Mack huffed slightly, shaking his head with an amused look in his eyes. no way was he going to offer again while Lightning was like this. he'd get his ass chewed again. if the younger wanted Mack to carry him, he'd eventually give in and say so.

"not going to offer again?" Doc muttered.

"and get my ass chewed out again? no thanks." Mack murmured. "why don't you?" Mack ask.

"he's already pissed enough at me." Doc mumbled. he turned his head back to look again. "kid?" Doc ask, coming to a stop. he turned completely, the younger wasn't behind them anymore.

"boss?" Mack ask looking around.

"Lightning!" Doc called louder. he and Mack headed back the way they'd come quickly. "there he is." Doc sighed, pointing towards Lightning. he was sitting on a set of stairs, a pen in hand, signing something. "Lightning, what are you doing?" Doc ask. Lightning held up a hat, with the number 95 on it along with his name.

"signing things." he muttered. he put the cap back on his pen and handed the hat to someone beside him. "here kid." he said.

"thanks!" a young boy grinned, taking the hat and running off.

"you forgot your... pen." Lightning muttered, holding the pen. he shrugged and put it in his pocket.

"what the hell kid." Doc said.

"he recognized me. ask for a signature." Lightning mumbled getting up and rubbing his leg with a wince. Mack grabbed him, carefully putting him on his feet. "I sat down and signed it for him." he added.

"kid you can't just disappear without a word at this time of night when you're supposed to be walking with us. you could've been killed or kidnapped." Doc said. Lightning shrugged slightly at him.

"but I didn't. I'm fine." he muttered.