Red doesn't take offense or get upset at his words. he understands the youngers having a bad time. he patted the youngers head gently.

"is there anyway I can help?" Red ask.

"leave me alone." Lightning mumbles, lifting his head to look at the older man.

"I can't do that." Red sighs softly. Lightning gets quiet, pulling his knees up to his chest and dropping his head between them.

"I... I need Doc." he chokes out after a bit. Red sighs softly, leaning against the tub and reaching into the shower for his hand. Lightning took it hesitantly.

"I know. he's on his way if that helps." Red offers. Lightning pales, pulling away from Red, slamming his back against the bathtub.

"no! no! you called him!? why would you call him!?" Lightning shouted. Red watches him shocked.

"I-I didn't Mack did." Red replies, confused.

"you're supposed to leave him alone! he's... he's.. I can handle it!" Lightning shouts. Red gently reaches forward, gently putting a hand on his knee.

"hey, don't panic. just relax." Red soothes gently.

"no it's not!" Lightning shouts. Red looks even more confused.

"what-" Red tries.

"it's not okay! he's supposed to be out! doing something fun! not having to take care of me! I'm a grown man I can handle it! I... he..." Lightning tries. he's trying to form a complete sentence, but he can't. his brain is scrambled.

"yeah, doing a real good job at taking care of yourself baby." Doc chuckles slightly, leaning against the doorway. its a dry and humorless chuckle. Lightning whines, burying his face back into his knees. "I got him Red, can you go clean the closet? and keep it quiet." Doc frowns. Red nods and gets up heading out of the bathroom. Doc crouches beside the bathtub. "hey kid, you okay?" Doc ask.

"just go away and leave me alone in my shame." Lightning mutters tearfully into his knees.

"kid, I'm not going anyway." Doc murmurs softly. "you going to come out of there and talk to me?" Doc ask.

"no." Lightning mumbles, sniffling. Doc sighs and stands up, kicking his shoes off. he tosses his keys, cell phone, and wallet into the sink before pulling off his jacket and tossing it aside.

"then move over. if you're not coming out, I'm coming in." Doc murmurs. Lightning pulled his knees tightly to his chest, making himself as small as he can. Doc climbs in and sits under the stream of water with him. Lightning refuses to look up. "come here." Doc murmured.

"no. leave me alone." Lightning mumbled.

"m'not going anywhere." Doc murmurs.

"you can't even have a day to yourself." Lightning says, choking back a sob. "not even a few hours. I... you... y-you can't even go out for a few hours." Lightning sobs hugging his knees.

"kid-" Doc tries.

"shut up! just shut up and listen to me!" Lightning glared. Doc raises an eye brow, motioning for him to continue. "I pulled a loaded shot gun on Red and Mack. pointed it at their faces and I almost shot Red!" Lightning shouted. he stares Doc down tearfully. "I could've shot them... I... I.. I-I could'a killed'em." Lightning says softly, dropping his head against the bathroom wall, wiping at his face. "Doc.. I could'a shot them." Lightning sobbed.

"you wouldn't have. its okay." Doc murmurs, pulling him close.

"my finger was on the trigger." Lightning sobbed. Doc holds him closer and chuckles softly, kissing his head. "th-this is fucking funny to you?" Lightning shouted.

"baby, you didn't even take the safety off." Doc murmurs. Lightning sniffles and pulls back confused.

"h-huh?" Lightning ask.

"the safety. you didn't take the safety off the gun." Doc repeats.

"s'that mean?" Lightning ask.

"means the gun wouldn't have fired. you wouldn't have shot them. no, you shouldn't point a loaded gun at anyones face in case the safety fails and the gun goes off, but Smokey takes good care of his guns and it wouldn't have fired. you wouldn't have been able to shoot them." Doc assures. Lightning takes a shaky breath.

"I... th-they were safe?" he asks. "I wouldn't have killed them?" Lightning ask.

"nope. they were perfectly safe." Doc assures. Lightning lets out a self depreciating laugh.

"great, so I pissed myself in a closet for no reason right?" Lightning huffed.

"shit happens. besides, Reds cleaning it up." Doc murmured. Lightning huffed and curled against him.

"I thought I was gonna shoot Red when he opened that door." Lightning murmurs softly, fisting his hands in Docs shirt. "he came in here to sit with me and I kept telling him to leave but he wouldn't and I was just.... I almost... I thought I was gonna kill him." Lightning said tearfully. Doc wraps his arm tightly around the younger, holding him close. he looks up at the door way when he heard someone enter. Smokey was leaning against the door way, watching them.

"he okay?" Smokey ask.

"terrified to death he was going to shoot them." Doc says.

"safety was still on. from what I hear he doesn't know enough about those things to turn it off. everyone was safe." Smokey says.

"well he didn't know that then." Doc says, holding him tighter. Smokey nods.

"I'll get you guys some towels. okay?" Smokey ask. he watches the younger man curl up and cling to Doc, trembling. "can I get you guys some clothes?" Smokey ask.

"that'd be great if you would. I'm not gonna rush him out of here." Doc said. Lightning cuddled closer, dropping his head onto Docs chest, trembling. the waters getting cold so Doc reaches over and turns up the hot water. Smokey brings in a couple towels and come clothes.

"not sure what was yours and what was his so I just grabbed some stuff." Smokey says.

"thats fine he steals my clothes anyway." Doc replies. Smokey nods.

"if you guys need anything, just let me know, okay?" Smokey ask. Doc nods.

"alright." Doc murmurs. Smokey closes the door behind him as he leaves. Doc looks down at the younger. his head is still on Docs chest and he's staring into Docs lap silently. "let me know when you're ready to get out okay?" Doc ask softly.

"if you want to get out go a head. I'm not getting out." Lightning mumbled shamefully.

"well you can't stay in here the rest of your life." Doc frowns.

"why not? I can't exactly drown in my shame any other way." Lightning huffs.

"baby, I'm not gonna let you drown at all." Doc murmurs. "kid no one is going to get in your business here except for Red when he has to haul me out of this tub." Doc assures. Lightning laughs a little and nods.

"okay." Lightning mumbles getting up and getting out.

"that wasn't a joke, Reds gonna have to get me out of here." Doc said.

"I'm getting him." Lightning mumbles. he opens the door. "Red! Docs stuck in the bathtub!" Lightning shouts.

"yes please, blast my misfortune to the entire house." Doc says sarcastically. Red snorts and gently moves Lightning away from the door as he opens it.

"stuck?" Red grins.

"just get me out before I knock you out." Doc hisses.

"how I can run a lot faster than you can get out." Red grins. Doc heaves a sigh out his nose and holds his hand out. Red grabs it carefully and pulls him up. "try not to slip. no grip on this floor, Mack slid this morning and busted his ass." Red snorts. Lightning snorted.

"of course he did." Lightning mutters. Red flashes him a grin and lets Docs hand go, hugging Lightning tightly. "w-wait don't, I'm soaked." Lightning says.

"just a little water. its okay." Red smiles, heading out of the bathroom so the two can dry off and change.

"you gonna be okay kid?" Doc asks softly. Lightning nods at him.

"I think so. makes me feel a lot better knowing the safety was on." Lightning mumbles.

"good." Doc says tossing his shirt into the bathtub. Lightnings shirt follows after.

"thanks for sitting with me over something stupid." Lightning mumbles, struggling to get his pants off. Doc leans over gently and unbuttons them with a small smile. Lightning frowns a little shoving them down and kicking out of them.

"baby, it wasn't stupid. it's still not stupid. its okay." Doc murmurs. "okay? you're... struggling right now." Doc murmurs. he's trying to pick his words so he sounds more like a loving boyfriend and less like a doctor. unfortunately Lightning picked up on it.

"its okay Doc, thats why the call you Doc after all." Lightning mumbles.

"you're mental state is destroyed kid. I'm lucky you laugh every now and then. lucky you're still trying to make the best of a bad situation." Doc murmurs, tossing his pants into the bath tub.

"why wouldn't I be? I got you. got Red and Mack, an the guys back in Radiator Springs." Lightning said. "people who are fighting to help me, even if I make it worse or they get hurt..." Lightning trails.

"not to mention Smokey and the gang from Cotter Pin." Doc adds. Lightning nods. "kid I've seen people crack with less trouble than you've got." Doc murmurs softly.

"I have cracked. a lot. shattered even. my mental state is just... shattered." Lightning mumbles.

"kid, kid, listen to me. you're still smiling, you laugh now and then, grin, and giggle. all that fun stuff. you're still trying... you haven't kill yourself, you're still fighting. you're still trying. you haven't given up yet... and I... I can't... can't thank you enough kid." Doc murmurs, hugging him tightly. Lightning stands shocked and silent, leaned against Doc. after a moment he wraps his arms around the older man. he hadn't thought about that, he hadn't thought about killing himself, but apparently Doc was afraid he did. Lightning tightens his hold on the older.

"Doc, I... I have never..." Lightning trails quietly. he squeezes his eyes shut and holds tighter. "I've never thought about that. I promise." Lightning says softly. "I can't get that low when you keep making me laugh." he murmurs. Doc can't keep the smile from his face, pressing a kiss into his neck.

"okay. okay. get dressed. change out of those wet boxers before you get sick." Doc murmurs, stepping back. Lightning nods. Doc tosses his boxers into the tub, grabbing the dry sweat pants Smokey had brought him. he grabbed the old 'Smokey's garage' t-shirt and threw it on, leaving the button up for Lightning, he seemed to like his button ups. the younger is struggling to get his boxers off, so Doc helps him get those off then put his own sweat pants on. he grabs the button up and hands it to Lightning with a smile. its a soft red color, generally a button up Doc wears to fancy events with fancy cologne that Lightning had bought him. he's not sure it was even washed after the last event, he'd just grabbed and packed any clothing he could, but he's sure the younger won't mind. Lightning slips it on and cuddles into it.

"thanks." he mumbles. Doc smiles softly and pulls the younger back to his chest, holding him tightly, but gently. Lightning cuddles into him.

"come on, lets go back to the room. think I still have some of that moonshine if you want some. it makes you all giggly." Doc smiles. Lightning smiles and nods with a shrug.

"okay." he murmurs. Doc smiles and wraps an arm around his shoulders, leading him out of the bathroom. Reds leaned against the wall opposite of the bathroom door. "Red?" Lightning asks. Red smiles at him.

"if one of you fell I didn't want to be too far." Red says softly. he ruffles Lightnings wet hair gently and walks off. Doc smiles and kisses his temple, leading him towards their room.

"hey before you guys go and get all comfy, I think we should go onto the range." Smokey said. Lightning looks confused.

"range?" Lightning ask.