"no, he's not ready for that." Doc frowns, shaking his head.

"you can't baby him." Smokey frowns.

"I'm not." Doc huffs.

"oh yeah?" Smokey ask.

"yeah." Doc said.

"you're talking about me." Lightning frowned. "whats the range?" he ask.

"gun range." Doc says. Lightning shakes his head no rapidly.

"uh-uh. no." Lightning frowning. "no. no. I'm not touching one of those things! not again! I almost shot Red and Mack!" Lightning hissed.

"thats why you need to learn kid." Smokey says.

"no." Lightning says, backing up. "m'not touching another gun." he mumbles, holding onto Docs shirt.

"Smokey I already told you he's afraid of those damn things. it's going to take a while to get him used to them." Doc says. "go." Doc adds, nudging Lightning towards the room.

"okay.." he murmurs. Lightning inched around Smokey and headed for their room. Doc watched him go before staring Smokey down.

"drop it, at least until I get him to tell me why he's so afraid of those things. I'm just now hearing about the abuse he suffered with his dad, who knows what happened with this shit? kid saw his mother murdered in front of him when he was 5. 5 Smokey. I've never found any information on her death. whose to say he didn't shoot her huh? whose to say he didn't grab the kid, when he was just a kid, and force him to sit there and watch him blow his mothers brain on the wall huh?" Doc hissed in a harsh whisper. Smokey stepped back slightly.

"Hud-" Smokey tried.

"who is to say that his disgrace for a father didn't hold him down and make him watch him kill his mother? huh? I sure as hell can't say he didn't and neither can you. don't say another word about the range until I get him comfortable with the idea." Doc added, walking around Smokey and heading for his and Lightnings room. Lightning is sitting on the bed, bottle of moonshine in his hand. its already been opened and he's taken a drink already. Doc shuts the door behind him and leans against it a little, trying to keep from accidentally snapping at the man on his bed.

"he did you know." Lightning says out of no where. Doc looks at him confused.

"hmm?" Doc ask.

"shoot her. shot me too." Lightning mumbles, taking himself a drink. Doc walks over and crouches in front of him.

"you weren't supposed to hear that." Doc says softly. he gently gripped the younger knee.

"but I did." Lightning said, looking at him. "and he did shoot her. took off before the cops got there and when he realized I was still alive, that'd survived, he promised to blow my brains out too if I ever said anything. her murder is still unsolved 20 years later." Lightning said shaking his head. he looks at Doc with a somber look.

"I didn't know kid. I was just... trying to get him to drop it." Doc murmurs softly. Lightning nods.

"I know." he gives Doc a half smile. "he put the gun in my mouth once, I... was probably 6." Lightning said, a nasty almost perverted grin on his face. "you know what the barrel of a gun tastes like after its been recently fired?" Lightning ask, huffing a laugh. Docs quiet a moment before getting up and sitting on the bed with him.

"yeah I do." Doc replied. Lightning looks over and hands him the bottle. Doc chuckles slightly and takes himself a drink. "back in the '50s. remember when I told you Smokey had to take care of a guy for me because the guy found out I was gay?" Doc ask. Lightning nods. "yeah well, Smokey found him beating on me. I was laying on the side walk, bleeding, and gun had his gun in my mouth. he dry fired, I pissed myself, and he started laughing. like it was hysterical. Smokey almost killed the guy beating his head in with his pistol." Doc chuckled slightly. Lightning frowned a little.

"sure didn't seem to deter you from them." Lightning said.

"not really, but I never had a loaded gun in my mouth." Doc murmured, handing him back the bottle. "and I was 22, not 6. little less traumatizing at that age. especially back in the '50s when a gay man is expecting to get killed for being gay." Doc adds.

"glad they don't do that anymore." Lightning mumbles. "they sure as hell do try though." he added. he sighs slightly. "these are things I never wanted anyone to know. you know that right?" he ask, looking over at Doc. Doc smiles at him.

"I know kid. I promised I'd never tell anyone. that secret was supposed to die with me and Smokey, but you seemed to need to hear the truth." Doc murmurs, pulling him close.

"she knew about me." Lightning said.

"hmm?" Doc ask. Lightning smiles a little.

"my mom. she said I was born gay and she could see it." he chuckles. he sighs slightly, shaking his head. "last words she ever said to me, don't worry Montgomery. I'm sure everything will be fine." Lightning spits bitterly.

"last time I saw my mother, she laughed in my face, shoved cash into my hands, and told me to get the hell out of dodge before my father got home and figured out I was a fag like she did." he chuckles softly. "but she loved me, either way." Doc adds. Lightning smiles slightly.

"moms are good like that I guess." Lightning says, taking the bottle from Doc.

"I hate this." Doc says shaking his head.

"hmm?" Lightning ask.

"you were so giggly with this stuff last night and here we are talking about our dead parents and having guns shoved into our mouths." Doc huffed.

"I'll get giggly, just give me time. I'm gonna try not to bite you again." Lightning murmurs. Doc laughs, laying backwards on the bed.

"bite me and I'm going to bite back this time." Doc warns. Lightning snorts, offering the bottle back to Doc. "drink it kid. you need it more than me." he grins. Lightning shrugs a little, judging the amount left in the bottle before downing it in three large gulps and setting the bottle on the ground. Doc watches him carefully. "your cute baby, come here." Doc murmurs. Lightning lays beside him and cuddles him.

"y'know I wear your shirts cause they smell like you, right?" Lightning ask, tilting his head up to look at Doc. Doc smiled slightly.

"I thought it had to be something like that." Doc chuckled. "you hate feeling small and my shirts do exactly that. make you look tiny, thin, short, cute." Doc murmurs, rubbing his thumb gently over the youngers cheek. Lightning smiles at him, burying his face into the older mans chest.

"glad you like it. I like the way they smell like you. it's odd, almost like a hug, but its great. I need it. always have. after training, races, wins, just whenever I could get you close enough to me that I could smell them." he mumbles

"yeah? smells like old man and soap, huh?" Doc ask.

"smells like you." he mumbles, cuddling closer. "makes me feel safe and happy." he adds, nuzzling him. Doc smiles and kisses his head holding him tightly.

"well I'm glad something keeps your happy." Doc said.

"sorry I ruined your day out and away from me." Lightning mumbles.

"ruined?" Doc snorts. "kid you saved me. I was so bored hanging out with Smokey, couldn't relax because I was worried about you and carsick." Doc chuckles. Lightning giggles and cuddles him.

"Smokey's boring? he seems okay to me." Lightning mumbles.

"hey wanna go out to that old track?" Doc ask.

"huh?" Lightning ask.

"the Thomasville track." Doc says, getting up. "c'mon kid." Doc adds, swapping his pants out for a pair of boxers and jeans. Lightning kicks his sweat pants off and pulls off some jeans, without getting up from the bed just yet.

"Doc, m'kinda drunk." Lightning mumbles.

"yeah thats okay. you know I'll take care of you baby. besides I know you've always wanted to race that track." Doc smiles at him, grabbing his shoes.

"well... okay." he grins, getting up. he stumbles, giggling when he slams against Docs chest as the older man catches him. Doc snorts softly.

"you are a lightweight." Doc chuckles. Lightning giggles and lets Doc lead him upstairs to the Hornet. they loaded up and headed off for the track.

the lights still kick on as soon as it starts getting dark and Doc smiles.

"this is the track you trained on?" Lightning ask. Doc nods.

"yup. the first real track I was ever on, back when they were all dirt." Doc chuckles, pullling the car up to where the starting line used to be. he grins and revs the Hornet up.

"isn't this where you wrecked?" Lightning ask. Doc frowns.

"I think so... I can't really remember." Doc shrugs. "I was out of it for weeks." Doc adds. Lightning nods. Doc smiles and takes off as fast as he can. Lightning immediately bursts into giggles, holding onto the door tightly as Doc drives. Doc grins he makes three laps before slamming on the breaks and spinning the car a couple times.

"don't do that." Lightning frowns as they come to a stop.

"do what?" Doc ask.

"donuts. make us spin like that." he mumbles.

"why?" Doc ask.

"cause you're gonna make me puke." Lightning laughs. Doc snorts and smiles at him. he watches the younger. his cheeks are flush from the moon shine, his hairs still dripping from the shower, theres water dripping down the exposed parts of his chest, the shoulders of the button up he's wearing soaked, his eyes are closed, he's got his head back from the force of his giggles, and he's relaxed. he's comfortable, he's happy, and Doc can't help but break out in a smile.

"damn kid, you know you're gorgeous when you're happy right?" Doc asks. Lightning looks over confused.

"huh?" he asks. Doc chuckles softly, taking his hand and kissing it.

"nothing kid, just glad to see you laughing, see you happy." Doc murmurs. Lightning grins and leans over, hugging his waist with a giggle.

"m'always happy with you." Lightning giggles. Doc smiles and wraps his arms around him gently, kissing his head.

"and I'm so glad you're happy with me. I'm glad you're happy, it makes me happy when you're happy." Doc murmurs.

"we gotta g' home. can' sleep here." he mumbles, before wiggling free from Docs hold.

"where are you going?" Doc ask.

"t'pee." Lightning says, opening the door. Doc grabs the car keys and gets out with him. "I don' need help Doc." Lightning frowns. "I already told that to Red." he huffs.

"I'm just going to stand behind you and make sure no one comes up on you kid." Doc assures.

"I don' need a body guard to go potty." Lightning huffed.

"potty? what are you, 3?" Doc teases. "besides I'm not a bodyguard. I'm your partner, your boyfriend, it's my job to keep you safe. now go over there beside the bleachers and pee will ya?" Doc says. Lightning nods and heads over to the bleachers like Doc had said. Doc followed behind him, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings and the car. he stands back to back with Lightning, holding onto one of the belt loops on the youngers pants.

"why're you doing that?" Lightning asks.

"doing what?" Doc ask, turning his head a little.

"holdin' my butt." Lightning huffs. Doc can'r help himself, he laughs and it echos across the track.

"I'm not holding your butt. I'm holding your belt loop so you don't just wonder off." Doc replies, sounding amused.

"m'done now. y'can let go, or keep holdin' my butt. whatever y'want." Lightning mumbles. Doc chuckles and wraps an arm around his waist gently.

"how about I just hold you okay? keep my hands away from your ass, eh?" Doc ask..

"I don't care." Lightning shrugs. Doc holds him tighter when he stumbles.

"come on. lets get you back to the house. okay?" Doc ask, opening the door and letting him into the car. Lightning climbs in pouting.

"thats not okay. that doesn't sound like any fun." he pouts. Doc looks over.

"well what would you like to do baby?" Doc ask.