"hmm. bigger kid." Doc mutters. "starting to feel like a dad to you younger bigger kids. whats up?" Doc asks. Red rubs his face, stifling a yawn.

"sorry Doc, Smokey wants you." Red mumbles.

"and he sent you because?" Doc asks.

"because he knows Lightning will cuddle me better than laying by himself or laying with Mack." Red said. Doc mutters to himself and carefully pulls the younger off him. Lightning whines, gripping his shirt.

"shhhh." Doc murmurs, getting free carefully. he gets up and moves so Red can get on the bed.

"he's in the kitchen." Red murmurs, laying with him. he pulls the blanket over then gently and holds him. Red watches Doc leave, before pulling Lightning closer.

"Doc?" he ask quietly.

"he had to get up." Red murmurs softly, yawning. Lightning nods and curls up, holding onto his shirt and burying his face in his chest.

"good thing I didn't kiss you." he mumbles. he yawns and cuddles him, settling back down to sleep.

"yeah." Red snorts softly. he chuckles and pulls the blanket tighter around them. they both settle back down quietly for a few hours. until Lightning shifted. he mumbles quietly and sits up, stretching. Reds still snoring beside him. he gets up carefully, trying to keep from waking Red. he grabs some clothes and headed for a shower. he felt stupid as he got out, wearing Docs shirts because it made him feel safe. he figured Doc didn't really mind, but he felt stupid about it, even more so as he pulled his own shirt on. he dried his hair and headed for the living room. Docs sitting on the couch staring at the blank tv with a cup of coffee in his hand, when Lightning walks in. he watches the older man for a few moments before clearing his throat.

"Doc?" Lightning ask. Doc looked over at him.

"hey kid whats up?" Doc ask with a small smile.

"could ask you the same... you're acting weird." Lightning said, confused.

"I'm okay, just thinking about this whole mess and what I can do." Doc says. Lightning nods. Doc smiles at him and holds his arm up, motioning for the younger to come over and sit with him. he does quietly, settling in beside him and letting the older hold him. "are you okay?" Doc ask.

"yeah. m'okay." he mumbles. "maybe a little hungover, but I'm okay." he says.

"hungover? kid you barely had any moonshine." Doc snorts.

"yeah but I packed the hotel mini bar into my bag, so I had a little more that just moonshine." Lightning shrugs. Doc chuckles softly and holds him.

"sorry I had to get up early this morning." Doc murmurs.

"what happened?" he ask.

"uh, just some mess at Cotter Pin." Doc says.

"don't lie to me again just to protect me, its not helping." Lightning said. Doc heaves a sigh, but knows he's right.

"Chick found us, sort of. made a big mess at Cotter Pin with his crew chief, but we got it taken care of." Doc assures. Lightning nods slightly.

"taken care of like the other guy or...?" Lightning ask.

"not quite. unfortunately. they were already gone." Doc frowns. "but we got footage of them." Doc adds.

"so he's really here then?" Lightning mumbled. "we really aren't safe... no one is, not with me." Lightning sighs quietly. Doc pulls him closer.

"we'll be fine kid. I'm gonna take you out on the range today. I know you don't want to so keep your mouth shut." Doc warns. Lightning flinches a little, looking away. "I wanted to take this slow but Chick is drafting on us." Doc mutters.

"like two june bugs on a hot summers eve." Lightning mutters. Doc cracks a small smile, surprised the younger remembered that.

"yeah, if not closer." Doc mutters. "he's breathing down our necks right now kid, there's no time to take this slow. I've gotta get you out on the range and get you aiming today." Doc says.

"okay." he mumbles, curling up more. "but not right now, right?" he asks.

"no in a bit. we're going to wait for Smokey to come back. two of us that can actually use a gun would be better than one of us." Doc says. he'd told Smokey everything about Lightnings mother that he'd been told, so he knew the older man would be a little more sensitive with the younger this time. Lightning nods and cuddles him.

"any word from the others?" Lightning asks.

"Sally says everyone there is fine. they've split up and spread out to make them harder to find." Doc murmurs. the younger drops his head on Docs shoulder.

"but everyone is safe for now?" he asks. Doc nods.

"yup and once we catch Chick, you're gonna have to start training hard." Doc murmurs. "we've gotta get you back out there and-" Doc starts.

"I think I'm gonna retire." Lightning says.

"h-huh?" Doc ask, looking at him.

"I mean... maybe. this whole thing has been awful." Lightning mumbles. Doc frowns a little and nods.

"whatever you want." he murmurs.

"you should go to Cotter Pin tonight, I'll be okay." Lightning murmurs.

"no kid, I can't leave you-" Doc starts.

"I want you to." Lightning says. "I want you to get out and go spend time with your friends." he murmurs.

"kid I don't know. I don't want to bring up what happened the last time I left, but this is a serious thing that can happen again." Doc murmurs softly. Lightning frowned a little, before shaking his head.

"I know, but I've been come a little too dependant on you. I can handle it. I want you to go out." Lightning said.

"kid-" Doc tries.

"no. I want you to go. please." Lightning murmurs, lifting his head to look up at him. "we came all this way so you could have the chance to see your friends, while keeping me safe, but I'm safe." Lightning assures gently. Doc sighs and pulls him closer.

"fine. okay." Doc murmurs softly. "when Smokey gets back we'll leave to do something, okay?" Doc asks. Lightning nods slightly and cuddles him.

"and I won't let what happened before, happen again. Smokey was right I need to grow up. you and Flo were right too, I can't let this control me." Lightning murmured. Doc smiles a little, kissing his head.

"alright. alright. I'll go out to Cotter Pin and hang with the guys." Doc chuckles softly. "you can always call me or text me if you need anything." Doc assures.

"I know." he smiles a little. he grunts when someone ruffles his hair and looks up. "hey Red." Lightning grins. Red grins at him and winks. "thanks for laying with me." he smiles. Red chuckles slightly.

"you kick like a mule." Red says. he heads to the kitchen for coffee as Doc starts laughing. Lightning flushed a little when Red shows the bruises on his legs.

"d-do I really?" Lightning ask hesitantly.

"yeah." Red snorts. Lightning looks over to Doc.

"do I kick you a lot?" he asks. Doc chuckles softly, kissing his head.

"some times." Doc chuckles.

"sorry." he mumbles.

"I'm just glad you're not in that boot any more. you kicked me once with the boot on." Doc murmurs. "had a pretty big bruise on my leg for a while there." Doc adds.

"I did?" he asks, looking guilty.

"yeah." Doc snorts, squeezing him gently.

"m'sorry. I kick you and I bit you and I shot you." Lightning mumbles.

"yeah and you're the one telling everyone I abuse you. when in all reality you abuse me." Doc teases.

"I'm really sorry." he says guiltily.

"don't worry about it baby, I'm not worried." Doc snorts, holding him gently.

"hey, wheres Smokey?" Red ask.

"cleaning up Cotter Pin." Doc says.

"what happened?" Red asks.

"Chick and his crew chief." Doc says. "they broke in and trashed the place pretty good. thats why he had you come get me so I could go help him." Doc adds.

"nothing too bad right?" Red ask.

"nah everything's fine. just some cleaning up." Doc assures. Red nods slightly.

"you guys want some coffee?" Red asks.

"sure." Doc says, holding up his coffee cup. Red walks back over and grabs it taking it back to the kitchen with him so he can get Doc some more.

"not really." Lightning mumbles. both turn to look at him.

"I'm sorry I must've heard wrong, the Lightning McQueen, the coffee drinking maniac, said no to coffee?" Red ask.

"kid you feeling okay?" Doc asks.

"I'm fine. I just don't want any coffee." Lightning mumbles. "if I change my mind, I can drink some of Docs." Lightning adds.

"okay kid if you're sure." Doc murmurs, kissing his head. Lightning cuddles to his side as Red brings Doc a cup of coffee. he looks at his phone before stretching a little.

"I'm gonna go get a shower." Lightning murmurs.

"you've been showering religiously kid." Doc snorts. "never seen you shower this much before." Doc adds.

"you sure you're okay?" Red asks.

"yeah I'm fine. promise." Lightning assures gently. he smiles a little at Doc, before giving a shrug with one shoulder. "showering helps with my anxiety. gives me a chance to think a bit." Lightning mumbles.

"okay have fun." Doc says. Lightning nods and heads into the bathroom. he decides, once he's in the bathroom, this shower is actually going to be a bath. he'd rather relax. so he turns on the water and lets himself sink into it. once the water is high enough he shuts it off and sinks into the water up to his nose. he lets his eyes slip closed. he enjoys taking baths because it allows him to relax, straighten out his thoughts, focus on the feeling of the water. he's always loved water. he smiles a little, thinking about trying to convince Doc to take him swimming sometime after all this stuff blows over. he sighs happily, content in the water, until he hears a loud thump! he sits up immediately.