"I know you're not me kid, I'm just trying to say, don't let this one experience hurt you like it did with me." Doc said softly, sliding the notebook back to him.

the way you talk about it, it only affected you because they never let you race again.

Lightning slid the book back to him. Doc frowned some, pushing it back.

"it hurt a lot more than that. kid, I still have days were I wake up in a cold sweat because of that wreck. I still remember the squealing tires and crunching metal. it haunts me, even now 20 years later. that stuff doesn't go away, but you can use that. you have experience others don't. yes you took a bad hit and almost died. I get that, I've been there, but you know what you did wrong. you know what happens now if you make that mistake. this is no different from your first time at Willies Butte. you learned from that mistake kid, this is just another learning experience. I'm not going to tell you that it every gets better, because I still get the flashbacks, I wake up from nightmares too, I still hurt from my wreck. I let that wreck ruin my career for 16, 17 years. then you came around. before our race that day, I hadn't been on the track since they told me I wasn't welcome back, that I was history. getting back on that track brought out the worst of the memories, but I still do it. you can't let this fear control you." Doc said. Lightning sat poking at his food, thinking over the words. Doc stood and headed for the door, ready to go drive around a bit on the track. Lightning bit his lip and got up from his chair, grabbing Doc's arm. Doc turned to look at him, studying his face, then nodded for him to follow him towards the door.

what if I can't do this?

"if you're not ready for it, you have another panic attack and I bring you home. we ease you into this. once you get comfortable in a race car again, we'll work on getting you comfortable in your car. I won't pull any dangerous moves. just a few laps." Doc assured. Lightning nodded and followed him.

do you have my wallet and keys? I'd like to get those back.

Doc frowned a moment.

"I have your cell phone. you left it in the Hornet before your last race, but Sally probably has your other stuff." Doc said. "we'll go get it before we hit the Butte." Doc adds, heading for the Cozy Cone, Lightning followed.

"hey Doc, hey Stickers. whats up?" Sally ask.

"kids looking for his wallet and keys." Doc said. Sally smirked and pulled them from behind the counter.

"sure thing Montgomery." Sally said, immediately Lightnings face turned bright red.

"what?" Doc ask confused.

"Stickers here, has his real first name on his drivers license." Sally chuckled.

you went through my wallet?

he shoved the notebook at her.

"well, yeah, it was in the car when you wrecked. when they sprayed the car down to put out the fire, I went through it to see if anything had been damaged. how come I never knew your first name was Montgomery?" Sally ask.

Monty.

Lightning glared, underlining it several times before shoving it in her face. he tapped the page to further get his point across. he hated his name. Sally looked shocked.

and if I had wanted anyone to know my stupid name, I wouldn't tell everyone it's Lightning.

he glared.

"alright. alright. sorry. sheesh." Sally muttered.

"relax kid, she shouldn't have gone through your things but you're over reacting just a bit there." Doc said. Lightning showed him the notebook, underlining his previous sentence about not wanting people to know. Sally shut her mouth, cutting off what she had been about to say and nodded slightly. Doc shook his head and headed out of the Cozy Cone and back towards his car, Lightning followed. "you didn't have to blow up like that. I know you're angry she's going around telling people your real name, but still... does anyone know your name?" Doc ask, curiously.

no and it took me a long time and a lot of travel to get it that way.

Lightning glared some. Doc nodded and decided to drop the subject. he got into his car and looked over at the passenger side. Lightning was staring at the door.

"c'mon, get in." Doc muttered, rolling the window down. Lightnings hand twitched slightly before grabbing hold of the handle and pulling the door opened. he slid into the seat, hissing at the hot leather against the bare part of his legs. Doc backed up and headed for the track carefully. he pulled up and looked over to check on Lightning. the younger was digging his finger nails into his leg, knowing Doc needed both hands so he couldn't hang onto him like he'd done yesterday. "you going to be okay? I can let you out and do a few laps before taking you with me if you want." Doc offered.

I don't think I can do this Doc.

Doc raised an eye brow before looking the kid over. he looked like he going to be sick he was so nervous, or was he scared? scared that Doc would wreck with him in the car?

"okay, look, you sit outside for a lap or two, then I'll take you around the track." Doc said. Lightning nodded slightly and reached to open the door, but Doc grabbed his arm. he looked over curiously. "if you decide you still can't do it, just tell me, I'll take us back to town this is only your second day out of the hospital." Doc said. Lightning nodded and climbed out of the car, sitting in the perfect spot he could see the whole track. Doc made sure he was out of the way before taking off and kicking up dirt. Lightning smiled some, watching him go, watching Doc speed around the track was one of his favorite things on the planet. the man was a legend, Lightnings hero. he blinked some feeling dizzy, then shook his head, turning back to keep watching smiling. Doc made two or three laps, before stopping in front of Lightning. "you getting in kid?" Doc ask looking over. Lightning bit his lip, listening to the engine roar. he wanted to, but his body was telling him it would end badly. he stood hesitantly and walked towards the car. he got into the passenger seat, digging his nails into the palms of his hands, hesitantly meeting Docs eyes. "can you do this?" Doc ask.

I think so.

Lightning showed him the notebook and Doc nodded.

"if you decide you can't, just let me know. tap my arm or something, okay?" he ask. Lightning nodded at him, curling into the seat some. Doc put the car into gear and took off, slowly. he started off at a steady ten, doing one lap before kicking up to 20. then 30, 40, and eventually made it up to 70 after a few laps, but he stopped at 70 when he noticed Lightning tensing up, nails digging into his palm so hard it was bleeding. he did a few laps on 70, waiting to see if he'd relax, or if he'd call for the him to stop. "can you take it kid?" Doc ask. Lightning let out a strange noise from his mouth. "don't know what that means kid." Doc said looking over at him quickly, then back to the track. Lightning shakily nodded, looking as though he seriously wanted to say no. against his better judgement, Doc sped up to 80, watching Lightning pale and pressing himself back against the seat. "don't puke. don't puke in the hornet." Doc said gently. just as Doc hit 90, Lightning gripped his arm in a death grip and Doc slowed down, until he was barely crawling along the track. he watched the man trembling beside him, eyes clenched shut. "Lightning?" Doc ask carefully. Lightning through the notebook at him, curling up more.

stop!

Doc nodded and looked at him carefully.

"okay. okay. I'll take you home." Doc assured, heading back to town. he kept a low speed trying to get the younger to calm down some. by the time they'd pulled up to the house, Lightning had calmed down some and gotten his color back. Mater was waiting for them when they pulled up. "Mater?" Doc ask, parking the car.

"Sheriff needs you t' take a look at his leg again." Mater said. Doc nodded.

"alright, kid you go on in, I gotta head over to the clinic." Doc said. Lightning nodded a little and got out.

"hey McQueen." Mater smiled. Lightning waved at him slightly and headed inside the house. "you need help up?" Mater ask, almost hopefully. Lightning looked at him, then nodded some. he didn't really need any help, but Mater seriously wanted to help. he perked up excitedly and walked over, wrapping an arm around him. Lightning let him help him up the stairs and into the house. "where do you want to go?" Mater ask. Lightning pointed to the couch. Mater nods and leads him towards the couch. he carefully dropped him onto the couch and looked at him worriedly. "anything else? Doc might be a bit, I don' know if I should jus' leave ya here." Mater frowned. Lightning smiled a little and shook his head.

I'll be fine.

Lightning holds the notebook up to him. Mater nods a little and heads for the door.

"well, okay." Mater says, leaving. Lightning watched him go and settled in to watch tv.

Doc found him on the couch about an hour later, curled in on himself and snoring. Doc sighed a little, then smiled. he took the opportunity to walk over and gently take the youngers hand, looking over his palm, it had been bleeding pretty bad earlier. deciding Lightning would probably not wake up, he grabbed his first aid kit and cleaned his hand before wrapping it up. it looked similar to his own hand and he decided to take the bandages off. his hand had bled for a pretty good while. he made a mental note to convince the kid to trim his nails. he looked down at his hand, it was obvious someone had dug their nails pretty deep into his hand. he grumbled to himself, then walked back over to Lightning and carefully took the boot off his leg, it could probably use a break from the heavy thing. he set it where Lightning could see and easily reach it. Doc made himself a sandwich then headed outside to sit on his porch and watch his town.

"hey Doc man, hows the kid?" Ramone ask.

"sleeping for now." Doc said.

"Sally said he hurt himself again last night, is he okay?" Flo ask, worriedly.

"he's fine. fell off the bed and landed on his broken arm, it didn't do any damage but it didn't feel too good, he'll be fine though." Doc assured her. she nodded.

"I'm working on finishing the paint for his car. think he'd like a new color?" Ramone ask. "I'm thinking like a blue or maybe a nice lilac." Ramone smirked with a nod, just imagining it.

"you know he'd lose his mind if that car wasn't a bright red." Doc frowned. Ramone groaned.

"yeah but that red got old and boring pretty fast." Ramone pouted.

"well when he can talk again, feel free to tell him that yourself, but you know as well as I do, he's not going to be nice about it." Doc warned. Ramone nodded and walked off with Flo chuckling beside him. Doc snickered and went back to watching the town, until he found a notebook in his face. he pulled back, tilting his back to see Lightning standing behind him looking unamused. Doc raised an eye brow and looked down at the paper.

he is not changing my car.

Doc laughed some.

"don't worry kid, you can give him an earful about it when you get your voice back." Doc mused. Lightning huffed and headed for the stairs. Doc noticed he'd put his boot back on, though definitely not as tight as it had been previously. "where do you think you're going?" Doc ask. Lightning pointed after Ramone and carefully made his way down the stairs. "stop right there kid. you wait until you can argue with words not paper." Doc said following him. Lightning shook his head and headed towards the body shop. Doc rolled his eyes and grumbled getting out of his chair and following him. Sally watched Lightning walk by with an angry frown on his face, then looked at Doc.

"whats with Stickers?" she ask, confused.

"Ramone wants to change the color of his car to lilac. what the hell is lilac?" Doc huffed.

"purple." Sally said chuckling. Doc grumbled and followed after Lightning, watching him throw his notebook in front of Ramone. Ramone jumped some and smiled.

"oh hey kid-" Ramone said. Lightning angrily pointed to the notebook and Ramone looked down.

RED!

"aww but I was thinking you'd look great in blue." Ramone said. Lightning snatched the notebook and scribbled something.

red

"maybe lilac?" Ramone ask.

red!

Lightning was firm. his car stayed red.

"oh how about a sunshine yellow?" Ramone ask perking up. Lightning narrowed his eye's. "right okay fine, boring old red it is." Ramone muttered. Lightning nodded once at him, grabbing his notebook before walking out triumphantly.