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Lightning’s rough calloused hands softened as did his scraped-up knees and arms once he started professionally racing. His long days of labor that brought dirt and grime to every part of his aching body were finally over. No more uncomfortable positions under cars, no more muddy dirt tracks, no more rusty vehicles where the steering wheel leather cut up his hands with every turn, and especially no more fighting. His old life was over but still seemed to always catch up with him at unexpected times.
Radiator Springs was a good change. The first week there Lightning was forced into fixing the road because of his reckless driving. And oh how did he hate it. Looking back at it now, he smiles at the memory. If it wasn’t for Sally, then he probably would’ve never had the privilege to be in Radiator Springs and have a new home with a family that actually loves and cares about him.
It didn't take long for the callouses to return and the random bruises that scattered his body. Doc says he’s accident-prone, especially when he hangs out with Mater. Just because you get thrown off of one cow, then you suddenly become accident-prone. Lightning cringes at the memory. He admits it was dumb but he would rather fall into a cactus pit again than let Doc be right.
About every weekend everyone gathers at Flo’s. It’s one of Lightning’s favorite things about this town. Everyone loved to be around each other. The kid is usually bouncing off walls and somehow never stops running out of things to talk about. His lively energy is gladly welcomed.
The car ride to Flo’s almost caused Doc to pull over to let a very antsy Lightning out. Hopefully, he’d burn some energy from a mile walk.
Mater was outside leaning against the building talking to Ramone. Lightning shot one quick look toward his mentor and bolted off. Doc knew exactly what that meant and shooed him away.
“Hey, Lightnin’ Miss Flo needs us to fix something in the diner,” Mater announced. “Mind helping?”
“Yeah, no problem, Mater,” Lightning replied.
Mater perked up and led Lightning inside Flo’s. Inside everyone was at a booth eating and chatting. Lightning made sure to wave and greet everyone.
The young boys made their way to the front where the kitchen was located. Sarge was sitting nearby and joined with the Sheriff. There was a spot empty for Doc. Not too far from them, Filmore, Red, Luigi, and Guido sat in a booth.
“Whatcha boys up to now?” Sheriff's stern voice questioned. His arms were folded and his face was scrunched with a raised eyebrow.
“We’re fixing Miss Flo’s water heater.”
A scoff erupted from the table. “Now boy, I think you ought to find a better hand at helping you.” The Sheriff said.
Lightning’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean by that?” The young boy said. He was aware his voice came out sharp, but he was struggling to read the older man. It reminded him of how everyone viewed him before the Piston Cup race.
“Look, Kid,” Sarge began, “you’re one hell of a racer— I'll give you that, but I think you should leave the “mechanical” stuff to people who actually know what they’re doing. You’ll just end up breaking something.”
Suddenly, the whole table was ganging up on him. It made him feel small like he was a kid again and oh how he hated that feeling.
“No offense, but fixing a water heater ain’t exactly rocket science,” Lightning snapped.
“Well it might be to pretty boys who grew up with a repairman one call away in sunny California,” Sheriff chuckled.
“What are you on about?” Lightning asks.
“You grew up in the suburbs of California, man,” Filmore said like it was obvious.
That’s the story Harv made Lightning tell. To the public, he grew up in the suburbs and had a mom and dad who were wealthy lawyers. It was supposed to be a publicity tactic just in case some legal stuff did happen. He’d hope most racers would back off if they believed Lightning’s parents were lawyers.
“No, that’s all a lie,” Lightning said.
“Oh, so was it on a beach?” Sarge humored.
“Hmm, I’m thinking Florida, in a huge mansion with butlers and maids!” Luigi added on.
The tables both erupted in laughter, but Lightning couldn’t help but clench his fists. He felt his old cocky self come back. The same attitude he used with other racers and the public so they could never get inside his head.
Lightning forced a deep breath in. He refused to let the others know the truth and if they want to believe that he used to be a spoiled brat who grew up wealthy in California, then so be it.
“Kid, we’re just teasing,” Sheriff said. His voice was finally soft yet genuine. Lightning remained silent. He feared if he engaged anymore, he would lose his temper.
“Mater, let's just fix the damn water heater already,” the boy grumbled.
Mater blinked with his mouth gapped. His best friend truly did not know what to say in this situation, but he still did his best to comfort. Lightning found himself being pulled towards Mater— one arm around his shoulder.
“Buddy, don’t listen to em’ they don’t know what they’re talking about,”
A few weeks ago, Lightning revealed to Mater about his childhood. He was his best friend and deserved to know— plus he has too many stories to tell him and it's kind of hard if you kept them a secret.
Fixing the water heater did not take more than two hours. The two worked in silence most of the time, resulting in efficient work to be done. If Lightning were in a better mood, then it would’ve taken hours due to the two laughing and messing around.
Once they left the kitchen, the diner was empty again. It was nearing the afternoon, so everyone was most likely outside to enjoy the weather.
“Miss Flo, me and Lightnin’ fixed your water heater,” Mater announced.
“Thank you, hun,” Flo said. “I knew I could count on you.” She reached over to Lightning and ruffled his shaggy blonde hair that hadn’t been cut since his last race.
“You boys manage to fix that darn thing?” Sarge called out. “I thought we were gonna have to call a damn plumber.”
Once again laughter broke out.
Lightning knew he could never escape from his past, whether that be his childhood or just before he found himself in Radiator Springs. His cocky attitude and his ego would soon betray him. And everyone could see right through him. Sure, he had an attitude problem and a god-like complex, but you had to when you’re famous. If people knew how small he really was, then everyone would make their move to take him down. Growing up, he had to act like he was bigger than everyone, or else he would become the target.
Am I the target again?
God, Lightning hates his brain. He wishes he wasn’t so defensive but then Sheriff and Sarge started to gang up on him and it almost felt like betrayal. Even Luigi’s small comments hurt. And suddenly he’s twelve again having shouting matches with his dad but really it's him shouting while his dad is drunkenly falling into the walls while Lightning is standing over his dad with a red tear-stained face and begging his father to be a dad and listen. Words seemed to hurt worse when they came from his father even when drunk. There was once a time when his father was loving, Lightning admits. Why did everything change? How did everything change?
Are things changing here?
“Alright, that’s enough,” A familiar voice said.
Lightning perked up his head and let out a sigh of relief. Doc was standing there ready to save him. Lightning would never admit this, but he felt safer whenever Doc was around. Whether that be on the track or at home.
“We’re just teasing the boy, Doc. We know he’s good at fixin’ things,” Sheriff said gesturing to the paved roads.
Doc stepped closer to Lightning and placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. “The kid’s great at a lot of things,” Doc casually said. “Fixed the side of my house, the sink, the breaker box— I even let him help out with my Hornet.”
Lightning had to fight the cocky smirk that was now growing on his face. He looked over at Doc who was looking back in admiration. Warmth filled his chest and for once he allowed himself to feel pride without guilt.
“Didn’t know Lightning could fix cars,” Sarge admitted.
Luigi let out a curious hum and suddenly everyone started to crowd him.
“Don’t you think a racer wouldn’t know how to fix a car? How else do you think he started?” Doc asked dumbfoundedly.
Doc doesn’t know. No one knows.
Lightning glances past the crowd and spots Mater who is making a silent gesture, signaling Lightning to ‘get out with it’. Lightning elected to ignore it, but allowed the residents of his town to get a small glimpse into his childhood. That’s the least he could do.
Lightning cleared his throat. “Uh yeah, I used to fix cars growing up with my dad before I started racing at fourteen.” His hands trembled subconsciously and he started to fidget. Dirt crumbled under his shoes and he couldn’t bother to look at anyone directly. Sure, it was rude but Lightning somehow was stuck in a trance when talking about his childhood. A shutter left his body and he was being pulled closer to someone much taller and warmer.
“Was he a racer?” Luigi asked.
Lightning forced his head to look up. “No, he was just a mechanic, but he got me into racing when he got me a beat-up Mustang that took months to get running. Someone left it in the trailer park and he took it, so I have to thank him for that I guess.” Lightning let out a dry chuckle.
Lightning seemed to zone out as muffled voices stopped feeling like echoes in his head. Everyone started to drift away and suddenly he was being pulled away by Doc who couldn’t help but look at the boy like he was a kicked puppy. Slowly, he was lowered into the Hornet.
“Kid, do you want to explain what just happened?” The older man asked. He didn't even try to hide the worry in his voice.
Lightning slowly blinked at Doc. He had no idea how much time had passed but didn’t question his new surroundings. One moment he was surrounded outside, the next he was sitting in the passenger seat of Doc’s Hornet. A light breeze blew Lightning's hair from his face. He didn’t realize how hot he was until the coolness touched his burning skin.
“Kid,” Doc sighed, “are you even with me?”
Lightning looked up to see Doc snapping a finger. Apparently, the older man was speaking but Lightning either couldn’t hear or comprehend what was being said.
Before Lightning knew it, they were pulling into the driveway. The walk inside their shared house was quiet and would’ve felt awkward if it wasn’t for Lightning’s racing heart. Oh, I am so in trouble! His mind was racing, causing his knee to uncontrollably bounce. He sat there on the couch watching Doc go into the kitchen and come back out holding a cool bottle of water.
“Drink up,” Doc said, offering Lightning the ice-cold bottle. “I think the heats gettin’ to ya.”
He gladly accepted the offer and quickly chugged the cold drink. Lightning crinkled up the bottle and chucked it into the trash, which earned him an eye roll from Doc.
“Thought about going into basketball if this whole racing thing doesn’t work,” Doc teased.
“Nah,” Lightning said, “too scared that I might sweep on there as well.”
Relief flooded Doc’s face. Lightning was slowly turning into his old playful self again. Doc hoped that Lightning was just tired from the heat and fixing the water heater, but he did not take lightly to Sarge and Sheriff's comments about his kid. Usually, Lightning takes jokes well, but something about today irked Doc. Perhaps it was overwhelming for Lightning with everyone surrounding him, and Doc knows that even Lightning has a breaking point.
“Maybe on a step stool, kiddo.”
Lightning looked up and down and let out a chuckle. “It’s not my fault that everyone is so freakishly tall!”
Lightning wasn’t short, but he definitely wasn’t tall. Plus, it didn’t help that everyone around him was almost six feet tall or taller. Long story short, everyone peered over him.
Doc allowed himself to enjoy Lightning’s soft giggles filling the room for a bit before clearing his throat. A part of him wanted to ignore what happened and move on. Maybe he could fill his delusions for a bit and believe that this was just a little bump for Lightning, but dammit, he could read the kid better than anyone and something was wrong. If he didn’t say anything now, then nothing would be said at all because Lightning was stubborn. Luckily, so was he.
“So, Lightning,” Doc said as he began to sit down next to the kid, “You’ve never mentioned to me about your old man before.” Doc cautiously observed Lightning’s movements. There was a jolt that wracked up the kid's body like he was caught off guard. “Could you tell me about him?”
Doc watched Lightning’s blue eyes dart around the room before he stuttered out some muffled words. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
This proved Doc’s worries that something was wrong with his kid and he is 100% going to get to the bottom of this. He is well aware that when Lightning came to Radiator Springs he had loads of baggage, but the kid never had to tell him. He could tell in the way his demeanor would change, the way he carried himself, and the subtle movements that somehow only Doc could pick up on. God, the kid was just like him.
Doc would be lying if he never watched one of Lightning's old interviews. “Load of bullshit” is what he would call them. Growing up in the suburbs and having lawyers for parents could’ve been almost believable, but Lightning always carried himself as reckless and adventurous, but once you scratched his surface you could see there was a polite and hardworking kid waiting to come out. It was almost like it was hidden— most likely because of Harv. Doc wanted nothing more than to smack the kid’s manager.
“I think we do,” Doc said sternly. “you do know you can tell me anything, right?”
“I know,” Lightning said quickly. “I just don’t think there’s anything to really talk about.”
“Kid, you always have something to talk about— I don’t think there’s ever a time you don’t have something to talk about, so I’m sure you can find something to tell me.”
Lightning turned his head to the wall and huffed. “It’s nothing interesting and I don’t want to bore you. He was a lawyer so nothing too interesting there.” Lightning yawned and shrugged.
Doc pretended to not notice Lightning pulling away to the other end of the couch.
Doc raised his brows. “So, you think Sally’s boring?”
This time Lightning shot up in a panic. “No! I think she’s super interesting and cool, it's just that my parents were boring.”
Lightning was worked up now, but Doc refused to ease up. “He got you into racing. Tell me about it.”
“No.”
Now Doc was the one tripping over his words. Lightning has never refused to talk about anything unless it was seriously bugging him. Unfortunately, this seemed to be something much deeper than embarrassment. Once again, Doc sat there and observed the kid's movements and noticed the way Lightning fidgeted. It was similar to his movements before a big race—and how he carries himself when he loses a race. Anxiety.
Lightning rarely had anxiety. He was confident in what he did and was a good sport, especially ever since Doc became his pit crew chief. So, seeing Lightning all worked up over something that wasn’t on the tracks worried Doc.
“Son, I need an answer,” Doc softly said. “I can’t help you if you won't tell me what’s wrong.”
“There’s nothing wrong, Doc!” Lightning snapped.
“Oh really,” Doc challenged, “kid, I think you forgot that I can read you like an open book. So, I think you better spill about what’s bothering you.”
Doc was getting closer to the kid, but Lightning still shied away. Worry surged throughout his body, causing him to ease and soften. “I know the interviews are fake,” Doc said suddenly, placing a hand on Lightning's shoulder. “You don’t need to pretend around here, Monty— and I’m sorry for pressuring you to talk about it. My parents weren’t the best either.” Doc let out a dry chuckle.
“My dad wasn’t a good person, Doc.” Lightning croaked out. “He didn’t even stop me when Harv signed me— just took the money and left.”
Doc raised a brow and slowly lowered himself to the seat next to Lightning. “They weren’t lawyers, were they?” Doc asked.
“God, no,” Lightning forced out a chuckle. “My dad was a mechanic and my mom left us when I was really young. We lived in a motorhome that was a mile away from where my town held the races. I lived in a campground most of my life.” Lightning refused to look Doc in the eyes. “So, do you blame Harv for making me lie? No one would want to support trailer trash— and yeah I have an attitude but it’s more believable that it came from fame and wealth rather than the things I picked up from my dad and his friends.”
“Monty, I’m sorry,” Doc quietly said. Truthfully, he didn’t know what else to say except for a quiet apology. This was a lot.
“Everyone’s fucking sorry.” Lightning scoffed.
“Kid, stop that,” Doc said, “look, you may have not had the best life, but something good came out of it, right?”
Lightning rolled his eyes. “I’m not looking for sympathy. Just drop it, alright?”
“ Monty,” Doc said sternly. “I will not drop it if it's causing you to freeze up.”
Lightning suddenly stood up and pushed his way past Doc. “I didn’t freeze up—”
“Yes you did,” Doc interrupted. “You think I haven’t noticed it? Every time someone asks you about your past, your childhood, any mention of parents, birthdays, holidays…”
“Doc,” Lightning pleaded. “Do you think that maybe I just don’t talk about it because I’m not gonna tell my whole life story to a whole town that thinks I’m just a spoiled brat— especially you! You’re not my dad so stop trying to get close to me. I'll be out of here soon, so just drop it!”
Lightning’s voice was wavering as his cheeks started to heat up. Doc’s chest would’ve ached more if he wasn’t trying to get the kid to open up for once. Doc stood up and slowly made his way to the trembling boy.
“Kid, you don’t have to tell me now, but whenever you do decide to tell me, I'll be here.” Doc calmly said before walking out of the room leaving Lightning alone.
Lightning and his damn pride and stubbornness will be the death of him, Doc thinks. He refused to let the words hurt. He knows he didn’t mean it. Deep down, the kid is just—well—, a kid . Once again, Doc realizes that he is basically arguing with himself at the end of the day.
The cruel and unforgiving Arizona heat soon left the town as the sun disappeared. There were no clouds, only a sky full of stars and Lightning was lying on his bed staring at his empty ceiling. It was late, but his body refused to allow him to rest. He hates that it can be so peaceful outside, yet his mind will be anything but peaceful. His mind raced from his fight with Doc from earlier in the day and the whole town making fun of him. Everything made him feel small.
And oh how he hates feeling small.
It reminded him of being a child and he hated every bit of growing up. He used to daydream about being an adult. Escaping, having freedom, independence. But somehow, something always seemed to tug at his insides. He yearned for stability, love, and safety.
Comfort
He wishes his mom stayed. Maybe she would’ve given the best hugs and kisses. Maybe she would’ve made homemade meals and shown up for parent day at school. Maybe she would be proud of him. Maybe she would’ve loved him.
If she loved you, then why did she leave?
Lightning sighed at the realization. She left and she’s not coming back. Hopefully, he won't have to go through that again…
Harv used to say people only stayed if it benefited them and he knows that the man is wrong and evil, but something in the back of his mind is screaming at him saying: you need to change.
Fear overcame him, and suddenly he did something he never thought he would ever do. He kicked the covers off and scrambled out of bed, zooming out of his room and down the hallway.
The living room had a soft glow of blue hues. Doc sat in the chair, surprisingly still awake. Lightning stopped in his tracks when the older man turned his head towards the frantic kid.
“Lightning?” Doc called out.
Without thinking, Lightning dove into the older man's chest and crumbled. “Oh Doc, I’m sorry!” Lightning cried out. “I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean any of it!”
Doc was pinned to the couch and shocked at Lightning’s sudden outburst, but still rubbed his trembling back. “You’re alright, Rookie,” Doc reassured. “I’m not mad at you, just worried.”
“No, Doc,” Lightning sobbed as he sat back up. “I’m so sorry for how I’ve been acting and you’re right! I should tell you more and I don’t know why I don’t. It’s like I bite my tongue anytime someone asks me about my past. Harv would kill me if anyone knew…” Lightning whispered the last part.
“Son, no need to apologize. I shouldn’t have nagged you about it, but I was just really worried. Do you know how scary it is when you stop yapping your mouth or not running up walls.”
Lightning chuckled. “Yeah, I know. But I really am sorry. You gave me a home and I don’t know how to tell you how much I appreciate it and—”
“What did I say about apologizing, Rookie?”
“Doc!” Lightning gasped. “I just feel terrible.”
“Well you are forgiven.”
Lightning went to open up his mouth but hesitated. Doc pretended to not notice and sat there comfortably in silence, despite having Lightning leaning his whole body into his chest. Doc moved his hands to the kid’s forehead, pushing blond locks out of the kid's face. God, he adored this kid— his kid.
“I think you’re the closest thing to a father to me,” Lightning said, his voice piercing through the silence.
Doc could feel the kid's body tense up as soon as he said those words left his mouth. Doc was quick to run his fingers through Lightning’s hair, quickly putting the boy at ease. “You’re the closest thing to a son to me.”
Maybe all Lightning needed was some reassurance and some comfort. The bare minimum was all he asked for. Throughout his childhood all he did was run away and yell because he was angry at the world when all he needed was a hug and someone to be proud of him. That was all. And now that he has it, Lightning can’t help but melt into the arms of someone who is willing to finally show him that love and support.
Someone to finally call home.