Disclaimer - Pixar owns all the chars used in this. I think Checks Yep, no original characters. Not a one! Wow! Anywho, if you happen to be reading this and are employed by Pixar, please don't sue me. I have no money. And you can't kick a dead horse and make him go. But read it anyway!

Notes - three in a row? Must be some odd form of a record. Read Full Circle before you read this one though so it will make sense. Rock On!

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"Turn that disrespectful junk off!"

"Respect the classics man! It's Hendrix!"

Doc laughed softly from where he was parked at Flo's café. That old argument would be around as long as the town itself was around. By now everyone halfway expected it. Even looked forward to it every morning.

Down the street Mater was already making his way across town, singing some odd song or another, tow hook whipping through the air like a Lasso.

Flo was already serving customer's their breakfast, the town hopping this morning. The normal occupants had almost tripled in the last year since Radiator Springs made it back on the map... But this time of year the occupants of the town went up in leaps. The Piston Cup wasn't that far away... Which meant that everyone and their brother was swarming around the towns where they knew their favorite racer's to be, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol, hard at work in training.

It was rather sad when one stopped to think about it. Like sheep... Or lemmings... He wasn't entirely sure which. Though he would probably have his theories after the Piston Cup was over and things somewhat went back to normal.

"Morning Doc!" He smiled and offered Sally a nod as she drove by, heading for the road that would take her up to Wheel Well. Since the reopening she had been busy as well... Busy enough to justify hiring some help at the motel even.

Across the street Luigi and Guido where likewise hard at work... Their shop was hopping... Lightning really had been good for the town it seemed.

Doc chuckled softly and was just about to get moving again when Sheriff silently pulled into a booth beside him.

"Morning Sheriff..." Doc offered, a dip of his grill given to his old friend.

"Mornin' Doc..."

The low tone, caught his attention, Doc raising an eye ridge and turning his attention to the patrol car. "Something wrong?"

"Not really. Just had something on my mind today." He offered, that causing Doc to offer a puzzled gaze. "Oh?"

Sheriff silently nodded, ignoring the fact that the normal occupants of the town where slowly starting to sneak away from their businesses for breakfast.

"Yup."

"Anything I can help you with?" Doc questioned, concern crossing his features. Sheriff was due for another physical... Overdue actually... The car had a knack for getting out of them. He also had a very bad habit of refusing to come to Doc's office until there was something really wrong. If Sheriff was sick he was dragging him back to the clinic weather he liked it or not...

"Actually... Yes there is."

That caught him off guard. Normally if they thought Sheriff needed help they had to drag the information out of him... It worried him a bit he seemed forthcoming with it...

That same worry seemed to radiate a bit as Flo took note, a concerned gaze shot in their direction.

"Well what is it Sheriff?"

Sheriff gave a slight grunt, seeming to think on that for a moment. "Do you remember... Several years back... You had just moved here..."

Doc raised an eye ridge but nodded slowly, gesturing for him to go on.

"I was assigned by the Sheriff at the time to show you around town... Well we where bored and you and I made a little bet..."

Doc blinked quietly and nodded. Once reminded he did remember that... And he was starting to get what this was about...

That had also caught the attention of the locals. Doc? Made a bet? Their Doc? With Sheriff? Their Sheriff? Ye ol' grouchy one?

"As I recall the bet was centered around a little race."

Oh... He wasn't going to go there...

"The bet was that if I couldn't catch you up Tailfinn Pass..."

Yeah he was...

Lightning let out a soft snicker, the race car coming up beside Doc from where he had been parked. "Doc? Made a bet on a race?"

Doc gave Lightning a sort of death glare before turning his full attention back to Sheriff. "Alright... Yeah, I remember that. What of it?"

"I was just thinking... It would have been nice to know you happened to be a race car at the time of the bet." He stated simply, one eye narrowing. "If I do recall, I lost that bet."

Doc chuckled softly, the memory clear in his mind. Yes... He had taken him to the cleaners on that one. Though he had later felt bad about it and when he was elected judge he had snuck that fifty into Sheriff's weekly pay at one point... Though he would never admit that to him...

"Want your fifty bucks back?" He questioned, smirk crossing his grill.

"No... But I will take that in another way." He stated, a narrowed gaze settled on Doc. "Cancel that appointment I have with you next week and we'll call it even."

So that was where this was going! All that to get out of a physical. It was a little sad if one thought about it long enough. Thankfully Doc wasn't willing to think on it. Smirk crossed his grill as he gave a slow nod. Two could play at this game.

"You're right Sheriff. I was wrong on that. I hope you will accept my apology. And next week's appointment is canceled.

Sheriff gave Doc a somewhat suspicious gaze. He never got anything out of him that fast... But in the end he took what he could get and nodded, quickly heading off before Doc could change his mind.

"Wow... You must have really whooped him back then. I've never seen you give up that easily." Lightning commented, gaining a smirk from Doc.

"Who says I gave up?" He questioned and without another word shifted into gear and headed for his clinic.

He didn't waist any time. He silently connected his phone and dialed the number of the station. As he knew it would, Sheriff's answering service picked up. He wasn't there. He waited for Sheriff's recorded message to roll itself around then listened for the tone.

"Hello Sheriff Carson. This is the office of Doctor Hudson in reference to your appointment next Wednesday, the twenty second of this month. I am afraid I am going to have to cancel that appointment as something I didn't expect has come up. However Friday the seventeenth of this week is open. Therefore I will see you Friday at one. Don't be late Sheriff."

Doc couldn't help but laugh as he hung up the phone again. He could almost hear Sheriff fussing now... He was almost sorry he had to leave that on an answering machine. But he wasn't quite brave enough to drop that news on him in person.

Sometimes... Driving the Sheriff into his web was just a little to easy...

Fin