Hello, everybody! This will be my last Cars fic featiring my OC Buster, for awhile, mostly because I'm running out of ideas for Buster stories. In this one Lightning's ghost visits Monty, Rose and Buster's son, who they name after Lightning. Monty was Lightning's actual name before he changed it to Lightning, but he hated that name, so that's why he changed it to Lightning. This was revealed in Struck by Lightning, the first book in the Cars orgins series, which you should really read, especially if you're a big Cars fan like me. I hope you enjoy the story!
"Hey, Dad, tell me the story of how you found Lightning McQueen again."
Buster looked up from the engine he was repairing when he heard the door to his Engine Repair Shop opening, seeing his son coming driving through the doorway.
Monty Miles was only twelve years old, the same age he had been been when he had found Lightning in the old cars graveyard, and already had inspiring dreams to become a mechanic like his father when he grew up and got older. He came to the store to watch Buster work everyday, to learn the ropes. He was even attending the Rust-eze training center in order to learn to become a mechanic, the same way his father had at the very same age.
He had been named after the great Lightning McQueen himself. Monty had been Lightning's real name before he had it changed to Lightning. Buster knew Lightning hadn't been been very fond of this name, but he felt Lightning only belonged to him and him alone. Still, he had wanted to honor his hero in some way by naming his son after him, and he thought naming him Monty was the perfect way to do it.
His joints still sore from a near-fatal accident he had suffered several years earlier, Buster slowly drove up to him and shook his hood. "Haven't you heard that story enough times already, son?" he asked, but a friendly smile crossed his grill, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Uh Uh," Monty said, making his voice and expression quite firm, just to show his father he meant business. "That one never gets old."
"All right," Buster said, giving his fender a playful nudge with one of his tires. "I'll tell you when I get home."
"Okay!" Seeming sastfied, Monty turned and drove out of the store. Once he was gone, Buster returned back to work.
It was late when Buster got home. He was exhausted, but he remembered his promise to tell Monty his story, and had made a vow to himself to keep it.
Monty was already half asleep himself when
Buster drove into his room. His eyes were heavy-lided, and his frame sunk low on his tires.
"Hey, Dad," he said, hearing him come into the room, and yawned, slowly lifting hid eyes up to look at him. "I'm ready to hear that story now."
"I thought you might," Buster said, shutting the door back with his fender, and drove up to Buster. "Well, it all started when..."
Monty listened with rapt fascination, wide awake now, his father's warm, lulling voice sending him drifting off to sleep.
Lightning McQueen didn't know why so many people were afraid of dying.
It wasn't so bad.
It didn't hurt. You didn't really feel anything. There was no pain, no more aching joints. He actually felt better dead than he had when he was alive.
"I wonder what Buster's up to these days," Lightning said, glancing over at Sally out of the corner of his eye, and sighed. "It's been awhile since I've seen him."
"Yeah, me too," Sally said, planting a light, yet heartfelt kiss on his fender. "Maybe paying him a visit wouldn't be such a bad idea."
"You're right," Lightning said, opening his eyes again. "I think I will."
When Monty woke up sometime later, he blinked the blurriness out of his gaze, until he was barely able to make out what looked like the shape of a familiar, red car. Monty felt like he had seen him somewhere before.
Monty shook his head. "No, I'm Monty," he said, giving him a sleepy smile, looking up at him. "I'm his son."
The red car gaped at him, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wow, I didn't know Buster was all grown up and had a son of his own," he said, chuckling. "He named you after me, didn't he?"
"Yeah," Buster said, nodding. "He really looked up to you, still does."
Lightning felt his fenders heat up from embarrassment, quite astonished when he felt tears running down his windshield and onto his hood. "I hate that name, but I'm glad he did that," he said, smiling at him, and furiously blinked the tears out of his eyes.
"I don't know how I'm able to talk to you, you being dead and all, but it was great to finally meet you, too," Monty said, feeling his eyes fluttering shut. "My Dad told me how he met you and everything."
"I thought he would," Lightning said, grinning at him. "Well, it was great meeting you, too, Monty, but I got to." He started to back away, his spectral form beginning to dissolve. "Tell Buster I said hello."
"All right, I will," Monty said, watching him fade away, and pretty soon it was like Lightning McQueen had never been there at all, and it felt like it had all been a dream.
"How's our son?" Rose asked, when she saw her husband drive into their bedroom.
"He's fine," Buster said, pulling up to her. "I told him that story about how I met Lightning and he fell asleep right away."
Rose laughed. "That sounds like him," she said, kissing him. "How are you, honey?"
"Fine, just tired," Buster said, too tired to even to try to bother hiding the yawn that escaped him. "Had a long day at work, but it was very fulfilling, as always."
"That's good," Rose said, smiling at him. "As long as your happy, I'm happy."
"Me too, " Buster said, and when he closed his eyes, he thought he caught the comforting sight of a red car drifting by him and couldn't help but smile.
The End