It was evening in Radiator Springs and Doc and Lightning were at the Butte doing their regular training sessions. Doc was teaching Lightning how to swerve off and jump over other racers. Lightning was doing ok except he would fall in the cacti quite often...

"OW!" Yelled Lightning as soon as he hit the cacti for what seems the thousandth time. Doc sighed and drove over to him. "Ya just can't figure this out can ya kid?" He looked down to where Lightning was. Lightning tried to shake his hood but a cactus thorn hit his hood and yelped. He soon decided to stay still and just say it. "No I can't...I also want know how are you able to do this without wrecking?" Doc was a bit surprised at Lightning's question but he soon gave the quick reply of 'all it takes is practice'. Lightning was soon out of the cacti patch thanks to Mater. "I'll try again Doc" said Lightning with little confidence. It wasn't he was nervous he was in more pain from the cacti than being able to concentrate and Doc knew this. "Kid we should do more practice tomorrow" He just said in a tone that Lightning knew very well not to argue with. Lightning just agreed and they went back to town. Doc gave Lightning a glare "Now don't stay up too late rookie our next practice is at seven. So no late tractor tippin' with Mater" Lightning groaned but agreed to his rules. Lightning drove into the cone and Doc headed back into the garage. The garage was dark and quiet. The doors were shut but open just wide enough for one of the sunset's beam to go through it. He went to his boxes. Which from the museum there were barely any left except for three boxes of medical equipment and books and a box in the back dark corner. The box had so much dust it looked like it was never opened. Doc saw this box and drove over to it. He swiped the dust away with his tire and slightly coughed from the dust. He opened the box to reveal a picture, a hood ornament and a newspaper article. As soon as Doc saw these things his eyes filled with tears. He was glad no one was in here to see him cry. He just lowered on his tires sighing heavily.

Lightning was at the V8 café with Mater and all the other RS cars. He was kind of concerned not seeing Doc and asked Sally if she had seen him. "I'm sure he's just fine stickers….he's probably just wanting to be alone right now" she said in her usual calm tone. "Yeah your right Sally" Lightning replied lowering on his axles sighing. An hour passed and there was still no sign of Doc. Not being able to bear the fact that Doc just wanted to have some time alone Lightning drove away from the café in search for Doc. He looked everywhere he could think of and he was no where in sight. There was one place he hadn't tried yet…the garage by his clinic. Lightning drove over and sure enough a dim light lit up the garage. Lightning drove up to the window where he saw the old racer. As he looked Doc just didn't look…in his prime. His eyes were misty and he was lower on his axles than usual. Lightning was concern and wanted to check up on him. He thought a minute trying to go in there without getting lectured or run one hundred laps again like Doc made him do when he told a secret not supposed to be told. Lightning gave a ragged sigh and gently nudged the door. The door gave an eerie creak as it slowly opened. All that could be seen was a shadow. Lightning was in the shadows trying to be as quiet as he could. His engine raced in fear and he slinked through the garage. He then kept his eyes locked on Doc and kept slinking forward. He didn't pay attention and he hit the tool-table and a cup hit lightning's roof with a loud bang and hit the ground. Tools then hit Lightning's roof making pinging sounds. He tried not to yelp and jumped back in the shadows again. Doc jumped and looks around feeling he was being watched by something or some one… He soon saw a familiar silver bolt. He drove up closer to reveal Lightning lowered down cringing and his eyes tightly shut. Doc sighed and asked trying to sound stern but it came out more confused than stern "What on earth are you doin rook…?" Lightning tried to think of an excuse but he used so many Doc knew every one. He just gave a heavy sigh. " I was just coming to check on you Doc…I hadn't seen you and I wanted to know where you were…" Lightning looked down and was expecting a lecture from Doc but the old racer didn't say a word to him. There was a very long silence between them. It was so quiet in the garage that the only thing you could hear was their breathing. Lightning soon broke this silence. "So…" He started cautiously "What are you doing in here all alone?" Doc glanced at Lightning then the picture. " I was just remembering someone…" Doc's voice was quiet and hoarse as though he was trying not to cry as he talked. "Oh…who was it…like was it a racer or…" Lightning started to say. Doc gave a ragged sigh. " She was a beautiful ocean blue Hudson Hornet…her name was Diana." He said quietly choking back tears. Lightning never saw Doc like this at all. The garage went quiet again. Doc took a deep breath and told Lightning about Diana. "I met Diana in one of my races…" He started.

Piston Cup 500 1944

The Hudson Hornet drove down and his # 51 seemed to proudly glow in the sun. He drove down to the track. He was up against 42 racers. Hudson wasn't nervous at all. The flag waved green and he raced off. He also had a trick too. While the others would speed up and fight for first the Hudson Hornet just stayed in fifth place for the first two hundred laps. The other racers soon began to tire but the Hornet still has a lot of energy in him and hit third place. The crowd cheered loudly and his name was clearly heard. The Hudson Hornet stayed in third place then the first and second place racers tired and he immediately was in first. They tried to catch up but they were too tired. It was lap 433. The racers that stayed back like the Hornet soon came up and they made there way steadily through while the ones who bolted first were far behind them. It was the last lap and the Hudson Hornet was in the lead. He had a # 85 car by him and there were fender and fender. # 51 gave one last surge of energy and won the race. After that he was exhausted. As he made his way down to the winner circle a ocean blue Hudson Hornet drove down to him. "Good race you had a strategy I haven't seen before…it was amazing!" She said excitedly. The Hornet swallowed a little nervous and soon spoke with a slight stammer " Well…I-I am the Fabulous Hudson Hornet…and you? She gave a gentle look and introduced herself "I'm Diana and I'm a big fan of yours! I've watched every race you've done. Your fantastic!" The Hornet blushed. "Well I don't know about fantastic I just trained a lot by myself." She gave him a playful nudge "Oh don't be modest…anyone who can train themselves to do what you can do has real talent!" The Hudson Hornets smiled at each other until they were surrounded by the paparazzi asking about a hundred different questions. Doc answered as many questions as he could. His crew chief soon came to the Hornet's relief. In an instant it was back down to just the two Hudson Hornets. They both gave a loving glance then looked away slightly embarrassed. Diana soon spoke up " Hey I have to go sorry I have paperwork to fill out it was nice meeting you!" Doc looked up at her in a loving way. He snapped out and soon spoke " oh ok…i-it was nice meeting you as well…" She soon drove away leaving # 51 alone. He was in love and there was no denying that. He wondered if he would ever see her again.

A few years later The Hudson Hornet did see Diana again. This time though he was going to ask her something special. As soon as he saw her he couldn't even speak. He swallowed hard and drove up to her. "oh hey good to see you again!" She said excited. "Yeah good to see you too um can I ask you something Diana?" She looked at him curious and with a bit of concern " oh course what's on your mind?" The Hudson Hornet gulped silently and lowered down on his tires and asked her " Diana will you be my wife?" She smiled "Yes! Of course!" They nuzzled for a few minutes then were swarmed with paparazzi again. "I would just like to say that Diana has agreed to be my wife. Other plans will be discuss later on."

Final Race 1954

The Hudson Hornet was waiting for Diana. He waited for about two hours. He was now beginning

To panic and was pacing. His crew chief drove up with a worried look. "What's the matter chief? You act as though disaster hit…" said the Hudson Hornet concerned. "It has…" He started. "Your wife is in the hospital…" The Hornet jumped to his tires worried as ever. "W-what happened…? I mean How did she…? He stammered unable to clearly say. "Your wife was on the way to the track and became deathly ill she was taken to St. Miracle Hospital" finished his crew-chief. The Hudson Hornet now heart-broken looked down. "I'm sorry…" His crew chief whispered. It was soon time to race. The flag waved green and #51 struggled through that race he had one thing and one thing only on his mind…his wife Diana. Before Hudson could react he felt a sharp pain in his side and hit the earth tumbling and banging heavily at each impact with the ground. He stopped at last very beaten and smoke coming out from his hood. His pain was intense and he began to lose consciousness. "Diana…" The Hudson Hornet muttered and went unconscious. He was soon taken to the same hospital as his wife. He woke up and yelled kind of loudly "Diana!". A doctor came in. "I have news about your wife Mr. Hudson…" He said. "H-how is she? Will she be alright…?" He asked worriedly and it was very clear in his voice. "I'm afraid we just couldn't save her we tried our best… you can see her if you like" He nodded and drove to her. His eyes filled with tears as he saw his wife. Gone from his life forever… "Goodbye Diana" He whispered hoarsely and cried against her quietly. After his sorrow goodbye he drove back to his room and cried himself to sleep that night.

Radiator Springs 2007

Doc was silent. Tears were streaming down his fenders and Lightning pretended not to notice this. He felt his engine and spirit sink with sorrow after hearing what Doc told him. The room was silent once more and Lightning again broke that silence. "Doc…I…I'm sorry for your loss…" Even he was having trouble putting words together feeling the same way Doc is. "Thanks kid… and I know it seems I should just forget about it but there are some things you just can't forget…" Doc said in a somewhat normal tone. The rookie nodded his hood. "Well I'll leave you alone now Doc…" Lightning said and gave a good night and drove slowly to the cone. Doc watched the rookie and looked back at the box. He knew he would never forget but he remembered the good times of them together and this pulled him through from that night on he told Lightning about Diana. Doc still believes that on this night he can hear her voice talking with the wind….

The End