From tumblr requests, a follower requested a oneshot involving Mater and McQueen. New territory for me, so it's not my best, but here ya go Joyous! (Timeline: post Cars, pre-Cars 2)
After Hours
The crimson racer made his way toward the trailer lot hours after the tracklights had been switched off, staying late to satisfy the press and the endless sponsers. His tires turns slowly in the direction of the comfort he was craving after a long day, eager to collapse into his beloved home-on-the-road.
"Hey, boss! Good scootin' out there today." Mack cheerfully greeted him. A tired smile was the best Lightning could muster.
"Thanks, Mack. C'mon, let's hit the long road home. We got some hours to put behind us tonight." He turned to enter the trailer, lowering the ramp with a few attempts at the pedal.
"You sure you don't wanna just stay here, kid? Ya got another one on this same track in 2 days, I mean I know ya got all the gas money in the world, but it is a long haul..." Lightning raised a tire to halt him.
"I'm sure, Mack. I miss home, and I'd like to wake up there in the morning. Not to mention I promised Mater I'd be there on his first day at the Museum. It'd break his heart if I wasn't there." He backed into the trailer and parked, readying for a bumpy night's sleep on the road.
"If you say so, champ." Mack rolled himself to the hitch and pulled them off to the interstate.
Lightning dialed home on the trailer's phone and fought to stay awake until it was answered. After 3 long, lulling rings it answered.
"Cozy Cone Motel, how may I help you?" A chipper voice answered. Lightning couldn't help but grin.
"Hey, Sal, sorry if I woke you,"
"Nope, I'm still up-and-at-em, where are you?"
"Just hit the road, I don't suppose you could go grab Mater for me, could you?" The junkyard didn't exactly allow for phone lines, even a simple device like the Cozy Cone's screenless, corded reciever would never survive Mater's home. So whatever calls went to Mater, first went to Sally.
"Sure, give me a sec." He heard her motor hum into the distance, and the image of a vivdly-lit Radiator Springs at this time of night was beyond soothing. When the sound of fumbling for the phone returned, it wasn't Sally's calm voice that followed.
"McQueen! Shoot, bud, we's spectin you home hours 'go!" Lightning chuckled at his late-night enthusiasm.
"Yeah, me too, Mater. Just got caught up here in Cali. Lot to get done." Mater was uncharacteristically silent for a beat.
"You gunna be here tomorrow, right? Ah mean, I did tell you it's my first day at a real job, didn't ah..." Mater's troubled tone unsettled Lightning.
"You sure did tell me, at least a hundred times. Don't you worry bud, I'm driving through all night! Wouldn't miss it for the world!" He could almost sense Mater's mood brighten.
"Alright! I knew my best friend wouldn't forget me! I knew it!" Lightning chuckled.
"Just wanted to call and remind you to hold me a spot in your first tour tomorrow."
"You got it bud, I see ya then!" He heard Mater's old tires drive off, and Sally returned to the phone.
"I've been playing babysitter for the past few days, so I'll be glad to have you home." She joked, her teasing smile audible in her voice.
"I'll take him off your tires first thing in the mornin. Hold down the fort for me til I get there."
"Always have, always will. Drive safe for me, Stickers. Love you."
"Love you too Sal, see you tomorrow." Lightning was almost asleep before the phone returned to it's hook.
"Goooooood mornin, champ!" Mack's voice boomed over the trailer's intercom system. Lightning grumbled himself half-awake, struggling to identify the source of the disturbance.
"Mack, don't wake me up before nine… that's the protocol when we're out late..." Sleep still weighed on his voice.
"It is nine, boss!"
"Wait, are we home? We should be in Radiator Springs by now." Confusion muddled it's way through his groggy head.
"Should be, yes. Unfortunately 70 had some construction goin on, so we're takin the scenic route this time." Mack explained.
"Scenic route…? Well, what's our ETA, buddy, I got plans today."
"eh, I'd say in about 4 hours or so, depending on how gas holds out. The phrase "four hours" brought Lightning to full consciousness.
"No, no no no, we have to be home NOW, Mack. Mater's shift starts at ten, I can't miss it!"
"Sorry boss, unless we can go as the crow flies, we're gunna be stuck takin this path home."
"ugh, no..." Lightning groaned, suddenly very antsy in his container.
Back in Radiator Springs, Mater was bouncing in the interior of the new Museum.
"Remember your lines, Mater?" Doc questioned
"All 57 of 'em! Woo-ee, I can't wait for McQueen to get here! Boy, he's gon' looove everything in his wing of the museum!" Doc glanced out the window suspiciously.
"Yeah, wonder where that kid is, shoulda been home hours ago."
"Welp, I'll see him in there! I gotta go meet my very first tourist group!" And the rusty truck was out the door and into the museum. Doc looked after him worriedly, until he was interrupted by a blue steak enterring the room.
"Doc, bad news- Lightning and Mack are still stuck on the road. I don't think he's gunna be here for Mater's tour." Her expression was a compassionate, concerned one.
"Well how bout his second one?" Doc reasoned, but sally shook her head.
"I don't think he'll be here until after we're closed, Doc. They're pretty far out." Doc sighed and swore under his breath. "What are we gunna do about Mater?" Sally asked cautiously.
"Welp, I suppose we have no choice but to be the bearer of bad news-" Doc was interrupted by an ever-eager Mater, swinging a group of racing fanatics into the next room over.
"And this here is Lightning McQueen's very first Pis-ton cup! He's my very best friend, and y'all's in luck! He's gunna be here today, and yall get to meet 'im!" A hushed wave of excited murmurs arose from the crowd, and Doc and Sally paled.
"This won't end well." Doc thought aloud.
The bright red trailer rolled into town just past 1, right as the museum was finishing it's last tour of the day. This one not led by Mater, who had to sit out part of his first day on the job due to heartache.
McQueen burst out of the trailer before it even came to a stop, and raced to the museum like it was a finish line.
"Mater! Mater I am so, so sorry, bud-" As the racer rounded the corner, he got an eyeful of a heartbroken Mater being comforted by Sally. He glanced up at McQueen, with the sudden excitement of an abandoned puppy seeing it's owner after a day alone.
"McQueen! You're home!" He was at his side in less that a second. "Where was you, bud, I've been waitin all dagum day!"
"I know Mater, I know, I'm so sorry. We ran into some detours, and it held us back- if I woulda just said no to the press and came home right after the race, this wouldn't've happened. I'm sorry bud." Mater smiled genuinely.
"Aww, it's okay, I saved all the best fun facts for you! Ah still got a tour saved up for ya!" He wagged his tow cable like a tail. Lightning laughed.
"You got it, Mater, first thing in the morning, I can't wait!"
"actu-ally, ah fished up a little something, case you got home after the museum closed..." With one swift motion, he sent his tow hook sailing to a nearby tire-planter, and presented a set of keys, dangling them between the two of them. Sally gasped.
"Mater, how'd you get those?"
"Mah lil' secret. C'mon, McQueen, how'sa bout a real behind the scenes tour? You too, Miss Sally." After glancing at one another for affirmation, the couple couldn't help but laugh and appreciate the tow truck's determination, following him to the back door to embark on a very special, very Mater afternoon in the closed museum.