I do not own Cars, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. I do, however, own all the Original Characters.

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One night, I had heard him say "racing is a pitiless, unforgiving, relentless sport" with a twinge of bitterness and resentment that I surmised were for reasons I wouldn't ever understand. He was hurting. The drinking, strong evidence. I never found the nerve to ask. Maybe I was afraid to ask because, at the time, racing was my passion, my aspirations. I didn't want my dreams to be shattered or swayed in the least. I didn't want the harsh truths. I was too young for such burdens.

Many years later I understood them for reasons of my own.

Racing was more than just winning. The sport would move on its own, perpetually forward, without you. I found out that racing could forget you, and it was then that I realized it was Brian who wouldn't be forgetting. It was Brian who was doing all the remembering.

And I wouldn't forget either.

- Doc Hudson

CHAPTER ONE
South Carolina, Summer, 1948

The time was well past midnight at a party on the east side of the city. After another long day at the company, Dave was ready to cut loose.

He strolled through the rather darkened marble corridor of the mansion like he might have owned the place, slowly maneuvering past the drunk and almost drunk cars. He stopped at the end of the corridor and at the ledge. Below him, a sunken main room floor with hundreds of high society cars. Dim lights that hung from the high ceiling created the low, soothing atmosphere amongst the crowd.

Somewhere in the back, the best music of the decade was playing live on a stage, but Dave could hardly hear over the crowd's loud and nearly deafening conversations. With a smirk, he drove down the ramp towards the long bar that stretched across an entire wall of the room, and joined a party that he was not invited to.

He coasted to a stop at the bar's railing and shut off his engine. It wasn't too long before he had settled down when a silver and white sedan began to approach him, rag in tire.

"What would you like?" the bartender asked as he leaned forward, forcing a smile that still didn't seem to hide the stress in his voice.

Dave stretched on his shocks. "I'll leave it up to you," he told him, returning the smile. "Nothing too expensive but nothing cheap either. Thanks." He watched the bartender nod and spin around to fetch the unspecified drink. While he waited, he turned his attention to the crowd behind him. A line of traffic passed between him and the groups talking amongst themselves on the main floor.

As the cars began to move and shift his view of the crowd, he could see a few cars he had not noticed before. As Dave's eyes scanned the room, he caught a glimpse of beauty. The pit of his tank churned and he caught his breath. Passing cars blocked his view, hiding his line of sight to the woman he saw. His pistons fluttered - he desperately wanted to catch another sight of her.

Another shift in the crowd, and he could see her again, more clearly this time. A sort of ease fell over him like a net; his frame felt warmer. In the middle of the room an elegant car sat perfectly comfortable amongst a group of five. She was clinging lightly to the fender of what was unmistakably her date and listening intently, with a sweet smile, to the car talking across from her.

Dave couldn't break his trance. She was intriguing. Despite the lighting in the room, he could see that her main color was that of a rich, deep purple. The chrome trimming along her side panels and chassis glistened brightly through the soft light, and her black fenders seemed to add to her mysteriousness. He stared shamelessly at her with admiration from the bar.

Suddenly, she lost her cute smile and replaced it with a somewhat lost expression. She began looking at the cars around her as if searching.

Perhaps she felt the force of his stare. Dave inhaled sharply as her eyes locked with his. He held his breath. Her pleasant smile came back, and it was aimed directly at him and only him. He returned the smile and, being the gentleman that he was, tipped the front of his frame down in politeness, not breaking his eyes from her gaze.

"Sir, here's your drink," the bartender noted from behind him, setting the drink on the counter.

As Dave was about to turn back to the bar to acknowledge the drink and leave her to her friends, he noticed her unwrapping her tire from her date's and excusing herself from their company. Her partner had not noticed the exchange of stares and glances between the two.

The woman gave Dave an unmistakably sly smile as she maneuvered her way through the crowd, checking every so often to see if he was still watching her. He was, and filled with more curiosity. She disappeared down the hallway near the bottom of the ramp, close to where he entered the party. Without hesitating any longer, he started his engine and hastily drove to where she had gone.

Dave reached the hallway and slowed to a stop, wondering where she could have turned to. There were many closed doors along the extended hallway with tall ceilings. He noticed one door that remained open near the end and he cautiously made his way to it. Light from within the room shone through the threshold of the doorway as if it was beckoning him to come closer.

He rounded the corner of the doorway and had barely made it through when he was met with a full kiss on the lips. Before he knew it he was against one of the bedroom walls and staring into her brown eyes. "You don't waste any time, do you?" he asked as she pulled away from him; she snickered in response. "What's your name? I'm Dave…"

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Joanna," she said, giving him the smile he was beginning to adore.

Dave was entranced by her presence. She was only a few inches away from him, looking intently at him with a playful yet dangerous look; she was more beautiful than he had seen before. The beat of the distant music through the walls was giving him ideas he felt he shouldn't have. He had an urge to leave, but her crystal brown eyes had him dreaming unexpectedly of a life he'd yet to know.

"Pretty name," he told her as she leaned in to kiss him again, though he stopped her with a tire. "I've gotta know something first." She nodded, and he proceeded. "That man out there," he started. "the one you were with, is that your boyfriend?"

Joanna momentarily averted her attention to the floor, shuffling a tire back and forth in front of her with a weak smile. "Actually, he's my fiancé." She looked up at him quickly when she heard him inhale, seemingly choking on her response. "But don't worry," she rushed. "I've been meaning to break it off with him anyway…"

Her statement had been said with such sincerity and genuine tone, Dave felt no reason to doubt her. He regained his composure. "Why are you leaving him?"

Joanna sighed. She wasn't expecting such a question. "He's leading me into a life I don't want…"

Dave sunk lower on his shocks, hoping this wasn't a mistake. "Can I ask you just one more question?" She nodded again, silently respecting that this stranger cared. "What made you pick me?" If she was willing to have an affair, there were plenty of other eligible cars waiting for this chance. "I mean, why me?"

A new smile he had yet to see made him melt. "Because," she started, moving closer. "you're not like the others."

Dave cringed but gave a grin. "That obvious?" He didn't get an answer, only another kiss to silence him and his inquires. He closed his eyes and fell into the moment. When she ended the kiss he began to chuckle. Before she could ask, he started to speak. "You know, I think I really like that answer."

Joanna shook her hood and smiled. "C'mon, lets get out of here." She turned on her engine and drove out of the room; Dave following closely. Neither of them belonged at this party, and that, to them, was all the better reason to leave before they were intertwined into a life too fast for them.