Disclaimer: I own all the OCs, so please don't take them! Other than that, enjoy!

CHAPTER ONE

Brian was first to spot him, "There, over there, that's Hudson."

Sadie pulled up beside him on the right. "Are you sure?" She asked.

Dave pulled up on Brian's left, "Of course that's Hudson. There's no mistaking him."

Brian fell back from between Sadie and Dave to drive along side Laura. "Hey, you doing alright?" He asked, looking deeply into her eyes.

Laura sighed, "Yeah, I just can't believe I'd ever see him again." She said, forcing a laugh.

Brian knew that she was troubled, she had mentioned Doc's name almost every other day after he disappeared. "You still love him, don't you?" He asked, even though he knew the answer.

"Well yeah, otherwise I wouldn't have come along."

Brian hated hearing that answer. He cringed at the thought that she still did. When Laura had heard that Dave, Sadie and him were going to see Doc, she asked if she could come. He couldn't tell her no, he just couldn't. "Remember," He said, "You're married. Stick to the plan..."

Brian drove off to meet up with Sadie and Dave.

They were approaching the core of town rather quickly.

Right before the four left, Brian had told Laura to lie about her life back in South Carolina for reasons everyone knew.

Laura caught up to the three wide group ahead of her. She drove up to them as Brian was jogging everyone's memory. "Shut off your engines, this is supposed to be a surprise visit."

The group shut off their engines as they passed Sarge's Surplus Hut so as to not make any sound approaching.

"That's Hudson alright..." Dave noted.

Brian looked at him oddly. "Really Dave? Didn't we just establish that?"

"Be quiet you two." Sadie said to them.

Brian turned his attention to Laura, "Keep hidden behind us until I say so."

She nodded silently and kept pace behind them.

Coming up to Flo's, the group braked to a stop at the curb behind Doc who was busy telling a story. While he rambled on, the townsfolk looked behind Doc to the newcomers.

Brian smirked, he remembered the story Doc was telling them. It was an important day back in 1952.

"Wasn't that the day of your first arrest?" Dave asked.

Doc was startled by the familiar voice and spun around, almost knocking over a stack of oil cans. "Dave?" He choked up, more than a little shocked at his presence.

Dave smiled as Doc was met by two more familiar faces. "Sadie?"

He turned away from her and to the one in the middle, "Brian?" He was at a whisper now, this was overwhelming.

Doc drove up to Brian first, who's expression was stern and non forgiving. Doc sunk low on his shock, intimidated by Brian's look of disgust.

The townsfolk were confused. Who were these newcomers, and why was Doc acting so funny? Doc had always been known as the patriarch, the leader. But it wasn't long before everyone felt Brian's predominance.

They listened through the brief moment of silence for any sign of learning what was going on.

Faintly, they heard Brian speak through a tough voice, "So, this is where you decided to come after you ditched us?"

That question seemed to cause Doc some pain, they could tell that. "I'm sorry." Was all that Doc could offer through torn thoughts.

The townsfolk figured this wasn't going to be a happy reunion.

A smile found it's way to the three's faces, "We don't want your apologies Hudson, we're here to have a good time!" Dave finally blurted out, the three laughed.

Now the townsfolk were really confused. They were honestly more than a little curious.

Doc lit up in happiness, "I am so glad that you guys don't hate me..." He said in a sigh of relief.

"We never really hated you, we were just disappointed that you thought you couldn't come home." Dave told him.

Brian looked at Dave, "Wait, I was to blame partially for that..." He said, thinking that Doc might have been too scared to face him back in 1954. Sadie and Dave chuckled and agreed with Brian.

Doc was ecstatic, looking at each one of them. Taking in how they looked, smiled, laughed. He reflected on old memories, remembering everything great and fantastic all those years ago. Wondering how he lived without them for so long. After all, they still seemed to be his best friends, and the thought that he screwed up his life hurt more than it ever did.

Doc turned his attention to Dave, "Glad to see you haven't changed a bit." Dave still had the pure gold trimming on his frame like he had in the early 50's. He had gotten it done around the time he struck it rich. Where normally chrome would have gone, Dave had big thick plates of gold around him, complimenting his black fenders and maroon body.

While all the attention was still drawn on him, the townsfolk could see that this car was a businessman, a very rich businessman. "Hey, if you've got the money, show it." He chuckled.

Doc turned to Brian after chuckling along with Dave. "Keeping everyone in line?" He asked him.

"It gets difficult at times, but everyone's still sane..."

"You guys still living in South Carolina?" Doc asked, puzzled look given to them.

"Oh yeah, same house too. It still looks the same, Hudson, the house holding onto the 50's..."

"Good to know that you guys are keeping the '50's alive." He said proudly.

Doc then turned away from Brian to Sadie. "Still as pretty as ever. How have you been?"

Sadie smiled a little more at Doc's statement, "Looking good yourself. I've been fantastic, you?"

"I haven't been this happy since my first Piston Cup Trophy..."

A flash of deep cherry red caught Doc's attention. "What was that?" He asked, backing up from the three.

Dave and Brian looked at each other and smiled. Simultaneously, they threw themselves into reverse and pulled away to the sides of the road to reveal Laura.

In that exact moment, Doc forgot how to breathe as world around him blacked out and the only thing he saw was Laura's figure. In slow motion Doc watched a soft smile find it's way to Laura while he sat there in awe. Never, he thought, never in his wildest dreams...

Suddenly, he felt himself being shaken back into reality by a strange force. Everyone and everything around him came back into view when he found a very concerned Lightning beside him, nudging him.

"Doc, Doc breathe!" Lightning stressed.

It was as if someone had pushed the play button, everything resumed normal order as he drew a ragged breath and continued to search Laura for answers to unspoken questions.

"Oh, that's right," Brian said, gaining the attention of Doc as he stared at Laura. "It's Doctor now, isn't it?"

Laura took the liberty of driving up to Doc who was too stunned to move. She was glad to see his reaction.

Brian, on the other tire, was a little discouraged with it.

Laura drove up to Doc closely, "Couldn't ask for a better greeting." She teased.

Doc tried to speak, but found himself at a loss of words.

When Brian thought Doc couldn't handle a simple sentence, he sighed and cut in. "Aren't you going to introduce us to everyone?"

Doc finally took his sights off Laura and to the other three. He turned away from them and to the townsfolk. "This is Dave. He gave me my start into racing, he was my manager and sponsor."

"How do you do?" He offered with a smile.

Doc drove away from Dave and to Brian, "This is Brian. He was a my chief and trainer back in the day."

Immediate respect was given from Lightning to Brian, "It's an honor..."

Brian laughed slightly, "You think Hudson's a good trainer?"

"He's the best."

"He learned everything from me, kid."

Doc chuckled as he moved onto where Sadie sat, "This is Sadie, Brian's wife."

She met eye contact with all of them and nodded.

Laura pulled up along side of Doc. He nervously laughed and they smiled at each other. "And this... is the lovely Laura."

She playfully nudged him and drove away from Doc to catch up with Dave and Sadie who were about to get to know the locals.

Doc sighed as he watched her leave.

It was then that Brian turned to face him, he didn't leave with the others. "Don't get too attached..."

Doc looked at him, "Pardon?"

"She's married, Hudson."

Right then and there Doc felt more than a few dreams crushed at that simple statement.

He tried to find the words to ask his next question, but Brian read his mind. "She's just here to visit you, nothing more."

Doc swallowed hard, that one stung. "Who's the lucky guy?"

Brian stiffened where he sat and sighed, "A guy named John. He's a good guy, treats her right. Although I never particularly made friends with him..."

Doc didn't look Brian in the eye as he said that.

The two sat there watching everyone talk and get along. Doc decided that his position with Laura wouldn't put a damper on this fantastic reunion. "How long are you guys staying?"

"Two weeks, is that alright?"

Doc was quick to respond, "More than alright, stay as long as you want."

"I'm gonna find out what everyone's like, they seem colorful..."

Doc laughed, "They are."

Brian kicked on his engine and met up with the group he came with.

Doc sat there in the middle of the street watching his old friends get to know his new ones. He glanced around the landscape, the sun was setting fast. The golden valley went on for miles, endlessly. It reminded him just how much of his life he wasted in this town, it seemed like forever.

It was then that he realized that he didn't.

These residents meant everything to him just as well. When the day comes for his old life to leave his current, it would be one horrible goodbye. But at least this time he would get to say goodbye, something he didn't get to do back in 1954 that one evening. He never knew how his old friends were doing all these years, and it pained him each day.

Every once in a while he thought about calling them up and finding out, but that would create a lot of awkwardness.

Doc glanced at each one of his old friends, they seemed to be doing well and in good health.

Through all the excitement, he noticed something was missing. Where was Joanna? Where were James and Mason? He had taken a complete guess at Sadie being Brian's wife, but it seemed logical that it would happen after all these years.

Doc also noticed another flaw, Brian appeared to be hiding something. Doc may not have seen him in a long time, but Brian seemed as if he hasn't changed his personality one bit. If Brian was the same car from what Doc knew of him, something was definitely wrong here...

Doc shrugged it off. He had two weeks to hear about all that's happened in the last fifty two years... It was no big deal...