"He can't come here. He just can't. Oh Chrysler what will happen when Stickers finds out?" Sally said pacing back and forth and talking to herself. "He's never going to understand. He's just going to try and finish what he started years ago." Sally continued talking to herself until a voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
""Who's finishing what honey?" Flo asked.
"Huh?…What?…Oh no one Flo I'm just talking to myself."
"Lighting was right. You're really not acting like yourself." She said gently, "If you need someone to talk to I'm here. And contrary to popular belief I don't tell Ramone everything." Flo said trying to get Sally to open up a bit.
"Well I guess the best place to start is the beginning. When I was in L.A. I was defending a friend of my fathers and I lost the case. My fathers friend was sent to jail for life. When I got home that night my father was so mad at me that he rammed me extremely hard and told me that he was going out when he got back he would finish with me. I decided that I didn't want to take that punishment anymore so I told my friend, Kyleigh that I was getting out of L.A. She's been my friend since we were kids so I didn't even have to explain anything to her. She just said O.K. and wished me good luck. Now she tells me that my father found me and is coming here. I'm so scared of what my father will do to me. Is he going to hurt me? Is he going to hurt someone else? Is he sorry? What will Lightning think when he finds out? Will he be mad because I didn't tell him?" Sally rambled on.
"Sweetie, do you really think that Lightning will be mad at you because you didn't tell him something? Or that he would ever let anyone hurt you? That car would give up his life if it meant that you would be ok. Furthermore do you think that anyone in this town would let someone hurt you? If your father is coming to start trouble than he has a whole mess of cars to get through before he gets to you." Flo said hoping she could calm down the younger car. "Now you get back to that boyfriend of yours before I kick him and Ramone out of my café."
"What?"
"The two of them keep talking about the females cars and their mood swings." Flo said sounding a little irritated.
"Do you want to watch the Cozy Cone for me so Lightning and I can take a drive?" Sally asked.
"Anything to stop those two's theories." Flo said as Sally turn back onto the main road to find Lightning.
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After looking all around town Sally finally spotted Lightning at Willie's Butte. Sally sat on the sidelines watching Lightning speed around the track before calling out to him.
"Hey Stickers!"
Lightning looked up at her and pulled over next to her. He rolled up to her and gave her a small kiss "When I woke up this morning you were gone. I was worried." He said nuzzling Sally's fender a little.
"Let's go for a drive." She said softly enjoying the comfort that Lightning brought her. Sally and Lightning drove off to 'their spot' just under the bridge by the waterfall. Sally and Lightning found it one day looking for the perfect place to watch the sunset one afternoon. This place stuck out because the water reflected all the pinks and oranges and made the sunsets even more beautiful. Sally and Lightning sat next to each other with their sides pressed together.
"Sally, I'm really…" Lightning started to say.
"Worried." Sally finished for him. "I know. I'm sorry. I just….well the best place to start is probably the beginning right?" Lightning just nodded at her. "I got a phone call yesterday from my child-hood friend, Kyleigh. She said that my father was coming into town. And I'm scared that he is going to try to hurt me again." Sally's eyes started to water.
"What do you mean again?" Lightning asked.
"When I was in L.A. I lost a big case that involved a friend of my fathers. My fathers friend went to jail for life and it made my father mad. So when I got home that night he rammed me against a wall really hard. He went out a little later and said when he got back he was going to finish what he had started. I decided I didn't want to take that kind of abuse anymore so I left L.A. without him knowing. And now he's found me. What if he tries to hurt me again? What if he tries to hurt you? I don't know what I'd do if he hurt you." Sally's tears began to pour out of her eyes. Lightning kissed her fender and gave her a reassuring nudge.
"There is no way I will sit and let him hurt you like that again I promise." Lightning kissed her lightly again "Sweetheart, I love you and I will always be there to protect you. Always."
"I love you." Sally said nuzzling against her boyfriend. The two sat there for a few minutes pressed together just listening to each other's motor run. "Lightning, promise me you'll never leave me." She said almost pleading with him.
"Whether you like it or not I will always be here for you. I promise." He said as the two fell into a content silence as they watched the sun fall and the stars rise.