Sorry this took me so long to write! Things have started to get super busy for me! But I wanted to get this up for you guys that way you can have something new to chew on. So I hope that you enjoy this chapter a much as I had writing it! :D


It had been several weeks since the day that Doc appeared to Smokey and life in Radiator Springs continued like normal. Everyone going about their normal routines as the crowds swarmed Radiator Springs.

Smokey had returned to Thomasville, under the excuse that he had to go make sure the other legends didn't tear down the place. Everyone of the Radiator Springs crew laughed at this and wished him safe travels.

Lightning was especially grateful to the old timer for taking time out of his day to help him and more importantly help Cruz on getting on their feet again. He was thankful that he ran into Smokey, no matter how hard it was to meet him without Doc by his side.

This feeling of loss was made worse by the fact that today was the day that they learned Doc had died. Lightning kept on playing the day over and over again in his mind.

He was shook from his thoughts however, when a hearty laugh came from everyone at a Joke Lightning only caught the tail end of. He smiled despite not knowing what they were all laughing about. It was the end of the day and so the crew were enjoying a well deserved rest.

"Hey Stickers," Sally wheeled over to him and nuzzled his side to get his attention, "Are you alright?"

"Y..Yeah I'm alright," Lightning's eyes locked with hers and he gave her the best smile he could muster at the moment.

"Are you sure, because you don't look alright to me."

"I just need some time to myself right now," Lightning backed up and began to drive away.

Excusing himself from the lively bunch, Lightning made his way through the main street of Radiator Springs. He stopped at the end of the road he paved all those years ago and smiled sadly as he glanced upon it.

Had Doc not thrown him into the cactus that day, it would have been an entirely different story. Lightning would have probably made it on time to the California race and he would have been just as cocky now as he was back then. If it wasn't for the efforts of Doc and the people he came to call his friends, he would have probably been a much different car.

Then McQueen found himself wandering the street that led up to the Wheel Well and soon found himself in Doc's old barn. It wasn't the same barn that he had first wheeled into all those years ago, when he found out Doc's true identity.

Lightning had spent much of his free time tidying up the place. And it happened even more so after his crash. But what he really wanted to see was the wall of memories that he had placed up on the wall shortly after Cruz's win at the Florida 500 a few months back.

A lot of them were of pictures of him and Cruz posing for the cameras after Cruz won the various races she had won. Others were of his last season as a racer and all the races he had won along side his friends. Smokey even loaned a few of the newspaper clippings Doc sent him to be put on the wall, thinking that Lightning would get more out of them than he did.

But then his eyes glanced over the picture of the night of HIS horrific crash. He remembered Storm passing him and how desperate he was to be back on top. He remembered how his tire blew and all the pain that followed. Though he couldn't remember much after that, he remembered very vividly how much his wreck mirrored the one that Doc had all those years before McQueen had met him.

McQueen had put it up next to Doc's as a reminder of not only what had happened, but the choice he made as a result. He smiled as he remembered the moment that he decided Cruz was the one who would bring him a victory.

"I can't believe your final race ended like that," Lightning shut his eyes hard, not wanting to believe what he just heard. He thought it was all just a figment of his imagination.

"No it can't be!" the thought passed through Lightning's mind.

"You can turn around, rookie. I'm really here," The voice called out to the racer.

Lightning slowly turned around and found that his mouth slowly opened with ever second that passed.

"Doc!" Lightning raced over to the older racer's side and gave the car's equivalent of a hug. Doc gave one back and the two sat in silence for what seemed like eternity before either of them broke the silence.

"B...B...But how are you..." Lightning found the words hard to say as he turned to face his mentor and friend once more.

"Here? I was allowed a few brief moments with the people that I loved when I was present here," Doc smiled at the flabbergasted look McQueen was giving him.

"But why?"

"I knew that I didn't give you much closure to when I died since it happened so suddenly. I wanted to be able to see how you were doing."

McQueen just smiled. He was grateful to see his mentor all over again and it seemed like he hadn't left. They chatted a bit about how the others were doing and how Radiator Springs had almost doubled in size since Doc's passing.

"So tell me about this wreck of yours," Doc suddenly changed the subject.

It was if Doc had read Lightning's mind.

"I don't...I don't really want to talk about it," Lightning turned around and started to make his way out of the barn and out into the night.

"If it was on your mind, Hot Shot, I'm pretty sure you need to talk about it to someone," Doc curiously followed him to the door, trying to push McQueen to tell him what had happened.

McQueen sighed and then turned around to face Doc, his mentor, once more.

"I let a young rookie get into my head," McQueen's face fell at the comment, "I should have known better than to let that happen, but with everyone basically calling for my retirement, it really seemed like I had no other option."

"But it looks like you're still in the game," Doc pointed his wheel over to pictures on the wall of McQueen and Cruz.

Lightning just smiled fondly at them as he looked over the many pictures of him in the crew chief stand instead of out on the track.

"It seems like you're enjoying yourself more as a crew chief," Doc looked at a picture of a very enthusiastic McQueen and Cruz holding the Piston Cup that had been named in Doc's honor. It was Cruz's first Piston Cup and it meant a lot to both Cruz and McQueen that she won it when she did.

McQueen just smiled at his mentor's comment and then he felt a thoughtful look come over his face.

"Doc, your friend Smokey," Lightning began, "He told me that in the letters your would send back to Thomasville, you wrote how much you enjoyed training me. And that it was the best choice you ever made. Was that true?"

They sat in silence for a couple of seconds as they both stared at the pictures on the wall once more.

"You betcha kiddo," Doc backed up to where he was fully facing McQueen once more and smiled one of the most generous smiles he had ever given his protege, "I enjoyed every minute of it. More than you will ever know."

McQueen felt his eyes tear up at those words.

"Now you make sure that you give her," Doc pointed to Cruz, "The best training you can ever give. Or else I will have to haunt you for the rest of your life."

McQueen laughed at this and felt the sadness go away. He then looked at the picture that was taken shortly after McQueen declared he was going to be Cruz's crew chief. The look on her face said it all. She was living her dream and nothing could ever take that away from her.

"I will Doc," McQueen wanted to ask Doc one last question but when he turned around he couldn't find him sitting there anymore.

McQueen finally felt a tear run down his face as he was filled with joy over seeing Doc Once more.

"I promise Doc that I will train her as well as you taught me. I won't let your legacy die out, you can count on that."

McQueen smiled one last time and then left to join the party again. Sally noticing first that he had come back with a silly grin plastered across his face.

"Is everything alright Stickers?"

"Yes Sally," McQueen gave her a kiss on the fender, "Everything is just fine."


Hope this didn't seem all over the place and I hope that you enjoyed this story a much as I had writing it! :D