Where have all the Cars readers gone? :( Well, thank you to those who did review, it was great to hear your opinions. Sorry for the wait on this one, I have been SUPER busy this past week. Oh, and if Mere is reading this, I can't reply to your PM because you have the PM option disabled. Maybe you have a reason but just thought I would let you know that's why I haven't answered. OK, here's the next chapter :)


Chapter Three – In This Town

(Sally's POV)

I sit in the Cozy Cone lobby, trying to make myself busy. I look out the window on my right and study cone number two for a minute. It is already going on to noon and I haven't seen Levina step out into the daylight yet. She must still be sleeping, and being that she's a teenager I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I wish I could feel as carefree as her, but from the second I'm awake my mind doesn't stop running and I have no choice but to get up unless I want to spend all morning dwelling on things I can't change.

My eyes drift over to the first cone- Lightning's cone. Although it is entirely vacant, it will always be his in my imagination. I turn away from the window and focus on the manila folder on the desk in front of me. I carefully open the flap and start to sift through the sheets of paper detailing all the motel's transactions. There is empty month after month, which I set aside to be shredded. Then comes the first sheet with the name 'Stickers' scribed alongside 'Cone 1'. Shortly after this, the sheets become filled with numerous names, none of which I recognize except his.

I keep flipping the pages, my index finger following his name down each page again and again until I reach the 28th of March, seventeen years ago. Cone one is listed as vacant and I know that no matter how far I search into the remaining papers, I won't find his name.

I close the folder up and shred the empty sheets. I know I should continue going through the folder to get rid of more, but I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. It is a petty reminder of the past, but I don't want to let it go just yet.

I look up to the framed photo on my desk and smile gently. I reach for it and bring it closer so I can have a better view. It was taken at Flo's Café, and by the way our bodies are angled you can tell we had just kissed. Lightning's arm is snug around my waist and my left arm is perched comfortably against his chest. We're both smiling and our cheeks are tinted with a hint of embarrassment. It's the perfect picture of a budding romance.

Just then, I hear a throat clear and I jerk my head up, blushing profusely. I flip the frame so the photo is face down on the oak surface.

What I see in the doorway is a young male, probably in his early twenties, leaning nonchalantly in the entrance. As soon as my eyes are on him he suddenly becomes nervous and runs a hand through his short black hair. He's a lanky guy, but I can see some muscle tone in his arms that is emphasized by his tight vintage t-shirt. There is some name scrawled across it in blue but I can't make out what it says.

"Excuse me," he begins in a slightly gravelly voice, "I see you have vacancy here, and I'm looking to rent a room for a few nights."

My back completely straightens and I pull myself properly into the desk. I never lose my enthusiasm for customers, even the unexpected ones.

"Of course," I smile politely, "How does cone number three sound?"

He seems to relax and he moves up to the desk. "That works for me."

I scramble around for one of my sheets where I can take down information before entering it into the computer later on.

I fill out all that I can while he waits patiently, gazing at all the cone memorabilia.

"Do you know how long you'll be in town?" I ask.

"No, not yet. Could you bill me when I check out?"

"Sure," I reply and note down his request. I'm only missing one piece of information now. "May I ask what your name is?"

"Damian Anderson," he tells me, and I can't help thinking that he looks very suited to such a name.

I take his signature and double-check that everything has been compiled correctly. While I'm doing this, I notice Damian is still hovering quietly in the lobby.

"Do you know where I could find Lightning McQueen's headquarters?" he finally asks in an eager, childish way.

I rest my pen and draw a breath before explaining slowly, "I'm afraid the headquarters was never constructed."

He blinks in disbelief. "But this is his hometown, isn't it?"

I feel like I'm prying candy from a baby, and I don't know whether the baby his him or me. "Well, he lived here for some time, but unfortunately we were unable to begin work on it before…" I swallow, unable to get the word out.

"His accident," Damian finishes for me and nods his head sadly.

"Yes…" I trail, completely lost for anything else to say.

"I was a really big fan of his," he says shyly, "This is the first chance I've had to travel here. I was hoping to see more of him."

I bob my head in understanding and observe him as he awkwardly stands there, unsure of what to do with himself now. I admire the dedication he had to actually drive all the way out here and that after all these years he still holds fond memories of Lightning. I have to do something to make his trip worthwhile.

"I could show you to his gravestone," I offer suddenly.

His attention shoots back to me. "He's buried here?"

"Yeah. It wasn't easy, but we made sure he was kept here. It's out by the butte; I could show you if you like."

"I would appreciate that," he accepts graciously and steps aside so I can lead the way.

It is a long walk out to Willy's Butte, but in the course of our walk I learn a few things about Damian. He's from Motor City, just a few hours away, he lives on his own in an apartment there and he works part-time at a local repair shop.

I'm about to ask him more casual questions when I am interrupted by a rumbling noise. I stop dead in my tracks, listening as the roaring sound reverberates through the atmosphere. My stomach tightens and I feel my skin start to turn hot.

I lock eyes with Damian quickly and tensely say, "If you'll excuse me for a minute…"

Then I storm past him towards the sound, which grows louder with every step. It's the sound of a racecar. And there's only one racecar in this town.


Looks like you were right lizzie ;) And I have a new poll out if anyone is would like to check that out. Thanks for reading and please review if you are interested in more :)