Author's Note: Yeah, I know it's been a long time since I last updated. Not since last October or something - a couple of months. Simple reason - I was doing NaNoWriMo in November, while working at the same time, and since then I've struggled to write much at all, which is quite normal for me. To make up for the lateness, I'm giving you a three-chapter update.
Disclaimer: Still don't own Cars. Skye Armstrong, Jason Brooke are mine, however. Ask me before you borrow - I don't bite!!
Holding On
Chapter 4
"They'll be relieved to know you've been found, Doc." Jason sat beside his friend in the shade created by the low ridge.
The sun was setting for another day, and the light rapidly fading from the sky. It wouldn't be long before night fell.
Doc said nothing. He'd been very quiet since Skye headed back to the town to get Mack. They didn't know she was too late, and was on her way back alone.
Jason knew Doc was in pain. He could see it quite clearly after all his years in the medical profession. In the silence he became aware of an engine in the distance. He went to the edge of the ridge and looked around. There was a dark shape on the horizon, but only one. He decided it wasn't Skye; she probably wouldn't return until the morning now. He turned when a ringing sound disturbed the evening. Doc jumped and winced. He'd completely forgotten about his phone. He switched it to its speaker function so Jason could hear as well.
"Hello?" He croaked.
"Doc! Are you OK? It's Sally. I've sorted out transport for getting you back here."
"What happened to Mack?" Jason asked.
"He's taken Lightning to the track … didn't Skye tell you?"
"We haven't seen her since she left to get Mack." Jason replied, glancing at Doc. He could see Doc was worried about his daughter, as well as suffering from infection and pain.
"Oh … well I phoned my dad. He said he'll be back as soon as possible, and send Matt out there for you."
"Right, thank you, Sally."
"I'll see you soon, hopefully."
"Hopefully." Doc whispered, cutting off the call.
Skye shivered as the rain beat down upon her. She lost the road in the darkness, and knew she wasn't anywhere near it now. She wondered what was happening with her father, and whether he was back in Radiator Springs yet. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and she got a good look at where she was. Hang on, that looks familiar! The strange rock formation appeared through the gloom. Skye laughed with relief and turned around. How on earth did I end up out here? It's in completely the wrong direction!
She arrived back in Radiator Springs to a frantic Sally. She stopped and watched the Porsche pacing back and forth outside the surgery beside a light blue trailer.
"Sally!" She ran forwards.
Sally turned when she heard someone calling her name. "Skye! What happened to you? Jason and Doc were so worried when you didn't turn up."
"I got lost." Skye shouted above a rumble of thunder. "Where's dad?"
"Jason's in there with him …" Sally's voice trailed off as she glanced at the closed doors.
The two cars sat beside each other for the rest of the night, under the shelter of Flo's café. The other residents were yet to find out Doc had returned to them, though he wasn't in the best of conditions. Sally knew they would have to be told, and she had promised Lightning she would let him know too.
The storm gradually eased, finally stopping in the early hours of the morning, just as grey light was beginning to show in the east. Sally glanced at Skye as the patter of rain slowed and stopped; somehow the silver car had managed to fall asleep while the storm raged, and looked quite peaceful. Sally had spent the night watching the lights in the surgery. They'd been lit all night, and the occasional shadow of a car passed the curtained windows, but so far Jason had not ventured outside to fill them in.
Jason checked on Doc's vitals before heading outside for some fresh air. It had been a long night, and the Hornet was sleeping now. Everything seemed to be steady, as good a sign as he could hope for.
Outside it was just beginning to get light. He stopped in the parking lot at the side of the surgery, staring at nothing in particular.
"How is he?" A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
He turned to face the light blue Porsche that was watching him.
"How is he?" She repeated.
"The next few days will tell." Jason sighted. "Shouldn't you be with your son?"
"He's staying with my parents tonight." Sally replied. "I suppose I should tell Skye."
"She's back?"
"She is. She told me about it earlier. Apparently she got completely lost when it started raining, and found herself at the Butte."
Jason chuckled lightly. "Where is she now?"
"Over there … sleeping."
He followed her gaze, spotting the pale shape at the café. "I think we'll leave her to sleep for now. We can let her in when she wakes up." He looked back at Sally. "You can come in, if you want."
Sally hesitated, but followed Jason back into the building, longing to know what was happening in there.
The room was warm compared to the early morning air outside. Doc was on the lift, though only just high enough for his weight to be taken off his tyres. He coughed as Sally and Jason entered, their tyres squeaking on the smooth floor.
"I thought you'd gone." Doc turned towards the noise, keeping his eyes closed.
"No. I just went to get some fresh air and bumped into Sally.
"What about Skye?"
"She's sleeping." Sally told him. "I didn't want to disturb her.
"How has she been without me?" Doc sounded like he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.
"Um … quiet." Sally muttered. What else could she say?
"I have to see her."
"Take it easy, Doc.. I'm sure she'll come by later." Jason said softly.
Sally nodded, but with his eyes closed, Doc didn't see it.
"Please, I need to speak to her."
"I'll tell her." Sally replied. "I'll go and tell her now."
Jason gave her a look that said 'don't wake her up' as she turned. Sally nodded, showing she had seen and understood what he couldn't say in front of Doc.
Lightning stared out of the trailer window, wondering what was going on back in Radiator Springs. The night had been quite stormy, and he'd slept little because of it. Mack insisted he was fine out in the weather when Lightning had tried to persuade him to stop. Even so, there were still several hours before they reached the track. He decided it was the most ideal time to get some sleep, not that he felt particularly tired.
Despite the early hour, the trailer phone began to ring.
"Hello?"
"Stickers … news … found Doc." The line crackled and fuzzed so much that only a few of the words reached him.
"What? Sally, is that you?" There was only one car who called Lightning 'Stickers'.
The line just crackled in response.
"I can't hear you, there's too much static."
"Skye … Doc … Jason."
"I'll have to phone you back later. Say hello to everyone for me."
"Bye."
Lightning though Sally sounded disappointed as the line went dead. Was she trying to tell him they'd found Doc?
"Hey, kid, are you OK?"
"Can you stop the first chance we get? I need to phone Sally."
"Sure, boss." Mack sounded puzzled, but he wasn't going to ask, and Lightning chose not to say anything else on the subject.
Sally frowned at the phone as she put it down. There was so much static on the line she had barely heard what Lightning was saying, though she thought she got the gist of it.
"No luck, honey?" Flo appeared in the reception of the Cozy Cone.
"Too much static." Sally sighed.
"Well, your dad's about to head out to meet Lightning for the race. Why don't you ask him to pass a message on?"
Sally's face lit up. "Of course! Thank you, Flo!" She shot out the door before Flo could reply, eager to catch Strip before he left.
Author's Note: Once again, apologies for the delay. Juggling work and writing isn't easy, particularly when bits of my work are making me stressed (again, grrr). I'm hoping things will ease up over the next month or so, which should also make writing a good deal easier.
As I said at the top, this is going to be a three-chapter update. The next two chapters are coming up shortly.
As always, many thanks to LightningAndDoc for reviewing.