You have no idea how sorry I am for not updating this weekly as I promised, but I will say that the first week away from this story was on purpose as I had my last week of studies for the semester to focus on, and I'm really glad I took that week . After that I was supposed to get back into gear but I guess I just wasn't able to get back into gear as soon as I thought, that and I've been taking my time off from my studies too literal by playing video games nonstop everyday...

So I really hope I can make it up to you guys somehow, I'm thinking of either extending this chapter, or giving you guys three chapters in the span of a week, but we'll see how I go with this Chapter.

Also, I was meant to have written several chapters before seeing Cars 3 but oh well, I've seen the movie already and it was amazing. What I saw in the movie won't change what happens in this story.

Cars (C) Disney Pixar

Chapter 4 – Questions

It was only a week later that Lightning was finally able to leave the hospital, but due to his weakened state, he was out for the rest of the season so he could recover. When he heard the news, he was devastated, knowing that he would have to sit out a whole racing season and wait until the year after to race again. As much as he hated missing out on racing for the entirety of the season, he knew it was for the best, he even felt like he couldn't do over forty miles per hour, just the thought of it made him feel weak.

Lightning was thankful Mack was able to take him back to Radiator Springs, Mack knew that with what Lightning had been through, and the fact that he was out for the season made him feel more sympathetic to the racecar. It was all he could do, Mack did offer any other help if he needed it, knowing Lightning probably felt down about not being able to race for a while until he was fully recovered from his injuries.

Mater and Sally almost never left his side, knowing that he needed comfort while enduring his painful recovery. In the midst of all the pain, Lightning thought about his future career, where would it take him from this? He was out for the entire season, he hoped his sponsors did not think too badly for him not being able to race until next season, but at the same time, he felt like Rusty and Dusty understood.

However, the entire time he was left alone, his mind was drawn back to the day when Sally said they should get married. It was a very sudden subject to pick up on, he always thought that between the two of them they would get married someday but after this crash, it felt like it changed something in Sally that made her want to be married to him now.

It was not the idea of marriage that struck his mind, it was the fact that the timing of wanting to be married that seemed to steer Lightning into a curve of his life. Sure, he loved Sally, and she loved him. There was nothing wrong with them getting married, but the fact that Sally's thoughts had changed since the crash, it just didn't feel right.

He was going to be out of racing for at least another six months or even more before he could start training for his races again. Looking at the television as he saw himself on the news yet again regarding his life threatening crash, he turned off the television and slowly closed his eyes; a sting of pain stung his body as he tried to gently steer away from the counter. His doctor said he would still be in a fair amount of pain for at least a few weeks, but he wouldn't be able to reach his top speed until he was fully recovered in several months.

Lightning only hoped that several months didn't mean he'd be missing out on his next racing season too, he could imagine the press considering that Lightning McQueen was retiring from racing, but he had only been racing for a good five to six years. He wasn't letting down now, but he knew that in a few years time he will seem outdated compared to some of the new racers that will come in.

There was a lot on his mind, this sudden marriage proposal Sally brought up, his recovery possibly ruining the rest of his career, and what was he going to do while he was recovering? He didn't want to stay at home all day staring at a screen while everyone else around him was busy doing something with their lives, and as much as he appreciated his friends' company, he only wished he could do more with them.

Speeding down the back roads with Sally was what he was missing now that she was around him more often, and even not being able to practice racing around Willy's Butte. It made him think deeply about Doc and how his racing career ended with a crash, there was no way he was letting his career end the same way. He only wished Doc was right there next to him, he knew his mentor would never let him down.

So after days with almost nothing happening in his time spent at home, he drove out and headed towards Willy's Butte, but he knew there was no way no one would see him, and in the moment he heard a familiar voice call out his name, he stopped and turned around to one of his fellow friends.

"Lightning, where you going man?" Ramone asked, concern was seen within his eyes.

He breathed a sigh before he looked at Ramone with his murky blue eyes, seeming like his time spent at home was dull and boring. "I'm just taking a drive around town..."

Lightning didn't want to tell the full story, but he felt like everyone around here knew Lightning long enough that he'd never lie to them unless it was for something good. He gave one look at Ramone and could tell already that he didn't believe him, with a subtle eye motion towards where Willy's Butte was, Ramone breathed a sigh as he closed his eyes.

"You know you can't race when you're still recovering...look, I know it's tough now but just don't overexert yourself, you'll be able to race soon enough." He assured. "Now, how about a quick drink at Flo's, my treat?" He suggested with a warm smile.

With a glance back to Willy's Butte off in the far distance, Lightning sighed, knowing that going back to that track right now would be painful on him in more ways than one. Therefore, he followed his pal Ramone back towards Flo's where he parked himself amongst many other customers. Lightning looked around, just seeing things happen around him. Everyone looked happy and peaceful, like nothing had changed since the crash, as if it was only he and his friends who knew what great deal of pain Lightning was dealing with.

Everything seemed to race in his mind, he only wished he could be racing at this very moment. Then, his eyes steadily turned to see Ramone park up close to Flo who was in the midst of preparing more cans to serve. He sat there as he watched them interact.

"Hey, how's my fine lady doing today?" Ramone asked with a flirtatious look in his eyes before he winked at his wife.

Flo smirked before she lowered her eyelids on him. "Things are doing great, but even better now that the most smoking hot guy just showed up."

He watched a Ramone shared one last look at his wife before Flo drove off to serve her customers. "You flatter me babe." He said with a chuckle.

Lightning looked down in thought, Flo and Ramone seemed to be happy with their married life, in fact it was practically the same as his and Sally's relationship, only they were thinking of getting married. He wondered if getting married would even make a difference in their relationship, would it show to everyone how committed they were to each other? They were already really committed to each other, they had a strong relationship of several years now, but maybe it was the fact that it felt weird to say boyfriend and girlfriend because of their age?

Not wanting to think more deeply about it without some help, he called Ramone over, knowing that he would definitely be able to help him in this situation.

"What can I do for you man?" Ramone asked with a smile as he approached Lightning.

He stammered at first, not knowing what to start with as he had so many questions to ask, but he acted on his gut feeling and just let the words flow out of his mouth.

"What's married life like?"

Ramone raised an eyelid, caught off guard by this sudden question, but eased into it with a smile and a small chuckle. "It's the best, but I'll tell you something...it'd be no different if we weren't married I can tell you that." He explained with confidence, glancing over at Flo with dreamy eyes, watching her serve her customers.

"So, why did you get married?" Lightning asked, almost seeming stupid and clueless to ask such a question the moment he saw Ramone's reaction.

With a wide-eyed expression, Ramone cackled in laughter, almost pounding his tire into the ground beneath him. "Oh man, you make me laugh McQueen! It's because I love her, and I wanted to be as close to her as possible." He explained in a chirpy voice, but then settled down his emotions as he looked over at Flo with gratitude and pure love. "It may have taken a while for her to say yes, but waiting for her answer didn't stop me from loving her every single day. Then after we married, I just knew that this was definitely going to last a lifetime."

"Wow, you make it sound like an old tale or something, that's amazing...What you and Flo have, is something I feel like Sally and I should have someday." Lightning said with a sigh, looking down in thought with a dreamy smile.

Ramone raised an eyelid at the fellow racecar, confused after what he just said. "Wait, what's to say that you and Sally haven't achieved that already? You two seem close, pretty much the same as Flo and I. And I'll be honest with you man, Sally doesn't seem like the married type...Maybe you should talk to her about it." He insisted, before driving off, leaving Lightning to think about the rest of his questions on his own.

However, it was her that brought up the question, he thought. Did Sally truly seem like that kind of type to not get married? It confused him that she brought it up to him and now that he heard marriage wasn't really her thing, this seemed all too serious but yet strange for her to bring it up. It was definitely something they needed to have a long talk about.

Later that day, Lightning found Sally with her fellow staff cleaning out the cones, he felt like it would be bad for him to intrude on her work, but before he could decide whether to leave or not, Sally turned and saw him, and her expression changed in that exact moment.

"Stickers, there you are. I was wondering where you'd gone after you left home." She implied, smiling as she approached him.

Lightning couldn't help but smile when he knew she was thinking of him, and why wouldn't she? She cared about him just as much as he cared about her. "Hey Sal, I've just been out thinking a lot about what I'm going to be doing around here while I recover."

"Well you could come up with me to Wheel Well later to help clean out the rooms? I mean obviously we can't race up there but it'd be nice to take a slow drive up there with you." She said with a warm heartfelt smile.

The feeling of just being by her side the entire time made him smile, although not being able to speed and feel the gushing wind against his windshield, he knew that any time spent with her was definitely something that would never fail to make him smile.

"I'd like that."

In that moment, Lightning knew that the slow drive up to Wheel Well with her was a perfect opportunity to talk about marriage with her. There was a lot on his mind, and knowing that he can't go very fast he knew that he and Sally would have a long time alone to talk to each other as they would feel a steady breeze gently push against the front of their bodies.

It was only half an hour later that Sally found Lightning with Mater doing a prank on Luigi and Guido with all their tires being replaced by inflatable balloons. She smirked as she saw the two hide behind Luigi and Guido's tire shop snickering as they watched Guido scramble across the shop looking for the real tires while Luigi was hyperventilating and trying to keep the customers in check while they waited for some new tires.

Sally shook her hood and smirked in amusement, knowing how mischievous and dangerous those two were together, she secretly hoped that one day she could plan something with the whole town except those two on her side to plan the ultimate prank. She glanced over at Luigi who was assuring the customers that they would have their tires soon enough, and out the corner of her eye she saw all the tires stacked behind some trees off road.

"Luigi!" She called out, starting to feel sorry for Luigi and Guido being pranked by Lightning and Mater. "They hid your tires over there; want me to tell them to go fetch them?" She suggested, raising an eyelid as she saw Mater peek around the corner, snickering before he saw her and zoomed backwards in a panic.

The small Italian car sighed in relief when he saw where the tires were but scoffed the moment he saw a dangling tow cable hook behind the back of his shop. "Thank you, what would I do without you?" Luigi thanked with a smile, before his expression immediately changed. "Hey you two, get my tires back this instant!"

Mater and Lightning surrendered, looking down but still smiled at each other as they went to grab each and every tire to return it back to the shop.

After putting all the tires back, Lightning saw Sally watching from across the road at Flo's. A smirk very evident on her face as he knew the whole time she was the one who dobbed them in, he chuckled happily as he approached Sally, with the thoughts of the prank still in mind before Sally spoke.

"Ready for a nice slow drive?" She said, her eyes turning dreamily, almost making Lightning sigh at how beautiful she looked when she did that.

"Definitely."

And with that, they both headed out of Radiator Springs, cruising at a good thirty five miles per hour, not too much faster than how they drove around town. Lightning felt a slight ache along his axles, but it was bearable. So they continued to drive in silence, that was until Lightning brought up the topic of marriage.

I feel like I should end it there, I know there is still so much more I want to write but I'll write it in the next chapter, I don't want to write too much per chapter otherwise these chapters will take way too long for me to write...Anyways, I deeply apologise for not updating this sooner, but now I'm back and am hoping to update this weekly alongside my other story I started not long ago either.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will see you sometime next week for the next Chapter! :D