Disclaimer: I own all the OCs, so please don't take them! Other than that, enjoy!

CHAPTER EIGHT

Their fight the night before didn't seem to phase Brian from coming to Doc's race the next day. The South Carolina Racing Headquarters were packed for the first race of the season. It was qualifying day, Brian couldn't imagine the amount of cars that would be here on Saturday for the start of the 1954 Piston Cup season.

But as Brian drove up a small hill in the back of the headquarters that over looked the main track and campus, he began to wonder why he even came. He guessed it was that he still had some hope that maybe, just maybe Doc would change his mind about joining the team he did last night.

Last night's fight made him mad, the worst he's ever felt. Doc had said and done some things to him and his friends that he didn't think he'd ever do. That thought nagged at him all last night and before. But still, Brian hoped that Doc would soon realize his mistake in all of this. He hoped that Doc would beg for forgiveness.

And then there was that simple statement, the statement that made Brian break down and feel like nothing. Doc had told him directly that he joined another team. It wasn't just the fact that Doc broke up with Laura over someone else, or the fact that this was a fight that could be settled eventually, but Brian was pained and cut down when Doc ditched him and everyone else.

He left James and Mason without a job, Dave without someone to sponsor, and Brian... well, Brian without anyone to train. The green car had forced himself to believe that things could get better, and possibly leave Colton behind if he started to train Doc and become his crew chief.

Brian spat into the dirt beside him as he reached the top of the hill. He reversed and backed up into the tree line, into the shadows to avoid being seen. The mixture of pine trees and palms that South Carolina was so famous for helped him blend in better. Brian didn't just pick this place to blend in, he picked it because it was usually the place where he sat when he wanted to be alone and away from civilization. None of his friends ever thought to come here when they were looking for him, not even Doc.

He watched the cars down on the main track qualify. Soon, it'd be Doc's turn to move out onto the track. Brian was eager to see how Doc would race with his new crew chief and manager.

Brian growled softly, Laura came into his mind as he saw a lone red racer speeding down the backstretch of the main track. It was amazing how many life ruining events could happen within five minutes. Doc had broken up with that sweet, innocent girl last night. He shook those thoughts immediately, it was getting him worked up. Out of all the things he said to Doc, he knew they could be corrected, but what Doc did to Laura could never be forgiven.

Brian had given Laura his room, she was too weak from crying to move. No one knew what to tell her, because they were still busy questioning the events. Brian highly doubted that things would ever be the same after this. Life was going to change, he could feel it. There would be no apologizes, no promises, nothing at all.

But Brian stayed out in the living room that night. Staying up, hoping that Doc would come through the front door that night to come back home; to his room. But instead, he was forced to sit there and listen while Laura sobbed throughout the night. Sadie and Joanna had fallen asleep in Brian's room with Laura, exhausted themselves from yelling at Doc along with Dave and Brian during the party.

Then he saw it. Brian snapped from his thoughts as he saw a lone cobalt car drive out onto the track. Doc turned around to look at his crew by the guard rail before starting up his engine and taking off down the track for a warm up lap.

Brian drove out of the shadows of the tree line to get a better look. The day's sunlight shone brightly across his hood and black front fenders. He quickly pulled back into the shadows to avoid being seen, the sunlight was enough to create a glare. It could catch anyone's attention. It was a beautiful day, despite the current events. Brian doubted that anyone in the crowd knew about the fact that Doc signed over to a new team.

Doc finished his warm up lap, he was now being timed for qualifying.

As Brian watched Doc rip around the track, he sensed something was wrong. Doc was racing different, odd. He was off course and driving erratic. The blue racer was no longer fluent, he seemed to be stressed. Brian began to worry.

"Stupid, I can't believe that you're already listening to your new crew chief's advice. You just met him last night..." Brian mumbled to himself. He found it hard to believe that Doc was now getting rid of what ever he had taught him over the years.

But as he entered the second lap, on the first turn, Doc lost control and hit the outside guard rail hard. It didn't take too much before he was air born and flipping through the air. Brian watched in horror as Doc continued to roll and tumble farther down the track violently.

Through all the smoke, dirt and dust, the sound of crunching metal and gasps filled the campus. Time seemed to be frozen as everything stopped to watch what might be the possible death of The Fabulous Hudson Hornet. No one dared to move, afraid to take their eyes off the gruesome sight.

Brian's mind raced, scared and fearing for his friend's life.

For some reason, his mind didn't jump to Colton. This was here, this was now, it was reality, and his best friend was dying before him.

He tore down the hill he sat on as Doc finally came to a stop in the infield of the track.

No, please don't be dead, please don't, Brian thought.

Brian pushed and shoved his way through the crowd to get to the main track. Luckily for him, no one had wanted to witness what they just had. It made it easier to get to the track, everyone else was too stunned and still in shock to worry who the hell was trying to get to the railing.

Brian stopped and looked at Doc who sat smashed and beat up in the infield. The tired face on Doc and the looks of the place around him from all the disaster seemed to be enough for clouds to block out the sun. The air grew cold and dark as the clouds joined into one mass, almost as if in mourning for this unfortunate accident.

"Hudson!" Brian called to him, but there was no answer from the dazed racer.

Officials and medics were just now rushing onto the track to aid Doc. Brian slipped past security and rushed up to him.

"Hudson!" He yelled again as he approached the wreck. "Hudson, look at me!"

Again, there was no response from the almost unconscious car that sat before Brian. Doc's breathing started to become hollow and harsh as he fought to stay awake, the voice that called to him switched off too many memories at once. "Brian?" He asked weakly, a dull cough followed.

Brian drove closer to Doc as the racer tried to open his eyes. The smoke emitting off of him caused both of them to wince and fight to see. "Yes, it's me! I'm here for you Hudson, stay with me..."

The officials began to drag Brian away. "Sir, you can't be here!"

"The hell I can't!" Brian started as he struggled to get free of their grip. "I'm his trainer!"

"Not from what I've heard." One of the officials shot back. They pushed Brian out of the track and behind the guard rails into the crowd. The crowd around Brian looked at him with sorrow and confusion.

But as hard as Doc tried, and as hard as he tried to do what Brian asked of him, he couldn't give into that never suppressing urge to sleep. He closed his eyes as his panting and will to fight dwindled. He sighed once more. "Brian..." He whispered to himself, the cars working around him ignored him.

Brian tilted up high on his frame to see the track. The medics were towing him off towards a better place, soon enough to send him to the hospital. Most likely the one that they had taken Colton to years ago.

He threw himself backwards in disgust to look up at the owner's booth where Doc's new trainer and manager waited. They had done this to him, they had pushed Doc past his limits and caused all this.

Rain started to fall, it began to blend in with the track's dirt and it slowly began to cover up what was left of Doc's crash. The chilly air of February only made everything in life seem even more distant. The cars in the crowd began to drive away, still feeling the effects of what had happened before them. There would be no more qualifying.

Brian sat there, in the rain, as cars passed by him to leave the campus. He continued to watch the booth, and the movement within. He had never felt so angry, so wronged in his life. He shoved his way past the few remaining cars and towards the booth's ramp where he used to be, along with Dave and all his other friends.

The three cars inside this booth were thoroughly pissed from what Brian could see. They were too busy arguing to see the soaking wet green car enter the raised room that towered over the main track.

"Damn it, Leon! That's just perfect!" The first car yelled, backing up away from the large glass window. "We finally get The Fabulous Hudson Hornet as our racer, and he crashes!"

"Don't yell at me, Casey, you know damn well that I had no part in your training methods! You're the one who hired that car, Derek, to get him on our team! I'm just his manager!"

Brian sat back on his shocks, were they talking about the same Derek that he knew?

"Oh, shut it Leon! You have every involvement in this as I do! And now we're screwed! We have no racer, no money--"

"You have me, darling..." The third car purred as she drove from behind Casey to his side, nuzzling him.

Brian recognized that car from the night before, it was Doc's new love interest.

"Well," Brian said, finally cutting in. "If it isn't Slutty McSlut..." He had called her that the night before.

The three cars turned to Brian who sat in the darkened doorway to the booth's exit. "Who the hell are you?" Casey sneered.

"I believe the better question is who are you?"

Casey left the emerald green car's side and drove up to Brian to face him. "I'm Casey, Hudson's crew chief. Although, after what we just saw, why do I bother?"

Brian rolled back slightly. "You're just gonna dump him? Leave him?"

"He's worthless now, we have no use for him." Said Leon. "And all because of Casey over here," He said, glaring at the car next to him. "We have no racer for the whole damn season!"

"Shove it, Leon. You can find another racer, and you know that!"

"Hudson was finally working under our command, and you blew it!" Leon yelled, causing Casey to back up near the emerald green car.

Brian turning his attention back to the girl. "You," He started. "You set Hudson up! You got his attention and tore him away from Laura!"

She laughed playfully and started to drive up to Brian. "I did what I had to do..." She said.

"I can't believe that Slutty McSlut is the--"

"Hey," Casey said, driving up in front of Brian. "No one calls my girl that." The look on the car's face growing aggressive.

Now Brian was completely in state of shock. He turned to the emerald car. "But, you're supposed to be Hudson's girlfriend--"

"Wrong, who ever you are. I'm Casey's girl, I've always been..."

Now Brian understood. She had Doc believe that she was his new girlfriend, but instead turned out to be cheating on him with his current crew chief, Casey. He sighed in disgust. "So, this was all one big set up?"

Leon laughed. "Yes, bravo, you're smarter than you look..."

Brian glared at Leon and approached him at a steady, determined pace. Before Leon had time to react, the green car shoved him into the wall and pinned him there. "Hey! Stop that!" Leon yelled, trying to get free of his current situation. The feeling that his chassis might buckle under the pressure was apparent, and he started to panic.

As Casey and his girlfriend sat back to stay out of the fray, Brian pressed harder. "Because of you, someone might die! Because of your greed, my best friend's life is on the line! Do you have any idea what you've done?! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused, not just with him?! You and your pissant crew chief have disrupted not only Hudson's life, but everyone else's! You stupid, worthless piece of junk that I've ever seen! You're gonna regret even thinking about doing such a thing! You're gonna regret ever becoming his manager, you're gonna regret hiring your lowly crew of yours! You're gonna regret living!"

Leon whimpered, "Okay, okay I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Brian shoved him up against the wall harder, the wall of the booth began to crack. "Talk about what?! There's nothing to talk about! The only thing you should be doing is begging my friends' forgiveness! This pain you're feeling now is nothing compared to what is capable! And on top of that, I'll make you feel so bad that you'll wish I killed you sooner!"

Leon feared for his life. "Derek!" He cried out.

Brian backed up slightly upon hearing that name. It had been mentioned before, but he had forgotten about it until now. "What about him?"

Leon gasped for air. "Derek! It was his idea!"

"Idea for what?"

"He called us about his plan! He told us of a way to get The Fabulous Hudson Hornet as our racer!"

Leon choked on his breath, Brian decided that this probably wasn't the time or place to accidentally kill someone. He backed up away from Leon just enough for him to feel like confessing some more. "What else?"

"Derek had it all planned out. He found a way for me to be his manager, a way for Casey to be his crew chief."

"Were you there at the party?" Brian asked in a more threatening tone.

"No, but Jill was." Leon said, gesturing to the emerald car.

Brian scoffed and turned his attention back to Leon. "I know she was, moron! She's the one that screwed things up!"

Leon whimpered again at Brian's voice. "Please, if you're gonna yell at someone, yell at Derek. This was all his idea..."

Casey drove closer to Brian, but quickly backed up as the green car lashed around. "Sorry," He said, returning back to Jill. "I just wanted to let you know that Derek left. He left the state after he was satisfied that Hudson was ours."

Brian felt horrible, but he wasn't about to cry. He had driven Derek to the point of total revenge, if not already adding to what he had in store for him. Derek was long gone, most likely driving back to Tennessee right now.

Brian backed up away from the three and against the wall. "I know for a fact that you're all useless. You'd stoop this low to have Hudson as your racer, it's pathetic. I never wanna see you three in this town again. In fact," He said, looking at Casey. "Quit your job as a crew chief, because I never wanna see your name in a racing guide." He looked at Leon. "Take your business elsewhere, the Piston Cup doesn't need a sponsor such as yourself."

Finally, Brian drove up to Jill who was terrified. "As for you," He started, staring at her with cold, cruel eyes. "I can't wait for you to find out what true love is. I can't wait for the day that you're finally happy, and ready to settle down. Because I'll make sure that you feel just as much pain as Laura does. I want you to know what it's like to live without the one you love. I'll be there that day, remember that."

Brian drove towards the door. Right before he exited, he turned back to look at the silenced three. "Don't think for one second that I won't hunt you down if I hear from you ever again. Because I've got a bar full of cars that hate life, and wouldn't mind watching me tear each of you apart. You three took a life, and twisted it. You took many lives, tore them screwed them up. You not only did that, but you put Hudson's life in danger, in harms way. And I didn't say that racing was safe, I'm saying that you don't care whether or not he's dead right now or not. If Hudson dies, I'm coming for you..."

Brian slammed the door to the booth behind him shut. It rattled the walls and shook the roof. The three swore they could see the glass on the window ready to break. The slam of the door caused multiple racing pictures on the wall to come crashing down.

Casey, Leon and Jill looked at each other, not sure what to say. The sound of the rain on the roof being the only thing from keeping it deathly silent.

Driving back to Dave's house in the pouring rain, Brian realized that he'd have to break the horrible news of Doc's crash to them. The thought that their fight last night could have been worked out some time bit at him, but death now stood as the only obstacle from having what they used to have. In his mind, Brian's thought for reconciliation would never come. He was right.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Brian slammed his tire against the wall of his cone violently. Remembering that day hurt too much. Of all the things to think of, he just had to remember that particular day.

"Damn these dreams..." He mumbled as he tried to collect himself.

He looked at the clock next to him. It was almost eleven o'clock, and he was just now waking up.

There was a knock on his door. "Brian? Are you okay?" It was Dave.

He sighed and opened the garage door. "I'm fine..." He told him. Dave began to back up as Brian drove down the ramp.

"I was just making sure." He said before driving back to the cafe.

Brian sat there a minute longer, looking around the town. They appeared to be busy, and the ones that weren't were deep in conversation at Flo's.

But then he looked towards Doc's clinic. The old car was driving out from behind back where his garage was. He was carrying a box, and soon he was pushing it inside his office.

Brian found it amazing that Doc never came back for any of the stuff that was in his room at Dave's house. He guessed he decided to leave it behind for them; maybe sell it off, maybe keep it for old memories.

Doc, at the current time, had all three of his Piston Cup trophies sitting proudly in the front office to the South Carolina Racing Headquarters. All three of them, sat in the window, for anyone on the campus to see that The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was trained here, right in that very town.

A week later, Brian went back to the campus to resign for the second time when he noticed that they were gone. He figured that Doc had asked someone to retrieve them for him.

He sighed and started to drive towards the clinic. Doc was about to go back into his garage when Brian caught him.

"Hey."

Doc turned around to face him. He smiled, "Morning, Brian."

"Can I ask you something?" Brian asked, doubt in his voice.

Doc looked at him carefully. It was rare that this particular car wanted help from anyone. "Yeah, sure."

Brian looked at the ground, then back into Doc's eyes. "What do you remember about your crash?"

Doc wasn't really prepared to answer that kind of question. After all these years of trying to forget about those days, he didn't know what to tell Brian. "Well, not much. I mean, it's been a while since..."

Brian leaned forward. "Do you remember anything that happened? Anything on that day?"

Doc sat there, trying to think more on it. He had tried for the final time. "No, I can't remember anything."

Brian sighed sadly, that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. "You don't remember a voice? Someone talking to you?"

Then it hit him, Doc's eyes lit up in shock as he saw a green blur on the track. The blur remained that way, then everything went black.

"Brian--"

Before Doc could finish, the car started to drive away from him. Brian sunk on his shocks as he headed towards Flo's. This really was screwed up. If only Doc had remembered that he was there, and that he still cared about him even though they fought, things would have turned out differently.

If Doc had remembered Brian being there that day in 1954, maybe they still could have been best friends all these years.

Doc sat there, still and hopeless. He realized it now, he understood everything. Brian didn't mean all the things he said to him at the party, and he had come to see him race. "Brian!"

The green car turned back slowly, "I never hated you, Hudson. I'm sorry that you thought I did all these years..."

Brian continued on his way towards the cafe, leaving Doc to his thoughts. It wasn't all Brian's fault, he wanted to let him know that.

But right now, he thought, isn't the best time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was late that night in the cafe.

Doc was driving up to it to join everyone when he stopped and surveyed the surroundings. The only open spot at Flo's was next to Laura. He found it odd, and curiously turned his attention to the others.

He looked at Lightning, who held a subtle smile on his face. Next to him, was Brian who wore a scowl. He didn't seem to be pleased with what ever it is that was going on. Doc looked at Lightning once more, the red car winked and nodded towards Laura.

Doc gazed Laura's direction. This time, she noticed him sitting there, and cast him a small smile. The only thing he did was smile back before pulling up beside her and park.

Lightning had apparently set this up for him. As he looked at Brian and the kid across from him, he could see the stock car nudging an aggravated classic.

Doc would have laughed at Brian's expression and reaction to Lightning annoying him, but he was too nervous there with Laura. The only thing he felt like he could do was look at her and smile.

She smiled back, brighter. Laura gave him the smile that he missed, his favorite. That one smile he hadn't seen for a long time. The smile brought him home, to the times almost lost. The longer Doc looked her way, through the corner of his vision, the longer Laura held the smile that made him melt. He missed everything about her, and she'd never be his again.

Laura had given him that smile on purpose. Not to hurt him, but to show that she hadn't forgotten all that she knew about him.

She looked away from him, and back to what ever conversation was going around the cafe.

Doc sighed softly, "I love you." He whispered gently.

Laura shot him a side glance, "You say something?" She asked.

Doc panicked, he hoped she didn't hear him. "Huh? I didn't say anything, must be the wind..." He tried to cover up what he had blurted out. Luckily for him, Laura dropped it.

"Yeah, must be the wind." She resumed looking around the cafe.

Doc sighed in relief. He looked back across the cafe in front of him to Lightning and Brian. Lightning was trying to hold back a smile as Brian rolled his eyes.

Throughout others' conversations, Dave's voice began to over power theirs. Soon, everyone was listening to what Dave had to say. They could listen to him all day long because of his suavity. Everyone seemed to be listening to him ramble on, all except for Laura and Doc; they were in a world all to their own.

Across the cafe, Brian leaned closer to possibly hear Doc and Laura's conversation. But he couldn't, not with loud-mouth next to him. He glared at Dave, there was no way he could tell him to shut up without being rude.

He sighed and settled down, keeping a close eye on the two in front of him. Maybe he could try reading their lips as they talked.

"Ow."

Brian looked at Lightning to his right. "What you do?"

"I bit my tongue..." He said, correcting his frame where he sat.

"Well don't do that."

"You can't honestly tell me that you've never bitten your tongue before, Brian..."

"I bite my tongue when I'm having a hard time keeping my insults to myself."

Lightning reflected on a conversation he had with Brian earlier. "Bite harder, because it's not effective yet."

Brian glared at Lightning, trying hard not respond to his retort.

The stock car laughed slightly. "You biting your tongue?" He asked.

Brian breathed in deep and nodded before taking his gaze off of his current annoyance. He looked back at Laura and Doc.

Although Laura wasn't acting like it, Doc could swear that she still cared about his presence. He decided to speak up.

"So," He asked, clearing his throat. "I heard you were married. How's that working out?"

Laura was hoping she could avoid this conversation until another time. But with Brian hawking them down all the time, she figured this was her only chance to say something. "It's going great, we're going to Cancun next month."

"Is he rich?" Doc asked plainly.

Laura gave Doc a questionable look, this conversation could be fun. "Not as rich as you think, but Jim makes good money..." She replied.

Doc perked up a bit, "I thought your husband's name was John?"

Laura's eyes widened in shock, had she screwed up? Right then and there she thought that the lie she was told to keep was ruined. She didn't want to divulge the truth at the current moment. Laura quickly improvised. "Oh! Sometimes we use his middle name... cars get confused at times..."

Doc sat there, thinking about that statement. "Your husband's name is John Jim?"

Laura avoided eye contact with Doc, this wasn't going good at all. "Hudson?"

"Yeah?"

She sighed. "We need to talk..."