A/N: Short yet important chapter!

Chapter Two: Forced Truth

Harley found her nightmares decreased greatly after her talk with Doc. She had one more nightmare the evening after the talk, but then three nights passed without a single issue. Harley began feeling like her joyful old self again, and the rest of the townsfolk couldn't hide their relief at the sight. The brunette began going back to her normal activities: bouncing around and helping the residents in their stores, joining Lightning and Doc with training, hanging out with Mater, skating around town, etc.

But even when Harley didn't get nightmares for the rest of the week, she found her mind kept wandering back to the fire. She wracked her brain and searched her memories, desperate to pick something out that could lead her to the cause of the fire. Did her mother accidentally leave something on the stove? Was a candle burning overnight? Did somebody set it on purpose? Harley could've sworn she remembered the sound of an explosion, but it didn't seem right. Why an explosion? Emergencies didn't happen much at Radiator Springs; in fact, they almost never happened, even with the influx of new visitors coming through. But for some reason, the idea of an explosion stayed on Harley's mind. In the end, she knew she'd never be able to fully remember everything. Her age aside, she was mostly asleep when the fire started and the only clear picture in her head was of Sheriff after he pulled her out of the burning building.

Sheriff…..

It was a bad idea. A very bad idea. A very bad, dishonest, sneaky, and overall just terrible idea. But Harley discovered she just couldn't wait anymore. So, going behind her father's back for the first time in her life, she snuck out of town while everyone was busy and skated down Route 66 to Sheriff's post. Surprisingly, she found him awake and alert despite it being late afternoon, when he would usually take a nap to try and be more awake that night.

"Hey there, Harley!" Sheriff greeted as the brunette approached.

"Hey Sheriff." Harley greeted. "Any hot rods out today?"

"Not today." Sheriff said. "In fact, the road's been mostly quiet."

"Must make your job easier." Harley noted.

"Yeah, but also a little borin'." Sheriff said.

"I guess so." Harley shrugged.

Sheriff could tell by Harley's body language she wasn't just out here for casual conversation. "Somethin' up, kiddo? It's not yer nightmares again, I hope."

"No, those have stopped for the most part." Harley said. "I just….I want them to stop completely. And I know that's not going to happen until I get answers."

Sheriff blinked, getting a sinking feeling in his gut. "So what? Ya gonna try ta get an answer out of Doc?"

"He said he was going to tell me on my fifteenth birthday." Harley explained. "But I just can't wait that long. You were there the night of the fire; heck, you saved my life that night. Surely you must know somethin' about what happened."

Sheriff stared at Harley for a moment before sighing heavily, confirming Harley's suspicions. "Look, Harley, this really isn't my place to say."

"Sure it is." Harley reasoned. "You're my family too, and you know better than anyone what happened because you were there first. Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to get me out of the house fast enough."

Dang she's smart. Sheriff thought. "That's true, Harley. But if Doc said he was gonna tell you—"

"I can't wait a few months." Harley insisted. "For all I know, I might end up forgetting about it and then Doc will 'forget' about it too." She moved closer to Sheriff and placed a hand on his hood. She stared at him with an almost begging look. "Please, Sheriff. I have to know."

Sheriff and Harley locked eyes, cerulean with crystal blue, and Sheriff finally sighed. "Sit down, darlin'. It's a bit of a long story, and I need you listening to me until the very end. All right?" Harley nodded, moving back to sit on a rock and be more at Sheriff's eye level. The Mercury stared at the ground for a moment, thinking about what he was about to say. "You know yer family's been livin' in Radiator Springs for generations."

"They were some of the first residents along with Stanley." Harley confirmed.

Sheriff nodded. "Well, when Radiator Springs was still on the map, yer mom was livin' in town with her parents. She was kind, smart, beautiful, and strong-willed. She accepted everyone in town as her family, and she treated the travelers with similar kindness. One day, yer dad came into town. He wasn't in a good place at the time; he had a petty theft criminal record and recently got out of jail. The two of them met and began spendin' more and more time together. Criminal record aside, yer dad was a pretty nice guy. He was helpful and kind, yer grandparents seemed to like him, and he made it known he was tryin' to start over. Still, it was clear he didn't exactly fit in 'round here. He didn't like that Radiator Springs was so secluded, I guess. But boy did he love yer mom, and soon they were married and had their own little home here in town." Sheriff's face fell. "Then….the town went under. Yer dad began talkin' to yer mom about leavin' Radiator Springs, but yer mom wouldn't hear of it. Like you, she was dedicated to stayin' here for the rest of her life. Yer dad didn't argue, but the fights came back up when you were born.

"Maybe he didn't like livin' in a town full of cars, especially after yer grandparents died. Maybe he was afraid for your future. Maybe he was just restless and not meant for small town life. Whatever the reason, yer dad began growin' angrier and angrier as the months passed. Time and time again, he tried to convince yer mom that they needed to leave. But yer mom was a persistent woman, and she absolutely refused. She thought you'd grow up just fine. Yer dad didn't think so." Sheriff paused, coming to the end of the story. He glanced at Harley, noticing the teenager was staring in shock and concern. He could practically see the gears turning in her head. Sheriff sighed. "Yer dad hated the town and didn't want anythin' to do with it anymore. But he couldn't just leave; he loved yer mom too much to leave her, or maybe that's just what he kept tellin' himself. I still don't know how, but he got his hands on some explosives and blew up his house in a murder-suicide attempt, wanting to destroy not just himself and the house but you and yer mom too. Yer mom threw you behind a couch, protectin' you from the blast, and I was able to pull you out." He sighed. "You know the rest from there. You were the only survivor."

Harley stared in shock, the news hitting her like a boulder to the chest. Her father? Her own flesh and blood? He was the one who destroyed her home and made her an orphan? "But…..why? I mean….how can someone be so out of it they decide to kill?"

Sheriff shook his hood. "I dunno, Harley darlin'. The mind is a mysterious thing. Once it goes screwy, anythin' can happen."

Harley's fists clenched, and she glared at the ground. "Did Doc know? Is this what he would've told me?"

Sheriff noticed her sudden change in body language, and he tensed up a bit. "Yes, he knew." Sheriff confirmed slowly. "Most everyone knew yer dad wasn't in a good place, but ultimately only Doc and I know he was the one who caused the fire."

The brunette was shaking with fury now. "You're telling me…..that for over ten years…Doc kept this a secret from me?"

"Harley—"

"He kept this a secret from me all this time, without ever considering how I would feel?"

"He did consider that—"

"But then decided to hide it from me."

"Harley, that's not—"

"But it's true, isn't it?" Harley jumped from the rock, glaring at the ground. "How could he? I thought the fire was an accident, that my parents had always loved me from the start. Now, I discover my father is a murderer, and Doc didn't think to mention that?!"

Sheriff was beginning to grow both angry and a little worried about Harley. "Now listen here, Harley. If Doc believe you could've handled the news at a younger age, he would've told ya by now."

"I have spent my entire life believing my dad was a great man." Harley growled. "And now I find out my adoptive dad never considered telling me otherwise? Doc's no better than my real father!"

"Now you wait right there, young lady." Sheriff snapped. "That's takin' it too far."

"Maybe not far enough." Harley snarled, turning and skating off.

Sheriff stared after her, sighing heavily. "Doc's gonna have my hood."

To Sheriff's surprise, Doc never found out he had spilled the beans. In fact, Harley didn't speak to Doc for another week. She never gave a reason why, but Doc guessed Harley was still plenty mad at him for making her wait for the truth. The rest of the residents were confused and concerned for the young teen, seeing how she seemed to act perfectly normal but then her entire demeanor would change when Doc came around. Doc had tried talking to her, but received the cold shoulder.

Meanwhile, the residents of Radiator Springs had another thing to worry about: Doc himself. The elderly Hornet was getting up there in mileage; he was at least seventy-five years old, give-or-take some years. Despite his best efforts, Doc's exhaustion was beginning to show. It seemed he became weaker and weaker as the days passed. He used to race Lightning around Willie's Butte for practice, but began to abandon it as he complained his axles felt they were about to fall off. Even Harley would stare worriedly or sympathetically at her surrogate father during these times.

Lightning couldn't help but notice how low Doc was slumping on his tires as they returned home from practice. "You all right, Doc?"

"Don't you start." Doc groaned, rising up a bit. "I'm fine."

Lightning bit his lower lip. Like any young man, he believed Doc was so legendary he was immortal. But reality hit him like crashing into a wall: Doc was definitely getting old. "You know…..maybe you should stay home for this next race."

"You kiddin'?" Doc scoffed. "I ain't missin' a race just because I'm tired."

"But Doc—"

"I don't abandon my team, kid." Doc said firmly. "I'm goin' to be there for ya. Besides, there's no way you'll be able to find another crew chief by the time of the race."

"Harley could do it." Lightning suggested.

Doc chuckled. "I guess she could. She's gettin' good at the job. But it's the Piston Cup, and your third one no less. I ain't missin' that."

Lightning sighed, realizing Doc wasn't backing down. "Fine. But just take it easy, okay? I'm callin' Mack and asking for a second trailer for you."

"Kid—"

"Hey, I need you conscious and awake for the race." Lightning said with a smirk. "So you can sleep in the trailer."

Doc laughed. "All right. Whatever you say." He took on a serious look. "But I don't want you worryin' about me, got it? I know when I need help. I am a doctor, after all."

Lightning couldn't argue with that. "All right. I trust you."