Molly awoke to a beeping sound.

It was morning, she realized she was with Alvin in his hospital room. He was still sick, but she gently stroked and kissed his tail 'good morning' anyway as she normally did.

"Morning, pal," she said. "You ready to show us something today?"

"You mean the x-ray test? I'm ready," said Alvin.

"That's right, pal," she told him. "I'll get the x-ray and we'll get started."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come," Molly responded.

"Hi, Molly," Mirror responded. " . . . I've got the x-ray."

"I'm glad you remembered to do the x-ray test today," Molly replied.

She and Mirror put the x-ray in front of Alvin and turned it on. On the x-ray's screen, they could see that Alvin had accidentally swallowed the skate-fuel. His stomach muscles couldn't take it. Now, they could see what was wrong was Alvin and how to fix it. Alvin had swallowed the skate-fuel and they had to do an operation to get it out, then, Alvin wouldn't be sick anymore.

"Now, we know what's wrong with you, buddy," Molly said warmly to him through her tears. "You just need an operation . . . and then, you can race again, okay?"

"Yes, I understand," said Alvin, coughing.

"Alvin was able to talk without coughing," Molly explained, turning to Mirror. "But now, it looks like Alvin's condition is getting worse. The muscles can't seem to take the skate-fuel he swallowed."

"Then, I guess we better do it fast," Mirror said. "If we don't, Alvin might . . . he might . . . if we don't do it soon, he'll . . . I can't say it. Let's just say that Alvin will join Danielle in the sky. You know, so she won't be lonely up there. She'll have her kid up there with her and you won't be able to see him again down here. While Alvin will be able to see Danielle in the sky, you will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever get to see him again. If we don't do his operation, soon, he'll die."

"Die!" Molly responded scardly. "I can't let him die! He's my best buddy! I can't do this to Alvin. I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't! I've got to get this done! Please tell me that Bell is ready to help! I don't want Alvin to die! I want him fix right now! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please fix him! Fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, fix him, please fix Alvin!"

"Okay, okay, relax Molly. We will fix Alvin. Bell still needs to know how to handle all kinds of things she'll run into as a doctor. Tomorrow, she'll be here and we can take her to live in Radiator Springs with us. Don't worry, we will fix him. Bell just has to read about how to fix Alvin and then, she'll be here. And when she fixes Alvin, she can live with us in Radiator Springs, understand?"

"Very good, Mirror," Molly smiled. "I don't think I could be doing any better myself!"

"Thanks!" Mirror responded. "Also, we'll let her be my and Alvin's crew chief. She's got enough wisdom as Danielle even though she was never a champion race skater herself, so she'll be perfect. And also, she can sell what she sells in Danielle's clinic. All the while, she'll be skilled enough to be a doctor if anyone gets sick."

"Unfortunately only family is supposed to be permitted on this ward," Molly replied. "I convinced them we needed to make an exception in your case. So unless we can move him within the next couple of days, we might as well tell the team to get ready to go home. I'll meet again with the doctor here shortly, and I'll tell them more later, okay? Take care of the other details, would you?"

"I'll take care of them," Mirror assured. "You want any breakfast brought up here?"

"I suppose I'd better have some," Molly admitted with a sigh.

"Too sick," Alvin said weakly.

"It's okay, Alvin," Molly said to him warmly as she kissed him, " . . . Mirror and I will make sure nothing happens to you, understand?"

— — — — —

Molly continued her vigil at Alvin's side until Bell arrived. Bell gave Alvin an operation.

"How do you feel, Alvin?" she asked. "I had to open your stomach and get rid of the skate-fuel. As you can see, I'm a white chipmunk with a grey helmet, elbow pads, metal dress, knee pads and in-line skates. You may feel dizzy for awile, but, you'll be just fine. In no time at all, you and Mirror will be able to race again. Tonight, as a doctor, I recommand you rest up to recover from your dizziness. Tomorrow, you won't feel so dizzy anymore. Take your time to wake up and when you do, you'll be as fit as a fiddle. I'm very happy to meet you and would love to live in Radiator Springs. It sounds like a very nice town."

Alvin gave no response.

"That's right, Alvin," she said. "Rest up tomight and slowly wake up tomorrow."

Bell took his paw and gently stroked it as she settled in next to him, gently hugging

him. She allowed herself to finally relax, and let sleep overtake her for a while again, as she felt his still warm chassis continue to breathe regularly, as the monitor emitted a soft, steady, almost hypnotic beep . . .

— — — — —

" . . . Bell . . . " she heard a voice say.

" . . . Alvin, you're supposed to rest, now . . . " Bell said wisely in her sleep.

"Bell, I'm Brittany," the voice repeated.

"What? . . . Oh, Brittany," Bell said, now waking up. She took a breath as she realized where she was, and what was still all too real.

"I'm very happy to meet you," Bell said with growing manners as she looked over at his dormant form next to her. "My name is Bell . . ."

"Nice to meet you," Brittany said with empathy as she gave Bell a hug of support. "I want to take over."

"Of course, Brittany," Bell replied. "I need to know the rest of the gang, so I can live with you."

"Ok," said Brittany, suddenly trying to fight off her tears. "Gotta keep focused here. Do you have anything for me?"

"Nothing that can't wait for now," Bell replied. "But there's a firefly in a blue superhero outfit and in-line skates to match. Siddley flew her in . . . something they took care of. She just landed at the hospital here. I suggest you go out and see her for a while, maybe get a meal and some decent rest. I'll introduce myself to the rest of the gang and get a hotel lined up for both of you."

"No," Brittany replied. "I'm not leaving Alvin's side. Get Flora in here if you can. Tell the hospital she's our Godmother — which wouldn't be far from the truth. To me, leaving him right now would be tantamount to giving up, to conceding he's going to be like this for some time. I need to be here with him, helping him fight to regain consciousness . . . talking to him, touching him, stimulating him any way I can. This is something he and I have to keep doing together now. In marriage I vowed to be with him every step of the way if something like this came up. It has, Dana. I just can't leave him right now, no matter the cost to me. I hope you understand."

"I do Brittany," Bell said. "I'll see about getting Flora in here. Maybe take another nap for the moment here. I already fixed Alvin and he's just resting to recover from his dizziness. Maybe see if you can reconnect with him here."

"Thank you, Bell," Brittany said as Bell turned to leave.

"So how you doing, Stickers?" Brittany said turning to him and stroking his paw. "You ready to try some more to connect out here in the real world, outside of dreamland?"

She paused now, trying to fight off tears and despair, "I don't know how long I can keep this up, sweetheart . . . I need your help, Alvin. Please fight to return to me. Please . . ."

Brittany allowed herself to cry softly against his side.

She soon sensed someone was at the door and opened her eyes.

"Oh honey," Flora said, " . . . if now's not a good time, I can come back later."

"Flora," Brittany said tearfully, "for you, now's a very good time."

Flora came over and hugged Brittany supportively.

"Oh Flora," Brittany sobbed, " . . . I'm starting to lose it here. I've held it together for something going on a day and a half it must be now. But I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. Alvin was responding to Molly in the beginning. But now, he hasn't been. I can't quit on him, I can't stop working with him to try and bring him back. But I'm running on empty here."

"Well, hon, I have two things for you," Flora responded. "First, there's a full dinner tray waiting outside that Bell and I ordered for you. I'll be happy to bring that in. Second, I have a simple question for you. You know Alvin better than anyone else. I'm not going to ask you what would he want you to do . . . I'm asking what doeshe want you to do, right now?"

"Take care of myself," Brittany immediately realized. "Even allow him to take care of me the only way he can . . . through me right now. So that I can take care of him."

"Exactly," Flora responded. "This may be a marathon now, not a sprint. He's resting between efforts to fight his way back to us. You should, too. So here, I'll bring in your meal tray, you enjoy it right here beside him. Maybe the smells of good food and skate-fuel will do something for him, entice him to work a little bit harder to come back. Then, both of you are getting a good night's rest tonight, before Alvin can race again tomorrow, okay?"

"Thanks Flora," Brittany said gratefully as she leaned against him. "Both Alvin and I owe you another one here."

Soon Brittany found herself being revitalized with the good dinner Flora

had brought. She even found her sense of humor returning.

"Stickers, trust me," Brittany said to him. "You really shouldn't be missing out on this good stuff. Even for hospital food and skate-fuel, it tastes a lot better than that skate-fuel you swallowed."

Then she realized it was time for her to get some rest.

"Sweetheart, I have to go and get some rest now . . . for you, for both of us," Brittany said to him. "But I really don't want to leave you here, even for a moment, without your encouragement . . . maybe even your permission. Do I have that, Alvin? It would really be helpful to me here to be sure I was doing the right thing . . . for you."

Finally, Alvin took a single deep breath, the first he had taken in some time. Then he went back to steady breathing. Both Flora and Bell watched through the doorway.

Brittany was relieved, almost overjoyed. "Thank you so much, my love. That means so much to me. Let's both get some serious rest now, and we'll be back here tomorrow to work at this some more, okay? I love you . . . so very much, Stickers. Goodnight. Visit me in my dreams again? I'd love that so much. Rest well."

Brittany gave him a kiss on the tail as she left with Bell and Flora. Brittany allowed herself to lean against Flora for support.

Soon they were confronting some waiting press as they passed out of the hospital lobby.

"I'll take care of the press here," Bell offered.

"No," Brittany responded as she moved towards them. "I'll say something."

"Ladies and gentleskaters," Brittany addressed them. "I'm afraid I have no news at the moment. Alvin has been fixed by Bell, our newest member of the Radiator Springs Racing Team. She will take over the clinic of a good friend of ours who is now gone. I thank you all for your vigil here for us as well. As my friend, Flora, beside me observed, this is looking to be perhaps a marathon now, and not a sprint. So I'd suggest we all get some rest tonight. I will certainly be back here tomorrow, when Alvin can race again, and I will certainly keep in touch with all of you, one way or another. I just love my Alvin, my Stickers, though . . . and I can't wait to show him how much I do. Thank you."

— — — — —

Later, as they entered what would be her hotel room, Brittany commented, "This is nice. Thank you for arranging this, Bell." "Do you want me to stay here with you, or sleep next door?" Flora asked, as Bell opened the double doors into the next room. "Bell's arranged a two-room suite here, each with double mats."

"I don't know," Brittany shrugged. "You think I'll go crazy by myself?"

Flora smiled, "You always joke when you're in situations like this?"

"It's my standard defense, Flora," Brittany replied, " . . . the only way I keep from really losing it. I learned to do it when I had to cope on my own, a long time ago. But I don't know, Flora sighed after a pause. "You decide. You know me by now. I really can't think anymore tonight."

"Then you just get yourself into bed here," Flora encouraged.

"Thank you, Flora," Brittany started to sigh gratefully as she settled onto her plush mat while Flora tucked a quilt over her.

"Goodnight, Stickers," Brittany added quietly. "I'm still with you here, right beside you. Please visit me in my dreams tonight . . . I so want to see you . . ."

"I'm staying right here near you tonight," Flora said softly as she watched over Brittany.

"Manufacturer," Flora added as she got ready herself for bed, "please don't take this girl's companion from her. Not yet . . ."