Whoo! Thanks for your reviews guys, very happy you enjoyed the last chapter :D Guest: Thanks for reading it! And no guarantees on the partner, but the dream idea might pop up ;) BeautifullyEnchanted: That's OK, he's only a fictional character, you don't have to like him :P Chloe: No prob, I know you're busy. Whenever you get the chance :) SweetP: Cooking indeed ;D Thank you, especially for pointing out that little thing about my word usage :) You totally get what I meant! OK, I won't keep you guys waiting any longer! Read on!

Chapter Twelve – Questions

(Sally's POV)

The world is in shades of grey, except for the dark red Corvette parked neatly beside cone number one. It is an older model, proclaiming itself in class and beauty. I walk towards it, but I don't feel my feet touching the ground. All I see is the car, all I feel is the grin on my lips. I pop the passenger door open and slid inside. I wait silently, completely shut out from everything else.

Seconds later, Lightning positions himself comfortably behind the wheel. The seat molds perfectly to his body, embracing his form. His eyes move to me in pure shock, then bounce with excitement. "Hey there," he says, smiling pleasantly.

I don't need to hear him ask, I simply tell him, "I'm coming along this time."

The smile stretches and he leans closer to me. "You want to see a live Lightning McQueen race? What made you change your mind?"

I shrug playfully. "I want to see all the hubbub is about?"

He laughs lightly, but even so, I can tell it's genuine. "Oh, really?"

I bat my eyelashes and inch closer. "Maybe I just want to see how you drive a car with stickers instead of headlights."

An eyebrow rises before he rolls his eyes. Then, he kisses me sweetly on the lips, and quickly on the tip of my nose. He pulls away and stares into the depths of irises. "It means a lot, Sally," he tells me quietly and swivels around to start the car.

I rest in my seat and gingerly close my eyes. That's why I'm doing it. I'm scared to be there, but I resolved that I love him and I know this is one of the best ways I can show him. My thoughts start to drift away until I feel the car jerk suddenly. It jerks again, this time to the left. I flash my eyelids open and all around the car is blackness, not a single thing is visible outside the windows. The vehicle shudders, back and forth. I lash my head around and look at Lightning. His fingers are giving the steering wheel a death grip, but his face is completely relaxed and his eyes are shut.

I reach for him, attempting to feel the fabric of his shirt or the warmth of his skin. I can't feel anything; I can only see him sitting there motionless. I look to the windshield; it's so dark, as if we're passing through the belly of a thunderstorm. I try to scream, but the air suffocates my lungs and strangles my throat. I can't make a single sound. The car is still shaking, we're going to hit something and die. I turn to Lightning again, and in horror I realize that he is gone. I grip the console between the seats and the tremor of the car vibrates my body with it. I clench my eyes closed, waiting for the sudden impact or the asphyxiation of fear, whichever comes first.

But nothing happens. I'm still here, my movements being controlled by the jolts of the car. I'm flung back into my seat and all I can think is, why am I not dead? He's dead, why aren't I?

I roll over, and through the darkness comes a faint glow of red light. I open my eyes and I'm lying on my side, safely in my bedroom. The pulse of my heart immediately settles and I sit up on the mattress. It was a dream, only a horrible dream I'd been consumed in. It isn't the first dream I've had where Lightning dies before my very eyes. They're all different in some way or another, but two things always remain; the prominent shaking feeling and me, left alone, waiting to join Lightning's fate. I know where the shaking sensation comes from. It is identical from the trembling I felt so many years ago in the back of the ambulance while Lightning was rushed to the hospital. Yet, I'm always left with that haunting question- why am I still here?

Suddenly, I remember what had disturbed me from my nightmare. I get to my feet and shuffle over to the window. Far down the street, I see a couple of red flashes; taillights of a car. Then they slowly dwindle into the dark until they disappear. I can hear the blood rushing in my ears as my stomach throbs with realization. I couldn't make out the model of the car, but I have a good idea who's in it. What scares me most though, is not knowing where it is going.

I don't know what time it is. I stopped using clocks on a regular basis some time ago, because there is all the time in the world when it comes to Radiator Springs. All I know is that it is very early, the break of dawn, when Flo gathers us in her café. We've tossed out all the expected questions: Who was the last one to see Levina? Where was the last place she went? Was she with Damian? Of course, she is. Ramone has already gone and checked the garage and discovered Damian's vehicle to be missing.

But the racecar is still there, I think, crammed into a curved booth with Red, Luigi and Guido. I clasp Red's hand tighter, squashing his fingers and almost breaking into his flesh with the tips of my nails. He doesn't make a sound of complaint. He holds just as firmly, bonding us together with the fear that my daughter could be kidnapped. Sheriff is off making a call to his fellow officers while the rest of sit in anxious silence, trying to supply ideas of where Levina could be at this very moment.

"You're going to worry yourself sick," Flo says, "Have something to drink, hunny."

I shake my head and stare at the empty table. On the edge of my vision I can see Doc. I know he's standing there with his hard, wise, grey eyes. I can't meet his gaze, so I avoid his face at all. He knows the guilt I'm feeling, because he can read people like that. Sometimes I hate him for it.

"You can't be surprised." His voice cuts cleanly through the air, startling the rest of us. "What did you expect when you denied her what she wanted?"

"She doesn't know what she wants," I snarl back without looking up.

"It was her dream to race," Doc demands, "You forced her to choose-."

I thrust my head up and look him in the eyes. "She doesn't know what she wants!" I repeat in a tone much louder than before.

"Did you know what you wanted when you left California, Sally?"

I stand in absolute shock. It's like he ripped the question off my heart in one quick, painful tug. I finally notice that I'm standing and look frantically at the faces around me. Guido studies me, his black curls quivering against his forehead. Red's eyes are locked on me, dilated and rimmed with tears. I can't even continue to look at them; I release Red's hand and dash out into the sparse morning sun.

ANGSTTTT. Lol. So, I decided to put that dream part in there based on the suggestion made by my guest reviewer, and also to show a bit of a flashback type thing :) Technically this chapter is making you wait even a little longer to hear from Levina too ;) Well, thanks for reading and reviews are loved :)