7 rolled around.. Cruz wasn't sure if she should, But she wound up driving out to Storm and his trailer. She parked outside. She got out and hesitated to knock on the door.. Storm answered. His black hair slicked back and greasy. He smiled leaning against the door frame. He was wearing a black suit. Without a tie. The top 4 buttons left open.. his face had his facial hair shaved where you could barely see it. He looked pretty good in something other than a racing suit.. Cruz felt under dressed in her pink t shirt and tight old navy running pants and yellow sneakers.. "So glad you came. Come on in." Cruz followed him inside. It was dark lit with candles. A bar on one side. A cute coffee tall table to the side with candles on it and two dinner plates covered with a silver dome. It was very modern and future like. Lots of technology inside. His car was up high on the lifted area. Music kinda like tango music was playing?.. Cruz spoke up, "Tango?" Storm smiled and walked up close to her. He grabbed one her hands and put the other behind her back and shoved her into his frontside. "Woah!" She squeaked. Storm began to help her dance with him and spoke up "Suprised?" Cruz wasn't that good with her feet. Jackson was dancing.. with her?.. she blushed a little. He spun her then stopped and let her go.
"Let's sit down." He sat up in his chair. Cruz slowly sat across from him. He lifted the domes over the plates. Type of Mexican salad. It did looks good. She sniffed it lightly before taking a bite. Storm was giving her a weird expression... "So. I'm sorry. There, that's over." He ate some of his food. Cruz picked at it. It was really good.. Storm stared at Cruz. "You should take your hair down." Cruz froze.. but why not?.. she took out the pony tail. Her hair bounced down. Storm smiled. Cruz wondered what his game was here...
"Storm.. Is this just to apologize? And for what exactly?"
She asked. Jackson replied answering, "Sorry for my behavior. Mostly toward you. But you and your team."
Cruz nodded as she ate some more. God this food was good. Why!? "So you like racing then?" Storm asked. Cruz nodded. Storm continued, "Hmm. So Lightning.. He works out good for you doesn't he?" Storm stood out of his chair. He started to mix up a drink. "Rumors say he's more to you than a crew chief?. That true?" He shook some mixture up. Cruz swollowed and asked more "What do you mean more?" Storm smiled and poured the mix into two glasses, "Well you know. Playmates? Your his toy?" Cruz's eyes widened. Sure she grew up with a crush on mcqueen. But what young girl didn't. She answered with a bit of a snort, "No!? He is faithful to Sally." Storm gave a confused look for a moment as he handed Cruz one the glasses, "Oh right the blonde. His lawyer right?" He added. Cruz wasn't sure if she should be feeling relaxed or confused. Storm clanked his glass to Cruz's. "Let's toast. To a new friendship!" He smiled and winked. They both sipped their drinks. Cruz stood up "Well I should go." She stated. Cruz was feeling a little uncomfortable. Storm pushed her against the wall after setting his drink down. He had her pinned. His face close enough she felt him breathing. Cruz was frozen.. she wasn't sure what to do. Then Storm said something. "I wonder Cruz... Do your lips taste as good as they look?" Cruz smiled nervously and rather fake.. suddenly a team member of Jackson's came in "Storm..." he said nervously. Storm turned toward the man "What!?" He yelled angerly. Cruz stepped to the side slowly.. The crew member spoke up "Its your sponsor...". Storm rolled his eyes and looked at Cruz. "Another time." He winked. Cruz left the trailer. Jackson showed her the door. She turned around to say something but he slammed the door rather quick.. "Thank you?..." she mumbled to the now closed door in her face.. She sat down into her car. She didn't know what just happened. But it just did.
The McQueen's vacation was going well. The next few days were spent between rooftop breakfasts and love making and a little fun outside in the town of Italy.
It was their last day in the town. They were having lunch out by the ocean. The water, the wind.. it sounded and felt good. Lightning and Sally were finishing up when a few youngsters came up. Just a few young men. Maybe just outa college. Or still in it. In the Italian accent but English one of them spoke up to mcqueen, "You seem familiar.. you that American driver Macqueen?" Sally and Lightning both stared for a moment. Lightning smiled and answered, "I am." Another boy spoke up, "You don't look like a race car driver?" He smirked. Lightning didn't say anything. More just observed them. Sally the same. The young men laughed a bit. One spoke up. "How about a friendly race then!?" One challanged. Lightning glared. They were those type of youngsters.. Lightning answered though "No can do, I don't really race anymore." One the young ones laughed a bit and smirked. "I knew it. You could not beat any of us. Your slower. You don't race!" They laughed a bit. Another one added, "No wonder he quit!" They laughed a little. It hurt his ego a bit. Sally noticed. She glared at the boys then spoke up. "You're absolutely right! He doesn't race!, he wins." Lightning kinda gave his wife a look and softly asked, "What are you doing?" Sally continued "So unless your up for a good beating better turn around. Cause wow. I've never seen a man drive a car like him. You're lucky he doesn't have his ride here. And to be honest let's say he lost, the engine of his ride. Wow.. what young thing wouldn't love to hear that deep thundering muscle and feel it vibrating up her" "Okay sal hey get it," Lightning interrupted. The boys just stood there for a moment. She didn't say exactly the greatest come back. But she made her point. One of them stared angerly. Then another Italian voice spoke English and pushed through the youngsters, "Alright!? Who are you three tormenting now!?" He was older. He turned to face the McQueens, "Lightning McQueen!?" Lightning stood straight up and relied back with the same astonishment "Francesco!?" Francesco hugged him a little tight. He turned back to the boys and scorned, "Go on! Get outa here!?" He shood then away "They are like rats to cheese!" Francesco said. He turned back toward the McQueen's. He knelt down and grabbed Sally's hand and kissed it gently, "Miss Sally.. You haven't aged a day." He smiled at her. Sally blushed a little and replied "Still as smooth as ever I see.." she laughed a bit Francesco stood back up and spoke to Mcqueen. "What are you doing here!?" He always spike loudly and with excitement. Lightning answered happily "Actually we came here on vacation. Needed a. Get away." Francesco grabbed Lightning's shoulder and pulled him close and spoke to his ear, "You should be in this spot at sunset. The girlfriend will love it!" He swatted Lightning's backside once. Lightning stumbled a bit. Then he said to his Italian friend, "Actually Sally is my wife now. For a while actually." Francesco smiled and gazed at Sally. "One lucky man. Hey why don't we go have a go at the track!? Old times sake!?" Lightning smiled. He looked at Sally for more less go approval. But he answered "I don't even have a car and I'm here for Sally. It's our last day." Sally stood up and spoke up "No no! You should! It'd be fun to watch you for a bit again Stickers." Francesco cocked his head a bit. "What is this Stickers?" Lightning blushed a little. Francesco noticed and continued. "Ooooh you have a pet name! Haha! Very good Macqueen! Don't worry about a car. I Francesco will get you an American car! So what do you say?" Sally smiled. It was like she really did want him to. Lightning smiled and answered "Let's do this." Francesco grabbed Lightning around the shoulders and faces the other occupants in the restaurant and yelled out, "Hey everyone! Lightning mcqueen and I are going to have a race!" Everyone stared then cheered and smiled a few photos were taken. Sally stood next to her husband. The press had a field day with this.
That evening they met up at the track they raced on before. Francesco managed to get your standard American race car. How was the question. But left in answered. Sally stood by the finish line. The stadium was actually quite filled with onlookers. Bernoulli and McQueen racing each other years after the Grand Prix. That's big news! Francesco was wearing his old suit. He came over to the couple and spoke to Lightning "Ready to lose again." Lightning laughed a bit and replied. "Last time we raced here I won. Better be ready to lose yourself here." Francesco smiled "I love a good challenge mcqueen don't worry. I won't embarrass you to much in front of Miss Sally." He kissed her hand gently again. Lightning rolled his eyes but was glad and happy to be racing an old friend. They got into their cars. Sally kissed him real quick before hand. The lights went to green and off they went. They stayed close and exchanged the lead back and fourth. It felt so good to Lightning being out and really racing. Sally knew he'd love it. Closing into the finish line. Lightning won! The crowd cheered. For both of them. They exited their cars. Francesco smile. They posed together. "Kachow! That's how you do it!" Lightning said excitedly to Francesco. Francesco replied with a smile "An honorable opponent! You are very good Mcqueen. Francesco needed that." He frownd. Lightning concerned asked him as Sally came to his side. "Woah what's wrong?" Francesco smiled. "There's no place for an old racer like me on this track no more mcqueen. Believe it or not. Even Francesco is not able to keep up anymore." It hit hard. Made him realize it wasn't just himself and that crash.. his friends really were retiring to.. it reminded Lightning how much older he was getting. Francesco looked at the sky. It was starting to set. "Go on. Get back to the restaurant mcqueen. I believe you two should share the sunset. You were good mcqueen! But next time. Oh ho ho. Next time Francesco will not be so easy on you!" Lightning laughed a bit. Fans scurried around Francesco. A few around Lightning but not near as many. They did indeed head back to the table and place. The sunset was amamzing. Francesco was right. They sipped some drinks and relaxed together. The water from view was amazing. The sun gleamed off it like a painting. Sally leaned against Lightning. They were truly healing. Maybe even healed finally.
Back home once again. Storm was in his trailer arguing with someone..
"I won't be doing that again!" He yelled. Chick was in front him, sitting in his couch. Storm paced. Chick answered "Dinner with the enemy can work. Trust me. She's a woman. She's weak. Make her weak around you and she'll be putty in your hands." Storm was aggravated. He yelled again at Chick, "No. I can't get close to her. The fear in her eyes that night. That's fine. But she was comfortable. I can't do something to a girl?" Chick rolled his eyes "You do things all the time to girls am I right?" Storm glared. "Not like that." Chick stood up and asked "Hey! You don't actually like the girl right? Look we can get under Lightning. But it's easier with women. That's why we try going for Cruz's mind. Think about it? If every time she gets around you she gets all girly and giddy. She won't be concentrating on the race." Storm thought about it. The plan would work. Cruz wasn't exactly the brightest when it came to things like this.. Storm sighed. Chick smiled and continued. "You wanna win again right? Don't think of Ramirez as a racer. Think of her as a toy? Hmm?" He patted Storms back. Storm felt a little bad. He had a heart.. but.. he did wanna win again.. He nodded. He headed out to find Cruz and try messing with her mind again..
Storms being influenced by Hicks. How aweful. But he does wanna win. But fans you get to choose how he feels slowly
Does Storm find himself slowly falling for Cruz as he tries to mess with her?
Or...
Does he set it in his mind that he needs to win. This is for himself. Strictly buisness.