The house was busy with activity. There was things to pack up, to leave behind. Lightning Mc'Queen hurried as he looked at the clock with a smirk.
"Not living in some dinky little house anymore. Hit the big time!"
He started packing up his clothes, looking at a few of the plainer looking things with distaste.
"Hmph… Who needs this? I'll be richer than anyone can ever imagine after this!"
"Big brother?"
"Huh?" He turned around to see little Maya standing in the doorway hugging her toy racecar. "What is it?"
"... You're really leaving?" She asked quietly, looking around the room. It was slowly getting emptier and emptier by the day. "Where are you goin'?"
"You've heard this a zillion times Maya, I'm going to the big Dinoco 400 race! To win the PISTON CUP!" He exclaimed. "C'mon how can THAT be forgotten?"
"Because you're being a jerk?"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm a jerk because I'm actually getting a life? Nice one sis."
"You're a jerk because you're not even takin' anything other then those stupid flashy suits of yours!"
"They're not stupid!"
Maya hmph'd and turned on her heel storming out. I hate racing… It's turned my brother into an idiot… He wasn't like this before… Why now…?
Lightning sighed. "She doesn't get it… She's just a kid what does she know?" He said to himself as he packed up looking around his old bedroom.
Yeah, I'll still come back to visit… But racing is just something she'll have to get used to. He started heading out and halted looking at a picture on his dresser.
It was of him, Gabriella and Maya taken right after the qualifier for the race. … I don't need that… It'll just get crushed…
Gabriella looked over to her son with a worried look. "You got everythin'?"
He sighed giving her a look. "Yes Mom."
"Hey!"
WHACK!
"Ow!"
"Don't sass me!"
"I'm 21! I can take care of myself!"
Gabriella gave him a glare. "Never. Talk to me. Like that. Again."
"Alright, alright sorry!" He sighed. "I just want to get out the door and on the road…"
She sighed shaking her head. "Where've you gone?"
Lightning crossed his arms. "I'm still here."
"No… This isn't you. Flashy racing suits? Dinoco posters all over your room? Flipping out over DIRT on your SHOES of all things!?"
"I have an appearance to keep up! The ladies like a clean look!"
"And THAT!"
"Ugh… Can we talk about this when I get back?"
"Mm-hm…" She sighed. "Just be careful… I see people with that attitude wind up in the ER because they were being stupid."
"I won't be though. Promise… C'mon mom it's me… Lightning…" He smiled. "You trust me right?"
Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "I do… I just don't trust your adrenaline."
Great, they've all turned against me!
"Boss ya ready?"
Lightning turned to see Mack standing in the entryway and nodded. "Yep. C'ya Mom, give my best to the squirt." He said starting to walk out.
"NOO!"
He got stopped by a set of arms wrapping around one of his legs. He looked down to see Maya holding onto him tears in her eyes. "Don't go!"
"Maya… C'mon it's just for a week!" He tried prying her off but only got her clinging to his arm instead. "Maya… Please…"
"NO! This is bad! You weren't even gonna say goodbye!" She sniffled. "You were just gonna forget me…"
Lightning sighed and knelt to her level. "Maya… I need to do this… It's my dream… I didn't mean to be like that…"
Maya looked away. "You're leaving. I heard you… Everyone's heard it… That stupid plan… Live in a penthouse, get a hot girlfriend-"
"Whoa you heard that part!?"
"YES! Who hasn't!?"
"Ugh… Look… I won't forget you or Mom… I'll even bring ya back something… Okay?" He reached to ruffle her hair but she backed up. He frowned crossing his arms as he stood back up. "I… I gotta go… Bye.."
Maya looked to him before walking over to her mother.
He headed out the door about to close it when he heard it.
"That's not Lightning…"
Not Lightning Mc'Hale slash Mc'Queen…. That's one thing you got right Maya. This… is the life…. No more late night Chinese take out dinners, no more of Mom's bad cooking, it's easy street from here on out…
"Hmph… Who needs them?"
"Little harsh aren't ya?"
Lightning shrugged stepping into his trailer. "They don't see it."
Lightning sighed as he remembered his parting with his family… He really wish he had been better about it.
What the heck came over me? They were never cruel to me… Heck, Mom wouldn't be capable… She kept me when Dad left and Maya… Oh Maya… She always supported me in everything I did… Why didn't I get slapped sooner?
There was a knock on his trailer door.
"Lightning? You ready?" Mack asked.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
He stepped outside. He was glad he decided to go casual with this visit considering how hot it was. Besides… he thought it might be good for his family to see him in his casual attire instead of his racing suit.
They probably didn't watch any of the races… so they don't know anything… Bracing myself for scolding…
He took a deep breath before walking up to his old home, knocking on the door. Mack kept to the background under Lightning's orders. This was something he had to do on his own.
"Who is it?" Maya's voice called from the other side.
Maya…
Lightning sighed. "Maya… it's me."
She opened the door looking up at him with a confused look. "I thought you weren't comin' back…"
Lightning knelt down her to level. "I… had a change of heart… not to mention got a good slap in the face with reality…" He cringed remembering the moment he left, his eyes getting glassy as he looked at Maya. She's gotten so big since I left… "Maya… I.. I'm sorry…" He pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. "I'm so sorry."
Maya was stunned, bringing her arms around him, sniffling a little. "Big brother…" She whispered before burying her face in his shirt, crying a little. "It's you…. It's really you."
"Yeah…" Lightning stood up, holding his sister in his arms. "Sorry it took me forever to wake up… I… I had to get good scolding from some folk… Get a reminder there's more in life than just being famous or winning trophies… winning empty cups…"
"It's okay…" She curled up a little, sighing happily. This was the Lightning she remembered growing up with. "I still love you… I was mad but I could never hate you big bro… You're my brother…"
"Oh Maya…" He kissed her head, nuzzling her. "I missed you…"
She kissed his chin, nuzzling back. "I missed you too… So did Mama…"
"Speaking of… Where is she?"
Maya cringed and looked inside. "She's in the kitchen…. She got this idea in her head that she was gonna finally "prove" someone wrong that she could cook… I've been trying to get the taste out of my mouth all day!"
"Oh dear…" Lightning cringed. "I think I can provide some assistance… got some skills along the way… C'mon."
He went into the house, peeking his head around the kitchen door, not showing himself just yet. He wanted to see what his mom was doing first before acknowledging his presence…
Mainly I want to be sure she ain't holding a knife…
Gabriella was crouched in front of the oven, her hair was in a messy ponytail and she was wearing her house clothes, having some batter from some sort of concoction on her face… Holding a knife in one hand. "I swear to Machina if that stupid cake doesn't turn out I'm gonna be really freaking ticked off…" She muttered.
"That's the fifth cake today." Maya whispered shuddering.
Lightning cringed again. "Oh boy…"
And she has a knife...
…
Oh forget it… If she wants to kill me then by all means.
Lightning set Maya down, heading into the kitchen. He leaned against one of the counters, a few good inches away from his mother.
"Okay, who's the moron who put you up to this?" he asked.
"Gabe-Huh?" She blinked before looking over to him, eyes going wide. "Oh my goodness…"
Lightning gave a small wave. "Hey Mom…"
She dropped the knife before throwing her arms around her son. "LIGHTNING!" She cried out looking him over. "Y-You're home… My baby…"
"Yeah… I'm home… bit more tanned than usual but I blame the community service…" he scolded himself mentally. Oh she is going to kill me since she probably knows nothing about what happened.
"...Community service?" She pulled back giving him a glare. "COMMUNITY SERVICE!? WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN!?"
Lightning cringed. "I did something stupid… Really… REALLY stupid… I earned it… and got slapped a few times. Mentally, not physically… and boy did I deserve every last one…"
"You… Got… ARRESTED!? Oh my goodness my baby's a felon…" She turned away hiding the small smirk that she got. I know about some things… But I'm not letting him off the hook after the way he acted before...
"Was before I got there… Mom… I'm sorry… Honest to Machina I'm so sorry for everything I said when I left and how I treated you and Maya…" He lowered his head. "I was such an idiot..."
Gabriella turned around and lifted his head up kissing his cheek. "Don't call yourself that… I forgive you… You were a different person back then… But I can tell you've done some growing up since… and it seems you can finally keep a crew chief…" She trailed off with a small grin.
Lightning's eyes widened. "No way… you… you actually…?"
"Yes!" Gabriella hugged him. "I saw you on that race! You were amazing…" She ruffled his hair. "I saw what you did for Strip Weathers… That… was incredible. I'm so proud."
Lightning smiled, some tears leaving his eyes. "Mom… Oh Mom!" He hugged her close.
"I'm here…." She wiped his tears away, her own eyes glassy. "My Lightning Bug…"
He nodded. "Yeah… that's me…"
She nuzzled him a little sighing in relief. "So glad you're home…"
"Hey!" Maya ran over. "I want in too!"
Lightning chuckled, picking her up. "C'mere you!"
Maya squealed hugging him tightly. "Lightning, Lightning!" She giggled.
"We're so proud of you… You did some amazing things… and managed not to put yourself in the hospital with those stunts." Gabriella smiled, mentally cringing remembering watching the Dinoco 400 after Maya had gone to bed and seeing her son pulling things she never would've thought. Half of those stunts of his would land anyone else in the hospital… Thank goodness he's alright.
"Well… I still got stories to tell you both… But first." Lightning eyed the mess that was Gabriella trying to make a cake. "I think I got some tricks to show you in cooking… Wouldn't believe some of the things Sally taught me."
"YOU LEARNED HOW TO COOK!?" Both yelled before Gabriella blinked. "Wait… Sally?" She grinned. "You met someone!?"
Lightning blushed a little at the mention of her name, but smiled as well. "One of the greatest things that happened to me…"
"... So when are the grandbabies due?" Gabriella asked him seriously crossing her arms. "And when can I meet my daughter in law?"
Lightning went red. "Ahaha… not sure on the first question… but as for the second one… you can meet her and the others in Radiator Springs soon."
"Radiator what?" Maya blinked tilting her head. "Where's that big brother?"
"That old town?" Gabriella murmured.
"Yes that one, and Maya, it's on Route 66, it hasn't been remembered for a long time till recently… it's been getting refurbished too… something I've been a part of. I fixed the main road."
"You fixed the road!?" Gabriella asked putting a hand over her heart. "Oh my word, he's learned to cook, he's fixed a road… Will he figure out how to pick up his socks next!?"
"MOM!"
"Hey I can hope!"
Lightning shook his head. "A-Anyways…" he looked to Maya. "So… how does spaghetti sound?"
Her eyes lit up. "Like how grandma used to make it!?"
Lightning nodded. "Yep."
"Yay!" She squealed. "Awesome!"
"And I already made dessert-"
"Uh… I'm allergic to cake!"
"On the subject…. I think I see smoke coming out of the oven."
"OH CRUD!" She quickly got what remained of the cake out of the oven. Maya cringed looking over.
"... It's a hockey puck." The little girl remarked. Gabriella scoffed turning it over as it fell with a THUD onto the counter.
"If we scrape off the top it'll be fine-"
Lightning picked up the knife Gabriella had dropped, tapping the top of the cake… a loud THUNK being heard. "Um…."
"Aww Machina! That was the fifth one!" Gabriella groaned running a hand through her ponytail. "I just...I can't cook… Alright? There I said it! Gabriella Mc'Queen can't cook to save her life!"
"And that's where I come in." Lightning said as he disposed of the hockey puck cake. "I'll need some help though."
"I'll help!" Maya cheered jumping up and down. "I'm sure I won't burn water!"
"One time!"
Lightning sighed happily as Maya and Gabriella bantered.
Oh… It's so great to be home…