Storms team was finishing packing up those cars and gear for the race on the morning. They all were sitting by their tents. Storm had a water sitting near him. The Italian teams two other members, one the men and the woman came up to Storm. They stood above him. They stared down. Storm glared "Can I help you?" He asked kinda rudely. The man grabbed the water and opened the bottle up then poured it all over. Mud splashed all
Over Storms feet. Storm stood straight up facing the man "Better apologize." The man answered, "I think you should clean yourself up. You know what they say about a racer with Dirt on them. They get burned." They glared at each other's eyes. Storm spoke up, "Were you born this stupid Greaseball? Or do they have lessons where your from. You don't threaten me! I will drop you.!" The third team memeber ran up. He looked aweful. All bruised and face swelled up. Cuts all over. "Oh I see. Your mad cause I wrecked your boy." The woman spoke up "No one likes a dirty racer." Storm explained, "Yeah well.. he got in the way." Cruz stood up and grabbed Storms shoulder "Storm just apologize?" Storm glanced at Cruz. The man spoke up angerly. "Yeah Just apologize. Then we can get this beating over with." Lightning stood up. He didn't know if he would get involved yet. But he wasn't gonna let Cruz get hurt for Storms actions.
Storm crossed His arms and snarled, "You know I would but, I think I done the guy a favor. Look at him? I'd say his looks improved." He winked. The Italian reared his arm back, Storm didn't want Cruz to get in the way. Storm shoved Cruz away knocking her down. The man hit Storm hard in the shoulder. Storm lost his balance and fell. "Oh hell no!" Storm yelled! And he got up and the two started fighting.
Lightning pulled Cruz away and stood her up. They watched a moment letting it play out..
Storm hit the Italian mans stomach a few times then was trapped in a head lock where the man hit Storm in he face once hard it knocked Storm back and he tripped over a log. He fell into his back. The Italian fellow sat over Storm and grabbed Storms hair and lifted his head and banged it against the ground multiple times. Then punched Storm on the side of the face hard. Lightning went over and got involved at this point "Hey that's enough! You made your point!?" The man looked up at Mcqueen and stopped. Storm spit some blood at the man and grabbed his shirt collar and used his leg to help roll the Italian down into the dirt. "No storm!? Stop this!" Lightning ordered. Storm pinned the man down and hit him hard! Storm yelled "I've had enough of taking shit from people like this guy! You wan be next!?" He yelled. Lightning backed up a bit. The Italian took advantage of Storms distraction and punch Storm in the throat hard enough to make him gasps and cough. The Italian pushed Storm off and stood up and kicked him hard in the stomach twice. Storm struggled to hold himself up on his hands and knees. Coughing and gasping a bit. "Stop!" Cruz yelled. She was scared. Afraid a bit. Storm barely got it out and but he ordered Cruz to stay out of it. The other Italian racer who Storm wrecked came over and kicked Storm once hard. Storm fell to the ground.. the man kneeled down to Storm and softly but harshly spoke "Next time you try something like that.. you won't be able to get up." Storm glared from the ground.
The man stood up and Storm staggered to his knees and spit a little blood out. Storm just had to say something stupid.. "Hey Greaseball.." The man stopped and listened "Next time?.. who says this is over?" The other Italian stomped over and kicked Storm in the stomach hard. Storm fell to his hands. The man used his foot and kicked Storm in the back. It pushed Storm into the ground. This time Storm didn't get up. He layed there. He knew he wasn't winning this. The man knelt down "It's over.." They left.
Storm groaned a bit and staggered up. Cruz ran up to him. He had blood on his lips and on his forehead. "Why did you do that!?" She cried out! Storm pushed her away. "Don't!" Cruz stood there. She gave a confused and hurt expression. Storm continued. After spitting some again, "You know of all people Cruz should get it by now!? Why are you honestly with me!? I can't do anything right!? I should of apologized to him! I fuck up constantly!?" Cruz opened her mouth to speak but Storms got ran on, "You really want this!?" He spread his arms open. Cruz frowned as Storm continued "I will hurt you! Just like I mess up everything else!? I can't get my parents approval!? I couldnt even get the balls to man up and raise my own daughter!?" Lightning's eyes widened and he stood next to Cruz.. Storm yelled more, "This is me Cruz!? I know you think I'm better than this! But I'm not!? I screw everything up and hurt everyone who gets close!? That's why I im angry! I can't have you!?" Cruz's eyes teared up. Lightning stepped in and spoke up "Storm stop. You're just upset right now. Cruz is trying to help you?" Storms anger grew toward McQueen and he yelled
At him now, "You!? Mr.McQueen!? You have no idea!? Because your life is so perfect! So stop! Stop running your perfect career and perfect marriage and perfect family on everyone's face!?" Lightning yelled back "Hey! You need to go cool down!" Storm looked at Cruz. "This is why I can't take my daughter. Why I will never be able to make you truly happy..". He frowned. Cruz spoke up "Storm.. I am happy.. maybe not this moment?.. but.. I love you?" She tried to touch his hand but Storm pulled away. "Don't! Just...". He growled. "I can't even race right anymore! Love has made me so weak!?" He was just angry.. Cruz was hurt.. Her eyes teared up..
her hurt heart turned to anger now to and she yelled at Storm "If that's how you feel than maybe we shouldn't be together!? Love made you strong! But you're to afraid to accept it!? Accept that maybe one person me?! Might actually love you!? Sky loves you!? And ofcorse the tiniest thing gets blown over the top and you react like this!" Storm frowned. He thought about it. Cruz yelled, "Grow up!" She turned around. Lightning tried to say something but Cruz snarled at him "Not now please..." she disappeared.
Lightning glared at Storm. Storm realized he messed up. Again!? Lightning felt awkward a tad but he spoke up slowly.. unsure if he'd get chewed out or not.. "Storm..". Storm looked at McQueen.. he was open to whatever now. Storm figured he should shut his mouth. Lightning sighed and continued "I'm sorry you feel that way. I don't know what it's like to be you. But I do know what Cruz.. as much as I disagree with it. Cruz loves you. And if you'd.. Just?..". He stopped. He was unsure what to say. Storm spoke up softly with pain in his tone.. "No I messed up.. I keep screwing my life up..". Storms eyes teared up. "She's better off without me." Lightning frowned. He could tell Storm didn't want that. Lightning replied. "Maybe. But maybe not. The two of you need to talk alone. Just go to her? Look stop and think maybe sometimes before you react? There had to be a time you weren't so...?" Lightning didn't know the right word. Storm glared and answered "I get it. Yeah. I don't remember a time." Storm walked toward the direction Cruz went to go talk to her...
Cruz was crying inside her tent. It started to rain.. Cruz was sitting on a little stool. Storm slowly came inside her tent. "Hey?.." he said softly. Cruz turned and faced toward Storm. He cleared his throat and spoke up.. "I'm sorry.. I would say I'd fix this.. but.." he sighed. Cruz frowned and wiped her tears.. Storm knelt down in front of her... "I keep screwing up.. I'm so sorry.. I don't mean to hurt you so much...I keep promising you I won't and then.. I screw up. I want us?.. I do. I want to be.. everything for you. Just as you have been for me. I understand if you hate me. I deserve it. Everyone else does..". He drifted. Cruz pulled his face toward hers and answered "I'm not everyone else.. I don't hate you." Storm really didn't get it. Cruz continued "I love you. And yeah you anger the heck outa me a lot of times. But.. I can see you trying. Im not giving up on you yet." Storm smiled a little. Cruz did to. Cruz spoke up.. "I need you. Just like you need me." Storms eyes teared up. "Woah are you gonna cry?.." Cruz said. Storm chuckled a bit and answered "There's dirt in my eyes" Cruz laughed a little "oh sure! Gotta pretend to be a man now?" Storm smiled hearing her laugh and spoke up, "I'm serious!? I just had my face shoved in the dirt? There is dirt in my eyes I swear." He joked. Cruz gazed into his eyes. His bruised eyes.. he took a good beating.
Storm whipped around the curves. Followed by Lightning then Cruz. Cruz took a swerve easy and whooped around the boys. She took the lead.
"Woah! Good move Cruz!" Lightning said. "Thanks." Cruz answered. They were doing great a a team today. Maybe Storm needed that beating. The Russo team was able to get back on the race. They were given another car.
Today's race was long wide open pavement through a hot desert like area. The teams all races hard. Dirt and sand made it hard to see. But with the long track it was alright. Storms team was in second at the moment. They been holding positions for about 4 hours.
Cruz noticed some white smoke from one the leads cars. "Smoke guys! The leaders slowing down." She warned Storm and McQueen. The past the leaders. Flat tire. "Hey does that mean we are lead!?" She asked Storm answered happily, "yes it does! Wooh! Let's keep moving!" He gunned it. Driving side by side with Cruz. A few small jumps let the two of them hit small air together. Storm loved watching Cruz enjoy herself behind the wheel. The two racers were in sync. Storm loved her. He really did. Cruz noticed the track started getting green again. They were finally getting out of that hot desert! It turned onto dirt track. And lists of trees. A forest. Storm slowed. He eased behind his team mates. The track wasn't really wide enough for side by side racing. The other teams behind them caught up a bit. Then it started raining. "Oh no.." Cruz said in a worried tone. The forest began to thicken. And darken. Lightning spoke up "Headlights Guys. It's gonna get dark in here." They all turned them on.
It started to rain heavy. They had to turn in the wipers. It was difficult for Cruz to lead the team in this. Lightning realized it. Storm was having some difficulty. The track turned to mud. It was getting difficult for everyone. Lightning saw a jump coming. "Cruz slow down on the jump ahead. I'll get ahead. You guys copy my driving and we won't get stuck. Hopefully.." he muttered. Storm yelled "No way this is my team!" Cruz yelled back, "Let him lead Storm?" Storm hesitated. But he agreed. The jump came and Cruz slowed. McQueen sped up. He gunned it. His car leaped right over Cruz's! Storm was a bit shocked. Lightning landed over in the lead. Cruz behind him. He swerved a bit to get back going but he was fine. The road started to crave a lot. Not quite hairpinning. But they were tight looping turns. Storm would have trouble here. Cruz spoke up "Remeber training Storm!" He sighed. Lighting slid turn right to gonleft. Drifting round the turns. Cruz behind him. She took the turns with ease. Storm had a little trouble. Enough They a few racers past him.
They got back to some straight ways. The rain made it hard to see a bit. Storm was two behind Cruz and McQueen. He sped up. The mud was making it hard on him. Storm was side by side with another racer. The racer tried to hit Storm. But Storm swerved behind and ran around passing the racer. The next racer wasn't so easy. He blocked Storm from passing. No matter which way Storm tried he just kept getting blocked. It frustrated him. It angered him a bit. He hit the bumper of the racer a bit. The racer heard of his aggressive style. He'd give Storm a taste of his own medicine. Storm gained side by side to this guy. The racer rammed the side of Storm. Storm swerved a bit. Cruz noticed behind her. "Jackson!?" She cried out. Storm came back up and grinder the bumper of he racer. The racer brake checked a bit. Storms car hit underneath his bumper. Storm slowed and he was free again. Storm cam to the side of this guy again. The racer bumped Storm again. This time Storm held his ground. The two racers grinded metal side by side. Sparks flew. Cruz and Lightning Noticed. Storms eyes widened as he tried to shake free. "Hey! Guys I'm stuck!?" The two racers were stuck. Metal shoved between both axles and brakes. Storm and the other racer began to freak out a bit. They both tried shaking free the two cars were stuck like glue side by side. Storm tried steering the other race to the wall. The other racer then done the same to Storm. His car was being mailed between the racer and the rail. They were headed up a mountainside. Hey hit pavement. Rails guarded the cars from cliffs. It made everyone uneasy.
Finally the two stuck cars broke free. Storm gunned it back to his team. "You good?" Lightning asked. Storm sounded awake and panicked a bit. But he answered "Yeah I'm good!" They races up the mountainside. Room amother 3 hours to get here.
The rain stopped. Finally! They made it to the checkpoint after 12 hours of hard driving.
Cruz basically ran to restroom. She had to pee so bad she said. They got to stay in the suit. Inside. Air and heat. A bathtub and shower! Cruz soaked in the tub. God it felt good. Lighting finally had enough signal he could talk to his wife. He hadn't sense before the race'v he was worried about her. Storm was happy being able to stay in a real bed. So comfortable and to have electricity. Felt good. He never liked camping out in a tent. The team packed their vehicles for the final day. Once last day. The next point would be the finish line! He would call Sky shortly. See how they were all doing.
So gonna give some more drama.
Things that are real and common. And so you readers know. I choose whichever choice gets the most said.
So things maybe going to well back home. But one family is about to have some complications. Something is about to happen to either...
Sally? With her previous conditions. It really wouldn't be uncommon for some complications!? Sally won't let them lose another baby!
Or...
Sky? The little girl does have a sick mother. But Storm never signed any papers saying he'd take her yet!? Storm could lose his daughter forever!