AN: Another AU (which is sad, I don't like these being AU), but a request was made for Doc to meet Jess and I couldn't say no. I could have put this in Life's Highway Alternate Stories but I didn't want to break up the Thomasville arc. So many plotlines going :/
"It's a surprise."
"Well how are we supposed to be prepared if you won't tell us?" Mater had asked. Lightning had affectionately compared his friend's eagerness to that of a puppy whenever the topic of the baby came up.
"You know the purpose of a surprise, is that it's supposed to be a surprise, Mater." He'd put the paint roller down and looked toward his friend as he resituated the painter's drop cloth and picked up the roll of tape. "I know if I tell one person it will end up all over town and ruin it."
Everyone in town had been ecstatic over the news that there would be a little McQueen added to the family. For months the couple had been showered with gifts, advice, offers to watch the little one when they needed to get away, more advice, baby clothes, lists of name ideas, constant questions on how Sally was feeling, were there updates on the baby and did they know if it was a boy or girl.
There were a few times they'd stayed a few hours (or days) with Doc, because it was quiet and even after so many years no one had the nerve to encroach in his space without permission.
"Will her name be Mater too."
"Sure, just like mine was when we first met."
Lightning held back a smirk and shook his head as his friend began taping off the trim around the windows.
"Can you believe tha' was six years ago?"
"No." Lightning started painting again. "Really can't..."
"I know'd we was gunna be best buds."
"I know you did, how I'll never figure out but-"
"Truck driver's intuition."
"Oh, ok." He shook his head, climbing back up the ladder.
He truly hoped the paint would dry before Sally was ready to come home. The last thing he wanted was for her to be forced to breathe paint fumes while eight months pregnant. If they really had to, he'd see if they could stay with someone in town at least overnight.
The two moved the furniture back into the nursery and Lightning set a box filled with decorations down near the rocker they'd purchased the month before. Mater glanced into the open lid and was just able to see a few large wooden letters piled on top of blankets and framed photos meant for a child's room.
"Hey, Lightnin'."
"Yeah."
"Say if we was to play hangman, and I was gunna choose the letters J an' S-"
Lightning realized where this was going and slammed the lid of the box shut before looking back at Mater. "And?"
There was a moment of tense silence before Mater shrugged. "I dunno, I got nothin'."
Lightning bit his lip to hide a smile before reaching for his phone as it began to ring. He'd barely been able to say hello before nearly dropping it with a flustered look.
"Yeah-yeah just hold on-" He'd motioned to Mater quickly. "I'm coming-"
His hand ached and Doc had told him to suck it up.
He'd complained numerous times that he didn't understand why they had to travel so far for appointments, especially when the baby arrived. Each answer had been a little less patient than before. Doc could only repeat himself so many times that the fact was he was a general practitioner. Sally and the baby needed a specialist.
"Then you can look at my hand."
"I'm looking at your hand." Doc had replied while standing in the waiting room. "And if you don't get back in that room it'll need a cast."
Lightning had been told it could be hours and he knew they'd gotten Sally as comfortable as possible. He was a little surprised and confused over the fact that she was sleeping. He thought it would be a lot of yelling and screaming. He'd disappeared down the hallway only after telling the others he would keep them updated.
Once every hour or so he would head back out to the waiting room, only to relate that there was no change, everyone was healthy but little girl McQueen was playing games with them.
"So she's like her daddy already." Had been the joking comment from Flo.
Lightning had taken the coffee handed to him by Sheriff with a faint grin before excusing himself again.
"He'll make a great daddy." She'd commented lowly once he'd left. The others had all nodded or commented quietly in agreement.
Hours passed with no change, Mater was reclined in the uncomfortable hospital chair as he slept. Now and then Doc would kick his foot in an attempt to get him to shift. He hadn't realized Mater had sleep apnea, though the awkward position in the chair could have something to do with that. He was finally forced to wake him up, he'd have to be tested when this was all over.
They'd all looked up to see an exhausted Lightning come down the hallway and watched him with anticipation.
He only shook his head. "Still nothing. Sally wanted me to let you all know you could go home, get some rest."
He was met, of course, with a chorus of protests but he shook his head and continued. "At least let me put you all up in the hotel down the block."
There was no sense sitting up in the waiting room even as the parents-to-be were sleeping through the night.
They finally seemed to agree on that and made their goodnights after Lightning had gotten off the phone. One by one they filed out of the waiting room, making sure he understood they expected a phone call should something change.
He only stared at the large doors with a tired smile once they'd left. He really had a great family.
"Hey."
He blinked and looked to the right to see Doc holding a cup of coffee out to him, and not just hospital coffee, but actual coffee from that gas station on the corner.
"That...was really fast..."
"Did make a living off it for a few years."
Lightning grinned in exhaustion and sank in to a chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He was glad Doc had stayed behind, he'd wanted him to but had been afraid to ask.
"Is this normal-"
Doc only waited for him to continue, knowing he'd clarify his thoughts in a moment.
"I mean. I'm terrified."
"That's normal."
Lightning glanced over his shoulder toward the only person he'd ever considered his father. The steady (yet tired) gaze directed back at him was comforting.
"What if I screw up."
"I'm sure you will."
Lightning straightened. "Wow, that's really comfort-"
"All parents mess up. No one's perfect, Hot Rod. She's not going to love you any less for it."
"What if she doesn't-"
"Love you?" He cut him off. "There's nothing you could do, aside from being neglectful, which you aren't capable of, that would cause that child not to love you."
He patted his hand roughly on Lightning's back before gripping his shoulder comfortingly. He might not have had experience in raising a child from infancy but he understood the terror in decision making, in whether he'd said or done the right thing in a given situation, and the kid he was dealing with was legally an adult.
He wasn't able to continue what he'd wanted to say because a nurse came through and told Lightning he needed to get back to the room, and quickly.
They watched the tiny little girl through the glass and Doc had to put a hand on Lightning's shoulder to hold him back when they did the heel prick test. He thought the kid was going to go through the glass.
"Why did they do that?" He'd asked with hard eyes, upset that they'd left his daughter crying.
"It's a blood screening. They're going to test for severe health conditions."
"They couldn't have done it another way?"
He'd shrugged. It was one of those tests that had been done the same way for decades.
If a little heel prick was going to get him that wound up, he was going to be an extremely protective father.
"Congratulations, Hot Rod." He muttered softly as they stood in the hallway.
Lightning glanced up at him with a shaky smile, overwhelmed already with how much he could care about another human being. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the nurse from earlier.
"Mr. McQueen? We'll be taking your daughter back to the room if you'd like to head back."
Doc had intended to part ways at the door but Lightning had other plans in mind. He'd checked on Sally, who was sleeping peacefully, and had asked if he could stay at least a moment after they'd brought the little girl back to the room.
Lightning had been told numerous times already that she was healthy but he wanted to hear it from Doc. Sitting together on one of the couches in the alcove just inside the door, he looked toward him with an expectant expression.
Doc had tried to explain that there was only so much he could tell by looking at her. She was pretty perfect, though. Her color was good, she'd already made sure those little lungs were clear, her eyes were bright and she already had a full head of dark hair.
She was sleeping unperturbed, nestled in Lightning's elbow, that in itself was a good sign.
"But what about-"
"She's fine."
"What if-"
"Do not start with the 'what ifs'-"
Lightning took a deep breath and nodded, looking down at the infant that had just passed the two hour old mark.
Doc looked up from over the kid's arm and around the room, his gaze falling on the little bed they move infants from one room to another on. From the angle he was at, he couldn't make out the initial, but he could tell the little label on the end didn't read McQueen, Female.
"So you did name the poor girl." He said without looking away from the bed. From there it looked like the initial was an I? J? Maybe an L.
Lightning perked up considerably at that and nudged Doc's arm, silently asking him to take her. He didn't have a lot of experience with infants but it would be rude to decline.
"I haven't formally introduced you." Lightning beamed suddenly, his voice low. "I'd like you to meet Miss Jessica Lynne."
He'd been trying to pick out which parent she looked like more, even this early it was obvious she had her father's darker hair but aside from that it seemed too early to tell for anything else. He'd glanced up sharply, away from her face and toward Lightning. He couldn't have heard that correctly.
Lightning only grinned and nodded once in affirmation to his silent question.
He could count on one hand the amount of times he'd been struck speechless in his life. Three of them involving the kid sitting to his right. They didn't share a name, they weren't related, but they'd seen fit to name their own child after him?
There was a lot he had to be proud of, he'd taken it for granted through the years but not many people could say they'd accomplished half as much as he had, but he'd never expected to be looked upon as a father figure to some punk kid who would grow up and eventually name his own child after him. A crushing weight fell over his shoulders, not unfamiliar in that he'd never felt that way before, but in the past it had been pain caused by losing a loved one, having the door slammed in his face, rejection and loss of something or someone he cared about.
This time it was an overwhelming sense of belonging, purpose, realization that this tiny little life had more than just two parents to protect her. The girl wasn't more than a few hours old and she had an entire town waiting with bated breath to know that she was alright, that her parents were doing well.
They shared a name and he'd never been more honored to do so.
There was a threatening sting behind his eyes that he refused to allow to turn in to anything else. Doc Hudson couldn't cry, wouldn't cry in front of the kid.
But Jesse Hudson could.
One side of his mouth turned up in an affectionate smile as little eyes opened, newborns weren't usually able to focus their eyes but she seemed to be able to at least take in her surroundings.
His voice was soft when he finally spoke. "Hello, Jess. It's nice to finally meet you."