Race season started. With Cruz being pregnant. She wouldn't race. It'd been a month about. She and Sky moved to one of the cones in radiator springs. The townsfold grew to love and accept Cruz. Just as they did McQueen. So a few races. Storm was doing amazing. Won each one so far! But with Cruz not racing..

Lightning stared at his truck. He sat outside. He raked leaves. The few that were there. He cleaned the house up. He tuned up the cars. He organized books. Clean photos. Cleaned Sally office. Did laundry. He was bored. He sighed. He tried to find something to do. He couldn't stand this much more. No more racing. With Cruz pregnant. No more coaching this year. He couldn't sit around the house all day. Lightning decided to take the car to the track for a few laps. Sally was busy between work and helping Cruz with wedding stuff. Flo to. He grabbed the keys then stopped. Lightning thought about his crash. The rally race with Storm.. he put the keys back slowly. He didn't want to risk anything. He knew the home track here wouldn't hurt him. But. It made him feel sick. Like butterflies in the tummy feeling. He went back inside. He watched some tv. He was just so bored.

He headed to town to Maters. He'd surely have something he could do.

He pulled up. He shut the door of his new truck. "Mater?" Lightning called looking around. Mater stepped out "Hey buddy! What you doing here?" His friend smiled. Lightning smiled as well and answered "Honestly Mater I was wondering if there was anything you may need done around or something. I'm kinda bored not having anything to do." Mater thought for a moment before answering "No.. but! Wanna do something fun?" He chuckled. Lightning smiled hesitantly.. Mater explained. "Better than cow tippin I promise." Lightning shrugged. "Why not." Mater jumped with excitement.

Lightning drove them up the mountainside to a good forest plot. Following maters directions. Thy got out.

Next thing Mcqueen knew. He was out in the mountains with Mater. Mater had a potatoe sack. "Wait, What are we doing?" Lightning asked. Mater chuckled and answered. "Gonna prank sarge." Lightning was confused and asked. "With a potatoe sack?.. in the mountains?..". Mater handed the potatoe sack to Lightning. He was still

Confused. Mater explained. "Now listen. When he comes running toward you. Just weave the sack around and bag him." Lightning started to worry. "Wait who? What is going into the sack?" Mater Walked over into the mountain side. Lightning stood there. A little nervous now.

"Mater?.." he called. Then he heard Mater yell "Oh boy! Here he comes! Get him!" Lightning looked for whatever it was. Suddenly a raccoon ran toward Lightning. "MATER!" Mater came out and yelled "use the bag!" Lightning dropped the bag as the raccoon ran up to him hissing and biting and growling. Arching it's back. And he ran. "He's right behind you!" Lighting ran around the truck. Mater ran and grabbed the bag and chased after Lightning and the raccoon. Lightning yelled while running "Why the hell you want to catch a raccoon!!?" Mater chased following with the bag. "It'll be funny when Sarge sees him in his shop! Slow down!" Lightning ran into the truck. Mater slowed down to a stop and looked around. "It's in the truck!" Mater yelled. Lightning freaked out which caused the raccoon to lose it and the truck shook crazy. Mater yelled "dad gum get him! Get him!" He laughed a bit. He couldn't help it. Lightning opened the door and fell out onto his back. The raccoon leaped out and ran away. Lightning had scratches and bites all over. He was bleeding pretty good. "Shoot! He got away...Hey buddy you Alright!?" Mater helped McQueen sit up. Lightning answered taking a few heavy breaths. "No more.. raccoon catching.. for me..". Mater frowned and replied. "Maybe we should get you to the clinic?..". He helped McQueen up and they left. Without the raccoon.

Sally got the call that Lightning was in the clinic after an animal attack. She ofcorse left to get there. When she showed up and was let in the room. Mater was there to.

McQueen was covered in bandages in his arms. His face looked scratched up. His shirt torn up. And a few cuts in his jeans. "Stickers!? What happened!?" Lightning fakes a smile. "Mater?" Sally asked. Mater swollowed hard and answered "We was trying to bag a raccoon up in the mountains.. and uh.. it was McQueen's idea! Sorry bud she scares me.. gotta go! Get better bud!" Mater ran out. Lightning smiled and shook his head. Sally did the same. She sat by Lightning. "You Okay?" Lightning chuckled a bit "I am now." Sally rolled her eyes then looked over the scratches on her husband's face. "Why did you agree to try to What again?.. bag? A raccoon?" She laughed a bit.

Lightning answered laughing a bit himself "I didn't know until it was to late." Sally joked around "I can't leave you for a day without you getting into trouble can I?" Lightning shook his head answering "Nope." Sally giggled a little. Lightning rested his hand on the baby bump and smiled. "I'd kiss you Sal but.. my face is killing me right now." Sally nodded. She could see why!.. after getting medications and a few shots and released from the clinic. Lightning and Sally went over to the cafe for a drink and a snack.

They walked in and sat down. Flo came up and spoke up "What on earth did you do honey?" She asked Lightning. He looked up. Sheriff came over "Looks like you got in a fight with a weed wacker boy?" Lightning answered "Haha very funny. No I was.. Racoon catching with Mater." Flos eyes widened. Sheriff couldn't help but laugh. Lightning glared. "Oh yeah real funny sense it wasn't you." Sheriff got ahold of himself. Flo asked "Mater Okay?" Lightning answered sarcastic, "Yeah my face shielded him." Sally giggled a bit this time. They got some drinks. Sally drove Lightning back to the ripped up interior truck now. He just got the thing to. "I love you." She kissed him. Lightning smiled but then gritted his teeth "ow..". "Sorry Stickers.. why don't you get home. Take your medicine okay? I gotta finish up at the cone." She started to walk away but he pulled her back "Hey Sal." She gazed at her husband awaiting his next words. Lightning smiled and said "I love you to." She smiled. He let her go and she went off to work. Lightning went home and took his medicine as Sally ordered. He fell asleep pretty soon on the couch.

Sally got home that night. It was kinda late. She called out "Hey Stickers! I'm home!." She threw her purse down and walked into the kitchen and grabbed some water. She walked into the living room. She saw he was passed out in the couch. She smiled warmly. She laughed quietly a bit still over the raccoon thing. The events of today were actually not so surprising. She knew he'd been having trouble finding his place. Without racing. Without Cruz. It was hard. He was in a way restless. First he tried helping Red. But that didn't turn out..

Lightning held the fireman's hose to water some flowers with Red. Red had set it to barely drip. Lightning had to guess even how to water them a certain way dense Red wouldn't speak. Red showed him a pattern. But Lightning kept doing it wrong. It was frustrating. Red had to go change the batteries in the alarms. Lightning helped. Red held the latter at the bottom. Lightning crawled up. He took the cover off. He took the old battery out. He put the new one in. But pulled a wire a little to had sout the way. The alarm started going off for no reason constantly.

Red had put Lightning in charge of watering flowers that evening. He set it to the same slow setting Red showed him before. "This is going to take forever.." Lightning said to himself staring at all the flowers. "Just a little more pressure can't hurt." Lightning turned it up. Suddenly Lightning felt the pressure pushing him. "Oh no.." he said just as he fell down and destroyed most the flowers and plants outside hitting the building. The statue. Red ran out and Lightning accidentally let go of the hose. Which then violently shook crazy like a wild snake. Red layed down on top of it to gain control. And pointed for now soaked Lightning to go.. Red ofcorse being nice gave him another try. Lightning used the fire hose to clean Luiges y'all tire castle. The pressure was to storing and tires fell. Hitting the fire shop. Reds truck. Almost hitting and hurting a few towmsfolk! Lightning felt aweful for destroying the monument...

Sally sighed thinking about another time.. where he tried valet parking for the wheel well. And wound up mixing the number up.. that took hours to fix!.. Lightning was just.. lost..he was becoming.. Well he started to push racing away. He wouldn't drive the sports cars. He would drive over 40.. he was become more and more like.. well Doc Sally thought. She knew he just needed to get behind the wheel and drive. She just needed to remind him who he was. Get that racing spirit back in his blood.

Sally felt a hard kick from the baby and rubbed her bump. She couldn't wait to be a mother. Sally layed a blanket over her husband and kissed his forehead lightly. She went off to bed.

Lightning woke up to the sound of Cruz's laugh? Lightning sat up and stretched. He was sore from sleeping on the couch. He brushed his hand through his dimmed golden hair. He walked into the dining area. Sally and Cruz and Sky were sitting at the table. Organizing some wedding stuff. "Oh Good morning Stickers!. How you feel?" His face burned a bit. Cruz's eyes widened "Wow.. I thought Sally was joking!?.. you really got torn up by a raccoon?" Lightning yawned and answered "I'm gonna shower." Sally reminded him, "Don't forget your medicine. You really don't want that to get infected." Lightning walked off. Cruz spoke up "So I take it he's not doing well with no racing?" Sally sighed and replied as she scooped up some papers "It's not going great. It's not just the no racing Cruz. He insist on giving it up all together anyway. He won't even race around Willy's butte. Take the car for a spin. Drive much over 40. He's just lost his spirit a bit." Cruz was so confused and asked "why? What happened?" Sally answered "The rally. And I think he's overthinking his crash maybe to now. It may amhave been a while back but.." Cruz replied "Like post driving vehophobia? I've heard of racers getting it after a crash." Sally stared. She didn't know what that was "Like what?" Cruz answered happily "It's a type of anxiety. When I was a trainer for racers. I had to take a class on it. I was treating Mr.McQueen for it a little when I trained him a bit. But he didn't show signs of it so we stopped pretty soon on." Sally was interested. "What exactly is this again? Do you think it's that thing you said?" Cruz answered. "Well.. it'd be hard to tell unless he tried racing around. If he won't face it the anxiety would eventually be all he felt behind the wheel." Sally worried. She didn't want that. "So.. he wont race again?" Sally asked. Cruz frowned and answered "If it is that and not treated it's a possibility?.." she smiled awkwardly.

Sally didn't want that. Their son. She had always thought Lightning would teach him. "I gotta get him back." Cruz gave a confused look and replied. "I'll try taking him to the track if you'd like. It use to be my job to get old racers back out there." Sally smiled. "Thank you." Cruz smiled back. "Can you watch Sky while." Sally definitely didn't mind that.

Cruz knocked on Lightning and Sally's bedroom door.

Lightning opened it. Dressed. Freshly showered. Cruz smiled and spoke "I wanna go out to the dirt track and put in some laps. Will you come?" Lightning thought about it before answering "um.. no I should stay here. I just took medicine to." Lightning started to walk down stairs. Cruz followed and replied "Come on!? Your my coach. Can tell me what I need to work on?" Lightning stopped at the end of the stairs. Cruz bumped into him accidentally. He turned around and replied to Cruz "Cruz, there's nothing I can teach you anymore? You're a great racer. You can do well enough on your own now." Cruz smiled. He really though so?! Cruz said "Thanks. But Mr.McQueen please. I could use the few laps with you. Like a race?.. just me and you? Not racing this season has me a little despressed.." she frowned. It was kinda true anyway. Lightning sighed. He thought about it. "I.." he started to answer.. "I can't." He walked away. Cruz began to think he did have some bad anxiety now..

Cruz followed and stopped McQueen. "I'm gonna keep bugging you until you come?" Lightning's brows lowered. "Cruz please..". Cruz replied "Come on. I want to race Lightning McQueen! Like with Smokey's training!" Lightning rolled his eyes. "At least come with me and watch. I could use a racers company?" Lightning relplied "If I Go will you stop it?" Cruz nodded. Lightning growled a bit "Fine let's go.. you're driving." He let Sally know he was going with Cruz.

Out at Willy's butte. Cruz took a few laps. Lightning watched. She really was good enough she didn't need him. He smiled a bit watching Cruz. She enjoyed it so much. He missed it. Cruz slid to a hault and got out her sports car. "Looking Good!" Lightning complimented.

Cruz threw the keys to McQueen and he caught them. "Your turn!" She smiled. Lightning stared st the keys. "Come on! You know you want to?" Cruz teased. Lightning stared. Cruz began to worry. Lightning handed the keys to Cruz. "I'm good." Cruz gave a look to the old racer. "What are you afraid of?" Lightning chuckled answering "I'm not afraid of anything?" Cruz replied "Prove it." She held the keys up. Lightning's eyes widened. He thought about it. He didn't want Cruz thinking he was scared? He grabbed the keys rudely. He marched over to the car. He sat inside.. he stared at the dirt path ahead.

"It's just Willy's butte?.. speed.. I am... I am speed.. speed.." he took a deep breath starting the car and revved the engine. His heart elevated. He breathed in deep and closed his eyes. His hesitation concerned Cruz.

"Speed.. Speed.. come on.." he grew a little frustrated. He stared at the track. He glanced at Cruz. "You got this Mr.McQueen!" He glared. The track seemed to grow longer. Further away. He thought about the rally. He closed his eyes. "Faster than fast.. quicker and than quick.. I am.. Lightning." With that he gunned it. He took off fast. Around the first turn. The second turn he started overthinking it. The rally. He remembered Storm's car hitting the rails and smashing through. And how he had to slam the brakes from keeping them up. His eyes widened. He hit the brakes hard. Causing the car to thud and skid a bit. Realization hit and before he knew it he fell

Down the steep base into the cacti! Cruz ran over. "Mr.McQueen!" She yelled. Lightning sat there. He couldn't believe it. In the tulips!? He rested his head on the steering wheel. A little embarrassed. He hasn't been here in.. years! Cruz called out "Are You Okay?!" Lightning sighed and answered loudly "Yeah!.. I'm okay..". He couldn't believe this. Cruz's car was scratched up pretty badly now. Cruz sighed. Not about the car. She just.. she started to believe he did have some issues now. "What happened?" She called out. Lightning didn't want to tell her. It was stupid and embarrassing. "I just..". He didn't know what to say. Cruz spoke up. "Why did you hit the brakes so hard for no reason!?" Lightning tried thinking of an excuse. He answered frustrated "Just call Mater to come get me out of this!" He tried opening the door but the cacti has it pinned shut. Lightning just sat there. He couldn't believe himself.

What do you guys think here.

Should Lightning open up to Cruz. To Sally. About his anxiety? Cruz has a bunch of different methods to try And beat that fear out so to say.

Or...

He is to embarrassed. There's no way he will

Admit he's a littler nervous about getting hurt again. Getting Sally hurt again.