Mater pulled Lighting and Cruz's car out of the tulips. Lightning got out. Cruz spoke up with Mater standing next to her "What happened?" Lightning sighed. Mater stood there. He wanted to know to. Lightning frowned. Cruz asked again, "You gotta talk to me? It's okay if you got scared. It's okay to feel nervous. After the things you've been through?" Lightning glared a bit and answered. "I'm not scared. I'm just..I don't know..". Cruz thought for a moment then replied. "What were you thinking about Mr.McQueen?" Lightning looked at Cruz. He sighed again but answered "I thought about the rally. The crash, The cliff. I thought about what if the next time..." he stopped and looked at Mater. Mater asked "Nextime what?.. You Crash?" Lightning nodded and answered "What If next time that's it. I can't leave Sally and the baby? I know it's stupid because I'm not going to crash out here. At least I don't think so?" Cruz nodded and replied "That's perfectly normal. You just have a little anxiety. I can help you push through it." Lightning's eyes widened then brows lowered as he spoke sternly "No! I'm not going back to your naming tires yoga and disco style dancing!?" Mater and Cruz both laughed a bit. Cruz answered. "We don't have to do that. This would be a different type of way to work on it. One way is to actually just face it head on and drive the car in similar situations." Lightning rolled his eyes. Cruz continued. "We can start with Self love therapy. It's so simple. You pretty much already do it." Lightning have a weird face. "Self love? What is that?" Cruz answered. "Motivation really. We can start right now!" Lightning's eyes widened and he took a few steps back. "Actually Cruz. I think I'm fine. I can handle this. I can race if I really want to. Mater, will you give me a lift back home?" Cruz spoke up "I gotta get Sky from your place. I'll take you." Lightning nodded.
He thanked his friend Mater ofcorse. They drove up. Slowly. Cruz started the conversation in the car..
"Self love isn't that weird or difficult Mr.McQueen." She said. Lightning sighed. Cruz spoke again. "It's really easy. You know that self motivation you do? Speed. I am Speed. Still love that by the way! It's kinda like that. But I want you to say aloud that you accept other things." Lightning shook his head. He knew he couldn't get out of this. "Okay... like?" He asked. Cruz smiled and answered. "Okay. First I want you to say aloud that you accept change. Change can be good. But your only looking at the negative side. You need to accept that yes one day. You won't ever hit top speed!?" Lightning glared. Cruz continued. "I know it doesn't make sense. But please. I mean there's always medications for anxiety. But.. I just figured you wouldn't want to?..". Lightning thought about it. The pulled up to his home. Cruz and himself went inside. Cruz spoke up "Mrs.McQueen talked to me about it by the way. That's why I asked for you to come out with me." Lightning nodded. He should have known. Skybran uo to criz and hugged her. Cruz smiled. Lightning saw Sally walk up. He smiled to. He gazed at her. He thought about what Cruz said. He frowned. Sally noticed. Cruz thanked Sally for watching Sky. The two of them left.
Lightning faced Sally in the kitchen asking. "Sally do you think I've changed?" Sally hesitated answering. "I think you've lost yourself a bit in the past weeks." Lightning didn't say anything else. He frowned. Sally came around him and hugged him. Her baby bump kinda in the way. Lightning smiled. "Sally it's not that I've lost myself. I know who I am. I know what I am. I just am afraid of getting hurt and not making it back. Or you having to take care of me. Or hurting you? I can't do it again?" Sally shook her head and kissed him passionately. "Lightning. Don't think like that. You've never hurt me? What makes you think that?" Lightning sighed answering "Yes I have? The crash?.. I noticed. I may have been pretty out of it and alone most the time. But I noticed it hurt you to. Then the rally? You were scared of losing me. That fear in your eyes. I hated it. I thought of what might happen if I wasn't here.. and." "Stickers. Stop. I wasn't hurt by your crash? I was more less sad that it seemed like I lost you. I was obviously scared of losing you when I saw the rally. But you always come home. Don't think like that. I fell in love with a racer. I knew he risks." She smiled. Lightning smiled a bit. Sally added. "Tomorrow we are going for a drive and getting you back out there!" Lightning chuckled a bit and answered "I don't want you getting hurt? I don't think I like that idea. I'd rather you and Hudson stay safe." Sally rolled her eyes and answered. "Hudson is the son of the fabulous Lightning McQueen. He's gonna he born with the same fire you had. I sure hope. I'm pretty sure your gonna want to still be racing when he comes of age." Lightning thought about it. He smiled. "A short drive. Just for you though Sal." Sally leaned in and rubbed Lightning's upper thigh saying "Maybe you just need extra motivation. The faster you drive. The more you get?" Lightning chuckled a bit. It was actually getting a little difficult and inventive in the bedroom. With little bump in the way. It was quite awkward at times. Lightning layed his hand on Sally's. Sally winked and whispered "Kachow." Lightning kissed her. He loved this girl crazy.
Mid day the following day. Sally swooshed by a curve in her Porsche. It was proving to actually start to get difficult driving a sports car with this baby bump growing! But she pushed about 50. Lightning close behind in his mustang. He was barely keeping up. Sally had him on speaker phone in the car. Lightning the same with Sally.
"Come on Stickers!? I'm so far ahead I can barely se you there behind me?" Lightning sighed answering "Yeah?.. you sure your doing okay? I don't want you to lose control and" "Stickers Stop! You know if you wanna make sure I'm driving safe. You should keep up." She sped off even faster. Lightning hesitated. But he gunned it after her. He was nervous. He could feel a queasy sick feeling in his Stomach.. "Sally slow down." He ordered. Sally laughed. Lightning felt his head feel funny. He felt a little dizzy. Like he was backing out. He needed to calm down. "Sally I'm serious. I'm pulling over." He slowed. Sally did the same. She pulled over a few feet ahead of him. Neither got out the cars. Sally asked over the phone. "Stickers?..". Lightning closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before answering his wife. "I'm sorry." He apologized. Sally frowned and replied "Come on. Let's go again." Lightning sighed before he replied "Sally.. I.." he stopped. Sally joked. "Do you want me or Cruz?" Lightning answered "Oh I'd much rather you." Sally smiled. "Then come on! Show me what you got!" She revved up the car. Lightning smiled a little. Sally drive off. Lightning followed.
Down town Cruz was eating a snack with Sky. Cruz was really craving fried pickle chips all day! Luckily Flos cafe made some. Sky and her were Talking about what they would do for the rest of the day. They noticed a few camera flashes and a crowd outside. Cruz was use to it. She wondered who it was though that people were so interested in. Cruz suddenly had to pee. "Come on Sky come with me. Gotta use the restroom again." Sky followed. Cruz wouldn't leave a 5 year old alone!? Well soon 6. Once she finished up. Cruz washed up and they went back out. Cruz and Sky say back down. Startled when a familiar face pushed in beside Cruz.
"Jackson?!" Cruz said excitedly! She hugged him tight. Sky smiled. Storm pulled Cruz away a bit. Cruz asked "What are you doing here?" Storm smiled all
Cocky and answered. "Well I missed my girls. The race is in Phoenix. Just a few hours away. So thought I'd stay here until the weekend." Cruz smiled. Storm then handed a flyer style poster in a folder to Sky. "Go ahead and open that up Sky." He said. Cruz was curious to as Sky opened it. On the front was Storm posed with Cruz and Sky by his other side. The side had big bold letters that spelled. "Hottest dads of the year!" Sky asked. "What is it?" Cruz took it and looked at it. Storm explained. "That is a preview cover of a magazine that we will be on. And they want to interview me you and Sky." Sky smiled openly and said happily "Wait!? I get to be interviewed for a magazine and on the cover!?" Storm nodded. Cruz smiled warmly. Sky was so excited. Cruz spoke up "You look good. Hot dad?" She giggled. Storm smiled and wrapped his arm around his love. "Not jealous are you?" He grabbed on the pickle chips and smelled it. "How can you eat that? It's a pickle?" Sky was still just excited to be in a magazine. Cruz laughed a bit and answered. "Cravings." Storm threw it back. "Right..". He said disgusted. Cruz picked it back up and ate it. Sky said loudly "Wait til I tell my friends!" It was a small school in the town. But it was actually kinda nice. Storm spoke up. "Hey if I'm counting right?.." he used his finger and poked the air counting again. "Shouldn't you be enough.. along to know?" Criz gave a confused stare. "Know what?" She asked. Eating a few more chips and drinking some water. Storm answered "To.. know?"
They hadn't told Sky yet. And Cruz wasn't showing to much. Just a little weight. They were getting married here in about a week and were trying to wait until afterwards to tell a bunch of people. Very few knew. But rumors flew around. Cruz realized finally. "Oh!? Um.. yeah I guess so. You been keeping track of the weeks?" Storm smiled. He didn't answer. Cruz thought that was unexpectedly sweet of him. Cruz asked "Do you wanna know?" Sky gave a weird look and asked "Wanna know what? I wanna know?" Storm and Cruz both stared wide eyed at Sky. Storm gave a stare.. "Maybe we should tell her." Cruz shook her head. Storm sighed. "It's a surprise for after he wedding for you." He said to his daughter. Sky pouted. Cruz spoke again "I could call the clinic to see if I can get in before the race and find out?" Storm asked "Please so that. I do wanna know." Sky yelled again "I wanna know!?" She begged. Cruz stared. Storm laughed a bit. Cruz budged Storm "I got to pee again. Please move! I'll call the clinic while I am out okay?" Storm slid out letting his love out. In about a week they'd be married and he couldn't wait. He smiled warmly. Sky glared at him as he sat down. "What?" He asked his daughter. "What are you two hiding?" Sky asked. Storm sighed.
Cruz came back grinning hard she said excitedly. "We can find out tomorrow!" She squealed. Storm jumped up
And hugged her. "That's great babe!" Sky was still
Confused. She didn't understand. "We gotta fell her." Storm added. Cruz glanced at Sky. She was pouting and spoke "Yeah! Tell me tell me!" She smiled. She was pretty cute. Storm held his arm around Cruz. "Later. Alone. But it's a secret okay?" Cruz told Sky. Sky nodded!
Okay!!! Exciting!? So this choice was coming!!
are Cruz and Storm having a!!!??
Son?
Or...
Daughter.
