From Pancake: Mere is now able to post her own stories, so I will no longer be posting any of hers other than THIS ONE AND LIFE'S HIGHWAY. So I'm going to finish posting Unbreakable Bonds and Life's Highway until they're finished, then she will take the rest. Thanks for your consideration and support! Please check back HERE for updates.

A/N: Lightning's race schedule for this year is just a race or two a month, because he was taking extra time off to help Sally.
February 13- day before valentines day.
Sally- five months pregnant.
Pixar owns Cars. Not me. I don't own a car yet.

Chapter 54- Kicks.

Lightning pulled into the driveway after a long day. That morning he had run the Daytona 500. He had come in second to Chick. After the race, he had signed about 300 autographs, then gotten on his jet and flown to Phoenix, where he picked up his car and began the drive home. It was ten-thirty. He walked up to the door, hoping to find Sally still up. He walked inside, then up the creaky old steps to their bedroom. The temperature was cool outside, but warm inside. He reached the bedroom door and He knocked softly before going inside. Sally was awake, laying on the bed. Lightning, with a bit of a start, realized just how big she had gotten in the last few months. She saw him come in and she smiled.
"Hey, Stickers." She said, standing up and walking over to him.
He smiled and pulled her close...or, well, as close as they could get anyway.
"Did you see the race, Sal?" He asked her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She nodded. "You did really well."
He shrugged. "Well enough, anyway." Lightning said. She leaned up and kissed him. He put a hand on her stomach.
"How was this one while I was gone?" He asked.
Sally heaved a deep sigh. "Moving, moving, moving. He's an active little baby." Lightning laid his hand over her stomach.
"I can feel him." Lightning said. " Gosh, He is moving a lot."
Sally slightly glared. "You think I don't know that?" She asked.
Lightning smiled, then got ready for bed.
"We need to choose a name, Sal." He said as she crawled in under the covers and she curled up next to him.
Sally nodded in agreement. "You know, after the baby shower I looked through those papers."
"And?" Lightning asked.
"Well, first off, everyone thinks I'm going to have it in the middle of the night." Sally said, sounding slightly irritated.
He smirked. "Are you?"
Sally gave him a warning look. "Anyway, there was one name that really stuck out to me." She said.
He waited for her to continue.
"Eric." Sally said. "What do you think of Eric?"
Lightning thought about it. "I really like that." Lightning said. "Eric McQueen. That's pretty good. And we'll come up with a middle name later on. "
"Good." Sally said, yawning. "Oh, I'm exhausted. Goodnight, Stickers." She placed a hand on her stomach. " And goodnight Eric."
Lightning kissed Sally. "Goodnight, Sal." then he bent down and kissed her stomach. "Goodnight baby Eric."

A few weeks later, it was Sally's birthday. They weren't doing a surprise party this year, (Sally was six months pregnant, better not to stress her out!) but Lightning did have a surprise for his beautiful wife. Sally had been complaining lately about the huge construction project on the edge of town. Why did it have to be so loud, and what the heck were they building anyway? So, that afternoon, lightning and Sally were climbing into his ferrari to go get her 'surprise'.
"Oh." Sally sighed sadly, climbing into the car. "I feel HUGE today."
Lightning got in and started it up. "But you LOOK absolutely beautiful." He told her, reaching over and rubbing her stomach. They drove in silence for a few minutes. They passed the cafe, and they passed the hospital. They passed the cozy cone. The sun shone down and birds chirped in the trees.
"How do you still even BEGIN to find me attractive when I look like this?" Sally asked, gesturing to her expanded stomach.
Lightning rubbed her shoulder with one of his hands. "Did you know that you're attractiveness is only one percent the reason I fell in love with you?" He asked, taking her hand. "I love you for what's inside your heart."
Sally looked over at her husband. "Thanks." She said. "I needed that." Lightning parked the car just a little ways from the construction zone. He walked around to Sally's side and blindfolded her, then helped her out of the car, and walked her towards the house.
"Where are we going?" Sally asked, annoyed at the blindfold.
"You'll see." He said, kissing the side of her neck.
They arrived at the half done house, and lightning took some papers from the construction manager. He turned Sally so her back was to the house, then he put the papers in her hands and undid the blindfold. She looked down at the papers and began to read aloud as Lightning put his hands on her shoulder.
"Mrs. Sally McQueen, you and your husband are now the first owners of a...two story...six bedroom..." Her voice trailed off and she looked at Lightning in surprise. He smiled and turned her to face the construction. She dropped to her knees in shock.
"You surprised?" Lightning asked, kneeling next to her. She nodded and some happy tears began to gather in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Lightning.
"Thank you." She said through her tears.
He smiled and hugged her back. "Best birthday present ever?" He asked.
"Oh yeah." Sally replied. "When will it be done?"
"June tenth." He replied.
Sally drew in a sharp breath. "That close to when the baby's going to be born?" She asked, laying a hand on her stomach. Lightning nodded. "But at least Eric will have a nice nursery." He said. "I'm having them do that to one of the bedrooms." Sally leaned against him. "Thank you, Stickers." She said. "this has been the best birthday ever."

That night, Lightning and Sally were in bed, and Lightning was almost asleep, when suddenly Sally gasped.
"Ow." She said breathlessly.
Lightning shot up like a bullet, accidentally knocking his pillows off the bed. "Are you okay?" He asked.
Sally put a hand on her stomach. "Holy crap." She exclaimed breathlessly.
"What's wrong Sally?" Lightning asked as her face tightened in pain.
"This kid just kicked me. Really hard." She replied.
She took Lightning's hand and placed it on her stomach. He felt a small thump. Then he felt it again. He smiled at Sally.
"Well, he has his father's strength." Sally said, kissing Lightning's cheek. He kissed her lips then laid back down. After about half an hour, when Lightning was sure Sally was asleep, he reached over and felt her stomach again. Sure enough, Eric was still kicking. He leaned down close to Sally's stomach.
"Are you giving your mommy a hard time, Eric?" He whispered. "I can't wait to meet you, sweet little baby."