Lightning stood and watched Cleo and her hired help set the academy up for the party tonight. Eyeing her, watching her very closely. Cleo looked over to Lightning nervously, but smiled a little. Lightning only glared. Crossing his arms and keeping his sights on Cleo. "Lightning." Called a voice from behind. Lightning turned around quickly to see Cruz. She looked nervous, afraid, scared. Lightning's expression towards her only made her even more afraid. "What are you doing here?" He asked quietly and rather rudely. Cruz swallowed loud enough that Lightning heard her. Her face just read fear. Complete fear.
Lightning's expression changed seeing that. He went from a threatening and mean glare to a worried and concerned friend within seconds. "Cruz?..." He began. Cruz felt so sick to her stomach standing before Lightning like this. Her eyes glossed as tears began to fill them. Lightning glanced back at Cleo for a moment who had a nothing, but a smile on her face. Suddenly Cruz wrapped her arms around Lightning tightly! Lightning sighed and rubbed her back gently and said. "Let's.. Go some place more private." Mostly away from Cleo. Cleo glared at Lightning. Watching him and Cruz go to the elevator and up to his office alone.
Lightning shut the door behind them and Cruz broke at this moment saying "I am so sorry! I.. I shouldn't have.. I shouldn't have let things go like they did! You were drunk.. It was so obvious and yet I did nothing to stop you!.." Lightning frowned as he heard her just venting out in fear and hurt. "Cruz.." Lightning called, but she ignored him and only continued her little rant. "I.. I messed up so badly and then you.. You.. It's all because I was a stupid person and wanted you so badly that I didn't care of the consequences and I just.. I messed everything up! The one time I thought, hey, I'll sleep with someone else and do like you were doing to me, I.. I got pregnant with Miguel. Miguel's dad didn't even want him and so that mess just blew up! I thought I'd be with Mateo and I screwed that up to! I Messed up and all because I am some idiot who I guess really and truly, I don't know what I want! I wanted to be in love and happy, but is this what love feels like Lightning?!" She cried out in asking. "IS IT!?" She shouted.
Seeing that she seemed to finished, Lightning took one deep breath, rubbing his eyes from this on coming headache then asked "What happened?.." He sounded a bit annoyed. Cruz looked at him with fear as she answered with asking her own question. "What would you have me do? If I was pregnant Lightning?.. Hmm? What would you REALLY have me do?" Lightning nodded saying "So you are.. You're pregnant." Cruz didn't answer and didn't have to. It was clear she was by the way she was upset and asking silly questions. "Now what?.." Lightning asked. Cruz still remained silent. "How do I even know it's mine this time?!" HE yelled in pure rage! Cruz's eyes widened! "I.. I can he test again once the baby is"-"No. No, I.. I don't even.." He was going to say he didn't even want this kid.
"It can't be mine Cruz." He said once again. Cruz shrugged asking "What do you want me to do? It's yours. Period. This time I haven't slept with anyone else whatsoever. There is zero chance it's anyone else's." She explained. Lightning thought about Sally and how this was going to go over. What about his kids. His kids with Sally that is. Lightning broke a little more in this moment. He may have even just given up all hope of ever being with Sally at this moment. Because once Sally knew, it was going to be over.
Lightning looked at Cruz with such sadness in his eyes. Cruz could see it and nodded mumbling. "I'll.. I'll just get rid of it.. Don't worry about it.. This doesn't have to be your problem." She was very hurt. She walked out of Lightning's office and oddly enough Lightning didn't stop her. He let her go hearing that last sentence from her. She said she was going to get rid of it. That would be the best thing to do, it would be best for Lightning and his family that he actually wanted. But was this the right thing to do? He didn't even ask Cruz if she wanted the baby, and she was.. It's mother.
Lightning knew that Cruz would do anything to please him, but would she have it in her to end the life of an unwanted child just because it was convenient for them? Seemed so as long as it pleased Lightning, but did it really? Would this be another blanket of guilt Lightning would ave over him the rest of his life. Watching his kids grow up and knowing he was the cause of Cruz loosing another child? That is, if Cruz even thought of keeping it. If Cruz didn't want it either, it wouldn't be so bad. They could both agree to terminate and part ways, but if Cruz wanted it and got rid it it only because it would make life easier for Lightning, that was wrong and Lightning knew it.
Cruz began walking out of the academy as Cleo approached and stopped her asking, "Baby, what is wrong? What happened? You tell him the news?" She asked. Cruz looked at Cleo with tears ready to fall and nodded. She wiped her eyes then answered further. "Yeah, I.. I told him sort of and.. He doesn't want it. I'm.. I'm just going to get rid of this problem and.. And leave for good. Think that's best for everyone.." Cleo frowned and asked "Is it really best for everyone?.. Or just best for Mr. McQueen?"
That did make Cruz think. She stood there a moment then Lightning himself called her. "Cruz." Cleo and Cruz both looked over to see him standing a few feet away. Cleo's brows lowered and she got between them and snarled. "You should really be ashamed of yourself Mr. McQueen!" Lightning's brows lowered as he replied "Shut up Cleo. This is between Cruz and I." "IS IT!?" She yelled! Lightning walked up to Cleo, face to face and quietly in a deeper tone ordered. "Move. Move out of my way and after tonight, you leave town and NEVER come back." Cleo and Lightning did this sort of death stare towards each other.
Cruz frowned and began to leave, but Lightning stopped her calling. "Wait Cruz.. I need to ask you something." Cruz looked at Lightning and he stepped around Cleo, approaching her. Cleo was furious in losing that small amount of attention from the man, but stood by and listened to what Lightning asked Cruz. "Cruz.. I need you to tell me what you want to do about this.. I don't want you making any.. Regretful decisions just to please me. There are.. Plenty of ways to handle this. Up there, what you said you'd do is just one option. Now, I'm.. I'm..." He paused. He was going to say he was leaning more towards terminating this, but sighed and instead just asked again, "What do you want to do?"
Cruz was very surprised that Lightning even asked her this after how serious and threatening he was before. Cruz stared at the ground and thought for a second or two. "Um.." She began. "Well.. I.." Biting her lips as she nervously thought about this. If she kept it, if she didn't, Miguel, Sally. All of it rushing through her mind and thinking about what keeping this child meant for the future. "Um.." she said again. Suddenly Lightning's eyes widened as he looked towards the door. Cruz turned around to see Sally walking up. When she looked back at Lightning, she saw the fear in his eyes, the fear and brokenness and anger coming on. The fight that was about to go down. Cruz swallowed painfully before saying "We can just.. Talk later." The gratitude in Lightning's eyes was like none ever seen before! Sally stepped inside and it was a little awkward. Cruz, Lightning, and Cleo all standing there. She was suspicious and greeted "Hello?.." With question in tone.
Sally and Lightning stared at each other with odd expressions. Sally looked to Cruz saying "I didn't know Cruz was... Was here?" Cleo butted in explaining "Yes, I invited her to the party to. It's not a party without a real racer in the midst right?" She joked. Sally only glared at Cleo, but looking at Lightning, Sally fell more suspicious then before. "What are you doing here? Lightning asked his wife calmly. Sally glanced at Cruz one last time before answering Lightning. "Can I not drop by?" She asked. Her tone only confirmed the suspicion. Lightning sighed and frowned. It was time to stop this and not drag this on.
He knew Cruz wanted to keep the baby. Anyone could see that in her face, could hear it in her tone. Cruz was not the kind to get rid of an innocent life. Sally and Cruz were a lot alike in that field. Of course, Sally would never get an abortion due to the experience and loss of her very first baby. That was her real reasoning. She was heartbroken by it and losing her second pregnancy only made that choice stronger. Cruz however was just so pure and young and innocent and kind. She valued life and looked to the positive side of every situation. Even this one. "Sally.. We should talk." Lightning announced.
Sally looked to Cruz and it was like she was just expecting this really. Sally nodded calmly then Cleo quietly squealed like an excited little girl on Christmas oddly enough. All three others looked at her with a glare. She smiled and apologized saying. "Sorry.. I just... This is so great. Tonight is going to be great!" Lightning bare his teeth and shot a threatening look toward her. Cleo's eyes widened then she ran off to continue preparing the party. Sally took a deep breath and said. "I don't care anymore. It's obvious I am just not good enough. I already knew this deep down and just didn't want to believe it."
Lightning broke! "But Sally, you haven't even, you don't even know what I'm going to say." He defended. Sally held up her hand, motioning him to just stop talking. "I'm not stupid.. Or naive." She said firmly. "I'm going to stop living my life around you now. I don't need this and my kids don't need to see me like this anymore. Constantly breaking down because I have to clean up what you mess up." Lightning just stared at her a little unsure. Did Sally already know or not than?
"Sally.. I love you and"-"Don't make this worse. Stop talking for once. I don't want to hear you defend yourself again." A short silence swept between them. Lightning was hurt and scared. Was this the actual end again? Would he be able to win her back all over again? Tears gathered in his eyes. "Sally.. I messed up okay..." He spoke quietly so that the hired workers behind them setting up the party wouldn't hear them. "I, I, I'm a fool.. I.. I fucked up and"-"I fucked up." Cruz corrected and butted in. Sally looked to Cruz and her brows lowered. "I hate you." Sally exclaimed. Cruz deserved that. "Sally.. He was drunk and I knew he was. Cleo set it up. She set it all up." Cruz tried explaining. "I didn't know she did and when Lightning was.. I saw a chance and I took it thinking maybe.. I .. I just thought.. It would be nice to feel.. Him.. One more time.."
Sally was furious and nodded saying "Just like Megan was set up to right?" She asked as she sharply looked to Lightning. Lightning quickly defended "Sally, Meg was set up, and you know that." "How many more women do you have to sleep with before it gets" She stopped sudden and took a deep breath as she began to become very angry. Sally shook her head then asked. "Is she pregnant? IS that why you have all this baby stuff?" Lightning didn't even lie, he nodded with a frown. Sally looked to Cruz and asked "What are you planning to do with that? If this is even Lightning's baby again?" She snarled rudely with that.
Cruz deserved that a little too. Cruz swallowed nervously and answered softly "I don't know.. Lightning and I were just talking about that.. I just told him about it few minutes ago really." Sally wasn't sure how truthful that was or not and didn't care. Cruz was pregnant. Lightning messed up like he always did and always would it seemed. Sally looked at Lightning and her next thought was of the times before the first affair ever went down. How they use to be so happy. She smiled a little and caressed Lightning's cheek. "What happened to us?.." She asked in a soft whisper. She felt the tears fall from Lightning's eyes. She removed her hand slowly and frowned. "You two should talk and figure this out between the two of you alone." She turned and began to leave, but Lightning stopped her, grabbing her hand and asking "What about us?.. What does this mean for us?"
He was broken probably just as much as Sally at this moment. Sally looked at him and shrugged answering "I'll see you at home." Lightning's brows lowered in confusion. Sally was needing time to think really. Her hand slipped from his and she left without a goodbye. Cruz looked at Lightning then apologized quietly. Cleo walked back up saying "Some things just.. Can't be fixed Boss.." Lightning closed his eyes and took a deep breath. At this point, he and Cruz were both ready to kill this woman. Cleo had to go. Lightning turned around, facing Cleo and warned. "If I lose Sally... You will live every second regretting it for the rest of your life. I will make sure of that."
Cleo just stared back into Lightning's eyes and said "Looking forward to it.." It took all Lightning had to not beat this woman at this moment. "Cruz.." Lightning called. Cruz stepped up closer to Lightning nervously as he continued. "Go to my office and wait for me. We should figure this out before I head home tonight." Cruz stood there for a second, staring at Cleo and Lightning. "GO!" Lightning snapped at her! It made Cruz jump a bit then rush off to his office alone and in a hurry!
Cleo smiled a little and said "I always get what I want in the end Daddy.. Don't forget that." Lightning snickered and stepping even closer to her face replied "And now you have nothing to keep you safe. Nothing holding me back." "Don't be so sure of that Daddy.. Sally may know, but do you really want all your students and the world to see that tape?" She asked. And crap! Cleo was right! She did still have something on Lightning. Cleo smiled as that registered into Lightning just fine. "See you at the party Daddy." She replied then left as well to get ready. Lightning watched her leave and thought about Sally. He should be thinking of Cruz and this baby.. But all he could think of.. Was Sally..