Correct answer to the quiz question is... Brittney! Congratulations if you got it!

I'm so glad you guys seem to like the fact that Sammy's pregnant. And just so you know, I've already decided the sex of the baby and his or her name. Personally, I thought apart from that, the last chapter was a little dry. This chapter isn't a whole lot better, I think, but at least this is an original. It's got nothing from the movie in it.

You might be able to guess what happens in this chapter, based on the title. And I doubt you'll be surprised to know I borrowed some dialogue from The Internship again. I did that because first of all, it's a great movie! Second of all, since Owen Wilson's in that movie, I can hear Lightning's voice saying these things.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 30- Fudge Steps Down

The ride to Florida was long and mostly silent. However, when they were about halfway there, Lightning began to speak.

"I just can't believe this!" he murmured, sounding close to tears. "I thought I was ready for this! I was so sure of it."

"But you were so close, Mr. McQueen!" Cruz reminded him. "And you don't know what's gonna happen in this race! None of us do!"

"Yeah, you still have a chance", Fudge chimed in.

"Come on! I think we all know how this story ends!" Lightning sighed. "Look, guys. I really appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but it's not working, all right?"

So, Cruz and Fudge went silent, feeling terrible for Lightning.


Five minutes later, Fudge's phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered it, turning away from Lightning and Cruz to hear better. "Oh, hi, Sammy... Hi, Smokey; hi, Junior; hi, River; hi, Louise... Not great... Yeah, I really want him to win, but I... I just don't know... You are?... Really?" Fudge was beginning to sound excited. "Oh, sweet! That's awesome!... Thanks. I'm sure we could do with all the help we can get." She paused as Sammy spoke and then laughed. "I think I can live with that!" She laughed again. "Oh, really?... Where are you?... So, not that far behind... Okay. We'll see you there!... Bye. Thanks again." She hung up with a smile on her face.

"What's going on?" Lightning wondered.

"They're all coming to the race."

"Really?" The stock car was just as happy and surprised as Fudge had been.

"Yep. They think you could do with all the help you can get. Sammy and Smokey wanna try to be in the pits, so we'll have to meet up with them and let the security know they're with us. River, Junior and Louise will be in the stands, though. They'll try to get tickets when they get there, they said. Then again, racing legends like them might get in for free."

"All right." Lightning nodded. He was still depressed, but he was glad to know that Smokey and the gang would be there.

"What could you live with?" Cruz wondered.

"Herman can't come."

"What a tragedy", Lightning joked halfheartedly.

"I know! Can you believe that geese aren't allowed at the speedway?! That's shocking! That's discrimination! But apparently, he'll be watching on TV."

Lightning gave a weak chuckle. "Well, I'll have to thank Herman the next time I see him."


Things were silent for a long time. Fudge returned to the bed where she lounged, writing in her journal before searching a certain video up on her phone. Pretty soon, an announcer's voice filled the trailer, describing the race.

"What are you watching?" Cruz wanted to know, approaching Fudge.

"Oh, I searched up the flip the Fabulous Hudson Hornet did", the sixteen-year-old explained. "You know, the one Smokey told us about? This was the first video that came up."

"Can I watch with you?"

"Sure." Fudge moved her phone over to let Cruz have a good view too.

The two watched for a while. Not only could they hear the announcer's voice, but they could occasionally make out the words of some of the crew chiefs, including Smokey. The Hudson pickup truck was always cool, calm and collected. He sounded very professional and seemed to know exactly what the Fabulous Hudson Hornet should be doing and when.


That got Fudge thinking. Smokey had more years of experience than she had years in her whole life. When Lightning wasn't sure if he could get back on top, Smokey had always had an idea on how to help. Sneak through the window, while they hadn't understood what it meant, at first, it had been very clever, as was everything he'd done for them over the last couple of days.

Then there was her. Okay. She did have some experience and quite a lot of knowledge of the sport, but nowhere near as much as Smokey. She could barely stay awake during the races, she recalled, thinking back to the night of Lightning's crash; she hadn't quite been with it then. Maybe if she had been, then, well, maybe he might not have beaten Storm, but she could've helped him through the situation and his crash could've been avoided. Then Fudge remembered all of the times she'd fallen asleep during races or had ran off to grab a hot dog or even sent Mater or someone else for one. This was the first time she realised how unprofessional she must look, standing up there on the crew chief platform, munching on a hot dog with ketchup and mustard dripping down her chin and fingers, which she'd then lick off, giving out instructions with her mouth half full. Fudge cringed, thinking about it and cringed some more, thinking about how she'd goofed off with Cruz at the Rust-Eze Racing Center like Lightning said. He was right. Lightning McQueen needed a crew chief who could stand by his side when he needed them to and who could help him through such a difficult challenge.

"Fudge!" Cruz got the human girl's attention.

Fudge looked back at her phone to see the rookie slamming the Fabulous Hudson Hornet into the wall. A second later, Doc pushed off the wall to go flying into the air. His roof was so close to the rookie's, they were almost touching! It was amazing!

"Whoa!" Fudge and Cruz exclaimed softly, simultaneously.

"I can't believe Doc never told us about this!" Fudge commented.

"Did he tell you a lot of stories about his racing days?" Cruz questioned.

"Not at first. I found out he was the Fabulous Hudson Hornet when I was... I must've been about four. I had to have a shot, but I didn't want one, so I hid in his garage and found his Piston Cups."

Cruz smiled at the thought of a four-year-old Fudge doing that.

"He didn't like how his career ended- and that's what Lightning's worried about too", Fudge went on, "so he didn't want any of us knowing. He wasn't happy that I knew, so he paid me not to tell." (Cruz laughed.) "Then Lightning showed up in town and you know the rest."

"Then I was right about Mr. McQueen!" the yellow car commented, impressed. "He really can talk a snowmobile into an air conditioner! If he could convince someone who wanted to leave the whole sport to become his crew chief!"

Fudge felt a little uncomfortable at the mention of the words crew chief, but she tried to shrug it off. "Yeah", she added. "And he convinced Doc, Guido and Luigi to let me go for laps." Or at least, that's what she tried to say; she was mumbling a little with her discomfort.

"What did you say?" Cruz asked.

Fudge repeated herself.

"Are you okay? You seem a little tense. Repeat after me: 'I am a fluffy cloud, I am a fluffy cloud, I am a fluffy cloud'", Cruz chanted.

Giggling a little and taking deep breaths, Fudge did as she was told.

"Better?"

"Yeah, a little bit." Fudge couldn't believe it had worked to help her relax. Plus, it made her laugh, which eased her tension too.

"Is something wrong?"

"I need to talk to Lightning." With those words, she reached into her backpack, pulled something out and shuffled into the other section of the trailer to see Lightning.

"Hey, Lightning", she greeted him quietly.

He gave her a soft smile. "Hey, Fudge."

"Are you okay?"

He sighed. "I don't know... I guess I just thought that something would have worked."

"Yeah. I know." Fudge hugged him. "Chrysler knows how hard you've worked for this. All you can do now is hope for the best. I think it's one of those things where if it's meant to be, you'll win."

"I guess so." The stock car didn't sound convinced.

"But, you know, no matter what happens, I'll be happy as long as you're happy."

Lightning smiled. "Thanks, Fudge-O." He paused with a heavy sigh and added, "If you don't mind, I'd rather be alone right now."

"Well, I really need to talk to you."

"Whatever it is, can't it wait until later?"

She shook her head. "No. The future doesn't know later."

"All the future is is later", Lightning argued. "That's literally what the future is. It's later."

"Well, anyway, I think you should know this now: I don't think I should be your crew chief anymore."

"What?!" Lightning looked at her like he didn't understand. "Fudge? Is something wrong? Don't you want to be my crew chief? I thought you liked it!"

"I do! I do! I love it and I wanna thank you for letting me do it for the last three years. I just... don't think I can do it anymore."

"What?!" Lightning repeated with wide eyes. "Fudge, how can you say that? After everything that's happened, how can you say that?"

"That's actually why I'm saying it..." Fudge explained. "Um... I've been thinking and you were right. I have just been goofing off with Cruz-"

"Come on, Fudge! I mean, yeah, you were, but that doesn't matter. You've learned your lesson, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah, but not just that... I always get tired and sometimes fall asleep during races. I get hungry and eat hot dogs right there on the platform! I only just realised how unprofessional I must look doing that. You need someone who's focused, there one hundred per cent and can do the job well."

"Fudge, you do the job well!" her brother insisted. "Maybe you're not the most conventional crew chief out there, but you get the job done!"

"Not if I fall asleep", Fudge countered. "I wish I was the right person for the job, but I'm not. You deserve better than me."

Lightning couldn't believe it. Three years on the job and now she doubted her abilities. "Fudge-" he started with a hint of anger in his voice.

"It's not as crazy as it sounds, Lightning!" Fudge argued. "We both know what happens if you lose this race! I just want to give you the best possible chance to win!"

"Well, what would you suggest?"

"I think you should ask Smokey."

"Smokey?" Lightning repeated, but not with anger or disgust, but rather surprise and thoughtfulness.

"Yeah, I mean he's been helping you way more than I have", Fudge pointed out. "Even if I did the job just fine, I think he'd be the way to go."

Lightning couldn't argue with that, but...

"Well, what about you?" he wondered.

"I'll go back to being the cheerleader. I think I was better at that anyway." With a sigh, she added, "I don't have much of a career left in racing anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, I want you to win as much as you do and I think you've got a good shot... Still, you might not and even if you do, I think it's obvious that you're closer to the end of your career than the start. I don't wanna be the crew chief for just anybody and it's not like I can be a racer myself..." Fudge trailed off awkwardly, not wanting Lightning to think that she was trying to have another dig at him.

"Guess not", Lightning murmured softly, feeling like that was exactly what she was doing.

"Maybe I don't know exactly how you feel with this whole thing going on", Fudge admitted, "but your accident may have ended your career... Mine ended mine before it even started."

Lightning didn't know what to say.

"I'm really sorry", Fudge went on, "but let's face it. Ever since Jackson Storm arrived, I've just been letting you down."

"That's not true!"

"It is!" At those words, Fudge held out the item she'd pulled from her backpack. It was her headset. She gave it to him and started to head back to the other section of the trailer. "I'm sure about my decision. I think it would be better for the team."

"How dare you?!" Lightning shouted after her, prompting Luigi, Guido and Cruz to peer in. They had no idea what was going on. "HOW DARE YOU?! SHAME ON YOU! PUT THIS HEADSET BACK ON! IF YOU'RE GONNA QUIT, QUIT, BUT DON'T GIVE ME THIS CRAP ABOUT 'IT'S BETTER FOR THE TEAM!'"

Fudge didn't answer.

"Come on, Fudge!" Lightning tried again, but there was still no answer from Fudge.

"Mr. McQueen?" Cruz ventured.

"Fudge just quit!" Lightning answered her unvoiced question. He sounded like he just couldn't believe it.

"Quit?!" Cruz echoed, sounding just as astonished.

Luigi looked to his daughter in disbelief. "You quit?!"

"(Why did you do that?)" Guido questioned.

"Because I was never any good at it", Fudge mumbled, flopping onto her bed. "I've only just realised that."

"Fudge, what are you talking about?!" Cruz disagreed. "You were great!"

The sixteen-year-old went through her reasons as to why she wasn't good at her job and why Smokey should do it instead. "He'll be ten times better at it than me."

Everyone looked at Lightning, wanting to know what he thought.

"If Fudge wants to quit and give Smokey the job, fine! I'll ask him." He looked to his sister. "But if he says no, will you come back?"

"I'll think about it", she responded, which Lightning thought was better than nothing.

"Uh... boss?" Mack piped up. "We're here."

Lightning took a deep breath. He was at the race that would decide his fate; his crew chief had just quit and he'd never felt less prepared for anything in his life.

Ooh! What do you think of that? What's gonna happen next? Well, if you've seen Cars 3 (and I'm assuming you all have), then you'll have some idea...

Just a reminder that if you want to check out my forum, Cars Forum, I Guess, then you are all most definitely welcome to do that. I'd really love to hear from you guys!

Now, time for the quiz question! This one's another easy one: When is Fudge's birthday?

Please review!