Lightning rolled over and opened his eyes slwoly then "Woah.." He jolted. Cruz giggled asking "Did I scare you?" Lightning smiled explaining as he stretched "No, not at all. Just wasn't expecting to see you staring at me. How long you been up?" he asked. Cruz hummed "Hmm Maybe ten minutes. It's weird isn't it?" "What?" "Waking up in bed after not doing hardly anything the night before." She exclaimed. Lightning singed "Well don't expect it much. You're way to good looking." He joked. Cruz giggled slightly. "Want breakfast? I can make us something." Lightning offered. Cruz smiled replying "Wow. sexless night and breakfast made for me? What have you done with Lightning?" she joked. Lightning chuckled then grabbed his phone to check it.
He stared a moment then grabbed his glasses and placed them on to look at his phone better. "What are you doing!?" Cruz asked as she began laughing. Lightning shrugged answering "I'm checking my phone..." Cruz giggled a little and pointed out "Do you really need those things?" she asked. Lightning glared and sighed "What did I tell you?" "No old man jokes..." "Right." Lightning snapped. Cruz stared a moment and waited for Lightning to finish on the phone. "So..." She muttered. Lightning sighed again and explained "It's just Sally. Says Ece has a doctor appointment set Friday while I have her. Wondering if that's a problem." "But.. My races are on the weekends? Actually that is something I thought about last night..." Cruz admitted.
Lightning raised a brow "You couldn't sleep?" he asked. Cruz shrugged "I slept some. Anyways, about what I was thinking. Do you think with the kids you'll be able to come to my races? At least some?" she asked. Lightning stared a moment. He wouldn't say it.. But he was thinking wow.. She really didn't put her son first at all did she? "My kids come first. Before you and myself. Even before Sally." He firmly explained. Cruz nodded but asked not thinking "Is it because they're you're kids or Sally's?" Lightning honestly didn't know how to answer that. It was a rather stunning question.
"Cruz. Enough. My kids will always come before you. You can accept it or not. That won't change anything." he replied. Cruz nodded again. "Well.. I mean I understand. I know I'll do things differently with my next child." Lightning's eyes widened as he quickly looked at her. "You want kids?" he asked surprised. She shrugged answering "Well, yeah? Don't you?" Lightning stared a moment. Um. No. He had three. That was plenty. He was older and already raising teenagers in his later years. No way did he want more kids. But... He stared at those big brown eyes, so full of life. He sighed. He couldn't do what he did to Sally all over again and doom another poor woman into a selfish and lonely depression. Cruz deserved to want a family. She was so young and hadn't experienced that joy to much yet.
"Sure..." Lightning answered softly. If he and Cruz got married... It looked like he'd be having another child. He couldn't be selfish and not let Cruz experience motherhood herself with her own child. "Well.. Better get breakfast goin." Lightning growled. Cruz could hear it in his voice. Lightning wasn't exactly happy. Something was missing. She needed to either step up her game or something. Something to light that spark in him...
Francesco watched from a ways away. Just watching. How bad could he be? He didn't mean to do a lot of the things he did. And what did he technically do wrong? He didn't push Cruz. She slipped. He didn't do it... Of course.. He did break into the academy of Lightning's to steal the tapes. Which made him guilty of something. But Cruz was going to tell Sally everything! And now.. Now she probably hated him for running off. His eyes teared. He shouldn't have ran like he did. He should have stayed and faced her. Them. All of them. Because he didn't mske Cruz choose racing and Mateo over her son. She was stupid enough to choose that herself.
He waited and stood and watched when a man stepped up. "Hello." He said. Francesco turned and greeted "Ciao." The man walked up and stood next to Francesco. Staring at Sally in the office of the motel. They stood in the back behind buildings and weeds. Hidden from immediate public view. "You and I share a common enemy I hear?" The stranger asked more or less. Francesco nodded explaining "We do. Two to be exact." Francesco corrected. The young man nodded and asked "When we talked you said you had a plan?" Francesco nodded but stared and watched Sally. The man watched a moment and snickered "You really liked that one. Hmm?" Francesco nodded slowly. "She is out of my reach now..." He was hurt. It was his fault but Francesco hurt and yearned for Sally.
"You want to get Cruz off the race track?" Francesco asked. The man hesitated. Thinking about how far he was willing to go. "It's a little crowded." he snarled. Francesco snickered. "I need you for this to work. I need you to be on board and be patient." The man shrugged asking."What do I gotta do?" Francesco sighed. Sally was so beautiful. He looked at the young man answering "We get them all to destroy each other themselves. All you have to do is place the pieces..." The young man raised a brow and had to ask "This will work? It seems a bit extra for my tatse.." Francesco glared. "And what exactly is your taste?" He asked. The man sighed before answering
"I'm more of a?.. Grab them by the throat and squeeze. Slowly if I have a grudge." Francesco chuckled and shook his head. "Eh no.. We let them destroy each other. Cruz will be fired and her career ruined. No one will want to hire her." The man stared a moment and glared a bit asking "And how does this all benefit you?" Francesco snickered answering "I just want McQueen to lose the things he loves. Just to take his life and turn everyone against him. That will satisfy Francesco." The man just stared. Unknown to the dark history and past of this italian racer. He was agreeing to more than he could ever imagine.
"And we won't be caught? I will not lose ev"-"Unless you're intentions are noticed, no one will suspect. Do we have a deal?" Francesco held his hand out to shake. Thean shared a moment. Francesco worried that the kid wouldn't but then he shook Francesco's hand. "Deal.." Francesco smiled and gazed, stared at Sally. "Now.. I have something else to take care of." Francesco muttered as he turned to walk away...
Sally sighed as she sat t her desk. It wasn't that she disliked working in her motel. But it wasn't like being mayor of Radiator Springs. She would miss that job and honestly she hoped Cleo would have good intentions. She did have a few good ideas after all. Maybe she misjudged Cleo. And maybe, just maybe, Cleo was mean to Sally because of the hold Sally had on Lightning that Cleo just never had. It wouldn't be so far fetched. Cleo jealous? Maybe. The motel door opened and the bell rang. "Lightning? What are you doing here?" she asked. Lightning smiled and sighed avoiding that one, "How are you doin with the change?" he asked. Sally hesitated but answered "Well it's not bad. I liked the busy work being mayor. But.. I love this old place to. A lot of memories.."
"Yeah.. A lot of memories.." Lightning repeated. Staring over at cone number one from the office. This was going to sting. He sat down in front the desk and looked around. He smiled and asked "When was the last time we were both even in this office?" he chuckled with that charming smile. A real smile. Sally smiled back answering "Oh wow um.. I have no idea if we're being honest." "Long time.." Lightning muttered. They sat there a moment in silence. "So.. You'll take Ece to the doctors friday?" Sally asked. "Because I can if I need to? Than I could drop the kids off myself at your place maybe.." She slowed as she neared that end of her sentence.
Lightning sighed and frowned a bit. "Sal, I.. I am.. Hmm.." He wanted to think how to say this. It was funny, because he had spent the entire drive down thinking of how and what words to actually say! Sally raised a brow. Growing more curious and suspicious by the second. Lightning cocked his head to the side then finally sighed completing "You are gonna be seeing a lot of Cruz and I in the papers." Sally just gave this look. Maybe a little wtf mixed with hmmm..
"I'm.." "Are you coaching her again?" Sally asked. Lightning stared. No. But that would be easier. He shook his head. "No.. Actually I was thinking of.. Dating.. her." Sally's eyes widened.
Fuck
"Dating her?" Sally asked rudely. Lightning slowly nodded. "Wow... Seriously? After all the drama and crap that woman has started?" Lightning didn't glare, didn't snap, nothing. Just sat quietly and listened. He didn't want this to be any harder than it already was. "She destroyed our family!?" she yelled. Lightning felt he needed to correct that, "No, I did. And I used Cruz as a weapon. Besides it wasn't the family that was destroyed, it"-"It was only us. Yeah, I know.." Sally snapped quick. She crossed her arms and turned away. Lightning's brows lowered as ge got defensive "I'm aloud to see other women Sally." "I know, and I agree.. Just.. ugh.. her? Out of ALL the women in town? Her!?"
Lightning frowned a little as Sally continued "What if?, what if I went back to Ben?! How would you feel?!" Lightning sighed. "I'd accept it. Whatever makes you happy, you deserve." That was a lie. He would be extremely hurt and pissed if she ever got back together with Ben. Seeing Ben just.. Enraged the man. Sally shook her head snarling back "So Cruz makes you happy?" Lightning stared a moment. She could. Probably. "Yeah.." Lightning mumbled. Sally shook her head again. She was angry but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening her mouth again. "I.. I.. Okay. Thanks for telling me.. Warning me, if you will. I guess she is better than Cleo.. And.. A pretty good match for you.." She admitted with such a painful expression on her face.
Lightning nodded. He didn't know what to say. Anything he said could make it worse possibly or hurt Sally. "And have you even thought about the kids?" she asked. Lightning nodded answering softly and tender like "Of course. Don't worry. Kids always come first.. I think I'll introduce Cruz as.. My new.. Partner..." Oh he slowed as he got to that. He almost said girlfriend. But it changed to partner as it came out and honestly, that was probably worse! Sally glared and snapped "Don't bother Light. Not like it's gonna last..." she snarled under her breath. Lightning glared but he knew better. Anything he said would definitely cause an unnecessary fight. So he stood up and replied "I just wanted to tell you.." he turned and almost made his way out the door but stopped.
"Now I know you are a sensible woman Sally. Stop putting things in Colton's head about Cruz. Just keep your thoughts to yourself. She is going to be in his life now. She doesn't deserve hate from a child that doesn't understand things that happened before he was even born." Sally glared and snapped "You continued your affair after he was born." Lightning sighed. "Sal..." "Leave. Colton can decide how he sees Cruz for himself." Lightning stared a moment. He was pretty sure Sally was still going to say things to Colton. And the twins to now but fofor now he would just have to wait and hope for the best.