Sally got to the hospital, leaving Bobby and Heather and Minty at the academy. She wanted to check up on Jackson. She walked in and found Lightning in the waiting room. She went and sat down next to him asking. "Hey, how's Jackson?" Lightning sighed answering "He'll be okay. Doctor said it's gonna continue burning for a little while. Bout it." Sally frowned muttering "Oh gosh.. That must be awful.. He won't be doing well afterwards.." "It's just pepper spray. I've been pepper sprayed before. It's bad, but he'll be fine." Lightning griped. Sally's brows lowered as she snapped. "You don't get it! After what Jackson went through with Cleo! This is going to make him the worst yet!" She stood up with a growl.
Lightning immediately asked "What are you talking about? What exactly did he go through?" Sally remained silent for a moment before looking at Lightning pitifully. "I.. Can't talk to you about it.. I'm sorry." She turned away. Lightning became concerned. He stood up with her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's alright.. I'm sorry.." He apologized. Sally nestled into his chest and it felt so good, so warm His scent filled her nose and she took it in. "I love you Lightning.." She whispered. Lightning smiled and sighed. "I love you." He replied. Sally pushed away and looked deeply into those blue eyes of his. Her smiled faded. "We gotta deal with those girls.." Sally reminded. Lightning rolled his eyes and griped "It's ridiculous... They just found something to whine about."
"Yeah, well that kind of thing can get the academy shut down for good." Sally warned. Lightning's eyes widened. "Really?" He asked. Sally nodded and explained "If they start promoting that stuff all over the internet, the wrong person is going to see that and have your academy shut down for good for legal reasons." "I told them I would get a self defense class and even offered to have you drop in and offered to make Heather the head of women's issues." Sally's brows lowered as she asked "Issues? Is that how you worded it?" Lightning shrugged with a slight head shake. Sally sighed. She had to come up with a plan. Lightning took her close and kissed her forehead. "It'll be fine.. We just got a lot going on and this is.. Unexpected.." Sally immediately pushed away!
"Unexpected!?" She snapped! Lightning's eyes widened ar her tone. "This is because you couldn't keep your shit in your pants!" Lightning looked around at the couple people staring as Sally continued "This isn't Cleo as much as I want to blame her! This was inevitably going to happen ams we just been hoping for the best! You really thought that things could actually go well for us!?" Lightning frowned a bit asking "Woah, are we?.. Are we still talking about the academy?..." Nervously. Sally stared at him for a second before turning away. "I need to see Jackson and check on him.." She replied then walked away with her arms crossed and head low. Lightning stood there without stopping her.
But now he was worried that something wasn't going well between them and that scared him more than anything that Cleo had forced him to face. The people were still staring. Instead of snapping and scolding them like he usually did, he just sat back down quietly and ignored them. He was tired of fighting everyone and everything anymore...
Sally knocked before entering. Jackson looked up at her and she suddenly hugged him! Jackson was surprised at her actions and pushed her gently away. "How are you?" she asked. Jackson looked awful. His eyes red and swollen a bit and skin irritated and red and splotchy. He shrugged answering "I'm fine.." Lowering his head with a frown. He was trying to act tough and Sally saw right through it. She lifted his chin and assured. "It's okay.. You don't have to be tough all the time. Not around me." She smiled. She had such a warm smile. It was weird feeling. Jackson stared into her eyes and saw the tenderness and kindess through them and it kind of made him smile a little.
"Do you want to press charges?" Sally asked, snapping Jackson back to the reality of the pain. He shook his head answering "I should, but no.. I probably had it coming in some ways.." Sally shook her head scolding "No, you didn't. You didn't deserve that." Jackson couldn't believe how loving and caring and gentle this woman could be. Just after he outed Sally and her husband's affair and after how Dianna wronged him. He kind of doubted trust and loyalty of all people, not just women. "Well.." Sally began and lay a hand on his shoulder in support. "You are in a hospital.." Suspicious. "And.. They do psychological exams for depression and.." "Trauma.. Right.." Jackson frowned. Sally sighed then sat down next to the young man.
"Look, I just believe it's our best shot at keeping Cleo in prison. Plus.. You could use the help I think Jackson.." She meant it. Jackson stared at her and sighed. "I don't want to be.. Trapped.. Again.. I'm.." Her hand touched his gently. Jackson sighed continuing "I'm afraid.. That more medication will trap me in my mind. I sound stupid." "No, you don't.. I understand. But I think even without Cleo.. You need a little help. Hey, Lightning was on anti depressants and.. A few other medications after his accident. Sure, it... It made him a little.. Spacey.. I guess at times.. But he was not nearly as bad as he was when he wasn't on them at first." Sally smiled. Jackson nodded and sat there thinking for a minute.
He didn't want more medication and didn't want to be put in some facility. "You promise me.. That I wont be locked up?" He asked. Sally nodded. "I promise." She assured softly. Jackson nodded once more then agreed. "Alright.. I'll get.. Evaluated.. Is that the word?" He asked. Sally giggled a little answering "Yes. I'll go get the doctor to set up the exam." She then stood up and left the room. Jackson felt something there that was odd. The way Sally was so caring and motherly. Maybe not everyone was bad after all...
Lightning got back to the school where Bobby was there waiting with Minty. "Hey.. where's Heather?" Lightning asked. Bobby turned to his friend answering "Home. Baby got sick." "Calling him baby now?" Lightning asked. Bobby glared a bit and sarcastically replied "Oh! Wow. Guess what! Girls are still outside protesting." "Really?" Lightning asked with a sigh. Minty approached with a frown. Lightning noticed and asked "Mom, what's wrong?" Minty looked at her son answering softly. "Those young women outside.. They say you touched women forcefully.. That you slept with co workers.. That isn't true.. Is it?" That hurt. "No Mom. I wouldn't do that." Minty sighed with relief. "I knew better. But those ladies seem to think differently. You should set them straight the texas way. A shotgun and buckshot." Bobby snickered and smiled.
"Man I wish that was my mom. Then again.. My mom would be out there with a belt, a spatula and a shoe beatin some sense into them." Bobby said jokingly. Lightning chuckled a bit. Awe mothers. Minty snickered then added "Plus I know my son wouldn't cheat on his lovely wife with some fan girl.You amd Sally have a bond so much stronger than that and have been together for years! They are saying you slept with that young woman you trained to. What was her name?... Cruz?" Lightning frowned and stared. He wasn't going to break that news to her again. Bobby raised a brow and gave Lightning a weird look. "Um...She okay?" He asked. "Because I thought she knew abou"-"Enough.. She did-does. She just.. Forgets things from time to time. Come on.. I gotta get these women to stop.." Minty then asked "How is the young man? The baby sitter?"
Lightning sighed and slapped his forehead. "He's not the baby sitter Mom.. That's Jackson Storm. He's a racer, or.. Was.." He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. Honestly, Bobby was becoming more and more concerned for Lightning and his mother especially now. "Lightning.." Bobby quietly called. Lightning shot a rude glare at Bobby. Then Lightning turned to his mother explaining "She is probably taking him back to the house shortly.. I gotta work.. Just.. Stay here Mom." Then he walked away. Minty wasn't sure what exactly was going on. She was incredibly worried about her son...
Sally pulled into the drive way with Jackson and asked "So how was the exam?" Jackson shrugged answering "Well, it wasn't as long as I thought it'd be.. Um.. Prescribed me some medications.. Like you said might happen anyway. Um.. I supposedly need therapy.. So.. Does this mean I still have to face Cleo in court?" Sally hummed thinking. "Mmm... Maybe not. I gotta make a few calls before I can answer that." Jackson nodded without another word. "Come on." Sally said. "Let's get you in and get you some water." Jackson agreed and followed her into the home. He sat down in the living room in front of the fireplace. Sally stood in front of him asking. "You want me to put on the fire?" Jackson glanced up at her and shrugged.
Sally smiled and lit it. Jackson stared. He just couldn't wrap his mind around how sweet and kind this woman was being to him. She probably just felt that bad for him after reading his file. Jackson sighed then Sally smiled saying. "Let me get you some water. Then I gotta get upstairs and back to work. Plus I gotta call Flo to bring the kids back." She snickered and walked away. Jackson watched the fire grow and sat alone. Thinking. Thinking about all the mixed feelings he had inside. Including the ones he just didn't quite understand.
Sally returned with some water then sat down next to Jackson, handing the glass to him. "We have flavors if you want any. And I'll have Lightning pick up the eye drops on his way home for you. That way you don't have to leave." She had such a warm voice. "Unless you want to!" She added quickly! "Because you're not a prisoner!" She made clear. Jackson chuckled a bit and smiled replying. "I know that very much. You.. You and McQueen have been to kind to me. Thank you.." He replied. Sally nodded once with a you're welcome.
Jackson stared into the glass of water. Sally rubbed his back and asked "Are you good? Okay?" Jackson looked at her and her very trustworthy eyes and nodded answering. "Yeah, yep.." He blushed. "I'm good.." Sally snickered then stood up, dusting off her pants in a way of straightening them. "Well," She sighed. "Back to work. I'm gonna make those calls now." She walked away. Jackson watched her leave then stared at the fire and his drink. His eyes hurt, his face hurt, his heart hurt. Jackson pulled out his phone and pulled up Dianna's name. He stared at it. Thinking of calling her. Hearing her voice. But he just couldn't do it...