Chapter 6. - Aluminum Replacement -
The next day, afternoon: Responding to his fan's get well messages kept Lightning occupied, but the constant beeping of the monitors was driving him nuts. After examining him, Doc decided to let Lightning out of the hospital for a few hours. After receiving a strict set of orders, Lightning drove into the town. Although he was in pain, it felt good to get out of the hospital. After driving for a few minutes, Lightning was exhausted. He pulled into Flo's diner to get something to eat.
"Hi Sugar!" Flo said as she greeted him "How are you feeling?"
"Better." Lightning replied "It's hard just to drive down the street without getting exhausted."
"That's understandable." Flo said "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, starving." Lightning said "Whatever you have ready will be fine by me."
"You just sit tight." Flo said in a motherly voice "I'll fix you something."
She quickly drove back into the diner. Just then, Mater drove up to him.
"What are ya doin' outta the hospital?" he asked "I thought Doc said you being in all week."
"Doc wants me up and moving as much as possible." Lightning replied as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. "So I'm allowed to drive around a little."
"Well then let's go tractor tippin' tonight!" Mater said excitedly "We haven't done that since I don't know when! And those tractors, they is so dumb!"
"I can't drive more than twenty miles per hour." Lightning said glumly "And that comes nowhere close to outrunning Frank."
"Why?" Mater asked, a shocked comical expression on his face. "You love tractor tippin'!"
"I wrecked, remember!" Lightning said "At the race."
Mater's face went blank for several moments.
"Oh yeah! I member!" he said "You're still all dented up and everythin'!"
Flo came back with Lightning's food. "Here you go." she said "I made your favorite. A grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup."
"Thanks Flo." Lightning said "I appreciate it."
"If you need anything else, just yell." Flo said "I'm not busy today."
She turned around and drove back into the diner. Lightning was hungrier than he knew and quickly ate the food. Mater got a call, he had to go pull someone out of a ditch. Once he was done, Lightning turned down the street to go see Sally, but then remembered Mater's comment on how dented up he was. Lightning headed back to the hospital. Once there, Lightning entered Doc's office. Like always, the office smelled like soap and antiseptic. The walls were off white and the medical machinery was high-tech. In the middle of the room, was a lift lined with medical paper. Lightning saw Doc and Sophia kissing passionately. When Doc saw Lightning, he immediately stopped.
"Hey Rookie." He said "What can I do for you?"
"So the rumors are true, you're dating." Lightning said "Good for you guys."
"We're doing more than just dating… I've got to go, I'll see you tonight." Sophia said grabbing Doc's codpiece "Come prepared, Lover Boy."
Doc shook with desire as Sophia drove out of the room.
"Lover Boy?" Lightning asked "Are you really fucking her?"
"Yep, I almost forgot what it's like to have a lover... and a younger one at that. Sophie is the perfect woman for me. She's a lady on the street and a freak between the sheets." Doc said "Enough about my love life, what do you need? Are you feeling all right?"
"Yes, getting out of the hospital helps, but I'm in pain." Lightning said "The painkillers only take the edge off."
"You'll going to be that way until we can get the dents out." Doc said "You're healing a lot faster than I was expecting."
"How soon could you pull out my dents?" Lightning asked hopefully "I'm tired of being in pain."
"I hate to say this… there's no way I can pull that many dents." Doc said "There's no other choice, I'm going to have to replace your aluminum."
Lightning almost vomited. He knew aluminum replacements were very, very painful.
"All right, do whatever you have to do." Lightning said quietly "Do you have enough aluminum on hand?"
"Of course." Doc said "But, with the way you race, I'm going to give you titanium. It's the lightest, strongest metal available. Let me go look at the appointment book… I'll be right back."
Doc returned a few minutes later.
"Good news Rookie, I've checked the appointment book and talked to Michael. We can do the surgery tomorrow morning if you want."
"Wow, I wasn't expecting that!" Lightning exclaimed "I was expecting in a week or two."
"The sooner you have it done, the sooner you'll feel better." Doc said "Michael has a full roster of patients. It's the only time he's available to assist me with the surgery. I can do it myself, but it's quicker and easier if I have another physician help me."
"Uh, okay. Let's do the surgery tomorrow." Lightning said, his stomach churning "I need to tell Sally. Can she spend the night? I don't want to be alone."
"Sure, I can set something up." Doc said "I need you fully rested. So if Sally agrees to stay with you and I'm sure she will, you guys have to be back at the hospital by five pm. I suggest that you go talk to her right now."
Lightning drove slowly to the Cozy Cone and saw Sally reading at her desk.
"Hey! Doc finally let you out of the hospital!" she said, driving around her desk "How do you feel?"
"Painful." Lightning said "Sally, I'm having my first reconstructive surgery in the morning."
"WOW! Doc isn't wasting any time!" Sally said "What kind of surgery?"
"Aluminum replacement." Lightning responded "You know how Doc is when it comes to medical procedures."
"Oww! I know how painful that's going to be." Sally said "I had a small spot on my side replaced a few years ago. I spent two days in bed because I was to sore to move."
"Will you spend the night with me?" Lightning asked "Doc said it was fine with him… I don't want to spend the night alone… it'll mean the world to me."
"Of course I'll come, but I need to pack a few things." Sally said making Lightning look at her weirdly "Don't look at me that way… you won't understand even if I tried to explain it to you… It's a girl thing!"
"I'm not saying a word." Lightning said softly, before kissing her fender "We need to get your bag packed. Doc said we have to be at the hospital by five pm."
Leaving the assistant manager in charge, Sally and Lightning headed down to her apartment. Roughly twenty minutes later: Sally had a small overnight bag packed. After giving the assistant manager all the necessary information, the couple headed over to the hospital.
"Were here." Lightning said nervously as they reached the nurse's station "Doc said the check in here."
"We have a room prepared for you." The nurse said "If you would follow me, I'll take you to it. I'll let Dr. Hornet know you're here."
The nurse led the couple to a hospital room that had a small dorm style room attached to it.
"I'll let you guys get settled." The nurse said "Dr. Hornet will be in in a little while."
Soon: Sally and Lightning had just gotten everything unpacked when Doc came in with a nurse. The nurse connected Lightning to an I.V. machine. Doc had three syringes with him.
"This first one is a painkiller, the second is an antibiotic, and the third one is a muscle relaxer." Doc said as the nurse injected the drugs into his I.V. line. "Normally you can't have any kind of pain medication. Since you're not racing again until next season, we don't have to worry about that. You can take your heavy brace off tonight. Just watch TV or whatever, I'll see you in the morning. If you need anything just let the nurses know."
Later that night: After an evening of watching TV and snuggling with Sally, Lightning finally fell asleep. Next morning: Lightning opened his eyes to see Sally was gone. He started to panic before he saw a note from Sally sitting on the bedside table. The note said she was going to go get some breakfast and she would be back shortly.
"Ouch!" Lightning said as he stretched the wrong way, causing pain to flair "I shouldn't have done that!"
"Oh Stickers!" Sally said as she rolled through the door "You okay? Here, let me rub out your kinks instead of stretching."
"Good idea." Lightning said "I'm afraid to stretch anything else."
As Sally was rubbing his body, she sat her coffee cup down in front of him. While he wasn't a huge fan of coffee, it smelled good this morning. Lightning scooted it over and took a few sips before Sally saw what he was doing.
"Light! Stop that! Doc said you need to have an empty stomach." Sally scolded "Here, you can just smell it."
"Good morning Kiddo." Doc said as he entered Lightning's room "Are you ready?"
"Yeah… I think so." Lightning said nervously "Surprisingly I slept well last night."
"I'm not." Doc responded "The muscle relaxer has a sedative in it…"
"Well, I see everyone is present and accounted for." Michael observed "Hud and I want to examine you one last time before the surgery. It's just routine so there's nothing to worry about."
Sally grabbed her cup of coffee and headed to the waiting room as the doctors examined Lightning. Twenty minutes later: Sally was allowed to return to the room.
"Well, I hate to cut your morning short." Doc said "But are you ready to have your aluminum replaced?"
"Absolutely." Lightning said "I'm tired of being in pain."
"We'll see you in the operating room." Doc said "Jackie and her nurses are going to finish getting you ready."
As Sally and the doctors left the room, Jackie and two male nurses entered. As the nurses prepared Lightning for the surgery they removed his codpiece. As they did that, Lightning tried to conceal himself, hindering the nurse's attempts to get him ready.
"Lightning, you need to be naked for the surgery." Jackie said "The doctors need full access to your body."
"I know… I'm…" Lightning said swallowing hard "Do they need to… to see that?"
Lightning pointed to his manhood.
"Dr. Schumacher and Dr. Hornet are not going to comment on your genitals." Jackie said "I tell you what… Would you be more comfortable if I let Josh and Greg *she points to the two male nurses.* Finish getting you ready? *Lightning nervously nods.* All right, I'll see you in the operating room."
Lightning let the male nurses finish getting him ready for surgery. When everything was ready, Lightning was placed on a mobile lift and taken to the operating room. Once there, he was transferred to the operating table.
"We have everything ready." Jackie said rolling up to Lightning "I'm going to put you to sleep."
Lightning nodded as Jackie gently placed a mask over his mouth."
"Take a few deep breaths for me." Michael said "Don't be alarmed, you're going to get very sleepy. Just relax, when you wake up, it will be all over."
It took the sedative and anesthesia a little longer to work because Lightning was very tense and nervous. Even after the medication took effect, Lightning was still tense. So Doc instructed Jackie to add a mild muscle relaxer to Lightning's I.V. Lightning relaxed a few minutes later, and the doctors got to work.
Several hours later: Every inch of Lightning's body was covered with a light bandage. He started to wake up.
"Sweetheart." Sally said gently "Take another deep breath for me."
Lightning did what he was told, but he kept his eyes shut.
"Ohhh!" he groggily said "I hate this part!"
"It's okay." Sally replied "Today's surgery was a success, but you need time to heal. Your titanium is going to remain bandaged for now."
"Is it really over?" Lightning whispered, reaching out a tire "Sally…Sally?"
He wanted to know that she was real as he continued to wake up from the effects of the anesthetic.
"I'm right here." Sally assured him as she took his tire in hers, lovingly stroking it. "Just try to relax."
"I'm so cold!" Lightning said as he trembled "I'm freezing!"
Jackie, who was monitoring his vitals, got a heated quilt and put it over him.
"That should help." she said "I'll let Hudson know you're awake."
As she went to get Doc, Lightning pulled the quilt around him. He was starting to fall back to sleep when Jackie and Doc rolled into the room.
"I need you to open your eyes." Doc said "Come on Kiddo, I know you can do it."
"My eyelids feel like a million pounds each." Lightning complained as he slowly opened one eye, half way "There does that count?"
"Come on Kid, I need both eyes open." Doc said as Lightning's stomach growled angrily "If you open both eyes, I can get you something to eat."
Lightning groaned and opened both eyes. He saw the fuzzy outline of Sally with Doc right behind her. Suddenly, every inch of his skin burned like he was on fire. Lightning closed his eyes, as he swallowed hard a few times. He desperately fought off the nausea the pain was causing.
"Are you okay Rookie?" Doc asked "Talk to me. Where do you hurt?"
"Every inch of me burns!" Lightning moaned "I think I'm going to barf!"
Doc quickly nudged a sick basin in front of him. Lightning vomited with the agony of one who has nothing to emit but must still vomit. When Lightning finished dry heaving, he collapsed back in bed.
"Are you done?" Sally asked "I think we need to hold off on the food for a while."
She took a towel and gently wiped his mouth off. In pain, Lightning kicked the quilt off. Doc took a sheet and covered his genitals, even though Doc knew Sally has seen him naked many times.
"It's okay." Doc said "Just try to relax."
"Is there anything you can give me?" Lightning asked "This is the worst pain I've ever been in!"
"We're working on that." Doc said as Jackie pulled a syringe off the cart that was sitting nearby "Jackie is giving you something now. It should take care of the pain and will knock you out for a while."
"I don't know about you." Lightning moaned "I'm beginning to wonder why I became a fucking racecar."
"You don't mean that!" Sally said comfortingly "You're the best racecar there is."
"I dought that." Lightning grumbled "Great racecars don't wreck!"
"Oh, so I wasn't a great racecar?" Doc asked "I guess those three piston cups don't mean a fucking thing."
"I don't know." Lightning said edgily "Ask me again when this is all over."
He tried to clear his hood, but the pain medication was starting to work and slowly Lightning drifted back into darkness.
Sometime later: Lightning opened his eyes to see Mater sitting by his bedside.
"Hiya Bud!" Mater said excitedly "It's about time yur awake! It's been right nearly three days since ya went and got yur new titanium!"
"Are you serious?" Lightning asked "Where's Doc and Sally?"
"Uh." Mater said, putting on a comical, confused expression. "I dunno. Miss Sally said she needed to get away for a while and Doc's around here somewhere."
Lightning then noticed that his titanium still burned, but it wasn't close to what it had been when he woke up from the surgery.
"When did Sally leave?" Lightning asked "Did she say anything?"
"Miss Sally left two days ago… I thinked." Mater said "Doc said she was gonna come back in a few days."
"Oh!" Lightning said as he wondered if Sally's absence had to do with his bad behavior "Do you know if I'm allowed to leave the hospital?"
"I dunno." said Mater "But you wouldn't want outta this here room. You don't have no paint on and have nothing on you alls underside."
Lightning glanced at his sides and saw his titanium was shining brightly. Most distressing thing was there was nothing under him other than a heated blanket. Lightning gasped bashfully as he tried to cover himself.
"Oh don't worry about that buddy." Mater said as he winked "I have them parts too… I'll help ya out so you're not only naked car!"
Before Lightning had a chance to respond, Mater took off his codpiece and underwear, opened a window, and threw them out.
"Whooo! I is all natural!" Mater said as he danced around the room "That was fun, you want to do more fun?"
"Mater! What are we going to do?" Lightning exclaimed "We can't go out! We're both naked!"
"Don't worry about that Buddy!" Mater giggled "I is a tow truck, I been' always prepared!"
Mater pulled out a spare codpiece from one of his dented up compartments and slipped it on.
"Could you get Doc for me?" Lightning asked "Please let him know I'm awake."
"Why sure I can!" Mater said happily "You sit tight Bud!"
Mater turned and drove out of the room.
"I think I'm going to be seeing Mater dancing naked in my dreams tonight." Lightning said as he shuddered "I tried not to look at his junk, but I couldn't help it… it's huge, and I thought Doc's manhood was big."
Ten minutes later:
"I'm glad to see you awake." Doc said happily as he drove into the room "How do you feel?"
"I'm better." Lightning said "Where did Sally go?"
"She's taking a few days off." Doc replied "I told her she needed too. The whole time you were out, she was sitting here crying. I told her to go back to LA and visit with her family."
"Oh." Lightning said "Sally has said she wanted to go visit them… she just couldn't find the time to do it."
"I'm sorry Kid." Doc said "But Sally was miserable, she even slept here."
"Do you think I can get my paint put back on today?" Lightning asked "I feel really weird."
"If you're up to it and Ramone isn't busy." Doc said "How does your titanium feel?"
"Much better, it doesn't burn." Lightning said "It kinda buzzes… You know like the feeling when your axle falls asleep."
"Put your heavy brace on." Doc said "Let me go talk to Ramone, hopefully we can get you in sometime today."
COMMENTS:
Guest 2
That feeling of being in pain just stinks. So much recovery time but it's for your own sake.- Tell me about it. I've injured my knee a few weeks ago, and it seems to be taking forever for it to heal.
Haha! Funny with the Rama lama ding ding!- I was trying to think of a cute way that Lightning could call his manhood. I was surfing the internet and came across it. Whe I found it, it knew it would be the perfect phrase for Lightning.
Good that Lightning and Sally haven't given up on each other. You know despite Michael being a Ferrari and Zoe being a Lamborghini it doesn't mean they have to have a speed based career. Cars have their uniqueness. Let's hope Lightning sticks to his limits. Mater can talk some nonsense sometimes but he's cute anyway- I wish I had a best friend like Mater... I think we all do.
I've said this many times but this is better detail. Those who have seen all the films from the beginning. We all know why Lightning and Sally fell for each other. Coz they ignited a spark in each other's hearts with happiness that nobody else can give them in the romantic sense doing what they did. The stories I've read about them being the other way round stink. The way they're written about just doesn't add up. To take that happiness away as of what they did out of their hearts makes no sense - I agree with you there.
One other part I remember from your older version of this story. Lightning hugging Sally tightly and squishing her but in an affectionate way. Please add more of that in if you would. Sounds like the Irish and Scots are pure tight huggers. I have both those heritages but don't quite hug as tight but I should try it.- The "big hugs" are coming up soon, I've left that part in. I've been told that I'm a tight hugger. I guess Irish people are big huggers... Besides, who says "no" to a hug… I like hugs.
**Big fluffy hug for you and a belly rub for Stella**- Thank you for the hug and Stella thanks you for the belly rub! **BIG, FLUFFY HUG**
I do not own Cars or any of its characters. PIXAR AND DISNEY CLAIM THAT RIGHT. READING ENJOYMENT ONLY
Please read and review! I need criticism and encouragements! Rated M for language and sex