I do not own Cars, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. I do, however, own all the Original Characters.

CHAPTER THIRTY

October, 1949

When George Harris approached Brian at trackside to invite the crew chief to a private meeting, the green and black car thought nothing unusual of the request until he was informed that Dave would be joining them. Never one who cared for surprises or mysteries, he contemplated whether or not Dave knew of the meeting before today, or if he, too, had just been invited for drinks at Cameron's for the same evening.

Save for the moments which required correction, Brian spent the majority of the afternoon in deep silence while he watched over Colton who practiced his routines as instructed. The more his curiosity festered the more his suspicions grew, and by time the autumn sun fell beneath the horizon and the stadium lights flooded the compound, he had assured himself that no meeting was ever naturally spontaneous for businessmen of their status and that careful planning had in fact taken place. Immediately following his conclusion, he wondered why Dave found it unnecessary to give a courtesy warning.

Brian waited for the subtle moment in which he knew Colton was fading and called the training session to a close shortly after. As the team gathered at the railing for instructions, he very quickly informed them of the agenda for the following day and preparations for the second to last race in North Carolina this weekend. Without further explanation he dismissed the crew for the night and turned to use the locker room showers to clear himself of the dust upon his deep green paint and the clay in his treads. After a thorough enough wash to be accepted at Cameron's, he left the Headquarters and swiftly made his way downtown.

Despite his quiet stresses, the green and black car glided into the upscale restaurant with his usual proud stance and greeted the stunning hostess with a wink before giving her the party name. As the pretty young female escorted him to the more secluded part of the establishment, he found himself too distracted with the situation to admire the way her chrome bumper glimmered and complimented her rear fenders that flared just perfectly for his tastes.

Brian located their table on his path through the building and discovered that Dave had arrived before him and was speaking to Harris; of course, the businessman was never late to a meeting. Judging by the amount left in his glass of wine the maroon and black car had likely arrived not too long before him. Feeling the approaching company, Dave tore his gaze away from Harris and Brian noted the expression upon his grille that he did indeed have knowledge of what was to come which confirmed his earlier suspicions. The soft smile was appreciated but Brian did not know whether to feel comforted or frustrated by the subtle transfer.

The crew chief swiftly closed the remaining distance and parked across from them at the table, flashing his eyes at the hostess to thank her and reveled in the sight of how her ivory paint exemplified the deep blush across her hood. When she reversed away with a bashful smile to return to her podium, he noted a neat glass of scotch was already waiting for him and probably ordered by Dave to spare him the wine Harris would have chosen. Brian threw his friend a wink as he took his first sip and decided to forgive the car for the lack of communication about this evening.

Having arrived in the middle of a conversation in which Dave was giving Harris advice on investing, Brian waited as patiently as he could for the moment the perfectly conducted smalltalk would transition seamlessly into the purpose of the gathering, pretending to understand the subject matter by contributing a nod every so often while he nursed his comforting Macallan that he cradled closely in his right tire. Smiling to himself when he felt the three were on the verge of changing the topic, his hidden anxiety peaking, he realized it must of been the impatient twitch in his permanent smirk Dave noticed that encouraged him to move forward.

Brian watched as the maroon and black car placed a manilla folder on the silk table cloth between himself and Harris; Brian eyed the folder which held a hefty stack of papers that were separated into packets by paperclips. He did not have time to confirm the number of packets inside before Harris looked to Dave for permission to start; he nodded and motioned with a tire for him to lead.

Originally planning to only have this discussion with Dave, Harris realized that was merely half of the issue for the request he wished to make. The group at the table knew very well that the employment with M S Williams Racing did not finish when the season concluded, but with certain aspects of the year ending soon it left room for new opportunities that Harris held an interest for. After confirming with Dave that there would be no clauses in the new contracts for everyone on the team that prevented them from working elsewhere while still employed by Williams, Harris felt it appropriate to consult the car with the best knowledge of the members.

Understanding the car across from him held a distaste for schmoozing, the older car cleared his pipes and shifted to face Brian directly. Harris ignored the undeniably skeptical gaze from the crew chief and settled back on his shocks, removing any remaining formalities with a bright smile that suited him well. "I'd like to hire James and Mason to work at the Headquarters during the off-season," he began, taking a sip of his wine. "but it occurred to us that we have no idea what your plans are…"

Thankful for the consideration, Brian now knew why this conversation was not simply held at the track and appreciated that they both wanted his clearance. Remembering that James and Mason were technically employees of Harris before they signed on with M S Williams Racing, and having already planned to give Colton the time he greatly needed for himself, he found no reason to uphold a strict training schedule. "It's all fine by me - they already spend their free time helping you at the track and don't sit still long enough to rust… they probably want a break from me anyway since I give them both a hard time…"

Harris, relieved that there would be no true conflict of interest, gave a warm smile and chuckled lightly at the irony of his second request. "Well, that brings up my next offer: would you be interested in becoming one of my track supervisors? I need someone I can trust to make sure things keep going smoothly, I'm also building another track and could use the opinion of someone who has experience." He paused as the waiter refilled their drinks, waiting for him to depart before continuing. "The blueprints all look good on paper, but if there's one thing I've learned in my first year the numbers can only show so much in this field…"

The green and black car nodded and gave his first genuine smile of the day, inwardly proud of how far both Harris and Dave had come in their efforts to understand the growing industry that was racing. Thinking that James would be thrilled to know he was not out of his grip yet, his smile deepened and he gave a single nod to agree with his statement. "I'd be happy to help."

Overly joyed that Brian was accepting of the idea, Harris mirrored the expression. "We can discuss salary at a later time if you'd prefer," he said, polite with Dave's presence in mind.

Brian briefly held up a tire. "It's all the same to me, but thank you. We'll get together about this when the season ends." He took a hefty swig of his scotch and set the glass down. "By the way, what will my title be?"

Harris pursed his lips in thought while he swirled around the contents of his newest drink. "How about… Director of Development?"

Brian chuckled at the fancy title that he felt was beyond a car of his character, but graciously accepted as he raised his glass in a toast about the upcoming changes; Dave and Harris followed suit and clinked their glasses above the stack of draft contracts before taking simultaneous sips. The crew chief leaned forward to specifically engage Dave who cocked a windshield in question. "So, Dave, since most of us will be working with George in a few weeks, does that mean you're signing on as his finance manager too?" he teased.

The maroon and black car nearly spit out his wine as he choked on a scoff. He quickly set his glass down and gave Brian a glare that held no malice. "As much as I'd like to, when the hell would I have time for that?"

Colton finished the race in North Carolina with another win and enough points to guarantee him the season champion title as long as he placed within the top five during the final race. But as the anticipation for the season close grew tenfold in intensity with each passing event, a hype that overpowered every one of the sponsored after parties, the more distraught Colton became. The next race marked the beginning of November and the end of the season, but after working so hard for these closing moments of glory, the young racer was struck by an anxiety that made him fearful of the new life his successes would bring.

Although he normally held enough personal enthusiasm to outshine the masses of fans and racing associates that surrounded him, he found himself to be the most unwilling car to celebrate his accomplishments and fought every urge to turn and run from the party he and his teammates just entered. The group paused in the doorway to accept the nearly deafening round of cheers and whistles; Colton forced his brightest grin as the journalists and reporters flanked them with questions and camera bulb flashes as if they had just won the season. And maybe they had, in a way, but Colton could not move past the sickness in the pit of his tank from the added pressure.

Without Dave or the women present for this race that was too far out of town, Brian felt no obligation to uphold the gentleman act. His easy brown eyes scanned the event, quickly spotting the group of models hired to promote it; much to his delight, they had already noted his presence and were eagerly waving him down. His charming smile oozed with an intrigue that showcased his insatiable appetite. "Now there's my finish line," he commented as he parted from the team. Before the crew finished parking at the nearest empty table, Brian was engulfed in female attention and had a girl pressed against his sides that clung tightly to his front tires.

Now out of the immediate attention of the crowd, Colton took the chance to sulk quietly in between moments of autographs and congratulatory wishes from passing cars. When James and Mason became too impatient for the refill of their complimentary drinks, the pair left the table to squeeze themselves in at the bar and gave the orange racer some privacy. The moment alone, however, was only briefly appreciated as it allowed himself to realize just how much he missed Cassie. He was entranced by the flame of the candle centerpiece when he was startled by the approach of McConnico. He smiled brightly at the competitor turned friendly. "How are ya, Andrew?"

Before McConnico could speak, his demeanor and loosely held gaze upon Colton revealed that the car was already on his way to becoming sauced early into the event. The hunter green racer tried his very best to mirror the smile but it was evident he was pained. "I'm… well, thank you," he replied, pulling as close as he could to the table across from Colton. "I wanted to tell you congratulations. I know you've got this season in the bag - we all know."

Colton assumed the slight anguish from the competitor was related to the defeat the car must be feeling despite his genuine well-wishes. "Thanks, man, but you gave me the run of my life and I-"

"I owe you an apology," McConnico rushed. "They- they said to keep it quiet, but I wanted you to hear it from me." He paused to clear his pipes, watching as the confusion grew upon Colton's expression. "The day of your wreck, that was me, I made that happen." The confusion melted into the shock he expected and he sighed. "I swore to them I wouldn't tell you but I regret it every day since then, and I'm so- so sorry that you got hurt and-"

Just before McConnico finished his sentence, James and Mason returned with a tray of refills the very instant that Colton realized he had been lied to. The pair abruptly halted at the fury attached to Colton; they had never seen their teammate so disturbed. "What's going on?" James asked, passing rapid glances between Colton and McConnico, whose eyes dropped to the table in shame.

Colton departed wordlessly. He drove across the ballroom floor with such purpose in his stride that it stole the attention of every clique he passed. He came upon the crowd that surrounded Brian who was still amid the flock of models, basking in the attention and posing for pictures with the ladies. The distraught racer pushed his way through the gathering and effectively interrupted the photo shoot. "Is it true?" Colton demanded.

Thinking nothing of his sudden presence, the crew chief winked at Colton and turned to kiss one model on her fender before she parted. Another replaced her. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

Colton glared. "That Andrew wrecked me."

The smile dropped from his grille so quickly that the surrounding cars grew quiet. Brian feverishly waved the girls away for privacy and they immediately complied. "Colt, I-"

"I can't believe it," he interrupted, spinning away from Brian before the car had a chance to explain further. He drove a straight line through the crowd that darted away to let him pass on his way to the outdoor balcony.

Brian ignored the looks from the unfortunate spectators. With a heavy sigh he shook his grille, grumbling to himself before following after to Colton. The green and black car snagged a complimentary beer from a passing waiter on his way out to the balcony. Upon entering the patio he was struck with the cold, approaching winter air and the sight of Colton pacing in front of the railing that overlooked the blackened city. Noticing activity in his side view mirror, he saw that James and Mason were quick to join them but he held up a tire to stop them, silently asking for seclusion.

For the better part of half an hour, the crew chief sat off to the side of the patio and nursed his beer to allow Colton to pace. And pace. And pace. Anyone that came looking for them, he sent away with a stern shake of his hood. When his friend finally stopped pacing and turned to the city lights with a long sigh, Brian silently pulled closely alongside Colton and settled comfortably on his shocks. Very patiently, he waited for him to speak.

Colton had placed himself in park but his thoughts had not ceased. He was furious, hurting, and more than anything he was disappointed which burned the worst. "I feel like such an idiot," he admitted with a scoff. "and I'm not sure if that's because I feel fooled by Andrew, or because my best friend couldn't tell me the truth. I woulda liked to of handled it myself," he said, his gaze fixed on the empty and dark horizon before him.

Brian, who had never wavered from his belief that he had done right by Colton, withheld his pang of frustration at the comment. "I kept telling you to handle your business and you didn't - I ended up doing it for you…"

Unable to counter the reason, and too stubborn to admit Brian was right, Colton sighed and twisted his front tires impatiently on the tiled balcony. "All this time since the wreck," he mumbled. "I thought he just turned a new leaf and actually cared - turns out he was just scared of you." The orange car cut the crew chief a quick glance. "Do you know how much it sucks to be the last to find out why I got hurt? Why couldn't you at least tell me?"

Brian could not contain the eye roll that escaped him. He desperately wished he could just be mad at McConnico for betraying their secret but found himself respecting that he had the nerve to apologize. "Because I knew it would distract you the rest of the season. You two had enough animosity at the time and I did what I thought was best - we all did…"

Colton slipped deep into his mind and his windshield furrowed the more his thoughts plagued him. He reflected on the times Brian complimented him on everything he had accomplished at just eighteen years of age, how proud he was of the car he called his best friend, and several occasions where Brian told him he was a good man. He finally shifted enough in posture to face the trainer. "You don't think I can handle anything, do you?"

The comment struck Brian in all the wrong ways. His beer now regretfully gone, he retrieved a much needed cigarette and took his first drag to gather his thoughts for an appropriate response void of anger. Enjoying the tobacco that soothed him more than he would admit, the green and black car thought back to the very first moment he met Colton on the track in January. To the moment he saw him as the most kind and caring kid he had ever met with an unbreakable spirit he admired profoundly. The moment he knew it would be the privilege of his own lifetime to watch Colton's dreams come true, a car more deserving of a bright future than anyone he had ever seen.

Then he thought back to the moment where he promised to do everything he could to never fail Colton.

"I'll keep it real simple," Brian began, unable to hide the small trace of bite in his words that was not truly aimed at Colton. "I'm responsible for you, but for me, that goes beyond a contract. I don't expect you to understand why and how I handle problems, but if you ever think for one more second I'm trying to shelter you from the world because you can't handle it, you're dead wrong…"

Colton, returning to his previous position to face the balcony and escape the brewing heat, sighed again before admitting something that he hoped Brian could appreciate despite the tone of the conversation. "You say I'm a good man, but it's hard to know that if I haven't been put through anything yet. The one thing I needed to handle myself, you guys didn't think I could take the news..."

Brian stamped out his spent cigarette on the metal railing, nodding once before retrieving his second. "C'mon, you should suck it up and stop pouting about the Andrew thing when you have me, Dave, the team - hell, the whole state - behind you," he continued, nudging his tire against Colton's fender and gaining a soft smile from the racer. "I don't know why you're in such a hurry to burden yourself - you'll know plenty about hardships later in life." He watched as the small smile faded, and it occurred to Brian that Colton was bothered by much more than the incident with McConnico. "What are you really upset about?"

Worried that Brian would leave once the season finished, he almost did not want to win if the team changed. "How come you never followed any of your other racers? I know you gave up a chance to join the Piston Cup…"

Brian sighed and nodded in understanding. It was no secret that all of his previous racers he merely trained and moved on to the next rookie, sending them along year after year. "Partly because I never wanted my career to gain notoriety. I swear," he said with a laugh. "the more I tried to keep a low profile the more famous I became. The other half is because I never cared about them like I do with you…"

Colton smiled gently and looked down at his hood before glancing over at Brian. "So, if we win, will you stay with this team?"

"Colt, you're my best friend, I'll follow you anywhere." He could tell that his words gave Colton a touch of reassurance but the look on his grille revealed that he needed much more motivation than that. He sighed through an open smile. "Alright, fine, no more secrets… I already renewed my contract. We all did, actually. Now keep your grille up and win this last race for us."

The orange racer smiled genuinely for the first time that day. Inwardly elated at the news, he found a happiness that momentarily muted the anxiety within him before his thoughts once again overrode him. He thought back to how it felt when he was merely racing on the back dirt roads for fun with younger hooligans, just himself, feeling free with no obligations other than paying the rent and getting by. Now, he had a career and a woman he loved, and more than ever he still felt he was the same kid but with the weight of the world on his fenders. "I miss when times were simpler," Colton admitted. "Do you ever think about there being days when you can… just breathe?"

Brian contemplated whether or not Colton was starting to regret anything at the mention of all what lies ahead of his promising future laced with pressures. He knew long ago that when the young racer's life finally took purchase, all aspects of his life would merge into a single blur much different than the blur one experienced when rushing down the track. The crew chief shook his hood. "You've got it backwards, Colt - these are the simpler days…"

Colton nodded in understanding just as the crew chief drove away to rejoin the party. The orange car sat a moment longer, scrubbing a dusty racing tire back and forth across the cold railing.

After nearly a year with her husband, Joanna was in tune with his routine well enough and usually awake before his alarm each morning. In the early hour gloom that blanketed their bedroom in various shades of grays, she laid comfortably next to Dave and reflected on their situation much like she had every morning previously for the past two months. The silence allowed for a clarity that was both needed and troublesome.

The atmosphere at the mansion had calmed greatly since their fight, but she also watched her husband become less uptight and increasingly depressed as though he were grieving. Over what, she did not know, but it gave her a conflicting comfort to finally trust she was not the cause of his sorrow and that he had been honest when he admitted the problem was unrelated to the marriage. The double edge reassurance came with the burden of knowing he was facing a struggle she could not help. Although it pained her, Joanna understood never to push and remained faithful to his promise he would tell her in time.

Unwilling to be anything less than the wife she wanted to be and the woman he deserved, she swallowed her own issues for now and ceased putting pressure on him altogether. She chose to become patient, attentive, and receptive to his ways and all the things about Dave she knew but never gave a second thought. The things she heard but never listened to. The ways in which he would sigh deeply, and when. Times in which he was focused and the instances he seemed to fade out of a moment, and perhaps distant enough to go unnoticed by most.

Knowing very well that acts of compassion had slipped from them both, she watched as Dave acknowledged her gentle endearment in his own ways. The maroon and black car made it a point to spend more time with her in the mornings before work, placing afternoon phone calls to her when he knew she would be home, and the times he was late coming home from work were rarely related to the company. Between her patience and his upheld promises, Dave didn't feel as though he was coming home to stress. He relaxed more, he breathed better, and his marriage no longer felt like an obstacle now that Joanna was not up his tailpipe with concerns.

Joanna was startled from her musings when the clock rang. She heard him sigh before reaching to turn off the chiming that echoed throughout the mansion. The purple and black car expected him to idle off the bed when the ringing ceased, but when the businessman did not budge, she suspected he was more tired than usual and nudged him in the wheel well to get going. Another sigh gained. Thinking he needed some added motivation, she gathered her tires beneath her to go to the kitchen and start brewing coffee.

Just as she was about to leave the bed, Dave placed one of his own tires on her quarter panel to stop her. "I don't want to go to work," he breathed gently without opening his eyes, the same tire now stroking her fender tenderly. He felt her snuggle back into his side and heard her sigh of content before she sank further into the sheets and amongst the cushions. "What would you like to do today, darling?"

Joanna understood now his exhaustion was not related to the company - at least, not today. Seeing her husband in quiet pain sickened her in ways she had not felt since the night he expressed concerns she would go back to Glenn in the beginning of their relationship nearly a year ago. Back then he worried about losing her to someone, and now she worried about losing her husband to himself. "Spend all day right here with you," she replied simply.

Dave nodded in understanding and he leaned his weight back into her. "I'm sorry," he whispered before falling back into deep sleep.

The purple and black car stiffened slightly on her frame. Dave apologized in such a manner that it was unlike all the others she heard before it. The gesture was not empty, nor was it born out of pressure or guilt, but muttered out of pure brokenness. As though their fight had snapped him from a denial that went beyond her, she suspected that what ever he felt the need to apologize for was not his fault, but rather a burden he had placed upon himself.

Joanna listened to his steady breathing and held onto the notion that such admittance meant hope, and in the darkness of the room, this morning felt brighter than many before it.

The turmoil inside Colton did not cease when he returned home to Cassie. The anxiety grew over him like vines that suffocated trees, robbing him of sleep during the precious moments he lay next to Cassie in their bedroom amidst the silence of midnight where his thoughts ran most rampant. His passion for racing lead him to find something much more beautiful and worthwhile, but his love for the latter would be forever tarnished if he lost her to any aspect.

By the middle of the week before the final race, Colton knew what needed to be done. The Piston Cup was the opportunity of a lifetime and one so many racers coveted, but also a burden that came at the price of significant, demanding sacrifices. The conversation would be painful, but despite how unnerving and sickening the content, it was a necessary discussion and one that would otherwise do Cassie an injustice if left unsaid - an option that Colton would never dare to take for the woman he loved deeper each moment in her presence.

On Wednesday afternoon, Colton asked Cassie to join him for a peaceful drive westward into the state and rural hills. Although unsure of his intentions, she was always grateful for any quality time they had and happily agreed. The couple drove for hours, pressing on through the farmland until Colton spotted a meadow with the last of the blooming wildflowers. He led Cassie through the row of pecan trees that lined the dirt road and they stopped together at the edge of the meadows, lulled by the cricket symphony that marked the approach of dusk as they basked in the untamed scenery.

Together they wordlessly idled through the meadow that spanned for acres, quietly admiring the mixture of red, orange, and golden blooms on long, thin stems which tickled their fenders and sides as they passed through. His own mind far from serene, he knew Cassie was waiting for him to speak but he was unable to find his voice let alone the words to describe a reality that would hurt them both. "Cassie," the young racer began, his voice exceptionally piercing through the emptiness of the countryside. "I need to talk to you about what's gonna happen next year. There's a chance I may not see you very much…"

The powder blue coupe dreaded this very conversation the moment she knew she was in love with Colton - an agony she accepted back then but now found her emotions silently collapsing within. Cassie held her breath against the strike of a looming reality that made her weak, knowing very well that Colton was still padding a pain in which the real truth was that she might not see him at all once the season began. The nurse had done research in her downtime - there would be more tracks to conquer across the country, further apart, and he would be on the road more and unable return for months - or at all.

Cassie understood changes were on the horizon - she felt them coming before being told. Now finally confronted with them, however, she felt weaker than she ever had in her life and struggled to stay strong for him. The powder blue coupe, knowing very well that Colton had this career before he met her, found herself unable to admit she was terrified of a future that meant less time with her lover and lacked the ability to mirror his bravery.

So he would not see the tears gathering and threatening to spill, she pulled forward and away from the orange racer who halted a few feet behind her to give her space. She bit down on her lower lip to stop herself from letting out a sob that was months in the making, staring down at the flowers in front of her hood as if she were trying to find comfort in the vibrancy of the petals while her own spirit faded. "You didn't have to bring me all the way out here just to give me bad news," she whispered, forcing a smile in an attempt to hide her brokenness.

"It's not bad news if you decide to come with me," Colton said calmly, watching as her frame slumped further amongst the bed of flowers but never daring to touch the ground in defeat. "You could quit nursing and travel with the team if you wanted. I'm gonna get a raise, and there will be plenty of sub-sponsors so you'll never have to worry about the money or where we're staying…"

Cassie could not contain the sniffle that escaped her. "What about all those babies at the hospital?" she objected emptily, almost defiantly. "I'll miss taking care of them…"

Colton cleared his pipes. "Well, maybe by then you'll have some of your own kids to make up for it."

Expecting her confusion, and by the time she lashed around to face him, the young racer had already dipped the front of his chassis low and was holding out a gold engagement band before his grille that included melted parts from the trophy he earned the day of their first kiss. The sound of her gasp echoed in the distant trees. "I wanna finish this season knowing you'll be my wife by the time the next one is over," he continued, voice quivering as hopeful tears brimmed at the bottom of windshield. "Will you… will you-" Before he could finish the official proposal he was smothered in a kiss that nearly knocked him off his tires.

Cassie kissed him deeply as tears rolled across her hood and down to her lips, merging with his own tears into a wet and salty mess of affection and giggles. Both cars trembling on their tires, the young couple parted momentarily to gaze into each other's eyes that held the light of a future brighter than the burning sunset beside them. "Let's travel the country together," Cassie breathed before they rushed forward for a kiss that locked like magnets.