Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for being patient! We have 15 days until the release of CARS FREAKING 3! Remember to vote on my NEW poll! Leave a review, a follow, and/or a favorite if you enjoy this story AND FINALLY no spoiler of cars 3 when it comes out because I will NOT be able to watch it until 2 weeks after it is released. Thanks! Onto the story!
Chapter 22: The Night
The next day went by quickly which was unusual for the slow town. Harley stuck to Flo's side to most of the day, making her wonder if she was alright. Worried asking her might upset her even more, Flo didn't say anything about it. Harley was quiet most of the day and John took notice. As the dusk was settling in, Sheriff found Harley and softly tap her side with a tire.
"Come on, time to hit the hay." he said as he turned to the road. Harley looked up at him then down to the road and began to slowly follow.
"Alright, I've had enough." John said as he made his way towards her. "Something's gotten under your paint. What's the matter?"
"Nothing." Harley said and continued to follow Sheriff, but John wasn't satisfied.
"Nothing my bumper. What's wrong, Harley?" He persisted.
"Nothing…" She said more annoyed. "Goodnight." After that, no matter what John said, she left and just like the night before after hearing Sheriff talking, she couldn't sleep. She closed her eyes, shifted around, but never fell asleep. She looked at the clock. It read 10:59
"This is dumb..." she muttered. She couldn't stop thinking about what Sheriff had said. Doc hiding something? He would never do that, not to Harley at least. She wanted to talk to someone about it, but didn't know who. She then thought of John. "He said no sneaking out…" Harley sighed, knowing she had confronted the same issue. "You know what, I don't care." Harley then proceeded to quietly leave her room. She headed to the front door where Sheriff was sleeping. At least, she hoped he was.
She left without being caught and headed straight to the Cozy Cone. She tried to remember what Cone he was in. It took a few tries, but she finally knocked on the right one. She heard rustling then the door opened.
"Harley? What are you doing?" the sleepy John asked.
"I couldn't sleep." She said then gestured to the road. "I thought… um. M-maybe a drive could help?"
"Harley…" He sighed. "The moon isn't bright enough to go out and race. I don't have headlights."
"I don't want to race." Harley quickly said. "I just… want to drive." John sighed again.
"Okay, fine. But you're leading the way." Harley smiled a small smile then drove onto the road. "So, where are we headed?" he asked.
"You'll see."
As they drove out into the darkness, John looked around at the trees that soon filled the sides of the curvy road. They kept going until they found a huge archway. John looked at it astonished. He wondered to himself how much dynamite it took to make it, then they soon drove by the waterfall. John smiled at it and chuckled.
"Ha! This is so cool! Why didn't you tell me this stuff existed?" Harley giggled as she kept driving.
"Guess I forgot." she joked and John sarcastically laughed.
"Ha ha. Very funny." he said and continued to follow her. They soon came up to Wheel Well. "Whoa. This is… neat." he said as he looked at the retired motel.
"Yeah. It used to be busy, and now it's not." Harley explained.
"Well that's obvious enough." John said and chuckled at her. "What isn't obvious, is why."
"Well, this road got built and everyone forgot about our road. Route 66." Harley drove through the rustic motel with John. "The new road, Interstate 40, it replaced Route 66."
"Oh yeah, I know that road." Harley stopped while John kept driving forward without noticing her. "We used to drive down it, Mat and I." Harley looked up at him confused.
"Who's Mat?" she asked and John chuckled.
"Mat short for Matthew. He was my hauler." Harley nodded at John.
"So he drove you around to your races?" she asked.
"Yeah. That was him, though I don't remember much of anything else about him." Harley jumped up realizing that he was remembering again.
"But you remember him!" she said. "You remember Mat!" she smiled big and he was taken off guard by the sudden loud volume of her voice.
"What? Oh… Oh yeah! I remember him!" he laughed and Harley laughed with him. "I'm getting better at the remembering stuff."
"Heh, yeah! You are!" Harley jumped up and began to leave. "Oh! I know! Follow me! I want to show you something!" John chuckled.
"Alright." he said and went after the excited Cadillac. "Whoa…." she led him to the cliff side that overlooked the county.
"Isn't it cool!" Harley said and took a deep breath of cool summer air.
"Yeah. It is…" John looked at the glistening dots up above. "That's a lot of stars." John looked down at Harley and smiled. "This is beautiful." he said and Harley looked back at him with a small smile.
"Yeah." John's smile faded as he continued to look at her. "What?"
"You were upset all day. And now you're not? Why?" he asked then she sighed and looked away.
"I heard Sheriff talking last night."
"With Doc?" John asked and she shook her hood.
"No. He was just… talking. Talking about Doc."
"Hm." They both continued to look away from each other.
"He hasn't called in the week and a half he's been gone…" she said then looked up at the stars. "And Sheriff thinks he's hiding something."
"I'm sure he's just busy." John said and Harley scoffed.
"Hm.. yeah. Busy…" She took a deep breath. "It's still unlike him though."
"Yeah, well. I'm sure he's okay." he said then gave her a smile. "You know, I bet money he's okay!"
"How do you know?" She asked, still not buying it.
"I didn't have a whole lot of time to talk to him. But for the short while that I did, he seemed pretty smart." John said and Harley finally looked up at him.
"Yeah. He is." She said with a smile. "He's Doc. That's just how he is!" John chuckled slightly and nodded.
"You know," he said as he looked back at the view. "it's kids like you that make me wish I had one of my own."
"Do you not have a family?" she asked and he shrugged his tires.
"If I did -or do- I sure don't remember them." He shook his hood and Harley looked at him sadly.
"Well… try and remember. You remembered Mat just a second ago!" John looked down at Harley and she smiled brighter than the stars above.
"You're right. I just …. Need to think." John looked out to the view again. "Hm… family… family…" He repeated until his voice dissolved into the night. Harley followed his gaze and looked at the town. She thought of her own family in Radiator Springs. Doc, Sheriff, Flo, Ramone, Lizzie. Sarge. she thought about how much she loved all of them all of them and how much they loved her. They were her family, and she smiled thinking about them. Her smiled slightly faded as the sense of being stared at overcame her. She looked up to see John looking at her as if she were a stranger. Or a long forgotten car.
"John?" she asked him and he suddenly reversed away from the cliff. "John, are you okay? Wh-what's wrong?"
"Harley?" He said asked in a disbelieving tone. "Harley, I-" he stopped abruptly and hours eris widened. "Oh Chrysler…" he muttered as his mind began to flash snips of memories, but even tiny morsels were enough to let him know something wasn't right. "I need to go…" he said and bask up to leave.
"What? What do you mean?" Harley inched towards him, but his features scrunched up in a frown as if her were in pain.
"No…. No, I need to get out of here!" he turned to raced back into town in a frantic speed
"Wait! John! Harley quickly chased after him. "You don't have headlights! John!" they sped down the curvy road.
"I'm sorry!" John called back.
"John, watch out!" There was a thin layer of dirt covering a sharp turn. John barrelled straight towards it, but when he finally saw it, it was too late. He turned and began to spin out of control off of the road and straight for a tree. "John!" Harley cried in terror, but John soon gained control and only skimmed his door on it, but not without the tree leaving a mark. Harley almost suffered the same fate, but she slowed and took the turn easily without loosing too much speed. She then raced after him, driving through mud, leaves water, and dirt. The desert summer night was cool ad she could feel it. Her body shivered but her mind was too focused on John. Once in town, they realized something off. A few lights from inside the shops were on. The time was easily 11:30 maybe even midnight. Why were the lights on? John slowed and Harley followed.
"Thank the manufacturer!" Flo shouted. A few of the townsfolk were awake and looked worried beyond belief. But as soon as Flo spotted Harley, she was overjoyed. But Sheriff did not have the same reaction.
"What the hell were you out doing with Harley!?" he shouted as he sped over to them.
"I… what?" John asked surprised by the sudden outburst.
"Why were you two out there? Why are you two covered in mud? What happened!" Sheriff asked.
"It's not what it looks like!" John said and Sheriff scoffed.
"Really? 'cause it looks like you kidnapped Harley!" John reversed away from Sheriff with a look of shock.
"That's not at all what happened!" He claimed and Sheriff looked to Harley.
"Harley, what happened!" he demanded.
"Uh..I w-well-" she stuttered.
"Spit it out!" Flo came up the Sheriff with a disappointed look.
"Calm down. I'm sure it was nothing." she said and Sheriff turned to her furious.
"Nothing? Nothing!" he said and shook his hood then looked back at the two culprits. "You both are going to be in a heap of trouble if you don't fess up!"
"I… I couldn't sleep and-"
"Harley, did you sneak out?" Sheriff said and she looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Uh, w-well… y-yeah." she stuttered nervously.
"Harley! Why would you do that?" Sheriff asked forcefully.
"I… I don't know… it, uh-"
"It was my fault." John said then all eyes were on him. "It saw her sneak other and she told me she couldn't sleep. I figured taking her for a drive would help her. It was my idea."
"Where did you go?" Sheriff asked and John took a deep breath.
"Wheel Well."
"How did you know how to get there?"
"I didn't know it existed." Sheriff scowled at him. "I just drove." There was a long and heavy silence.
"You just… drove." Sheriff said and John nodded.
"Yes, sir." Sheriff closed his eyes and took a deep breath then looked at John with a dangerous glare.
"You had no idea what could have been out there and you took a child with you?" John swallowed in attempts to clear his dry throat.
"Yes, sir." more silence. The townsfolk moved away in fear of what the tense and furious Sheriff would do.
"You have no idea how much trouble your in… and if Doc were here to see this, oh he'd-"
"If Doc were here to see what exactly?" Everyone's expressions turned solemn. They knew who's voice that was and they all back even further away to make room for the approaching car. "What's going on, Sheriff." he asked as he drove towards him.
"Doc, you're back." he said with surprise. "I figured you wouldn't be home until another week."
"I know…" Doc said and looked at the mud covered Harley and John. "What happened?" he looked at Harley with disappointment. "Did you sneak out?" he asked and she refused eye contact and nodded. "Why?"
"Mr. Hudson, it was my fault." John said.
"What?" Doc asked.
"This one caught Harley sneaking out and decided to take her for a drive onto a road unknown to him. They ended up at Wheel Well, thank the manufacturer." Sheriff explained. "But he unknowingly could have taken her to a much more dangerous location! He doesn't know this place! He could've-"
"That's enough, thank you Sheriff." Doc said and Sheriff reversed slightly. "It's this true?" he asked Harley, but John answered instead.
"Yes, Mr. Hudson, it is. I-"
"I was asking Harley." He said in a dangerous tone. John closed his mouth looked down. "Is it true?" Harley looked up at Doc. So much of her wanted to go to his side and welcome him home. But she was scared. Scared that she disappointed him beyond forgiveness. She wanted to say no and take the blame. She never wanted to lie to Doc. She knew he'd catch her if she did. But she also knew that living to law enforcement has its own punishments. John already lied. "Harley, I'm not going to ask again!" Doc started to raise his voice, and a single word spilled from her mouth without her even thinking.
"Yes."
Silence.
A beat
Two beats.
"Harley… go to bed." Doc said quietly She looked up at Doc with sad eyes.
"But-"
"I said go. To. Bed. And do not leave. Understood?" Doc raised his voice slightly. But it was enough to get Harley to nod and get into drive. She then left to the clinic, but not before glancing back at John with remorse. She soon disappeared into the clinic. Doc's eyes moved to the icy blue eyes of the white and black car.
"I'm sorry. I should have been responsible and-"
"I'm going to give you a list of names." Doc suddenly said. The others were confused at the subject change. "I will say a name then you tell me if you recognize any of them." John looked at him confused.
"What?"
"Boy, did I stutter?" he said and John looked down.
"N-no sir."
"I'm didn't think so." He said, his eyes never moving away from John's. "Now then. Say yes if you recognize the name. No if you don't. Simple enough?"
"Y-yes sir." John looked back up at Doc, his eyes still unforgiving.
"Good. Josh."
"No." he said clearly.
"Stockbridge."
"Uh… no." John said and shook his hood.
"hm.. Mathew."
"Oh! Yes!"
"Why?" Doc asked quickly and the others looked at John curiously.
"Mathew. He was my hauler. He took me to all my races way back when."
"Races?" Doc asked. Having not been there, he missed all of the remembering John did in the past week and a half.
"He is- was- a racecar." Doc looked at Sheriff then at John.
"Of course…" he muttered. "Carson."
"Carson…." John repeated. "Maybe."
"It's a yes or no." Doc said irritable.
"Ok the. No."
"David." John looked at Doc then looked away. "Yes or no?"
"N… no." John said in a low voice.
"Damien."
"No… wait." John thought longer while Doc silently waited. "Yes."
"Why. Who's Damien?" Doc sharply asked
"Carson…" John muttered.
"What?" Now it was Doc who was confused.
"Damien Carson." John looked up at spoke clearly.
"Who's Damien Carson?" There was a silence then a look of realization on John's face.
"Me. I'm Damien Carson." Silence.
"You remember." Doc said, but it was almost a question.
"Yes. I'm Damien Carson. I live in an apartment in Southern California."
"What else do you remember?" Doc asked as he pressed forward with the issue.
"Um… I'm not sure." Damien said as he though. "Give me some more names."
"Okay… Ryan."
"Ryan?" Damien thought for a second. His fear dissolved and was replaced with eager curiosity. "No."
"Lee."
"Uh.. n.. no"
"Charles."
"Uh… yes?….Yes."
"Who is he?" Doc asked and Damien paused for a second.
"He's, uh, he's…. My roommate! He pays most of the rent. I think he gambles a lot, but he also wins a lot."
"Miler."
"Uh… no." He said, but Doc was suspicious.
"Are you sure."
"Yes. I'm sure." Doc eyed him then went on.
"Storm."
"Yes." Damien stopped him quickly. "That's his last name. Charles Storm."
"What?" Sheriff asked astonished. "How-"
"Not now Sheriff." Doc said and continued with his list.
"David." Damien seemed taken aback he looked away and in a low tone, answered.
"...no.."
"Davis…" Doc asked, putting pieces of a strange and confusing puzzle together.
"...no.." Damien's voice didn't change.
"Strip."
"Yes." Damien's voice picked up as he said it more clearly and lifted his eyes back to Doc's.
"Who is he?" Doc asked.
"A racecar. Strip Weathers. He's pretty good. I used to race him."
"Okay. Last name: Joan." Damien again looked away. His tone returned to the lowness is was before. He paused and there was silence.
"Joan, Damien. Do you know that name?" Doc asked again. Another beat. Then a single word.
"No." Doc looked him over. He tried to piece everything together, but he knew he was still missing some of the pieces.
"Damien, do you know where you live?"
"Yes." His tone didn't change.
"Do you remember who you are?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember everything before you came to this town?"
"... yes." Doc looked him over again.
"Then you're free to go." Sheriff looked at him shocked.
"But Doc, he still-" Doc simply looked over at Sheriff with a glare and he reversed away silently.
"Can… can I say goodbye to Harley?" Damien asked quietly.
"Why?" Doc asked.
"Please, can I just say goodbye to her."
"No. You put her in danger. Now unless you want to go to traffic court tomorrow morning, I suggest you get out of my sight."
"I just want to tell her goodbye!" Damien surprisingly raised his own voice, but Doc wasn't phased.
"Why? You have no business talking to her!"
"Please! She…." Damien caught himself, looked away, and sighed softly. "She helped me remember…" Doc looked directly at Damien as he glanced back at Doc.
"Go home, Damien. I think it's time you leave." Damien looked at Doc then to the others.
"... okay.." he began to drive past the crowd and back the direction he first came from when he arrived. "Thank you all for what you've done for me. And tell Harley I said thank you for helping me remember. Tell her I said goodbye." without another word, the once mysterious stranger left, only now, he was no stranger, but only a mystery.
Harley didn't go to bed, she stayed close to her opened window and listened to the whole conversation. She herself, like Doc, tried to piece everything together. But to no avail. She started to cry when Damien headed off, but she was unsure why. She quietly let tears run down her fenders and soon fell asleep.
She had no dreams that night.
But she did make a decision instead.
One that would change her life.
