Disclaimer: Yes! We got one! The Cars characters belong to Pixar and Disney. Stone Knight is mine. No touchy! I also created Seth, Josephine McQueen, Henry McQueen, Jeff McQueen, Jordan McQueen, Dakoda Knight, Ripper Knight, Ebony Talon, and Sumara Knight. The NASCAR people are copyright of themselves, including references of Junior, Gordon, Jarrett, Burton, Martin, Wallace and a few others to name a few. I don't own them (Kinda wish I did) their real and very talented racers that I just love. Don't sue me! I have no money anyway!

Also if by some chance you like the character Stone, he has his very own story out there. Read more about our favorite grumpy old truck in "Let Freedom Ring" and the sequel "Already There". A work in progress that will eventually span a complete set of seven stories. Happy reading!

Notes - Russell's name has been changed again. Though this time not because anyone fussed, more because a certain someone flat out didn't like it and thought it sounded odd. -Baps her brother on the head and calls him Butthead.- Just wonderful having a twin... Can't live with em, can't claim adoption. So now Russell McQueen who was turned into Jake McQueen is now Jeff McQueen. This poor car is gonna have identity issues and he hasn't even been used yet. Though Chapter 3 is definitely gonna be his chapter! Then we all get to meet who's causing the big stir! Yay! Now if everyone is happy now, on with the story! Yay!

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The waiting game... He hated it. Doc sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment, attempting to find a bit of peace in the silence of the waiting room. That peace just wasn't to be found apparently. Mater paced back and forth steadily, a worried whine given every now and again. He had always been the more sensitive of the group. It wasn't helping him any now.

Though for his credit even Sarge looked as if he wanted to burst back into the operating room and demand updates and answers. The group was so tense that when the operating room doors finally did open they all jumped to their wheels. A lone doctor smiled sadly at him, a look of sympathy given that Doc didn't like.

"He's slipped into a coma." He explained softly, a sigh muttered. "We think we have him somewhat stable... But theirs a lot of damage."

Doc silently moved forward, a brief wince crossing his features. "How bad?"

"I've seen worse." The doctor offered gently. "But not many... Your friend doesn't have a very high chance of survival. But we're doing everything we can for him. We've moved him to ICU. For now, we're not accepting any visitors but in the next few hours one at a time could go back to see him if you want."

They fell silent for a moment while that sank in, Doc giving a slow nod. "Thank you Doctor." The doctor nodded quietly and turned, moving back through the set of double doors.

The group silently settled back in to wait, a collective sigh going through them. This was an absolute nightmare.

"Sir?" Doc opened his eyes again to glance at the nurse that was standing in front of him, a kind smile crossing her grill. There is someone here to see Mr. McQueen. We're going to send them to you." She explained quietly, gaining a puzzled nod from Doc. Surely that wasn't Sally already. Though within a moment he could see that was the furthest from the truth. A massive truck filled the double doors, an 80's model vehicle. A silver Ford F-150 from what he could tell. Just behind him a younger truck that looked from the early nineties though just as massive. At his side a much smaller Ford Ranger, his hide a sandy colored brown.

The silver truck silently glanced around the room for a moment before settling his attention on them and moving forward. "One of you Doctor Hudson?" He questioned, that rugged southern draw familiar in an instant.

"You must be Stone." Doc commented, bringing a slow nod from the truck. "I'm Doc."

"Evenin..." He drew out, turning his attention behind him for a moment. "Ripper watch Dakoda don't get away from ya. We don't need a repeat of what happened last time."

The black truck nodded and silently herded Dakoda off into a corner, parking there in an attempt to somewhat entertain him.

"Any news?" Stone questioned, turning his full attention back to Doc.

"Yes... I'm afraid none of it good. He's in a coma. They said in a few hours they would allow us to see him one at a time."

Stone nodded quietly, soft sigh given. "Was afraid of that." He muttered, settling back on his shocks with a wince.

From where he was parked, Dakoda suddenly got to his wheels, moving towards the door. Ripper didn't bother to stop him as the little truck met a fiery red Trans-am at the door, the truck nuzzling against the sports car. "Might as well sit down for a spell Mama Joe. We're gonna be here a while." Stone commented, bringing a nod from the car as she settled down beside them.

"Hello there." She offered, a pleasant smile shot towards the rest of the group. "Since Stone apparently isn't going to introduce me..." She commented, shooting a pointed look at the grey truck, who didn't seem to notice or care. "I'm Josephine. Lightning's mother. Though please call me Joe." She offered with a soft chuckle. Doc smiled and gave a nod of his prow, in response. "Pleased to meet you ma'am. I'm Doc Hudson. Lightning's crew chief."

"Oh so good to meet you then." She offered with a smile. "Any updates?" She questioned, drawing a sigh from Doc.

"He's slipped into a coma. For now, he's stable."

Joe nodded quietly, settling back on her shocks beside Stone and for the moment fell silent.

So there they sat. A large group of strangers waiting for one update.

"You've made a mistake." Lightning insisted, still standing in the now empty operating room. "They just said I was in a coma. Which means I'm still alive."

"Lightning sometimes you can die and your body just hasn't figured that part out yet. Trust me on this one your number is up." Seth argued, idly pacing back and forth around the operating room. "You will never wake from the coma. You'll remain in that state for several days then your systems will shut down and even though they will hate to do it your family will have to make the choice to let you go."

"Wait a sec... My family?"

Seth sighed and nodded. "Yes their out in the waiting-" He was cut off as Lightning bolted from the room, moving through the halls. Seth rolled his eyes, with an aggravated growl and after a moment followed. "Like father like son apparently..." He mused to himself, silently stepping through the double doors and into the world outside.

Lightning was ahead of him, quietly marveling at his sudden ability to walk through walls. Though after the meaning of that set in it seemed to frighten him the stock car and he took off again, bolting into the waiting room. His loved ones sat in morbid silence, in the waiting room, a bit of surprise crossing Lightning's features at the sight of his family and friends together. Though he got over it relatively quickly. "Doc!" He called, bolting forward, though the ageing race car didn't even blink in his direction.

"He can't hear you." Seth chirped in a sing song voice. "None of them can."

"Lightning?"

"Alright maybe him... Damn it who brought a medium to the party?" Seth demanded glaring at Dakoda. The little truck had abruptly stood to all four tires and had his full attention drawn to Lightning, sightless gaze an eery milky white.

The entire group turned their attention to Dakoda as he got up and moved towards Lightning. Ripper sighed heavily and stood up to move with him. "No Dakoda. No Lightning. Come park it."

Joe winced quietly and offered the others an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry. We didn't have anywhere to take him. Dakoda hasn't been right since the loss of his vision."

"He's blind?" Doc questioned gaining a nod from Joe.

"Yes... It's a very long story. He went quite mad soon afterwards. Sees things that aren't there and hears voices the whole nine yards." Joe quietly explained, voice lowering to keep Dakoda from hearing.

"But he can see me." Lightning mused, not quite understanding where this was going.

"Yes he can... He's a medium."

Lightning gave Seth a blank look until the mustang sighed and went on. "He can talk to the dead."

"Oh... So he's not crazy?"

"Oh he's crazy as a bed bug. But he can 'see' the spiritual world. Not the physical one. Actually their's more than one sensitive in the group..." He paused for a moment and gestured one tire in the direction of the Sheriff. "Him... Not the full blown deal... But he is sensitive to the spirit world. Interesting group you acquaint yourself with."

"Alright... So what's sensitive?"

"It means he can probably sense that you are here... But he doesn't know enough about his ability to channel it. Though he could probably be spoken to very easily through dreams." Seth mused quietly.

"Kody come on. Let's go for a walk." Ripper offered, still trying to coax the little truck away from 'Lightning'.

"But I want to talk to Lightning." He stated flatly, sightless gaze staring at nothing at all.

"You can talk to him later Kody."

Dakoda seemed to ignore him for the moment, turning his full attention on 'Lightning.' "They said you where hurt."

"I was in a wreck... On the race track." Lightning explained, ignoring the sour look from Seth.

"Oh... Like Grandpa?"

"Yeah... Like Grandpa... Only I'm going to be alright." He assured the young truck, though the truck didn't look so sure.

"Then why can I see you?"

"I don't know... I need you to tell Doc that I'm here."

"Who's Doc?" Dakoda questioned, gaining a puzzled expression from those who could only hear one side of the conversation.

"The older car beside Stone. Now tell him I'm here."

"Not a good idea." Seth commented, once more in a sing song voice.

Dakoda didn't seem to be listening to Seth, though he could certainly hear him. He drove up to Stone, the truck nudging against him, and taking in his scent. He knew where he was now as he moved in one direction. No not that way... To much of the familiar scent of Joe. He attempted the other way and found someone who wasn't so familiar. Doc...

"You're Doc?" He questioned, head tilting to the side. Doc nodded for a moment before remembering he couldn't see that... "Yes I am..."

"I'm Kody." He stated quietly, then tilted a bit to the side in thought. "Lightning's here. He wanted you to know." He stated simply, drawing an entirely puzzled gaze from Doc.

"They think he's nuts." Seth commented.

"I know..." Lightning muttered to himself then grinned. "Not for long. Dakoda... Tell him that on our last race around Willie's Butte, I won. First time."

Dakoda nodded quietly and turned his focus back to Doc. "Lightning said that your last race around Willie's Butte, he won. First time he did that."

Doc stared at him for a moment, frown crossing his grill. "How did you know that..."

"Rip take Dakoda outside for some air." Stone suddenly cut in, a frown crossing his grill.

Lightning paused at the sudden turn around and cursed softly. Stone... So entirely no nonsense. He should have known he would be the one to put an end to this.

"I'm sorry about that." Stone offered quietly as Ripper guided an irritated Dakoda out of the waiting room. "He's always a bit worse in hospitals for some reason. We can take him back to the hotel."

"He couldn't have known that." Doc muttered, the group from Radiator Springs exchanging glances. Even half of them hadn't known that. So how did the truck know?

Lightning groaned to himself and silently picked up pacing, idly circling where the Sheriff was parked, only because he knew it would have annoyed the hell out of him if he could actually be seen.

"Alright... So how long have I got?" He suddenly asked, stopping to glare at Seth.

"Well your body will officially die in three days." Seth offered, a shrug given. "You are coming with me now." He stated, pleasant smile given.

"Not gonna happen." Lightning pointed out. "Give me three days. There has to be something..."

"There is nothing. You can fight it and fuss and argue all you want but you are going to die in three days. The stars have already been set into motion. If you wait much longer than that you run the risk of becoming a rogue spirit-"

"A what?" Lightning cut in gaining a sour look from Seth.

"A rogue spirit. A ghost. This can go several different was. There are people who do not remember life... and those who do not remember death. You will begin to lose track of time. Suddenly wind up in a place and not be able to remember how you got there or what you're doing. There are times that you won't even be able to remember who you are or where. That's the reaction to death. You still remember now of course, because it's still fresh. Hell your body is just down the hall... Either way this will end soon and when your body is in the ground unless you trust me there isn't much I can do for you."

Lightning sighed and closed his eyes, silently circling the waiting room again. "Three days... I won't go before that. I'm not going anywhere until I'm actually dead." He insisted, drawing an aggravated sigh from Seth.

"Lightning this is absolutely-" He paused for a moment, the sound of a sharp beeping coming from him. He frowned, silently checking a small electronic device and rolled his eyes. "Plane crash... No survivors. You're lucky this time." He muttered, backing up a bit. "Don't think that this is the end of this. I need to take care of this and I'll be back. But don't think for a moment you can escape death." He warned, eyes narrowing. With that the wall behind him opened up into a tunnel leading to an almost blinding light. Seth cranked his engine and abruptly drove off, leaving Lightning alone to his thoughts...

"Alright... Contacting Dakoda didn't pan out... But Seth said he wasn't the only one who might be able to hear me..." Lightning said to himself, silently driving up and down one of the many halls.

"He said that the Sheriff was a sensitive... So all I need to do is wait for him to fall asleep and-"

"Really think that's going to work?"

Lightning froze in his tracks and spun around, eyes narrowing. At the end of the hall a small black sports car sat, somewhat settled against the wall in a relaxed manor that suggested a no nonsense attitude that he was accustomed to seeing in Stone.

"Gotta say, I'm impressed. Not to many people stand up to death. But your plans suck. Think that just because they know you haven't crossed over yet that you'll be safe?"

"Who... Are you?" Lightning questioned, coming a bit closer. A small black vehicle of a sports car fashion. A Viper to be exact.

"Name's Ebony. Ebony Talon."

"Right... And you can see me because you're a medium?"

"No... I can see you because I'm dead."

Lightning yelped and backed up quickly the shock of that information causing Ebony to laugh.

"Hey now don't go freaking out on me. After all I'm thinking you're having a bit of a problem with your physical identity yourself." She pointed out, another soft chuckle given.

"Right..." Lightning muttered, still a bit weary though after a few moments did move a bit closer. "So... Why are you here then?"

Ebony chuckled softly and grinned. "Let's just say that Seth's record isn't exactly flawless when it comes to getting his car."

Lightning's interest peaked at that, attention entirely drawn.

"As a matter of fact there's at least one car I know that escaped him all together once and got right back in his body. Seth's still a little pissed off about that. Probably why he's taking it out on you."

Lightning gave a hard shake of his prow, suddenly backing up. "No. There is absolutely no way." That was about the extent of what he could take from this... He turned on a wheel and set off down the hall, drawing a sigh from Ebony.

"Hey Lightning!" She called after the stock car's retreating form. "Dakoda's a bust! No one's ever going to believe the insane. Set your sights on the Sheriff!" She yelled, though Lightning was already gone...

The waiting room had dropped once again to an uneasy silence in the impending storm...

Ripper had come back after a while, leading a still somewhat agitated Dakoda. The little truck had rushed in and searched the entire waiting room before seeming to be somewhat content that Lightning wasn't there and sat down to wait. There was several things that the Sheriff noticed upon meeting Lightning's family.

First off, he didn't seem to be directly related to the trucks. No surprise there. Second, Stone was as rude as they came. His remarks where almost acid like and he had very little patients. Third his mother seemed a bit... distant. As if she refused to see anything bad that could come of the world. Fourth they all seemed very quick to point out that Lightning's father was missing. Possibly a sore spot for all of them that he wasn't there. Finally there was never a stranger group. Stone caused that gut feeling to go off again, stating very clearly that he was bad news. In some way or another he needed to watch out for that one.

He sighed softly and silently stood to his tires, a tired smile shot in the direction of those he knew before silently heading out of the waiting room. He needed air all of a sudden. He kept moving down the hall, ignoring that cold feeling that hospital's tended to bring and stepped out into the night air. He was actually a bit surprised to see the night sky. Had that much time passed? It had been late afternoon when they first came in... He really hadn't thought that much time had passed. Though apparently it had... The reporters had finally left well enough alone, the only vehicles in the parking lot being Mack, and a few others that where likewise enjoying the night air.

"Nice night."

The voice caught him so off guard he spun in place, coming face to face with Ripper.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle ya. Stealth training. Never goes away." He explained with a shrug, silently stepping a little ways away from him. A brief flame followed by a steady glow suggested he had just lit a cigarette causing the Sheriff to give a soft growl. "That's a disgusting habit you know."

Ripper offered a smile and nodded. "Sorry" He offered, backing up several feet so that the scent was well away from him. "Old habits die hard. So whatcha out here for?"

Sheriff sighed quietly, glancing out at traffic coming and going. "Needed air. You?"

Ripper laughed and shrugged. "Needed a break from Kody. I love that little truck but sometimes ya just need air ya know? Anyway Stone can usually have better luck with him when he's like this. Think he's about to hit full blown... Well we call um episodes. Don't think he understands what's happening to much."

Sheriff nodded a bit, thinking back onto the brief attack that had occurred in the waiting room. "Understandable... Though Stone didn't seem all that comfortable with-"

"Stone's a good truck." Ripper cut in, seeming to be reading his mind. The massive truck gave a sigh, silently letting his cigarette drop to the ground and crushing it out with one tire. "When Kody first started getting like this... A doctor put him in a mental hospital. Stone didn't like it at all. When he finally got him out, Kody was almost gone... He's convinced it was locking him away that did it. He tries to keep him safe. Doesn't want people to think he can't handle his care. Doesn't want people to think that he needs to be committed again. That's all." Ripper offered with a soft sigh and shrugged. "Stone kinda takes care of all of us. Use to take care of Lightning to after his father took off... They didn't end on the best of terms. Lightning wanted to race... Stone wanted him to get into something a bit more level headed. Says that was the reason his father took off. Think he was afraid Lightning would take off to... Like father like son ya know... In the end it was Stone that wound up driving Lightning away."

Sheriff nodded slowly a frown crossing his grill. That in some backwards way did make sense. It also explained why none of them had ever heard Lightning bring up the topic of his family... "So tell me Ripper... Just who is Lightning's father?"

Ripper thought for a moment and gave an idle shrug. "Never met him myself. Stone did once. Stone was a friend of the old man back then. Lightning's Grandpa. Took up taking care of the family when the old man passed. Don't think old man McQueen even really knew where his son went off to. Joe says he took off the second she said pregnant. Didn't even stick around long enough to hear twins."

"Twins?" Sheriff questioned, honestly more than a little shocked.

Ripper paused and gave a chuckle, light shrug given. "Yeah, guess he never mentioned that... Jordan. Good kid. Helps Stone out a lot at the ranch."

Sheriff nodded a bit, slight sigh muttered as he stared out across the night sky. He knew a lot more than he did... Though that wasn't exactly helping him out much.

There had to be a way out... Lightning just knew it. It couldn't just end like this.

"Alright... Think, think..."

"You're talking to yourself again. Not the best pass time in the world, for both the living and the dead." Lightning stopped his pacing to spin around and glare at the black Viper in the doorway. He had finally found refuge in the hospital chapel, the quiet of the place at least somewhat comforting.

"Look, I don't wanna fight so let's be friends again." She chirped, coming to park beside him.

"We never where friends..."

"I know that but that's what people say in times like these. Weather you want to admit it or not I want to help you."

Lightning gave a somewhat suspicious look and settled down where he parked. "Why?"

Ebony laughed, that somewhat cocky grin crossing her grill. "Let's just say I like to see Death screwed over. He deserves it. The first thing you need to know is that Death is out to screw you over. He doesn't want you to win. If you understand that you'll be fine."

Lightning nodded slowly, and heaved a sigh. "So how does that further help me?"

"Well keep listening and you might find out. Second, he doesn't like you. I mean you in particularly. He really wants to be able to take you to his superior and say, hey look what I got."

"But why me-"

"Hey, still talking here. Stay with me hot shot."

Lightning only nodded as Ebony launched right back into her explanation. "Third you have to be ahead of the game. Know what he's going to do and understand that he knows what you're going to do because he knows everything. You get a lot of information over here that the mortals don't."

Ebony paused for a moment, falling silent before a grin crossed her grill. "Oh that's it! There's another option. Have you noticed a black book that he carries with him?"

Lightning gave her a blank look and sighed. "I've noticed a cell phone and a pager but-"

"Maybe a palm pilot or something then. He might have gone digital. Doesn't really matter. Ask him if you can see his lists. Tell him you want to see your name on his list. If your name is there unfortunately there's not much you can do. Your number is up. If it's not he's full of it. If it's there but there's a little mark beside it, your name has been called but you do have a chance to get out of it. You're at one of your exits in life but not necessarily the last one."

"Exits?"

Ebony grinned and nodded. "Yup. Every life has five of them. Five places in life that you can get out if you want. Then after that the next time you get into trouble you're out. You also have one point that no matter what your number is up. So no matter what happens you're gone."

"So... What happened to you?"

Ebony sighed and set back briefly on her tires. "Well... In the line of work I was in, my exits used up fast. Then my number was up. But I also know that in my line of work... I'm not exactly going to a good place. Hence why I'm so keen to get away from death."

Lightning nodded slowly to that, the two for the moment falling silent.

"Oh and one more thing." Ebony offered, slight wince given. "Don't ask him straight up to see his lists. Kinda lead up to it. Ya know, how do you know my number is up and all that... If you ask him straight up he'll know I'm around and that's something I would very much like to avoid."

"Sure no problem." He offered, a somewhat puzzled look given.

"Oh, almost forgot. If you insist on trying to talk to your friends, the truck isn't going to be able to help you. The cop however is."

"But Death said that he was only a sensitive..."

Ebony shrugged idly, a slight smirk crossing her grill. "He's probebly more powerful than your truck friend. Ever hear the expression if you don't use it you lose it? Well lets just say he hasn't used it in a very, very long time. It will be very difficult for him to communicate. Also there's a grief wall there..."

Lightning tilted his frame a bit, a puzzled gaze shot towards her. "A what?"

"A grief wall. Come with me." She stated, getting up and leaving the safety of the chapel. They rolled down the hall in silence until they where once again on the ICU hall. Though instead of going into Lightning's room Ebony cut left and ducked into someone else's. In the room a small truck maybe the age of ten or eleven sat deathly still. Around him machines and computers beeped and kept track of everything he did, the truck obviously in a deep coma.

On the other side of the small child vehicle sat a much older one. The ageing truck was older truck was old enough to be the child's grandmother but she was obviously the primary caretaker. Though to Lightning's surprise the weeping truck looked as if there was a cloud of smoke around her.

"That's grief shock. In the most extreme cases. If it happens to a medium someone from this plane can't talk to them until the fog clears. Even then until the grief fades back loved ones can't get through. The fog goes away in a week or two. In the Sheriff's case it was..." She sighed quietly and settled back on her tires, a slight smile given. "Well, that's for another time. It's not my place to tell that story."

Lightning gave a puzzled look, turning to face her. "How do you even know it?"

Ebony paused for a moment, seeming to think that over and smiled. "Let's just say I have my ways. You would be surprised what people from this plane of existence know."

"Yeah but that's kinda personal..."

Ebony rolled her eyes and rolled up so that she was only an inch or two away from Lightning. "Your favorite color is red..."

"Well obviously..."

"You're a race car..."

"Again obviously..."

Ebony narrowed her eyes and smirked. "Your birthday is June the sixth..."

"Could have looked that up in any racing record."

"And when you where four you had a little stuffed tractor named Mr. Buttons and you carried him around with you everywhere."

"Wait a sec, how did you-"

"When you where five you where racing in the house, like your mother told you NOT to do and ran right through the sliding glass door. You're brother Jordan told her that he did it because you where already in trouble and he was known for being a klutz."

"Alright now that's just-"

"The night before you left for California at that big Piston Cup race last year you got into a huge fight with Stone about your career. That's why he didn't come to the race and hasn't been to a race since and you haven't spoken to him since. But what you don't know is that he never misses a race on TV and Doc called him to tell him you where hurt he had been already calling every hospital in the area to try to find you, and was already on his way out the door when Doc caught him."

Lightning froze and offered an honestly puzzled look. "Really? He did that? I didn't think he watched any of the races."

Ebony only smiled and shrugged. "You may be a McQueen but you where raised a Knight."

Lightning sighed and nodded quietly. She had a point. Ebony opened her mouth to speak again, though after a moment she froze. "Death's coming." She muttered, and indeed Lightning could feel it. A cold tightening to the air and a chill that caused breath to fog. Ebony gave an apologetic look and as quickly as she was there she was gone.

"There you are. Was beginning to think I'd lost you. Though that certainly doesn't happen. And in the presence of my next client to."

Lightning spun around, to face the Mustang, a slight glare shot in his direction. "Don't you have other people to torment?"

"Actually, weather you believe it or not you're not my only client in this hospital. I came here to see little David." He offered, his full attention turning to the child. "Though you can stay if you want. Might actually be good for you."

"You leave him alone! Can't you see their suffering enough?"

"Exactly. He's suffering. And in this case he will never wake up. Now if you don't mind, hush up before you frighten one of them." He hissed and moved to the child's side.

The Mustang was silent for a long moment. After several seconds a bright light emitted from the child vehicle sending the machines hooked up to him into a frenzy. Within' moments the child was parked beside death, watching as doctors and nurses swarmed around his body and his hysterical grandmother was lead from the room.

Within' a moment it was like someone had hit mute on a TV. The swarming noise was cast into silence... They still moved and did what they could, but Death had blocked the sound. "Much better." He offered, a charming smile offered to the young truck.

"Are you an angel?" The truck questioned, bringing a chuckle from Seth. "Something like that. I am an angel, just not the kind that you see on TV or in books."

"Do you know God?" The child questioned, wide eyed in awe.

"Yes as a matter of fact I do know the creator. Very well." Seth offered with a chuckle. "I play tennis with him on Tuesdays."

"Wow..." The child offered, obviously in awe to that. He then looked around, puzzlement on his features. "Where's Grandma?"

"Oh don't you worry about your grandmother. She'll be coming with you very soon. But for right now you have to go ahead of her. You're going to cross over. Do you know what that means?"

"It means I'm dead?" David questioned, eyes widening. Seth smiled and nodded quietly.

"Yes David, it does. But it's not scary. You're going to go home. And do you know who's over there?"

David whimpered softly though seemed to be listening at least.

"Well for one your grandpa. He's going to meet you on the other side. There's always someone to meet you on the other side you know. There's also your mother and father. There's a lot of people over there waiting to say hello to you David. You're going to a good place." David smiled a bit, pulling a chuckle from Seth.

"Now come on. You don't want to keep them waiting." He instructed turning away. David moved quickly to catch up, coming up to Seth's side and pressing against him as he had been taught to do with all of the adults in his life. Seth, thumped his tire against the ground three times and a great tunnel opened, that brilliant light at the end.

"I'm coming back for you Lightning." He warned quietly before setting off into the tunnel to take David home.

Now... for the three words no one wants to hear...

To be Continued...

-notes- Thanks all for the reviews! I'm coming out with more chapters as fast as I can and as for what's going to happen, you'll just have to wait and see! Cheerio!