Chapter Four
Chick burst through the doors of the hospital and sped over to the receptionist's counter. He had made quite a bit of noise and everyone was staring at him angrily including the light blue VW Bug receptionist at the desk.
"Sir could you please not drive like that in here, the speed limit is below 5 if you've noticed this is a hospital," she said.
"I need to see a patient!" Chick snapped ignoring her.
The receptionist sighed, "The name of the patient please?" she asked.
"Breeze, Breeze Gram," Chick told her desperately.
"Mm-hm alright and what is your relation to Miss. Gram?" the receptionist asked.
"What?" Chick asked. "Why do you need to know that?"
The receptionist gave him a strange look, "Your relation?" she asked.
"I'm..." he paused. "I'm her boyfriend," he whispered quietly.
"I'm sorry what?" the receptionist asked not hearing him.
"I said I'm her boyfriend," Chick repeated in a whisper.
"Sir will you please speak up!" she snapped.
"I'm her boyfriend," he snapped angrily.
Once again everyone in the hospital turned and stared at him. Chick sighed and turned away pretending they weren't looking at him.
"Ok sir," the receptionist said.
"Ok what? Can I see here now?" Chick asked.
"No," she answered him. "The doctor has specifically noted that only family is allowed to see her at this time. If you would like to wait you may park yourself in the waiting room."
"What?!" Chick said angrily. "I don't care let me see her!"
"I told you already sir, you have to wait until the doctor says you can see her!" she said slowly.
"And I'm telling you I don't care I want to see her now," Chick demanded.
"Do you want me to call security sir?" the receptionist asked threatened.
"You just don't know when to cool it do you Hicks?" a voice asked. Chick turned to see Buck drive up next to him with a sly smirk on his face.
"Why are you here?" Chick asked suspiciously.
"I came here to check up on my buddy # 3, I still don't understand how I lost control like that, it's a shame," Buck said.
Chick narrowed his eyes, "Right..." he said.
"So why are you here hm?" Buck asked.
"Oh...I.." Chick started.
"Chick?" a voice asked. Chick and Buck turned around to see Lightning driving up to them. "Why are you here?"
"You were saying?" Buck asked.
"Excuse me but if you three wouldn't mind taking this to the side your crowding the desk," the receptionist said irritated.
"Right...I should be going anyways..." Buck said as he turned and drove off.
Chick drove off to the side and Lightning followed him.
"So why are you here?" Lightning asked narrowing his eyes.
Chick sighed, "Why is it any of your business?"
"It's my business if it involves Breeze," Lightning said.
"What if it doesn't?" Chick asked.
"I can't believe what Buck said was true and Breeze lied to me...you guys are friends?" Lightning asked.
Chick gave him a blank look. "You idiot!" he yelled.
"Sir!" the receptionist yelled. "Be be quiet!"
Chick glanced over at her and narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean?" Lightning asked.
Chick laughed, "We're more then friends McQueen, and just before your little nosy self asks I'm in love with Breeze!"
"And she loves you?" Lightning asked.
Chick opened his mouth to say something but then paused. "I haven't told her I love her yet..."
"Yeah right, well I see what this is," Lighting said.
"What?" Chick asked.
"Your using Breeze! Your pulling her along so you can get to me!" Lighting said.
"What?! That has to be the stupidest thing you've ever said!" Chick yelled.
"Sir!" the receptionist snapped. "If you do not stop acting your age and follow the rules I will have you removed from this hospital immediately and..." she paused as the doctor approached her. The receptionist nodded and sighed. "Sir!" she called to him.
Chick rolled his eyes and drove back over to the receptionist's desk. "What?"
"The doctor says because of her critical condition he will allow you to see her, but only for a little while," she told him.
"She's in critical condition?" Chick asked sorrow in his voice.
"I'm afraid so sir," the receptionist said.
"Will I be able to see her too?" Lightning asked.
"Yes," she nodded. "If you two promise to be on your best behavior."
A nurse led the two racecars to Breeze's room, it was the last one on the end one of the room's were they keep the most venerable patients, right next to the nurse's lounge where if anything went wrong they would jump on the problem. Chick was frightened to enter at first, he couldn't imagine seeing the once happy smiling racecar he had seen a day before in critical condition. Lighting drove in first following the nurse. Chick took a deep breath and slowly drove in.
Breeze was parked in the middle of the room hooked up to machines. Her crushed front and side had been replaced and rebuilt completely, making the new shiny parts stick out and it not match to the rest of her. Her eyes were closed and at first Chick feared the worst until he drove closer and heard her soft shallow breathing. Lighting had parked himself on the other side of her next to the nurse. He looked distraught and worried, but not as bad as Chick looked.
"She hasn't woken up yet, the doctor hasn't diagnosed her as being in a coma yet it's too soon to tell," the nurse told them. "She was badly damaged and we tried our best, now it's up herself. If she makes it through the night she'll definitely be able to pull through."
Lighting sighed, "Poor Breeze, I can't believe something awful like this would happen to her."
Chick sighed, "You mean she might not make it through the night?"
The nurse gave him a sad look.
"But-but the crash wasn't that bad it..." he paused.
"I know it's a shock sir, most cars don't know how to handle it if you need any help we have the counselors office on the top floor," the nurse said.
"I don't need a counselor," Chick snapped.
"Whatever you say sir," the nurse said as she drove out of the room.
Lightning looked over at him angrily.
"Don't give me that look McQueen," Chick growled.
"I can't believe you, Breeze is in critical condition and your filling the room with negativity!" Lightning said.
Chick looked down at the floor, "I'm sorry..." he said softly.
"I wish you really meant that, why don't you get out of here, you don't really love her," Lightning said.
"Oh, and how do you know, do you love her?" Chick asked.
"No! She's my teammate, my friend," Lightning said.
"Excuse me, the doctor has asked me to escort you out," the nurse said returning.
"What? That was only like 5 seconds," Chick said.
"I'm sorry sir but it's the doctor wishes," the nurse said.
Lightning took one more look at Breeze and drove by. "Get better Breeze," he said as she exited the room and stood next to the nurse.
Chick sighed and looked over at Breeze. "Please, you have to let me stay," he begged.
"I'm sorry sir but if your not family you..." the nurse said.
"You don't understand!" Chick told her.
"Sir, please don't raise your voice!" the nurse warned.
"I have to stay here, she would want me to," Chick told her.
"I highly doubt that of all cars she'd want me to stay with her," Lightning scoffed.
Chick shot a glare at Lightning, "Please ma'am just tell the doctor that..."
"What's going on in here?" a car asked pulling up next to the nurse.
"Doctor Rosenburg," the nurse said. "This man won't leave."
The doctor nodded and drove over to Chick. "I know it must be hard to be separated from someone you care about when they're like this but it's for the best," he said softly.
"I don't just care about her, I love her," Chick told the doctor.
The doctor sighed, "Nurse." he said.
"Now you wait here!" the receptionist told Chick like was a little child. The doctor had reasoned with Chick and said he would let him see her in a few hours all he had to do was wait in the waiting room. He also asked the receptionist at the front desk to keep a good eye on him.
"I'm not five you don't have to talk to me like a freakin' kid!" Chick said angrily. Chick already hadn't like this lady and he was starting to dislike her even more. She was standing in the way of him seeing Breeze, he didn't even get to get close to her because Lightning was there and then he was shoved out by the doctor. The receptionist scoffed and made her way back over to her desk. The whole night she watched him like a hawk and Chick thought she never took her eye off him. Eventually Chick dozed off and everyone else who was in the waiting room left one by one until he was the only one there.
"Sir! Sir!" Chick heard a voice. The voice continued until he was shaken out of his sleep. He opened his eyes and frowned as he saw it was the receptionist.
"What do you want?" he asked angrily and groggily.
The receptionist frowned also, "For some strange out of this world reason which I have no idea why he's doing this, but the doctor has sympathized with you...you can stay with her."
Chick perked up a little as the nurse led him back to Breeze's room, but his happiness was terse. The nurse left him in the room and closed the door behind her. Chick turned down the lights leaving the medical machines and the lights shinning through the window from the outside the only form of illumination. He carefully parked himself next to Breeze and gently snuggled up to her. Chick took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry Breeze," he said softly. "I just want you to know that I'm here and if you can hear me...I love you..." Chick paused. "I know it's only been what two weeks? But I love you and I want to get to know you more and more each day, so you gotta hang around ok...and I'm sure you heard me and McQueen fighting earlier...I'm sorry about that too...I know he's your friend and all and just please...please don't leave your the best thing that's happened to me in a long time there's just something about you I can't explain it but yeah...I should probably shut up now..."
Chick opened his eyes and sighed sorrowfully. He didn't want to lose her, he couldn't.
The next morning...
"Chick, Chick," Chick heard his name being called but ignored it. "Chick," he heard it again but it sounded like the car was straining to speak.
Chick opened his eyes, straightened himself out and shook his fender lightly.
"Hey," the voice said softly.
Chick turned and saw that Breeze was awake.
"Breeze!" he said happily.
She smiled softly.
"Your ok," Chick said with a relieved sigh.
Breeze nodded, "The doctor...s-said you stayed with me all night..." she said her voice hoarse.
"Yeah, well I wasn't gonna let you stay alone," Chick said.
Chick was so happy to see that she was awake and smiling like she always was. But he couldn't help but wonder if she had heard anything he'd said to her last night.
"Breeze," Chick said.
"Y-yes?" she strained.
"I was going to wait till after yesterday's race to tell you this, but you know...I wanna tell you now though," Chick said.
"What?" she whispered.
"Well I mean you really scared me yesterday and it made me think a lot and...I..." he paused.
Breeze gently rested herself against him and shut her eyes. "I love you..." she said softly.
Chick was shocked and happy at the same time. He wasn't that surprised though, I mean it was Breeze after all she seemed to always be one step ahead of him.
"Thank you...thank you...for staying here with me..." she said with her hoarse voice.
Chick smiled, "Anything for you babe," he said.
Just then the doctor entered the room followed by his nurse.
"Good morning Breeze," the doctor said loudly with a smile.
Breeze opened her eyes and straightened herself out. She looked around and spotted the doctor, "Hello doctor," she said hoarsely.
"Let's try and keep your talking to a minimum alright Breeze? Your voice needs to rest and so do I, I recommend you don't do any racing for at least six months," the doctor said.
Breeze looked down at the floor trying to hide her disappointed look.
"We were going to move you into rehab so you could recuperate but a friend of yours said he'd take on the honor," the doctor told her loudly.
Breeze looked up at him in confusion.
"Ah, a Mr. Doc Hudson?" he told her as he drove up closer to her.
Breeze smiled and nodded.
"I recommend that you two leave as soon as possible," the doctor suggested.
"I'll make the arrangements," the nurse said.
For the next month Breeze was stationed in Radiator Springs resting and recuperating from her crash. Chick, who hated being there more then anything in the world, tried to stay with Breeze as much as he could without being driven out of town by Lightning who stepped up when Chick was raising havoc in town, or going stir crazy. Chick may have grown up in a small southern town but after years of being in the big city he couldn't stand small towns. There was nothing to do, the same people where always there and it was way too slow paced. But being with alone with Breeze and make her smile made him want to stay every time he thought of leaving.
Breeze on the other hand had grown extremely melancholy during her recovery. Partially because she was unable to race and because she knew Chick hated being here. But most of it was how much that crash had permanently scarred her not physical but mentally. But on a good note Breeze's voice had bounced back and her recovery had gone smoothly. Doc still wanted her to stay a little while longer just to make sure she was healthy enough to start racing again.
Breeze was just coming out of Ramone's he had just given her a new paint job. Her body was dark plum purple colored, she still had the Rust-eze logo on her hood and on her fin. Her racing number 77, was black with hot pink outlines and her hubcaps were painted hot pink.
"Chick..." Breeze said softly as she drove over to him. Chick was parked at Flo's, excluded from the others wearing a frown.
"Breeze...hey, that's a good look for you," Chick said his frown turning to a bright smile.
Breeze sighed and shook her fender. "Alright spill it you hate it here."
"What? What makes you say that babe?" Chick asked with a nervous smile.
"Only everyone's been telling me about all the trouble you've been stirring up and Lightning... don't even get me started on what he's been saying about you," Breeze said with an aggrivated sigh. "All I asked of you was to be nice to everyone while you were here they're my friends Chick..."
"I'm sorry Breeze I..." Chick started.
"Don't bother," she said looking down at the ground. Chick sighed and gave her a loving nudge.
"Come on Breeze," Chick said. "You know I don't do it on purpose."
"I know..." Breeze said. "I...I guess I'm just a little nervous."
"Nervous about what?" Chick asked her confused and a little intrigued.
"Racing again..." Breeze said softly.
"Is that what this is about?" Chick asked. "Come on Breeze wrecks happen you can't stop them for happening."
"I-I know but something about it just felt intentional..." Breeze said.
"You serious?" Chick asked shocked.
"Yes I'm serious," Breeze said.
"Aw come on Breeze they're all good guys they wouldn't want to hurt you intentionally," Chick reassured her.
"I don't know..." Breeze said.
"Your just nervous about racing, you said it yourself!" Chick told her. "All you need is to get the adrenaline, the fire, the passion for racin' back in your system. Stop being so down, put the wreck behind you babe, it's old news, what you need is a little race what do you say?"
"I don't know Doc said I shouldn't race until he..." Breeze started.
"Come on nothing's gonna happen to you I promise, just you and me like when we first raced, only this time I'm not gonna let you win," Chick interrupted her with a smirk.
Breeze narrowed her eyes, "Hey I beat you fair and square Chick you just won't admit it!"
Chick laughed, "Yeah ok."
"Alright baby race is on, a lap at Willy's Butte," Breeze said accepting his challenge.
"That's what I wanna hear come on," Chick said with a smirk.
As Chick and Breeze turned to leave an orange, white and black racecar pulled up to the shadow of Flo's and watched, slowly trailing them. He narrowed his dark hazel eyes and smirked.
"Alright Breeze, on three, one, two..." Chick started.
"Three!" Breeze said as she sped off leaving Chick in the dust.
"Hey!" he yelled as she sped off after her.
Breeze laughed as she came up to the first turn.
"You cheated!" Chick yelled as he pulled up next to her.
"No I didn't," Breeze laughed. "No rules remember?"
"No rules huh?" Chick asked as they started coming up to the second turn. He drove up to Breeze and rammed softly into the side of her.
"Ow," she whimpered.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Chick gasped as he jumped away from her.
Breeze laughed and sped up crossing the finish line. "Sucker!" she yelled as she came to a stop. Chick shook his fender and rolled his yes. "I beat you, I beat you!" Breeze said in a sing song voice.
"Yeah, yeah whatever you say cheater," Chick said.
"Your just jealous," Breeze said.
"Yeah don't think so," Chick said.
"Not even a little?" Breeze asked.
"Well maybe a little I mean..." Chick said as he drove up beside her. "Your a good racer."
"Thanks," Breeze said as she cuddled up against him. Chick was going to give her a small kiss on her cheek but he was interrupted by an angry voice.
"Get your dirty tires away from my cousin in law!"
to be continued...
Author's Note: Well there's only two chapters to go! How do I know this? Well because I'm the one writing it duh! Sorry this took a while I thought I had already put this chapter up and I looked on FF yesterday and I freaked out because I hadn't so yeah sorry! Anywho my friend Jolyn asked me why I had Chick's crewchief be called Cobb? Well it's a good question. My friend in Advertising class AJ's name name is Cobb but everybody just calls him Cobb, it's funny to say especially when you yell it out across the hall, people think I'm talkin; about corn on the cob, one time someone asked me if I was in the cooking class, I don't know what gave her that idea but whatever! Anywho see you next time!
Kapricia 3