A/N: Remember I uploaded two chapters. Be sure to read chapter four too!

Chapter Five: The Final Race

Time went by. Lightning started up his training again with Doc to prepare for racing season starting in two months. The only time he got the day off was Harley's fifteenth birthday a month later, when pretty much the entire town shut down to celebrate. Harley rolled her eyes and giggled, looking embarrassed but still smiling the entire time. Lightning learned a few years ago that the entire town always gathered together for birthdays, especially Harley's, and they did their best to keep up the traditions even with the travelers coming through. Harley did her best to be modest and insist that everyone was going to too much trouble, but she couldn't help feeling touched that everyone did so much for her. Spoiled she may be, but Doc raised her to be humble and kind. So even though she thought closing down Radiator Springs for the day was too much, she knew she couldn't stop the townsfolk. The entire main street became a dance floor and Lizzie kept the radio music cranked up. Harley received a number of gifts, from an Italian novel from Guido to a handheld paintball gun from Sheriff. Lightning, having gotten much better at giving gifts than his first time attending one of Harley's birthdays, gave the brunette a CD signed by her favorite band. Needless to say, it was the perfect day for Harley, and she couldn't imagine how much better her life could get.

It all changed two weeks later.

Doc stared at the clock on the wall of his room, waiting until it finally clicked to midnight. Silently driving through his home, he exited through the clinic doors and looked up and down the street. All the lights of every building were out, with only the streetlights and traffic lights glowing. Everyone was asleep, just as Doc wanted. He rolled out and around to the garage, where he kept a spare set of dirt track racing tires. One of his original sets was still on display in the museum in town, but Doc tended to keep his spare set for days when he raced with Lightning. He hadn't touched them in months, but the second he managed to get them on it felt like he never took them off.

Harley had been awake for a while, caught up reading the Italian book Guido gave her before switching over to the instruction manual for her handheld paintball gun. She heard the doors to the clinic open, and she guessed Doc was getting some fresh air. On nights like this, when temperatures tended to still be quite warm, Harley found the house could get a little stuffy. Doc especially hated the feeling and often moved outside or had to open a window, as Harley did now. Because of that open window, she could hear her father not return inside and instead move farther outside. Must be going to the garage to find the fan. Harley guessed, still looking through her paintball gun manual. But after a while, Harley realized she didn't hear the doors to the clinic nor the house open and close. Doc wouldn't stay outside for more than a few minutes because the peskiest of bugs seemed to come out at night. Confused, Harley moved to her window to see if Doc was still standing outside. He wasn't. The brunette tucked her cobalt blue streaked hair behind her ears and jogged towards the door, not caring she was still in her pajamas. She grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen and pushed through the doors to the outside, jogging around to the garage. But Doc wasn't in there either. However, Harley found his tires on the ground and his spare set of dirt racing tires nowhere in sight. Realizing at once where he could be, Harley turned and ran off towards Willie's Butte. Too late she realized she was barefoot, but at the moment she didn't care.

Just as she predicted, Doc was down at Willie's Butte and resting at the starting line of the track. She carefully walked down the hill to the track, her feet a little sore. But she ignored it as she called to her father. "Doc! What're you doing out here? If you don't get your tailpipe back home, Sheriff's gonna blow a gasket." Doc didn't move, and Harley tentatively approached him. "Doc? You okay?"

"Yeah, sweetheart. I'm all right." Doc finally said, his voice sounding older for some reason.

Harley walked up to stand next to Doc's hood, staring at him. "What're you doing out here? It's too late to be out here right now."

"Actually, I think it's perfect." Doc said, staring at the track. "Nice and open and quiet, and the moon gives us the perfect lighting. It's the one place I knew I could clear my head no matter what I was goin' through. And now you're here; nothing could be better."

Harley felt confusion wash over her at Doc's odd calmness. She placed a hand on Doc's hood, activating a connection between the two using her psyche human powers. She gasped softly, feeling Doc's very life force growing fainter. "Doc…" He's dying…..

"It's time, Harley." Doc confirmed, a small smile on his face. "And if I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go doin' what I love with the one I love most right with me."

"No…." Harley shook her head, her heart beginning to break. "No, you can't die. Not yet." She pulled on his fender a bit. "Come on, let's go home. Come home and live a little longer. You're the great Doc Hudson; I'm sure we can squeeze a few more years out of you."

Doc shook his hood. "I've lived a full life, Harley. I made a good career, met some good folks who became like family, and became the father of the most wonderful little girl in the world. It's been a long and full life, especially with you in it."

"Doc, please." Harley begged. "I'm not ready."

Doc looked to Harley with a sympathetic glance. "I know. But would you ever be ready? I didn't raise you to be foolish; everyone has their time, and we both knew you were gonna outlive me." He nuzzled her gently. "I raised you to be wise, not just smart. You know the ones we love never really leave us. I'll always be with you."

Harley felt hot tears build up behind her eyes, and she blinked them back. "Daddy…I know you're always goin' to be there…but being there in spirit isn't nearly as great as having you here in person."

"I know, I know." Doc nodded in understanding. "I've had to go through this myself, and it is in no way easy. But I need you to do something for me."

Harley stared at Doc, swallowing. "What's that?"

"Don't cry over me when I'm gone." Doc said. "Promise that you won't cry because you're sad about me. If you're gonna cry, let 'em be tears of joy because I lived. That is, if I really meant that much—"

"Oh don't start with that." Harley snapped half-heartedly. "You were more of a father to me than anyone else, even my real father."

Doc smiled. "Then be happy because I was a part of your life and always will be. Don't cry because I can't physically be by your side. In fact, I want you to let it out now. I can see you're tryin' to hold back your tears, but I want you to let out all your sorrow now so you don't do it afterwards."

"Then I'll cry forever, just so you will stay with me." Harley said determinedly.

Doc chuckled. "You can certainly try. But nobody has enough tears for that." He gestured for her to come forward, still smiling warmly.

Finally, Harley couldn't hold it in anymore. She submitted to her grief and collapsed onto Doc's hood, sobbing and dropping her flashlight. Doc spoke words of comfort, pulling the fifteen-year-old up to rest fully on his hood. She continued to sob, tears spilling down onto the cobalt blue metal as she pressed her head against him, her glasses going askew. Doc continued to speak to her, and she did everything in her power to commit his voice to memory. She stared into his eyes, crystal blue irises locking onto crystal blue twins one more time, and she found herself smiling. Memories flooded back to her: Doc comforting her the night of the fire; birthday parties with the residents; skating around town alongside her father; making Main Street her dance floor; hearing Doc's voice telling her "goodnight" and "I love you" right before she went to sleep every night. These were the things she would remember for the rest of her life, and she began to smile despite still sobbing.

About an hour passed before Harley could calm down, resigning herself to Doc's decision. She gave him one last hug and a kiss, and he nuzzled her lovingly. Then she forced herself to stand up and readjusted her glasses, tucking her hair behind her ears. Her cobalt blue streaks seemed to stand out in the moonlight, and she decided then and there she would always keep those streaks in her hair to remind her of her father.

"You brush your teeth?" Harley asked, smirking. Her voice sounded a little funny from her crying, but she cleared her throat and continued in a stronger tone. "I don't want you goin' into the afterlife with bad breath."

"That depends. Did you brush your teeth?" Doc asked with a similar smirk. "I don't want you wakin' up tomorrow with morning breath."

"Same time." Harley said. The two of them blew air into each other's faces, laughing. "Nice job. You remembered."

"As did you. I knew I did somethin' right raising you." Doc countered.

Harley giggled. "I won't be losing my teeth anytime soon." Doc chuckled warmly, and Harley's smile grew.

"All right, now here's what I want you to do." Doc instructed as Harley picked up her fallen flashlight and switched it off. "Just stand right there, signal for me to go, and cheer as loud as you can."

"Got it." Harley nodded.

"Right now, I don't need the roar of the crowds or the waving of a checkered flag." Doc said. "All I need right now is my beautiful little girl."

Harley nodded, walking over and standing just on the inside of the track's edge. Doc spread his wheels a bit before tensing up on his axles like a cat ready to pounce. Harley raised her arm, but for a moment she felt like an executioner standing before a chopping block. Then Doc revved up his engine, grinning broadly, and all those thoughts left Harley's mind. This was the way Paul "Doc" Hudson, The Fabulous Hudson Hornet, deserved to go out: with a bang.

Harley brought her arm down in a swift, solid movement.

Doc rocketed away from the starting line.

"Yeah, Doc! You go, Daddy!" Harley cheered as loud as her voice would go, jumping and whooping and laughing as she watched Doc drive. The Hornet drove up the side of the butte, perfectly balanced and never losing speed. Harley kept cheering and shouting as Doc came up to the dreaded dirt turn. An inexperienced racer would end up straight over the ravine and into a cactus patch, much like Lightning did. But dirt racing was second nature to Doc; he sped up as fast as he could go as he neared the turn. He turned hard to the left before abruptly changing his tires' angle to turn right, drifting perfectly and shooting off down the road again. Harley went wild, jumping around and punching the air. She laughed as the cloud of dust following Doc suddenly engulfed her, and she watched as Doc sped past the finish line. "Yeah! The Fabulous Hudson Hornet takes the gold! You go, Doc!"

Suddenly, Harley came to the realization that Doc wasn't stopping. He ended up driving straight up the butte, stopping a few inches from the top of the rock formation before rolling back down again. Harley sprinted towards him, dropping her flashlight. "Doc!" Harley cried. "Doc! Dad!" She skidded to a halt when Doc rolled past her, stopping several feet away. She hurried to his side, her hands slapping against his hood as she stopped. She panted heavily, staring at the elder racecar. But despite the soft smile on his lips, his eyes were closed and he had gone very still. Harley pressed her hands against Doc's hood, trying to make a connection with her powers. But she felt nothing; no pulse of life or even the smallest vibration of an engine running.

Doc was dead.

Harley's panting slowed until she finally breathed normally. But, just as she promised, she didn't cry. In fact, she smiled broadly and hugged Doc tightly. "That's my daddy. Way to go, Doc." She kissed his hood, still smiling broadly. "Tell Mom I said 'hi.'" The brunette giggled as she climbed up onto Doc's hood, curling up and nuzzling her head against the still-warm metal. She still smiled broadly as exhaustion overtook her and she fell asleep.

A/N: So this…was one of the hardest chapters I have ever written. Not just because it was emotional but because I had to work really hard to try and get those emotions right. Hope you enjoyed and I hope you all didn't cry to hard. One more chapter left for Part Two!