Carson pulled the car to the entrance of the hospital. "I'll meet you up there once I park." He announced as Sally got out the car. Sally nodded and walked into the hospital. The press had finally died down. A few cameras flashed photos. Carson hated these people. Seeing how ridiculous they could be.
Sally made her way up to ICU again. Walking into Lightning's room. Closing the door and staring at him from across the room. Tubes, tape, straps, IVs, stickers and lines all over again. She sighed. Staring. Her heart filled with pain and anger. She had it!
Finally snapping, "How dare you Lightning McQueen!" Walking up to the bed, "How dare you try dying on me! Do you even know what I've been going through!? God! You can't just die! You can't just give up! What the fuck were you thinking!? Why would you push so hard!? It was just a race! You would really die for racing!? Why not live for me!? We were happy again! And this thing with Chad!? why is he in charge of your medical decisions!?" She yelled! "Because I'm not weak! I'm stronger than I have ever been! I'm fighting every fiber in my body not to fucking lose my shit!"
Beginning to pace back and fourth, "Now I'm suppose to sit here and do absolutely nothing while you die!? Slipping from my fucking hands!? WAKE UP! Wake the fuck up now! Because I can't keep doing this, Lightning! you wake up or I'm leaving! I mean it!!" She shouted with such anger! Staring at his lifeless body. "And I won't come back!! Do you hear me!? You don't get to do this to me! You don't get to die! So get your shit together, McQueen! Get better right god dam now! This is getting ridiculous!" She was furious! "Enough of this! YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME! DO YOU HEAR ME!? You don't get to die first!! Understand!?"
Then a nurse came in and asked, "Is everything okay?" Sally stared at the woman. Taking a deep breath but then glaring at Lightning and snarled, "Yeah, just fine.." "Okay… Because… We can't be having someone yelling in the ICU.. This is a place of healing… Um… If I need to take you"-"I'm fine. Sorry." Sally snapped rudely, "It won't happen again." Crossing her arms and turning away from Lightning. The nurse nodded and sighed before quietly closing the door. Sally sighed. Her anger turning to pain. She was so hurt. She didn't know how to deal with this feeling inside her. This was new and scary…
Sally hugged the last of the pit crew of Rusteze. The gang was heading back home to a Radiator Springs. They just couldn't wait any longer. They all had jobs he lives back home that they had to attend or risk losing. Mater was balling like a baby. Hugging Sally and sniffling. Snot running from his nose. "Take care of him…" He pleaded. Sally nodded. Goodbye to the gang was hard. Flo decided to stay behind for a little while longer with Sally. But everyone else had to go home. It was just time they went home…
Sally walked back to Lightning's room to find Chad speaking with the doctor. Sally rushed over and shoved Chad out of the way! Nestled knocking the man to the floor! "What is going on!? You better not kill him!" She threatened Chad! Chad snapped back with, "I'm not! We were discussing surgery, Bitch!" Sally growled angrily. But before more could be said, the doctor continued, "I really don't think surgery now is a good idea.. Sure, he's on life support, but his body is severely injured."
Chad then replied, "Just do the surgery. You said it yourself. He can't die on life support." The doctor nodded and left the room. Sally then got in Chad's face and shouted, "What surgery!?" Dam she was furious. Chad shoved her back yelling, "His shoulder and knee! I told him to go ahead and get it out of the way!" "He won't die!?" "Not as long as he's on life support! Fuck! You need to calm down! I don't want to lose him any more than you do!" Chad was angry with Sally. He had just about enough of her!…
So Chad, Minty, Flo, Sally and Carson waited for Lightning to get out of surgery. Waiting in the designated area. Chad watching some car mechanics show. Carson reading some book he picked up at the hospital gift shop. The doors opened and everyone looked over to see Rusty and Dusty. Sally just sat there. Chad smiled and greeted, "Hey! I know you guys! Rusteze." Rusty and Dusty smiled proudly. Dusty replying, "The one and only." Chad walked up and asked, "Are you here to see Lightning? He's in surgery right now." "Oh." Rusty muttered. Dusty then nudged his brother and pointed to Sally.
Rusty frowned and nodded. Dusty then saying, "We did come here to check in on Lightning. But we have something else to attend to as well." Chad watched the brothers walk up to Sally. Rusty asking her, "How you doin, kid?" Sally looked up at the brothers. Sighing, "I'm alright… It gets easier, I guess.." She frowned. Rusty and Dusty glanced at each other. Dusty then continuing, "I'm sorry, honey… Um… Well.. Me and my brother here have a question for you." "Regarding Lightning." Said Rusty. Sally raised a brow. That caught her attention.
She figured it was about racing in the future though, so she answered, "I don't know if he will continue racing… I can't make that decision for him.. Even if I rather he retire now, it's not my place…" Rusty shook his head and corrected, "No, not that. The Bolt." Sally's eyes widened. The bolt!? Chad then asked, "Do you have it?" Sally then asking, "That thing is still around!?" Dusty nodded. Rusty then saying, "We couldn't just have it hauled off for scrap. McQueen loved that car.." Dusty nodding with a smile and adding, "We just didn't know if this time.. After this… If he'd want it or not…" "Its the only one left." Rusty added.
Sally raised a brow and asked, "What do you mean the only one left?" Dusty answering, "Well, of course there are the old ones. But as for this season and the ones that passed inspection, that was the last car we had." "Did Lightning know that?" Sally asked. Rusty frowned. Dusty shook his head. Rusty then with, "That's why we were trying to look into another car." "A new car." Dusty corrected. Sally frowned. Minty then asked, "Where is the car now?" Rusty looked over answering, "In the trailer at the track. It's been there sense. We just were waiting for the right time to ask Sally what to do with it." Sally looked at the brothers and asked, "Why me?…"
Dusty knelt down before answering, "Because.. We know how much that car meant to Lightning. But with everything going on… You'd know him best. Would he want to keep it or would he hate seeing it?" Sally frowned silently. Thinking. Minty then said, "I want to see it…" Everyone stared at her. Chad then muttering, "Mom… No… Don't put yourself through that again…" "I want to see it, Chad." She growled. Chad frowned. He didn't want his Mother to see that. Sally then answered, "He'd love to keep that car. It's more than just the Bolt to him.. He sits in that thing and he doesn't just think about racing.. He thinks about Doc… He thinks about us.. It's his quiet place, his get away when he's angry. That car is more than a car, but.. I don't even remember how bad that car was.. Is it even fixable? He wouldn't be able to take it seeing it like that.."
Rusty and Dusty frowned. Chad asking, "The frame is destroyed, isn't it?…" Dusty nodding and explaining, "Doesn't matter if we fix it or not.. It will never drive again. Legally. On any track." Rusty adding, "It would have to be a toy. A joy rider." Sally nodded saying, "That's probably best anyway.. Can we see it?" Rusty nodded. Dusty with, "If you're sure." Carson then asked, "Have you two saw it yet?" Rusty and Dusty both shook their heads. Carson sighed. Seeing the car could cause a lot of emotions. For everyone. Minty again said, "I want to see it." Chad hated that idea. Rusty nodded, "We'll go tonight. That way the press won't see us."
Dusty adding, "I'll have Mack place it in the garage. More private that way. And easier to see it.." Minty smiled a little and thanked the two older men. Sally felt sick to her stomach. Really sick. "Excuse me.." She whined as she got up and ran to the bathroom. Rushing into the stall and vomiting hard! Puking up everything she had eaten. The thought of the Bolt. What had happened. The crash. He didn't get out of the car!!! He was dying! The Bolt couldn't protect him! The only thing Lightning left behind and it was destroyed! Dead! Just like him!….
Good news. The surgery went well! Lightning was back in ICU and recovering. Scheduled for second surgery in two days. Sally sat with him until the ICU closed. Making her way down the hall and back to the waiting room where everyone was waiting. They were all going to pack up in Carson's SUV and head to the track of LA where the Bolt was in one of the garages. It would be hard. Seeing the track. Seeing the Bolt. But Sally wanted to see it too. It had been so long and she had been so fixated on Lightning, as she should be, that she had forgotten about the Bolt.
Carson followed the old rusty van into the entrance of the track. Sally noticed all the things fans had left. There was a small little car outside. Looked like a family there.. Standing under the light of the track in the dark. Two adults and a kid. The kid hugging a white teddy bear and then placing down with the rest of the memorial fans had left for Lightning. Sally sighed and looked away. That hurt. It hurt. But at least there were good fans. The gates closed and locked behind them.
Carson follows down the road way. Past the trailer parking where the 95 trailer still sat. Sally stared at it as they passed it by. So many memories made in that trailer. Her eyes filled with tears being back here. The last time she was here she was jumping over the pit wall and running onto the field for her husband! Carson parked outside a garage next to the rusty van. He shut off the suv. Minty and Chad going ahead and getting out. Sally reached for the door handle of the passenger seat when Carson grabbed her arm and stopped her. Sally looked at her Father. Tears in her eyes.
Carson quietly saying, "If it's too much, we can go." Sally nodded and smiled a little through her tears. Carson nodded then got out. Sally following. Rusty and Dusty guided the four to a garage. Rusty unlocked the door and pushing it open. Turning on the light then standing aside. Dusty waiting on the family to go in first. Everyone hesitated. Minty went in first, followed by Chad. Sally took a deep breath then she and her father walked inside with Rusty and Dusty behind them.
Minty fell to her knees seeing the car. Chad stared in shock. The car wasn't recognizable! Sally covered her mouth to keep from crying louder than she already was starting to. There she was. The Bolt. Sally walked up to it. The passenger side first. The side that hit the wall. The same side that scraped across the asphalt.. The side was completely scratched deep to the point there was no paint. Just black and silver scratched down the entire side. The back tire gone and the rim was all dented up. The roof was dented in, the windows cracked up badly.
Sally walked around the rear. The Rusteze sticker on the back was scratched a little and dirt was shoved inside the bumper with grass from where the car rolled hard in the field. The wing spoiler was partially on. Shards of the metal braces that held it on were ripped apart. Sticking out like sharp needles. Sally continued to the driver side. The hip of the rear driver side was dented inward. The metal between the windows was pulled out and sticking out, the rear driver side tire was pushed inside and trapped partly in the fender. The side was scratched up. Not as bad as the other side.
You could still make out the number 95. The roof of the driver side was somehow pushed upwards, the netting cut out. The front fender was cut into the front tire that was busted and flat. The door area of the driver side was pushed inward pretty bad. Sally stopped. She stared inside the car. Bending down and looking inside. The roll cage was dented. A break in the cage right near where Lightning's head would be. He had to hit hard for that to brake! The Windshield was cracked all up.
The steering wheel was gone. Removed at the time of the accident probably. The switches were missing. Looked like some of them had broken off. The seat belt cut out partially. The inside even had grass and dirt! The seat seemed to be shoved closer to the passenger side. The pedals below bent down. Sally then walked to the front of the car. The front was busted up completely. The front bumper missing. Stuck pieces of the ground inside the metal shards of what would have been a bumper. The hood had a huge indentation near the middle of the nose. The hood pins still in tact though. There were scratched and silver metal where paint use to be on it. Sally began crying. Softly. She held it together well.
Minty on the other hand was in pure shock. Not even crying. She was just in shock. Staring at the car. Chad took a walk around it. Peeking inside. He sighed. Standing next to Sally. Everyone stared. Silently. Just staring at the car. It was a bad accident. One of the worst in the sport in a long time. Chad pulled Sally close and held her in his arms. Whether for her or him. Either way. Sally nestled into Chad's chest at they stared at the car. It was clear they couldn't just fix this one. It was over. The Bolt was done. But Chad asked Sally, "What do you want to do with it?…" Sally wiped her eyes and stared at the car. This was Lightning's car! It was all she had left! At least it felt that way.
"Can we fix it?…" She asked in a whimper. Chad sighed. Staring at it. He then let go of her and walked over to the front. He took out all but one of the hood pins. One was stuck. Looking around. Finding a crow bar and using it to pry the hood open. It took some work, but he got it open. Taking a look at the frame around it. "I mean.. I could fix it.. Just won't ride as good and it definitely won't be legal. It would be a toy, like Rusty and Dusty said. But it will cost a lot.. I don't have that kind of money.. I don't think I even have the type of tools I'd need.." Rusty then said, "We will pay for it." Dusty adding, "And supply you with all the tools you need." "And help!" Rusty said.
Chad sighed then looked at Sally saying, "It's up to you. You tell me. Do you want me to fix it?" Sally stared at the broken car. It was Lightning's favorite thing in the world! His most prized possession! She nodded. "Yeah… Yes, please.." Chad nodded. Attempting to close the hood. But it would not go back down all the way. He forced it down and it made this awful metal screeching sound as it did. Everyone placed their hands over their ears from it. Chad wiped his eyes from his tears. This would be an emotional piece for him. But he'd do it. And thanks to Rusty and Dusty, he'd do it well too.
So everyone packed back up into Carson's SUV. "Everyone buckled up? Carson asked. Chad answering, "Yup." Carson heard everyone's seatbelts clicked. So he turned on his vehicle and began driving off the track. The gates opened and pulled out when Sally shouted, "Wait!" Carson abruptly hit the brakes! Sally unbuckled and opened the door. Carson yelling, "What are you doing!?" Sally running out to the memorial and grabbed the little teddy bear the kid had left. She hugged it tight and carried it back to the vehicle with her. Carson stared at her a moment. It was junk, but meaningful junk and he understood that…
That night, Sally lay in the guest room of her Fathers. Her old room. She tossed and turned. She missed him. She missed him so much. The damage to the Bolt only showed what Lightning had been through. Sally glanced over beside her. What would be Lightning's side of the bed. Tears filled her eyes. She grabbed a pillow and snuggled tightly with it. Holding onto it for life. Holding onto it as if it were him with her. Pressing her head against the warmth of the pillow. Missing his warmth. Missing feeling him breathe next to her. She then reached over and grabbed the bear. Staring at it as she held it above her head. She cried quietly. Holding onto that little bear. Just wishing this pain would go away…
The second surgery went well and Lightning was back in ICU. Recovering again. He was still here. Still alive. Mostly because of the machines. But he was still here. Flo walked into the room. Two visitors at a time again. Sally sat up and greeted, "Hey, Flo…" Sally was so tired. She wasn't able to stay in the ICU so she had been back and fourth again. Flo walked over. Staring at Lightning with the tubes and lines and wires. She sighed and asked, "How are you doing?" Sally glanced at Lightning before answering, "I'm… Im…"
she sighed, "I'm loosing hope, Flo.. It's what? December fourth now?… I feel like I'm slowly forgetting his smile, his voice.. I'm not but it feels that way.. He's never waking up. He's not going to get better. He has to have this stupid machine to live…. I'm… Im learning to sleep alone.. Learning how to not be held by him. Learning what it's like to be without his warmth. I didn't know that November nineteenth would be our last day together. It's been just over two weeks…. And.. There is still little hope he'll wake up.. I have to pretend he's there at night sometimes…"
Flo sat next to Sally and asked, "When you come home, why don't we have a little cruise in." "Without Lightning?" Asked Sally. Flo shook her head. "No, of course not. We will have to have a welcome home party for him too. We can make it a cruise in celebration." She smiled. Sally smiled a little and wiped her eyes. Nodding. Thanking Flo for being here. "I'm headed back home tomorrow morning. Are you going to be okay?" She asked. Sally nodded answering, "Yeah.. My Dad is with me…" Flo nodded and hugged Sally tightly. Hating that this was happening….
Another day. No change. The usual. Sally sat with Minty in the room. Minty staring at her son with the tubes still down his throat. It was a painful sight. But like Sally, Minty was getting use to this. Over two weeks now. It hurt a lot.
Chad sat in the waiting room. Watching weird tv shows. Trying to find something to pass the time. He grabbed a notebook from the store in the hospital and was working on plans on how to fix the car. It was going to be one hell of a job. An emotional one at that. But it was good to keep busy. Other wise, he would just be losing his mind thinking about his brother. The doors of the waiting room opened. He thought it might be Sally or his Mother. But no. It was some man. Brown hair. Dressed formally. Carson's eyes widened and he rushed to the man. Chad stared. He had a bad feeling bout this guy…
Sally sighed. Sitting there. Closing her eyes to rest a little. Bbbbzzzz. Her phone went off. Sally picked it up and her eyes widened! She gasped and immediately took off out of the room! Minty was so confused, but didn't leave her son.
Sally ran into the waiting room, "Ben!" She exclaimed! She then ran and basically jumped into the man's arms. Ben held her tightly. Hugging her so tightly. Chad's brows lowered. He knew the name. But he couldn't quite place it. Maybe her brother? No, that was Nathanial. Sally placed her hands on Ben's shoulders and asked, "What are you doing here!?" Ben frowned, "I saw you on the news making your statement. Is he okay?" Sally sighed, "It's bad.. He's on life support." "Want me to take a look at his charts?"
Chad heard this and stood up, stepping in and asking, "Hold on. Who the hell is this guy?" Sally stared then introduced, "Ben, this is Chad. Lightning's older brother. Chad, this is Ben." Chad crossed his arms and asked, "What gives him any right to look at Monty's charts?" Ben quickly realized Chad was protecting Lightning. Sally explained, "Ben here is a trauma surgeon. He's an amazing doctor." Ben snickered replying, "Thanks, but I don't like brags." Chad glared at the guy. Still didn't get a good feeling from this guy. Sally then hugged Ben again and asked, "How long are you staying?" "As long as you need me." Hugging her.
Brushing her hair with one of his hands. Chad definitely didn't feel good about this. But he let it be. Not knowing who Ben was exactly and not wanting to be involved anyway. He sat back down. Ben then asked, "How are you really doing, Sally?" Sally frowned, "I'm… Im getting use to it, I guess… I'm.. I'm okay…" She lied. She wasn't. Ben smiled, "How about I take you to dinner or something. Get your mind off all of this." "I don't know… I kind of want to stay with Lightning.." "Get his records then let me take a look at him." Ben said. Sally nodded then grabbed out her phone and texted Minty. Asking her to let Ben and herself in. Minty aloud it. Not thinking anything if Ben, Besides, Minty needed a break….
Ben walked into the room. Alone. Sally was still
Getting the records. Ben walked up to the racer and sighed. "Jesus Christ…" Ben mumbled seeing the condition Lightning was in. Sally rushed in carrying a stack of papers. She handed them to Ben saying, "This are all the records of his stay here sense the accident." Ben nodded then sat down in the chair across the room as he started looking over them. Ben sighed. This was a lot. It was a miracle Lightning even made it through this far.
Ben's brows lowered as he noticed a few notes. He scrambled to find the second page. Looking over it. Sally noticed his expressions and asked, "What is it?.. I know that look." Ben looked up at Sally answering, "He was awake when they pulled him. And in the helicopter. He was awake again when they took him to the operating room." "Awake?.. Like awake and alive!?" Ben nodded then muttered, "Jesus…" Sally asking, "What!?" Ben looked up at Sally again answering, "He was pushed so much anesthesia .. He was fighting them in the OR." "Fighting them?" Sally asked.
Ben nodded and explained, "Flaring around and panicking. He was probably confused and didn't know what was going on." Sally looked at Lightning. He was scared. He didn't remember the accident, did he?.. Ben shook his head and continued, "They suppressed his breathing thanks to putting him under so much." "What do you mean?" "His oxygen was fine when he was brought in. Low but fine. It was after that first surgery it dropped. Then they gave him more sedation and it continued dropping." "Like?… Malpractice?…" Sally asked.
Ben looked at the papers. Thinking before answering that, "No. I think they did what they thought was best. Just imagine waking up in the middle of one of those surgeries." He joked. Sally glared. "Right.. sorry.." Ben mumbled. Sally walked over to Lightning. Oh that hurt. Knowing that he scared and confused when he was taken to the operating room. She held his hand. "I'm here… I'm right here.. Sorry I yelled at you earlier.." She said softly. Ben watched and it hurt. Sally was so hurt. Ben looked through the rest of the charts and records. Trying to get a better idea here and give Sally more than the other doctors were….
Ben was speaking with the other doctors somewhere in the hospital. Sally sat with Lightning. Just sitting next to him. Staring at the stupid tubes. "Come on, Stickers… Please… She begged quietly. She lay her hand on his when the door opened. Bobby walked in. Sally smiled a little and greeted, "Hey…" Bobby smiled back some with a "Hey. How's he doin?" He asked as he walked up to the end of the bed. Sally sighed. Her eyes puffy and red. Bobby nodded. She didn't have to say anything. It was bad.
Bobby walked around and stared at his friend. "You know no matter what happens, Jesse and I will always be there for you." Bobby reminded. Sally thanked him. Bobby placed his hand on Lightning's hand. Opposite side of Sally. Silently praying and begging for his friend to recover. "Don't let him push himself once he wakes up.." Bobby asked Sally softly. "Lightning always goes too far." He added. Sally snickered and agreed. He did have a habit of doing that to himself. Bobby then added, "Don't let him drink.. I'm afraid he's going to be so depressed.. He went through that spell… He had me worried, but then he was fine.. Please take care of him.." He asked.
Sally nodded, "Of course, Bobby… If he wakes up, he's got a long road ahead of him… There is no way he's going to race again.." "I know this will sound bad. But I hope he doesn't race again." Bobby muttered. "I know that's wrong, but this was bad.." he added. Sally nodded mumbling, "Me too.." Softly. Bobby then walked around to Sally. Hugging her lightly saying, "You call us if you need anything or something changes." Sally nodded. Sniffling and wiping her eyes. Bobby leaving. It was hard. Lightning just had to make it though…
Carson sat in the room with Sally. It was about time the ICU would close again. Carson got up and stretched. "Bout time to let Chad and Minty see him once more for the night." Sally nodded then stood up. The two walked out and into the waiting room. Switching places with Minty and Chad for the remainder of the night. Ben stood up seeing Sally. Once it was just Carson, Sally and himself, he walked up and asked, "Where are you staying?"
Carson answering, "With me." Ben stared at Sally and asked, "Would you like to stay with me tonight? I'll make you dinner. The motel suite I have has an in room hot tub. Might be good for you. I'll get a massage scheduled for you too." Carson then spoke, "Could be good for you. You need to relax." Sally thought a moment. It did sound nice. So she nodded. Ben smiled and wrapped an arm around Sally. Guiding her to his Bentley outside. Carson trusted Ben. He knew nothing would happen and that Sally was in good hands….