It was the weekend before the racer knew it! A quiet morning with no alarm set. The bed was comfortable and warm. Lightning groaned a bit as he woke up. Opening his eyes slowly. Thinking about heading to the track before long and get some practice in before the season started. He needed to get the Bolt tuned up, get the crew together, get with Mack and plan out motels for the first few weeks. Lightning yawned as he Santa up then grabbed his phone. Alone in bed again. He stared at Sally's place. He wished she would sleep in just on fade with him here. But guess that's what happens when you marry a workaholic.

Lightning opened his phone and found a missed call with voicemail. Pressing play, the message made him sick.

Hi, Mr. McQueen. This is Sargent Antonio Perez with the xxxxx Police department. We need you to call back and schedule a time to one in and speak with us about the shooting at the track and possibly identify the suspect we have in custody. Failure to comply can and will result in a warrant for your arrest as you are a key part and witness to the shooting. Please call back by tomorrow at.. 6Pm.. Thank you and have a great day.

Lightning sighed. Great. Something he did not want to do today. Lightning got dressed and went through to the kitchen to make some coffee. Thinking about that day.. The shooting for a moment. What if this next guy wasn't;t the man either? Would he still be lose? What if Lightning had forgotten what he looked like by now? He barely saw him. But that voice. The accent.. "NO, no.. You misunderstand.. I am sorry for this..". The Pain and burning he felt inside. Lightning gripped his abdomen as he reached and picked up his cup of coffee. Sally walked in and stared at him. His face a little pale and eyes wider than normal, dilated. "Stickers?" Lighting jilted at her name! "Sally?"Spilling hot coffee over the wrist of his hand, "FUCK!" Dropping the glass, it shattered and coffee went everywhere! "Fuck..." Lightning growled and glared at the floor. Sally walked over and knelt down, picking up glass as Lightning helped. "What's wrong?" She asked. Lightning sighed. "Police need me to come down and identify a man.." "From the shooting?" "Yeah.." Lightning wasn't happy about it.

"That's good!?" Sally reassured. Lightning shook his head as he picked up the last of the visible glass. Sally grabbed paper towels and began soaking up the coffee. Lightning knelt down and helped as he apologized. Sally smiled assuring, "Don't worry about it. You still get startled easy when you think back to that event?" Lightning frowned and wiped the floor as he admitted, "I still have nightmares about the Grand Prix.." Sally stopped cleaning and stared at Lightning. Watching him clean up and.. And suffer. He was mentally and emotionally suffering. She really could see it now. She wished she could help, but other than putting the bastard in jail and suing.. She didn't know how.

Sally placed her hand over his which made Lightning look at her. She smiled softly and assured, "I'm here for you, Stickers. I'm coming with you. I'll drive!" She smiled widely. Lightning snickered and chuckled, "No, you're not." "I am! I can drive." "Uh... I'm driving." "I already called it." "Well-that-I.. Hmm." He was stumped. Sally giggled and kissed the side of his face before taking the last of the paper towels and throwing them away. "I'm going to mop then pack us an overnight bag. Go on and shower, I got the rest of this." Lighting sighed but appreciated that and did just as she instructed...

The couple made it to the station out of the state and parked the corvette. Lightning opened his eyes as he woke up. Sally's driving had put him to sleep! "We're here. Took al day, but we made it. I checked us in at the motel online. So no hurry, okay?" She assured. Lightning nodded and unbuckled. Stretching a little. Staring at the station. He frowned and said, "I don't want to do this..." Sally reached for his hand. Taking it and holding tightly. "I know..." She mumbled. But giving a soft smile to be reassuring and supporting. Lightning stared at his feet before finally opening the door of the car and getting out. The couple walked to the front and office where they had to wait. Lightning sat nervously. Tapping his left leg up and down rather quickly. Sally noticed and placed her hand over his knee, making him snap back and stop tapping. Then an Officer came out and said, "McQueen, they're ready for you." Lightning sighed. Hating this. But the sooner he got this over with, the sooner he could get out of here and stop thinking about this.

Sally and Lightning walked to the back where they were placed outside an inside interrogation room. The officer then explained, "The room next door held the suspect. I'm keeping these lights off so you can't see him, but you said you recognize his voice, correct?' Lightning nodded. The officer then spoke in his walk-in, "Ready?" Another Officer replied "Roger." The Officer then asked Lightning, "What is the sentence you recall easily?" Lightning stared at the man a moment before answering, "Um.. (Swallowing nervously) You Misunderstand.. Not that.. I am sorry for this.." The officer nodded then said that sentence into his walkie. A few moments of silent went by then into the speakers of the room the suspect's voice echoed. "You misunderstand..." That voice! "Not that." That accent! "I am sorry for this.." Lightning's heart raced! Was that him!? What if it wasn't!? WOULD HE PUT AN INNOCENT MAN IN JAIL!? Lightning shook his head and admitted, "I'm.. I'm not sure.." Sally rubbed his back as support. The cop then asked, "Is there anything else he said that would help you?" Lighting grabbed his head in frustration as he answered, "I don't know!...It was forever ago!!" Sally then shooshed him saying, "Calm down.." The officer sighed and tried to think of a way to help without interfering. "Repeat please." He said in the walkie. So one more through the speakers rang those words... "You misunderstand.. Not that. I'm sorry for this." Lightning shook his head as tears filled his eyes. "I don't know.. I'm sorry.. It sounds like him, but.. I.. I.." "You're not sure.." Growled the officer. Lightning frowned and stared at the floor. "Fine." The officer snarled then into his walkie talkie, "Not him. Bring him around for release."

Lightning rubbed his eyes and felt like absolute crap! He really tried, but he just couldn't be sure. The Officer walked the couple back to the front and apologized for wasting there time. Sally assured, "It's fine. I'm glad we were able to come out and help at the least." The officer sighed and nodded. As the two carried out a short conversation, Lightning saw the man that was being released. The man stared directly at Lightning, making the racer extremely uncomfortable. But he walked out of the building. Sally snapped her fingers in front of Lighting and asked, "You okay?" Lightning snapped back to reality and nodded, "Yeah, sure. I'm fine.." Sally smiled at her love then took his hand in hers and walked out together. Outside, the man was staring at the backside of the corvette. Lightning instantly became nervous and snapped! "What the he'll do you think you are doing!?" As he clenched up his left fist. Sally immediately grabbed Lightning by the arm out of fear he would start a fight! The man looked at Lightning and complimented, "Beautiful car. You are the Lightning McQueen, huh?" Lightning didn't answer, just showed his teeth as he made the most nervous and angry expression Sally had ever seen. The man approached and Sally was really holding back Lightning's left arm at this point.

The man snickered at Sally then looked at Lightning a moment before grabbing Lightning's shoulder, pulling the racer close and growling, "Thanks for that in there. I'll be sure to remember that." Then let go and smiled at the racer before a cab pulled up and he walked to it. Lightning was pale. He misidentified him.. That was him! "Wait! It's you!" Lightning yelled! Sally pulled Lightning back to her when he pulled away! Two cops ran out at the cab pulled off. Lightning looked at the cops and frantically asked, "Aren't you going to get him!? That's him! I swear!" The cops stared at the racer, one explaining, "You said you weren't sure." "I am now!" "Stickers.." Sally cooed. Lightning stared at her confused. "WHAT?!" She explained, "Once you aren't sure or say no... Therese's no going back..." "What?.." Lightning turned more pale. His heart racing. He let the guy go!? He.. He fucked up big time!.. "I.. But..." Sally wrapped her arms around Lightning tightly. But he was limp. Faintish. His head began to spin, breathing became harder and harder and louder. "Lightning.." Sally called as she stepped back to get a look at him. Lightning swayed a bit, barely able to stand, his hands shaking nervously. Then he grabbed his stomach and swallowed loudly. "I.. Don't feel well..." He barely got out before leaning on the red corvette and puking violently by the passenger front tire. Sally tried to think of a way to get around Lightning's failed identification, but there was not much room once Lightning said he wasn't sure and gave up...

Sally drove to their motel. The drive was awful. Lightning was shaking and staring out the window. Tears in his eyes. He put everyone at risk now! Sally tried to reassure, "You said you weren't sure.. Maybe your nerves got hit better of you and he is some random guy..." Lightning leaned forward, placing his head in his palms and cried, "No! It was him! In know it was! I fucked up! FUCK!" He shouted as he hit the car door loudly eight a bang! "He saw my car! He probably got my plates! This is bad!" He shouted! Panicking. Sally pulled the car over quickly and grabbed Lightning! Pulling him close to her. "It's okay!.. Calm down..." "I can't.. I can't!" He cried. He was really crying! Crying and shaking from guilt, stress, anxiety! Sally had no clue what to do. She was going to have to call her Father...

The couple sat in their motel room Lightning staring out the window at the rain outside. He was to high from adrenaline to sleep tonight. Sally was across the room on the phone with her Father. Trying to find a loophole.

Lightning did say he didn't know or it wasn't him?

"Yeah..He couldn't identify him until we were outside and the man spoke to him face to face."

Why didn't he do visual and voice identification?

"Because he didn't see his face.. He was wearing the hat and trench coat.."

Dammit, Sally. I mean... There is no evidence right? Just Lightning's word and the wound itself, right? Did authorities find the shell, a pen?

"No. Just Lightning..."

I mean.. wrongful convictions are so high from misidentification. A judge is not going to bring that man back in for another identification without evidence and I still don't think they will. It will need to be DNA now or technology capturing his face.

"The cameras caught him, but not his face. Hands were in his pocket the entire time.. There is no visual identification."

(Sigh)... I hate saying this, but I don't think you can do anything at this point..

"There has to be something!"

I'm trying to think.. I'm reading through different laws and loopholes, but nothing is coming up, Sally.. Are you sure he is sure...

"Um..." Sally paused and glanced at Lightning from across the room. "No.. But.. Lightning has never acted the way he did when he was around that man and in the car.. He's nervous, sick, shaking, he won't even try sleeping right now."

Drug him. He needs to sleep and clear his head. Maybe he will be able to think better in the morning...

"Maybe..."

I'll try to find something that can help just in case, but.. You two stay safe.. I love you, Sally.. You know the two of you can come here.

"I know, Dad. Thanks, but... We are okay here for the night."

Alright... Chances are, Lightning really wasn't sure and his nerves got the better of him outside.. It's more than likely not him. I love you, Sally

"Love you to, Dad. Bye." She hung up and took a deep breath before walking to her husband. Staring out at the rainy night and parking lot lights. "Stickers.." She called softly. Lightning just stared outside the window. Not taking his eyes off the rain and parking lot lights. "Lightning.." She repeated. Lightning finally looked at his wife. No words were said after that. He looked awful. So he looked back outside the window... Just staring... Sally tried to help him relax and rubbed his shoulders as she said, "Come on. Come to bed and I'll.. Try and help you relax.." But Lighting jerked his arm dorm her and snarled, "Don't touch me." Sally stared as she stepped back. Lightning sighed and rubbed his eyes, "I'm sorry, just.. Don't.. Not right now..." Sally nodded and understood. He was really tore up from this...

Sally woke up to an empty bed. Instantly she sat up. "Lightning!?" She called in fear loudly! She hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Nope. "Lightning!" She called as she ran to the kitchen and living room. Nope. She ran back and grabbed her phone. Calling him. It rang a few times before he answered,

Yes?

"Where are you?"

Outside. I needed air and.. I needed air.

"Okay.. Are you okay?"

Yup.

"Are you sure?"

I said yes, Sally.

"Okay." Then Lightning hung up. Sally stared at her phone. Lightning was not okay...

The entrance doors opened to the motel and Sally stepped out in search of Lightning. She walked to the side and found him. Smoking. Sally glared and walked up to him. Lightning's eyes immediately widened as he spit the cigarette out and stomped on it. Sally crossed her arms and asked, "Really? Smoking?" Lightning shrugged. Sally sighed and asked, "You want to head home?" Lightning bobbed his head back and fourth answering, "I guess.." Then stared at the ground beneath him. Sally took his hand and asked, "Have you been thinking about yesterday all night?" Lightning nodded and assured, "I know that was him. I know it, Sally. What did your Dad say about it? Can we get him?" Sally frowned before answering, "Not really.. It needs to be actual proof.. All identification is out now because of yesterday.." "Great.." "It will be okay.. Surely they can go back over all of the evidence and find something." "They won't though.. And he's free now.. Because of me. I am now putting everyone I love and even people I don't even know at risk!" Sally shook her head and assured, "Chances are if that really was him, he's going to be on the run." "IT WAS HIM! I know it was!" Lightning yelled! Sally sighed. Nothing she could do could fix this for him. She then held out her hand. Lightning glance at with confusion. Sally raised a brow and order, "Come on. Cigarettes." Lightning rolled his eyes the reached in his pocket and pulled Doug the pack, handing them to her. Sally grew concern when she felt how light the box felt. She glared a but at her husband then went and threw the box away. "Come on, let's go home." She smiled...