AN: It's been so long? I thought of this right before work started this morning and have been mulling it over throughout the day. Unfortunately, I have no idea if I will ever update the Thomasville arc. I didn't want to have another fic that was just a rewrite of Cars 3.

This is kind of sci-fi-ish? That's why it's in Alternates.


"You do know it was just one of those silly ask the guest tweets right?"

"Yeah." Lightning stared at the blank screen of the television in front of him, seeing his reflection stare dully back at him while he sat at the end of the hotel provided bed. Kicking his heel against the carpet dully, he glanced down at his shoes as he sighed in to the phone. "You know I've thought about it."

"Who hasn't?"

"Like a lot."

"Stickers..."

"I'll be fine." With one last glance at the television, he flopped back on to the bed and directed his attention to the ceiling. "That'd be something though, wouldn't it? Go anywhere you wanted, to whenever you wanted?"

He could tell she was multitasking, faintly hearing the clicking of the keys to the computer's keyboard at the front desk in the background as she scoffed. "That's just what we all need, Lightning McQueen loose through space and time."

"What would you change?"

"Me?"

"Yeah."

The conversation was taking a turn she wasn't expecting, but she had to remind herself that he did tend to get a little melancholy if he made these appearances alone. What once had always been McQueen and Hudson, had transitioned to Ramirez and McQueen, and every once in a while he found himself only as McQueen.

He didn't care much for the one-man-show bit anymore.

"He would have thought it was ridiculous."

"Lightning, a lot of people think it's ridiculous." There was a brief pause as she must have been moving the phone from one ear to the other. "And anyway, you asked me a question without waiting for me to answer."

"Sorry."

"What would I change..." She repeated the question to herself a few times quietly as she continued to work and Lightning grinned faintly as he picked out shapes in the popcorn ceiling above him. "I...don't think I would change anything..."

"Really?" He sat up quickly, blinking a few times to combat the rush to the head and caught his reflection staring back with a dopey grin. "Not even the road incident?"

"Nope." She chirped. "That's the best part."

"It is?"

She hummed, tone warm, and he could tell she must have been locking up for the night. "You wouldn't have stayed in Radiator Springs, otherwise..."

His smile grew. "I guess we'll never know, will we? Unless there was some kind of-"

"Goodnight, Stickers."

He laughed faintly as she cut him off, realizing the talk of time travel was done with. "Goodnight, Sal."

He'd gotten ready for bed, knowing he'd need to be out of the hotel and to the airport before seven the next morning, had checked his notifications one last time before setting his phone aside.

Aimlessly flipping through channels, he eventually left it on RSN, some repeat documentary he was sure he'd seen over a dozen times already.

Despite having seen that particular episode of the mini-series numerous times, he became quickly engrossed in the race footage and narration. He lounged haphazardly across the bed and leaned back on his elbow.

The next thing he knew he was waking up to his cell phone ringing. He rubbed at his eyes blearily, reaching out to shut the phone off. He had scheduled a wake up call and intended to actually get some decent sleep.

When had he gotten so old?

"Stop calling me..." He whined softly, still reaching about blindly for wherever his phone had become buried in the hotel comforter. "For such an expensive room, you'd think the bed would be more comfortable..." He paused and looked up blankly toward the ceiling, the room cast in a blue glow as the television repeated the same episode through the early hours of the morning. "If I miss my flight because I oversleep..." His grumbling finally ended when he discovered his phone, nearly buried beneath him as he lay on it. Squinting at the screen he didn't recognize the number and decided to decline the call. Lightning let the phone slide across the small nightstand and looked back toward the television to see an ad running for the midday talk show he had just taped for.

He wondered if they would leave that part on the cutting room floor.

It was just a silly question through a tweet. Where and when would you go if time machines were real?

The answer didn't take much thought, but it was too personal to really explain on daytime television. That was something he'd keep to himself...well...and Sally.

Taking a deep breath, he pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off any possible coming tears, real or imaginary, and reached for the remote to turn the television off.

His phone started to ring again, playing through the now silent and dark room, a dim light coming from the phone's screen.

Lightning had only ever used that ringtone for one contact.

He stared at the phone, hair on the back of his neck standing up and all senses prickling in anticipation. For what, he wasn't sure...

It was just a glitch. It had to be. The phone was old. He wasn't even sure he had that ringtone saved anymore, there'd been no reason to use it in so long...

Lightning slid the green button across the screen, not allowing himself to look at the caller ID.

What was he supposed to do...? He felt like maybe there was something expected aside from the usual greeting.

"...Hello?"

"What's going on, Kiddo?"

Lightning's hand flew to his face, raking through his hair roughly as his eyes immediately filled with tears. This was a joke, a cruel joke.

But maybe...

Just for a few minutes...

"Doc."

"Yeah."

"...What are you doing?"

"Waiting for you to answer my question."

Whoever this was, because it couldn't possibly be Doc, sounded just like him. It wasn't fair...

He was waiting for an answer.

"Uhh..." Lightning stumbled over his words. "Just-" He looked about the darkened hotel room briefly. "Trying to sleep, I guess...I haven't been lately..."

Why was he telling this to a stranger?

"I wasn't sure of the time difference-"

Lightning bit his lip and closed his eyes, feeling tears spill over as he pulled the phone away from his ear and tried to gasp a breath that wouldn't be heard over the phone.

"-but your text said to call."

He had no idea what that meant, but the more he thought of it, he realized his personal number was not known to the public...

"Doc."

"What is it, Hot Rod?"

That had done it. There was concern in that nickname. Lightning sat up straight on the bed, pulling his knees to his chest, and he swiped a hand over his eyes.

"I just want to come home."

"Did something happen?" He could tell he had the man's full attention. If this somehow was Doc, he could imagine him pinching the phone between his ear and shoulder, setting aside whatever else he had been doing.

"Yeah..." Lightning barely choked out with a huff. "You could say that..."

"I got time."

No...no you don't... "I don't want to keep you..."

"I need some kind of company while getting ready for this state audit."

Lightning wracked his memory for any kind of time frame where Doc had stayed behind to inventory the clinic for an audit...

"I should get some sleep, though..."

"You sure?"

"Yeah-" He nearly squeaked. "Yeah, I'm sure..."

"Lightning."

"I really miss you."

He hung up, throwing the phone back on the nightstand, unsure if any of that had really just happened.

His vision was blurred when he reached for the phone, checking recent calls and only seeing Sally's name. He dialed the number he still remembered by heart, just to see what would happen...

I'm sorry, your call can not be completed as dialed. Please hang up, and try again.


AN: Multi-parter :)