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Chapter Text

Lynda Piston had known just who her uncle was for years already. She had always known that he was once a racer and that before she was born he had been seriously hurt and those injuries used to flare up on him, causing him great pain.

Then when she was about 12 she had overheard her aunt and uncle talking about him racing and 51 being a taboo between her father and uncle. At the time she hadn't understood the shared animosity between the two. She remembered in particular asking her uncle that if 51 was such a big taboo for him and her father, why couldn't they use that as a rallying point to get along? She was told it was a taboo for two very different reasons, so it wouldn't help at all; probably make things worse truthfully. She had dropped it for the time being; until she went home, that was.

Then she researched her father, her uncle, the number 51 and Hudson Hornet. Since it was said her uncle raced his Hornet; and if nobody was around he'd drive it around Willie's Butte, just outside of Radiator Springs where her aunt and uncle live, for her and her brothers. When she was researching she hadn't known what she was going to find; but she knew even at age 12, it wouldn't be what her father implied about her uncle.

Stephen had been telling her for a few years not to believe everything their father would say, pointing out that he liked to stretch the truth to fit the way he thought it should be. 

So, she learned her Uncle Jesse was the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Everything had clicked into place for her then.

Her father; Alexander Piston, and her Uncle Jesse had been serious rivals on the track. Not necessarily competition for each other; her uncle being the better driver, but definitely rivals all the same. It didn't help lessen the animosity at all when her uncle had helped her mom with their divorce, nor did it help that she and Stephen looked to their aunt and uncle as their real parents.

So, here she was in her early 20's, never having admitted to anyone that wasn't close family that her uncle was number 51 Fabulous Hudson Hornet. And now, on her first road trip with her boyfriend, she was breaking her silence on the subject.

To the public, her uncle was known as Doctor Aaron Hudson, who had never been seen. Her uncle wanting nothing to do with the press or the racing world. For as long as she could remember, anything in public; it was Uncle Aaron, and that's all her serious boyfriend sitting beside her knew him as.

Her boyfriend was a racer much to her father's chagrin; which was ironic to her, since he himself had raced.

Bernie had gone to school with her boyfriend and had shared classes with him. Bernie had also pointed out the year before already that if he was ever going to meet their uncle, she'd have to tell him who their uncle was. Because in Bernie's words 'there was no way in hell, Strip Weathers wouldn't recognize him. He had done a report in school on the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.' She knew Bernie was right about that.

Strip had met her aunt after that conversation with her brother; at a racing event, where her aunt had invited the two of them to visit. A year later and here they were; doing just that after finally getting the chance to go.

Her Aunt Emily was excited that they were coming and both her aunt and uncle were under no disillusions that he wasn't going to be recognized.

After Strip had given his school presentation; the next time Bernie had visited their aunt and uncle, he wouldn't shut up about the fact that his classmate; Strip Weathers, had done a report on Uncle Jesse.

She knew she had been procrastinating about telling Strip about her uncle, and now that they were in the car driving there; she had to tell him, before they got to Radiator Springs. She had been nervous since before they left and had offered to drive. That way she had something more than her nerves to concentrate on. Strip didn't mind that, they could always switch out when she got tired.

She felt like a complete bundle of nerves and it showed. She couldn't help drumming her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove. Why should she feel so nervous? She was only taking her boyfriend of about three years to meet the people she thought of as her real parents. One of those being Strip's inspiration to become a racer.

Yeah, there was nothing to worry about; at all, right.

She decided to lead into talking about who her uncle was after telling a few childhood stories about her aunt and uncle. Which would lead her into who her uncle was and how she figured it out. With an idea now of how to broach the subject she felt herself calm and was able to stop drumming her fingers.

She could do this. This trip was going to be just fine.

Her aunt already adored Strip, Stephen liked him, Bernie could tolerate his former classmate, and her mom was seemingly fine about him. Bernie had said their father would be a fight, but her Uncle Jesse, she suspected would get along well with Strip. If he didn't let his bitterness about the racing world get in the way.

It was a strangely exciting, but nerve wracking thought that soon Strip and her Uncle Jesse would be meeting. With that last thought she started telling stories about her true parents.

oOo

Strip Weathers was feeling incredibly nervous. He was on a road trip with his girlfriend Lynda Piston; their very first, to meet her aunt and uncle.

He wasn't overly nervous about meeting her aunt as Lyn had introduced him to her last year at a racing event. That wasn't something that happened much now days. Emily Piston, well technically Emily Hudson was her married name; though the racing world still often referred to her by her maiden name, rarely came to events anymore. Citing her desire for a slower, less press ridden, small town style and pace of life.

Lyn had been so excited to introduce him to her aunt. She had admitted to him that her aunt and uncle were more her parents to her and Stephen than their parents were.

At the time he remembers being apprehensive. Wondering if she'd be anything like her brother. Alexander Piston had always made him uncomfortable, like he was a bug to be squished and that was before he had ever started dating Lynda.

Much to his relief, she was nothing like her brother and they ended up getting along well.

He had tried calling her Mrs. Hudson, but she insisted that he call her Emily. By the end of the night Emily was inviting them to come and visit sometime. About a year later and here they were, on their way to see Lyn's aunt and uncle.

Lyn had insisted on taking the first shift driving; which was fine by him, maybe it would help calm her nerves.

While they were both lost in thoughts in the beginning of the drive he couldn't help but notice how nervous she was. He had never seen her so nervous before, not even when meeting his parents. She was drumming her fingers on the steering wheel and when she'd glance over to him, she'd give him an almost pained smile. She was jittery and jumping at the smallest things; something was bugging her.

She started to calm down once she started talking. She started off with talking about what she remembered of her parents divorce and that it was because of her Uncle Aaron helping her mom, that Stephen decided to go into law. How during that time she had kept being shuffled around from place to place and that's when she first started to feel like her aunt and uncle were her parents.

She told him how her father wouldn't teach her how to drive and how upset it had made her. Leading to her Uncle Aaron teaching her because he thought everyone should know how to drive. She fell silent for a moment after that story. He used her break to pass her an open bottle of water, surely her throat was dry after all her talking.

She gave him a grateful smile with a murmured thank-you.

He was hoping he'd be able to catch her uncle alone for a few minutes, so he could ask who Lynda thought of as her true dad for his blessing to marry her. He'd still ask Mr. Piston for his blessing too, but he knew it would mean a lot to her to have asked her uncle for her hand. He took back her water and put it away for the time being.

"Strip?" he heard her ask.

"Yes, Lyn?"

"I have something important I have to tell you before we reach Radiator Springs. I was using those childhood stories to try and lead up into it. It's something, I've never talked about outside of my family. It's what's got me so nervous," she hesitated a moment, once again drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. "This can't leave this car or Radiator Springs, but my uncle's first name isn't Aaron. It's actually his middle name." She paused again looking away from him before looking back. "My- my uncle's name is actually Jesse. He's Doctor Jesse Hudson, not Doctor Aaron Hudson," she had stopped again, this time watching him from the corner of her eye, waiting for his response.

It seemed like she was implying that her uncle was the missing Jesse Hudson, driver of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.

He licked his lips before responding. "As in the driver from the 50's?" he clarified.

She just nodded as she went on to quickly explain how when she was younger she had never understood the sheer amount of animosity between her uncle and her father. The taboo of her uncle's racing career, that was implied by her father to be less than his one Piston Cup. And how when she and her brothers were all visiting together her uncle would drive for them.

Her piecing together enough information for her to research her uncle and later actually talk about what she had come across with her aunt and uncle.

"Bernie had his eyes opened by your presentation in school; you know, about Uncle Jesse. He couldn't get over the fact that our father mightn't have been the most truthful about our uncle's racing career. Or the fact that Uncle Jesse almost died. Aunt Em told me about the fact that Bernard had kept asking her if she knew that. I promise you dad won't be too hard on you about that, mom keeps him in check. He doesn't like to talk about his racing days because of how he was treated after his crash. Uncle Jesse certainly knows who you are, and that you would probably recognize him when you meet him. He's my dad, for all intents and purposes and while in the beginning he might be a bit standoffish, he'll warm up to you. Just, please try and pretend you're not meeting who inspired you to race. Uncle Jesse will appreciate it and it will help him relax quicker if you can school yourself from looking like an awestruck fan."

"I can manage that Lyn," he assured her.

"You won't tell anyone where he is, right? He really doesn't want anything to do with the racing world anymore. I don't know what I'd do if-" he cut her off.

"Lyn. Lynda, you know I'd do anything for you? Right, dear?" She nodded. "Then you should know I'll keep your uncle's secret. Outside of this car and Radiator Springs, I'll call him Aaron, just like everyone else, I promise."

"Thank-you, you always seem to know what I need to hear."

"There's not much I wouldn't do for you," he stated shaking his head slightly. She just smiled at him.

"So, you'll switch out driving with me?"

"Of course."

She pulled over to the side of the road and they switched, by the time they were back to driving, they had lapsed into a silence he was glad for. It would give him a chance to process what he had been told before arriving at her aunt's and uncle's, and there was a lot to process.

While he had known for awhile that Lynda had considered her aunt and uncle her parents, it was the first time he had heard her slip and call them mom and dad. Though, he had rarely heard her call Alexander Piston anything other than father, only calling him dad to his face and never the more affectionate daddy.

What took more to process, was the fact that her Uncle Aaron was actually Jesse Hudson; and that he was well aware of the fact that he had done a school project on him. That only made this trip infinitely more awkward and nerve wracking.

He looked over to her, she was leaning against the side window, eyes closed. If she wasn't asleep now, she would be soon. It just sort of hit him in that moment as he looked back to the road. Not only was he dating racing royalty or at least as close as you could come, seeing as Lynda's family was the driving force behind the Piston Cup, like the name would suggest.

Not only that, but her Uncle Aaron; who she always spoke so kindly about, was the legendary, missing, Jesse Hudson. The very same driver of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet; that he did a project on in school, and apparently he knew about it. This was certainly going to be an interesting trip.

Hopefully, by the end of it though, Jesse Hudson wouldn't disapprove of him like Lyn's father seemed to.

Chapter Text

He had never understood his siblings desire to always go with their aunt and uncle. He was quite happy just to be around his dad, their dad.

Uncle Jesse was not his father, and it always annoyed him when Uncle Jesse would call him Bernie, that was his dad's nickname for him. The only people other than his dad who he didn't mind calling him that were his mom and Lynda. Lynda only because when she was little she couldn't always say Bernard. Stephen could get away with it on occasion. But when he was 12, he had asked his aunt and uncle to only call him Bernard. Bernie was 'babyish'. So, really Bernie was only for immediate family and that mainly being his parents.

He couldn't ever understand why Lynda and Stephen were willing to be parented by people who weren't their parents. It didn't matter if they were related, they weren't his parents, they were his aunt and uncle. Aunts and uncles in his opinion, had about as much authority as a babysitter. You had to listen to them but they didn't have the final say.

Every so often, his dad would drop him off to meet up with his brother and sister at his aunt's and uncle's. Uncle Jesse could be pretty neat at times; when he wasn't calling him Bernie. Not that he'd ever tell his dad that.

The one thing that they would always do when all three of them were visiting Radiator Springs at the same time, was go down to the track around Willie's Butte. Uncle Jesse would bring his Hudson Hornet out and show off for the three of them. That was always the best part of the trip, and his favourite thing about Uncle Jesse. Because even though his dad had raced, he'd never show them him going around a track.

He had been told that in public to always call Uncle Jesse, Uncle Aaron. When he asked his dad about that, why they had to call Uncle Jesse something different to what they called him in private, he was told that his uncle used to race too, before he crashed.

It was implied that his uncle wasn't the best racer and was too embarrassed by his crash to come back or want to be known about. He had believed that for a long time, making him think that his uncle showing off at the Butte was just a way for his uncle to get some glory.

Until he had a classmate do a project on the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and how he effected Piston Cup.

What his dad had implied was a bit off the mark. From his classmate's presentation he had learned his uncle had been leading the sport before crashing. He had won three cups, had the most wins in a single season ever, and had crashed so badly that people hadn't thought he'd live. His classmate, Strip Weathers, went on to say how after the crash, safety standards changed, to hopefully make racing safer so if a crash like that did happen again it hopefully wouldn't be so bad.

So, apparently his uncle didn't want his fame which he obviously still had and was content just showing off to him and his siblings. It was because of that, that he convinced Stephen to walk out to the Butte with him, leaving 12 year old Lynda behind. He wanted to know what his brother knew about their uncle, he didn't want Lynda to be there though, he didn't think she'd be ready to hear about the crash.

"Stephen, did you know what dad says about Uncle Jesse isn't true?" He asked after they left the confines of town.

"Bernie, most of what father says isn't true." Stephen replied with an eye roll, hands in his pockets.

"Don't call me Bernie. What do you mean?"

"You're my little brother Bernard, you'll always be Bernie to me."

"Not funny Stephen. What do you mean about dad ?" He glared at his older brother.

"I haven't believed anything that father's told us in years before fact checking it. He's in the habit of spinning the truth his way, to what he wants to believe. He hates Uncle Jesse because he's the opposite of what he tells us about him. I never believed father about Uncle Jesse, it just never felt like Uncle Jesse to me. I've never talked to him about it though, he does know that I don't believe father, or agree with him. I've never understood Bernard your willingness just to believe whatever father says."

"He's dad, why should there have to be a reason. So you knew Uncle Jesse won three cups and how bad his crash was?"

"I did, because what father was saying didn't make sense to me, so I looked into it years ago. I found that Uncle Jesse has his cups hidden in the garage. I found them there with a ton of Piston Cup history and saw newspaper articles on how bad the crash was. I'll show you later if you want. But look; Bernie, it's great that you're close to father and all, but I hated being shuffled around during mom and father's divorce. You always clung so tight to father, you didn't get as shuffled as much as Lyn and I did." Stephen waved to their uncle as he passed them in the Hornet, with Lynda sitting beside him not paying attention.

"Is that why you let Uncle Jesse and Aunt Emily parent you? And stop calling me Bernie." He got another eye roll at asking to stop being called Bernie.

"I've spent more time with them than I have with our own parents Bernard, they feel more like my parents. The last time I've spent any real time with father is at a racing event and he spent the entire time showing me off and gloating about how I'm working towards going to school to be a lawyer. He doesn't even care that the reason I want to be a lawyer is because of what Uncle Jesse did to help mom. Father plays favourites, and you're his, because you do look up to him so much. And I don't call you it often, I think you can let it slide."

"I don't like being called Bernie."

"Pout all you want, it's not going to get you out of being called by your nickname."

They had made it to the Butte shortly after that; where Lynda and Uncle Jesse were standing by the Hornet. The conversation done for the time, it definitely gave him a lot to think about. Stephen's reasons made sense, but his dad was still his dad and nothing would change that. Though, he was curious about what was hiding in his uncle's garage now. He would have to take Stephen up on that offer of being shown what was there.

Chapter Text

Joe Moore had known Lynda Weathers since before she was a Weathers. He had watched her grow up from a young girl, and her blossom into a lovely young woman.

He had watched her get married to Strip Weathers and then them becoming the premiere couple around the track. Where Lynda was Strip wasn't far behind and vice versa.

Over the years the couple had been nicknamed The King and The Queen of Piston Cup, and it was fitting that they be called so. Lynda had become known as the track mother as she aged and as for Strip, he truly was king of the track, while keeping humble about it. The two of them made the behind the scenes part of racing a friendly place to be, always willing to lead a hand or show someone around.

This race was the last race before retirement for Strip and it wasn't even one that anybody thought he'd race. No one had seen this race coming and certainly not the outcome of it. Who could have predicted that the last race of the season was going to end in a three way tie, leading up to this tiebreaker race; which in turn, ended up having its own set of surprises and upsets.

First it all started with the rookie going missing, his driver turning up at the track missing both the rookie and his stock car. That had made him think about another racer who had disappeared under different circumstances.

Though, he suspected he knew where Jesse Hudson was, and it wasn't dead like some were speculating.

When the rookie turned up in a town called Radiator Springs; where he was positive that Lynda's aunt and uncle had lived, though he'd have to check with Lynda on that, but he suspected that Jesse Hudson was her uncle and that the rookie would have run into him. Only for that to be confirmed after the race started.

Kids were only so good at keeping secrets and he knew Lynda before she got to the stage that she was good at keeping them. She couldn't have been more than six the first time Alex had brought her with him, he had then promptly forgot about his daughter being there and left her on her own.

That didn't sit right with him, and he wasn't someone who had ever really dealt with kids before that, but he knew enough about them that one so young shouldn't be left alone in a public place like that.

So, he had taken her under his wing so to speak, he had taken her to get a snack and had asked her questions about racing to see what she knew. He had gotten back some smart answers.

Then she started talking about her Aunt Emily and her Uncle Jesse, 'I mean Uncle Aaron'. She had told him about how her 'Uncle Jes- Aaron' had told her about Louise Nash and how she had beaten her father in one race particular, saying that was one of her favourite stories he'd tell her.

That first time, he had looked after her, she always wanted to call her uncle, Jesse instead of Aaron. At the time he just brushed it off, being relieved when she was retrieved by Emily.

That wasn't the last time it happened though and it soon it became a tradition of theirs. Anytime Lynda was brought with her father she always visited with him and on one of the earliest visits with her, she had taken to calling him Uncle Joe, and it stuck.

He was only slightly surprised to get a wedding invitation to hers and Weathers wedding. He had heard the reaction of Alex to Strip asking for Lynda's hand in marriage, and Alex had made it really hard to keep it quiet about him refusing to go to her wedding. It wasn't a surprise for anyone at the wedding, that Alex wasn't there.

He had ended up going though, and when he saw who was walking her down the aisle his vague suspicions were confirmed; he wasn't going to say anything but Lynda's uncle was indeed Jesse Hudson.

It had given him a bit of a start, when he first recognized just who was walking Lynda down the aisle. It may have been almost 30 years since he had last seen Jesse Hudson, but there was no denying that it was him.

Other than that first shock of seeing him and realizing that it was him, it didn't actually surprise him. Not when he had talked to all the Piston kids at one time and them letting something suspicious slip, something that would only make sense if their uncle was Jesse Hudson.

It had been interesting to watch him at Lynda's wedding, showing the tenderness that anyone who really knew him, knew he had, but rarely if ever showed in public.

Seeing him and Emily dance together, made him realize just how much the two of them loved each other, it was blatant to see and nobody would be able to dispute it. It made sense as to why Emily never brought her husband to any racing events she did make it to. He would have been swarmed.

After his crash and when he had tried to come back to race, it was handled wrong. It had never sat well with him how much Jesse had been caught off guard. It was mishandled from the beginning, and at the time all he could do was watch, and help separate him from Alex when a physical fight broke out between the two.

Alex hadn't helped anything back then and he couldn't blame Jesse for storming out like he had at the time, after it all went down. So, when he went missing a few months later, he was sad it had come to that. It had spread quickly through the Piston Cup grape vine that Hudson wouldn't be back to racing and that he had vanished.

Which brought him back to what Edward Piston had wistfully told him one day, that he had wished there was some way he could have convinced his son-in-law to take over instead of Alex, he would have been a much better fit. Knowing exactly who his son-in-law was, he had to agree that Jesse Hudson would have been a better fit, not that he'd mention that he knew 'Aaron' was actually Jesse . Edward's health had been visibly starting to fail at that confession though, so he hadn't put much thought into it at the time.

That brought him back to today's race again. The rookie had started off racing poorly and obviously distracted by something.

Then part way into the race, he had a phone call from a kid in security saying that a Jesse Hudson had told him to tell him, he needed into pit lane to be #95's crew. The kid also mentioned he had shown up in a Hudson Hornet painted with #51 Fabulous Hudson Hornet on the sides.

Well, who was he to deny the Fabulous Hudson Hornet entrance, the rookie needed a crew anyway.

Alex had thrown up a fuss, no surprise there, but it was high time for Jesse Hudson to come back to the sport in some capacity. He hadn't thought that he'd come across Jesse again; especially after Emily passed and it made him think that he should take a tour of the pits after the race, it had been a while since he'd done that.

It became a necessity after Strip's crash that he go down there, for Lynda's sake of course, not to check on a man he hadn't talked to in over 50 years, but had been in a crash that had certainly looked similar.

Chapter Text

Strip Weathers was nervous, or was intimidated a better word for the pit of dread forming in his stomach.

It had been a couple of weeks since his road trip with Lynda. It had gone better than he could have hoped, especially with learning that Lyn's uncle was thee Fabulous Hudson Hornet. He had asked Jesse Hudson, the man who Lyn saw as her father figure, for her hand in marriage and he said yes with his blessing.

Even better was the fact that the two of them got along well and it was obvious that, that particularly pleased Lynda that he and her uncle did get along. Whereas her father, he tended to avoid as much as physically possible.

Today though, he had to talk with Alexander Piston. He had a very special date planned for Lyn, and while nothing hinged on this meeting with Mr. Piston, it did need to happen to day.

That was why he was striding with purpose down the office building halls on his way to his girlfriend's father's office. He was in luck, he guessed, he arrived at the office just as Alexander Piston was leaving it. He took a deep breath, it was just like going into a race, he had to keep a calm head.

"Mr. Piston, would you have a moment to talk to me?" He asked.

Alex stopped and airily replied, "sure Weathers, what do you want?"

"Could we go somewhere more private it's more of a personal question?" He asked gesturing around to all the people in the reception area.

"Make it quick." The older man replied waving him into the office he had just vacated. Once the door was closed, he asked his question without beating around the bush.

"I would like to ask you for your blessing to marry your daughter."

"No, absolutely not. My daughter is not marrying a racer like you." The answer was quick and had gained volume as he went on. He was sad that this was was his immediate response but not surprised from what he knew about the man.

Calmly and politely he reiterated. "Mr. Piston, I'm telling you I want to marry your daughter. It's her choice whether she wants to marry me or not. I am not asking your permission, just for your blessing." He inwardly cringed at the volume that was returned at what he had just said.

"You're not getting my blessing, and sure as hell , not my permission. I forbid it. You will not ask her, you will leave my daughter alone!"

His own voice took on a steely tone, he didn't raise his voice and remained calm, talking at the same pace as before. "Well, I got the blessing that matters the most, and what you say doesn't really matter anyhow. She's a legal adult who can make her own decisions. Her Uncle Aaron gave me his blessing and that's the one that counts. Yours doesn't, I'm asking out of courtesy and it's what done. You're the only one throwing up a fuss. Both him and her aunt are very accepting and so is her mother. She'll be heartbroken but her real father gave me his blessing, which was more than I could hope for. Good day Mr. Piston."

He left the man stuttering and was out the office with the door closed again before he could say anything else.

His heart was pounding from that, he wouldn't look anyone in the reception in the eye. He had played with fire at the end there, but it had needed to be said. Hopefully it wouldn't end up burning him.

He felt shaken from the experience and hadn't noticed that Joe Moore had led him into a different office; one with a couch in it, and got him to sit down on it. The next thing he noticed was a low conversation just outside the door as he calmed down.

"Just was talking with Alex, think it had something to do with Lynda not racing."

"Thank you Joe, I'll speak with the lad." The door opened and Edward Piston entered, with a bottle of water. "Here son, figured you could use this." As he handed him the bottle as he sat across from him.

"Thank you sir." He replied, opening the bottle and taking a sip.

"Would you like to tell me what that hullabaloo was back there that my son was creating now?" The elder man was serious, but not accusing.

"Yes sir. I was asking for his blessing to marry your granddaughter, sir. I have already spoken with her mother, and perhaps in Lynda's eyes more importantly her Aunt Emily and Uncle Aaron. Except for her father, everyone has been most supportive. I plan on asking her tomorrow."

"You know lad, you can call him by his name when it's just us."

He shook his head in disagreement,"no sir, I promised Lyn I would only refer to him as Aaron outside of her car and Radiator Springs. I intend to keep that promise."

"Well, you can count one more in your well wishers. You're a good lad, you'll do well by her."

"Thank you sir." He followed Mr. Piston's own movement of getting up.

"Now I'm sure you want to be away from here, so off you go. Don't worry about her father, I'll keep him away from her until you get your chance to propose to her."

"Thank you sir." He shook his hand before he left. He may not have gotten her father's blessing, but he practically got her grandfather's, which felt like an equal trade. He respected the elder Piston more anyway.

Chapter Text

She couldn't be any happier than to be where she was right now; dancing in her dad's arms. That alone was worth the pain of her father boycotting her wedding from the moment she got engaged.

If she was being honest with herself though, she was relieved that her father wasn't here. She certainly would not have been enjoying her father-daughter dance nearly as much. It would have been an awkward time, where she would not have wanted to wait, until she could switch into her new husband's waiting arms. As it was though, she was dancing with her Uncle Jesse, which would not have happened if her father was there.

She had always felt safe and loved in his arms. She was resting her head on his shoulder and basking in the warmth of her proper dad, loving the fact she was practically proclaiming her Uncle Jesse as her dad.

"What're you thinking about Lyn? It doesn't matter how old you get or the fact that you're smiling, I recognize that look as your thinking face."

"Dad!"

"Can't I hear my little Lyn's thoughts on her wedding day? Hmmm? What's got you so thoughtful?"

"Just how glad I am that you're here. Thank-you for doing this for me daddy. It means so much to me that you're here and that you walked me down the isle." She snuggled deeper into his shoulder.

"I couldn't say no to my daughter, now could I?"

"Mom would never have relented until you did."

"I wouldn't have missed this day for the world. Even if your father was here."

"I'm glad he's not. Then I wouldn't have been able to do this with you."

"Well, later I guess I'll just have to steal another dance now won't I."

"As long as I see you and Aunt Em dance, Uncle Jesse."

"Of course I will dance with her. Do you know how hard of a time she'd give me if I didn't?"

"Yes," she said with a giggle.

"Looks like we're coming to the end of our song, best we start dancing over to your husband."

"You'll definitely have to steal me back for a couple more dances daddy, because I'm enjoying this far too much for our dance to be over already."

"Well, if you hadn't spent the first part of it so lost in thought, we could have spent it talking."

"Uncle Jesse! That's no fair, I had been enjoying that part just as much."

"I know you were." He kissed the top of her head as the song finished. He kept an arm around her as they walked to meet Strip as he walked towards them.

"You take care of my daughter. I'm going to be coming back for her. I want another couple of dances with her."

"Yes sir, I plan on taking care of her for the rest of my years and not a second before that will I stop."

"That's what I like to hear. Now I believe you two have a first dance that you have to start." She gave her uncle a hug.

"I love you Uncle Jesse."

"I love you too, Lyn." He shook Strip's hand.

"Thank-you sir for so willingly to share Lyn with you and her family."

"Strip, we're family now, just Jesse is fine. You could even call me Doc like everyone back in town does if that's easier, but calling me sir is not needed." He said clapping the younger man on the back. "You're a good man, treat her well."

"I wouldn't want to do anything else."

"Dad, just go invite mom for a dance so Strip and I can have our first dance. Remember I want to see you two dancing."

"Yes Lyn, I know, I'm going. Don't trust the Piston woman you married Strip they have a tendency to get what they want." He said as he left. She just shook her head at her uncle's mock warning.

"Strip, let's always make sure to dance in the kitchen." She said as they started their first dance as husband and wife.

"Is that something your aunt and uncle do?"

"It is. I've caught them at it a few times over the years. It's one of the loveliest things to watch. For a young girl watching them dance together like that, was magical, especially with who my parents are and how they acted. The love for each other that can be seen is inspiring, because Uncle Jesse's guard actually lowers."

"Lynda, I promise you we'll dance in the kitchen, and always continue to foster our love everyday of our marriage. You needn't fear becoming like your mother and father, we're nothing like them. Besides, we'll use your real parents as an example."

"Talking about dad what did you tell Darrell to get him to not hound him?"

"Just because someone looks like Jesse Hudson, doesn't mean that's who he is."

"You implied my uncle isn't who he seems to be; when that's exactly who he is?"

"I left it very open ended, neither confirming or denying who he is other than he is your uncle. I told ya before we got engaged, I'd keep your uncle's secret, our wedding doesn't change anything about that." She gave him a kiss at that, which made everyone cheer as their song ended.

As her bridesmaids and the groomsmen joined them on the dance floor to start everyone dancing she could see her uncle asking her aunt to dance and it made her smile even bigger as her aunt accepted. As she and Strip started to dance again, she pointed out her dancing parents and how much in love they looked.

It completely warmed her heart to see. That was going to be her and Strip, she knew it. Her grandfather had even said how much more their relationship was like her aunt's than her father's ever was already.

"So Lynda, is our wedding everything you hoped for?"

"Everything and more, husband dearest. I got to marry you today. I practically have declared to everyone here that I claim my uncle as my dad with him walking me down the isle and giving me away, not to forget the father-daughter dance. I get to see my uncle and aunt dance, and just be here. I don't have to worry about my father starting anything. Uncle Joe made it, grandfather is here. Mother is making sure everything is running smoothly so we don't have to. My brothers are here, your family is here, things couldn't be better." she sighed now resting her head on her husband's shoulder.

The evening seemed to speed by, her uncle did indeed come back to steal her away for a couple more dances and each time he did so Strip had offered to dance with her aunt, which she accepted.

By the end of the night, she was extremely tired, but completely content with how her wedding day went. She was a Weathers now and she hoped her maiden name wasn't going to follow her like it did for her aunt. Only time would tell, but it wasn't something she was going to worry about on her wedding night.

The best part truly was that she got to go home with her new husband Strip; that was all that matter right now.

Chapter Text

The whole family was over for the holidays. Kids ran throughout the old homestead, as adults gathered in the living room talking and laughing with each other. A handful of people were in the kitchen, prepping food for the week. Emily and Ruth were the main two, while Joan was working on something a little different than them, in a different part of the kitchen. He had popped into the kitchen for only a moment to see how everything was coming along.

Ruth was facing away from him, but had heard him enter, making a remark to Emily.

"If that's your husband, I'd keep eyes on him so he doesn't try running off with all the food. He has a history of taking awkward pieces when he does."

"That was once." He defended himself leaning in the doorway as Ruth turned around to face him, hands on her hips holding a spoon.

"Only because I never leave such baking unguarded again. It was for Henry, not you. Now out of my kitchen." She wagged the wooden spoon at him, using it as a pointer.

" Your kitchen?" Raising his eyebrows, stepping further in.

"Yes MY kitchen." She put her hands back on her hips. "You don't live here anymore. If you want to sulk around a kitchen, do it in your own, down the road." She pointed with the spoon towards his own house.

"But everyone is here, not there." He wined, crossing his arms.

"Not my problem."

"Why don't you go and join everyone then, instead of bugging us here in the kitchen?" His wife placed a hand on his shoulder to try and guide him out.

"You too Emily? Don't you love me?" He pouted.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Of course I love you, just not when you're here to try and steal food. Now shoo, off you go. Go visit with everyone who's here and keep those kids entertained and out the kitchen." Making a shooing motion with her hands, giving him a slight push to get him going. He didn't budge.

"What about this little one then?" He asked wrapping his arms from behind, around her small but growing belly. He could see Ruth watching on with Joan in fond exasperation, as Emily turned in his arms to look at him.

"That little one is just fine where they are right now. They aren't causing problems unlike their daddy." She looked at him pointedly.

"They're behaving for you for once." He didn't let go yet, but started spying some of those goodies he did originally come in to steal like Ruth implied.

"For today anyway." Emily sunk into his arms a bit as he rubbed her back for a moment or two.

"Second trimester is a little easier, you lose most of the morning sickness, but aren't as big as you'll get yet either. Cravings will start getting stronger, but at least now you'll be able to eat." Joan said, breaking her silence of letting his twin and wife deal with him. Emily turned towards Joan, and he used the distraction to his advantage, while his arms were still around her.

"Not having morning sickness to put up with all the time will be nice..." she stepped out of his arms and faced him arms crossed. "Jesse, hands off the food. You can wait like everyone else."

"No I can't, I'm hungry now."

"Baby. What are you going to do when your own little one comes?"

He sniffed. "You act like I can't cook Ruth."

"I know you can, but since you're not helping us now, get out the kitchen."

"As much as I love you, you are a bit distracting. You don't want the entire meal to be late because of you? Do you?" Emily raised an eyebrow at him.

That's when Henry decided to enter the kitchen. Going over to stand by his own wife, leaning against where she was working, hands beside him on the counter.

"What's going on in here? Noticed Jesse was taking too long to come back."

"Henry, they're picking on me." He crossed his arms.

"He's trying to sneak food again." Ruth said rolling her eyes.

"Quality control, don't want our guests to be overwhelmed by all the good food to hit something not as good."

"Okay, out of the kitchen NOW Jesse. My house, my rules. And no sneaking food!"

"See what I mean Henry?" He gestured to his twin.

"That's not my fault that you're trying to sneak food again. You've brought it on yourself. I'm staying out of it. About to become a father yourself, and still acting like the baby of the family." Henry shook his head.

"I do not."

"Yes you do!" Henry, Joan, and Ruth said together in unison.

He smirked. "At least Em agrees with me."

"I didn't say anything because I'm the baby of my family too." He pouted at her explanation.

"You don't act like it, unlike your husband. Your brother acts more like the baby." Henry said.

"Well, let's not talk about him shall we. Especially not when Lyn and Stephen are here."

He tried to sample something from Ruth's bowl when everyone was busy discussing who acted more like the baby of the family.

"Keep your fingers out of my bowl please." She warned him upon noticing what he was trying to do.

When he thought she wasn't looking he tried again. Only to be rewarded with her wooden spoon across his knuckles.

"Ow! Ruth!" he rubbed his knuckles as he glared at his sister.

"I told you to keep your fingers out of my bowl."

"Em, Ruth's abusing me and Henry, my protective older brother has left me to fend for myself."

"You poor thing you, you wouldn't have to deal with that if you weren't in the kitchen." Emily had her hands on her hips, looking at him.

"Fine, I can tell when I'm unwanted here. I'll leave now. Happy?" He sniffed as he asked, gathering a couple handfuls of cookies before starting out the kitchen.

"When we told you to leave, we meant without cookies." They called after him.

"Where's the fun in that?" He called back as he disappeared around the corner.

He nearly ran into Ruth's husband, booking it from the kitchen with his stolen stash of cookies.

"Are you stirring up trouble in my house?"

"Not your house. Ruth's. You can only call it yours because you married her. I'm one of the ones who actually grew up in it." He said, skirting around the man.

As he entered the living room, he drew the attention of all the kids, from the eldest being Stephen; who was about ten, to the current youngest, being Ruth's youngest kid, Gabe; who was going to be three soon.

The eight kids surrounded him, some of the littler ones were jumping up trying to see what he had in his hands.

"Settle down, if you keep swarming me I might trip and fall on you. And we don't want that now do we?" He got to where he wanted to be before looking around and crouching down to start sharing the goodies he grabbed. Sending a wink to Emily when he noticed her and Ruth watching him.

He sat on the couch once his haul was divided up, eating one of his few cookies he had left. It wasn't long after, that Emily came back from the kitchen looking to sit down. He made space beside him on the couch for her to sit. As Emily sat beside him, he offered her a cookie in truce, which she took as she snuggled into him.

The phone was ringing, but nobody was answering it. Why wouldn't anyone answer it. He didn't want to leave his pregnant wife's side.

The phone was still ringing as everything started to fade. He tried to cling to those last moments with Ruth and Emily, but the phone was too persistent to ignore anymore.

He wiped the tears that had spilled from his eyes as he got up to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dang it Doc, it's a good thing you answered when you did. I was about ready to break down your door to make sure you were alright."

"I'm not dead yet. What do you want Michael? There must be reason you're phoning."

"Some crazy hot rodder tore up the road last night after a high speed chase into and through town. Need you to come down to the courthouse and be the judge for what to do with him."

"You have a time set already?"

"Yep. Everyone's going to be there. Almost all of us were affected and saw what happened." Michael told him the time and he promised he'd be there.

There wasn't nearly enough time for his liking this morning. He would have much preferred to spend the day alone, and not have to prepare for court.

He wanted to go back to his dream. He would have loved having Ruth and Emily gang up on him. For Emily to have had a successful pregnancy rather than the miscarriage they did have. He would have loved to see Ruth married and with kids, to still have had her at that point in his life.

His heart ached with the people he'd lost. That dream even brought back those feelings of guilt for leaving Henry and the others.

But there wasn't really time to dwell on all his feelings the dream brought up. No time to sulk when there was court to get to. He was going to drive, until he saw the condition of the road. No way was he driving the Hornet on that.

He gritted his teeth and drove back into his garage. He nearly stomped his way through town to get to the courthouse, his lips curling every time he caught sight of the road. He didn't know who this hot rodder was, but he wrecked his town, he was going to come down hard on him.

Michael called him out on his mood right away.

He just wanted to get this done with as soon as possible. He thoroughly expressed his thoughts as he entered the courtroom. Then he saw who the accused was.

A rookie Piston Cup racer.

He had kept up enough with the sport after Emily's death to know who the kid was. He didn't want anything to do with him. The sooner he was gone the better, but of course things just weren't going his way today. Sally convinced everyone to make him fix the road. Meaning he was going to be stuck with this racer in town for a week. There wasn't going to be a moment of peace until he left.

Chapter Text

"You know, there's no way in hell, that Uncle Jesse won't be outed by Weathers."

"Bernie, you're sounding like dad. I hate it when you start sounding like dad." She stared blankly at him leaning against the doorframe.

"I'm not trying to be like dad, I'm just pointing out that if you ever plan on him meeting Uncle Jesse, he's going to recognize him. We are talking about your boyfriend Strip Weathers here; he did a report on him in school. Do you know how awkward it was to be in the same class as him for the rest of the year after that? And now he's dating my little sister. Do you really have to call me Bernie still?" He pushed himself off the wall.

"Yes I do." She crossed her arms. "What do you have against nicknames? You only ever call me Lynda, or are you still sore that Uncle Jesse called you Bernie? And you made it awkward yourself, bragging about dad like you did. That's not my fault. Speaking of dad, aren't you supposed to be meeting up with him today?"

"Yes, but he's going to be late anyway. He's back together with Karen." He crinkled his nose at the thought, and she did the same.

"I thought mom was taking you shopping for a dress to that racing event Aunt Emily is coming to? And I'll have you know, I have an aversion to nicknames unless it's dad and even then nowadays I'm not overly fond of it from him either."

"Ah ha. Nice to know he's late for his favourite child too. I don't want to hear about that. Mom was, but one of her girlfriends is having a midlife crisis or something, so I'm on my own for that. And you always wondered why Stephen and I think of Aunt Emily and Uncle Jesse as more of parents. If they set time aside for us they actually are on time and are there."

"Yeah, but for the most part we have to go to them, because Uncle Jesse doesn't like to travel a lot in case he gets recognized."

"You still don't like to admit how much our parents aren't that parent like?"

"They're still our parents, even if they don't act like it." He rolled his eyes like it was obvious, leaning against the wall again.

She shook her head. "Well as nice as it is to start arguing about our parents, again, I do need to go find a new dress, because mom will not allow me to show up in one I already have this time." She said gathering her coat and purse.

"And you want to impress Strip. I'm pretty sure you've already bagged him, he follows you around enough."

"Bernard! You're just awful, talking like that. You make it sound like I was after his social status or name."

"I'm just saying that one day, maybe not soon, but one day he's going to ask you to marry him. And dad will be a hard sell."

Chapter Text

They were both well into their 90's now, and still surprisingly agile for their ages. Emily seemed a bit more frail than him, but they both could be considered a healthy weight and not just skin and bones. They definitely didn't have the strength they used to though.

Neither of them drove anymore, so Aaron had come to pick them up for their anniversary party. The entire family wanted to celebrate their 70 years of marriage.

Sometimes it was hard to believe it had been that many years. They certainly had their trials and tribulations throughout their years, but they had made it this far. Farther than what some had ever thought they would.

It was amazing to see how much of their extended family came. Stephen, Bernard, Lynda, their spouses and kids. Henry and Joan's kids had come with their own kids, and Ruth and John's kids and grandkids. Of course Aaron was the one who brought them, so his little girl and his wife were there along with Aaron's parents.

Emily's brother had passed years ago, his own siblings had passed over the last few years. In some ways it was amazing Ruth had made it to her 90's as she had always battled with her illness. Then John had passed only a couple years back. They missed most of them, though he certainly didn't miss her brother. But they were here to celebrate their anniversary, not to miss those who were gone.

They received rounds of congratulations for hitting their 70th. They had a love-seat of honour that they could make use of once they got tired of standing or walking around.

Once they had both sat down, Jess came and crawled up to snuggle between the two of them. Their little great granddaughter.

He could already tell that she was going to follow in her daddy's footsteps. She was just as enthralled by racing as Lightning was at her age.

"Granddad? Tell me a story?" She asked after she had gotten his attention by poking his arm.

"What story do you want to hear sweet pea?" She studied him in the way only a four year old could, sticking her tongue out just a little as she thought.

"I wanna hear about how you and grandma met," little Jess decided.

"Well, that's certainly suitable for today isn't," he remarked.

"If only John were here to tease us about it," Emily said teasingly to him.

"Mmm, now it was a long-" he started.

"Wait!" The little girl screeched. "I wanna get daddy so he can hear it too."

She squiggled from where she was and darted off to find her father. They watched as Jessica darted around looking for her dad. He searched out Emily's hand while watching Jess run, and kissed the back of it.

"I have a feeling that I'm going to be telling more than just how we met," he said.

"I have a feeling it will be to more people than just our grandkids, " Emily said, he nodded his head in agreement.

Jess was dragging Aaron along with her, with Sally following behind, grinning while watching her husband be dragged over to them. A few of the others had noticed the commotion and followed to see what was happening.

Jess let go of her dad's hand once she got back to them, and crawled back into where she was.

"Okay granddad, I'm ready now," Jess said.

People had figured out what was happening and had pulled up chairs. He waited until everyone seemed to be done and he started.

"It was a long, long time ago. It was before you were born," he poked her in the stomach a little to make her giggle, "before your daddy was born, and before his mom was born. Over 70 years ago now, and it all started when your Uncle John and I switched ship crews. We were on the SS New York, but switched over to the Titanic so we could get home sooner. The Titanic, from what I saw of it, truly was a magnificent ship of its time. Before we left I had to go to the bridge for my first shift of the trip, I didn't want to be late, so I was rushing. Can you guess what happen because I was trying to rush?" He asked.

"Did you bump into someone?" Jess's little eyes were round.

"I did, and do you know who it was?" She shook her head, at his question.

"It was grandma, with her grandmother, Nanna. I said sorry for bumping into her, and left on my way. That was the first time we had ever seen each other." He lowered his voice conspiratorially for what he was about to say, everyone might be listening, but he was telling this for Jess. "Grandma at the time, didn't know what a ship's bridge was. She only learned that at a later time from me."

"Jesse! Are you ever going to let that go?" Emily exclaimed.

"No, it was endearingly naive, and made for a good laugh," he said as he looked Em in the eye.

"Seventy some years later, and you still find it amusing," Emily said shaking her head in amusement at him.

"Grandma, granddad, I wanna hear more of the story," Jess said impatiently.

"Sorry sweet pea, we did go a little off topic, didn't we." Jess nodded her head.

"Now, where were we?" He said as he looked exaggeratedly thoughtfully into space.

"Bumped into grandma," Jess told him.

"Ah, we didn't see each other for a couple days after that, and when we did, Uncle John and I were working a lifeboat. The Titanic had hit an iceberg and was sinking. Grandma, her mom, Nanna and eventually her dad all ended up in our lifeboat. I had helped grandma get in and later helped warm up her hands a bit; it was too cold for my liking." He held her hand, he wouldn't let go until after they were done.

"Uncle John was teasing him about missing the Georgian heat, while granddad was calling him Mr. Used to Winter," said Emily. He gave his wife a side glance. "Don't look at me like that Jesse, you know John would have brought it up." She rubbed her thumb over his hand.

He admitted his defeat, they might as well add those missing add-ins that John would have made. He almost missed the teasing. "He would have. We watched from the lifeboat as the ship sank. It was cold, dark and no fun at all."

"Granddad? Grandma? Were you scared?" asked Jess.

"Terrified," He admitted, giving Em's hand a squeeze, and she gave him one back.

"So scared, granddad was scared, but you couldn't tell. He and Uncle John were in charge of the lifeboat and they did a very good job of keeping calm while being terrified," Emily said, with her free hand brushing through Jess's hair.

"Once the sun started to come up, we were rescued. A ship called the Carpathia had come to help, everyone on the lifeboat was taken on board and taken care of," he said.

"Granddad even came around to make sure we were alright, if we had been on his lifeboat. Even when he should have been getting sleep himself," Em added.

He saw heads shaking at that. At the time he had needed to know their passengers were fine, even above his own health.

"I slept for a good 12 hours after that. I was incredibly restless after I woke up. There was nothing for me to do. So, I took to making rounds, visiting everyone who was on my lifeboat, sometimes with Uncle John, sometimes without," he explained.

Jessica let out a small yawn. "Did you visit grandma?"

"Of course. Grandma, her daddy, and her Nanna, all become very fond of me, quite quickly." He looked towards his wife just in time to see her roll her eyes.

"It wasn't as quick as you make it seem. Nanna's fondness began when you first bumped into me with your polite response, sending her into a lecture of manners over money." She had been looking at Jess, before he spoke again, looking directly at her.

"That's something that you took to heart."

"Shush you, I'm not finished. Daddy's fondness started when you told him you'd find him and did. Mine started sometime on the lifeboat I'm sure, though Nanna may have planted a seed in the beginning there."

He looked back down at the little girl beside them. "Let's just say as much as I checked on grandma and her family, they checked on me, particularly grandma."

"Was I? I don't think that I was," Emily said with an airy teasingness.

"Mmm, that's not what John would say. Even then he said you were fawning over me, and nothing I said could convince him otherwise. I tried to tell him you were just being friendly, then he used that against me for years," he said.

"If I didn't know the story behind that, I'd exclaim that's where it came from. I might have just slightly, been fawning over you. You did rescue daddy, and made sure I was in the lifeboat," Emily admitted.

"What happened after you left the ship?" Jess yawned again.

"Grandma and I kept in contact by writing letters and visiting. We eventually got married and had your daddy's mom, who grew up to marry your daddy's dad, much to the pleasure of Uncle John. They eventually had your daddy, who married your mom, and they in turn had you."

"Grandma? Can you tell me about after the ship?" Jess asked as she laid her head down on his lap, and he petted her hair.

"Mm, once off, I was talking with granddad before old friends came and scared him off. By the time I could go looking for him again, he had already been taken away to be asked questions about the sinking since he was crew, " Emily said.

Jess let out another little yawn and snuggled further into his lap.

"I met Aunt Ruth for the first time. We sat together waiting for granddad to be returned. I told her my version of events of what had happened while we waited, only to find out that none of the crew were being released anytime soon. My daddy, Nanna and I, didn't go home until granddad could."

"She's asleep now Emily." He said softly.

"Tired from gathering everyone up for story time, I'm sure."

Aaron had gotten up and reached his arms out to his daughter.

"Here granddad, I can take her from you," Lightning said.

"She's fine where she is Aaron, she's not bothering me on my lap. Let her sleep." He waved him away.

"Okay, but if she starts getting too heavy or squirming too much, I can take her."

"I'm old Aaron, not decrepit. Let her cuddle, she's not the first one in this room to have fallen asleep on my lap, and there's very few here that can say that they haven't, you included. Most of those are spouses, and I've even had a few of them fall asleep on me."

"I get it."

"Are you sure?" He raised his eyebrows at him.

"Yes granddad."

"Emily, Jesse, what was it like when you first got married?" Sally asked.

"Hard. It takes a lot of getting used to living with a spouse especially when the two of you come from two very different worlds," he answered.

"I grew up as a high society girl, and never wanted for anything truly until after the Titanic. It was an eye opening experience, which made my life fuller afterwards. Jesse knows this, and it caused a bit of strife before we got married, but if it weren't for that sinking, I might have never looked twice at him."

"The mixing of our two classes didn't happen much in those days. The rich and high society married the rich and high society, and the poor married the poor. First class and third, were a rare combination and at times, the two different lifestyles clashed hard. Abigail was caught in the middle at times and while Nanna and Edward were good at not looking down, the rest of the family before I gained my captaincy, couldn't care less."

"Dad..." Abby said trailing off in slight protest.

"You were dear, and you didn't like your grandmother because you could tell she didn't treat you the same as your cousins," Emily said.

"Mom, I may have been caught, but I did enjoy my childhood. We've quite moved away from Sally's question now, about the beginning of your marriage."

"Mmm, right, I'm getting a bit more scatter brained these days. Well, I didn't know how to do anything besides a little bit of cooking, when we first got married. I was so lost and clueless about my new lifestyle. There were lots of tears in the beginning."

"That took a lot of adjustment for both of us, and arguing," he said.

"We pushed through though. I just kept learning and we started to learn how to compromise with each other."

"You two never seem to argue," Lightning stated.

"We've also been married for 70 years, we're quicker at finding compromises or conceding to each other. We still argue on occasion, but we've always kept a united front in public, we would have been torn apart if we hadn't," Emily explained.

"You've been married, what, five years Aaron?"

"Hey, it's been longer than that granddad, it's been eight." Lightning crossed his arms.

"Sorry, EIGHT years, that's nothing in comparison."

"Lightning, I doubt that there's any way to win what ever you think you're trying to win against your grandparents. They have the experience advantage," said Sally.

"Sal!''

"Shh, don't wake Jess," warned Sally. 

"Fine. Hey granddad, since we're talking about how you and grandma met, would you tell how mom and dad met?" Lightning said with a smirk.

"You just want to torment your dear old dad, don't you son?" said Nick.

"I don't know what you mean dad. Me? Torment you? Nah, I'd never purposefully do that," Lightning said in an exaggerated sarcastic tone.

"Right, because my son's too nice to ever do something like that," Nick replied with equal sarcasm.

"I think your mother would do a better job to tell this story, or even John used to tell it well," he said.

"I'd like to hear your perspective granddad."

"Mmm, lets see then." He closed his eyes thinking back to that particular time. "Your mother was about 18 at the time making your father 21, a medical student. Something John wouldn't stop bragging about. He had a captain as a brother-in-law, and a nephew who was going to be a doctor. Ruth, your mom, and grandma were all on this trip, and it was fairly early on that it became obvious that we had a stowaway on board." At that he couldn't help but glare at said stowaway. Nick looked away sheepishly, good, he deserved to still feel sheepish about that.

"Abigail was the one to spot him and brought him to John," said Emily.

"I just have to make mention that even if I hadn't recognized your name, I would still have recognized Uncle John's influence on you by that bow. Also I know you must have known exactly who I was when I introduced myself, because Uncle John always talked about family," Abigail said.

"I did, I was really hoping you wouldn't know who I was though," s aid Nick.

"Are you two done now? I do believe I was in the middle of telling a story," he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes daddy."

"Yes sir," said Nick sheepishly.

"Good. John in turn brought him to me to be dealt with. He was assigned cleaning duties throughout the ship, and a certain young lady at the time took to following the stowaway around distracting him from what he should have been doing. Abigail coaxed John to give her Nick's address so she could send him letters. And as John so often liked to say, it always starts with letters."

Chapter Text

Lynda had practically raced down with Tex after the race.

She needed to see Strip after his crash, to see that he was alright or that he was going to be.

She did get to talk to him quickly once Lightning finished pushing him off the track and before the medics took over. Once she was confident her husband was coherent and would live, which by what he was saying he was, she moved out of the way for the medics.

Lightning was out of his car when she went over to thank him. He had his helmet off and looked a little shaken from Strip's crash.

"Lightning, I just want to thank you for what you've done, it means a lot." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, not expecting him to understand everything that thank you meant.

"He's going to be alright, is he?"

"He's gonna be just fine."

Tex started walking over after checking on Strip himself, she knew he was going to want to talk to Lightning, so she left the young man and went to see her uncle and the folks from Radiator Springs. Mater saw her first.

"There's Miss Lynda! Hi Lyn."

"Hi Mater, it’s been a while." They hugged, everyone greeted her with enthusiasm and asking if Strip was alright, she told them he was as alright as he could be after a crash like that.

Then there was her uncle.

"Hello Lyn, shouldn't you be over with your husband?" He nodded over to Strip's location.

"Aren't I allowed to come over and say hi to my uncle who's come out of hiding?"

"Well your husband was just in a pretty serious crash."

"And right now the paramedics are looking him over and loading him onto a stretcher to go into the ambulance, I don't want to be in the way. I'm not going to be over here long, I just wanted to see you, since you're here." She put a hand on her hip to make her point.

"Here I am, now why don't you go back over there and phone me once you know just what has happened to him."

"Uncle Jesse!"

"I know, I know, come here." He wrapped his arms around her and she buried her head into his shoulder. "Better?"

"Much, thank you daddy."

"Come now Lyn, dry those eyes," he wiped her tears away. "He's gunna be just fine. There's a lot more protection in those cars now than there was for me."

"I know, and I was talking to him, he says hi by the way and that he promises he didn't try to go out in style."

"Is that what he calls it? I'd keep that classification, secret. Now, go be with your husband. Once you know what hospital they're taking him to, and he gets checked out you can phone and get all caught up."

"Good because I want to know what happened this past week, with how the kid got you to do something mom never could."

He gave her a gentle push towards her husband. "Go, Lyn, we'll catch up in a different setting than beside the track."

"Okay, I'm going but I'm holding you to that."

"I wouldn't expect anything else."

"What was Lynda Weathers over here for?"

"To say hello, get comfort, take your pick."

"Why?"

"What are you? Five? Because her husband just had a fairly serious crash that she watched happen." Doc sighed at the sight of the kid's face.

"She's my niece, rookie."

"Wait! What?! Lynda Weathers, wife to The King, is your niece. What other secrets do you have hidden?"

"I'm sure there's a few of them."

oOo

When he got down to the pits the rookie McQueen was talking with Tex Dinoco, everyone was being held back as the track medics were getting Weathers out of his car and strapped onto a gurney, while Lynda was over talking to her uncle. He watched from the distance for a bit, until Lynda started heading back to her husband who was now secured to the gurney, sitting up right and talking to the press of all things. He always did have a cool head on his shoulders, not one to rile up easily. He didn't want to stop her from going to her husband, so he joined her.

"Uncle Joe, it's been awhile since you've been down here."

"I thought it would be right to come down and check on you and Strip after that race ended like that. Thought I was going to come down to see your uncle anyways."

"I guess there's no real reason to keep calling him Uncle Aaron then, is there?" She smiled ruefully. He smiled back at her shaking his head.

"No, not really; besides, I've known who he was since your wedding and even then it didn't truly surprise me."

"I was horrible at keeping secrets when little, wasn't I?"

"No worse than your brothers, you all had said something that lead to my conclusion to that."

"Thank you for not saying anything."

"It's not my place to say anything about that. I'm sure he had his reasons for wanting to stay out of the spotlight. I have a feeling how he was treated after his crash had part to do with it."

"It did."

They were quiet for a moment, before he spoke again.

"Your father threw a right fit when I let him in."

"I'm sure he did." She said rolling her eyes. They had made it to Strip now.

"How're you doing there son?"

"Well, I've certainly have been better, but I'm a lot better than I could be too."

"That's good to hear. You just had to take a play out of Lynda's uncle's book to make your last race memorable, huh? It would have been memorable enough without you crashing you know?"

"Well, if you're going to go out, might as well do so in style. Not like I crashed on purpose, now did I?"

"That McQueen kid is something else, isn't he?"

"He certainly is, something big happened to him in Radiator Springs, he's not quite the same anymore."

"I think it's obvious, he and dad are good for each other. He got Uncle Jesse to actually come and participate in a race. Not even Aunt Emily could get him near anything race related."

"Lyn, I think we're long over due for a visit to Radiator Springs."

"You're right, we are. Once you're all healed up and cleared for travel, we'll take a road trip."

"That sounds like a wonderful way to kick off retirement."

Joe left Strip and Lynda as they started talking off on a tangent, and made his way over to the Rust-eze tent from one legend to another of mythic qualities.

"Consider me your official welcome back committee. You got a minute to talk?"

"Might as well." Jesse said shrugging.

"Lynda told me about Emily, I was sad to hear that she had passed. Your brother-in-law threw a fit when I let you in."

"I'm sure he did. How long have you known?"

"Lynda's wedding was what cinched it, but I had an inkling of an idea before that. First time I spent anytime with Lyn she kept telling me about you, she had such trouble calling you Aaron at first. She liked hearing that Louise Nash had beat her father in a race."

"She always did liked hearing about Lou."

"Guess I also wanted to say that I never did care about how they handled you not racing anymore. We shouldn't have blindsided you like that. Know that might be a bit late, but it's always bothered me."

"You did your best, I could never fault you for that."

Chapter Text

"...paralyzed... don't believe you'll ever walk again... you'll be in a wheelchair... a lifetime..."

He was sinking.

His life was over.

He could hear the doctor talking. He could see Henry nodding grimly. But all he could focus on was the word paralyzed .

He was paralyzed and they didn't think he'd ever walk again.

He was going to be in a wheelchair for life.

He was done. No more driving, stuck to where a wheelchair could take him.

His future gone in a blink of an eye. There would be no in trying to go back to Piston Cup, he couldn't drive.

He hadn't noticed the doctor leave, or Henry trying to get his attention.

He didn't eat his next couple of meals either. Preferring to sleep as he tried to come to terms of his latest blow.

He was numb to it all.

oOo

It had happened too quickly for him to stop it.

And yet he knew exactly what was happening before he ended up on the floor.

He had been trying to transfer himself over into his wheelchair, when it rolled on him. The breaks hadn't been put on.

He landed on the floor with an uncomfortable thump. The tears came unbidden to his eyes; he held his breath a few seconds to try to stem them. It hadn't hurt, but things like this shouldn't be that hard.

He tried to get into the wheelchair from the floor. Even though he made sure the breaks were put on, the wheelchair still seemed to move too much for him to get up into it.

He thought that maybe trying to get back onto the kitchen chair would be easier. Then if he could get back onto it, he'd be able to transfer himself back into his wheelchair.

After a couple tries of that, he gave up on the kitchen chair and went back to trying to get into the wheelchair. Only for it to still seemingly continue to move on him.

He tried again and again, only pushing the wheelchair closer and closer the wall.

By the time he had gotten it against the wall he was already so tired, frustrated, and embarrassed; not that there was anyone around currently to be embarrassed to by. But he couldn't get into or onto a chair by himself.

He didn't have the strength to even pull himself up to try the wheelchair against the wall. And he could feel another bout of tears starting.

He hated being so helpless.

He missed Ruth.

He couldn't even reach the phone to call Henry for help. Though he did stare at the phone hanging on the wall, at a good height for standing, taunting him from where he was on the floor.

It was pointless; him living here, by himself. He was one person, in a home that used to house five.

And he couldn't even go upstairs.

The tears burned as they fell. He wiped them away. He was so sick and tired of his new way of life.

He wanted his legs back, not the dead weight they had become.

After these tears ended he was able to pull himself over to the couch, but was too tired to try and pull himself up onto it. Instead he pulled off a quilt and pillow and as the tears started again, he allowed himself to cry to sleep.

He didn't know how long he had slept for when he woke up to Henry shaking him.

oXo

He had started to panic when he saw Jesse's wheelchair abandoned, with him nowhere nearby.

That internal panic didn't stop when he found Jesse, on the floor, near the couch. Knowing he would have had to drag himself there, in someway. His brother had obviously made himself as comfortable as he could, having pulled down a pillow and a quilt.

He gently shook his brother awake, calling his name.

The tears started almost immediately as he woke up.

"Let's get you up."

While lifting Jesse onto the couch he couldn't help but think about how light Jesse was and how much that scared him. Jesse seemed to be wasting away. He knew how little his brother was eating, and he didn't like it.

He didn't care what Jesse thought, he was going to hold him for a bit.

He kept his voice soft, vowing to himself to keep in arms reach for as long as Jesse had tears falling. "How long were you down there?"

"I dunno, lost track. I couldn't do it- I couldn't switch chairs. I couldn't get back into or onto any of them."

He let out a heavy sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have stayed away so long."

"No." His brother shook his head.

"You can't, won't, and shouldn't have to always be there to pick me up. I need to learn how to solve that on my own. I'm useless Henry, so useless. I can't do half of what I used to do. Sometimes- sometimes I think I'd have been better off dead. I won't be able to drive. I dunno how I'm gunna get any work, or what kind of work it'd be. I can't do nothing for the rest of my life. But what am I gunna do when my legs don't work? What's the point? I can't-"

"Rest. Heal some more first, and start working on your upper body strength. Then you can start wondering about what you're gunna do for work."

Chapter Text

He cursed when he heard and felt the tire go.

It was much too late to be dealing with such things, it's not like he could easily deal with the tire. He'd have to get out his chair before he could do anything about a spare.

He was too tired to even think about doing so now, as it was surely sometime after midnight.

He was just going to sleep in his car and change the tire in the morning when he noticed the lights of a police car flick on. They pulled up behind him and parked. He rolled down his window to talk with the officer who was coming towards him. "Anything I can do for you officer?"

"More like if I can do anything for you? I stopped because I noticed you on the side of the road, and then saw your flat. You're not going to try and take care of that tonight are you?"

"Nope, I was just about to settle for the night."

"In your car?" The raised eyebrows could be more heard than seen.

"Couldn't exactly get anywhere else."

"I could bring you into town and probably get you set up in the motel for the rest of the night. It'd be more comfortable than your car."

"If there's any steps there, my car is just fine."

"There aren't any steps there."

"I'm fine here, really."

"It can still nip down pretty cold in the desert."

"You're not gunna give up are you?"

"No, you're not even that far out of town."

"You'll have to give me a minute here." He rolled his window up and opened the door.

He pulled out his wheelchair, much to the shock of the officer, and transferred himself over to it. People were always surprised to see he needed a wheelchair after seeing him behind the wheel.

He rolled over to the patrol car and looked back at the officer, "are we going, or not?"

oOo

"We could take daddy's car out to get yours..."

"Only if you're driving."

"I don't know how to drive."

"You don't know how to drive?"

"Daddy doesn't think driving is suitable for young ladies."

"Well, I'll just be wheeling myself out there then."

"But couldn't you just drive out there yourself?"

"Miss Piston, the only reason I'm still able to drive my Hornet, is because my brother rigged me up a system so that I can control everything with my hands. I can't drive any other vehicle unless it's modified in a similar way."

oOo

He wheeled himeslf back to his car with Emily Piston walking beside him.

"Can you change a tire by yourself?" She asked tilting her head.

"I can... it just takes longer. Shouldn't you have considered that before we started out?"

oOo

"You seem like you're pretty good at manoeuvring that chair... How long have you had it for?" Asked the officer who picked him up.

"Not long, but you learn quick when that's your only mode of transportation."

oOo

Everyone knew.

Everyone in town knew who he was now. He wasn't going to be just Jesse anymore.

All due to Alexander Piston, who couldn't keep his mouth shut. Couldn't find it in him to pass up the chance to kick him when he's down. Announcing to the town, that he; Jesse Hudson, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, could no longer walk.

As if that wasn't already obvious.

What he didn't expect was for those in town to rally around him; over Alex, who they would have known longer. Defending him, though they hardly knew him.

"Honey, we can all tell you've had a hard time of it lately. It doesn't matter who you are, he shouldn't be treating you like that sugar. We all come from eccentric backgrounds around here anyway."

Chapter Text

He wasn't happy about having this arrogant kid stuck sulking around town.

If it weren't for Sally, he would have continued throwing him out of town.

The kid was already proving to be more trouble than he was worth. Trying to speed through the road work, creating more of a mess than he had the night before.

He figured he knew a way to put the kid in his place. A race around the Butte.

Kid probably didn't have a clue how to turn on dirt, and that was something he could use to his advantage. He wouldn't even have to try hard. He shouldn't even have to give himself away.

For only the second time since he arrived in Radiator Springs, he issued the challenge of a race around Willie's Butte.

The other having been to Alex, whom he beat. Even paralyzed he was a better driver than his brother-in-law.

Everyone who had been there for his beating Alex, was chattering about how the racer was going to be shown up.

He wasn't going to actually race the kid, he'd let him do all the work himself. He should spin out at the first corner, and if he didn't, well he didn't want the kid here anyway.

He could probably rope Stephen to get his kids to help fix the road or at least recommend someone who could, though Lyn might be better for that. It wasn't time to worry about something that likely wouldn't come to pass.

Michael, Luigi, and Guido had set up a starting line, and it felt much like it had all those years ago when Alex accepted the challenge. At the time, he had tore from the track, leaving his brother-in-law in the dust.

This time, much to everyone's confusion, he didn't leave the start line until after the kid took off. Following leisurely behind, much to everyone's surprise.

He had a pretty good view of the hot rod careening into the tulips, leaving the turn spectacularly unturned, as predicted.

"You drive like you fix roads, lousy."

He finished the farce of a race without going over the speed limit for in town.

Now the kid would be sticking around even longer. He hoped he'd be determined enough to just get to work and be done as quick as he could while doing a good job.

That was dashed when the kid's first fit started. It was going to be a long week.

oOo

He cringed at the clatter of the can he kicked. It sounded like it knocked something over, when it went into the garage. There were do not enter signs smattered across the door, but he couldn't leave it having made a mess. So he went in after seeing no one around. He couldn't tell what, if anything had been knocked over with how full and messy the garage was. "Time to clean out the garage buddy." That's when he caught sight of the gold through the dust, spotting not one, not two, but three Piston Cups, all engraved with the name Jesse Hudson. "Whoa-" The grumpy old wheelchair bound judge and doctor was- "I know you couldn't drive, I didn't know you couldn't read."

"No way, you're Jesse Hudson? The Fabulous Hudson Hornet!?"

"What's it to you?"

oOo

"Did you know Doc's a famous race car driver?" Everyone in the cafe burst into laughter. "It's true! He has three Piston Cups!"

"Course it's true, honey. It's the fact that Jesse thinks that too many of us know already."

"Ay, none of us probably would know if it hadn't been for his brother-in-law absolutely terrorizing him." Ramone said.

oOo

"The wreck left me paralyzed... They didn't do their jobs, and I'm the one who ended up paying for it."

"What you mean?"

" I didn't just lose control of the car, what we found out months later, when my brother started fixing the Hornet up, was a large driftwood log, caught up in the chassis. I've been stuck in a chair for the last 50 odd years, because someone didn't make sure the track was properly groomed and raked."

Chapter Text

Emily felt sick and hadn't stopped crying for more than a few minutes at a time.

For the time being she had been led into a private room so she could make phone calls.

She had talked to Nanna, had told her father what had happened; crying the entire time, and told Flo that she and Jesse likely wouldn't be home for a long time.

She had calmed herself down as much as she could for her next phone call.

She knew she was going to sound like she had just been crying, but she couldn't do anything about that. It was just as likely she'd burst into tears while explaining anyway, if she could even get that far.

She nearly held her breath as she waited for an answer from who she was trying to phone.

"Smokey's Garage, how can I help you?"

She swallowed heavily, before shakily answering.

"Is- is this Henry Hudson?"

"It is."

"I'm sorry to phone you at work. I fear this is a personal call, not a business one. I- I wasn't sure how else to contact you and this seemed like the safest bet. I- I don't know the best way to tell this to you, but- I'm your brother's wife, he's been hit by a drunk driver, they- they don't know if he's going to make it or not, and he's still in surgery yet. I wish I had broken his silence before now. I should have broken his silence for him years ago, instead of only speaking to you for the first time now."

She tried stifling back a sob by bringing her free, trembling hand to her mouth, only for one to escape before she continued on.

"I might lose my husband and he's never even gotten back in touch with you." She had been able to rein her tears back in a touch.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you think you are, but if you think this is some kind of joke, it's not funny. If it's some kind of ploy to get money, it won't work."

Whatever hold she had on her tears broke at his words.

"Please! Don't hang up! It's not some ploy, I have no need for your money and I'm not trying to be cruel. I just think my brother-in-law should know what's happening with his brother."

"Not once have you mentioned who you are."

"Oh... I'm so sorry." She sniffled.

"I'm just so frazzled right now... I'm Emily Hudson, though you'd know me by my maiden name better. Piston, I'm Emily Piston. It- it's just..." her tears were wanting to break through again.

"Jesse is in the hospital again, fighting for his life, and you should know. I've already talked to daddy and he's willing to fly you and you're family out here. I'm sorry. I'm just terrified that I'm going to lose him. He's in surgery right now and the doctors aren't sure if he's going to pull through."

"I'm not sure I'm following right now. You're saying that my brother Jesse Aaron Hudson, married you Emily Piston without the world knowing? And that my missing brother is currently fighting for his life, and is in surgery because of a drunk driver?"

"Yes I know it's hard to believe but it is true. We've kept everything quiet and used his middle name for anything more public like our wedding announcement. He doesn't want to be known."

"This is a lot to take in."

"I know it is, but you deserve to know. Jesse has avoided getting back in touch with you for too long and now he mightn't have the chance to anymore."

oOo

He was in a daze when he got off the phone. He wasn't sure he believed just what he was all told.

It didn't stop his heart from clenching at the news.

Closing up shop was the only thing he felt he could do.

He went through the motions mechanically. If he had closed up properly, he couldn't say.

It was a good thing he knew the route home so well, because he couldn't remember the drive home.

He came in through the back door, as it was closer to the phone. He didn't want Joan to be surprised by the expected phone call.

Joan was already prepping food in the kitchen.

"You're home early. What's wrong? You look dazed?" She put a hand on his cheek after he sat down heavily at the table.

"Where are the kids?"

"They're both at a friends and will be home for supper. Why? What's going on?"

"I..." he sighed. "I got a phone call about Jesse at work. I don't know what to think of it."

He ran a hand through his hair before pinching his nose.

"What were you told about him? Do you know where he is?"

"Sort of?" He looked up at her.

"Apparently he's married, as it was his wife phoning. If it's true... he's in the hospital again. In surgery after having been hit by a drunk driver. They're not sure he's gunna pull through."

"Oh, Henry... Did she give you a name at all?"

He didn't say anything, giving a slow nod of his head.

"Who-?"

"We should be getting a call from his father-in-law, Edward. He's willing to fly us out there, to where he is... If- if she's telling the truth- and this isn't all some elaborate ruse... he married Emily Piston."

oOo

It had been two weeks since Jesse's accident, two terrible weeks without a single response from him.

Not one sign of whether he would wake up or not.

It had been nearly a week since her brother-in-law arrived, not that she had seen him or his family since they got in.

The doctors had limited Jesse to having one visitor at a time currently, because of how severe his injuries were.

Honestly, she was still feeling physically ill from the whole thing. It hadn't tapered off since she was first given the news.

She had thrown up a few times, but she figured that was a given.

She hadn't taken his first accident well either, and they hadn't known each other then. It only made sense that she was taking it harder now that they had been married for years.

She wished she could be with him now, though she knew Henry would be there since she was not.

Instead she was out with her Nanna to have a nice meal.

At least that's what she was supposed to be doing. She was more listlessly playing with her food than eating it.

Of course that meant that the next time she did take a bite Nanna had to say something that nearly made her choke.

"That's it Emily dear, you need to eat. It's not good for you or the baby."

Her jaw nearly dropped open after struggling to swallow.

"Wh-What baby!?" Asking much louder than she intended, drawing some attention from the surrounding tables.

Nanna simply dapped the corners of her mouth with her napkin and smiled knowingly.

"Yours dear."

She started shaking her head lightly.

"No... no, no, no, no. Nanna, this isn't funny. I'm not pregnant. I can't be. Jesse and I can't get pregnant; we were told so... multiple times."

She could feel the tears starting to well up, she looked down at her barely eaten plate to avoid her Nanna's gaze.

"Emily, my dear girl, look up at me."

Nanna had slid her hand across the table to grasp one of hers. She slid her hand out to wipe her tears before looking up at her.

"I know that's what you might have been told my dear, but I have been watching you, and you are most certainly pregnant. You've been getting sick an awful lot lately. You're constantly tired, sensitive to certain foods you never have been before, and I don't think you can blame it all on stress like you have been. Some of those things are not related to extreme stress. Do you need more examples?" Her Nanna raised an eyebrow.

"No, because I'm not pregnant... I can't be..."

Not when it felt like her whole world was falling apart. Not when Jesse possibly wouldn't get to experience it with her.

"And why not?"

If Nanna had been standing she suspected her hands would have been on her hips instead of just her intense stare with her eyebrows raised.

"I don't want to hear an explanation that includes the phrase because we were told so. Now why my dear, do you think that you that you cannot be carrying a little one?"

"We- we lost hope that we will ever become parents... so we stopped trying."

She wiped away the couple of tears that escaped. Nanna's expression softened as she reached across the table to take her hand and give it a squeeze.

"Sweetheart-" Nanna's voice was soft and low. "That just makes it all the more likely. I've been around a long time. I've seen many couples stop trying, only to be surprised by starting to have children. Who's to say this isn't the same my dear?" Nanna patted her hand.

"We'll go and get you tested to be sure."

It was about a week after that meal with Nanna that she found herself waiting in a hospital room that wasn't Jesse's.

Her stomach was churning, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what the results were.

Nanna was still confident that she was pregnant.

She couldn't quite bring herself to believe it. There'd be less disappointment if she didn't get her hopes up.

Her symptoms were stress, literally worried sick about losing Jesse.

The doctor opened the door and sat down on his stool.

"Hello Mrs. Hudson, I'm Dr. Peterson." He offered her his hand, which she shook.

"Hello."

"I was sorry to hear about your husband's accident. The news of it spread throughout the entire hospital that one of our residents, so close to finishing his residency was in such a terrible event."

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"It's time to turn to better news now. Congratulations are in order. You are going to be a mother. You are pregnant."

"What?"

She had to grip where she was sitting and squeezed her eyes shut as her whole world started spinning.

"You are carrying a baby; in a few months, you and your husband will be parents."

With her eyes still closed she nodded in understanding, trying to hold back bile before failing.

As she started to wretch, the doctor gave her a bucket.

Once she was done he took it back from her, giving her a couple tissues to help clean up a little.

He gave her a moment to catch her breath, before going on to explain what she would need to do throughout her pregnancy to keep her and the baby healthy. She just nodded along to his advice, not really hearing it.

A baby.

She was carrying their baby.

Jesse's baby.

A moment the two of them had waited for, for years. One they had been thinking was never going to happen.

She was pregnant. Nanna was right; like she so often was. She was going to have a baby.

They were going to be parents.

Jesse had to wake up now, didn't he?

He had to meet their child. Their little one that they made together.

She had to tell him whether he could hear her or not.

She wanted to tell him so badly, though she knew that she'd be telling Nanna that she was right first.

That could happen after a visit to Jesse though.

oOo

Her brother-in-law and his family had been in town for a couple of weeks.

She hadn't been in Jesse's hospital room with him yet, at least she hadn't been until this point.

It hadn't been quite four weeks since Jesse's accident.

The doctors still weren't sure if he was going to wake up, or if he'd have too much brain damage to do so. It didn't help with his previous injuries being less than 15 years old.

The doctors wouldn't have any accurate way to tell until he woke up- if he woke up. She was the one to break their silence that had fallen over them after they greeted each other.

"Was it-" she licked her lips, "was it anything like this in '54?"

"The waiting is the same; but otherwise, I think this might be worse. You said his broken ribs punctuated a lung and nicked his heart?" She nodded.

"Aorta. They had to remove his spleen, a couple of his vertebrae have hairline fractures, then obviously his arms and legs, not to mention his head..."

He let out his breath noisily.

"Worse."

She pursed her lips to stem tears, changing the subject back to 1954.

"Daddy had been horrified by the fact you had been told to get the Hornet when you were. He had been told by Mr. Moore. I-I had wanted to be at that race, but had been out this direction... I hadn't been able to get a ticket to make it back in time." She paused a moment sniffling a little.

"I hadn't even known about his wreck until the plane landed and I overheard a couple of gentleman talking about it. At first I thought they had meant Alex by the way they were talking... at least until I asked."

She shook her head at the old memories.

"Everyone was in complete shock. I knew it had to be bad with how my brother was acting; though he pretended it didn't shake him as much as it did. It seemed surreal that out of anyone, it was Jesse whom had been in such a horrible wreck." She was staring at her unconscious husband, tears once again welling in her eyes.

"I had never seen the offices so full, and yet so silent."

A couple of tears escaped as she turned to face him again.

"I can't imagine what it would have been like for you at that time. It must have been so hard with having lost your sister the year before."

"It was... I was terrified I was going to lose him too. But look how that turn out. I lost him when he ran. I haven't seen him for years and now I'm back to doing the same vigil again. Terrified I'm gunna lose him permanently. Not getting the chance to talk to him again."

He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that reminded her of Jesse.

"Though one thing that is better is not being constantly asked about if there's any other family that could be contacted. In part to you, I'm sure."

"It helps that that he had been working on his residency here. We're known to some of the doctors and nurses. That he doesn't have much family. You're not going to lose him again."

She reached out and put her hand on his and gave it a squeeze, while sounding determined.

"No matter what happens, we will be staying in touch. Our child deserves to know their uncle and his family."

"You're-"

Her cheeks heated up.

"I- I just found out; I'm not very far along yet... They think I'm about 8 weeks. Other than Nanna; who told me, you're the first I've told. It just slipped out."

He gave her a small smile and a soft congratulations. She felt her throat tightening.

"I hope you hear that Jesse. I need you to wake up so I can tell you the good news. Now your brother can gloat that he knew before you did."

"I had tried to get him to respond like that, so many times, last time. It's never right seeing him like this."

They fell silent for a moment again.

"I'm glad you're here. That you came. I just- I wish I had contacted you before. At least to have invited you to our wedding."

"I know where he is now, that's the important thing. There's no point in worrying about what's done."

She paused a moment before speaking again.

"We didn't invite Alex either."

Henry stared at her pursing his lips until breaking out into laughter.

"I'm sorry." He squeezed out between guffaws.

"It's really not that funny- it's just- that the two- of them- must be- so thrilled, to have the other as a brother-in-law. How can I feel left out knowing that neither of us were invited."

A wry smile bloomed across her face.

"They're not particularly fond of the fact that they are."

"Must make for tense family events."

"They tend to avoid each other. Alex isn't allowed on our property any longer. He doesn't know when to leave things alone."

"I'm afraid that's always been the case with with your brother."

"Unfortunately. I know he's right there, but I miss my husband. Even his complaining."

"He's stubborn. He'll wake up in his own time, ready to complain again."

oOo

He had run into Edward Piston in the hospital halls.

He still found it hard to believe or think about, that Edward was Jesse's father-in-law.

It was easier to think of Jesse being married to Emily without thinking about the family she came from.

Thinking about Jesse and Alex being brothers-in-laws was almost laughable. You chose your spouse but not the family they came from.

Speak of the devil; for all the times he had visited Jesse, he had not seen one hide nor hair of Alex until this point.

It sounded like that was ending today.

He couldn't make out what was being said, but Alex's voice was easy to recognize. It was abruptly interrupted by Emily's.

"I don't WANT to hear about YOUR troubles ! Your divorce is your own fault -" Alex tried saying something again.

"I DON'T CARE! MY husband is here , in the HOSPITAL, fighting for his LIFE! How dare you try and give me false sympathy when I know you could care less about whether Jesse even wakes up or not. Only weeks ago you were calling Jesse's character into question. LEAVE! Leave now Alexander. I don't have the time or energy to put up with you."

He entered the room just in time to see Emily turn away from her brother. He could almost see her trembling.

He cleared his throat causing both Piston siblings to look at him.

Alex glared at him while Emily's expression morphed into relief.

She tucked her head into his shoulder when she came over to hug him. The tears now wetting his shirt would go unmentioned as he glared right back at Alex.

They stayed like that until long after Alex left the room. Occasionally he ran a hand through Emily's hair.

When she finally released him, she went and blew her nose and dried her eyes.

"Let's go for a walk, get you out of that chair I know isn't comfortable."

She gave a nod of agreement, gave Jesse's hand a squeeze before running her hand along his face and giving him a soft kiss on his temple.

His throat tightened at the moment between her and Jesse.

What he wouldn't give to see her with Jesse awake.

They walked through the hospital halls silently until they were outside and entering the nearby park.

"Dare I ask what all that was with your brother?"

She let out an indignant huff, crossing her arms.

"He was trying to claim he was here to be supportive. What he really came to do was complain about his divorce without Jesse being able to do anything about it." She let out a shuttering sigh.

"Jesse had been helping Beatrice with the divorce. He was just trying to protect their kids. Alex hates that Jesse is- was helping with Bea's side of things. Something he made painfully clear to Jesse a few weeks before all of this happened. He claimed that Jesse was a hypocrite, when he's been nothing but true to our vows... even when we thought we'd never become parents. I can't deal with him on top of everything else happening right now. Not when I'm wondering if Jesse is ever going to wake up. If I'm going to get to tell him that we're going to be parents. I don't need his stress on top of mine, particularly since his is self inflicted."

"It's a good thing you don't need him for support then. You've got Joan and I, along with your grandmother and father, not to mention that town of yours and Jesse's."

"Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank, we're family."

She let out a bit of a scoffing laugh.

"Does it say anything about my brother, that though we've only met a few weeks ago, that I'm more comfortable around you?"

"I think anyone is easier to be around than your brother."

She sighed.

"Do you have plans with your father tonight?"

"No. Daddy's heading back east to pick up mom and bring her back. Why?"

"Joan and my kids are in town again and we would love it if you were to join us for supper. Your grandmother is more than welcome to join us as well."

"I would love to. I'm not sure what Nanna's plans are, but I'm sure if she's free she'll join us. I enjoy getting to know your family better."

"And we you."

Chapter Text

She and Jesse had been thrilled when they had Abby after having thought that they would never have a baby of their own.

They loved watching Abby grow up with her cousins. How Stephen and Lynda had essentially adopted Abby as a baby sister instead of a cousin, while Bernard was always the more distant of her brother's children.

Stephen; being the oldest, was the first married between the kids. Lynda was the next one, who married Strip Weathers; whom much to Jesse's chagrin, was a Piston Cup racer. Then their own little Abby met and married Nick McQueen.

Nick had been an EMT on an ambulance when Abby met him. A job he had kept after the two of them had gotten married.

It didn't take long for them to get pregnant after they were married. Welcoming into the world their own little one; a son, Aaron William McQueen. Their pride and joy as he grew into a toddler, whom was full of energy and a right mischief maker.

Then there had been a day where Nick, Abby and Lynda had all gone to the mall; the purpose now long forgotten, as that was the day when Aaron had been taken— presumably.

At some point while the four of them were shopping, Aaron had managed to slip through both his parents' hands and disappear.

Security had been alerted immediately upon realizing what had happened. They called for Aaron over and over again. How could he get far? He wasn't even three yet. The whole mall was scoured top to bottom without luck.

Leaving them to suspect that Aaron had been taken. There was some grainy footage that also seemed to suggested that, but the footage wasn't clear enough to properly confirm that theory.

She and Jesse only learned about this hours later through a phone call with Nick. Abby having been too distraught to explain. Nick himself was struggling to keep himself together enough to explain what had happened.

That Aaron had managed to wriggle away from the three of them and run off ahead before they could do anything. In all of a minute he was gone and they couldn't find him.

The police had been called fairly quickly after the mall security couldn't find anything.

In those following days they plastered Aaron's photo everywhere to try and help with finding him and to get him home. The days turned to weeks without luck, the weeks turned to months and then years.

Nick quit working with the ambulance shortly after Aaron had been taken, to be more present and helpful in the search for his son with Abby.

Abby and Nick then moved closer to the area that Aaron had been taken from, in case he hadn't been taken far.

It not only hurt to not know what happened to her grandson, but to also watch her daughter and son-in-law grieve the loss of their missing son as they tried to find him. They feared the worst, but hoped for the best and that one day, no matter if it was the worst or best option that they'd find him.

…

…

…

Jesse had long claimed that he didn't keep up with Piston Cup. A bald faced lie if she ever saw one. She knew that he followed Strip's career because of Lynda (and probably would have even without Lyn being married to him). So they had been keeping up with Strip's final year of racing before his planned retirement.

She was particularly interested in a certain new rookie this season.

Lightning McQueen had grabbed her attention for more than one reason. The first being his ability to race, reminding her so much of Jesse's appearance on the scene over 50 years ago and the similar splash he had made. The other was his looks.

There were times when she caught sight of him and thought that he was the mirror image of Nick. Other times she swore that Lightning McQueen could be Jesse's twin.

As the season went on, there were times that the rookie shared too much attitude like her brother's. Even Lyn who had seen Lightning around the track in person had noticed some of those traits that Lyn recognized from her father.

Emily never mentioned her thoughts about how she thought Lightning McQueen could be something like she'd think Aaron could be like once he was grown. There had been more than once when they had gotten false alarms about boys who potentially fit Aaron's description, but never ended up being Aaron in the end.

She had also never expected that the rookie would end up racing through town and wreck the road, allowing her to meet him in person either.

Jesse didn't want to have him stay around town, but Sally had everyone convinced that the racer needed to stay and fix his mess.

Which he did, after being challenged to a race that he lost. All because Jesse bet on the rookie not being able to turn on dirt. The stubborn boy then kept trying to figure it out when he wasn't busy working on the road.

Spending more time with him did little to dissuade her of him not being her grandson. If anything it only seemed to give further credence to the thought. Though she still kept it to herself.

She couldn't be happier though that Lightning ended up getting Jesse to stop hiding when he became Lightning's crew chief. The two of them made a good team, grandson or not.

For as rough a start the two had had, they had won each other's hearts. Slowly Lightning was opening up to them. They learned that Lightning had no father figure in his life and that he wouldn't speak about his mom for some reason.

Jesse had managed to get it out of Lightning that he currently only went by his stage name, he hated his given name with a passion. So much so, that he wouldn't give it to them.

Then there was a day where she noticed that Lightning was isolating himself. He turned down time with Sally, and sat by himself in Flo's. Something was clearly wrong.

"Lightning? Is something wrong? You seem upset and distracted," she asked as she sat beside him.

"No… yes… I don't know… my— mother— figure, just tried to reach out to me after a year or so of not talking…" he ran a hand through his hair in a motion so reminiscent of Jesse when he was in distress.

"Why don't you explain to me what's happening?"

"I had a really good relationship with her growing up… at least until she got sick. She was really sick for a few years; cancer, and neither of us thought that she was going to pull through. But she did. When she thought she was going to die, she told me something that I hadn't been aware of. She wasn't my mom. It wasn't even that she adopted me and kept it secret for years. She literally kidnapped me as a toddler and raised me as her dead son. I guess she told me so that when she died, I could have gone looking for my birth family so that I wouldn't be alone." He ran his hand through his hair again. "She didn't die though and it's almost like she expected things to go back to normal after that. How could she have done that to me? To whoever my real family is? How can she ever expect things to go back to normal when I know that she kidnapped me, because her birth son died with her husband in a car accident? She took me from my family and they probably think I'm dead."

"Oh sweetheart, you've been living with this all by yourself since you learned that, haven't you."

He wouldn't look at her, looking down and gave a stiff nod.

"Perhaps Jesse and I can help you find your birth family. You might be surprised by what can be done for that."

"Really?" he asked.

"Really."

"Thanks…. I didn't and don't even really know how to start looking for my birth family."

"There's the missing kids data base, and incredible things are starting to be done with DNA these days. Even if we knew where your… mother figure kidnapped you from could help, and perhaps the name she was calling you?"

"I don't want to use the dead kid's name."

"We won't be using it. You'll always be Lightning to us first and foremost. But knowing it could help track down where you were in those early years."

He nodded in understanding.

"M— I don't know what to call her anymore. She was all I knew as mom, but she kidnapped me… I don't think I could call her Mrs. Redmond either though…"

"What about just her first name?"

"Catherine? Maybe…"

"Now, what name did Catherine call you?" she asked.

"Monty… or Montgomery Redmond… even as a kid it never really felt like mine. At least Lightning McQueen does."

"Let me guess, McQueen comes from Steve McQueen?" she asked playfully.

"In part, I've always been drawn to the name…. I actually didn't even think about the Steve McQueen until after I chose McQueen. Thought that it sounded good with Lightning. Can we keep this just between us for now? I'm not really ready for others to know yet."

"Of course sweetheart. Do you want Jesse to know, or not yet as well?"

"Not yet… we're still getting used to each other still."

"Alright. Now, do you know where you were kidnapped from?"

"M- Catherine said that it was some mall somewhere, but she doesn't remember where because she had been moving around a lot at that time."

Her heart jumped into her throat. Aaron had been kidnapped from a mall, just like Lightning apparently had been.

"I don't remember it at all. I had to be pretty young….. I don't even know how old I actually am… what my actual birthday is…. My birthday was always celebrated on her dead son's…"

"Lightning," she put her hand on his, "we'll figure it out. It will just take some time. We'll get a DNA sample from you and send it to where it needs to go. Hmm? And no matter what, you'll still have us."

She got a head nod and a quiet thanks in return.

An hour later, she couldn't tell that he had been moping. He was back to his energetic and excitable self. But what she had just learned, further cemented her own ideas. She needed to test her suspicions. But she also needed to be reasonable. Surely there were lots of kids taken from malls. She was probably reading too much into it all. Jesse definitely wouldn't believe her, and she didn't want to get Abby and Nick's hopes up if she was wrong. No, this all had to be kept to herself and away from Lightning. She didn't want to get his hopes up either.

…

…

…

She finished getting Lightning to finish swapping his the inside of his cheek and spitting into the tube before securing closed the lid.

"And there we go, that's all there is to it. Now we send it off and wait for a few months or longer to see if any matches come up. You're going to have to be prepared that you might not get an answer for years, if there's no matches right away…" she told Lightning.

"Thanks… how do you know about all of this?"

"This unfortunately isn't the first time I've helped with something like this."

"Oh. What happened that time?" he asked.

"Nothing. There weren't any immediate matches…"

"Do you really think that I can find my family?" asked Lightning.

"I hope so."

"Do you think that they'll think that I'm dead?"

"No, I think that it'll have been something that was considered, but they'll have been hoping with all their hearts that you are alive and safe and that they'll find you one day."

…

…

…

She couldn't continue to keep this to herself, but knew Jesse still wasn't ready to accept her theory. As much as he had come around to the boy. She also didn't want to get Lightning's or her kids' hopes up with it. There was only one confidant that she'd trust with such a thing. How she wished Nanna was still around sometimes. She entered the V8 and went to what was her spot at the counter.

"Hey there sugar, is something wrong?" Flo asked.

"No… there's nothing particularly wrong… just- …Do you have a moment to chat alone?"

"Of course sugar, what's going on?"

"There's something that I've been thinking about… and it's in relation to something that I've helped Lightning with. It's something that needs to be kept quiet about for now. Lightning doesn't want it spread yet… and I'm trying to keep expectations low," she said

"Oh? What about honey?"

"Lightning confided to me that he was raised by a woman who kidnapped him as a toddler. He wants to find his biological family, so I helped him take a DNA test and sent it off for testing. Only I think there's a possibility that Jesse and I are family. I can't bring my suspicions to Jesse yet, he won't want to hear it. I can't risk getting Abby and Nick's hopes up, even though I see so much of them in Lightning. I definitely don't want to get Lightning's hopes up that he might be related… we've already been through this song and dance before and it turned out not to be Aaron…"

"Come here sugar." Flo gave her a great big hug. "I can see your dilemma with all that. I'm always here for you sugar, no matter what. I'll be praying for y'all until word's received."

"Thank you…"

…

…

…

***Months later ***

"Emily! Something came! I might have an answer!" Lightning exclaimed as he raced over to the booth where she and Jesse were sitting.

"What's this about?" Jesse asked.

"My DNA test that Emily helped me with, because I was kidnapped as a child and raised by a woman who wasn't actually my mom," Lightning answered nearly breathless.

"How am I just finding out about this now?" Jesse asked eyebrows raised.

"I didn't really want to spread that I had grown up as a kidnapping victim and didn't know it, but now I could know my family! Surely that wouldn't send anything if they didn't have an answer, right?"

"You won't know for sure until you open it," Emily said.

Lightning nodded and then carefully opened the envelope and started reading what it said.

"They did it… I know who my family is now. A Nicolas and Abigail McQueen… hey! I'm actually a McQueen, not just a stage name… maybe that's why I liked it so much, because subconsciously I recognized it. This says that they also were sent my information…. Do I reach out to them… or… wait for them to try and reach out to me…? I wonder what they're like? Do you think that they'll like me?"

"Like you kid? They're going to love you," Doc said assuredly.

"That certain Doc?"

"Lightning… he knows because Abigail is our daughter. You're our Aaron William McQueen," Emily explained.

"Wait… What?" Lightning blinked at them.

"Our grandson was kidnapped from a mall when he was two, right from under Nick and Abby's noses after he escaped from their grasp. And that DNA test proves that you're our grandson Aaron," Emily said softly

"I'm your grandson?"

"It appears like it," said Doc matter of factly.

Lightning started to sway.

"Sit down kiddo, before you faint or collapse," advised Doc.

Lightning nodded and nearly collapsed into the booth beside Emily who immediately pulled him close, having him lean into her as she brushed her hand through his hair, pulling it off his face.

"I'm so glad that we found each other again. We'll have to get Abby and Nick out here as soon as we can. They'll want to see you in person. Our Aaron. I suspected that you might be, but I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up."

"Em!" exclaimed Doc.

"You wouldn't listen to me when all you thought of him was an arrogant hot shot rookie racer, so I didn't try, beyond noting how much he seemed like certain family members."

"Humph… you're probably right. Sorry kid."

"Well… at least when I called you grandpa, I was actually right then… even though it was rude."

Doc rolled his eyes at Lightning's observation.

"At least you come by your attitude naturally, Jesse is the king of being sulky," Emily said.

Both looked to take offence at the sulky comment.

"Okay, but what do I call you both now? It feels weird knowing that you're my grandparents, but to continue to call you Doc and Emily."

"It's up to you." Doc said with a shrug.

"So I could call you gramps then?" Lightning asked with a smirk growing into a grin.

Doc scoffed. "Let's try something more along the lines of granddad."

"Granddad Doc, I like it. What about you, grandma? What should I call you?"

"I always called my own grandmother Nanna."

"I can't see me calling you that… but what about Nan?"

"I think that sounds wonderful." She said, giving Lightning's arm a squeeze.

"Granddad and Nan, my very own set of grandparents. Do- are my dad's parents alive still?"

She made a face. "They are, but your father and them aren't particularly close. They haven't been particularly supportive over the years. They've always been rather— distant."

"…. Do you guys really think that they'll like me?" Lightning asked.

"Yes. If we like you, they definitely will. Promise," said Emily.

…

…

…

Lightning was pacing around. He'd sit down on the couch for maybe a minute before he'd be right back up and pacing again.

"Sit down rookie, you're making me dizzy with your pacing. You're going to be fine," Doc reassured.

"I just want them to like me."

"They will sweetheart. They are so excited to see you again and meet who you've become. Abby told me that she's gone through every interview of yours that she could find, just so she could look at you and hear your voice. Which Nick has been enjoying just as much. I would also say that they're just as nervous about if you'll like them as you are about them liking you," Emily said.

…

…

…

Abby grabbed Nick's hand as they entered her parents' place. They were finally going to see their baby boy after 20 years. She nearly lost her breath upon seeing him for the first time.

"Oh Aaron, you're so big— the last time we saw you, you were still so little," she said, trying to hold back tears at seeing her son, standing between his grandparents.

"Mom…? Dad…?" Aaron asked unsure. But soon the three of them were all hugging each other. Not one of them wanted to let go of each other.

"Does Lyn know that we've found him?" asked Nick, which she was grateful for. She had almost forgotten.

"No, we haven't told her yet. Thought that the two of you might want to do that," her dad said.

"Who's Lyn?" Aaron asked.

"Lynda Weathers, one of my cousins, practically a sister. She was with us at the mall when you were taken," she said.

"Like Mr. The King's wife?" Aaron asked dumbfounded.

She let out a laugh, "yes, Strip's wife. He's essentially your uncle."

"I'm just constantly learning something new since I've arrived in Radiator Springs. Also, you guys have much better taste in names. Aaron William McQueen is so much better than Montgomery Redmond, or going by Monty."

Nick broke out into a big grin upon hearing such. "Good to hear, since you're named after my grandfather William, and your granddad over there."

"Really?" asked Aaron.

"Really kid, I'm Jesse Aaron, so they used my middle name for your first name."

"Well now I like it even more. I know that I have been going by Lightning, but I'd really like to get used to being called Aaron. Since it's my name, I'd like to actually use it and get used to it."

"We can do that," her mom said.

Aaron smiled at them all.

"I have so many questions for you guys, I want to know everything that I would have learned about you while growing up."

"We want the same. We want to know all about you," she said smiling.

"Well, I've always liked racing… and have had a particular interest in granddad's racing career since I was little."

"Oh good, that hasn't changed," she said.

"What'd you mean?" Aaron asked.

"Granddad, was always one of your favourite people, even as a two year old," Nick explained.

"Huh… is that part of why you were so crabby when I wrecked the road?" Aaron asked at her dad.

"Why? Because you were a similar age and looked like what my grandson could? Sorry kiddo, it was mostly that you destroyed the town and that you're a racer, more than anything lost grandson related. As Em said, I wasn't willing to even consider or think of the fact that you potentially reminded me of my missing grandson, let alone the fact that you are him."

…

…

….

"Hey McQueen! What's this rumour we've been hearing about a name change?" Bobby asked as he, Cal and Junior came up to him.

"What've you heard?" he asked, not looking up from checking over his gear that he'd be putting on soon.

"Nobody's really sure, they just say that you've needed to get paperwork redone for Piston Cup. So what's that about?" asked Junior.

"It's sort of a name change, but also not. I've semi-recently learned that my legal name wasn't actually my legal name due to reasons. So with Doc and Sally's help I'm getting that all sorted out."

"What? Your legal name wasn't actually your legal name? How does that happen?" asked Bobby.

"It happens when your mother isn't who you think she is," he said matter of fact.

"Is it really so bad that you're being especially cryptic about it?" Cal asked.

"Yes, I'm actually trying to still come to terms with it all. Good news though, my last name actually is McQueen. And Doc just so happens to be my grandfather."

"Wait, what? You can't just slip that in there. Doc- your crew chief- Jesse Hudson, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, is your grandfather?" an incredulous Bobby asked.

"Yep. Fairly recent discovery for us both. One neither of us really saw coming, though my Nan; Emily, had her suspicions. Oh, and she's a Piston…"

"Like a Piston Cup, Piston?" Junior asked clarifying.

"Yep. She's Lynda Weather's aunt. My mom's cousin who's practically a sister to her."

"You're related to my Aunt Lynda?!" Cal said.

"Apparently so. Like I said, it's all rather new to have extended family. Though my parents said that I can call her Aunt Lynda, especially since she had been with my parents when I had been kidnapped initially. So you can see why I don't really want it spread around."

"McQueen, your life is wild," said Bobby

"So what is your name then?" asked Cal.

"Aaron Willam, after my granddad and my dad's grandfather. It's so much better than what Catherine called me. Which I'm not telling anyone. I'm going strictly by Aaron, Lightning or McQueen. And I really want to get used to being called Aaron when I'm away from the track, for my family's sake."