Chapter Text
The crisp smell of the breeze filled the town. The kind that felt crisp and invigorating against Lightning’s skin. It was Tuesday afternoon when Lightning beamed across town, walking towards Doc’s old garage. He carried an empty cardboard box that Doc had requested him to bring in.
“Doc I’m back with the box,” Lightning said. Doc looked up and gave him a small smile.
Lightning dropped the box on the floor, causing it to make somewhat of a loud noise.
“Careful,” Doc muttered, as he put old records in a crate. He dusted them off with a rag, and gently placed them neatly inside.
“It’s just a box. No feelings,”
“Well, obviously not. You wouldn’t want to go back and get me another one if a dent was created on that one, would you?” Lightning opened his mouth to respond, but Doc quickly shushed him. “Exactly rookie. Know you too well, don’t I? You’d find a way to ruin the other box as well,”
Lightning chuckled, as he sat beside Doc, leaning on the wall. Most of the clutter was cleared away, making enough space for him to sit comfortably. The windows were still dusty, with a few spiderwebs growing on the glass stretching to the ceiling. The walls were a boring gray, showing patches where the wood had started to rot and peel. It was all the act of Flo to convince Doc to finally clean his garage. Both Lightning and Doc managed to shove everything to one side, as they slowly got rid of stuff. Doc had spent his time building some shelves to put his trophies on, and a bookshelf to put random albums and trinkets inside.
“You know, Lightning,” Doc began, his voice thoughtful, “you should really take a look at some of this stuff. It might be worth holding onto.”
Lightning raised an eyebrow. “What, you mean your ancient records?”
Doc chuckled, but there was a seriousness in his tone. “Not just the records. I’ve got tools in here that could help you out down the road. You know, things that might come in handy someday.”
Lightning shrugged, trying to brush off the weight of Doc's words. “Sure, but I don’t think I need your old junk to fix my car. I can barely remember how to change a tire,”
Doc waved a hand dismissively, but there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes. “You’re going to need more than that, kid. Life has a funny way of catching up with you. One day, you might want to remember where you came from, and who helped you get here.”
“Doc, you hear what you’re saying right? You aren’t going anywhere,”
Doc laughed, “It’s hard to get rid of me, isn’t it? Let’s just say I’ve had my share of close calls, but you know, I always bounce back,”
Lightning frowned. He looked at Doc but didn’t say anything. He uncomfortably stood up and walked over to a box on top of the work table. A bunch of photo albums and yearbooks were inside. He flipped through the yearbook, chuckling when he saw Doc’s senior year picture.
“Class of 1948 is crazy. I graduated in 2001. That’s already old,”
Doc scoffed, “What’s with you calling me old,”
“It’s weird. Heck, my mother wasn’t even born when you graduated,”
Doc did not reply, but only rolled his eyes. Lightning continued to scavenge through the box. Once he reached the bottom, a dusty leather box sat at the very bottom. His hand reached for it, carefully opening it to see it’s inside. A silver signet ring lay loosely in the box. The ring tightly held a grey stone on top, still displaying a shine despite its dull color.
“What’s this?” Lightning asked, not taking his eyes off the shiny band of silver in front of him.
Doc shifted his body to look at what Lightning was holding. He squinted and realized what it was. It was a piece of jewelry he had not seen in years.
“It’s a ring my father gave me a long time ago,” Doc stood up, and raised the crate of records to sit beside the box Lightning had looked through. “Nice, isn’t it?”
Lightning smiled at him and returned him the box, “Why aren’t you wearing it then if it’s your father's?”
Doc sighed as he leaned against the heavy box, crossing his arms, “Last time I wore this was back in 84. My father’s death took a toll on me. Although sometimes he was distant following my parent's divorce, I still valued him a lot. He gave me this ring when I turned 20, which was ironically the same year I won my first Piston Cup.”
“He probably knew,”
Doc laughed, “Probably, I don’t know. My father was a nice man. He cared about me and my sister. Although he did not like crossing paths with my mother.” Both men laughed, “This ring belonged to him before me. I always wore it. Until he passed. I could not have a reminder of my father pinned on my finger. It was too much for me. It reminded me of my regret for not being there with him on his final days. I stored it away ever since,”
Lightning looked at him, with empathy, “I’m sorry about that. I’m sure he’d be happy for you to wear it again. He would definitely be pissed if he saw that this ring is just collecting dust,”
Doc chuckled, “Needs a finger doesn’t it?”
“I guess,”
“Then it’s yours,” Doc gently placed the leather box on Lightning’s palm. He looked at him confused.
“Why-?”
“It’s only right. I don’t wear it, and you are right about what you said.”
Lightning frowned. He opened his mouth to speak, but Doc quickly interrupted him, “I know it’s a lot but I think you should really have it. My father would’ve wanted it,”
“Your father doesn’t know me,”
Doc stared at him, deep in thought. He spoke, not replying to his statement, “You know, back when I was your age, I asked my father jokingly if I would give it to my son after.” He paused. “I am fulfilling my father’s act, Lightning. I am giving this ring to my son.”
A small smile crept on Lightning’s face. Without any words said, he reached over to hug the man he considered his father. Doc held Lightning tightly, blinking his tears away. Doc knew Lightning didn’t know about father’s love growing up. He knew the young boy lacked that love as a kid. But now he was so sure Lightning knew about it now.
“Lightning, I want you to know how proud I am to call you my son. You’ve brought a light back into my life I thought was lost forever. When my father passed away, I thought I would’ve never gotten out of the pothole of depression. Little did I know, that same year, the one who would heal me had just come into the world.”
Lightning clung to the words, absorbing the weight of Doc’s past pain and the love that had grown from it. To him, Doc meant everything. He treated him like he had always wished to be treated when he was a small boy.
Lightning let go and Doc’s hand rested on Lightning’s shoulder, his eyes gleaming with quiet pride. He smiled and gently patted Lightning’s cheek before placing it back on his shoulder. Even if he was not present in Lightning’s childhood, he still managed to see his growth. From a lost teenage boy to a successful young man.
“Lightning…” Doc started, “There will be a time when I won’t be here. But I want you to know, that you will be the one continuing my legacy. Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve stood for, will live on through you. This town will be yours. You’ll be the one to carry our town, okay? You promise me that?” He swallowed his tears.
Lightning’s face slowly turned into a frown. He nodded, “Yes I promise…but, why are you saying this? You aren’t going anywhere are you?”
Doc gave him a small smile, “No one knows, Lightning.”
Once the words slipped out of his mouth, Lightning let out a small cry, and hugged the older man again. Why was he saying this? He wasn’t supposed to leave. His spot was to remain by Lightning’s side. Lightning knew he wouldn’t let him leave. He couldn’t. If he did, what would he do with himself then? The thought of losing him felt like the ground slipping away, leaving him unsteady and hollow.
“Doc, don’t talk like that,” Lightning murmured, his voice choked. “You’re not going anywhere, okay? You can’t. Not yet.”
“Life doesn’t always let us choose, kid,” he said softly, his voice warm and reassuring.
Lightning gripped him tighter, his heart pounding. He couldn’t imagine a life where Doc’s steady presence was just a memory, where he’d have to navigate alone. He was the one who guided him to the right path. Always.
After being held by a warm presence, Lightning let go once again and wiped his tears. He sniffed, as he opened the box once again. He was greeted by the same shine as before.
“Try it on,”
“Imagine it doesn’t fit,” Lightning joked, as he took the ring out.
He slid it onto his finger, feeling the cool band settle against his skin. The ring was cold and shiny, with a black onyx stone clinging to the silver band. It felt strange, almost too big, but as he looked down at it, something clicked inside him. A sense of belonging and responsibility that he hadn’t expected. Failing was no longer a choice; he had a new responsibility to carry.
“Looks like it fits just fine,” Doc said quietly. “That ring has seen a lot of road, and it’ll see a lot more with you.”
“Will I give it to my son after?” Lightning chuckled, as he twisted the ring on his finger with his free hand.
Warmth filled Doc. The same question he jokingly asked his father was the same question his own son was asking him now.
“Of course. You will have a son who you will raise with dignity. You will teach him what I’ve taught you.”
Lightning smiled and looked down at the ring. “Thank you, Doc. Everything means a lot to me.”
Doc nodded, “You’ve earned it.” He then patted Lightning’s back before he turned to label the box, “And you best not lose that ring, you got it?”
“What? I would never. Don’t you think that’s something you should’ve told yourself before? This ring hasn’t seen daylight in years because someone probably lost it.”
“Did not,”
“So you knew it was in this box all along?” Doc didn’t respond. He paused and sighed, “Exactly!”
….
4 days later
It was midday. A very breezy midday. He walked into the home he and Sally shared after dropping something off to Mater. Lightning stumbled down the living room where he found Sally sitting on the couch as she watched her show while crocheting a blanket. Her hair was pinned up into a ponytail with her bangs falling on the sides of her face. Lightning approached her from behind the couch, placing a small kiss on her left temple. He then walked around and sat beside her.
“Wondering where you were, Stickers,” Sally said, as her fingers moved nimbly.
“Mater had asked me to bring in some tools he needed for something. Was planning on returning quickly, but you know me and Mater. Always laughing about some random shit,”
Sally smiled, “Figured.”
She continued to crochet, adding more yarn. The blanket was connecting squares that contained designs that Sally had taken her time to do. She wasn’t even halfway done. It was already November and she had started in early October. As she continued, Lightning stared. Her hands were in hard work, but she still made it seem so elegant.
“You know, I’ve always admired how you can turn a bunch of yarn into something so beautiful,” He paused, as Sally nodded, “How’d you learn?”
Sally looked at him, still not losing her pace, “My grandmother. She always crocheted and she taught me as well.”
Lightning nodded.
“It was a hobby I picked up. Always have done it. High school, college, anytime really.” Her fingers continued to prance. “I remember, before my grandmother passed, she had given me her blanket to continue. I was planning on finishing and surprising her with it for Christmas, but she fell asleep too soon,”
“Actually?”
Sally nodded. She let go of the blanket and reached for the bottled water next to her. “I did not recover. I still have it to this day,”
“I’m sure she would be very happy with how it turned out,”
“Thanks,” she said softly, her gaze drifting back to the blanket.
They sat there quietly. The only thing running was Sally’s show taking over the silence of the house. Lightning began to feel uneasy, a nagging sensation in his gut that something was off.
“What was the last thing your grandmother told you…before she passed?” he asked, the words slipping out before he could second-guess himself. He was surprised by his own vulnerability, but he needed to anchor himself in something meaningful.
Sally paused, slowly decreasing the pace of her fingers. She looked up to the ceiling, deep in thought, “It was a long time ago, I was 14. I remember I saw her in early December, two weeks before her passing. We were gathered at her house with my grandfather, and she had asked me if she could plait my hair. I remember we were just joking around, talking about how we would soon go to New York to spend Christmas with my uncle, how much I hated my English teacher, and that I wished to get a new Walkman since mine was already long dead.”
“That was probably an interesting conversation. It’s always the English teachers, I swear,”
Sally laughed, “Yeah she sucked and my grandma heard all my rantings about her,” She paused and looked down at her hands, “That same day, she had given me this porcelain swan figurine. It was a decent size. About this big,” Sally motioned with her hands on how tall the figurine was, “My grandmother adored swans. She loved Swan Lake. It would make sense cause she used to be a dancer herself. When she gifted me her figurine, we were both in her big room. She then had told me how much she loved the figurine that my grandfather had gifted her, and wanted me to take it. She said I reminded her of herself at my age—full of dreams and potential. She told me I was going to grow into a beautiful and successful young lady, just like my mother,”
Lightning smiled, “She did not lie,” Sally looked up at Lightning’s admirable eyes. A sincere smile grew on her face.
“I remember her exact words, actually. ‘You’ll dance through life just as I did, and everything you’ve ever dreamed of will be yours’.” Sally’s voice went soft. She stared at her work below her, tracing the yarn with her fingers.
“I never missed whatever words she said to me. She always carried her words with wisdom,” She sighed and looked at the TV, “You never miss those types of words, Lightning.”
Lightning’s face slowly dropped, as he nodded. His heart raced as a sudden realization hit him. Doc had shared similar sentiments just days ago, those words of pride and encouragement echoing in his mind.
"Doc said something like that to me too," he murmured, the weight of it settling heavily. “He told me how proud he was to call me his son, how I was meant to carry on his legacy.”
“That’s beautiful. You’ve always admired him,”
“Yeah,” An unsettling feeling washed over him. Dread crept into his heart, and he could sense something was off. Why was he thinking about that now? “Do you think it means something?”
“Stop thinking that Lightning. Doc’s strong and will get through whatever the world gives him,”
“I guess.” He licked his bottom lip and sighed, “I had a dream about him,”
Sally quickly looked at him, “About what?”
He rubbed his forehead, “It’s vivid. I just…I…it took place at his garage. I was crying? I remember his garage was empty and I was just crying on the floor. I couldn’t get out. It felt like the walls were closing in on me like the weight of everything was pressing down. I wanted to move, but I was stuck. I remember hearing his voice and saying he was right there, but I couldn’t see. What terrified me was that in my dream I reached out but my hand started to cramp. I woke up to my hand falling asleep,”
“Your hand?”
“Yes, my hand. It was that weird tugging sensation you always get,”
Sally looked at him worried, “Maybe you’re just stressed. You’ve been so on edge lately. It’s probably nothing.”
“But it felt real Sal,”
“Stop saying that,”
Lightning did not bother to respond but just looked straight into her eyes. They both had worried expressions plastered on their faces. Lighting sighed.
“Doc’s fine, Stickers,”
If only it was that easy to believe. He sighed and stood up. He needed to ease himself, “I’ll get something to eat,”
They both were left in their own places. Sally felt a tug in her heart. Everything was fine.
Or so she thought.
An hour later, a frantic knock pounded against the door. Sally quickly ran towards it, feeling uneasy. She responded.
“Yes?” It was Flo in front of her. A worried expression was all over her features. Sally could tell that the woman was crying, dry tear streaks along her cheek, “Flo?”
“Where’s Lightning?”
Sally hesitantly pointed back behind her, “He’s in the kitchen. Why?”
Flo shook her head and hugged Sally. The sudden touch alerted Sally. She knew something was wrong. All her fears rushed through her body and the worst possible thought pressed itself into her head.
“Flo, tell me, what’s wrong?”
The woman struggled to tell. She hugged Sally tighter and looked up as if trying to not let her tears fall. While Flo, contained her tears, Lightning peaked through the living room, and saw a distressed Flo. His eyebrows furrowed, and he quickly set his bowl of food on the table.
“What is it, Flo?”
He got the woman's attention. She stared into the young man's eyes, knowing he did not know the truth. With her words, she knew his life would forever be twisted.
“Flo, please! What is it?”
No words lurked out. She looked down to the floor, fingertips on her lips. She caught her breath and looked at the pair in front of her, “It’s Doc, he…” The emotions were winning her. Before she could speak, Lightning shook his head. He looked up in the distance and saw Doc’s door wide open. He squeezed beside the two women and increased his speed to his father's home.
His worst fear was coming true. Every step he took, he prayed he would wake up. He prayed that Doc was fine and that nothing was real. He hoped that his leg would fall asleep and that he would soon wake up from this horrible dream.
That all went down when he saw Ramone coming out of the house, in tears. He slowly closed the door behind him. He and Lightning stood face to face as realization slowly started growing into his fast-beating heart.
“It’s a lie, right? All this..is a lie?”
“Lightning….”
His eyes grew wide, “No.” His ‘no’ seemed so firm. So sure. He knew Doc was well behind the door, “No…he’s fine.” When Ramone shook his head, tears started to flow into his eyes. He began to quiver, “He isn’t gone!”
Lightning’s yell did not prevent Ramone from stopping him. He let him enter the house.
Regret built itself into his body as Lightning’s long shouts and cries were heard throughout the town.