Archive of Our Own ^beta

Radiator Springs had once upon a time been a place he never wanted to return to. Now? Now it was his home. Lightning went from hating it's very existence to missing it when he was out traveling. It helped that his family, the one that found him, called Radiator Springs their home too.

An old beat up tow truck puttered up to his home. Lightning grinned.

“Mater!” He called.

His best bud pulled up and cranked the window down, “Hop on in McQueen! There's somethin’ ya just gotta see!”

Lightning by now was mostly used to the adventures Mater loved to take him on. Not waiting any time he hauled himself up and into the old passenger seat of the tow truck. Lightning once asked Mater why he didn't trade out the old tow truck for something newer. Mater certainly wasn't poor, with him being one of the few townsfolk who had a stable job. Surely if he traded the old beater of a truck he could get something a little nicer. That said, Mater had given him a simple answer. ‘Aw shucks McQueen, they jus’ don't make ‘em like this no more! I'd never give her up!’ Lightning had chuckled and accepted it. He couldn't fault Mater for the truth.

Mater's driving was a whole different matter…

Lightning desperately gripped the seat as Mater all but jumped a slight hill in the road. A quick glance out of the window told him they were heading into town.

“Hey uh, Mater?” Lightning started.

Mater looked over to him straight up ignoring the road, “Yeah?”

“Oh for the love- the road Mater!” Lightning yelped as Mater swerved onto his side of the road to avoid a car.

Mater scoffed, “Don't you worry, I got it all under control. Now, what did ya need?”

Lightning tried to relax his grip on the seat, “Well, I guess I'm just wondering what you wanted to show me?”

Mater lit up, “That's a surprise! You'll jus’ have ta’ see when we get there!”

He nodded, “Okay… but where's ‘there’?”

Mater pulled into an old dirt and stone drive. At the end was a farmhouse that had likely never been renovated since the day it was built. The occupant in question liked it that way. He also liked his privacy.

Lightning nervously nudged his friend, “Mater I don't think we should-”

Mater shushed him, “It'll be jus’ fine, c'mon!”

Reluctantly, Lightning got out and followed Mater up onto the porch and to the front door. He fidgeted nervously as Mater, without a care in the world, pulled the screen door open then knocked on the door itself. Five quick knocks then Mater turned to Lightning giving him a toothy grin and a thumbs up. Whatever had Mater in such a good mood Lightning didn't know but he wanted some of the enthusiasm himself. Heavy footsteps came to the door and it swung open.

Doc Hudson stared at them unimpressed, “What're you boys doing out here?”

Nevermind the fact that both of them were in their twenties, Lightning looked to Mater desperately. Mater grinned.

“Heya Doc! Heard your niece was in town ‘n wanted ta’ introduce McQueen to her ‘n such!” Mater said cheerfully.

At that Lightning looked curiously to Doc. Doc never mentioned having any family let alone a niece. Lightning wondered what she was like. He could easily imagine Doc with a young girl by his side, going on a drive in the Hornet or sitting down at Flo's Diner on a Sunday morning for some pancakes. Lightning was expecting Doc to turn them down. However…

Doc huffed, “Mater another time maybe-”

“Uncle! You didn't tell me we had visitors, don't make them stand out there!” called a young woman's voice from inside the house.

Doc closed his eyes and sighed as he stepped back and opened the door to them. Lightning felt a little weird going into Doc's house however Mater held no reservations and went on in. Doc led them to a small dining room table that was attached to a kitchen area. It was quaint. Far more so than Lightning had expected from Doc. Then again, he didn't really know what to expect from his mentor.

Mater pulled out a chair and sat, Doc taking him time at it, and Lightning following suit. The way Doc sat was an unfortunate reminder that the man was aging. Something that just… rubbed Lightning wrong. He couldn't explain it so he ignored it.

A woman sat a pitcher of sweet tea and some glasses down.

Doc grunted, “Lightning, this is my niece.”

Lightning almost blushed in embarrassment at how far off his assumptions had been. The woman before him was no girl. She was shorter than him, hair messily held back by a hair tie or something- was that a zip tie? Her eyes were bright and full of amusement as she assessed him. Her clothes were simple, not like Flo's older style or Sally's modern but elegant look. She had a smear of grease on her cheek that Lightning unmistakably knew from working on cars.

She was pretty.

The thought came kind of unbidden but it didn't surprise him. He'd have to be blind to miss the simply quiet kind of beauty that Doc's niece seemed to carry with her. She didn't silence a room like Sally did because she was just effortlessly pretty. She was the kind of pretty that flowers had. Each petal soft and vibrant. Not extravagant, perfect as it were.

“You must be the egotistical idiot that tore up the town's road. I've heard all about you.” She said easily.

Lightning sputtered, “I- uh- well yes, but that was a while ago now and I- egotistical idiot?”

She smirked, “I watched a race once. Do you actually say ‘kachow’ or is it just for the camera?”

He felt his face heat up in embarrassment but Mater answered before he could, “I catch him whisperin’ it under his breath all the time!”

Lightning groaned and fought the urge to cover his face in embarrassment, a feeling he was getting unfortunately comfortable with, as he tried to defend himself.

“It's a force of habit!”

She giggled and Doc even chuckled.

“Is your name actually Lightning?” She probed with a teasing tone.

Lightning huffed, “It's complicated.”

“Uhuh I'm sure.” She said sarcastically, a hint of a laugh in her words.

Before she could further tear into Lightning, Doc surprisingly came to his aid.

“Y'know…” the older man started with a sly smirk.

His niece blanched and her grin was instantly wiped off her face, “Uncle… don't.”

Mater snorted which told Lightning it wasn't that serious despite how anxious she sounded.

Doc chuckled, “Don't dish it out if you can't take it dear.”

His niece made a distraught noise as her uncle carried on despite her wishes.

“You see junebug here is giving you a lot of slack despite being an avid fan. She ‘watched a race once’. Hah! What a farce! She's seen them all, son.” Doc teased.

Lightning blinked at the term of endearment. He would love to hear the story behind it someday. However he smirked.

“Oh really now? All my races?” Lightning inquired both to tease and genuinely curious.

He glanced at the woman who was blushing profusely. ‘Cute’ his mind supplied.

“Uncle! You can't just out me like that! Now he's gonna think I'm some weird stalker fan!” She whined.

Lightning shrugged, “If it helps, I don't think that you're weird or anything. Honestly I'm a mix of impressed and honored.”

She calmed down a little at that, “You don't?”

He shook his head, “Nah, besides I've met some seriously crazy fans. If anything I should be more worried about the impression I'm making if you think I'm an, what was it? ‘Egotistical idiot’?”

She laughed and it made him wanna smile so he did, “Actually I was just quoting my uncle.”

Lightning sputtered, “Doc? Seriously?”

Doc snorted, “I tell nothing but the truth.”

At that Mater snickered, “Aw shoot Doc, I heard you lie just last week when-”

Doc cut him off, “Mater we don't need to talk about that.”

Mater continued, “Sure we do! Last week Flo done tried a new recipe and burnt the snot out of it n’ you told her it tasted jus’ fine when we both knew it was more burnt than the nose hairs on a skunk!”

Lightning and Doc's niece quietly snickered as Doc and Mater bickered in good nature. Doc trying to prove his innocence and Mater hell bent on assuring that Doc really did tell the truth. She nudged Lightning and motioned towards the door. Swiftly he got up and followed her out onto the porch.

She sat down on the porch swing, “It is good to meet you, honest.”

Lightning joined her, “Yeah?”

She nodded, “It's embarrassing to admit but I am a fan. Well, until my uncle told me about your, uh, exploits…”

He winced, "That's fair. I'd like to think I've grown as a person since then. Still have the cocky attitude but a little less of the ‘egotistical idiot’.”

“You're not gonna drop that are you?” She asked.

Lightning shook his head, “No way.”

She hummed as the porch swing rocked back. They sat in comfortable silence before a thought struck Lightning.

“I got a question if you don't mind.” He started.

“Shoot.”

Lightning went ahead, “How come I've never seen you in Radiator Springs before?”

She smiled and it was a little bittersweet, “I lived in the city and only visited my uncle during the summer months till I was in highschool. I got busy then with school and only visited once during that time. Afterwards we fell out of touch until I saw him in your pit crew during a race.”

“What brought you back?” Lightning curiously asked.

She sighed a little, “He's getting up there in years… I don't want him alone. Sure he has the town but he'd never admit he needs help. So I asked if I could stay with him again like old times. Said I wanted away from the city, which wasn't untrue. Heard Radiator Springs was in need of a mechanic as it is.”

Lightning smiled, she was kind.

“Sounds like you're planning on staying for a while.” He noted.

She nodded, “Yeah, I am. Honestly its like coming home.”

Lightning grinned, “I get that feeling too. I wanted out at first but… they grew on me.”

“You'll be seeing a lot of me don't you worry.” She said, a playful note to her voice.

He laughed, “I suppose I will. You'll have to come to my races with the rest of the town.”

Her eyes lit up in a way that he couldn't help but admire.

“Really? I've always wanted to go…”

He nodded, “Yeah, it'd be good to have another mechanic on staff- not that you have to come to work! I just figured that since the rest of the town hangs out in the pit that you'd want to as well and I figured you'd be interested in getting under Lightning's hood and- okay I'm rambling.”

She gasped, “Yes please! I'd love to! I- wait, do you call your car Lightning too?”

Lightning laughed nervously, “Yeah… I got my nickname from the car. It stuck.”

She snorted, “Okay so your name seriously isn't Lightning McQueen?”

He raised an eyebrow, “No? Did you think it was?”

“Celebrities have weird names all the time.” She said with a shrug.

“Uhuh.”

A laugh escaped from her, “I'm serious! Besides, you'd be surprised how hard it is to find your real name.”

He smirked, “Implying you looked?”

She flushed, “Well, yes, but that's besides the point. Actually, now that I can ask you, what is your name?”

Lightning gave her a devilish grin, “Oh? What do I get in return for this rare information?”

“Oh come on you can't be serious.” She huffed.

“Completely.” He said just to be a little shit.

She groaned, “Okay fine, what do you want?”

He hadn't thought this far ahead… nothing really came to mind. There wasn't exactly a lot to ask or offer. He shrugged.

“Dinner at Flo's, you pay?”

A soft blush dusted her cheeks, “Like a date?”

It was his turn to blush, “I didn't mean it like that- my bad.”

She waved him off, “It's fine…”

The blush was still on her face. The tips of her ears were pink too. Once again he found himself staring.

“Ah screw it, deal.”

Lightning focused back on their conversation, “Hm?”

She rolled her eyes, “Deal, I'll buy you dinner and you tell me your name.”

Ah. Right.

Lightning smiled, “Montgomery.”

“What?” She said blankly.

“Montgomery, that's my name.” He replied easily.

Giggles erupted from her, “Seriously? Montgomery ‘Lightning’ McQueen?”

He pouted, “What's wrong with my name?”

She shook her head, “Nothing it just surprised me is all. Really I think it suits you.”

“Does it?” He asked.

“Yeah, you look like a Montgomery or a Monty.” She offered.

He snorted and she giggled a little bit. They fell into a rhythm as the swing rocked. They watched the land as the sun crept a little lower. Soon enough Mater came out from the house, followed by Doc.

“Ready to get outta Dodge McQueen?” Mater asked with a lazy grin.

He nodded and started the walk to the truck, “See you later, yeah?”

She gave one quick nod and called out to him, “Yep, I owe you dinner!”

Even from the driveway Lightning could hear Doc sputtering a cough and a light laugh from her. He had a chuckle to himself as he hopped in Mater's truck.

Mater gave him a curious look, “What'd'ya thinks got Doc hacking?”

Lightning smiled, “Ah I wouldn't worry about Mater.”