Driven to Win

Chapter 9- Road to Recovery

Chapter 9- Road to Recovery

"Wow! Fresh air!" Lightning exclaimed as he was led out of the doors of the hospital. "Oh, wow! There are colours out here! I can hear birds! I can't believe I'm outside!"

Sally, Mater and the forklift nurse beside him all burst out laughing.

Fudge just giggled. "I know what you're talking about!" She'd been there.

It was six weeks later and- miracle of miracles- Lightning was coming home! He still wasn't completely better, but the doctors said as long as he rested, stuck to a very strict speed limit and reported to a closer hospital to Radiator Springs (which was still over two hours away, now that Doc and his clinic were gone) every once in a while for check-ups and the occasional surgery, he could continue his recovery at home. (Plus, Fudge, as a bit of a mechanics prodigy, would help with his recovery in any way that she could.) Lightning agreed. He didn't care. He just wanted to get home. He said he'd much rather rest at home than in the hospital, which was something else that Fudge understood from experience.

Nobody from town could stay with him the entire time he was in hospital, as much as they wanted to. Unfortunately, Radiator Springs wasn't going to run itself and it wasn't like they could tell customers not to come just because of Lightning's condition. The world didn't stop. (Although, with Lightning McQueen's popularity declining, so was the number of tourists. Still, nobody worried too much about that.) So, every now and then, they would fly to LA in small groups to stay with him in hospital. The night before his release, Sally, Mater and Fudge had flown out there to accompany him when Mack drove him home.

That night, Fudge and Mater had chattered away to their injured friend about all of the latest news around town and the eccentric flight attendant they'd had that afternoon. However, after a while, Sally suggested that they left Lightning to get some rest.

"He has a big day tomorrow", she had pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess you're right", the other two had agreed reluctantly, their moods dampening a little.

"Come on, guys!" Lightning had tried to smile at them. "It's only for one night. I'll be coming home with you tomorrow."

"Yeah, you are!" Fudge couldn't stop smiling at that.

"Okay. See you tomorrow."

"I love you." Fudge came forward and gave him a kiss.

"I love you too, Fudge."

"D'ya love me?" Mater questioned.

Lightning laughed. "Of course. I love all three of you."

"So, I guess I don't need to ask if you love me!" Sally piped up.

"Of course you don't!" her boyfriend responded, laughing some more. He loved Fudge and Mater just as much as he loved Sally; he just loved each of them in very different ways.

So, after getting lots of rest the night before, he was ready to head home. He was glad that the three most important people in his life were all there with him. Plus, Mack was waiting for him. When Fudge had been in hospital and needed to go back constantly for check-ups and surgeries, Mack had driven her to and from the hospital. Now, that was what he was doing for Lightning.

"Hey, boss!" the big truck greeted him once they got past the mass of reporters. "How ya doin'?" He was genuinely concerned. Although the press released regular updates, they were quite vague.

"I'm doing okay, I guess. I'm glad to be going home."

"I'll bet. Well, let's get goin'!" Mack looked to not only Lightning, but Sally, Fudge and Mater too. "All aboard!"