Chapter 15 - Consider it a Promise

The soft and slow beeping of a heart monitor was the only sound in the hospital room, apart the faint and raspy breathing of Boost; his paint and exterior metal was bent and battered very badly, dried blood was smeared across his body from huge gashes all over him, and tubes were running into his mouth and hood to pump oxygen and keep breathing.

He had been unconscious ever since the fight with Sawyer, which was two weeks ago, and the doctors said he was showing no signs of life or recovery. All they could do was wait.

That's all anyone could do, especially Queen; she never left his side since then, barely even making exceptions for bathroom breaks or food. The other Tuners would check in on their leader and friend as often as they could, but none were as around as often…or as guilty as Queen.

"H-hey, B-Booster Seat…remember that?" Queen began meekly, and her lip threatened to quiver, "Yeah…I-I don't know if you can hear me, but…I-I just wanted to thank you…and apologize."

Tears also threatened to spill from Queen's eyes, as she sniffled from the guilt inside.

"You saved my life, Boost…but you also got hurt because of me. H-he was after me, but now you're…" Queen could barely speak the next word, fearing that it may be true, "And it's because of me. I'm sorry, Boost…just, please…please be ok…"

She couldn't back her tears any longer, as she clenched her teeth and eyes shut tightly and tears poured down like waterfalls, and she buried her face in Boost's side.

"You…were the most fun I've ever had…no one's ever stuck around me like you have…risked so much like you have…and all for me…I think…I think you're my best friend…a-and…a-and if I lose you, I…I won't be able to forgive myself, Boost…if you go, I-I'll be all alone…I have no family left…but you…you're all I have left in the world…"

"Miss?" a gentle voice a nurse piped up, as she awkwardly peeked in through the door when she saw Queen crying, "Sorry to bother you, but visiting hours will be ending in ten minutes."

"Ok…thank you. I was leaving soon, anyway," Queen sniffled in denial, and the nurse nodded and drove down the hall.

But as soon as she left, more tears continued to spill from Queen's eyes, and she couldn't take them off Boost's more dead than alive form.

"I was all alone before you came along…I don't wanna be alone again…" Queen whimpered meekly, and she suddenly buried her face in Boost's side. But something snapped in Queen upon crying into Boost again, and it made her shakily pucker her lips before placing a little kiss on his fender.

The sound of someone clearing their throat rudely broke the silence, and Queen jumped back from Boost and turned to find the other three Tuners, along with Eleanor, Angel, and Charlotte, all standing in the hall outside the room.

"H-how…how long have you been there?" Queen questioned in embarrassment, and quickly wiped all of her tears away.

"Actually-OOMF!" Wingo was about to reply, but Angel suddenly slugged him in the side. He was still pretty sensitive all over ever since ramming head on into a huge truck like Sawyer twice, and his injuries were luckily very minor compared to Boost's.

"We just got here," the black Lamborghini quickly pointed out to be polite, "We thought we'd check on him one last time today before visiting hours are over. Oh, and Queen?"

"Hmm?"

"Just know that you're not alone. What ever happens, we're all here for you. Right?" Angel asked and checked her rearview mirror, and the others immediately verbally agreed and nodded.

"He's our friend too, and he always knew how ta protect the gang," DJ pointed out firmly yet softly, "He always knew how to protect everything he loved."

Queen knew what DJ was implying, and yet another single tear rolled down her hood.

"And in return, he may never wake up…it's all my fault!"

"What happened was not your fault," Eleanor protested.

"Yeah, it was your uncle. He was the real monster," Charlotte added.

"But don't worry. Sheriff and I dealt with the punk; he'll be lucky if he doesn't get the electric lift when the court's through with him," Angel firmly informed.

"Thank you, guys. I really appreciate the support and everything. And Wingo, I can't thank you enough for driving Sawyer into the cactus pit; that was very brave of you," Queen began with a smile and paused, allowing Wingo to smirk boastfully, but she then sighed and frowned again, "But all these efforts can't do anything to help Boost."

"Queen, I promise, the doctors are doing everything they can for him," Angel softly reassured.

"Well, it's not enough!" the yellow Ford Mustang suddenly snapped, and she drove passed everyone to get out of the room. And after she left, everyone in the room went silent with guilt, knowing they couldn't do anything to help her or Boost, but they really wished they could.

"Boost, man, you really need ta wake up," DJ piped up, even though he wasn't sure if Boost could even hear him.

"Yeah. It's Queen, she needs you," Wingo added sadly.

"She needs you more than we ever needed you as our leader," Snot Rod pointed out, and he nearly started crying himself, "Come ta think of it, we all need you. You've been the best leader ever."

"And we couldn't ask for a better one," Wingo sighed in defeat, blushing in embarrassment since he usually isn't so sappy.

"We wouldn't be the Tuners without you, man," DJ stated sadly, trying not to cry himself.

"Aww, that was beautiful, boys," Eleanor cooed while wiping some of her tears, and they even drew Angel and Charlotte to tears.

"You guys are saps…" a hoarse voice grunted, and they all gasped upon realizing it was Boost's voice.

"Boost!" Snot Rod cheered.

"You're alive!" DJ exclaimed happily.

"Welcome back, dude," Wingo chuckled reassuringly.

"Thanks. And of course I'm alive…nothin' can slow the Boost," Boost chuckled, only to cough horribly afterwards. But when he finally stopped coughing, he noticed something was missing.

"Hey…w-where's Queen?"

The said Ford Mustang was visiting the cafeteria for the first time in days, and she ordered a cheese burger with a side of fries and a diet coke. But after she chose a chair and started eating for the first time in quite a while, she couldn't take her mind off of the purple Kyoku Jitsu.

"You're going to want to get that to go," came a familiar voice, and Queen didn't even bother as Angel pulled up.

"I'm not in the m-."

"He's awake!"

Queen only turned and looked at the Lamborghini in shock and awe, and she barely waited another second before abandoning her food and dashing off to Boost's room.

And as soon as she got back, she gasped upon seeing Boost awake again, and he smiled meekly at her.

"You look worse than me, heh…you didn't get any sleep, did you?"

"Me? What about you? you nearly d…" Queen began with excitement, but then she paused when she realized what she was about to say, and her smile immediately disappeared, "I-I'm so sorry! I-!"

"Just because I appeared dead didn't mean I couldn't hear everything," Boost interrupted with a smirk, but he shakily raised a tire to Queen and cupped her fender, "But I'm glad you care. And quit sayin' you're sorry. None of it was your fault."

"You mean you're really not mad?" Queen stuttered, and tears once again pricked at her eyes.

"How could I be mad at a girl who just kissed me, especially when I haven't returned the kiss?" Boost asked with a smirk, and he caught Queen completely off guard when he suddenly pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

The boys all wolf whistled and cat called while the girls cooed and awwed at the adorable moment. And even though they never said it aloud, Queen and Boost already knew that the kiss meant they really cared about each other. Maybe even loved each other.

It had been three months since Boost made a great recovery, and he and the others finally returned to Radiator Springs, where nearly the entire town was waiting there for him with a welcome back party. It was mostly to say thanks for being a hero and helping to finally catch Sawyer, who hasn't been heard from since.

But even in just the span of three months, many more wonderful things occurred over time; Angel finally decided to give Wingo a chance and date him, given how he proved himself to be a better citizen when helping take out Sawyer, which Angel was really proud of; Snot Rod was brave enough to eventually confront Charlotte's father, Ramone, and tell him that he wanted to date her, and Ramone luckily accepted and didn't flip out…much; and the most exciting of all was that DJ expressed his true love to Eleanor and proposed to her, and she didn't hesitate to say yes.

And now, on the beautiful night of their wedding, the Tuners, their dates, and a majority of town either smiled or cried tears of joy when Eleanor and DJ sealed their love with a kiss.

"I just love weddings!" Snot Rod burst out crying when he couldn't hold his tears back anymore, and he blew snot into a large tissue as his date comforted him by patting his side with a gentle tire.

"Me too, Jacob. Me too," Charlotte chuckled with a sniffle, as she was shedding some tears too.

"Hey, you wanna just sign some papers instead of havin' some corny ceremony like this when we get married?" Wingo asked his date with a smirk.

"Hey, whoa, whoa! Don't get ahead of yourself, Winegrower! We've barely been together for two months," Angel protested while punching Wingo's side, but she couldn't help but smile either.

"Aw, c'mon, ya know I'm gonna ask ya one day, right?" Wingo chuckled in defeat.

"Well, thank you for the heads up," Angel giggled before giving Wingo's fender a little kiss.

That night, after everyone had had their fair share of wedding cake, and just before the newly weds were about to leave to begin their honeymoon, a certain gang leader and his date a visit were compensating an important matter.

"That's it. We're split like a banana split," Boost declared in defeat.

"Oh, c'mon! Just 'cause one of your gang members gets hitched doesn't mean the Tuners are splitting up. Everyone gets married eventually, you know that," Queen tried to reassure, but then she grinned, "It'll happen ta you, too."

"Really? Got any hot women in mind?" Boost joked with a smirk, and he chuckled darkly when that Queen to punch his tire rather hard. But this kind of rough housing was normal for this couple; they knew they only hurt each other out of love.

"If you pick me, I'm gonna be one hell of a wife. I promise you that," Queen informed with a snarky smile.

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Boost admitted flatly.

"She's throwing the bouquet!"

"Oh, here it comes!"

"I'm TOTALLY gonna catch it this time!"

High squeals of over excited girls rang through the air, as they all scrambled to catch the bouquet of flowers Eleanor just threw. But as soon as Queen glanced up to see what broad would catch it, the very bouquet suddenly landed right on her hood.

All of the women instantly sighed and even cried that they weren't the ones to catch it, a few of them even sending a few death glares Queen's way. But she was too busy staring completely shocked at the flowers on her hood, and she was too scared to even move or say anything.

"I don't actually have one right now, but I'd consider it a promise lug nut," Boost remarked jokingly.

"I wouldn't promise any other man," Queen giggled when she finally found her voice and removed the flowers, and she and Boost then pulled closer for a passionate kiss.

The End

Sorry for being too lazy to actually write DJ and Eleanor's wedding:P

But anyway, wow! It's the end! Took long enough, huh? I truly enjoyed writing this story, and I really hope you enjoyed reading it 'cause that's what really matters.

But do not fret, dear readers. There IS going to be a sequel, and it may just be arriving very soon. So, be very sure to keep your eyes open for it. You'll know it when you see it, I'm sure. It won't be that hard to find.

Also, before I go, I'd like to point out that the inspiration for Sawyer was all thanks to Nevuela and their character Slade. Be sure to go check out Nevuela's art and Cars stories on DeviantArt. They're all really cool, and Nev's really talented.

Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!