Christmas had always been a busy time, and it always would be. The time of celebrations, decorations, candy and presents for each other. A time for family and friends, getting together, celebrating, warm drinks, getting close around the fireplace. For some it was the time to buy new and fashionable winter tires and to get a new red and green themed paintjob. Mother cars could be seen knitting scarves or hats to keep their children, husbands or themselves warm. Houses, garages, shops and streets were lit for this December holyday. Most cars loved this time of the year even though it was cold and the roads were slippery. Most Cars.

Lightning sighed as he watched trough the window of his room how all of Radiator Spring's cars were busy putting on the Christmas lights. He would like to help, as dressing the town up seemed to be a lot of fun, but he had to hide for now, as Ramone was looking for him to give him a new paintjob again for Christmas. He would have agreed, if only it wasn't for Christmas. He never really got what was so special about Christmas itself, which caused him to have a direct dislike for everything which was for Christmas and Christmas only.

His engine seemed to tremble under his hood, which was nearly rattling itself. Lightning quickly drove away from the window to warm himself around a furnace. It got awfully cold in the evenings and nights this time of the year, they never had snow before in Radiator springs,as it was still a desert town. Rain was pretty rare, and so was snow. Though there was no snow and only sun and sand, Radiator Springs do was a town full of Christmas lights. Lightning put on a blanket and quickly warmed up again, he was starving for a hot drink at Flo's but how to do that without Ramone catching him for his paint job?-

Suddenly there was a loud thunk against the window, as if a large bird flew into his window. Lightning looked around shocked, to see that it was just Guido decorating his windows on the second floor-

Wait-

Guido was putting up decorations on the second floor? Lightning quickly hurried over to the window, just to see that Red was keeping Guido up, who waved at him happily. Lightning sighed relieved. Crazy times, Christmas time.

Guido knocked the window when he was finished decorating Lightning's headquarters with Christmas lights, which Lightning never asked for, not that he minded the cute lights, it looked really cozy and all, but Christmas. The thought made Lightning shiver. Lightning drove over to the window again and opened it for Guido "Hey thanks Guido for decorating my place like that!" Lightning smiled to the Italian car, who replied with some short Italian sentence. Lightning did caught the name of Ramone in it, so he expected that Ramone wanted him. "and I'm not going to get another new paint job! He just changed my racing colours to this fancy red, I don't want to become some sort of Christmas decoration myself AGAIN." He replied sternly to the Italian car, who was wearing some sort of woolen baret, matching Luigi's, and also a white scarf with little Christmas trees on them. "Thanks but no Thanks, if I can help you out with something, just call me" Lightning said, knowing that all work was nearly done already.

Luigi looked unamused with the answer and left without saying much more, cleaning up the spare lights and trying to untangle all the cables. Lightning thanked him one more time through the window before closing it again, there was a really cold breeze these days, probably a big Arctic blast or something going on, carrying all that cold air. With his blanket still over him, he drove downstairs to get something warm to eat, that would do him good. But before he even got to think about what he was going to get, someone rung the doorbell. Lightning suspiciously approached the door, trying to see who it was before actually getting seen, in case it was Ramone forcing him to go 'Christmas Red 'n Green'

It turned out to be just a mailcar. Or a spy sent by Ramone. But Lightning supposed he had better things to do then stalking him, so Lightning opened the door for the mailcar, who seemed like his wing mirrors would fall off from the cold. The freezing car looked up happily as he asked if this was Lightning McQueen. "Of course I'm the Lightning McQueen, who else did you expect?" Lightning said laughingly. The mail car handed over one big fat letter and waited for Lightning to open it, which Lightning didn't really plan on doing. "Oh wait, you're expecting some kind of tip aren't you? For standing in the cold and all, just get in here I'll get you-"

The Mailcar refused and gestured to the letter. "I 'a must 'a confirm you 'a open the letter" He said. It was only now that Lightning noticed the car's Italian accent, which made him suspect already who the letter was from. He studied the envelope a little, trying to see any sign telling him where the letter was from, but it the only thing which was written on the envelope was his name and village. Nothing more. The mailcar really must have brought this personally.

Lightning looked back at the mailcar, who was giving him an intense glare now. Lightning got kinda nervous now and quickly opened it, to find several smaller and bigger papers inside. Firstly, he took out the biggest paper. The first thing he looked at was who actually sent the letter. It somehow didn't surprise him anymore to see that it was signed by none other than Francesco Bernoulli. Naturally, who else than that formula car would sent out one single –italian- mailcar –in the midst of the winter- to personally hand him a letter. "You're still gonna watch me read it, right?" Lightning asked the other car doubtfully. The other nodded while he tried to cover himself up from the cold wind blowing around. "Hey, I don't want you to catch a cold, get inside okay?" Before having finished saying what he said, the mailcar drove inside quickly.

Closing the doors behind them again, Lightning hesitantly read the letter, taking the mental note that Francesco wrote like a high school girl. It was horrible to read, as everything Lightning read, sounded just like Francesco would say it with his Italian accent with 'a's added in every sentence, even though it wasn't written out like that at all, it was just normal English, though he did spot some minor mistakes and some British verbs in between it all.

The first letter was mainly crap, the thing Francesco was asking McQueen was to come to Italy for another race at his place, between the two of them only. Lightning wasn't directly opposed to it, however, if he went to Italy for that race this week, like Francesco wanted him to, it would mean that he'd wouldn't get back before Christmas. It was not like he liked Christmas himself, but everyone expected him to be here probably, and wouldn't let him go to race Francesco for fun. Moreover, how was he going to get there even?

The small mailcar glared at him, indicating he should read the smaller letter now. It seemed to be a ps, in which the solution to the biggest problem was given. Francesco had arranged him a flight already. Lightning realized the last, and smallest paper was actually a ticket for his plane, which would leave in 3 days from Los Angeles. Just 3 says. Lightning looked at the mailcar again who seemed pleased again after he had read all the letters. "Will 'a you accept the 'a challenge?" the small green car asked him. Lightning also noticed that the mailcar was a small model Alfa Romeo. He could have known this would be some trick or prank -or whatever this was supposed to be- from Francesco.

Lightning sighed as he put all the letters back in the envelope, still thinking about whether to accept or decline Francesco's challenge. "When do you need to have the answer?" Lightning asked. He would just go around town and ask what the other's thought about it, most importantly, asking Mater if he was okay with it. And he should also ask Sally, because of all the recent stress the two of them had grown apart somewhat so they took a little break in their relationship. Lightning wasn't sure about his whole relationship with Sally, he cared a lot for her, but he just wasn't sure in what kind of way. Whether they were better of as friends, lovers, or like brother and sister. Their relationship at the present time was often awkward, but Lightning wouldn't want to make a fight with her, so he'd just fairly ask her too.

"Today, because 'a we 'a won't make it 'a to the plane in 'a time if it 'a takes longer" the car explained, which saddened Lightning a little. Just today to inform everyone. Lightning slowly drove around a little through the entrance hall, being closely followed by the Alfa Romeo's eyes. It probably would be a lot more enjoyable to laugh at and with Francesco, but he should beat him with the race in that case, or else Francesco would laugh at him. But even if he'd lose (which he most likely would as it was a one-on-one race which Francesco himself suggested, so everything would probably be in his favor) it would still be a lot more relaxed to spent Christmas with Francesco than Christmas down here here. Lightning had celebrated Christmas only a few times before in his whole life, and they were all here in Radiator springs. The only time he had enjoyed it was the first time, together with Doc. Doc died just before the next Christmas, so Lightning skipped that Christmas completely. And the next years, weren't much fun as they couldn't match the Christmas Doc had given him.

"Right, well, I'll go ask my friends if they really mind me going. Give me an hour, or maybe two I don't know, should I give you some oil at Flo's while you wait?" Lightning asked, trying to hide the nerves teasing him. The car happily accepted his offer and started thanking him in Italian. Lightning smiled again and drove to Flo's together with the small Alfa Romeo. He quickly explained to Flo the car needed to wait for him for a while and that he could just take some drinks, Lightning would pay for them later. Flo agreed to it, and served the other car something hot. The Italian car had meanwhile pulled out a book to read, he was probably prepared that he had to wait some time before Lightning was ready.

"All right, Sally or Mater first, this is so hard.." Lightning slowly drove up the road, not noticing Ramone sneaking up to him "I guess I'll go to-"

"McQueen! Ya coming with me, Ramone is all set up for your new paint!" Ramone suddenly yelled out as he drove to Lightning's side, guiding him back to his body art shop.

"Wait! Wait! Ahh, Ramone I'm reaallllyy busy okay? Just, no, no, come on I want to keep this look, I don't want to be decorated with Christmas trees or Christmas ornaments" Lightning begged as he tried to turn away, but Ramone already caught him in his shop. "Please, Ramone, and I certainly don't want it now. Please, I'll never complain again about you being a pushover, just please let me go this one time" Lightning begged. He was feeling like a dog being forced to take a bath. A dog which really had something better to do. But Ramone was inexorable. He started to cover up his wheels and headlights and grabbed his painting tools, "Now shut your eyes, ya little christmas angel". Lightning would normally have sticked out his tongue to make a gesture of throwing up, but he could better shut his eyes and mouth as Ramone started to sand his old paint off.

It took over an hour before Ramone had finished. Lightning was actually mildly satisfied with the result. He was still mainly red, with a green Christmastree-like-pattern on his side. Though you could also see it as a lightningbolt going all the way along his sides, colored with simple green instead of yellow. But it was acceptable. It wasn't over the top in any way. But before Lightning agreed to putting up snow tires at Luigi's, Lightning wasn't allowed to leave.

And then, finally, after another 15 minutes at Luigi's where he was set up with winter tires he could finally leave to tell he was away with Christmas. He already asked Luigi in advance to reserve a pair of racing tires for him if he was going to leave. As he was probably going to Race against Francesco at the Monza course, which was a track for Formula cars normally. There was no dirt and the amount of technical turns giving Lightning chances to get ahead of Francesco were very limited. It would be really hard for Lightning to keep up with Francesco's kind of racing, so he'd better be slightly prepared with some good tires. It would be ridiculous to even try picking up such a challenge on snow tires or any other slightly rougher types of tires which he normally used.

Luigi, and Guido who overheard them, didn't put in a single argument to make Lightning stay, and just wished him good luck and happy holidays, and he also said he wished that Lightning didn't make a fool out of himself when Ferrari's were watching.

Lightning drove over to Mater's home, quite delighted with how well it went. Mater was busy decorating his fence with small Christmas ornaments and lots of holly. "Heya McQueen, care to help me out here?" Mater asked him cheerfully, "good to see ya outside! Wow Ramone sure did a good job on ya!"

"Oh, sure, should I put in the lights?" Lightning asked as he drove to the box with supplies. "And I, um, have to ask you something important Mater"

"Yeah, just put them up there and all along the fence. And go on, you can ask me anything pal!" Mater said cheerfully as he finished with decorating his whole fence with holly, he just needed to put some more ornaments in it, and after the lights were put up, he was all set for Christmas eve.

Lightning started with the chain of Lights, still thinking of how to ask this the proper way. "Well, you know I'm not really keen on Christmas right?" Lightning started, "Not like I hate Christmas stuff, but I just don't like celebrating it, you know what I mean"

Mater hummed, "Nah, you never really enjoyed it huh? But that ain't no problem! We'll just help ya with it all, see, Guido already put up ya Christmas lights for ya, and we all want you to have a great time!" Mater said happily as he picked the last ornaments, dropping one of them as he tried to carry more then he could. "If ya just take it all easy, sit back and relax we'll make sure you'll feel the Christmas viiibbeeee" Mater made some creepy movements, trying to illustrate the vibes, which Lightning didn't really get.

"I know you guys are trying your best, but you know," Lightning paused, carefully overthinking how he'd say this. "I- I- I don't think I'll ever like it like this"

Lightning directly noticed he put it the wrong way, and quickly checked to see if he had hurt Mater. Which he had.

Way to go Lightning, doing good.

"No, Sorry, I didn't mean anything bad with that! It's my fault okay, and you know, what I was thinking-"

"You doesn't like our Christmas?" Mater asked sadly.

"No, Really Mater, I really appreciate it, but what I wanted to say-"

"But you doesn't like it."

"I wanted to try something different" he said carefully. Mater's sadness disappeared slightly to Lightning's relief, so he continued. "and Francesco, you know who, from the World Grand Prix, invited me to go racing during the holidays."

"That fancy mr. sanfrancisco? The open wheeled one?"

"Yes, that car, you weren't there, but we became quite good friends and well, we're still bickering about which of us is better, so…"

"But Christmas with Friends is always good ain't it?" Mater replied happily. "Well I sure will miss ya buddy if you're not here this Christmas, but as long as ya have a good time, and sent me a fancy Italian card, and if ya promise to spent next Christmas here in Radiator Springs, I'm all okay with it, cause that's what ya wanted to ask right?"

Lightning couldn't believe what he heard, he nearly jumped to hear that Mater was fine with it. "Oh Yes! I was so worried you didn't want me to spent Christmas somewhere else! Oh yes this is great! Now I only have to ask Sally!"

Mater Snickered. "like I said, ya should have a good time with Christmas, and Holley promised me to pay me a visit with Christmas, so you shouldn't worry a bit about me!" Mater snickered some more as he stared blankly in the distance. Lightning smiled and waited for Mater to get back on earth.

"OH YEAH, I SHOULD GIVE YA YOUR PRESENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE" Mater suddenly said, making Lightning laugh again. "When is you leaving?" Mater added.

"well, if Sally doesn't make an huge problem about it, Today." Lightning said as he looked away.

"Oh shoot, I'll go wrap your present right now then! Don't forget to stop by before you leave okay bud?" Mater asked as he drove some circles around Lightning.

"Sure thing!"

Mater started cheering and drove back inside his house, or shed, or whatever it should be called, and of course backwards so he could watch Lightning leave. Lightning laughingly waved at him, and he waved back and started working on Lightning's present.

Lightning, feeling much better than before and much more confident, drove towards the Cozy Cone's reception and looked around. Sally wasn't there. She had left the Sign 'honk for service' on top of her desk. As he didn't have a claxon he drove outside again to find Sally. "Sal, where are you?" he mused as he drove in a circle around all the cones to see if she was in one of them. He was nearly done with the circle, still not having spot Sally, when she suddenly crept up to him, scaring him, scaring her.

"Oh, haha, sorry, we're really silly, don't you think?" Sally said, catching her breath from the scare she just had.

Lightning turned around, also catching his breath, not expecting Sally to suddenly stand behind him like that. He was about to reply when he noticed the snowy effects painted upon her sides. "Hey what's that?" Lightning said, turning around her to check out her sides. Sally had a few graceful, slightly sleeping silvery lines on her side with some ice crystals around them. As he took a better look at her, he also noticed her brand new tires. The rims of her new wheels were shiny and formed like a snow crystal as well. Lightning's jaw dropped a little, she was just gorgeous. Why didn't he have such an awesome paintjob, and why weren't his winter tires as fancy as hers?

"Some famous racecar seems really impressed by this hand-made look," Sally said teasingly. "but you seem … festive too."

Lightning quickly snapped out of it and smiled at her. "Don't make me laugh, I have a fallen-over-Christmas-tree up my ass." He said matter-of-factly as he actually did start to laugh actually, as did Sally. Lightning stopped laughing really soon though, as he remembered what he came for. "Wait, but I came to ask you something"

"I'm not taking you back yet, if that's what you wanted to ask, not even if you would pimp up my place with Christmas lights when I'm asleep" Sally said before quickly driving off.

"I didn't want you back!" Lightning yelled, mentally hitting himself afterwards for saying stupid things at crucial moments, "No, I mean, Yes, No, Oh shit nevermind I wasn't going to ask you THAT!" Lightning followed her quickly, but she just sped up and ignored him again. "Well, I'm not taking you back either if you keep ignoring me every time you ask for it" Lightning added, not sure if that would improve or worsen the situation. "Besides, you're the one who's never getting out of town, so it's your problem if you won't ever find anyone good enough to be your new boyfriend while I can explore the world all I want!" Lightning realized he wasn't going to improve anything like this. But how would he get to make Sally listen to him finally?

Sally drove inside the reception and shoved the 'honk for service' sign off her desk. "Oh come on Sally please, let's not have a fight okay?" Lightning asked as he kept standing in the doorway. He noted that it had been a great decision to go to Mater first, if he would have had this fight before he had to face Mater, he would probably have backed off. He pouted a little at Sally who finally looked up.

"Really, you tell me? Come on Stickers, take a look at yourself and leave me alone," Sally said annoyed, "You know, It's weird how we've grown apart"

Lightning bit his lip. He should tell it in the end, that he was leaving. "Listen Sally, we haven't but- " Lightning paused again, wanting to cut to the case. "Sally, what I did want to ask you was if you're all right with it if I leave during Christmas"

Sally shot him an angry look. "First you're being an ass, and then you ask if I'm all right if you leave during Christmas? Really I don't need to see your face this Christmas, I'd be more than happy now if you drag your arrogant ass out of town, but I know Mater wants you here, what are you even thinking?"

"Mater's okay with it, I already asked him, but I didn't want to leave without asking you, as I don't want to fight with you Sal" he nearly begged.

Sally looked at him suspiciously. "He thinks it's fine if you aren't here with Christmas?" she repeated, Lightning nodded, "What is so important that you'll leave us at Christmas?"

Lightning sighed. "Sal, you know how much I… how I dislike celebrating Christmas, Right?" She nodded slowly, "Well, what Mater said, I should enjoy myself at Christmas right?" she nodded again, even slower, "So, I'm going to do something I enjoy, racing" Lightning finished with a small smile. Sally kept looking at him suspiciously. Lightning was glad he didn't slip anything this time, like that it would be with Francesco.

"Don't you need your crew then?" Sally asked, trying to find a objective argument against him.

"It's just for fun, so nope, there are no actual competitions going on during Christmas, Sal"

"Stop calling me 'Sal', McQueen" she snapped first, as she thought of more arguments. "and where will this race take place, and who else doesn't give any value to Christmas?"

And there was the question Lightning didn't want to ask. "Italy, with you-probably-know-who"

Sally looked even more suspicious now. "Francesco Bernoulli?" she asked, not pronouncing it with ten syllables this time. "He's the biggest mama's boy I've ever seen, he wouldn't want to miss Christmas. I don't believe you, McQueen"

Lightning smiled as he had plenty of proof actually. "Well, do you want a proof he invited me? There's a Alfa Romeo waiting for me at Flo's V8 Café, who is taking me to the airport" Lightning said as he drove a little backward, trying to get Sally out.

"Wait so you are serious about leaving for Christmas?" she asked. Her expression suddenly turned to a mixture between worried and disappointed. Lightning just nodded. "… well it will be different without you around. Though you aren't that cheerful during the Christmas time, it will be different" she admitted while looking away. "But yeah, Mater's probably right, do what you feel like doing. We'll miss you."

Lightning smiled at Sally. "Thanks, Sal" he still said. Sally smiled back at him weakly before turning away again. "Will you be here all day?" he asked before leaving. Sally nodded, and Lightning started smiling and gave her a wink before he drove off back to Flo's Café to inform the Italian car he would come, but he just needed to wrap some final things up. The mailcar really seemed happy with it and nodded.

He made another quick round through town to inform everyone about the fact he would leave, personally. Nobody brought in an argument to Lightning's delight, though everyone would really miss him, but what Mater had told him in the beginning was what everyone else thought too, he should make sure he finally enjoyed himself.

After saying goodbye to most people, he went back home and started searching his room. He knew he still had presents lying around too, for Sally and Mater specifically. It would be fair to give at least them a small present right now. While he raided his whole room, he already collected the most important stuff he would be needing when he left. It was nothing special at all, he overheard Mater about needing some new tools, and he also bought him some of his favorite oil and some other old junk which would really give him a kick. For Sally he had also bought her favorite oil, as he found it really hard to pick personal presents, even after knowing people for years. He never gave people presents before he came in Radiator Springs, as he didn't have a lot of friends before. He sometimes gave girls he dated small romantic cliché presents, but nothing more than that. Other then the oil, he also had some flowers for her desk, even though it was winter, and he had a pair of ear warmers for her, which would surely fit her new look.

Thinking about it, he actually felt pretty pathetic about how he was before he came here. But he know why that was.

After finding the bottles stuck underneath his bed, he quickly got out and drove to Mater's first. Mater was well prepared and showed Lightning his presents directly. "There ya go!"

Before Lightning would unwrap the presents Mater had given him, her first presented his own presents for Mater, having some trouble with finding the distinction between both of their oils. Mater greedy accepted the presents and unwrapped them hastily, while Lightning carefully unwrapped his own presents. Mater's excitement was immense. The presents weren't that expensive or exclusive, but he was still very thankful and happy, that was just how Mater was and what Lightning liked about him. The presents Lightning got were nearly all describable as rubbish. It were some old objects reminding them to fun things they did throughout the years, he also got a picture album, which was still empty. And fitting the album, he got a brand new camera. Lightning was pretty amazed by it and thanked Mater a lot, and after a big good-bye-ceremony Lightning set off to give Sally her presents.

Sally also appreciated the presents greatly, but still didn't really know how to thank Lightning, so she just gave him a small friendly kiss as a thank you and a goodbye.

And before Lightning had actually been able to let everything which was happening to him, he was already on the plane to Italy together with the Alfa Romeo. Being placed in the highest quality zone of the plane, which Francesco naturally arranged for him, Lightning looked out of the window as the airplane took off. It still felt kinda weird to leave what has nearly become his family during the most important time of the year for them, but on the other side, he was very relieved to get out, and have some fun this last month of the year.

Watch out Francesco, here I come

Oh shit I'm SO NOT getting this done before Christmas Dx this shit turned out bigger then I planned. as usual. but oh well, I already uploaded the first part for you so I don't have to worry about disappointing you or whatsoever.

Anyway, I ALSO have a Livejournal account from now on, where I soon will have all my stories as well. I made that LiveJournal to get some more contact with you guys as that seems pretty impossible through FF,net xD

Enjoy, and Happy Christmas in advance!