AN: Thank you very much for your good responses. Since I have decided that I am not going to continue my other 'Cars' story…and there was a request to write a one shot connected with that fic, I decided to give it a try(I kinda had the scene written already hah). So this is basically Doc coming back from the dead…or well pretending being dead and Lightning's reaction to it. Happens right after 'Cars 2'.

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own anything.

Chapter 10: You're not sorry

"I had to bury you." Lightning said bitterly.

"Lightning, I know…and I'm sorry…" Doc tried to approach the boy.

"You're sorry!? How can you possibly be sorry!? I didn't even have the chance to talk to you before…"

"Lightning please let me explain…" he put a hand on the young racer's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" McQueen snapped, jerking away from the man.

"Alright…alright. I-" Doc said calmly, holding up his hands in defeat.

"How could you pull out something like that? Why didn't you tell me anything?" Lightning continued to taunt, angry tears rolling down his cheeks. "And Sheriff knew it all along, right? Didn't you trust me enough to say something….anything?"

"You make it sound as if I wanted this." The doctor reasoned, his voice heavy with emotion. "I didn't have a choice."

"Didn't have a choice." Lightning chuckled humorlessly. "You faked your own death!" he pointed an accusing finger at the man.

"Otherwise I would've had to bury you!" Doc almost shouted, losing his temper. "Any of you lot. So believe me when I say that I didn't have a choice."

That seemed to silence the rookie for a while. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, but the clenching of his fists and the hard line of his jaw spoke that he was not at all satisfied with the answer.

"Do you think it was easy for me?" Doc continued, now more softly. "To watch from the side how your life was passing and I was no longer a part of it? To learn of your achievements and not being able to tell you how proud I was?"

"Four years…" Lightning choked out weakly, refusing to look the other in the eye. "Everything has changed. I have changed and you…"

"I don't care that you grew up." Doc said gently, taking a measured step towards the depressed young man. "I care that I was not there for you."

"When you said, you'd always be there…" Lightning said, in his turn stepping away from the doctor.

"Lightning…" Doc sighed deeply.

"No. I understand." The young racer said with a nod. "You couldn't have always been there for me…but not when you could help it!"

"I couldn't…"

"Gosh, Doc, you could've at least let me know!" He yelled, helplessly. "What worse could've possibly happened to me after the world grand prix!? Just a sign, Doc…A sign that you were alive…nothing more."

A very tense silence filled the room and although Doc desperately wanted to speak up, to make it all better, he didn't dare to. He felt that he deserved all of the harsh words that he was hearing now…no matter how much it was breaking his heart.

"That day…" Lightning said suddenly. "When we were returning from LA and you…said you had to stay back for a few days. Said you had some business to take care of."

Doc swallowed visibly. He remembered that day very clearly. And even now the memories brought a sudden weakness to the former racer's knees.

"And then…" Lightning continued inhaling sharply, "A few days later, we get a phone call that you…that there was a car accident…and that…" he whipped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I kept asking myself…would've it been different, had I stayed there with you? I blamed myself…because I must've been there with you…that I should have never listened to you!" he paced around restlessly, taking a few deep breaths.

"But you knew it, right? You had already had everything planned out…You had all of us right where you wanted."

Doc opened his mouth, but a tightness in his throat wouldn't let him speak. He felt a dampness on his face and when he raised his hand, he found that he was in fact crying.

"And now…you say, you're sorry." Lightning states, a dangerous determination on his face. "Do you honestly expect me to forgive you that easily? Do you perhaps think that everything is going to be the way it was before?"

"No." Doc answered simply, a sad smile grazing his lips.

"Neither do I." Lightning told him coldly and without a further look headed to the door.

AN: I just realized how much I like writing angst for this story, lol. But worry not, I'm going to write a sequel to this very soon. Possibly with a fluffy ending. Reviews are very much appreciated.