(Hey guys! This is the final chapter for my fanfic. I plan to change some grammar in previous chapters because it was written a while ago, but I hope you enjoyed this journey and story of Doc Hudson! Thank you SO much! If you would like to keep up with me or my art, check out artsy_aviator on Instagram!)

Home

In the early morning, Hudson woke up to a bugle call: the tune of "Reveille." He knew it could be only one person, and that was Sarge. He rolled out of bed and stopped short of the packed suitcase on the floor. Hudson looked around, then noticed everything was pack. Today was the day to go home. Oh, why did it come so quickly? Hudson asked. He got dressed for the day and headed into the town. Flo noticed Hudson coming to the cafe.

"Hey, sugar. Breakfast is in an hour, but Lizzie wanted to talk to you." Flo pointed across the street. "Maybe get some bumper stickers on your way out." Sheriff had talked to Lizzie in the morning. She wanted to speak to Hudson privately.

"Yes ma'am," Hudson nodded and turned for Lizzie's quaint shop. He knocked lightly, and then let himself in. "Lizzie?"

"Oh, there you are, sleepy!" Lizzie gestured him over to the counter, and Hudson followed. "I wanted to give you some bumper stickers before you left," she started making a small pile across from Hudson.

He flashed her a warm smile. "I appreciate it," he started… "You know, Lizzie, you have a wonderful town. You should be proud of yours and Stanley's work."

"I am very proud," the old woman cooed. "Mostly, I'm proud of Stanley."

"Yes," Hudson whispered softly. "Yesterday I went with Mater to the top of Wheel Well. What a sight, oh, and he told me all about the history of the town."

"Our demise?" Lizzie asked.

"I wouldn't use that strong of a word," Hudson shrugged. "You never know. Maybe Radiator Springs will make a comeback."

"That's a miracle I have prayed for every day!" Lizzie exclaimed in a hopeful tone. "But until then, we have a family here. We're still here for each other, customers or not." Lizzie looked at the young man from across the counter. She leaned on the counter, opposite of him and reached out and held Hudson's hands in hers, then stroked her wrinkled fingers against his soft palms in a comforting manner. "We have each other. That's what matters."

Hudson looked down at their intertwined hands and squeezed Lizzie's gently. "Yes, you're right."

"Do you have a family?" Lizzie asked, whispering quietly. She reminisced on the table conversation from the previous night.

Hudson continued to gaze upon their hands. "I did," he said softly. "Pa' died in the war when I was young. Ma' and my sister have been around. I was never close to them."

"Yes, that's your blood-family," Lizzie added. "But I'm not related to the residents here. Did you mention your friends down South? Anyone can become your family if you're close to them."

"I suppose you could say they were family, but I don't live out there anymore." He said. "California is my new goal."

"And what's waiting for you in California?" Lizzie asked softly. She reached out and brushed a piece of Hudson's hair away from his forehead.

Hudson paused for a long moment. He and Lizzie stayed in silence and she continued to stroke his hand.

"Nothing…" Hudson finally replied.

Lizzie let go of Hudson and stood up straight. "You know, Hudson," she turned around, heading to a small shelf mounted by her cash register. She picked a small photo off the wall and brought it back to him. "This was the doctor. He came in the thirties, looking for work, then left as soon as the town died. She pointed to a middle-aged man in the photo. "He was a part of our family. But unfortunately, money was more important. He left to go find work somewhere else. It broke our hearts."

Hudson closed his eyes, thinking about Smokey, Lou, and the rest of his friends, and how heartbroken they must have been.

Lizzie continued, "we've been trying to decide what to do with the office. It makes me nervous to think there's no doctor to help us out here. We're far from any hospital. And seeing how you helped Sheriff's arm, well, I really do appreciate it. Consider the position available to you."

Hudson kept quiet to himself and bit at his lip.

She took his hands again and squeezed them tight. "Answer me one question…what is your name? Your real name."

Hudson looked up at her and cringed. "I haven't used it in years."

"What is it?"

"It's Paul. Paul Hudson." He closed his eyes.

Lizzie smiled. "Paul. I like that name…" She paused. "Paul, I don't know what you're looking for in California, but if you need help, you are always welcome here, anytime. We will be with you no matter what happens. We support each other, we love each other, and we never let each other down."

Hudson gazed at her hands, avoiding eye contact. He nodded. "Thank you, ma'am," he said in a soft, shaky tone. When he looked up at Lizzie, his eyes misted with tears. Lizzie didn't draw any attention to it. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm just passing through."

Lizzie tilted her head and smiled. "Well, think about it for the next few hours. Let's go eat some breakfast." She made her way around the counter and stood next to Hudson. He linked his arm around hers and helped her walk down the steps, then across the street to Flo's. Lizzie loved a sweet gentleman.

As breakfast began, Sheriff took a seat next to Hudson. He noticed Hudson's quiet behavior. The residents talked, but Hudson kept to himself. Sheriff tried to strike up a few conversations, but they never lasted long.

After breakfast, Fillmore and Sarge stayed to help Flo with the dishes. Sheriff popped into the kitchen and brewed two cups of coffee. "I'll be back," he said. "I'm going to talk to Hudson before he leaves."

Sheriff met Hudson outside and handed him a cup of coffee. "Come with me," he said, walking towards the courthouse. Hudson followed behind, his coffee mug kept his hands warm in the morning. Sheriff sat down on the edge of the courthouse fountain, the trickling water created a peaceful, simple atmosphere. Hudson sat close to him and sipped his coffee. The two gazed down the road that went straight through Radiator Springs, shops lined the sides, in bright colors: pink, green, purple, and orange. Five minutes of silence passed. Sheriff finally spoke up.

"I used to live in New York," he said. "I was a sheriff, of course, just like my father and grandfather before me. It was in my blood. My family had served in Times Square, New York since the early 1900s, directing traffic. Even my aunt, two cousins on my mother's side, and little brother served."

Hudson leaned forward and turned his head to glance at Sheriff.

"I loved it when I started," Sheriff continued. "Everyone loved me, and my job was fun. As the years went on, I didn't always enjoy it. I mean, directing traffic got old after a while. I made a comment to my father, and he was appalled. How could I go against a tradition that was over forty years old? I told him, there are other ways to be a sheriff. I don't have to direct traffic. He just didn't understand. He finally told me, I should just stop, and go do what I want. However, he was a chief at this time. He said, if I wanted to go out and do something different, it wouldn't be in his police department. I was devastated." Sheriff shook his head and sighed. "I grabbed my car, scraped the police identification off the sides, and drove across the country."

Hudson remembered his bitter sobs as he scratched "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet" off the side of his beautiful, blue car in the late 1950s.

"I came here, of course, during the time, the town was booming," Sheriff looked up to the town. "I fell in love with the people and the community. I met Sarge, well, he was a World War Two veteran. We hit it off, then I met Stanley, and Lizzie, and so on. There was another sheriff here. He was old, getting ready to retire. I couldn't bring myself to leave. I talked to Stanley and Lizzie, took the position, and have never looked back."

Hudson wiped a stray tear that leaked from his eye. "Sounds like me," he said softly.

"Yeah?" Sheriff turned, waiting for Hudson to continue. Hudson's eyes began to fill with tears until he couldn't stop them from falling. He tried to wipe them away, but it wasn't fast enough. "I'm so sorry," Hudson said.

"It's okay, to grieve," Sheriff put a hand on his friend's shoulder, then looked into his eyes. "What's up, Hudson?" I

Hudson shook his head over and over, and his crying became uncontrollable. "I can't go to California," he said, sobbing. "I have nobody. I'm alone."

"I know you are," Sheriff wrapped his arms around Hudson, who was slouched over, crying into his hands. Hudson then composed himself for a moment and looked at Sheriff.

"I used to be a part of a community," Hudson said. "I had friends, we had fun, we were a family. Then, I was injured. I wasn't welcomed back. My friends didn't want our relationships to end, but I ended it anyways. I left, I left them all behind." Hudson began to sob again. "I couldn't bear to see them anymore. They reminded me of that community all too much." He shook his head, leaning into Sheriff's embrace. "I became a doctor, distracted myself for over ten years. I can't hide anymore. I can't do this."

Sheriff didn't quite know what to do, except comfort his friend. What Sheriff knew for sure, was that he and Hudson and more in common than he would have ever expected.

"That was me," Sheriff said."That's why I never left. I felt at home here. There was more for me here, more than what I would've found elsewhere."

"I need that," Hudson admitted. "I can't live in California if I'm alone. I can't do it anymore."

"There's more for you here," Sheriff said softly, "more than money, or success, or anything California could offer. Here, you have a family that will always be here for you, and never let you down."

Hudson wiped his eyes, speaking shakily. "That's what Lizzie said."

"That's because it's the truth." Sheriff shook his head, "Look, Hud, you don't have to stay forever, but stay for now. You've got a place to work, and some good folk, who care about each other, and care about you."

"Nobody has cared in over thirteen years," Hudson said softly. He quieted his sobs, and Sheriff sat quietly with him.

"I want to stay here," Hudson whispered as he leaned on Sheriff. His new friend held him close and nodded. "I'll let Ramone know the car is here to stay?" He asked.

Hudson nodded. "Yes, for now."

Sheriff stayed with Hudson for a few moments, then stood and helped his friend up.
"Come on, leave your coffee here, let's go see Lizzie." Sheriff walked Hudson back into the souvenir shop, where the other residents had gathered, talking about Hudson and his future.

When Sheriff stepped inside, he put a finger over his lips, warning his fellow residents to keep their voices down. Hudson was overwhelmed by the fact that everyone was inside.

"We talked," Sheriff announced. "Hudson's going to stay with us for a while, get back up on his feet. And I know none of you have objections to that."

"Woo!" Mater ran over to Hudson and gave him a hug. A few others circled around, patting Hudson's shoulder or adding reassuring comments. Hudson began to cry again but accepted the embrace. He held Mater tightly, then Mater traded off Hudson to Lizzie. She kissed his cheek and held him close to her, wiping away his stray tears. Hudson thought about his mother, and how Lizzie resembled her so closely. He couldn't let the little old woman go.

"Hey, we got a doctor now!" Sheriff attempted to lighten the mood and gave Hudson a little shake. The doctor smiled, and gave Sheriff a playful push, then wiped his remaining tears. "You sure do," he chuckled. Hudson took a step back and looked at everyone. "Thank you, all of you. I'm proud to call you my friends."

"—family." Lizzie corrected with a wink.

Hudson grinned. "Yes, family."

2007-

"—That's how you ended up here?" Lightning McQueen asked, then kicked his feet up on an extra chair. The residents were circled around a large table outside of Flo's diner, the night sky twinkling with Flo's pink and green neon. The town, busy, but quiet for the night, was the only time the residents had to gather and keep their dinner tradition alive. Ever since young Lightning's arrival, the town was back to its old heyday.

"That's right," Doc said, looking at his young friend. "In just a few short days, they had done so much for me. They needed a doctor, and I needed a family. I wanted to give back to them, just like they had done to me."

"Fascinating," Lightning said. "So you and Sheriff came from a similar background, but he never knew you were a racer?"

Sheriff chimed in, still sporting his mustache, but now grey from age. "He told me he was part of a 'community,'" he chuckled. "I didn't know his name was Paul until he had been with us for around a year! Lizzie knew…" Sheriff smirked. "The rest came in time."

"A long time," Lightning added. "You all found out only a year ago…wonder what other secrets you're hiding from us…"

Doc crossed his arms and shook his head. "Ha, nothing. If I am, well, I've probably forgotten." The residents laughed.

Sheriff chimed in, "you know, when you first told me you were going to stay, you said 'Yes, for now.'"

Hudson scoffed, "psh, for now…I guess I decided to stay forever."

"Was it worth it?" Lightning asked.

"Oh, yes," Hudson said. "It was worth it. It was worth everything."