This chapter isn't my favourite. I thought it would be interesting to do, but I just didn't have any ideas...

Doc Hudson

I never wanted to leave Radiator Springs, to leave Earth. I knew it would be hard for all of the good folk in town. Plus, I was in the middle of planning to meet up with Smokey for the first time in over fifty years. But it was time. There was nothing I could do about it. It was futile to fight it.

I didn't want everyone fussing over me, so I didn't tell anyone. I just made the most of my last few days, creating some good memories (especially with Fudge since she she was young and had never experienced loss before; I wasn't sure how she'd take it) and said what needed to be said. Then, really early on a Saturday morning, with my family fast asleep around me, I fell asleep too with the biggest smile on my face. And I never woke up.

Even though I'd passed away, I didn't go far. I was still watching over the town as much as I could. I was there as Fudge got angry at me for leaving her. I'll admit, that was my fault. I thought it would be better for her if she didn't know, but now, I knew I was wrong. I was there when Mater and Fudge were mistaken for spies, saved Lightning from being brutally murdered and saved the world from an evil mastermind. I was proud of them when I saw them get knighted by the Queen of England. Although, I did feel like that was some sort of crazy movie that they put together and it wasn't quite real.

It surprised and impressed me how strong they were for getting through the tough times after my death. I knew they all missed me, but their lives went on. I was proud of all of them, but I have to admit I was feeling lonely up here. I wished I had someone from Radiator Springs for company. Not that I wanted any of them to join me here.

And I certainly hadn't wanted it to be Fudge.

Of course, I watched the whole thing as she tumbled from Lightning's roof and he ran her over. I felt my oil run cold, seeing it all unfold. I watched Lightning fighting so hard to give her CPR. I wondered if it would work.

"One, two, three, four, five, six..." Lightning countered hysterically, doing chest compressions.

"Doc?" I heard a familiar voice call out behind me.

I spun around and there was Fudge. She was dressed in the exact same clothes she was wearing down there: a navy blue London fleece jacket; yellow Radiator Springs T-shirt; camouflage pants and red shoes.

My heart sank. "Fudge?"

She looked around wildly. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

I nodded with tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe she was the first one to join me. It was so unfair. I held out my tyres towards her and she ran into them, sobbing.

We stayed like that for a long time, I held her close to me as she cried. I hadn't felt so angry at the world since I tried to get back into racing.

It was 1955. I'd spent a large portion of 1954 recovering from my crash on Fireball Beach. For a lot of racers, that would have been a career-ending crash. But not me. I was going to get back to racing, no matter how long it took. Even through the worst days, the most painful surgeries, my spirits were up. My friends and I kept talking about how great it would be when I returned. I couldn't wait for it. I was still young, in my early twenties, I'd never lost my passion for racing and every time I did physical therapy, I was getting faster and faster.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. When I returned, I was expecting a big welcome. I was expecting everyone to crowd around me, exclaiming over how glad they were to see me and demanding to know how I was doing. I would've smiled smugly and told them, "I'm back and better than ever!" Everyone would laugh.

However, something was strange. Nobody would even look at me. Every time, I tried to start a conversation with someone, they'd pretend they hadn't seen me.

"Smokey?" I got my crew chief's attention. "What's goin' on?"

Smokey answered, but he didn't meet my eye. "Find Ron. He'll tell ya."

Ron was my manager, so I went to find him. He was in his office, talking on the phone. I started to back out, but he gestured for me to stay.

"Here he is now", he finished up his call. "I'll tell him." Then he hung up.

"Tell me what?" I wondered.

"Heyyyy, Hudson!" he greeted me in a friendly voice. Maybe a little too friendly. "Long time no see! Come on in! Park anywhere! I wanna talk to you!"

I didn't suspect a thing. Ron hadn't changed a bit. His white paint gleamed as much as ever and his warm brown eyes gazed at me the same way they always had. I assumed he was here to give me the green light.

"Hudson, we've been doing a lot of thinking while you were in recovery", he began. "See, we didn't know if you would ever be able to return to the track-"

"I can!" I cut him off eagerly. "The doctors have assured me I'm ready to get back on the track. Ask Smokey if you don't believe me! This is gonna be the comeback story of the century!" I was babbling a little, but I couldn't stop myself.

Ron was silent for a long time. I had a bad feeling about this.

"But you know, Hudson", he went on, "comeback stories aren't all they've cracked up to be. The people get bored; they want something new."

Ron couldn't be saying what I thought he was saying... was he? "So, what does this mean?"

Ron rolled his eyes. He was a very impatient man and got very frustrated when people asked questions. "For God's sake, Hudson, do I have to spell it out for you?! It means we've got a new rookie. One who's younger, faster and able to bring more money in for us! You're history!"

I gasped. Ron could be a little rough around the edges and in Thomasville, we'd always been blunt and said exactly what was on our minds ("Truth is always quicker" is practically the Thomasville motto), but I wasn't expecting him to be so harsh. My initial reaction was shock... followed by anger.

"Fine!" I huffed, starting my engine to drive off. "If you don't want me here anymore, then I'm gonna go!"

I rolled away under a storm cloud (I mean that literally and metaphorically; a storm was brewing in town). Nobody acknowledged me and it suddenly hit me why: they all knew. They all knew what Ron was going to say to me.

The rain had started as I rolled back into Thomasville. The horrible conversation replayed in my mind like a broken record. It had been short, but it had altered my whole life and now, I didn't know what to do. His final words got to me especially. You're history, you're history, you're history. No matter what I did, I couldn't make that voice go away.

"Hud?" someone called after me. "Hud!"

It was Smokey. I stopped, but I didn't turn around.

My crew chief pulled up alongside me. "Where you goin'?"

I didn't answer. I didn't have an answer.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened with Ron. Believe me, if I-"

"You knew, didn't you?" I cut him off. My voice was quiet, but there was no hiding my anger.

Smokey hesitated. "What makes you think-"

"Just answer the question!" I ordered, interrupting him again.

He sighed. "Yes", he admitted finally. "I knew. We all did."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" I exploded. "Why didn't you talk to him?!"

"I tried, Hud", Smokey informed me, his voice surprisingly calm. "He was very adamant in his decision."

"So are you! Why can't you be adamant as usual?!"

"Hud-"

"Save it!" I snapped. "I ain't talkin' to you right now!"

I stormed off. I ignored everyone around town. I ignored my friends River and Junior and my other good friend Louise, whom I had a crush on. They would probably be busy preparing for the next race and I didn't want to have any part of that. I even ignored Herman, the Loyal Goose of Thomasville, who honked at me when I passed, obviously wanting attention. Or maybe some dandelions. Either way, he wasn't getting it from me.

There was no point in staying around Thomasville, I decided. It was a rash decision, but I didn't think about that at the time. I just packed up a few necessities, including my Piston Cups and the newspaper article about my crash (I told myself it was to remind me never to go back, but it was really because I couldn't let go). Then I just drove out of town, never looked back either.

The world wasn't so kind to me. Not then and not when I was a child, growing up in the war. My father and brother had been killed and I'd become the man of the house at eleven.

I had hoped the world would be much kinder to Fudge. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. This was the most unfair thing I'd ever experienced. Not only that, but she'd been put through more than any child ever deserved. Being abandoned by her own mother, being threatened with the very harsh reality of being forced away from the only family she knew, losing me, being kidnapped and beaten by some Lemons. Now, this?

What did she possibly do to deserve any of this? I wondered. Fudge was such a sweet kid. Sure, she misbehaved sometimes, but not any more than any other child.

"Oh, Fudge", I whispered softly as I held her close.

"I... I can't be dead!" Fudge wept.

"I know", I assured her gently. "It's gonna be okay. You know I'm gonna take care of you."

Fudge shook her head. "I don't wanna be dead!"

Well, nobody wants to be dead, especially not at her age. I didn't say that, though. I just held her.

Finally, she looked up at me tearfully. "I wanna go back to Radiator Springs!"

"You can", I assured her.

She looked confused. "What?"

"Lemme show you!" I took her hand and led her away.

Pretty soon, we were looking out at the small town. All around, everyone was in mourning over Fudge. Lightning was at home, drinking. Sally was trying to comfort him, but she was in tears herself. Guido and Luigi were also at home, unable to stop crying. Everyone else was at Flo's, sobbing.

The young girl looked surprised. "I didn't think they'd get this upset", she commented.

I raised an eye frame. "You didn't think they'd care that you're gone?"

She shrugged.

"Come on, Fudge. You meant a lot to all of them", I pointed out.

Fudge looked blank. "I did?"

I chuckled softly. "Come on."

She had a lot to learn.

"Really?"

"Fudge, why are you so surprised to know we care about you?" I wondered.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess after what my mom did to me, in the back of my mind, I just always felt like maybe I didn't deserve to be loved."

That was a very sad thing to hear from a twelve-year-old girl. "Everyone deserves to be loved, Fudge."

"Everyone says that. I guess I've always felt like maybe I was an exception to that rule."

I was about to tell her that was ridiculous, but then I stopped. I remembered my last day in Thomasville.

"I know what you mean", I responded quietly.

It was hard for Fudge to accept what had happened, I knew that. So, I decided to change the subject. "C'mon. Come with me."

"What for?" she wondered.

"No one's down by Willy's Butte", I pointed out. "Wanna take a couple of laps?"

"Are you sure that's okay?" she asked.

"'Course it is", I assured her. "Let's go."

It was strange letting Fudge race without a helmet or magnets, but she didn't need them anymore. So, she just climbed up onto my roof and hollered, "On your marks, get set, go!"

So, we took off around the track. Pretty soon, the two of us were doing what we did best: racing.

I have to admit, after a while, I completely forgot we were now in the afterlife. To my relief, Fudge did too.

I told you I didn't have many ideas. Next chapter is the last one.