Jackson and I had decided to do some training, now that he was out of the trailer. Of course, we'd have had to get him cleaned up and stuff.

Much as I love Jackson...the boy stank, which is ironic, since he was always Mr. Germophobe (If that's how you spell it). I assumed that he stopped caring about little details like that, after that crash.

We had been training for a while, and Cruz had decided to help out. Later on, Jackson had called me over, while I was talking with some of Dad's old friends.

"McQueen." he called. I turned around, to see that same smirk on his face.

"Follow up," he instructed. "There's something I wanna show you."

I nodded, saying "Goodbye" to the cars I had been conversing with, and following suit.

We'd driven thirteen hours away, to the Copper Canyon Speedway in Avondale, Arizona.

This was where the Dinoco 400 had taken place.

It's also where Jackson and I had met, when I first became a racer. He led me a little ways past the entrance, then turned to me. I gave him a smirk.

"What exactly are we doing here?" I asked. It was mostly tourists in the stadium. Jackson returned my smirk.

"I figured that I would take you here, since this is where we first met." he explained. I smiled.

"Aw, you do care." I joked. He rolled his eyes.

Hey, for the first half of the relationship, all he did was act cocky and rude.

Now, it was my turn.

"Wow, I never realized that this stadium is as big as your ego." he retorted.

"At least I can't use mine as a parachute." I retaliated.

"Tsk." was all I heard. I laughed, noticing his small smile.

"Amazing, how quick time flies," he said, looking around. "Thirty seconds ago, we were at each other's spoilers with insults."

I nodded at that. He wasn't wrong.

"Well," I said. "That's what you get when you're living in the fast lane."

His nod was slow, as if he was lost in the thought of it. I stared at him for a moment.

"What made you wanna talk to me, the first time that I drove through that gate?" I asked. He looked at me.

"I noticed that something was off about you," he answered. "Decided I would try to fish it out. You're a good liar."

"It wasn't really a lie, Jackson," I explained. "I actually was racing for the sake of it...partially. When my dad crashed, I think I was just...motivated by his crash."

"Then, you crashed, just as he did, and the Hudson Hornet did..." he jokingly rambled on.

"Okay, okay," I stopped. "So, maybe we're not the best racers, but it is in our engines."

"You don't have to tell me twice about that, McQueen." he responded. I smiled.

"So, before-" I said the name of the girl he told me about, before he and I met. "had discovered you, how much training had you been through for racing?"

"Meh, it wasn't as much as you'd think," he explained. "I was young when I began driving on my own, didn't start to get into it until I was about six, and about ten is when I really began practicing."

"When did the training really begin?"

"I was about thirteen, when I started training for races, here and there. Wasn't until I was about fifteen or sixteen that I got into professional racing-"

"And now, you're a professional beginner." I finished, teasingly. Jackson smirked.

"How many years of training did you have, Alex?" he asked.

I kept my mouth shut, and the smirk on his face seemed to grow.

"Yeah, I'm real messed up." he retaliated. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I mean..." I drifted off on purpose, and he looked as if he would whack me in the hood with one of those poor tourists.

"I love you?" I suggested. He didn't buy it.

"Drive."

I drove.

---

Jackson had probably spent the last twenty minutes chasing me around, and he caught up to me several times.

I thought for sure that I wouldn't have an engine, had he actually caught me.

We decided to head back to California, since the race was tomorrow.

"I wish this would've lasted longer," I said, as we drove along the road to Route 66. "Stupid Piston Cup Series."

Jackson smiled a bit.

"You say that as if you weren't going nuts when you won one." he reminded me. I rolled my eyes, leaning into him.

"You're a jerk." I joked.

"Thanks," he said. "I try my best."

"Hey," I responded. "I have a question."

"I have an answer," he...well...answered. "Let's see if they match."

"Why...Why did you take me down there, today?" I asked.

"Thought I'd let you time travel for a bit," he answered. "It's where we met the first time. Thought you'd have a blast, there."

"Well, I did." I reminded him. He gave me a smile, and a soft peck to the headlight.

After a while, we had reached Radiator Springs, where Dad and Cruz met us, and from the look on Dad's face, I could tell that I was in for a long night of relationship-related jokes.

"Look who's late," he said. "Thought you guys would stay at the track."

"Well, you never told us which track to stay at." Jackson retaliated. I smiled.

"He's not wrong," I stated in agreement. "You need to be more specific."

"You're hilarious, Alex." Dad responded, rhetorically.

"Oh, I know. Thank you." I smarted back.

"Ladies, you're both beautiful," Mom said, driving up to us. I assumed she overheard, and I smirked to Dad.

"Lady? I'm not a lady!" he argued.

"That's right. You're Stickers." Mom corrected. Dad's expression was priceless. Mom looked to Jackson, giving him a smile.

"You're welcome to stay overnight, Jackson," she invited. "Not like we'll ever have a full house, here."

"That's true," I said. "I mean, Dad's really the only one bringing in an income-"

"Alex?"

"Sorry."

Jackson chuckled.

"I think I'm gonna head on back to L.A, meet up with Igntr," he said. "I need to get some training down for the season's final, tomorrow."

I plastered a fake frown on my face.

"Jackson Storm, how dare you leave me behind." I scolded. He smirked.

"Cry me a river, Red," he said. "Or, should I say Blue, since that's your new color, now?"

"Neither," I said. "Call me McQueen."

"That's my girl!" Dad cheered. I turned to him.

"Don't ruin it!" I whined. Jackson gave another "Tsk", planting another kiss on my headlight.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he informed. "Don't be late."

"Yeah, yeah."

I headed off to my cone, and smiled, knowing that everything worked out in its own way.

---

It was the day of the season's final, and I couldn't have been more scared in my life.

In my pit, I looked to my mom, who seemed to have noticed the look on my face.

"You'll be fine, alright?" she asked. "You've done this several times, Alex."

"Yeah, but...this is the final race of the season, Mom," I said. "I've never been in the finals before. What if I don't win? What if I crash, again? What if-"

"Alex." someone interrupted. I looked in the direction of the voice.

Dad.

I looked at the ground.

"Look at me, Alex."

I did so, watching his smile appear on his face.

"You're a racer," he said. "Don't let anything get to you out there, and if you lose, so what? There's always next season! Racing is the reward, Alex, not the stuff."

I gave him a smile.

"Remember that." he said. I nodded.

"Now, get out there, before you're late, again!" he scolded. I laughed, racing onto the track, getting into my position, behind Jackson.

"Look at that," he said. "You're actually early for once."

"Shut up, Jackson."

"Heh..."

---

Jackson's P.O.V:

I once told you that I figured sooner or later, I'd crash.

That day finally came.

But, Alex and I did something that took McQueen longer to do:

We came back.

Albeit, we took months to come back, but we both never doubted that we wouldn't race, again.

...I'm a liar.

We both did exactly that.

I watched as Alex raced down the track. She always loved being in front, leading the pack.

Hours later, I'd swoop in, and steal her cup from her. I enjoyed taunting her that way, but you know what they say:

What goes around comes around.

I'd steal her win, and she'd find a way to get back at me, outside the track.

That's what I loved about her. She wasn't one of these crazy, spoiled girls.

She had the opportunity to get whatever she wanted, but all she really wanted was for her dad to get back onto the tracks.

So, she worked for it.

She didn't buy his way back for him.

She didn't negotiate with Sterling.

She didn't try to ruin my life for me, or something.

She put herself in his place, so he could get back to it.

Also, I was kind of digging the sarcasm.

---

Alex's P.O.V:

It had been hours, and it was the final lap.

As I expected, Jackson had shown up out of nowhere, stealing the win.

Honestly, I was kind of hoping he'd take it. Sure, I was dying to win a season's final race, but...I enjoyed seeing the look on his face, when he won.

Besides, as Dad said, racing is the reward, not the stuff. We met up afterwards, to converse.

That was always my favorite part of a race. I enjoyed talking to Jackson.

Sure, he was an idiot, almost twenty-four/seven, but I liked that about him.

"How many times are you gonna steal my Piston Cups from me?" I asked, sarcastically. He smirked.

"Alright, you have a point," he said. "You can have the plaque."

My jaw dropped, and I punched him with my tire, as he chuckled.

"You're ruthless." I said.

"'Ruthless' is a strong word," he joked. "I'd say-"

"Evil?" I asked. "Heartless? Hateful?"

"Alright, I get it." he responded. I smiled, leaning into him.

"Jerk."

"Ah, that's better," he teased. "I like 'jerk'. Use that."

I laughed, as Dad had caught up with us.

"What's so funny over here?" he asked.

"Dad, he has a new nickname, now," I informed. "His nickname is 'Jerk'."

"We've been calling him that for months," Dad joked. "You're late to the party, Alex."

"When am I not?"

"Very funny," Dad had responded. "We're heading out for a drive; you two wanna come?"

"Actually, I think we're gonna go for a drive of our own." Jackson had answered, as I began to speak up.

I gave him a smile.

"Keep an eye on her, Storm." Dad had scolded, jokingly.

"Dad..." I groaned, as Jack let out yet another chuckle.

"She's sixteen, McQueen." Jackson said.

"And I'm a veteran," Dad responded. "Now that we know our ages, keep her safe."

"Whatever ya say, McQueen," Jackson said. "Come on, Alex."

"The queen leaves when she chooses to leave." I joked. Jackson smiled.

"Let us move forward, Queen Alexandria." he responded, with a fake British accent. I laughed, as he drove ahead.

"Ally."

"Jackie-Poo."

"You love me."

"I do."

---

Jackson's P.O.V:

Unfortunately, this is where our little fairytale ends.

I know what you're asking:

What happened afterwards?

Did we get married?

Well, you'll be happy to know that after years, and years, and more years of asking, and asking, and more asking...

....I finally said "yes".

Jackson..

Fine, I asked her.

Allow me to repeat what he said. After years, and years, and more years, and of course, some years after that of asking and asking, and more asking after that, I said "yes".

Oh boy, I wonder where you thought up that joke...

Jackie-Poo.

Ally.

Point is, question's answered. We're married.

My parents are just fine, and honestly, have never been better...

Alex?

Oh, yeah! Right! Sterling got out of jail, as well as Casey, and...surprise! We made up. Casey and I actually became really good friends. I guess she learned her lesson.

Guess you could say this is our happy ending.

(Gasp!) Aw, you do care!

Shut up, McQueen.

Um, whose story is this, again?

...

That's what I thought.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, getting back to the story ending, this is our happily ever after.

And, no. We did not have kids. That crap is gross.

How many times have you sworn in this story?

Lost count after like, three.

Ha-ha, very funny.

Thank you. I work hard to be this hilarious.

Anything else you'd like to say?

Other than confessing my undying love for you, and wanting to change my last name to McQueen? No, nothing else.

You're a jerk.

You don't have to remind me, though I do thoroughly enjoy it.

Har-har, Romeo.

Thank you, Juliet. Anything else?

Unfortunately, not.

If that's it, I guess this is...

The End.

---

Author's End-Note:

There's so many people I want to thank, right now. I had so much fun writing this story, and it makes me really sad to have to acknowledge that it's over.

However, I will be creating a fun little facts book (including some quote-unquote "bloopers" from the story, because I just loved this story, and it's my most cherished accomplishment) for you guys to read.

First and foremost, I wanna thank every one of my readers, because this story would NOT be as popular as it is, if not for you guys. You guys are my everything, and I love you all so much! You have no idea!

Next, I wanna thank Disney Pixar, for creating such an incredible movie trilogy!

I can't believe that the last Cars movie (if it is [sadly] the last one) is already out, and I'm so grateful to have been able to write such an amazing piece of work, and I'm more proud of this story than any other story that I've written in my life.

Though I've written many stories, this one holds a spot at the very bottom of my heart, and from this point on, it will be the very core of why I love writing.

Lastly, I'd like to thank Wattpad, because if not for this website, I would never have had the ability to share this with the reading world! I would never have been able to meet such amazing, funny, lovable people, if not for this website.

You guys are awesome, and I'm forever grateful that you read this story.

Be sure to look out for the next one, which I've decided to title: Cars- Next Generation: Extras, Bloopers, and More!!

Thanks so much for reading, commenting, and voting!

I love you guys so much!

-I.K.