58So, this is something that I've been wanting to do for awhile now, it's been percolating and growing since about September. And I've now worked up the courage to start this, mostly because my desire to share this has been amplified. This is very much inspired by NurfHurdur's stories, it inspired an AU of Lynda Weathers being the daughter of Alexander Piston and that in turn, making her the niece of Doc. Spoiler alert, Doc marries Emily Piston.
So, welcome to this newest collection of one shots inspired by NurfHurdur's lore. For clarification this does mean that yes, all one shots will be humanized, it does not though, mean they will all be a part of the same AU.
Lynda Piston, had known just who her uncle was for years already. She had always known he was once a racer and that before she was born he had been seriously hurt and those injuries used to flare up on him, causing him great pain.
Then when she was about 12 she had overheard her aunt and uncle talking about him racing and 51 being a taboo between her father and uncle. At the time she hadn't understood the shared animosity between the two. She remembered in particular asking her uncle that if 51 was such a big taboo for him and her father, why couldn't they use that as a rallying point to get along? She was told it was a taboo for two very different reasons, so it wouldn't help at all; probably make things worse truthfully. She had dropped it for the time being; until she went home, that was.
Then she researched her father, her uncle, the number 51 and Hudson Hornet since it was said her uncle raced his Hornet; and if nobody was around he'd drive it around Willie's Butte, just outside of Radiator Springs where her aunt and uncle live, for her and her brothers. When she was researching she hadn't known what she was going to find, but she knew even at age 12, it wouldn't be what her father implied about her uncle.
Stephen had been telling her for a few years not to believe everything their father would say, pointing out that he liked to stretch the truth to fit the way he thought it should. So, she learned her Uncle Jesse was the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.
Everything had clicked into place for her then. Her father, Alexander Piston and her Uncle Jesse had been serious rivals on the track. Not necessarily competition for each other; her uncle being the better driver, but definitely rivals all the same.
It didn't help lessen the animosity at all when her uncle had helped her mom with their divorce, nor did it help that she and Stephen looked to their aunt and uncle as their real parents.
So, here she was in her early 20's, never having admitted to anyone that wasn't close family, that her uncle was the number 51 Fabulous Hudson Hornet. And now, on her first road trip with her boyfriend, she was breaking her silence on the subject.
To the public, her uncle was known as Doctor Aaron Hudson, who had never been seen. Her uncle wanting nothing to do with the press or the racing world. For as long as she could remember, anything in public, it was Uncle Aaron, and that's all her serious boyfriend sitting beside her, knew him as.
Her boyfriend was a racer much to her father's chagrin; which was ironic to her, since he had raced himself. Bernie had gone to school with him and had shared classes with him. Bernie had also pointed out the year before already that if he was ever going to meet their uncle, she'd have to tell him who their uncle was. Because in Bernie's words 'there was no way in hell, Strip Weathers wouldn't recognize him. He had done a report in school on the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.' She knew Bernie was right about that.
Strip had met her aunt after that conversation with her brother; at a racing event, where her aunt had invited the two of them to visit.
A year later and here they were; doing just that after finally getting the chance to go. Her Aunt Emily was excited that they were coming and both her aunt and uncle were under no disillusions that he wasn't going to be recognized. After Strip had given his school presentation, the next time Bernie had visited their aunt and uncle, he wouldn't shut up about the fact that his classmate; Strip Weathers, had done a report on Uncle Jesse.
She knew she had been procrastinating about telling Strip about her uncle, and now that they were in the car driving there, she had to tell him, before they got to Radiator Springs.
She had been nervous since before they left and had offered to drive. That way she had something more than her nerves to concentrate on. Strip didn't mind that, they could always switch out when she got tired.
She felt like a complete bundle of nerves and it showed. She couldn't help drumming her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove.
Why should she feel so nervous? She was only taking her boyfriend of about three years to meet the people she thought of as her real parents. One of those being Strip's inspiration to become a racer.
Yeah, there was nothing to worry about; at all, right.
She decided to lead into talking about who her uncle was after telling a few childhood stories about her aunt and uncle. Which would lead her into who her uncle was and how she figured it out. With an idea now of how to broach the subject she felt herself calm and was able to stop drumming her fingers.
She could do this, this trip was going to be just fine. Her aunt already adored Strip, Stephen liked him, Bernie could tolerate his former classmate, her mom was seemingly fine about him. Bernie had said their father would be a fight, but her Uncle Jesse, she suspected would get along well with Strip, if he didn't let his bitterness about the racing world get in the way.
It was a strangely exciting, but nerve wracking thought that soon Strip and her Uncle Jesse would be meeting. With that last thought she started telling stories about her true parents.
Strip Weathers was feeling incredibly nervous. He was on a road trip with his girlfriend Lynda Piston; their very first, to meet her aunt and uncle. He wasn't overly nervous about meeting her aunt as Lyn had introduced him to her last year at a racing event.
It wasn't something that happened much now days. Emily Piston, well technically Emily Hudson was her married name; though the racing world still often referred to her by her maiden name, rarely came to events anymore. Citing her desire for a slower, less press, small town style of life.
Lyn had been so excited to introduce him to her aunt. She had admitted to him that her aunt and uncle were more her parents to her and Stephen than their parents were.
At the time he remembers being apprehensive, wondering if she'd be anything like her brother. Alexander Piston had always made him uncomfortable, like he was a bug to be squished and that was before he had ever started dating Lynda.
Much to his relief, she was nothing like her brother and they ended up getting along well. He had tried calling her Mrs. Hudson, but she insisted that he call her Emily. By the end of the night, Emily was inviting them to come and visit sometime.
About a year later and here they were, on their way to see Lyn's aunt and uncle. Lyn had insisted on driving, which was fine by him, maybe it would help calm her nerves.
While they were both lost in thoughts in the beginning of the drive he couldn't help, but notice how nervous she was. He had never seen her so nervous before, not even when meeting his parents. She was drumming her fingers on the steering wheel and when she'd glance over to him, she'd give him an almost pained smile. She was jittery and jumping at the smallest things; something was bugging her.
She started to calm down once she started talking. She started off with talking about what she remembered of her parents divorce and that it was because of her Uncle Aaron helping her mom, that Stephen decided to go into law. How during that time she had kept being shuffled around from place to place and that's when she first started to feel like her aunt and uncle were her parents.
She told him how her father wouldn't teach her how to drive and how upset it had made her. Leading to her Uncle Aaron teaching her because he thought everyone should know how to drive.
She fell silent for a moment after that story. He used her break to pass her an open bottle of water, surely her throat was dry after all her talking. She gave him a grateful smile with a murmured thank-you.
He was hoping he'd be able to catch her uncle alone for a few minutes, so he could ask who Lynda thought of as her true dad for his blessing to marry her. He'd still ask Mr. Piston for his blessing too, but he knew it would mean a lot to her to have asked her uncle for her hand.
He took back her water and put it away for the time being.
"Strip?" He heard her ask.
"Yes, Lyn?"
"I have something important I have to tell you before we reach Radiator Springs. I was using those childhood stories to try and lead up into it. It's something, I've never talked about outside of my family. It's what's got me so nervous." She hesitated a moment, once again drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.
"This can't leave this car or Radiator Springs, but my uncle's first name isn't Aaron. It's actually his middle name." She paused again looking away from him before looking back.
"My- my uncle's name is actually Jesse. He's Doctor Jesse Hudson, not Doctor Aaron Hudson." She had stopped again, this time watching him from the corner of her eye, waiting for his response.
It seemed like she was implying that her uncle was the missing Jesse Hudson, driver of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.
He licked his lips before responding. "As in the driver from the 50's?" he clarified.
She just nodded as she went on to quickly explain how when she was younger she had never understood the sheer amount of animosity between her uncle and her father. The taboo of her uncle's racing career, that was implied by her father to be less than his one Piston Cup. And how when she and her brothers were all visiting together her uncle would drive for them.
Her piecing together enough information for her to research her uncle and later actually talk about what she had come across with her aunt and uncle.
"Bernie had his eyes opened by your presentation in school; you know, about Uncle Jesse. He couldn't get over the fact that our father mightn't have been the most truthful about our uncle's racing career. Or the fact that Uncle Jesse almost died. Aunt Em told me about the fact that Bernard had kept asking her if she knew that. I promise you dad won't be too hard on you about that, mom keeps him in check. He doesn't like to talk about his racing days because of how he was treated after his crash. Uncle Jesse certainly knows who you are, and that you would probably recognize him when you meet him. He's my dad, for all intents and purposes and while in the beginning he might be a bit standoffish, he'll warm up to you. Just, please try and pretend you're not meeting who inspired you to race. Uncle Jesse will appreciate it and it will help him relax quicker if you can school yourself from looking like an awestruck fan."
"I can manage that Lyn." He assured her.
"You won't tell anyone where he is, right? He really doesn't want anything to do with the racing world anymore. I don't know what I'd do if-" he cut her off.
"Lyn. Lynda, you know I'd do anything for you? Right, dear?" She nodded. "Then you should know I'll keep your uncle's secret. Outside of this car and Radiator Springs, I'll call him Aaron, just like everyone else, I promise."
"Thank-you, you always seem to know what I need to hear."
"There's not much I wouldn't do for you." He stated shaking his head slightly.
She just smiled at him. "So, you'll switch out driving with me?"
"Of course."
She pulled over to the side of the road and they switched, by the time they were back to driving, they had lapsed into a silence he was glad for. It would give him a chance to process what he had been told before arriving at her aunt's and uncle's, and there was a lot to process.
While he had known for awhile that Lynda had considered her aunt and uncle her parents, it was the first time he had heard her slip and call them mom and dad. Though, he had rarely heard her call Alexander Piston anything other than father, only calling him dad to his face and never the more affectionate daddy.
What took more to process, was the fact that her Uncle Aaron was actually Jesse Hudson; and that he was well aware of the fact that he had done a school project on him. That only made this trip infinitely more awkward and nerve wracking.
He looked over to her, she was leaning against the side window, eyes closed. If she wasn't asleep now, she would be soon.
It just sort of hit him in that moment as he looked back to the road. Not only was he dating racing royalty or at least as close as you could come, seeing as Lynda's family was the driving force behind the Piston Cup, like the name would suggest. Not only that, but her Uncle Aaron; who she always spoke so kindly about, was the legendary, missing, Jesse Hudson. The very same driver of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet; that he did a project on in school, and apparently he knew about it.
This was certainly going to be an interesting trip. Hopefully, by the end of it though, Jesse Hudson wouldn't disapprove of him like Lyn's father seemed to.
And there we go, we're off to the races now.
