Daniel Ricciardo Fanfic - Tumblr Posts

The Handsome Artist. 21. (Daniel Ricciardo)

A cabin at the coast. Abi and Danny enjoy the last days in a quiet place.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: Birthday

Note: I'm sorry it took too long, it has been a roller-coaster couple of weeks.

I felt a soft touch on my back, going up and down and sometimes acompanied by light the light pressure of a kiss. I opened my eyes and the sunlight made my sight blurry.

Those kisses traveled up my spine and found my neck.

"I know you a awake" He said and lifted his leg over my hips. With him around my whole body, I closed my eyes again and moved closer to him. "Clingy?"

I giggled a bit and nodded, turning my head to the other side and hiding on his neck. His hand traveled down my side and gripped my hip.

"I just want cuddles" I whispered and kissed his Of Love and Life tattoo. He pressed a kiss to my head.

"I can give you that"

Daniel pulled me close to his chest and I grabbed into him. His warmth felt way too good and he smelled like soap.

"Are you ready for today?" He whispered.

"I think so"

He touched my chin and made me look up at him.

"What's going on?"

Our days in Australia were coming to an end, and not knowing when he would see them again, Daniel had planned a weekend for the four of us. He had rented a cabin in the coast and we would take the kids there. Then on Sunday the others would come.

"I haven't been alone with kids like that. Like taking full care of them"

He leaned and kissed my lips softly. He had discover long ago how much it soothed me.

"You are great with them. You are the best Auntie."

I smiled a bit.

"Am I?"

"Mhm"

Another kiss and then another.

"It's lovely to see you around them." He caressed my cheek. "You really are so good with them"

"Yeah, but I haven't fully taken care of them."

He sighed and kissed my cheek.

"You will do amazing. I'm sure"

This time, it was me who kissed his lips.

"I can't believe it's almost over" He whispered while leaning his head beck on the pillow. I looked into his brown eyes and ran my thumb over his lip. I wasn't sure of what to say but there were questions in my head. "Thank you very much for coming with me. It wouldn't have been the same"

I smiled and gave him another deep kiss.

"I'm happy you brought me"

He hugged me again and hid on my neck. I snaked my arms around his naked back and pulled him even closer. I kissed him all over his face, making him smile and giggle.

Soon the alarm rang and we had to get up. Getting the bags ready for only three days was way more difficult.

"Do you have everything?" I asked.

"Mmm, I think s-" He gasped. "No"

And the he ran, making me laugh. He came back soon after with a box.

"Is that the tattoo machine?"

"Maybe" He said smirking.

"What are you planning?"

"I can't tell you"

I gasped and faked being offended.

"Sorry" He pecked my lips. "Ready?"

We said our goodbyes and drove to the kids school.

"Auntie!"

I caught Izzy on my arms and kissed her cheek.

"We learnt the animals and plants today!"

"That's awesome!"

Daniel kissed her head and pinched her cheek.

"Did you told them your aunt is a botanist?"

"Of course, Uncle Dan" She said as if it was the most obvious thing. It made me laugh. "I told them the plants that help with sore head"

"Head aches" I reminded her.

"Yes. That"

I smiled. She was the cutest little thing in the world.

We heard a woman calling Daniel and we both looked.

"She is miss Sandy" Izzy said.

Daniel frowned and walked to her.

"Isaac had a little accident. We just called Michelle and she told us you were picking him. He fell when he was leaving the class."

I bit my lip as I saw Danny's expression change.

"Is he okay?"

"He is a bit scared."

"Okay. Can I?"

The woman nodded and Daniel and her went back inside.

"Dis Isaac got hurt?"

"I think so, sweetie"

"Can we go to the beach house?"

I walked to the car and sat her on the hood.

"Let's see how he is feeling first, okay?"

She nodded.

Soon, Daniel was back with Isaac on his arms and his little Lightning McQueen bag on his shoulder.

"Hey..." I said reaching for the boy's curls.but without leaving Izzy's side. "Are you okay, Isaac?"

He sniffed.

"A friend pushed him and he fell a couple of steps. But he is fine. He is a strong guy and only got a little bruise on his knee"

"I got a bruise once too, Isaac!"

Isaac lifted his head.

"I want to go to the beach. I don't want to stay at home" He brushed his teary eyes.

Daniel and I shared a look and a smile.

"Well, you have to call mum and talk to her." Danny said.

He sat the kid next to his sister, who went instantly to ask where the bruise was. Meanwhile, I called Michelle.

"Hi"

"Hi, Abi. How is he feeling?"

"A bit scared." I whispered.

"Oh, poor boy"

"Yeah. Izzy is already dealing with it"

Isaac was showing Dan and Izzy the bruise on his knee.

"He wants to ask you if he can go to the beach"

I heard her laughing softly.

"Of course"

So I gave him the phone. Danny and I observed the kid as he talked to his mum, telling her the whole story and crying a bit while doing so.

"Mum said it's fine but I have to be careful and tell you if it hurts too much"

"Yay!" Izzy clasped happily.

"Let's go then"

Daniel told me how it was him who usually sat between the kids seats, but now it was me. Isaac was leaning on my side, sniffing and still tearing sometimes. He had told me he was tired and I said it was fine. Then Izzy had started talking nonstop and playing with my rings. So I was trying to get the little girl to talk softly while her brother relaxed a bit on my shoulder. Meanwhile, I could feel Dan shooting looks through the mirror and smiling.

We arrived to the cabin three quarters later and I was amazed. It was a beautiful place in front of the sea.

"It's beautiful, Daniel"

"Yes Uncle Dan. It's really nice"

I giggled and looked at Isaac.

"Isaac, love" I touched his shoulder and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Are we at home?"

"We are at the beach. The cabin"

He looked through the window.

"C'mon buddy. You came here once, remember?"

He said no.

"You were too little, probably"

Daniel and I put the kids out of the car and the bags and walked behind them. Izzy was grabbing Isaac to help him walk.

"Well done, Izzy. Now be careful with the steps. One each time, Isaac" I told them.

"How were you unsure, Abi?" Daniel said with a smile "You are perfect"

I blushed and shrugged.

"We just arrived"

"And you have already dealt perfectly with them. It's not easy."

"They are nice kids" I smiled. I loved them so much.

When we got into the house, Izzy started running around and Isaac tried to follow her.

"We have 1 bedroom for us. Because it has kids beds. And then is another one for you because it has one big bed" She informed us.

The first night was pretty calmed. Danny and I cooked dinner while they did their homework (they had promised mum). Then after dinner, I had put some cream on Isaac's knee and they had gone to sleep.

"Pss" Danny called me. I rolled my eyes when I saw him laying on the bed.

"Where are your clothes, dork?"

"I wish I knew"

I laughed and pecked his lips.

"The kids are on the next door"

"I thought you would have enough practice by now"

I pushed him and sat on his abdomen.

Then next morning, I woke up the first. Daniel was snoring softy and laying naked upside down. I covered him with the blankets and got dressed. After washing myself I went to check on the kids. Isaac was awake and looking through the window.

"Tss"

He turned around and smiled.

"Hi"

"Do you want to come with me?"

He nodded and followed me.

Isaac sat in the counter while I got breakfast ready. He talked quietly about what he had done at school this week and asked questions about how my school was and how I studied to become a botanist.

"Uncle Dan said that I could go to LA when I'm older if he doesn't come back."

I looked at the kid.

"If uncle Dan doesn't come back to live in here?"

He nodded.

I looked back at my work in the kitchen and took a deep breath.

"Do you want him to?"

"Yes. But he says he loves LA. Only a little less than Perth." Isaac took a sip from his orange juice. "Do you like Perth?"

"I love it"

"Cool"

"Morning..." Danny's deep morning voice made us look. He was followed by a really sleepy Isabella.

"Hi guys" I smiled although I was feeling something deep on my chest. Something I needed to talk about.

Daniel kissed Isaac and then me.

"I thought we could go to the beach to play around ad build castles"

"Mum said we can't get wet"

"We won't" I touched Isaac's nose.

Daniel wrapped himself around me and peeked over my shoulder.

"Also... We have a surprise for you, Auntie Abi" His voice gave me goosebumps.

Suddenly the kids were fully away and talking loud.

"Yes! Yes we do!"

"Can we show her?!"

I was really surprised.

"What?" I asked with a smile.

"Okay, sit guys. I'll be back soon."

Daniel left and I helped Isaac to hop down the counter. The three of us sat on the table and soon he was back. He had a folder that said For the best Auntie in the World. He sat too.

"What is this?" I asked a bit weirded out by the whole thing.

"It's..." Izzy opened her mouth to talk but Danny was fastest.

"Shh princess. What did we talked about?"

"It's a really serious gift and Uncle Dan has to speak first" She said.

"Good"

Danny turned to me and passed me the folder.

"The kids and I have worked a lot on this. It's yours now and you can do whatever you want with it. You can say no to what I'm about to propose or you can have some time to think. It's up to you"

My hands were shaking.

I opened the folder and looked inside quite confused. It was a drawing of flowers and plants clearly done by the kids.

"It's beautiful"

"You can get a tattoo" Izzy said.

"Izzy... What had we talked about?" Danny said frowning a bit.

"Sorry" She whispered.

Danny sighed and looked at me.

"A tattoo?" I asked.

"Yeah. Well, if you want. They got the idea when they saw the ivy on the pool. T-they asked who had drawn it and I said it was me"

I looked at the kids, who were patiently waiting.

"They wanted to do that too. But the three of us talked about it and they understand that maybe you don't want to get it on your skin. And..."

"It's fine. You can hang it in your living room and get it later" Isaac said.

"When you are ready." Izzy add.

My eyes filled with tears.

"Why are you crying?" Isaac walked to me and took my hand. "Is it ugly?"

"Come here, sweetie." I hugged him to my side and kissed his head. "It's perfect. I wasn't expecting you guys to do this for me"

"You love flowers, so we did a lot" Izzy pointed.

Danny gently touched my knee.

"You can think about it"

I nodded and cleaned my tears.

"I love it guys. It's perfect. But... I will think about it, okay?"

They nodded.

"Give me a big hug, c'mon"

Daniel took the folder from my hands right before both kids jumped on me. I kissed their cheeks.

"Thank you very very very much. I love it. And you guys are such good artists. I won't hang it on the shop once we are back in L.A. so everyone can see it"

Daniel was looking at us with a fond smile.

"And the tattoo?" Izzy said.

"Let me think for a bit. I have to choose where I want it" Hearing that their faces (the three of them) lit up. I smiled at Daniel. "That's why you brought the machine"

He nodded while laughing.

I felt a warm feeling on me. We did the dishes together after having breakfast. Then we got ready and went to the beach to play. And when we were too tired, we sat and watched them play. It was windy and the sea was roaring, but the kids were having so much fun anyway.

Daniel lifted his arm and I tucked myself under it. He threw the blanket over our shoulders.

"Are you really sure about the tattoo? It last forever"

I looked at him and kissed his jaw.

"Is that a problem?"

"What if..." He looked away at the sea.

For once I wasn't the insecure one.

"Dan... Whatever happens in the future... I won't be able to forget about this. I will always love them and I will always love you. No matter what"

He looked down and pressed his forehead to mine.

"You will always be a warm memory to look back on bad days. No matter what happens. If we end up together or not."

He cupped my cheek and kissed me slowly. For a moment I forgot about everything and could just think of him and his coffee-flavoured lips.

"I love you"

I smiled and stroked his cheek.

"I love you too"

"So?"

"My back?"

"Brave girl"

I chuckled.

"That bad?"

"That's what they say."

"I'm sure I can take it"

"I'm sure you do"

I closed my eyes and hid in his neck.

"They are so special"

"They are, yes. I thought they were insane when they came and said they wanted to draw a tattoo for Auntie Abi."

I giggled.

After that, we didn't say much. But that question floating around my mind came back. It seemed to be the perfect moment.

"Dan?"

"Yes"

"Do you want to come back?"

"Mmm, yes?"

"For real. Come back to live here"

He stayed in silence for a while, thinking and probably trying to form words.

"I do" He finally said. "I love Perth. But I love Los Angeles too. And yes. Maybe not now, but in the future, I would love to come back here"

I sighed.

"If I have to stay in L.A. I would. I don't have problems with that." He added.

I hugged his waist.

"I wouldn't have problems coming here either"

"All your life is in L.A."

"So is yours. The only thing that stops me now is Charlotte" I said.

He kissed my forehead.

"I love to hear that." He said. "We could have our own tattoo studio- flower shop. "

I smiled.

"We could"

"But there is so much time left for that"

I nodded.

"I love you"

...

"How are you doing?"

"Good"

I had been laying face down for an hour already, the needle poking at my skin.

Daniel was fully concentrated on the job while the kids drew on papers. He had told them to design tattoos for people to get in the shop and they were fully invested.

"Look. It's a snail"

"Beautiful, Izzy"

I was getting it on my back and it was painful but it wouldn't last much longer.

"Guys, it's one of the prettiest designs I have done"

"We can work with Lewis and you on the studio when we are older. " Isaac said. "I'm drawing a rose like yours. But it's purple"

I couldn't see him, but I knew Danny was smiling.

"Can Izzy add a little butterfly on it?"

"Why?" She asked.

"Pretty please?"

Soon the little girl was working on it. I was feeling so happy, so relaxed even though my boyfriend was scratching my skin with a needle. Everything felt so quiet, from the music in the background to the kids drawing and colouring.

"Okay. Want to have a look, guys?"

The kids got up and peeked over at me. I was laying on the sofa and the posture was uncomfortable for Danny (who was kneeling on the floor) and me.

"I love it!" Izzy shouted.

"It's super cool"

I giggled. "Can I have a look?" I asked.

Danny helped me get up and then showed me a mirror. I smiled so big. It was perfect. I felt so lucky to have found Daniel. I felt so lucky to have them all in my life and I understood why Charlotte and Molly always said there were good things waiting for me.

"I love you so much guys. Thank you very much for this" I kissed the three of them and they looked at me with big eyes. "I'm the luckiest Auntie in the world."

Daniel took my hand and kissed my knuckles.

"Now you can't forget about us while you are in LA" Izzy said.

"There is no way that's happening, princess"

Danny gave her a big bear hug and then looked at me.

"I have to clean and cover that up. And then..."

"Then what?" We asked at the same time.

He made us wait for long minutes. But soon he had us sitting on the sofa, Isaac on one side and Izzy and me on the other.

He took the drawing the kids had done. "This one is for me"

Izzy gasped.

"Abi and I will match now with the coolest tattoo ever"

And that's how we spent the rest of the afternoon, watching Dan tattoo his calf and plastering the flower and butterfly on his skin.

Everything was perfect.

..............

Getting the kids to sleep was the most difficult thing. But we finally did with a couple of tales and many many back rubs.

I washed my teeth and went back to the room. The day had been intense and full of emotions, but I wanted to finish it in the best way.

So I crawled onto the bed. He was there laying on his boxers and smelled like my soap. I leaned and kissed his link, the inner side of it. I loved the flower tattoo and looked up at him. He smiled and caressed my face.

"I can't believe we have matching tattoos now" I said carefully caressing the skin around the newest tattoo. He smiled.

"Have I told you you are the prettiest?"

"A couple of times, I think"

I kept kissing those tattoos on his leg, admiring them and caressing the painted skin on my way up. He was so handsome.

When I reached his black boxers I skipped them with a grin and kissed right under his belly button. I kept tracing my way with kisses all over his abs and pecs until I reached his beautiful neck. I nibbled the skin and he sighed, digging his fingers into my hair.

But suddenly the door opened and we heard a sob.

I pushed myself up from his body and he sat. Isaac was on the door with his crocodile plushie. He had a hand on his face and he was drying the tears.

"There are lightnings."

"Oh mate, come here"

The kid walked fast and climbed on the bed. He hugged Danny quickly and he kissed his head.

My boyfriend looked at me with a sad smile and mouthed an I'm sorry.

"Auntie duties" I whispered and leaned to kiss his forehead.

"Izzy is alone" Isaac whimpered. "What if she wakes up and gets scared because I'm not there?"

"Oh" Danny said and look at me. "Is Izzy scared of storms too?"

"No. But she hates the dark"

"Do you want me to go and get her? You can stay here with Uncle Dan and get the bed ready."

"Mum says that I have to sleep on the bed alone because I'm a big guy"

"Well, we will tell her we had a sleepover" I said touching Isaac's nose.

Danny smiled at me.

"Already spoiling them?"

"As I said, Auntie duties" I said wile walking out of the room.

Izzy was asleep when I reached her bed.

"Hey sweetie"

She opened her eyes slowly and reached for her farmer teddy bear.

"Auntie Abi"

"Mhm"

"It's not morning yet"

"I know, do you want to come with Uncle Dan and me? Isaac is there"

Thunder sounded in the sky and she turned to the window.

"It's fine. It's just a storm. We are having a sleepover."

"Isaac hates storms"

"I know. Do you want to go so he can feel better?"

She nodded.

I grabbed her and the teddy bear and walked back. Danny and Isaac had set so many pillows in the bed that we would barely fit in there. Dan was wearing a hoodie now and smiled when he saw us in the door.

"Princess!"

"I'm tired, Uncle Dan"

I giggled.

"We'll talk in whispers"

Soon, the four of us were laying on the bed. The kids were between Danny and I and he had a little smile on his lips. We had put a FIL on the TV, Cars, and they were watching it. Well. Isaac was. Izzy had fallen asleep again with her face hidden on my pyjama. She felt so warm and soft and I couldn't avoid kissing her hair a couple of times. She was the best, so cute and loving (her brother too, but we had a soft spot for eachother)

"It suits you" Danny whispered when he caught me playing with her blond locks.

"What?"

"A little girl" I blushed. "You will be a wonderful mum, Abi"

"The mum of my cousins?" Isaac casually asked without tearing his eyes from the TV. He was laying against Danny, with his uncle's arm around him to feel safe.

I looked at Danny and he looked at me. He had a sad smile. We had talked once about how the baby thing had affected Isaac. Izzy was still a toddler, but Isaac got super happy when Uncle Dan told him he was going to have a baby, small like Isabella when she was born.

"Of course, Isaac" I said touching his hair.

Daniel leaned his head against the headboard and closed his eyes. I feared for a moment having overstepped. But then he smiled and looked at me. I'm so in love with you, Daniel Ricciardo.

"How many cousins do you want?" He asked

"A boy and a girl. So I can teach a lot of stuff to the boy and Izzy to the girl."

Daniel kissed Isaac's head.

"I wanted to have a brother, not a sister. Because I thought girls were super boring. The girls in my school were. But Izzy is cool. She is a bit crazy sometimes and pulls my hair. But she is cool"

I smiled. He was the cutest.

"Then if you are going to be such a good cousin... Will you babysit them if Auntie Abi and I want to go out"

"I'm a kid, Uncle Dan. I can't babysit other kids"

I giggled and looked at Dan, who was trying so hard to not laugh out loud.

"Yeah Dan, what were you thinking?" I said slapping his shoulder.

Izzy moved a bit and groaned.

"She doesn't like to be waken up" Isaac whispered.

"Oh, we better watch the film then" I whispered.

Isaac turned his eyes to the screen and then I felt a hand on my hair, Danny carefully caressing it.

I looked up at him and saw him kissing his thumb before brushing it on my forehead. I closed my eyes and smiled. What a way to give me a kiss.

........

The goodbye came and it was the hardest thing to do. Izzy wouldn't let me go. She said she wanted to come with us. And it made us all cry a bit.

"Hey, look at me" I cupped her cheeks. "I have the tattoo remember? "

She nodded.

"And you have the plushies Uncle Dan I brought from L.A."

She nodded again.

"Then I won't forget about you and you won't forget about me"

"Can we call you?"

"Of course you can, princess"

She hugged my neck.

"I'm going to miss you a lot. Take care of Uncle Dan because he does a lot of crazy stuff and he will end up hurting himself"

"I promise"

Once they were all out of sight, Daniel hugged me. Blake and Michael kept walking to give us some privacy in the crowded airport.

"Bringing you here is the best thing I've ever done." He said in my ear.

"It is. You gave me a home away from home."

Tattoo link. Not what I wanted, but happy with it anyway.

Next part will be a bit different. Next part: Moments of them.

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The handsome artist. 22. (Daniel Ricciardo)

Moments of them. A view of the relationship.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: A cabin in the coast.

Note: this part is kind of special to fill a bit the gap between the previous and next one.

Daniel doesn't want to leave Abi's side and has problems with it.

I opened my eyes with a strange buzzing. I looked around. Daniel was laying face down, snoring softly with his hand hanging from the bed.

"Dan..." I tapped his shoulder. "Danny, babe."

He groaned and covered his face with the sheets.

"Hey... Your phone..."

I reached it.

Lewis Ham.

I picked it.

"Good morning"

"Hi, Abi." His voice sounded as sweet as always, but slightly cold and serious "Is Dan there?"

"Right here"

"Well, tell them his client is already here. He had an appointment at 9 am."

"Fuck." I groaned. "Sorry"

I looked down and Daniel was rubbing his eyes.

"It's Lewis."

He checked his watch.

"Fuck. Fuck"

He took the phone from my hand.

"Shit, Lewis. Sorry. I forgot to set the alarm"

"It's the third time..." I could barely hear him, but Lewis was so pissed.

I looked at Daniel and gasped.

"Dan!" I couldn't believe it.

"I'll be there soon, mate."

"You better be"

Daniel tried to get up and dressed fast.

"Daniel Ricciardo if you are late to work again..."

"I know, I know. Sorry"

He pecked my lips.

"See you for dinner?"

"Of course, honey. Good luck with Lewis!"

"Bye bye"

It was only 3 or 4 days later and another accident when Lewis came to the shop.

"Hi, Lewis."

"Hey, Abigail"

"Can I help you with something?"

He leaned on the counter and sighed.

"How do you tell an idiot that he is an idiot with flowers?"

"Someone special?" I answered giggling.

"Yeah, kind of."

"A friend?"

"Yep" He smiled.

"Well, I have all of these plants." I showed him a list.

Lewis gasped and smiled so big.

"I was joking but know I adore you even more"

I laughed.

"Could do arrange something for me?"

"Yeah, obviously. Just choose a couple of them"

"I like these three."

"Purple. A beautiful way to tell your friend they suck"

He giggled.

What I wasn't expecting was to find the very same bouquet I made in the studio only a few days later when I was picking Dan up for lunch.

Daniel looked at me with an arched eyebrow when I started laughing.

"So you did it?"

I was cry laughing when Lewis came out of his studio. HE laughed too.

"A fantastic job, Abigail"

"Thank you very much. And why does my idiot boyfriend deserve this meaningful bouquet?"

"Care to explain, Dan?"

Daniel was frowning and blushing, his arms crossed on his chest and that only made us laugh more.

"I keep arriving late because I'm to comfy with you in the mornings"

Fighting is normal in relationship but it makes the difference how you solve it.

I got a call. Another one. The day was exhausting.

"Charlotte's Garden, how can I help you?"

"Abi, love, it's me."

I sighed when I heard Daniel.

"Hi"

"Hey, are you coming for dinner? Mike..."

"Fuck. I forgot" I groaned and leaned on the counter.

"How is it? We told Michael..."

"I forgot, Dan. I forgot" I snapped.

"Wow. Hey, calm down. I was just asking"

I covered my eyes and sighed. Fucking shit.

"Come please, he has gone to the grocery store this morning and has been cooking. He is expecting you to be here when he comes back from work."

I bit down my lip to not sob. I still had some work to do on the shop. I had to leave things done for tomorrow. My muscles were sore and was exhausted. To Daniel and Michael's I still had a long drive across LA's traffic. And then tomorrow I would have to wake up earlier to be on time. And it was already the third night this week that I would spend at Danny's.

"Fine. See you" I hang the phone and sobbed.

When I arrived, I had a killing headache.

"Hey, what was that on the phone" He said after kissing my forehead.

"What?"

"You left me with the words hanging."

Daniel was tense, he had wrinkles between his eyebrows.

"It was nothing."

I walked around him and left my things on the sofa.

"Is there something I can help with?" I asked trying to avoid the topic as much as I could.

"Talk to me. Why are you so cold?"

I looked at him and my eyes clouded with tears.

"Cold?"

"Yes. Cold" He crossed his arms.

"I'm not cold"

"You are. This is not my Abi" He said with a tiny smile that was only meant to make me feel calmer. It didn't. It was the last drop...

"This is you Abi! Your Abi is so fucking exhausted and has worked so much today. She has gone to 4 different house to fix rich people's disasters. To fix Karen's mess because her stupid chihuahua has been digging holes. It's not my fault, Karen! And your Abi has been working more hours than she should because half of the city had decided to propose, have babies or I don't even know what else. And I'm so fucking exhausted. I spent the whole day driving around the city. And my head is killing me, my back is killing me, I cut my finger only a little bit but it made me cry and the last thing I wanted to do was driving here and having to wake up earlier tomorrow to be on time at the shop because I don't know if by Saturday I'll even be able to get up from bed." I was panting and crying. I was feeling even more tired. "And don't ask why I didn't tell you. Don't ask. Because I didn't even have time. I came here yesterday and the day before and you were so happy telling me about that new project. I simply couldn't and..."

He cupped my cheeks and I gasped, feeling frozen because of the sudden move.

"Shh... I understand. I understand." His shooting tone made me close my eyes. "I'm so sorry I didn't see this. I'm really sorry I made you come here. And I'm sorry I didn't visited you more often at the shop this week."

"Hug me" I whimpered with a thin voice.

"Come here, babe"

Having told him all of that made me relax. Then he hugged me and I hugged him and everything was suddenly better.

"Up baby"

Daniel lifted me from the floor and I wrapped my legs around him.

"It's fine" He whispered as I cried on his neck. "it's fine, love"

I felt him sitting on the sofa and I sobbed harder when he covered me with a blanket I had crocheted for him.

"I'm so sorry. We will have dinner and go to sleep, and tomorrow I'm going with you to the shop and help you until I have to go to mine"

"No..."

"Not a question, love."

He threaded his fingers on my hair and hugged me tighter with his other arm. He was so warm, so welcoming. I felt calming down slowly and the soreness in my muscles disappearing a bit.

Then I heard the door opening but didn't had strength to lift my head.

"Hi... Oh. Is everything fine?"

I closed my eyes and just waited for Danny to speak. Pretending to be asleep for Michael was so much easier.

"I'm in idiot. Just that" He said playing with my hair. His voice sounded so low, I knew he was feeling horrible. I could picture his sad big brown eyes on my head.

Michael didn't say anything else but he patted Dan's back. I heard him walking away. Once I was sure Michael was on his bedroom, I sighed.

"You are not an idiot" I whispered. Daniel only hugged me tighter and kissed my shoulder.

"I love you so much"

"I love you too"

He cupped my cheek and made me look at him.

"What about a cool stay in date tomorrow night. You and me, your comfy sofa and tons of take out food"

I smiled and nodded.

"Okay"

"Yeah?"

I kissed his lips.

"Can we order from Yuki's?"

"It's Pierre's restaurant too"

"We both know that Pierre hasn't touched a pan on his life"

He kissed my nose.

"That's true yeah"

Danny gets ill.

"Hey"

I looked up.

"Mike! How are you?"

I hugged him.

"I'm good" He showed me the bag he was carrying. "But..."

"Meds"

I frowned and took them.

"For the flu"

He nodded

"Why are you buying meds for the flu in Santa Monica?"

"Well."

I sighed.

"Danny"

He nodded.

"He is stubborn. I almost had to lock him in the house."

"Fucking shit. I told him to not swim the other night" I groaned.

"Oh, so that's it..."

"Yeah. We went to have a walk in the beach and he thought the best was to swim. And it's wasn't a warm night."

"He didn't want you to know"

I sighed.

"But don't get angry"

"I won't. Don't worry. I know he probably thinks tomorrow will be a new day"

"I'm sure it will not"

I chuckled.

"Thank you for telling me, I will go"

"Thanks Abi"

When I closed the shop and arrived to their home, Michael opened the door and sighed.

"I swear he is like a child"

When I walked inside the living room, he was sitting under a blanket and looking at the TV.

"Did your order the burgers I told you?"

"No, chicken soup." I said lifting the soup I had brought with me.

Daniel looked at me with big eyes and gasped.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, a little bird told me someone was ill and being stubborn as fuck so..."

"Michael..." He groaned.

"Sorry mate. I knew she would get you to have your meds"

I chuckled.

"I'll warm the soup." Michael said leaving and going to the kitchen.

I walked to Daniel and he crossed his arms on his chest.

"I'm fine. I'll be better tomorrow" His voice was so raspy and his eyes looked glassy. The tip of his nose was red and his lips were dry.

"You look like shit, honey" I sat next to him. "You won't be okay tomorrow if you don't have some meds."

"I'm telling you I'm..."

"Dan" I took his hand. "It's okay. You swam on the sea when I told you to not to and you are ill now. It's fine".

"You were dying to say that, weren't you?" He said smiling and leaning his head back on the couch.

I nodded giggling and leaned over him. Gently I pressed my lips on his forehead and frowned.

"You are burning, sweetheart" I said caressing his cheek.

"I feel like shit."

"Have those meds, please"

He said.

"Mike is a clever man"

I smiled and got up. Soon I was back. "This is for the fever and it will help with the headaches. And this one is for the cough."

He swallowed those pills and sighed.

"I'm hungry but my throat is killing me"

"That's why I brought the soup."

Dan, Mike and I ate together on the kitchen. Poor Daniel was weak and barely had stomach for half of the plate, but Michael said it was the first thing he ate since he had a coffee in the morning so I was pretty satisfied.

Then Daniel got up.

"I'm going back to the sofa for a bit" He pointed.

"Okay"

Michael and I cleaned everything.

"You won't be able to get into the bed though."

"No problem"

When I went back to the living room, Daniel was laying on the sofa, on his side and covered with a big fluffy blanket.

"How many teddy bears had to die to make that blanket?"

He chuckled.

"Any, it's faux teddy bear fur. Cruelty free".

I smiled.

"Do you want some cuddles?"

He nodded.

I jumped on the sofa with him and he nested on my chest, his body being trapped between mine and the back of the sofa.

"I like the sofa more than the bed. It feels so warm in here. The bed is so cold and lonely".

I caressed his curls and kissed his forehead. The temperature was lower, but he was still warm.

"Well, you won't be alone in the bed anymore"

"How much are you staying?"

"For as long as you need me"

He hid further under the blanket.

"You have to work"

"You cna always come home with me if you feel better enough."

I felt his smile.

"Charlotte is a wonderful nurse"

"Okay..."

I kissed his forehead and ran my fingers over his black curls.

"Rest for a bit, honey" I whispered and closed my eyes too.

Danny learns the art of plants.

Some weeks were more busy than other. This one, after some influencer's video came out, half of the city wanted to fill their houses with pothos and other similar plants to make it look like the jungle.

"Like this?"

"Press your hand around it a bit more" I said guiding Danny's hands on the soil.

He was quick learning and while Charlotte attended the shop, we were working at the back.

"Okay"

I kissed his shoulder and walked away to get more pots.

"Baby"

"Mhm"

"How does a Zamioculca zamiifolia looks like?"

"Many leaves! It's tagged as ZZ plant"

I was so nice to have him around. He was good at it, he loved to play music loud and dance around as he did what I told him to.

"Here it is!"

I looked at him. He was repoting the plant so carefully. He respected my work and understood that he was a helping hand, but the care he was putting on this was perfect. He hadn't broken a single branch.

"I can feel you watching"

I smiled.

"I just love this" I walked to him and grabbed his hips. "I love having you here"

His hands were dirty and he had taken his rings off.

"You know that I love helping"

I got on my tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"Hey! Love birds! There is lot of work!"

"Sorry, Auntie" Daniel said but reached to grab my ass anyway.

"Dan!"

"Only a kiss"

And I couldn't resist. I cupped his cheeks and kissed him sweetly.

Period cramps and other problems.

I woke up already feeling like shit and that Sunday morning wasn't different. After a coffee and a chocolate croissant, I sat on the sofa for too long and did too little. But I didn't have the energy for more.

The door rang almost at lunchtime.

"Hey, love" Daniel kissed my forehead and walked through the apartment with bags. "I brought food"

I sighed. I really loved him. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me. But he had too much energy. I already felt overwhelmed. I knew he was hyperactive because he spent the morning with his friends and the bikes.

"Hey! Are you coming? I'm hungry as hell"

"Yeah, yeah."

I walked to the kitchen and he was already setting the food on the table.

"You have to come the next time. Corey took the best photos. It was so cool. There is this hill close to the beach where we always go. It's so beautiful. I will take you one day"

I nodded and walked past him to take the glasses from the cabinet

"Even Blake came." He added. "And well, we forgot to bring some snacks or something. Michael had energy ars for everyone. He had like a thousand. We were literally a group of kids cycling big bikes"

I nodded again and opened the fridge to take some water. Daniel shut up and I turned around a bit weirded out. He was blushing and looking through the window. He was fidgeting with his fingers. I frowned and stayed there in silence too. He shot a quick look and cleared his throat.

"What?" I asked.

"What? Nothing" He bit his lip nervously.

"Nothing?"

"Mhm"

"Are you sure? Because you were talking like a kid high on caffeine and now you are quiet."

Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat.

"A-are you on your period?"

I blushed even more than him.

"Yes"

"O-okay. T-there is a stain..."

I gasped and blushed harder. My face was burning.

"What?"

"Yeah. On your... ass"

"Oh no" MY only reaction was to run from the kitchen and hide in my room. The relationship felt too new for this. I knew it was stupid but I hadn't gotten good experiences before. I have been told it was disgusting.

I changed and thought about hiding until he got tired and left. But then I thought about what Jennifer would tell me and opened the door slowly. He was on his phone texting with someone.

I didn`t say anything, but he noticed me instantly.

"Hey, are you okay?" He awkwardly said.

"Um... yeah. Sorry. A little too much flow today. But don't worry. I'm gross. Why am I telling you this?" I was too nervous and couldn't stop talking.

He smiled a bit and got up. Daniel surprised me with a hug. "It's not gross, love" He kissed my forehead and then started giving me kisses all over my face. "How are you feeling?"

"Embarrassed" I confessed in a whisper.

"Okay. I think that can be my fault. I was weird before. I didn't know how to tell you"

I bit my lip.

"You don't think it's gross, do you?"

"Nop"

"Oh"

He smiled and cupped my face. "Let's have lunch and then rest a bit, okay?"

Daniel and I had lunch in the kitchen, and somehow he was so helping, he brought me my meds, he made me eat something he knew that was good, made a tea and asked if I had heating pads. All of it, checking his phone every few minutes.

I was laying on the sofa, having really bad cramps and not feeling like talking when he appeared.

"Hey, I know about this stretching that is super good for the pain. You have to..." He checked the phone "Lean forwards and..."

"Daniel"

"Yes. And I'm thinking. Do you need pads? Tampons? Or do you use... a... menstrual cup?" He was reading on his phone.

"What the fuck are you doing, Daniel?"

"What?"

"Why are you on your phone?"

He blushed and hid it behind his back.

"Nothing."

"Daniel"

"I asked for help"

"What?"

"Yeah, I texted my friend Natalie really quick for a couple of tips... and..."

I giggled. I felt something weird on my chest. Like this strange happiness growing so fast in contrast with the bad mood, the cramps put me in.

"Why are you laughing?"

"You are the cutest, Daniel" I smiled and opened my arms.

"Am I?"

"Yes. And I appreciate all of it" I took a breath. "That's not what I need right now"

"No? Natalie said this could happen, everyone is different and..."

"I want cuddles. And maybe that heating pad"

He smiled proud of himself.

"I can give you that"

Ten minutes later, I was getting comfortable on the sofa with him, hidden under a blanket and with Daniel spooning me. His hand was keeping the pad in place while his other arm worked as my pillow.

"Hey" I said.

"Mhm"

"Thank you very much. I was really irritated when you came, but this is perfect."

He kissed my cheek and brushed his nose over the side of my face. "Are you feeling better?"

"I am"

"No cramps?"

"They are there, but now I'm relaxed."

"I'm glad to hear that"

Sometimes being there is enough.

Burnout. That's what I saw when I opened the door. As on many other days, when my shift at the shop ended, I drove to Ham&Avo, finding Lewis doing the numbers for the day and Roscoe patiently waiting for his dad to finish his work. He had told me to go upstairs and there, I had found Daniel in front of a big piece of paper, headphones on and a quite dark drawing in the making. His shoulders were tense and he had bags under his eyes. He had told me about this project days ago. The appointment was in a few weeks but the client was someone important that had also gotten other tattoos with them. It was big and would cost a few hundred, so it had to be perfect.

Daniel looked so tired, sore and stressed. He groaned and his head fell down. I walked closer and slowly reached my hands forward. He relaxed the moment they fell on his shoulders and he leaned back on my body. I leaned and kissed his cheek. He opened his eyes and turned his face, but didn't say anything. I kissed his forehead and he closed his eyes again.

Knowing which was the most sensitive spot, I kneaded my fingers on the knot his shoulder's muscles had. He groaned and reached back. His hand carefully caressed my shin as a thank you.

I don't know how much time we spent like that, but at some point, I thought he had fallen asleep. Pushing the headphones off his ear, I whispered his name.

"mhm"

I kissed his cheek.

"How about a break?"

He shook his head. "I have to work for a bit more"

I sighed.

"Okay"

"Are you staying?"

He looked at me with those big brown eyes.

"Of course"

"Thank you"

So I sat there with him and observed, smiled when he pull his things closer to me and opened my arms for him when he groaned frustrated and let himself fall with me.

Daniel cuddled with me but kept his eyes on the drawing.

"Do you think it's good?"

"I do. It's dark, but it's amazing" I said admiring his art. His ink-stained fingers moved between mine.

"I want her to like it" He said. "This is the biggest piece she has. She is like an expert on this. And she chose me over Lewis."

I wrapped my arms tighter around his body and he threaded his legs with mine.

"I'm sure she will love it. Plus, she is an expert, she chose you over Lewis because she knew you would be a better option. This piece suits your style so much. It's perfect"

I ran my thumb over his piece.

"I couldn't do it without you"

I smiled and kissed his lips.

"I do nothing"

"You are here"

I closed my eyes and switched my position to be even closer to him.

"You are also there for me"

We locked eyes.

"I think that's wonderful" I said. "To have someone for you the same way you are there for them"

"I think it's amazing."

A pet.

"Did you see that?" I said as we drove past some bins in the streets. It was late and we were coming back from Blake's flat.

"No, what?"

"Stop"

"Why?"

"I saw something"

He stopped the car on one side of the street and I opened the door. "Where are you going?"

Daniel obviously followed me running down the street. And there just where I had seen it, a box moving.

"What is that? Racoons?"

"I don't think so" I knelt and opened the box. Inside, a pair of big blue eyes looked at me.

"Oh shit" Daniel fell on the floor with me.

"Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing here alone?" I took the little cat in my hands and pulled it closer to my chest. It was orange and had a shorter tail. It meawed desperately.

"Maybe it lives here. We should wait to see if the mum appears" I hopefully said.

So we did. We sat on the floor with the cat for too long. It was two a.a. and the mum hadn't appeared yet.

"I think someone dropped it here" Daniel said with a sigh.

I looked at the cat sleeping on my lap and then at my boyfriend.

"Why would they?" I said pouting. The cat was so small and cute.

Daniel hugged my shoulders.

"Because they are a bunch of cunts." He whispered and touched its little head.

I looked at him.

"I can't go and leave it here"

"I know" He said smiling. "Let's go then. We will find a 24h vet"

A smile grew on my face. "Really?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

An hour later, we walked out of the vet with a bag of bottles and powder for the baby. We had learnt it was a boy and was only a few weeks old. He had gotten a little medicine because the vet suspected he had been alone for longer than he should have. She said the kitten was lucky.

"How are you naming the little boy?" Dan asked once we climbed the stairs in my flat.

"I don't know..."

He touched the cat's name.

"Maple" He said.

I smiled.

"I love it"

"Yeah?"

I smiled and nodded. He kissed my lips.

"Welcome home, Maple" I said.

The kitten was sleeping on the middle of the bed once I got to bed.

"Is he sleeping there?"

"He needs heat"

"The vet said you could use a heating pad"

"Maple has been alone in the streets, he is not sleeping with a heating pad."

Daniel sighed and laid on the bed.

"I'm not a cat person"

I gasped and looked at him.

"Why didn't you..."

"Shh. Because you are. And I can take it for as long the little guy don't scratch me or something"

I looked down at Maple and then at Daniel.

"I will raise my kid well"

"I know you will. Plus. The cat suits your aura. What is a plant shop without a cat?"

I giggled.

"Charlotte will freak out"

"Doesn't she like cats?"

"She loves them"

This contains a spoiler so open it under your own judgment. We have much more cuteness coming so soon.

Thank you very much for the suggestions, ladies (gn). I didn't answer to not make spoiler to everyone, but I loved them.

Next part: To feel loved.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsnes   @thybulleric   @ln15  @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff  @priylodhasstuff   @txtflxx @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @xgallysonegoodlung @hannahholland1811

The Handsome Artist. 23. (Daniel Ricciardo)

To feel loved. Daniel gives Abi something she has always wanted.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: Moments of them.

Note: there will be different POV changes.

Danny POV.

I opened the shop door and a guy walked out. I didn't give it much relevance util I heard Abigail sniffing.

"Abi?" She wasn't in the shop. I left my things on the counter and went to the back, but she wasn't there either. Until...

"Danny"

I looked up and there, on the metallic stairs, Abi was hidden and curled around herself.

"Hey" I climbed the stairs quickly and sat next to her. She leaned on me and I hugged her.

"Who was that guy, Abi?" I asked. I didn't want to sound angry or scared, but if that dick had done something to her... I felt so scared.

"Arnie..." She whispered.

"That was Arnie?" And yes, I got angry.

She nodded and dried her tears. She looked at me with sad eyes and a red nose and her lip quivered. I cupped her face with one hand and kissed her forehead.

"What did he do?"

She sat even closer to me and I hugged her tighter. She was probably on the verge of a panic attack. She had explained to me once how she could feel it coming, how she had learnt to understand it.

"I'm here, just talk about it if you need to. We can stay here for as long as you want"

She nodded and took my hand. I cupped her chin and kissed her lips softly. It had an immediate effect, she sighed and relax.

"H-he said that... You don't love me"

I groaned.

"He doesn't know me"

"I know but... Why does he keep coming back to do this?"

"Because he is a cunt. He is not a good person" I told her making sure to make her look at me. "It has nothing to do with you or with me or whatever. You have changed. You are not the same Abi he knew. Plus, he doesn't even know me. There is no way he can know how we work."

She nodded slowly.

"He didn't know me then either" She whispered.

"Why?"

"I wasn't me. I was... Well, I kind of shaped myself to be who he wanted me to be. I lost myself a bit. That's why it was so hard to recover after him."

I brushed her hair out of her face and she leaned her forehead on mine.

"Do you want to know something?" She asked quietly.

"Okay"

"I never had to pretend with you. I was a nervous mess and you smiled at me and said, it's okay. And it really was"

That made me smile and my heart beat harder.

"I love you so much." I told her. "I will tell you as much as you need to hear, okay?" I kissed her forehead again and she closed her eyes. So gently, her hand cupped my cheek.

"I love you too. I know I am a bit difficult sometimes, it's just that I feel a lot."

"And that's amazing. Now. Do you wanna go and rest? I can stay here for a bit"

"We can stay here together" She smiled a bit.

"Okay, but only if you go up for a bit and wash that pretty face. Had a tea too"

She giggled and nodded.

"Okay"

...........................................................

"The other day Arnie came to the shop"

"That fucking piece of shit..." Molly groaned.

"Yeah. He told her I didn't love her and I found her crying on the stairs"

"That's why she has been so off this week"

I nodded.

"She hasn't gone to therapy, right?"

"Jennifer discharged her, she has been doing so good recently."

"Yeah, I know"

We both sighed.

"I made her promise she would go if she got worst. I'm just giving her some time" I told Molly. She smiled a bit.

"That's nice."

I drank from my coffee.

"The thing is that... her birthday is next week. My friends Scotty and Chloe are coming. I was thinking that we could give her a party."

Molly suddenly got so excited.

"Yes!"

I laughed.

"But not many people"

"You have a thousand friends"

"I will only invite the close ones. Michael, Blake, Corey, Scotty and Chloe. We went together to Red Rocks and she was more than comfortable"

Molly smiled and a little blush crept to her cheeks. I knew she had been texting Michael but I didn't say anything.

"Okay. That would be... 8 people, plush her"

"Yeah"

"And... would you invite Lewis?"

I smiled. "If you want to..."

"I'm not sure... But she likes him"

"She does"

I sighed. I well knew she also had a story with Lewis.

"Will you be okay?"

"It's not for me, it's for Abi"

"That's true"

"I'm a grown woman. I can take it." Molly said and patted my hand.

"So... I thought about the shop. My shop. I'm sure Lewis will okay and the hall is pretty big."

Molly and I planned the whole thing that afternoon.

Abigail POV.

I checked myself on the mirror. Scott and Chloe were in the city for a couple of days and Dan and I were having dinner with them. I looked good. The little make up was good and my hair was tidy in a braid. I sighed and checked the time.

I walked out of the car and knocked softly at the parlor's door. The lights were out and the Closed sign hung.

I saw Daniel running out of his tudio with a big smile. He opened the door and leaned on the frame.

"You look so perfect" He half whispered and made me blush. He chuckled and cupped my chin. "Give me a kiss. I haven't seen you in the whole day"

"Come here"

I cupped his cheeks and kissed him softly. Daniel was the one keeping me sane these last days. That quick visit Arnie had payed me had left me more insecure than I had been in weeks. I knew that what he said wasn't true. Daniel was right, he didn't know him, he didn't even know me anymore. But still it hurt.

Daniel pulled back from my lips and kissed my forehead.

"Come in. I have to pick a couple of things." Daniel touched my hand gently and I walked inside. The lights were off. I left my bag in a chair and Daniel went to switch the light on. And suddenly...

"Surprise!"

I gasped and looked around the hall with my heart beating hard on my chest. Charlotte, Molly, Blake, Corey, Michael, Scott and Chloe. Plus, Daniel who was covering his smile with his hands.

"What?" I felt silly with the answer but I was frozen.

"Happy birthday, Abi!" Charlotte jumped and came to hug me. It was then when I could finally realize what was happening. I hugged her tight and she laughed.

"Oh wow, what is this?" I asked pulling back.

Charlotte kissed my cheeks over and over again.

"Your birthday party!"

Molly came and hugged us both. Then Daniel.

When they let me go, the others were there waiting with smiles. I felt something on my chest. I felt a warm feeling and so much happiness because they were all there for me. I wasn't used to this. Birthdays were just with Charlotte and Molly having dinner at home or some crepes on our favorite place. Not even at school or when I had a partner I had gotten a big birthday party. I had never felt like having one because Molly was my only friend and that was fine for me. But now they were all here and I just couldn't stop the tears.

"Thank you very much, guys"

Chloe hugged me tight.

"It's nothing" She said with a big smile and kissed my cheek.

Then the guys, one by one, hugged me.

My heart was beating so fast when Corey, the last one pulled away. I turned slowly to see Daniel hugging Charlotte's shoulders. My eyes filled with tears.

"Thank you very much" I said looking at him. I was so sure it has been his idea. Since Arnie's visit, I had felt Daniel extra vigilant. He hadn't barely left me alone and we had talked almost every day about my feelings and how I really was. He didn't let go with a simple I'm fine.

He chuckled and opened his arms. I hugged him and closed my eyes. If when I came here for the first time months ago they would have told me I would end up like this. I wouldn't have believed them.

Daniel's big hands kept me close to his body. His lips were pressed to my forehead and his breathing was slow. I was so in love with him.

"I love you a lot, you know?" I whispered.

"I know, babe. I love you too. All of us do" He kissed my cheek and brushed his nose against the side of my face. "Plus, my family is calling a bit later"

I smiled. "But the time..."

"It's already the morning in there"

I pulled him for another kiss and he smiled.

"Hey, there are more people in here" Scotty scoffed.

Danny POV.

"Sorry" Abi giggled as she pulled away, brushing her lips with her fingers and blushing. I love you so much.

"Let's go, I cooked a lot of things and we better start eating" Charlotte said clasping her hands.

Everyone agreed with her and went to find a place on the table we had brought from Blake's house.

"Hey" I pulled Abi back and her back hit my chest. "This is all for you. They all came because they love you, so go there and enjoy your night with your friends and family because you totally deserve it. Yeah?" I whispered in her ear. I knew well how sometimes she needed some reassurance.

She nodded and turned her face to the side, so I kissed her cheek.

Abi ended up sitting with Chloe and Molly, the two girls feeling comfortable around each other. Charlotte was more than happy to be with so many people (even if we weren't many). I sat with Mike and Corey.

There was something in the air but anyone seemed to be able to stop smiling. Everyone loved Charlotte's food, my friends were now hers, Scotty had invited Molly to the next trip, Charlotte had already said she could be everyone's aunt... And Abi was there, laughing and smiling, talking with anyone, blushing when Charlotte told us her childhood stories. She was happy and that made me even happier.

"Okay. How about the presents?"

"Oh no, you shouldn't have" She said.

"Shh, little lady. Not your decision."

Abi sat there with pink cheeks opening everyone's gifts. As a mutual agreement, we had all decided that little significant and individual gifts would be more Abi alike. She was more of little details than big-ass gifts. And she received one from each one of us and her smile was enormous. From her little gift tradition with Molly, in which they gave each other a charm for a bracelet (they had so many that they needed to buy another couple of bracelets), to the embroidered shirt in Charlotte had been working on for a while, passing through Scotty's DIY kit for leaves drying. All the gifts had something special that made her eyes bright and a little smile appear on her lips. Mine was the last and my hands were shaking.

She opened it and frowned confused.

"What is it?" Her eyes fell on mine and I smiled.

It was a little pendant with a blue rock, it was obvious.

I took my hands to my neck and unbuckled one of my three chains. .

"In the shop, they said that it's the stone of love so... I want you to wear it with my chain." I said leaning over the table and putting the chain on her hand. She was blushing so much and her eyes were huge looking at me. "Because I love you so much"

"Oh" She said. "Wow"

"You are the cutest, Danny" Molly said under her breath.

"Damn, he is" Abi said and suddenly we were all laughing. But Abi was looking at me with those eyes and my whole world seemed brighter.

All the flutter around the gifts and how cute I was and how adorable we were calmed down slowly and I could get up and walk away from the table. I well knew she would follow. And she did. My studio's door closed behind me and I turned with a smile.

"I love you. You know that, right?" She said with the chain (already with the pendant hanging) on her fingers. "I love you so much"

"I know."

She walked to me and turned around. I took the hint and helped her with the necklace. Then, I hugged her from behind and laid my chin on her shoulder.

"Thank you very much for this. And this last week. It's been hard"

"I know" I whispered and kissed her cheek. I leaned back until I was resting on the desk, my legs open and my girlfriend standing between them. "But you deserve all of this."

She turned around and hugged my waist. "I suspected you were planning something because you are like a little kid. But this... I don't have words to describe how I'm feeling."

I hugged her tighter. "You don't need them. We can feel it. You are like the sun, Abi. You are so contagious. You smile and everyone smiles around you"

She cupped my cheeks and kissed my lips softly.

"They all make happy. So do you. It's so nice to have all of this. I had a missing piece in my life and I didn't know it until we met"

I pecked her lips and then the tip of her nose.

"It's great to feel loved, huh?"

She nodded and bit her lip. "Could you do that for me? A tattoo?"

I chuckled and nodded, pure happiness beaming on my chest. "Of course I can, love"

"Right now?"

"Yeah?"

She nodded.

"Okay, but let's tell them first because I don't want them to think we are here making babies or something"

"You don't care" She told me laughing.

"That's true."

............

Liked by @.pierregasly and 5.638 others.

@.danielricciardo: for many more.

-> @.hopper_abigail: too sweet for this world.

You are not ready for the next chapter. (If anyone wants to, I have some clues for you on Moodboard.)

Next part: Is it true?

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsnes   @thybulleric   @ln15  @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff     @txtflxx @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @xgallysonegoodlung @hannahholland1811

The Handsome Artist. 24. (Daniel Ricciardo)

Is it true?. There is a big turn of the events, doubt is there, but so is love.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: To Feel loved.

Note: OH SHIT.

I opened my eyes feeling dizzy and had to run quickly to the bathroom. Everything I ate last night was now gone. And it was the second day in a row that this happened.

I cleaned my mouth and walked to my room. On the wall, there was a calendar. Oh no. I was late. Again. Last month the bleeding had been almost nothing and yes, late. Another month late. That need to eat those cookies the whole time. The nausea.

What if...

A weird feeling set on my chest. This had never happened to me. I had never had a scare and I had a regular period. Thinking back and trying to remember, I didn't recall a single time in which Danny and I hadn't used protection. But... What if.

Another wave of nausea hit and I had to go back to the toilet. This time, it was messier. I felt weak right after and I was covered in sweat, so I jumped into the shower to try and clear my head a bit.

The nausea left with the shower, but those thoughts didn't. In the moment I found myself in the mirror, I had to check myself, my body. Maybe there was a change. But no. No bigger boobs. No swollen belly.

I bit my lip and took my phone. Molly picked soon.

"Hey, babe. I was thinking of you. Do you think Michael would want to go out with me? To have some drinks or something. Maybe Danny knows."

I giggled.

"I can ask but..."

"But..."

"Can we talk about something first?"

"Did Danny do something?"

"Maybe" I bit my lip and touched my lower belly. What if...

The relationship was new. So new. Why wasn't I scared then?

"What the fuck..." She said already getting angry.

"I'm having nausea." I said.

"If he has cheated on you I swear I..."

I giggled because that was Molly, my best friend with some tiny anger issues.

"Molls"

"Really, I warned him"

"Molly. My period is late."

"Wait what?" She gasped. "He hasn't cheated?"

"No, Molls."

"He has gotten you pregnant?"

I laughed. Fuck Abi, how can you be so smiley?

"I'm not sure"

"Okay. Wait there. I'm going to get a couple of test and... Abi, it's your first! We had never done this together! How many times have you..."

"Five. I have gotten tests for you five times" my heart was beating so fast.

I didn't want to already believe it was real. I didn't want to feel down if it was not. But I was nervous as hell.

"Okay, I'm on my way"

Luckily she lived close and it took her only twenty minutes. She hugged me tight and pushed me to the bathroom. My hands were shaky when I took those test.

"Okay, now we have to wait"

"OH fuck. Aren't you using protection?"

I bit my lip. We had, right?.

"I think so."

"You think so?!"

"Well I don't remember every time we fucked?!"

"That much?!"

"Have you seen him?!"

The alarm made us both shut up.

"Oh fuck." I groaned.

"Okay. Okay. Breathe."

"I think you are more nervous, Molly"

"Well yes. I am"

We both went back to the bathroom. I was shaking even more when I took the first one. I can't describe what I felt. My chest filled with a warm feeling and tears came to my eyes.

"Positive."

"Fuck, Abi. These are positive too" She said put of breath. The only thing I could do was to turn around and hug my best friend. She cupped my cheeks and kissed them a thousand times.

"Everything is fine"

"It is" I whispered between tears.

"Is it? Aren't you panicking?"

I looked at her.

"No?"

"Abi, let's go outside and talk"

We both sat in the kitchen, Molly keeping my hands on hers.

"Okay, Abigail. This is pretty serious because you haven't date this guy for long"

"I know" I whispered.

"You want babies?"

"I want. You know it"

"Okay, I was just making sure" She took a deep breath. "Fine. Um... You want babies with Danny?"

I was sure he would be an amazing dad. I was sure I loved him like mad. I was sure I wanted him with me for the rest of my life. I had seen him with Izzy and Isaac and fuck... How hard my heart had beaten.

"Yes"

"Oh shit. Big words."

"I love him. And I have seen him with kids. He is gonna be an amazing dad, really. I'm sure of it"

"And you really want a family with him now? You are pregnant and you are barely starting the relationship. There are so many things to do. So many things to discover with him. Are you sure this is the right time?"

I bit my lip. So many trips, so many adventures, shows, lazy days, long nights... So many things would change. But...

"We can do it together. The three of us" I said loosing my voice for a second.

Her eyes got filled with tears and I felt my lip trembling. Oh fuck. I never thought we would live this. After Arnie I thought it was over for me.

"Come here, bestie"

Molly pulled me into a hug and made me sit on her lap. We both broke down in ugly sobs, clinging into each other and whimpering like two little girls.

"I can't believe you are this happy, Abi. I'm so so proud of you for all of this. I love you so much and I'm so glad you found him because he brought the real you back and now... Now you will have a baby... With the man of your dreams and I'm gonna be the coolest aunt and... I love you so much, Abi. I'm so happy for you."

"You are so silly, Molls. I love you too. So so much"

It was funny how long it took us to calm down. When I could, I returned to my seat and breathed deeply. I looked down and lifted my shirt.

"What if the test are wrong?"

"They can't be wrong. Like all of them. But we can go to the doc to be sure."

I nodded. After everything Danny had gone through, I wanted him to see it was real. To know it was true.

"Are you sure he won't have any problem?" She asked cautiously.

I nodded slowly and touched my belly for the first time. It wasn't showing. My math told me I wasn't too pregnant. But it felt real for the first time when I did.

"He wants kids so bad. He loves kids. And... You are not supposed to know this but... His ex made him believe she was pregnant."

A loud gasp left her lips.

"No..."

"Yes..."

"It was all a lie"

"Yes."

"Fuck."

"I'm sure he will want them. But I want him to know it's real. Not only a plastic stick"

"I will go tl the doctor with you then"

"Thank you."

"I'm so happy. You will have the prettiest babies"

I smiled and blushed.

"I hope so"

"You are beautiful. Your boyfriend is handsome. Your babies will be..."

"Hey, ladies! I brought break- Why are you crying? What happened?"

Molly and I looked back at the door. He was there, breakfast in hand and looking as hot as always. My heart jumped hard on my chest and I felt a wave of happiness I had never felt. I was pregnant with his child and I loved him like mad.

"I'm happy" I said and he smiled.

"Well, happy tears are good tears." He came to us and kissed my lips and then forehead. "What are you girls happy about?"

"You" Molly said. "You make my friend so happy so we are like really happy."

"Oh" Danny seemed speechless.

"Sit, babe. Let's have breakfast." I said playing with his hand.

Daniel sat with us and I felt complete. I was dying to tell him but I wanted to make it special.

"Also... Things with Michael are pretty good."

"Don't you think I know?" Danny said cheekly.

I giggled and kissed his cheek. "Be good"

"I am."

"Well, I'm shy and I can't ask him out so you two have to come and have margaritas with us because I will die"

Margaritas? 0,0 Margaritas are a thing?

"Shy? I know what you did on the hall!"

I laughed hard at Danny and Molly, who was blushing.

Fuck, I can't wait.

...........................

Everything was ready on my bag. It had been three weeks. Two fucking weeks of keeping this secret to him, of seen him daily, almost living together and being naked in front ot him a lot.

I knocked the door softly.

"Yes! Ten minutes!"

I could hear the buzzing of the machine, so I sat on the hall and waited patiently. When he finished, he received me with a hug and introduced me to the woman with a this is my girlfriend, isn't she amazing?

"Hey, I'll pick my things and we can go to have dinner"

"Actually... Can we talk for a second?"

He frowned and I felt bad for him. But it was necessary.

"Yes. Let's go... Inside."

He closed the studio door behind me and cleared his throat.

"Everything fine?"

"Sit, Dan. Please"

He took a deep breath and sat on his desk chair.

This moment made me nervous because he had suffered from it. He had been fmhurt for this. I wanted him to be happy and digest this nicely. I wanted it to be a happy memory, not something sour.

"Okay. I'm going to tell you something. It's big. Huge. And it's super serious."

"Abi, you are scaring me"

I walked to hkm and cupped his cheeks. After a sweet kiss, I made him look into my eyes.

"Do you trust me?"

"With my whole life. But really, you are scaring me"

"Okay. Sorry. Let me just..."

I pulled a blue box out of my bag and left it on his lap. I knelt in for of him and took his hands. He was so confused. I had barely seen him like this before.

"Danny. I'm pregnant." I said.

The next couple of minutes were so slow. He only looked into my eyes, not moving and with his fingers wrapped so tight around mine.

"Dan?"

"Is it true?"

It didn't hurt. Of course it didn't. He just needed reassurance.

"It is. You have everything you need in the box" I said softly.

He left my hands go and instead, I caressed his knees with soothing movements.

He was shaking even worse than me when I took the test. There were tears on his eyes and his breath was so ragged. So I got up and stand next to him with my arm around his shoulder. I kissed his head and watched how he slowly opened the box. Molly and I had worked a lot on it.

Inside the blue box, there was a pacifier, two different pregnancy test, a little onesie and an ultrasound.

Daniel gasped when he saw it.

"Abigail..." My name came out as a sob.

"Oh Dan..."

"Is it real? How? I... I think I used protections and..."

"The doctor said it probably failed." I said with tears on my own eyes.

"Is it real? Like... 100% real? Are you really pregnant?" He said looking up at me. I saw fear. He was begging for it to be real.

I took the box and sat on his lap, hugging him and letting him cry on my neck.

"It is. I'm really pregnant. The doctor said everything is fine. I took the tests and... The baby is healthy and... Look" I pulled a paper from my pocket.

He looked at it.

"What is it?" He said opening it.

"A paternity test"

He gasped.

"Why?"

"I wanted you to be sure of it. After all... I wanted you to don't have a doubt about it."

"Oh fuck... I would never think of it... Of you doing that..." He said looking into my eyes. "Are we having a baby?"

A smile broke into my face and tears rolled down.

"We are having a baby"

Daniel hugged me and I closed my eyes while hiding on his neck. I could feel him sobbing and wetting my clothes. But I didn't care. This was what he needed.

"I love you so so much, Abigail. You are just perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you" He said. Then he touched my belly and I fell even more in love with him. He was looking into my eyes and I had his hand on my abdomen. His touch was so tender. "How long?"

"Three months"

He gasped and smiled so big, which made me chuckle.

"A Perth baby?"

I nodded while smiling.

"An Aussie?"

"Yes, honey." I said drying his tears. "It's an Aussie"

"Oh fuck. Can you get up, love?"

I nodded and he made me stand in front of him. Slowly, he lifted my shirt. His thumbs caressed both sides.

"It has been so damn difficult to hide when you have me all day naked around the house" I whispered smiling.

"I just thought you were having too much pasta and you were bloated" He said in awe. He was looking at my belly, now. With both hands on it and some tears still on his eyes. "I'm gonna be a dad" his voice was so cute and soft... "You are making me a dad"

"Here" I reached for the ultrasound. "This is Baby"

"Baby? Girl? Boy?" He said examining the black picture. It was difficult to see the baby itself, but with imagination you could figure the silhouette.

I shrugged.

"We don't know?"

"Nop"

"Do you want to?" He looked into my eyes. "You are the muma. You will carry Baby for months, you get to choose this things."

That made me smile. It was the right decision. He was the one.

"I prefer to not know"

He smiled. "It's perfect for me, then"

"I love you" I leaned and kissed his lips.

"Wait! You want it, right? The baby. Because it's like super soon and... Do you really want the baby?"

"I want it, honey. I really do. I have waited for three weeks until everything was ready. The tests and results and everything. I hope you don't mind"

Daniel smiled softly and pulled me closer. He laid his head on my chest.

"You really got tested and all just for me to be sure"

I combed his curls with my fingers.

"I thought you maybe need some proof."

"I love you"

"I love you too. And Baby. I love this little bean already. So much."

"I love Baby so much too. Oh man... I can't believe you have a baby in here. My baby. It's just... I'm gonna be a dad"

He caressed the side of my abdomen. And that was it. He knew. It was complete now. This is how our little family begun.

"Do you want to call your parents?"

He looked up.

"And Charlotte?"

I smiled. "We will tell her later. Only Molly knew"

"Wait! That's why you were crying, right?"

I nodded.

"Oh babe..."

I sat again on his lap again and kissed his cheeks.

"Call home." I said softly.

He took his phone and pressed the video call.

It took a bit for Grace to pick up, who at first seemed happy but then saw his son in tears and got worried.

"Danny, what's wrong?"

"What happened?" An equally worried Joe appeared too.

"Um... Nothing. Well, yes. But... Um..."

"HI!" I moved a bit with a smile so they could see me and relax a bit.

"Hi, Abi. Why is Dan crying?" Grace said.

"Well. Do you want to tell them Danny?"

Daniel cleaned his tears and cleared his throat. His grip on my waist tightened. I kissed his temple.

"It's okay, love"

"Mum, Dad. Abigail is pregnant. We are going to have a baby" Daniel smiled so big, but his parents seemed to be in shock. A shock that lasted for too long. "Hey? Are you guys fine? Did you hear what I said?"

I swallowed.

"I..." Grace seemed out of words.

"A baby?" Joe asked.

"A baby, Dad. We are going to be parents. For real this time. I'm going to be a dad. For real" He repeated.

I saw how he was still trying to believe it.

"For real" Grace said. "We are having a grandkid! Joe, we will be grandparents again!"

They hugged, making us loose the sight of them for a while.

Daniel looked at me and kissed my jaw, then my shoulder. He was so happy.

"It's real?" Grace asked again on tears.

"It is. I said. Let's show them, babe"

Daniel showed them the ultrasound while I got up. Then, Daniel showed them my belly.

"Oh Abi, you look beautiful! Oh. I'm so happy. I can't believe this is happening. Look at that cute belly. I'm so happy guys, I really am."

"We both are." Joe said laughing.

I peaked on the screen again. Daniel had a fond smile, watching his parents so happy and celebrating.

"When will you tell Michelle? And the kids? Oh they are going to love their cousin."

I smiled remembering Isaac asking for one.

"They will. They are the best kids" Daniel said with a sigh. "I will call them later. Abi just told me and... She made me to call you"

"Abi. Take so much care, please. You can call me if you have any doubt, honey. Okay? If my son doesn't take care of you just call me and I will take a plane."

"Thank you, Grace. Really. Everything is perfect for now. Some nausea. But it's fine. Im already loving it"

"Oh honey, I'm so happy. You will. Be a wonderful mum. And you son. You already know that. We love you so much. Both of you. You are going to be amazing parents. We really love you two"

"The three of them"

Daniel sobbed again. It took me by surprise because he went from smile to tears in a second, pinching his nose and lowering his head.

"Oh baby" I had to hug him because he was again crying like a little kid. His parents observed through the screen. "It's fine, love. It's fine" I whispered on his ear.

"I just thought this would never happen" He whimpered and dried his cheeks again.

"Dan..." His dad took the phone "Son. You have what you deserve. And I'm proud of you. I can't wait to see you again so I can give you a hug."

I cleaned Daniel's cheeks. I was also crying.

"Thanks dad. Um... I miss you. I wish we could be together right now"

"We miss you too"

"Yeah, we will keep you updated. I promise you won't lose anything, okay?" I told them. "For the moment we only have this ultrasound, but I will send you a copy."

"Thank you, Abi" Grace said with her usual smile. "Take a lot of care, okay? I will start looking for things. I think I still have clothes from Michelle and Danny and... The kids... Oh, there are lots of toys at home and..." She was so excited, talking nonstop.

Daniel leaned on my shoulder and observed his mum rant about her grandkid.

"I love you" I whispered and kissed his temple.

"I love you too" His free hand touched my belly.

Once the call was over, Daniel leaned back on the chair and I curled on his chest. My legs were hanging on one side and he had his arms around me.

"Abi, you don't know how much this mean for me... What happened didn't only broke my heart. It also broke theirs and... You made them so happy and..."

"Hey, babe. This baby is also yours. This is also about you. You are making your parents happy and proud"

We walked out that afternoon, hand in hand and radiating happiness. We planned how yo tell Charlotte, the kids, his friends... Everything. He couldn't stop taking about the baby and it was awesome. I couldn't describe how it felt to watch the man I was in love talking with so much love about our bean sized baby.

"Hey, babe" I said when we sat in the car. "Can we pretty please go and see Pierre and Yuki?"

His smile grew so much.

"Already having cravings?"

It made me blush so hard but then he put his hand on my belly.

"Hey baby, you fancy some Japanese huh?"

I covered his hand with mine.

"It's gonna be the most spoiled kid in the whole world so let's start now, eh?"

I giggled.

"Please. I'm begging you"

He chuckled and moved his thumb over my belly.

"Let's spoil Baby and Muma"

This chapter has been written since September. So, yeah. I hope you enjoyed it because I did a lot.

Next part: Waiting.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsness   @thybulleric   @ln15  @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff     @txtflxx @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @xgallysonegoodlung @hannahholland1811

The Handsome Artist. 25. (Daniel Ricciardo)

Waiting. Just a few moments from the pregnancy.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: Is it true?

Note: just more and more fluff and Dad!Dan. You can find the pictures that appear on this part on the Pinterest mood board. They are not mine, credits to the owners. My Christmas present for you all.

Telling Charlotte.

Daniel looked at me and I nodded.

"Charlotte" He said.

"Yes" She cleaned her mouth with a napkin.

"Abigail told me you always come here for special occasions" He said. "How did it started?"

"Mmmm. I don't remember well. I think it was after she lost her first tooth."

"I thought it was when I sprained my ankle" I told her putting a piece of pancake on my mouth.

"You had already lost a couple of teeth by then."

I smiled.

"And you always come here for special events? For all of them?"

"We skipped my birthday once because I broke my knee and got surgery the day before" She said.

"Yeah. Skate boarding with Molly" I said laughing.

"You really are the coolest, Charlotte" Daniel highfived her and she laughed proud of herself.

I rolled my eyes and drank from my smoothie.

"And... Do you know why we are here?" Daniel asked.

Charlotte looked at him right in the eyes.

"I suppose you have something to tell me."

Daniel and I smiled and shared a look. He nodded and reached to take my hand.

"You two are getting romantic. C'mon guys. Tell me"

I smiled and took a deep breath.

"Charlotte, I'm pregnant" I said looking at her.

For the first time in my life, Charlotte seemed to be out of words.

Daniel gave me a reassuring squeeze in my hand.

"Okay. Um... Isn't it soon?"

I straightened my back, feeling something weird on my chest. I swallowed and looked at Daniel. This wasn't what we expected.

"Well... Um... It is soon but..."

Daniel pulled me closer, he hugged my shoulders and kissed my temple.

"Charlotte. We understand it might be soon. As in time. We haven't been dating for long. But... This happened. This baby happened and we both want it. I have always wanted to be a dad. Now it's happening. Abigail is pregnant with my child and I can't be happier."

I cleaned a tear that had fallen on my cheek.

"I want this so much. And Abigail wants it too. I-I think that it doesn't matter if it's now or in two years. We are both happy, we both want this baby. And..."

Charlotte grabbed his hand.

"Don't leave them. Don't pack your things and leave."

I gasped. Charlotte had tears on her eyes.

"If you really want this, show it. Be a good dad, love your partner and your child. And be there for them"

Daniel pulled Charlotte's hand and kissed her knuckles.

"Of course I'll do. I promise Charlotte. You know I will"

Charlotte dried her tears with her napkin.

"Okay... Sorry I reacted this way"

I sighed and got up. She opened her arms and I hugged her.

"Don't scare me like that, Charlotte" I said and kissed her cheek.

"Care to say it again?"

I smiled and nodded.

"I'm pregnant"

She smiled so big.

"Oh honey, I'm so happy for you" She said and pulled me into a hug again.

I laughed and looked at Daniel, who had a tiny smile and whose eyes were full of tears.

"I'm so so happy" She repeated. "Let me look at you"

I took a step back and showed her my tiny bump.

"Oh, Abi dear! Look at you" She said and put both hands on my belly. "You are beautiful, my girl. I can't believe you are having a baby"

I hugged her again and she kissed my cheek.

"Now come here, Dad" Charlotte said turning to Daniel.

"Papa. It's Papa" He said smiling.

"Okay, Papa. Come here and give me a hug"

Daniel wrapped his arms around her and tucked himself on her shoulder.

"I didn't mean to scare you. I'm so happy for you and I know you will be a fantastic father. But take care of my girls, okay?"

"Girls?"

Charlotte nodded.

"You are having a girl, I'm sure" She said smiling.

...................

Liked by @.mollyalberts and 5.365 others.

@.danielricciardo: Hey, baby. It's Papa. Can't wait to meet you.

-> @.hopper_abigail: you made me cry, idiot.

->@.scottyjames31: @.hopper_abigail he made me cry too

................................

Not everything is cute and easy.

I ran to the bathroom the quickest I could, barely reaching the toilet before dropping in front of it.

"Abi?"

I panted and pulled back once I stopped throwing up.

"Oh"

I heard the door cracking and soon two hands on my shoulders.

"I'm fine" I said. I wasn't though. The nausea kept hitting every morning and it was exhausting.

"Are you?"

I didn't answer. I had to throw up again. Daniel, as every morning, wetted a towel and filled a glass of water while I emptied myself. Then, he helped me getting up.

"I will need to have a conversation with Baby" He said kissing my forehead. Then, he leaned and lifted my pijama. "You little bean. Muma is having a hard time... Could you please try and make it easy for her?"

I smiled a bit and caressed his hair.

"Thanks Dan" I sighed.

As every morning, I washed my teeth. Today I was feeling extra tired. The day was dark and the wind pushed huge waves to the beach.

As Daniel got breakfast ready, I laid on the bed a bit waiting for the dizziness to leave. I could see the sunny light and the palm trees moving with the breeze, but I didn't felt better. Instead, I only wanted to cry. Some days were like this. Some days I woke up and wanted nothing but crying. The nausea was too much and everything felt o big for me.

"Babe..." The door opened and I heard Danny taking the first step. "Hey. Did you fall asleep again?"

Danny PoV.

I heard her sniffing and my heart rate shoot up. I walked fast and knelt on the bed behind her. These last days had been hard for her. I have seen her.

"Love"

She covered her face.

"It's too much"

I felt cold suddenly. She doesn't want the baby.

"What?"

She sobbed and my only reaction was taking her on my arms and pull her close to my chest. As usual, she grabbed into my clothes and I reached for a blanket to cover her. She cried on my chest and I couldn't stop myself from taking my hand to her swollen bump. It was real. It was there.

"I'm so sorry..." She cried.

"No, no. Just... Just tell me what's wrong" I said trying not too cry too.

She moved a bit and laid her head on my shoulder, then, she covered my hand with hers.

"I'm feeling like shit" She whispered. "I'm feeling so bad. Every morning. Every day. I'm afraid I can't do this... I'm not strong enough"

I pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

"You are. Of course you are. You are doing amazing and I'm so proud of you. I wish I could stop you from feeling dizzy in the mornings. I wish I could make that go away."

"I don't want to be alone..." She said. There was it. There was the real problem. This was still her house and I was just spending the night.

"You don't have too" I wishpered. She looked up. "I-I can move here. For real. I will be here every morning with you"

She reached for my face.

"Do you want to?"

I nodded.

"I want to be here. With you"

"And Mike?"

"Do you want me to bring him here? We can put a bed for him next to the crib"

A smile appeared on her face and I felt my whole body relax.

"Okay"

I chuckled and leaned to kiss her.

"I love you" I whispered. "And you are perfectly capable of this. I know you are. You are the most amazing woman ever."

She looked down, at where my our hands rested on her.

"Are you sure of all of this, Daniel? I know how big it is for..."

"Shh." I kissed her forehead. "I am. I want this with you. I don't want it with anyone else"

She nodded slowly and lifted her shirt carefully.

"I prefer when you do it this way"

It made me smile. Her skin felt warm under mine.

"Abi"

She looked at me.

"I think you should go back to see Jennifer"

She frowned a bit and sat up. I knew she wasn't angry. She was just processing it.

"Why?"

I sighed.

"She can help you" I told her. "With all of these feelings. I don't want you to feel bad. I don't want you to say you can't do it. It's my baby who is making you feel like this. I don't want you to feel like this for me"

Her eyes softened and she cupped my face, giving me a slow and deep kiss.

"Come with me" She whispered. "Let's go together. I... I know you are scared too"

Blush crept to my cheeks. I had tried to hide it.

"Please" She added.

It would be good, not only for us but for our little bean too.

"Okay"

She smiled and kissed me again.

"Thanks"

Doctors, Vans and kicks.

Danny was tapping the floor nervously. He had my hand on his and his palm was sweaty.

"Dan"

He looked at me.

"We are fine"

"I know. I know. It's... I'm gonna see the baby" He smiled so big and I giggled.

I cupped his face and kissed his cheek.

"I'm exc..."

"Abigail Hopper"

We walked together and I sat on the chair, answering all the questions.

"She still feels dizzy" Daniel told the doctor. "Pretty often"

"Oh. Okay. We will check the blood test. Probably you need some iron supplements."

I nodded and smiled at Danny.

"Fine. Let's see your baby. We still don't want to know the gender, right?"

"Nop" Daniel answer and pulled his chair closer. He laid his hand on my shoulder and looked at me with a smile.

The doctor moved the machine over my belly and I felt my heart kicking hard. And suddenly...

"Here. This is your baby" She observed the screen quietly. "And... Everything seems perfect"

Both of us let a breath out and I looked at him smiling. He was looking at the screen with tears on his eyes.

"My baby" He said. The doctor giggled a bit and nodded.

"Your baby, Daniel"

I leaned and kissed his cheek.

"Wow. The baby is cute" He said.

The doctor and I laughed.

"The nose is small though. Probably looks like muma."

I chuckled and kissed his cheek once more.

"Danny, honey..."

He looked down at me.

"I'm gonna be a Dad"

To say that it was emotional was short. When we left the clinic, he was almost jumping around the street. He had called his parents showed them the ultrasounds and talked nonstop about how cute the baby looked. He repeated the sentence I'm going to have the cutest baby a thousand times.

"Okay, love. Now that I know how Baby really looks"

"You had the picture"

"Now that I have seen Baby moving"

I smiled.

"Yes"

"I'm ready to buy clothes."

I giggled.

"Are you?"

"Mhm"

"Let's go then"

There was a shop he loved close, so we obviously went there. He was excited, so excited.

"John, mate! I'm having a baby!"

I didn't even know John, he was just a random guy, but there he was, hugging my boyfriend and congratulating me for the pregnancy.

"Love. Pretty please. I never ask you for anything but..."

A pair of mini Vans just like the one he was wearing.

"Oh Daniel..."

"Is that a yes?"

I laughed and rolled my eyes, taking the shoes and looking at them.

"They are super cute." I said with a smile. "Baby will look amazing on them. Just like Papa"

His smile got even bigger.

"I love you" He giggled.

I lift my fist to punch his shoulder, but a gasp left my lips.

"What?"

Something was happening. It felt weird. I haven't felt it like that before.

"Babe? Are you too shocked by the shoes cuteness?"

It happened again.

"Dan!"

"What!?"

People around us turned to look.

"Y-Your hand"

Placing his hand right where I had felt it, I waited.

"Shh"

"I'm not..."

"Shhhhh"

We both stayed still, looking into our eyes and smiling. And it happened again.

"Baby?"

I nodded fast.

"Oh fuck"

He grabbed my neck and kissed me deeply, not caring about the people around us.

"I see my baby and feel them kicking on the same day"

I giggled and kissed him again. "I love you so much, Daniel"

"I love you too, Abi"

He hugged me and turned his face.

"John! The baby is kicking!"

"Fantastic!"

I laughed.

"Who the fuck is John, Dan?"

He looked down at me.

"John. Just John"

The kids meet their baby cousin.

"I can't believe they are almost here"

Danny was grabbing my hand so hard. He was nervous as hell. Since we had discovered the pregnancy, it was the first time his family would be with us.

I took his hand to my lips and kissed the rose. He smiled at me and leaned over, pressing a soft kiss on my lips.

"Uncle Dan! Auntie!"

We looked at the gates and saw them all. Grace, Joe, Michelle and the kids. The kids had scaped the adults and were running to us. But Daniel had to stop them. He grabbed both of them before they could jump on me.

"Hey, hey, hey. We have to be extra careful with Abi, guys"

The kids, Isaac hanging from his neck and Izzy on his leg, looked up at him and then at me. My dress hid my belly well, it flowed around me in a very very lose fit.

"Why?" Isaac asked.

Michelle was recording, Grace was covering her smile with her mouth. Joe was smiling too, but didn't bother to cover it.

"Well, do you want to show them?" Danny looked at me with a smile at the same time he put the kids down.

I smiled and nodded quick. My hear was beating so fast.

Slowly, I moved my hands over my bump, showing it through the dress and moving so the kids could watch it.

Daniel crouched down at their level with one arm around each.

"Do you know why Abi's belly look like that?"

Izzy was biting her finger. Isaac nodded.

"Do you?"

"She has a baby on her belly. Like mum had Izzy"

I nodded.

"Are we having a cousin?" Isaac's face lit up. "For real?"

Everything washed all over us. We were left speachless for a second. Daniel kissed the boy's temple and rubbed his arm.

"Yeah buddy, Auntie and I are having a baby. For real" He said smiling and with tears on his eyes.

I walked closer to them and Izzy looked a bit scared, but I reached my hand for her and she took it. I wasn't sure of what to say, but Daniel was faster and reached to touch my belly.

"Abi is taking a lot of care of the baby. We talk to them a lot"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

Isaac put his hand next to Danys and I bit my lip to not cry. Danny had never looked so happy.

"We don't know"

Izzy was shyly looking. She was quiet and a bit shocked.

"And when will the baby be born?"

"In April"

Suddenly Baby moved and Isaac gasped, making all us laugh. The others walked closer.

"That's Baby, Isaac. It's saying hi to you" I told him.

He got closer.

"Hi Baby! I'm Isaac. I'm your older cousin. And Izzy is my sister. I-I can't wait to play with you. I have so many toys. And we have a space for you at the farm in Perth!"

I giggled.

"You will be the best cousin."

"Mum! There is a baby!" He shouted to his mum.

Soon, the others were hugging me, touching my belly and even crying. Grace couldn't stop herself. She was crying nonstop and touching my belly.

"Oh".

"Yeah, Baby. That's Grandma" I giggled. "Someone loves attention"

"Like father like baby" Joe said hugging my shoulders.

"Yeah, the little bean is super hyperactive." I said smiling.

Daniel was looking at me and talking in whispers to Michelle. He was happy, his eyes were bright and I'm sure his cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

Everyone was happy but Izzy. Michael was more than keen on letting the Ricciardos stay with him. The house was too big for one after all.

We were on the big backyard, everyone was laughing and chatting. Michelle and Grace were telling stories about baby Danny. Izzy was in silence playing with a doll. And I felt really bad for her because she seemed a bit unsure about the baby. So quietly I got up and touched her shoulder.

"Come with me, I need help"

She nodded and followed me.

Michael had started growing his own vegetables not long ago and he had many plants too.

"Why do you need my help?"

"Because I can't pick things from the floor and you are my favorite helper" I said smiling. She blushed a bit and I pushed her hair behind her ear.

"Okay"

"Do you remember which plants were good for upset bellies?"

"Hum..." Izzy checked the flowers. "This. And this. And also that. Maybe uncle Michael has ginger"

I smiled.

"You really are so clever"

She giggled.

I suspected she was feeling a bit jealous of the baby and I wanted to give her the attention she deserve.

"Maybe. I think he had some on the fridge."

"Yeah. Probably. He likes healthy things."

I crouched down next to her, my knees feeling the soft grass.

"Baby sometimes gives me a hard time" I said touching my bump.

"How"

"Well, Baby makes me feel dizzy."

"That's not nice"

"It's not" I took her hand.

"And plants help?"

"A bit. But I can't have much because it can be bad for them"

She knelt in front of me and our knees touched.

"Baby. I'm Izzy."

A smile broke down in my face.

"You have to stop giving Auntie Abi... Well. She is not your Auntie."

"Muma. I'm Muma" I said to the baby.

"Your Muma feels bad sometimes. She is really nice and we do a lot of cool things together. So... Could you be nice to her?"

Baby moved again.

"Touch here, sweetie"

She was a bit scared a bit, but I covered her hand with mine and Baby moved again. She gasped and smiled.

"Hi Baby! I hope you listened to me."

"I'm sure Baby did." I leaned and kissed her forehead. "Thank you very much for your help, Izzy."

She smiled.

"I missed you so much, Auntie"

She hugged me and a tear fell down my cheek.

"I missed you too" I kissed her cheek many times and she giggled.

"If it's a girl..."

"Yes, tell me"

She put both hands on my belly.

"Can we name her Daisy? Like my favourit flowers"

Hearing Izzy including herself in that can we, made my whole body buzz with happiness. I wanted nothing more than the little girl and my baby being best friends. With my hear drumming on my chest, I cupped her chubby cheeks.

"Of course." I kissed her forehead. "Pinky promise?"

She nodded and hooked her finger on mine.

The Godparents.

"I'm with Mike" Daniel said on the phone.

"Well, tell him to come over"

Soon, Charlotte, Molly, Michael, Daniel and I were having dinner together.

"oof, Baby loves Carbonara pizza" I said leaning back on the chair.

"Hey Baby" Molly leaned over the belly. "You better come out there knowing how to fight"

I laughed and pushed her.

"That's not how a godmother talks to..."

"Abigail!" Daniel exclaimed. I gasped and covered my mouth. Stupid pregnancy brain.

The five of us exchanged looks. It was the most uncomfortable moment ever.

"What?" Molly asked.

"What?" I said playing dumb.

"What did you say, Hopper?"

"Nothing"

"She said nothing" Daniel came for back up.

"I think she did" Michael said.

"You shut up" I pointed at him.

"Abigail" Molly warned.

Daniel and I exchanged looks. He sighed and chuckled. "Where are they?" He asked me.

I bit my lip.

"On the panties drawer" I said.

He got up and left us in the kitchen in silence. I stole some looks at Molly. She was playing with her nails, picking the blue polish and biting her lip. She was nervous. Michael looked uncomfortable and Charlotte was so unbothered.

Daniel came back with the two boxes.

"Well, this wasn't supposed to be like this" He said sitting on the table.

"And I'm sorry" I added. "We were supposed to go out for dinner."

"Well, this is for you, Molly"

I saw how my best friend took the box with shaky hands. She was clever, she knew where all of this was going. She swallowed hard and opened the box. There was 1 single shoe on it and a note.

"Hi, Molly.

You have taken care of me through all my up and downs (there has been many), you have always been my side and I can't imagine a life without you. For this, I couldn't think of anyone better to take care of my baby. Would you be a Godmother?

Abi" She read the note through her tears and turned to me sobbing like a little kid. Obviously, I cried too.

"Abi..."

"Would you?"

She nodded and hugged me so tight, keeping one of her hands where she knew Baby kicked often.

Danny got up and hugged us too.

"I can't believe it, thank you very much guys. I... this is so special for me. I'll be the coolest Godmother, I promise" She said cleaning her tears.

Daniel kissed her head.

"We couldn't have asked for a cooler one" he said smiling.

I tried to clean my tears but they kept falling. Molly tried to help me.

"It's impossible. Baby is messing so bad with me" I said swallowing the lump.

Then I looked at Daniel who was looking at the other box on the table. He dried his hands on his trousers and took the box. Michael's eyes went to Charlotte. Oh... he was so oblivious.

"Michael" Daniel reached the box for him and Michael looked up confused.

"Me?"

Daniel nodded and Michael let a shaky breath out. For the first time, I saw the man truly nervous.

"Wow" Was all he said.

He opened it and found the other shoe of the pair. Molly whispered an oow.

Michael took the note.

"Hey mate.

You know that my life would be a mess without you. You were there for me when I needed it the most. You said I would be a great dad one day with someone I'd truly love. Once again, you were right. That's why I think you will be a great Godfather. Would you like to?

Dan"

Michael got up and almost tucks Daniel down with a hug.

Charlotte clasped happily. She knew about this and she had been more than happy. I couldn't agree more.

I got up when Michael and Daniel pulled back.

"Come here" Michael said.

He hugged me carefully and kept me under his arm, just like he was doing with Daniel.

"Thank you very much." He said. "Thank you for trusting me"

Daniel patted his back. I could see how bad he was trying to not cry.

"There is no one out there who I trust more, mate"

Molly got up and joined the hug.

"I can't wait to meet them" She said smiling. "We will do it well" She told Michael and I smiled.

"We will"

"You better do. Michelle and Blake are the next ones on the list and we can run it"

Molly slapped Daniel's chest.

"Prick"

"No swearing in front of baby, -1 point"

We all laughed. But then I remember something and Daniel seemed to remember too.

"There is something else."

"You didn't have to, guys" Charlotte simply said.

"How?"

"I know everything, dear" She answered with a smile.

"This is for Aunt Charlotte, honorary grandma and meta godmother because we may trust Mike and Molly with our soul, but we are sure they will need some help at some point" Daniel said pulling the third box out of nowhere.

We all laughed and I walked to Charlotte, hugging her shoulders and watching her open it. It was a pair of little shoes.

"Hey, Charlotte.

Thank you for the wonderful life you've given me (A) and for opening the doors of your family to me since the first moment (D). We are sure that Baby will be the happiest growing by your side and we can't leave you out of this. Would you be the best and meta godmother to take care of our baby and the Godparents?

Abi & Dan"

"Come here, you dorks"

She got up and hugged us. There is no need to say that there were a lot of tears.

Domestic and cozy.

"I'm exhausted" Daniel groaned while walking out of the kitchen.

"Come here, sweetheart" I was laying on the sofa, feet up and a warm blanket on my lap.

Daniel smiled and walked to me. He laid his head on my lap and turned to his side so he was facing the belly.

"You have been working a lot" He had been busy on the shop, moving to my (our) place,... The had been a lot of stuff recently.

"I know. But it's fine. I just picked the last boxes from Michael's place." Although he had been sleeping here sinse we talked about it, he had all his stuff still in there.

I caressed his cheek and he closed his eyes. His nose was brushing my bump and he looked so peaceful.

"I still can't believe what is happening"

I smiled and ran my fingers on the side of his neck.

"Well, I can tell you it is. I swear if this is not real I'm throwing hands."

He chuckled and opened his eyes. "Stop giving Muma a hard time, little bean."

"I'm feeling so much better" I smiled softly and he looked at me.

"You look happier"

"I am. I have been really happy since I knew..."

"Have you?" HE quietly asked. "Even during the first weeks?"

I nodded. "Those first weeks were hard. It was overwhelming, yes. But I was happy. When I wasn't feeling exhausted or terribly dizzy, I was really happy"

Daniel took my hand and placed it on his chest.

"I was scared" He said. "I didn't want you to regret it"

"I could never"

HE kissed my knuckled and turned his face to the baby bump. "We love you a lot, little thing. So much"

Choosing names has never been easier.

Danny had gotten used to having my bump out when we were watching TV or something. Today wasn't different. I was sitting with my feet up in the table while crocheting a little vest for Baby and he had his head on my lap. He had been drawing the whole afternoon up here while I worked with Charlotte in the shop. He was watching Superstore and sometimes turned to talk to Baby.

"Abi"

"Hmm"

"I've been thinking"

"OH, have you?"

"Shut up"

I giggled and put the hook and yarn down.

"Sorry"

"How are we going to call the baby?"

"Well..."

"I think Luca would be nice if he is a baby"

I frowned.

"Luca?"

He smiled.

"You don't see it"

"Nop" I laughed. "Aaron?"

"Tss" He bit his lip. "No..."

I sighed dramatically.

"Parenthood is hard"

"Fuck yes, it is"

"Hey! Don't swear in front of Baby" I pinched his cheek and he grabbed my hand. He took it to his chest and laid it there.

"What if we let Baby boy choose the name?"

"How" I laughed.

"We give him a bunch of little papers and he picks one"

"We are not doing that, dork"

"It was an idea"

I brushed his nose with my finger.

"A horrible one"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"What was your dad's name"

I bit my lip.

"Oliver"

He looked at me again.

"Well"

A smile broke down on my face.

"Yeah?"

He nodded.

"Come up here and give me a kiss"

He chuckled and sat up to give me a kiss, deep and slow.

When we pulled back we were both smiling.

"And if it's Baby girl? Charlotte said we are having a girl and I trust her"

"Daisy" I said without doubt.

"Daisy?"

"I promised Izzy. Pinky promise. Serious stuff"

"Izzy?"

I nodded. He kissed my cheek over and over again, then my neck and my chest and finally went back to my neck and hid there. He curled himself around me and I hugged him.

"Are you okay?"

"I just love you so much. You and Baby"

I kissed his forehead.

"Why did she choose Daisy?"

"What's her favorite flower?"

He laughed on my neck and caressed my belly slowly.

"Well, we are here waiting for you Baby Oliver or Baby Daisy"

I covered his hand with mine and rested my cheek on his forehead.

"We are so impatient."

Next part: Weddings and celebrations. OUT SOON.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsnes   @thybulleric   @ln15  @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff     @txtflxx @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @xgallysonegoodlung @hannahholland1811

The Handsome Artist. 26.(Daniel Ricciardo)

Weddings and celebrations. It feels like the right moment to take the next step.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: Waiting .

Note: took me ages to write this and I don't even like it.

I put a foot out of the car and sighed happily.

"Abigail!" Chloe walked to me and hugged me tight. Well, as much as my bump let us. "Ohh, look at you"

I smiled.

"You look so beautiful"

"Thank you very much, Chloe"

Her hands moved in front of me, but she was cautious.

"You can do it" I answered with a smile.

She touched my bump then with a smile. "I'm really really happy for you. Both of you. I can't believe you are bringing the first baby to the group!"

"Look at that beauty!" Scott shouted.

"Thank you mate, got extra fresh for your weekend" Daniel answered behind me, making us laugh.

"Not you, dude. You look as if you had driven for 6 hours"

I chuckled.

"How was the trip?" Scott hugged me and kissed my cheek. "Looking fine, Abi. Baby Ric looks good on you"

"Well, thank you"

"Yeah, you're welcome" Danny said and I punched his shoulder.

"Come in, guys. The others are already here"

Daniel grabbed my hand.

"Ready?"

I nodded. He kissed my cheek and smiled over my skin.

We were welcomed with hugs and smiles, praises for me and some jokes for Danny.

"Fuck off, guys"

I kissed his cheek and sat. He gave me a look and caressed my hair. "Do you want some water?"

"Juice? I need sugar"

"Of course" And he head to the bar.

Corey turned to me and smiled. "He is... Different"

"Not different. Just really really happy" Michael said. I nodded at his words and touched my belly.

"I wouldn't have said it better"

"Isn't it great?" Scotty said. "Dan having a baby. After all"

Due to life, schedules and routine, we had barely seen each other during the pregnancy, so we haven't talked much about everything.

"When he told me..." Blake started. "I was happier than if that kid was mine"

I chuckled and Baby kicked in me. "Mini Ric is happy?" Michael asked.

I laughed and took his hand, pressing it on the side of my belly. He smiled and his eyes turned bright. All of them loved Dan so much, it was insane how happy this little human had made them.

"And you don't want to know the gender?"

I shook my head again and just then, Danny came back. He must had heard that last part.

"Charlotte says that it's a girl" Daniel happily said. "She said it was a girl the moment we told her."

"And you want a girl!" Chloe exclaimed making everyone laugh.

"I don't mind" He said and wrapped his arma round my shoulders. "I'm just happy to have a baby. I don't mind if it's a girl or a boy"

I looked at him with a smirk. "I caught him cheeking little dresses at the shop".

"You little shit..." He groaned with a smile. He was blushing deep. "Okay! Okay. I just... I think it would be really cute to have a girl first"

Everyone laughed and clasped, celebration the confession that made my heart beat like mad.

Danny POV.

The brunch was awesome, all the time Chloe and Scott spent organizing this celebration was paying. I had gotten up and walked away from Abi, who was with Blake talking about something they had seen on the news. Blake was a big comfort for Abi, always calm and collected, she found him a relief in our gatherings. So knowing she was in good hands, I went for a drink.

"Hey"

I turned to looked to the side. "Hey, man"

Mike patted my back.

"I've seen that bump in your trousers. I don't know how she hasn't notice yet"

I smirked and pushed him. "What are you implying, Italiano?"

He laughed. "Are you doing it tonight?"

I shook my head. I had waited for the perfect moment, but it simply didn't come and now Abi was getting tired and probably would want to go to sleep soon.

"Maybe tomorrow"

Michael sighed. "You are not doubting, aren't you?"

I shook my hair and looked down at my beer.

"You are"

"No. I'm sure I want to do it"

"Then?"

"I don't know if she wants"

Michael sighed. "We have talked about this"

We had, yes. For weeks, actually. After the 6th month ultrasound, the idea popped up in my mind.

"I'm just so happy. I can't believe we get so share something like this. So precious and perfect" She had said with her hands around her belly. I knew it. I wanted to marry her.

"She is having your baby. She is sharing her home with you. Abigail loves you so much, mate. I see it, Blake sees it, Molly, Scotty... Everyone can see it. This is just another step."

"I haven't talked about marriage with her"

"Well, you guys take things quick, don't you?"

I laughed. "Yeah, we do"

"She will say yes. Just tell her what you told me"

I nodded. "I don't want to marry just yet. I just need to do this. To take this step"

Michael patted my back. "It'll go well"

"Thank you, mate"

"Now, shut up. She is coming"

"Honey?"

I turned to look at her and sighed.

"What's wrong?"

She sniffed and leaned into me. "I'm tired"

"Okay, let's go. Tell the others we headed to the bedroom. We'll come back for the dinner"

Abi POV.

Danny stayed quiet as we walked to our bedroom, which I thanked a lot. After living together for this months, he had started to understand everything better. He just knew when things were right or wrong, he turned into the perfect boyfriend and the damn hormones made me want to cry for the whole day.

The door closed and I felt my body shaking slightly.

"What's wrong? For real" He softly said. He wasn't accusing me of anything, he just knew that I wouldn't spill everything in front of someone else. It was always easy to tell a litlle lie instead of making everyone worried.

Daniel sighed and walked closer.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed" I said drying my tears. "It's the hormones"

Daniel kissed my cheek and his hands came to my lower belly. The bump was already so big.

"It's okay. We can stay here for a bit"

I nodded.

Daniel took my hand and walked me to the bed. I sat and he knelt in front of me. As usual, his hands rested on the bump and his thumbs caressed my skin.

"Maybe you could wear something else tomorrow"

"Everyone else has heels and this perfect dresses"

Daniel took my hand and kissed my knuckles.

"Babe. You are pregnant. These shoes are not good for you. I don't want you to get hurt."

"But..."

"No buts, honey. Just wear your sandals, okay?"

I nodded slowly.

"Lay here with me for a bit" I whispered.

"Of course"

Daniel hold me for a while, his hands moving either up and down my back or on my belly.

"I don't know that people and they still come to touch my belly and make comments and..."

He pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"I don't want them to do that... I actually hate it. This is my belly, my baby... Why do they have to come and touch me?"

Daniel hugged me tighter and kissed my forehead.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'll stay with you, okay?"

"No, Dan. I want you to have fun. It's Scotty's wedding"

He kissed my forehead.

"And my girlfriend is pregnant. Almost 8 months pregnant." Daniel pressed a kiss on my forehead.

.

.

.

The next day came and Daniel had to help me with the sandals. He obviously had to make a show of it.

"Oh wow. Just look at you" He said when I got up from the bed.

"I'm like a whale in nice clothes"

"The prettiest whale, Abi"

"What?"

We both started laughing like idiots.

"No, but hey. You look really pretty. For real. You are stunning, my love."

My cheeks warmed and I looked down at his chest. I fixed the shirt and then ran my fingers over the thin fabric. There was no tie, he said it didn't fit his vibe. And the blazer had tiny dots on it because he didn't want to go full on blue. But he looked so handsome.

"You look stunning too, Danny" I kissed his lips softly and he smiled, brushing our nose and trying to pull me closer. It made me giggle. "Baby is getting to big"

He looked down. "Yeah." There was this bright on the eyes, that look he had every time he looked at my bump. "I really can't wait to have them with us"

"Baby is already with us"

"I know. But I want to see how they look." He out both hands on my belly. "Asleep?"

"I think so"

He smiled softly. "You better stay like that and don't bother Muma today."

I ran my fingers over his hair and he kissed me again. "Ready?"

I nodded.

Hand in hand, we went to the garden where the wedding was taking place, and soon, we found the guys.

"Oh! You look so handsome guys"

Corey, as usual, was taking photos of everyone, so yeah, he took a thousand photos of us too.

Then, during the ceremony, I felt Daniel moving a lot. His foot was tapping on the floor and his hands were fidgeting with everything he could reach.

"Babe"

He looked at me.

"Are you okay?" I whispered.

He nodded and kissed my temple. "I'm perfect".

"I'm so thankful for the day my brother told me he had the perfect guy for me. I remember laughing at first, but then we met and everything has been perfect since then. Lance was right, you are perfect for me Scotty. And I love you like I haven't loved anyone. I can't wait to see what the future bring us and... " Chloe was almost pm tears as she spoke.

I dried a tear. Daniel noticed and hugged my shoulders. For the first time, I wondered if we would ever be like this. If we would ever have a nice celebration with out family and friends.

The rest was just as beautiful. Even Danny cried a bit. And then the dinner was amazing and the couple had their first dance and I couldn't stop crying because the baby had made me extremely sensitive. I wasn't really agile and I didn't like dancing anyway, so I stuck to my comfortable chair. But I grew thirsty at some point.

I felt a hand on my lower back and turned around. "Hey" The image made me smile. His cheeks were so pink from dancing. "You look cute"

He chuckled. "What are you gonna get?"

"Well, I was thinking about tequila shots" I said sarcastically. Daniel barked a laugh and pinched my ass. "Auch"

"Miss. Your water"

"Thanks"

I grabbed the bottle and looked at Daniel, who had a tiny smile and was breathing slow. "Wanna go out for a bit?"

I frowned. "Are you okay? Ten minutes ago you were on the top of that table"

"I'm perfect. Just want a moment with you"

I smiled and nodded. "Let's go"

We found a terrace with a perfect view of the garden. The chairs from the ceremony were still there. "This place is beautiful" I said in a whisper.

"It really is."

Daniel walked me to these arm chairs and sat on one, but before I tried to sit on the other, he grabbed my hips. "Sit here with me"

"I will crash you"

"You will not"

It was difficult to resist when he was looking at me with those brown eyes. I carefully sat on his lap and leaned on his chest. He put his hand on my belly and Baby moved.

"Hey cutie" He giggled. "Good evening to you too. Is Baby behaving well?"

I nodded. "I think they love the food."

"Muma has been eating a lot, hasn't she?"

I chuckled.

"Those mini pies..." I rolled my eyes.

"Same. And the salmon?"

I moaned and Daniel laughed. "But the cheese"

"No! Don't even dare to name it"

The cheese had been awful. Only the smell had made me want to puke.

Daniel kissed my cheek and brushed his nose to the side of my face. After our time together, I perfectly knew what it meant, so I turned my face and he captured my kiss with a deep kiss. It was slow and sensual, his hand leaving my belly and finding my neck. My cheeks heated up but beofe I could slide my hand under his shirt, he stopped me.

"I need to tell you something"

A shiver ran up and down my spine. He was so serious.

"Danny?"

He cleared his throat and I feared.

"Okay. Um... Charlotte told me to make it properly so..."

He maneuvered so I was now sitting. What did he do next? He got on one knee before me. My heartbeat grew erratic and I fisted my hands on my dress.

"I'm nervous as hell, baby. So excuse me." well, I couldn't even breathe, so it didn't worry me "I was talking to Scott one day and he was really excited about the wedding. He was excited because he would get all of us together, his family, friends... Everyone. He was excited because we all would celebrate with him how much he loves Chloe. And at first I didn't understand why doing it. You can love a person as much without marrying them. But... I love you so much, Abigail. You are the love of my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm so happy Molly dragged you to the studio. And I'm so happy you wanted that Argelian ivy around your breast. It was so badass for a first tattoo. And I'm so happy for that dinner at Pierre and Yuki's. And for the breakfast the next day. And for Colorado. And for those weeks I'm Perth. I'm so thankful for of of it and I'm so glad I took all those steps. And now... You are growing a baby in you, my baby, and even when I though I couldn't love you more, I do. I have fallen in love with you a bit more since the first day. And... I want to celebrate that. I want to put a ring on your finger to remind you all of this, all the beautiful things you mean to me. I love you so much and I'm already the happiest man alive. But I wanted to do this, I wanted to at least ask you and I know that after this dramatic speech maybe... Well. Fuck. Sorry. Would you marry me, Abigail Hopper?"

I hugged him and sobbed. "Yes. Yes. Yes. I love you so much. I want to marry you. Of course I want you. I love you"

Daniel laughed on my neck and squeezed me harder.

"Thank you, thank you..." He whispered on my temple.

I pulled back and cupped his cheeks. "I love you. And... You make me the happiest woman. I love you. I love you"

Baby moved and I giggled. "Touch"

"Are you happy? Hey? Muma said yes, sweetheart."

Baby moved again and Daniel pressed his forehead on my belly. I tried to dry my tears but it was stupid, I couldn't stop crying. With my fingers on his hair and his hands on my belly, I heard him talking to the baby as he used to.

"Danny"

He looked at me.

"Thank you for loving me and taking so much care of me. I thought I would never get it and I had lost all the hope. And you came and... I love you so much and I'm so happy we are having this baby together and... I can't believe you asked me to marry you because I was thinking about how I would like to marry you during the ceremony. And... Wow. I love you"

He cupped my cheeks and kissed me.

"Wait" He broke the kiss. "Fuck. I'm an idiot." He giggled and reached for his pocket. He pulled a little box and I laughed.

"Oh no, there was no need"

"Of course." He took my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Charlotte came with me. So I'm sure you will like it"

"I can't stop crying"

He opened the box and I gasped. It was beautiful, small and blue, pretty similar to the one he gave me for my birthday.

"Danny..."

He gently took my hand and slid the ring on my finger.

"We are going to marry"

He nodded and pressed my forehead to his.

"We are going to marry"

He kissed my lips and made me move on the sofa. We sat on our previous position and he hugged me.

I laid my head on his shoulder and looked at the ring in my hand.

"It's really beautiful."

"Just like you"

He kissed my forehead.

"We should wait until baby can walk"

"Okay. I'll be waiting for those first steps" He chuckled.

"And... Let's wait to tell everyone because it's Scotty and Chloe's weekend and I already took a lot of attention with the baby"

"Your wish is my command"

I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Can you believe it?"

"Not really. I've carried that ring with me for the whole weekend."

Horrible part. But.... The next one...

Next part: Little flower.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsnes   @thybulleric   @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff     @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @hannahholland1811

The handsome artist. 27. (Daniel Ricciardo)

Little flower. The day arrived.

MASTERLIST.

Previous part: Weddings and Celebrations.

Note: the pics that appear on the carácter are pinned on my Pinterest, on The Handsome Artist's board.

Warning: I think it's not really explicit, but the birth is described.

"Go..."

"Baby..."

"Dan. I'm fine. It's probably just the pasta I ate"

It wasn't. It had taken a hell of a time to convince Danny to go out with the guys for dinner. But some weird felling on my belly had interrupted the afternoon. What I thought that was probably just the carbonara he had cooked, ended up breaking my water.

I was bracing myself against the counter, liquid going down my legs and pain settling between them. I was shaking. It was soon. We had two weeks left. The Ricciardo's were coming in a week and a half. The baby couldn't come just yet.

"Hey, are you okay?" The worried voice appeared the moment he took the call.

"N-no... Danny..."

"Abi, fuck. What's going on?" I heard the chair moving and the guys asking if I was okay.

"My water broke. I... Oh fuck" Another contraction hit.

"Abi don't scare me. Are you okay?"

"It's coming" I said with tears filling my eyes. I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to have this baby. "Danny..."

"Okay, I'm going. I'll be there soon. Sit. Take a seat, sweetheart"

I did.

"Are you having contractions? Are they..."

"Yes... It's coming now, Danny. I'm. Not ready... I can't have the baby now... You parents... They are not here. They have to meet the baby" I sobbed.

"Abigail, baby. I'm gonna be there soon. You will do it right. I'm sure. And don't worry about my parents, honey."

I touched my belly and felt another contraction.

"Breathe"

"Are you driving? Don't be on your phone"

"Michael is. He is driving my car. Breathe with me"

Danny's POV.

I was scared. I was terrified. It was two weeks early and Abigail was alone and crying.

"Abi, love."

"Yes..."

"Don't go silent please. I want to hear you. I want to know you are okay"

"I'm not" She sobbed. "It hurts"

I gave Michael a worried look and he patted my leg.

"Okay, baby. Tell me. How much time between contractions?"

"Five minutes"

I took a deep breath.

"Are you in your pijamas?"

"Y-yes..."

"I hope you don't mind going to the hospital on them"

"They are really wet."

"Oops. Well, we'll change them. Don't worry"

"Your mum said..."

"I know. I know my mum said she wanted to be here. But there is nothing we can do now. Don't worry about it" I tried to reassure her. I obviously wanted my parents here when my first born was born. But the baby seemed to be in a hurry now. "She is going to be just as happy"

"I'm sorry"

"No, no. Don't be, honey. It's alright. This is how it is. Baby is in a hurry but it's okay."

I heard her chuckle between sobs.

"What's so funny?"

"It's kicking. Probably trying to get out"

"Tell them to wait. I'm on my way"

"Papa is coming, baby. Just wait a little more. Please..." I heard her say. My heart skipped a bit and I leaned my head back on the seat. Michael looked at me.

"Abi"

"Mhm"

"What do you think it's gonna be?" I closed my eyes. During the whole pregnancy, she had kept the I don't care if its a boy or a girl, I just want them to be healthy statement.

"I don't..."

It made me smile.

"I knew you would say that. But c'mon. You know I want a baby girl"

She laughed a bit. I could picture her with her han on her belly, looking down with a smile and her cheek wet with tears. But then she whined in pain and I swallowed. Then she huffed.

"I want a girl. But I will love them as much."

"I know you will, sweetheart"

Then Michael turned and we were in front of the shop.

"I'm here, honey."

"Hey. I'll be here waiting" Mike told me. "And I'll call Molly"

"Thanks mate"

I ran upstairs and just as I thought, she was in the kitchen.

"Babe"

"Danny"

I knelt in from of her and hugged her. Just for pure comfort, I know she needed it.

"I'm scared"

"I know. But it's okay to be scared."

Then she got another contraction.

"They... They happen more often. We have to leave."

"Okay, okay"

Quickly, I helped her changing to clean sweats and then together we walked downstairs.

"I don't have the bag ready..." I chuckled.

"Don't worry about that now. They won't leave baby naked"

Then she sat in the car and forced a smile.

"Hi Mike"

"Hi Abi, how are you?"

"Terrible, thank you"

I laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Molly said she will come quick"

"Charlotte"

I passed her the phone.

"H-hi" She said with tears on her eyes again. "I... I think the baby is coming... Really fast and..." she shut her mouth and leaned on me. Mike was already driving. "I know... I'm scared..." I held Abi all the way to the hospital while Charlotte talk to her.

Then, once inside, they gave us a wheelchair and I found myself following her and the nurses. My ears were ringing and my whole body shaking. All the fears where on my skin. What if something went wrong? What if it was true that Abi couldn't do it? What if this was an emergency? Why was the baby here so soon? Why was it all going so quick?"

I saw how they changed her clothes, cutteed the sweats and almost pushed me outside.

"No, I'm staying. That's my wife and my baby"

"Sir..."

I watched Abi, face contorned in pain and hands fisting the sheets. They were grabbed her arms but she was still standing.

"See, they say that this is the most natural way to give birth" She said showing me a photo. "Will they let me do it like this if I ask"

"I will kick a couple of asses of they don't."

"I'm staying. I'm not leaving her alone. Why do you want me to leave?" I said raising my voice. "If something is wrong you can tell me already because I'm not going anywhere"

"He stays" The doctor said without moving her eyes from Abi.

The nurse rolled her eyes and passed me the clothes. I changed as fast as I could and then went out.

"Push, Abigail"

She screamed and my heart broke.

"It hurts..."

"I know, Abigail. But the baby is in a hurry. The head is already here"

The head is already here.

"Husband!"

"Danny. He is Danny" Abi panted and everyone smiled.

"You can help us holding her." But then her face changed. "Okay no, the bed"

"The bed? No. Not the bed. I don't want the bed" Abi said desperate.

"Doctor she..." I tried to help.

"The baby is coming quick, Abigail. If you do it like this you can hurt yourself badly."

Abi looked at me. She was terrified. I hated seeing her like this. "Danny"

"It's for you. Please, let them move you to the bed. Please."

"But I..."

"I don't want you to hurt yourself. Please."

Finally, they helped her on the bed, knees up and legs open. She was grabbing my hand hard. Her hair was sticking on her face and she was crying. "Please... Take that baby out"

The doctor smiled sweetly and caressed her knee. "One more and we will have the head out. Then the shoulders and it'll be done. You are doing it fantastic, Abigail"

I wrapped my arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"Okay" She whispered. I kissed her cheek.

"I'm so proud of you"

Then another push and another cry of pain. A well done for the doctor and another push. And finally... A cry.

A baby cry.

Abigail, instead of relaxing as I thought she would, straightened her back. She wanted to see.

My heart was beating on my chest and I couldn't move. I was frozen. That baby crying was my baby. I was a father.

"Danny? Danny, baby" I felt Abigail touching my face. "Are you okay?"

I blinked and tears fell down my cheeks. I focused my eyes and I saw her smile. Again, I fell even more in love with her. Flustered and sweaty, with her eyes glassy and lip swollen from biting it, Abigail was smiling at me with all her sweetness and kindness.

"I'm okay"

"Danny, do you want to cut the..."

I shook my head quick. "I will faint"

And everyone chuckled, even Abi.

"I love you" She whispered.

And then, finally they lifted the baby and she covered her mouth.

The nursed walked to us and laid then on her chest.

"You had a healthy baby girl."

And Abi wrapped her hands around her and looked at me. Her lip was trembling and she was crying.

"What you wanted!" She said just as if I was a kid with a toy on Christmas day.

"I love them" A nurse said laughing.

"Best Labour of the week"

"What we wanted"

I leaned over her shoulder and looked at her. At Daisy. Even though she was sticky and still dirty, I reached and touched her cheek. She was crying badly, but nuzzling her cheek against her mums chest.

"Hi Daisy" I whispered.

"She is so pretty, Danny"

I always thought babies were kind of ugly when they were born, I thought tñparents were a bit out of their minds when they called them cute. Even my own sister. But now that my girl was here on my other girl's chest, I understand them completely.

"She is perfect" She had a lot of dark hair and big eyes, round cheeks and tiny hands.

"Daisy" She looked at me. "Izzy will be so happy"

I chuckled and kissed her lips for the first time.

"She sure will. I can't wait to tell them"

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep her inside."

I chucked and pressed my forehead against her.

"It's not your fault, all hers"

She laughed and looked down again.

"Hi baby" She whispered. "I'm muma. The one that has been feeding you. And this is Papa. The weirdo that talked to you in the middle of the night."

I gasped.

"You knew that?"

"Of course I did" She smiled so big, so bright. Not scared anymore. She had done it perfect.

"Sorry to bother. We need to check and clean her. And also clean you, Abigail"

She nodded.

The nurse took Daisy carefully and I follow her with my eyes. Then I looked down at Abi.

"I'm not going to let anything bad ever happen to her."

She smiled with tears on her eyes and brought me down for a kiss.

"I love you"

"I love you too"

"Go outside and tell them we are okay"

I nodded and kissed her head.

Five minutes later, I was walking down the corridor.

It was already 11 pm and there wasn't much people in the hospital.

Michael, Molly, Blake and Charlotte got up. I didn't know how Molly, Blake and Charlotte had arrived, but I didn't care.

I felt myself starting to shake again. Tears filled my eyes and I try to stop them. I didn't want them to be scared. But I couldn't stop myself.

When Charlotte hugged me, I started crying.

"Daniel, please. Don't do this. How are they? How is my Abi?"

The woman was shaking too.

"It's a girl. And she is so perfect."

I coudl hear the sighs of relief and Charlotte crying on my shoulder. "Oh Danny, I told you! I told you you would have a little flower"

I chuckled and pulled back because anyone knew about the name. Not even about the idea.

"Daisy. She is Daisy"

Charlotte kissed my cheek like a grandma would (she kind of was now).

"Izzy told Abi to please name the baby like her favourite flower"

Molly walked to me and hugged me. Then Mike and Blake. And then Charlotte tucked herself under my arm and dried my tears.

"I can't believe it" I said with a smile. My friends looked at me. And wow. They were also crying.

"Daniel, I'm so happy for you" Blake said. "I'm so so happy"

"Same, mate. You have your little daughter already"

I nodded.

"Give me another hug"

And I hugged them both again. I felt Molly's hand caressing my back.

"How is Abi?"

"Happy. It was fast and she couldn't do it standing. But she is okay now."

"She was scared" Charlotte said.

"Yeah. A lot." I sighed. "But everything went well"

"Hey, call your parents"

I nodded.

"Stay here just in case they need someone"

They nodded.

I walked outside the hospital. The air was humid and thick. I sat in the steps and called home. It was already in the morning in there.

"Hey Dan! I wasn't expecting you now" My mum answer the videocall happily.

I felt a knot on my throat. I would have loved to have them here and somehow I couldn't believe I was about to tell them I had become a father.

"Mum"

"Danny, are you okay?"

"What's wrong?" I heard my father ask. He appeared soon on the screen.

"Nothing wrong. Everything is perfect actually"

"Where are you?"

I smiled and cleaned a tear.

"Um. Yeah. We had a little surprise tonight"

Somehow, I knew my mum had understood perfectly. She covered her mouth and her eyes got glassy.

"Daniel"

"The baby is here"

"Oh!" My dad shouted. "Already? And the two weeks?"

"Yeah... It lasted for an hour and a half since her water broke so... No two weeks. Fast delivery"

They laughed.

"Oh Daniel. Daniel! You have a baby!" My mum shouted too. "I can't believe it. We are grandparents again! I can wait to meet... Wait? Is it a girl?"

I chuckled between tears. Everyone wanted a girl.

"It is a girl. Daisy. But... Don't tell the kids, okay?"

"Daisy? Oh that's so cute... Izzy is going to love it"

"It was her idea."

My mum sobbed and dad had to hug her. That's how we were all crying, the creen between us.

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah. Healthy and perfect. She is so beautiful. She has a lot of black hair and her eyes are so big. She has this little round cheeks and... I can't wait for you guys to meet her."

"We can't wait either. I will call Michelle and we will fix the flights. I'm sure the kids can miss a couple of days of school."

I laughed a bit.

"I missed you here."

"This is how things went." My mum said quietly. "We are equally happy, Daniel. We are now even more excited. We can't wait to meet our granddaughter and see Abi. Give them a lot of kisses and tell her I'm so happy and proud."

"She was worried for your" I told them.

"You couldn't have found a sweeter girl, Daniel" Mum said with a smile. "We are so happy for you. You are so lucky, Daniel"

"I know. I couldn't be luckier." I dried my tears and sighed. Just then, I heard my name. Molly was walking in my direction.

"Hey, they are already taking the girl to the room."

"Okay."

Molly had pink cheeks and her eyes were swollen.

"Hi!" She said peaking over my shoulder.

"Hi Molly!"

"Mum, Dad. I have to go already. I'll send you pictures as soon as I can."

"Okay, son. Give them a lot of kisses. We will call again in the morning."

"Um... I will call Michelle soon"

"Goodnight, Danny"

"Yeah, bye. I love you guys"

"I love you too, Daniel" Mum said.

"Have a good night" Dad said.

I got up and looked at Molly.

"She is beautiful, Daniel" She said and opened her arms.

I hugged her tight and kissed her head.

"I'm so happy" She whispered.

"Thank you, Molly"

"Thank you very much for making Abigail this happy."

"She makes me even happier, Molly. It's so easy"

She cupped my cheeks.

"You will be a great Dad, Daniel" I knew then that she knew.

"I hope so."

"Let's go, they are waiting for you"

When I opened the door, Abigail was on the bed and Daisy was on her arms. They were dressed with white hospital clothes. Abigail had her hair in a braid, rpobably done by Charlotte, who was looking at her nieces with so much love. Blake and Mike were sitting by the window, both with smiles on their faces. I swallowed and took a step in.

"Hey..."

Abi looked at me and smiled.

"Hi"

I walked to her and kissed her head.

"You look good" I kissed her lips. "I was calling my parents"

She bit her lip.

"I wish she had stayed in only for a few more days."

"Don't worry about that. They are changing the flights. And they told me to give you both a lot of kisses"

Abi leaned her head on my shoulder. Charlotte reached and touched her head.

"Are you tired?"

"Exhausted"

"We should get going" Blake said and walk closer to see the baby. Then he looked at me with a smile. "She is a Ricciardo, huh"

"I see her more like Abi" Michael said watching his goddaughter.

"She has her cheeks like Abi when she was a baby. But that mouth is surely Dan's" Charlotte whispered.

"I see it" Molly said.

And suddenly Daisy opened her eyes.

"Hi" Abi whispered and ran her finger over the side of her face. Ioved closer and hugged her shoulders. I couldn't speak. "How are you little flower?"

I smiled and Charlotte chuckled.

"She just had her first nap in the world. Must be feeling good"

Daisy made a noise and stretched her arms.

"There is plenty of space out here, right?"

The softness of Abi's voice was making me melt. It was dissolving me into a puddle.

I reached my hand and touched Daisy's, her fingers quickly grabbed mine and I gasped.

"Hi honey"

Her eyes followed my voice although she couldn't see yet.

"It's Papa" Abi whispered.

"Love, we are going to leave you guys alone" Charlotte said and kissed Abi. "I'll be here in the morning with the bag, okay?"

"Thank you, Charlotte. All of you actually. Thank you very much for coming" She said looking at them.

The Godparents said goodbye to the baby, then the coolest uncle too and finally Charlotte. And soon we were left alone with our baby and once again I couldn't believe it was real.

Daisy whined and as if she had been doing this her whole life, Abi put her on her chest, opening the shirt and letting her grab the nipple.

"You are going to kill me today, Abi"

She looked at me and smiled.

"Why?"

"Remember what I said when I proposed? That I fall for you everyday? Well, I'm feeling so so many things today and each second I love you more. And her... Look what you have given to me. You have made a perfect baby, Abi"

"We."

I kissed her lips and she grabbed me by my neck, kissing deeper and making me shiver.

"I love you so much, Daniel Ricciardo"

"I love you more."

"Call Michelle. And show your parents the baby"

I did. I took pictures and a video. I wanted them to see how healthy and strong Daisy was. Abi talked to them and then I sent Michelle a message.

Me: Hey. Something happened.

Not even a second later, she answered.

Michelle: what happened?

Michelle: don't scare me.

Me: this happened.

And just as quick, she called.

"Daniel!"

"Hi"

"The baby"

"Yes"

"Oh my god. I... The kids... They are at school but..."

"Hey, hey. It's fine. Breathe"

"Daniel you have a baby"

"I have a baby."

"How is Abi? Oh. When did it happen? She wasn't due in..."

Abi took the phone.

"Hi, Michelle."

I heard them talking. Abi told her everything and they talked and laughed for a while. And then she lookedat me and put it on speaker.

"She is so sweet Michelle. She has only cried once."

"She? A girl?!"

"Yes" Abi said with the biggest smile. "Everyone wanted a girl"

We laughed.

"Hey Mich" I called her. "Don't tell the kids that Daisy is a girl."

"Why is that?"

"Izzy asked me to name her like this, we want to surprise her"

We talk to her for a while and Abi started falling asleep on my shoulder.

"Hey, love. Let's go to sleep, huh"

We said out goodbyes to Michelle and Abi carefully moved Daisy away. She had fallen asleep while eating.

"I can't sleep yet" She said.

"Why?"

"I haven't seen you hold her yet"

I gasped. "I haven't"

"No Danny"

I felt my hands shaking and I looked at the small baby.

"We can wait until the morning"

"No, no. I want to. It's just..."

"It will be okay"

I nodded and looked at her. She smiled and reached the baby for me.

My heart was hammering in my chest. My baby. My little girl. My daughter. My little flower. My Daisy. She was sleeping on my arms and I couldn't stop looking at her.

"I love you so much, little flower. I have waited so long for you"

............................

Liked by @.danielricciardo and 345 others.

@.hopper_abigail: we are going home❤️

...........

I can't believe we are already here!!!

Next part: Daisy's life Pt1.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades @controsnes   @thybulleric   @lcuppo  @priylodhasstuff     @scotlynaurora @chxrryrose  @f1-incorrect-s @yearsof-war @earfquak3 @amsofftrack @hannahholland1811

The Handsome Artist. 28 (Daniel Ricciardo)

Daisy's life Pt1. Some moments of Daisy's life and Abi and Daniel dealing with parenthood. MASTERLIST. Previous part: Little Flower. Notes: really fluffy, we are not here to suffer. The pics that appear on the chapter come from this moodboard. Warnings: I think there is nothing to warn, just tell me in case you find something.

The no sleep part everyone talks about.

I opened my eyes as if a fire alarm had started ringing. Almost forgetting I had brought to the world a baby 5 days ago, I got up. It wasn't pleasant. I walked to the crib and gasped. She wasn't there. Then? I turned and Dan wasn't on the bed either. I sighed in relief.

I walked out and found the kitchen light on. There he was. He had Daisy on a bundle of blankets comfortably laying on his forearm. The girl was so small compared to her dad. Her skin was clear and made such a contrast with Danny's golden one.

Instead of talking, I stayed there in silence. He was humming something and once I discovered what, a smile formed on my cheeks. Lavender girl.

Seeing how the girl didn't stop crying, he sat and look down. He put her on his thighs and touched her cheeks gently.

"Sweetheart. I know you are really upset. And I also know that if you are just like mum it's not gonna last. So... Could you please go back to sleep? I'm really tired. I don't want to draw blurry lines tomorrow."

Making noise so he wouldn't get scared with my presence, I walked closer. He looked up and smiled.

"I think she is hungry"

He looked at Daisy again. "Are you?"

Daisy stopped crying, only sobbing a bit.

"How do you do it?" He whispered amazed. "She gets so quiet when you are around"

"I bring food" I chuckled and he laughed.

"Okay. Muma came here to safe you, little thing". He got up with the baby and laid her on his chest.

"Let's go back to sleep" I said cupping his cheek. He had bags under his eyes.

"You have to feed her"

"I will, while you sleep"

I sat on the bed with Daisy on my arms and Daniel tucked himself on the bed.

"Aren't you tired?" He whispered.

"I'm exhausted" I confessed. "But tomorrow morning you will go to the shop and I will stay here, so I prefer you to sleep for a bit"

He wrapped his arm around me and laid even closer. Since Daisy was born, Daniel was even clingier than before.

"You are perfect" He whispered.

I smiled.

"I'm not. I will only spend the whole morning here in bed with Daisy" I chuckled.

"Oh you little..."

"I carried her for eight months and a half and spent 1 hours pushing". He smiled and bit his lip.

"And I love you so much for that."

"Correct answer" I smiled.

I looked down and Daisy had fallen back asleep, barely eating anymore.

"I think she is done" I whispered.

Danny made grabby hands and I chuckled. I passed him the baby and fixed my clothes. Then I laid next to him.

"Now, let Muma and Papa sleep for a bit more, sweetheart" I told her.

Danny passed out right after with our daughter on his chest and a blanket over both of them.

.

The family meeting Daisy.

The door rang.

"They are here" Daniel came outside the room running to the door making me laugh.

He opened and waited for them to go upstairs. Charlotte who was sitting with me, got up and got the tea ready.

Nerves settled on my belly. Daisy was sleeping on my arms.

The first one was Grace. She hugged Daniel so tight and I heard her sob softly. A knot formed on my throat. Everything felt huge around me.

When Grace and Daniel pulled back, they were both crying.

"I'm so happy son"

Daniel nodded and kissed his mum's cheek.

"Thank you very much, mum." Daniel cleaned his tears. "I still can't believe I have a daughter"

I covered my mouth. I loved him so much.

Joe came in with Isaac holding his hand and hugged his son. Then Daniel leaned and hugged Isaac.

"HI Uncle Dan."

"Hi, big cousin" He smiled.

Isabella came into the room with Michelle. They hugged Daniel too. And then when he had greeted everyone, Daniel turned to me and Daisy. They all had been looking at me discreetly, but waiting for Daniel to do the presentations.

"Guys... This is Daisy" He said hugging my shoulders and kissing my temple. "She is the nicest baby ever. And the cutest too"

"I thought I was" Izzy said.

I smiled.

"You are a big girl now, right?" I told her.

She smiled and nodded.

Soon Grace was hugging me, asking about the labor and how I was feeling. She made me feel so warm. She made me feel that all of this wasn't only about my daughter and I still mattered.

"This little flower behaves so well" I said looking down at her.

Grace, with all the care in the world, asked for permission and then took her on her arms.

"Hi, little thing" She said with the biggest smile. "It's grandma. I'm sorry it took us a few days to come here."

Joe hugged his wife and peeked over.

"She was in a hurry, huh"

I smiled and nodded.

"You should have seen Abi" Daniel said hugging me. "The first thing she said was I can't, your family isn't here."

I blushed deeply, but Daniel kissed my forehead.

"Come here, Abi"

Michelle gave me the biggest hug. "You have the cutest little princess."

"I'm the little princess. She is a little flower" Izzy said. We all laughed. I leaned and opened my arms for the kids to hug me.

"Hi guys, I missed you so much" I said kissing them.

"We missed you too, Auntie"

"Do you want to meet the baby?"

They nodded. Daniel took Daisy from his mum, who leaned and kissed her cheek. I sat on the sofa and Daniel passed her to me. Daisy was already awake but quietly observing.

"Guys" Each kid sat on one side of me. "This is your cousin Daisy"

"She is so small" Isaac reached carefully and touched her hand. "She has chubby fingers" He giggled and made us all giggle too.

"Daisy?" Izzy asked.

I smiled and nodded.

"It's a really cute name" Michelle said and knelt in front of me to meet her niece. "Cute name for a the cutest baby. How did you chose it?"

I smiled and looked down at Izzy, who was laughing and covering her mouth.

"We had some help"

"I did!"

I looked around and saw Daniel with Grace and Charlotte under his arms. He was the proudest dad right now.

"Grace, when Abi met Daniel I told her. And I was right. I told her Daniel had good genetics and they could make really cute babies. And look what they gave us"

Grace laughed.

"You were so right."

Minutes later, I walked with my cup of tea around. The grandmas were sharing stories about Dan and I growing. Daniel was sitting on the sofa and the kids were talking turns on picking Daisy, always supervised. Michelle was talking photos.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Joe"

"How are you?"

"To be fair? Exhausted" I smiled a bit. "But I couldn't be happier."

"I think I have told you this a hundred times, but thank you for this"

I smiled and looked at Daniel, who was getting up with Daisy.

"Muma! Someone is hungry"

I chuckled and looked back at Joe.

"You make him so happy"

"He makes me so happy too"

.

Daisy has her first belly ache.

I was walking up and down the shop. It was again midnight and Daisy couldn't stop crying. She had those belly aches thst babies get when they are this young.

Maple was looking from his spot on the stairs and his green eyes closed every once in a while.

"I'm so sorry you are feeling like this, sweetheart" I said rubbing her belly. The street was quiet, it was too late on Wednesday even for Santa Monica.

Daisy whimpered and grabbed harder into my hand. My heart broke. She was too little to be feeling like this.

"Papa will be here soon"

Being pretty desperate and hyperactive as he was, Daniel couldn't stand hearing Daisy cry like this. He had taken the keys and had gone out looking for the closes pharmacy.

I pulled Daisy closer to my chest and walked to the back of the shop.

"Look at this, baby" She was on that age when she started seeing properly and she was really curious. The purple flowers called her attention and her cries lowered a bit. "Do you like them? They look like bells. Grandma loves them. She has one in the farm"

Maple meowed and a second later the door opened.

"You are still here" Daniel sighed. I smiled tiredly and nodded. "I was hopping to find the two of you already sleeping"

He walked closer and moved Daisy's blanket out of her face. The girl saw her dad and cried louder.

"Oh no baby" He said and caressed her chubby cheek.

"The poor girl is still in pain" I kissed her forehead.

"I brought this." He showed me the bag.

"Let's go upstairs."

In the kitchen, Daniel explained to me that yes, the doctor had said it will pass, but the woman in the 24h pharmacy had said that there was this medicine for babies.

"She said it's made for babies and it's totally safe."

I nodded. "Okay"

Daniel worked around the kitchen and got the bottle with the medicine ready.

Together we sat on the sofa and I leaned on his shoulder. Daisy grabbed Danny's hand with hers and drank the whole bottle peacefully.

"It's so nice to see her in silence" Daniel whispered.

"Yeah. I'm afraid she will have a sore throat in the morning"

"I hope this helps."

It did. Only ten minutes later, Daisy laid on Daniel chest, Maple sitting on his lap and the little girl trying to touch him.

"Hey, little flower." Danny kissed her hair. "Aren't you tired?"

I smiled.

"Do you know what will help?"

"A bath" He answered smiling.

So the three of us went to the bathroom and after a little conversation about if it was a good idea or not, we got in the bath.

Daisy laid on my chest, the warm water around us while Daniel gently bathed her. I felt so calm. It was too late, tomorrow we will be exhausted, but it was too precious. Us and our little daughter. I felt complete in moments like this.

"Hey, was that a yawn" Daniel kissed Daisy's back and she giggled. "I don't think so. So ticklish"

"She won't ever fall asleep if you tickle her" I softly said.

He smiled and kissed Daisy again. She wiggled a bit and rested her cheek on my chest.

Danny pressed a kiss on her temple and then brushed his nose with mine. I smiled and leaned forward, accepting a kiss. His tongue danced with mine and for a moment I got lost on the feeling.

When we pulled apart, I saw him looking at me. He cupped my cheek and brushed his thumb over my jaw.

"What are you thinking about?"

He smiled and sat even closer. The space was already so small.

"When I was driving to the pharmacy I was thinking if we were good parents or not. I was overwhelmed because nothing seemed to help" He was moving his fingers over Daisy's back as he spoke.

I took his other hand from my face and kissed his knuckles.

"Now we are here having a bath with her at 3 am and... I think we are doing wonderfully"

I smiled.

"Are we?"

He nodded and smiled.

"Yeah. I think we are. Maybe the books don't say that you should do this... But... Look at her."

I caressed Daisy's dark hair.

"She is so calm now and falling asleep."

I kissed Daisy again and looked at him.

"You are an amazing dad, Papa. You have been since moment one"

He blushed.

"I have the best Muma on my side"

"We are so cheesy"

"It's her fault"

.

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liked by @.lewishamilton and 863 others.

@.mollyalberts: mum said she can't stay with her coolest aunt.

-> @.hopper_abigail: this should be tagged as blackmailing.

-> @.danielricciardo: i had to watch her pouting at me for two hours and i'm weak

.

..

Everyone loves Daisy.

"Let me see" Chloe knelt in front of Daisy and the little girl smiled. "There it is. What acute smile"

I leaned and kissed her cheek making her laugh.

"Oh, you also have the cutest laugh" Chloe tickled her and Daisy kicked her feet on the sand. "Here, for you. Because Scotty saw it and didn't stop complaining until we bought it"

I laughed when Chloe put a bucklet hat on Daisy's head. It had frogs printed on it.

"I don't even know why he liked the frogs"

Daisy kicked her feet again, grading the hat and trying to look at it.

"You love it, don't you? She loves getting dressed up and costumes"

"She is like Danny, huh"

"So much."

"But she has your looks."

"The little flower here is a carbon copy of Abi" Daniel let himself fall on the sand. "She is the sweetest"

Daisy reached for Danny's face and cupped his face. Daniel kissed her palms and she smiled.

"I think she is mixed" Michael sat with us too. "She is so energetic like the father but the sweetest and nicest like the mother"

"I'm nice too!" Daniel exclaimed.

"You are, love. But I'm nicer" I said playing with his curls.

"No, no. But the other day she went from crawling around the living room nonstop to sit on my lap and listening to me talking about numbers" Blake added. "She is so mixed."

I giggled.

Daisy was sitting there smiling and looking around. Being the first baby of the group, she was the centre of attention.

"Yeah, look at her. She loves the attention" Scotty reached and pinched her cheek. "Don't you, mini Ric?"

Daisy laughed loud. She loved Scotty. Just like Dan.

We all laughed.

"Hey, Daisy" Corey moved his hand in front of her. "Look at me, cutie" with his camera in hand and the other guys standing behind him, he took pictures of Daisy in the cutest positions. She smiled and giggled the whole time, having her uncles being silly for her was her favourite thing.

Liked by @.mollyalberts and 345 others.

@.hopper_abigail: everyone's favourite. 📷@.corey.wilson

↪️@.mollyalberts: perks of being the prettiest girl in the world.

↪️@.danielricciardo: @.mollyalberts a damn cute baby.

.

Muma's day.

Danny's pov.

I walked to the crib and Daisy giggled happily. "Hey sweetheart. Already awake!"

She kicked her feet and moved her hands on the air.

"Come here. We have something really important to do today" I told her. She reached her hands to touch my face and I pretended to eat them, which mad eher giggle and scrunch her nose. "But you can't tell Muma okay?"

I dressed her and put on the baby bag. Abi was put with Charlotte and Molly having breakfast. It was Sunday so the shop and the studio were close. But I had a mission.

"Okay, the froggy hat for the little lady here... Sunglasses for dad... Keys... Wallet... And baby bag. Let's go"

We wandered around Santa Monica, picking stuff from Abi's favorite places.

"What to you think. This one?" I showed her two bandanas and she reached her hand for the yellow one. "Good choice, Daisy. Three of this."

Then we moved to other shop and then another and another. "Shit. So many things" I sighed. "Muma is going to kill us"

She looked up confused.

"But luckily you are all cute and has those baby cow eyes, huh. I will tell her it was your idea. I was just carrying bags and paying"

She laughed and it made me chuckle.

"I love you, Daisy"

When we arrived home, I sneaked in the shop. "One more, sweetheart. Let's choose some flowers"

It was the easiest. Daisy loved the shop and all the colours and flowers. I just had to walk around and she would pick the flowers from the vases and cubes.

"Now... Auntie Charlotte said I had to tie them up and then... The wrapper. Cool."

It wasn't the best bouquet. But I was just a tattoo artist with a little baby helping.

"And now we go upstairs, right?"

Daisy tried to grab a flower. "Do you want one?" I picked a little daisy from the bouquet and put it on her ear, the cute curls falling around it. "Pretty"

She giggled. She loved the attention.

When I opened the door, a very smiley Abi appeared.

"Oh fuck, you are already here" I said panicking. She laughed and walked in our direction.

"Is that the noise I kept hearing from the shop?" Abi was smiling so big and her cheeks were pink. She looked extra beautiful today.

"Well, it was a surprise" I chuckled.

Daisy was chickling her feet and making grabby hands at her mum.

"A surprise? For me? Did you and Papa got me a surprise?"

I watched how Abi picked Daisy from the baby bag and kissed her cheeks. The little girl had the biggest smile.

"And why do I deserve a surprise?" Abi said while getting on her tiptoes. She kissed my lips at the same time I frowned.

"Why?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Abi, love. It's Mother's Day"

She frowned. "No"

I felt cold for a second.

"No?"

"No, Danny. Mother's day is next week" She was already laughing.

I looked down at the bags full of presents and blushed. "Oh my fucking god. I'm so stupid" I said embarrassed.

Abi was laughing, which had made Daisy laugh too.

"Danny you are so sweet!" She exclaimed. "This was your plan for today? The dad and daughter day?"

"Yes, Abigail" I said. "All the fucking day walking up and down Santa Monica only for it to be next week. I'm sorry." I said leaving all the stuff on the sofa.

"No, no" She said with big eyes. "Come here, sweetheart."

I pouted and she hugged me with her free arm. Daisy hugged me too and when both laughed.

"Papa is sad, little flower."

"I'm not sad. I just feel silly"

"Danny, love. This is amazing. Did you guys made the bouquet?"

"Yeah, Daisy and I" I said picking it from the sofa. "It's a bit shitty, isn't it?"

"It's perfect. We should change Mother's day anyways. Who decided it should be next week? My almost husband and daughter want to celebrate today"

"Almost husband?"

"YEah, this one is almost walking. The moment she starts walking we are starting to organize everything"

I cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips.

"I love you. You are the best muma in the world."

"Let's celebrate today. Muma's day, okay? Mother's day is already outdated"

I laughed.

"I really love you, Abi"

She gave me that sweet look of hers and kissed Daisy's cheeks.

"I really love you too, Dan"

"So... Muma's day? Should we start celebrating Papa's day too?"

"Of course, but I'm surprising you with the date"

I smiled adn kissed her again, earning myself a slap from Daisy.

"Ouch. Don't do that, D"

She hugged Abi and frowned.

"It's Muma's Day"

Liked by @.chloestroll and 1425 others.

@.danielricciardo: Happy Muma's day.

-> @.hopper_abigail: I really really love you.

->@.scottyjames31: wait guys, you know it's next week, right?

.

Teeth, tears and no fun. She is growing fast.

I smiled when Daniel took his shirt of and dramatically threw it at me. Then he unbuckled the belt and opened his trousers.

"You are hotter since you are a dad"

He bit his lip and tried to not laugh.

"Yeah, I'm a dilf now"

I laughed hard, but then he grabbed my ankles and pulled me to the edge of the bed.

"You are hotter since you are a mum."

I cupped his cheeks and pulled him down for a kiss. He melted on me instantly, his body pressing mine on the mattress. I moaned and snaked my arms around his neck. The kiss was deep and slow, our tongues moved together.

He kissed my cheek and then my neck, sucking softly as his hand crawled up under my pijama shirt. I ran my hands down his back and pulled him even closer.

But suddenly we heard Daisy crying through the baby radio.

Daniel pulled back and groaned.

"I love her. I love her so much. I would give my life for her. But really, she has a radar. She can feel when Muma and Papa want tk have fun"

I chuckled. "It's only the third time this week"

He laughed and gave me another kiss.

Daisy cried harder.

"It's my turn" He got up and sighed. I observed him. He looked so handsome, extra handsome.

"I love you, Dan."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Soon he was back with a very angry Daisy.

"A bit tantrum tonight" He sat with me in the bed.

"What's the problem, little flower?" I caressed her cheeks and she cried harder.

"I took the temperature and she doesn't have fever" He said. "Changed the diaper. Nothing. And she ate 20 minutes ago. Look at this full belly" He said tickling her trying to get a smile. But nothing.

I sighed.

"Maybe she had a bad dream"

"When do babies start having bad dreams?"

"I'm sure"

"Should we call Michelle?"

"Maybe not now."

We both sat there trying to get her to stop crying and fall back asleep.

At some point, she had taken Danny's hand with her chubby ones. Daisy, looking directly at Dan's eyes, took the hand to her mouth and...

"Agh"

"Why do you bite Papa?"

"That hurt more than it should" Daniel said. Without shame, Daisy bit him again and again.

"Hey, you don't eat your father, lady. That's not how humans work"

I chuckled.

"Daisy, baby. Don't bite Papa"

"Wait" Daniel said after another bite. "I felt something"

"Something like what?"

He took his hand away and Daisy groaned.

"Hey. Stop. I'm not your dinner. Muma has your dinner" He said putting silly faces. "Yeah? You should bite Muma instead"

"No way. She is not getting near my nipples if she is biting like that"

Daniel laughed and Daisy stopped crying.

"She loved your laugh"

Looking at her with a big smile, Daniel laughed again and being the big Papa's girl she was, she laughed to.

We both gasped.

"Did you see that?" I knelt in bed.

"I think so"

"Look at me, honey. Give Muma a smile." I said.

Daniel tickled her and she giggled.

"Oh my God. That wasn't there this morning!"

"Are you growing your first tooth?" Daniel asked her.

She was looking at us with big eyes and a my parents are crazy expression.

"Can you touch her gums?"

Daniel frowned.

"She already bit you"

He rolled his eyes and very carefully touched Daisy's gums, who thought that biting Papa was really fun.

"She has a tooth, definitely."

"Oh Daisy! You are growing so fast."

I took her on my arms and cuddled her. She giggled and laid her cheek on my chest, looking at Danny with a smile. Even when she had a clear favorite parent she loved to fight for my attention with Daniel. She loved to lay with me and give Danny that cheeky smile that only they had. She was a little tease and loved to make Papa jealous.

"Oh yeah? You don't let Papa and Muma have fun and now you take her all for yourself"

I giggled

"Bring some blankies, she is sleeping here tonight"

Daniel laughed.

"And why is that?"

"Well, that tooth is bothering. Right baby?"

She nodded.

"She is on the verge of speaking. I swear" He said and covered us with the blankets and covers from the bed.

"She is"

Daniel cuddled to me too and Daisy tired to push him with a smile. Daniel pretended to eat her hand and she laughed loudly.

"No fighting" I said laying her between us. "It's sleep time"

She sighed and made me lay on my side so see could hide on my chest. Daniel smiled and laid closer to. He loved to make her feel safe.

"Good night, Daisy"

"Good night, little flower"

"Night" She mumbled on her baby language.

I gasped and Daniel covered his mouth. Whe both shared surprised looks, trying to not get too excited. But even though, Daniel had tears on his eyes.

I looked down and Daisy had closed her eyes. I grapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead. She nuzzled on my chest and Daniel hugged me. Carefully, he played with her short curls, what he knew she loved. We waited until her breathed calmed down and we made sure she was asleep.

"She said her first world" I whispered.

"She grows fo fast"

Daniel gave me a kiss. "We are doing a pretty good work with her"

.

.

.

Liked by @.michaelitaliano and 1536 others.

@.danielricciardo: Maple showing his favourite human the best spot to spy on people in Santa Monica.

-> @.hopper.abigail: "babe, have you seen the kids?" "by the window"

-> @.lewishamilton: so that's why she always tries to get Roscoe to sit with her...

.

.

.

First of all, bad news. It's coming to an end. Second, we will have more Daisy fluff before! Send me some ideas for what you would like to see on Pt2!! I already know I'm writing about Daisy's first trip with Danny's friends.

Next part: Daisy's life Pt2. OUT SOON.

Taglist:@d0ntjudgemy50shades@controsnes@thybulleric@lcuppo@priylodhasstuff@scotlynaurora@chxrryrose@f1-incorrect-s@yearsof-war@earfquak3@amsofftrack@hannahholland1811

I cannot stress enough how legitimately good this fanfic makes me feel, the relationship created by the writer and the connection with a fictional character are extraordinary. The way the writer shares their vision is truly incredible. I would go as far to say that if this was a physical book, there is a very high chance I would buy it.

All the love to the writer! This is a banger!

💜💜💜💜💜

The Handsome Artist (DR)

(Masterlist)

From a little plant store in Santa Monica to a luxurious and reputable tattoo parlour in West Hollywood.

Abigail Hopper was in that deep place where you think you will never love again. Right after the worst break-up of her life, she thought she had lost everything she had loved. Luckily, Molly was there. Molly was energetic and never thought thighs enough to actually regret. It was her who pushed her to West Hollywood, she got everything ready. She kind of was her cupid. She was the one who brought Daniel into her life.

Daniel was fresh air. He was the warm sun on cold days and the sea breeze at night. He was everything. She thought she would never love again. How wrong she was.

Check the tag #The Handsome Artist to see all the content posted.

All parts:

Part 1. Fidelity. 1-7-22

Part 2. Just checking. 6-7-22

Part 3. Mark your skin. 8-7-22

Part 4. Deep thinking. 15-7-22

Part 5. Plants and coffee. 24-7-22

Part 6. Beers and music. 30-7-22

Part 7. A nice dinner. 20-8-22

Part 8. Bug Eyes. 22-8-22

Part 9. The Ricciardos. 28-8-22

Part 10. Dew on the Vine. 31-8-22.

Part 11. Warm shower. 3-9-22

Part 12. Let's go, Colorado. 7-9-22

Part 13. Lavander Girl. 15-9-22

Part 14. I fucked it. 23-9-22.

Part 15. Santa Mónica. 27-9-22

Part 16. I know a place. 5-10-22

Part 17. The Hoppers. 12-10-22

Part 18. Australia. 15-10-22

Part 19. Perth. 22-10-22

Part 20. Birthday. 28-10-22

Part 21. A cabin in the coast. 16-11-22

Part 22. Moments of them. 29-11-22

Part 23. To feel loved. 20-12-22

Part 24. Is it true? 21-12-22

Part 25. Waiting. 26-12-22.

Part 26. Weddings and celebrations. 25-1-23

Part 27. Little flower. 30-1-23

Part 28. Daisy's life Pt1. 24-2-23

Part 29. Daisy's life Pt2. OUT SOON.

Epilogue. Happy ever after. OUT SOON.

Self-imposed by my passion for tattoos and love for Danny Ric, I found myself writing this. I hope you like it and enjoy it as much as I do.

Check The Handsome Artist Pinterest board for inspiration and Spotify playlist for vibes. Also, Abigail Hopper's board to know her aesthetic and how I picture her.

In words of Daniel Ricciardo: I’m unwell baby

Daniel Joseph Ricciardo, you are the World Champion!

In which Daniel wins the Championship.

Warning: Pure, utterly complete delusion.

------------------------------------------------------------

February 2026, Bahrain

“Well, hello everyone. Cars, on track, for the first time this year! How good is that?!”

“So much to cover this afternoon” Ted Kravitz led his cameraman down the paddock as he fished his notes out of his pocket. “Right then, let’s start off with the talk of the paddock - the new Audi-Sauber team and their surprising new driver line-up!” 

“It’s a bit of an interesting one, isn’t it? Daniel Ricciardo and Theo Pourchaire! Yep, the Honey Badger is back in F1 after three years out. Are we surprised that Audi went for Danny Ric? I mean it’s an easy choice if you’re looking for experience. Yes, his last season with McLaren had not been great, but I think he’s more than proved himself in the years away since then, hasn’t he?”

“He’s won Le Mans in 2023 and then went on to win the Indy500 just last year. And you know what that makes him? The only second driver to have ever won the triple crown of motorsport!” Ted stopped just outside the new Audi motor home. “Also he didn’t do too badly today as well.”

“He finished P6 on the timesheets, with his former teammate Max Verstappen in P1, followed by the merc boys - George and Lewis, Yuki Tsunoda in that second Red Bull and Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari. It’s not looking too bad for the Australian, is it? He may just be the one to look out for this season!”

“Now Pete, the Ferraris!” He gestured for his cameraman to follow him as he continued to move down the paddock “those were some interesting side pods we saw on the car …”

-l l-

Up in his driver’s room, Daniel Ricciardo felt as if his neck was about to snap into two. It was always painful to get back into the car after the winter break and even more so now, when he’d been out of the car for three years, but damn if he could stop himself from smiling. 

“How was it out there today?” Michael asked as he applied the kinesio tape on Dan’s neck. “Good” he said, and just like in his interviews from earlier, he had to stop himself from gushing, had to be conservatively optimistic for fear of jinxing himself. Truth be told, he felt almost jubilant. Because this morning, when he’d sat in the car and drifted out of the garage, he’d felt that click with the car. The click he hadn’t felt since he’d left Red Bull. He might get criticised for this, but Daniel had never been the type of driver who’d get too technical. His driving style had always been more instinctive. He had to have that particular feeling in the car, that certainty that the car would do exactly what he expected it to do when he was throwing it around a corner at 300 kilometres per hour. He wasn’t naïve, he knew there were still kinks to work out, but he knew the pace was there because they’d been massively sandbagging this morning. He almost had to stop himself from declaring he was here to win the championship because he knew they might laugh him out of the paddock. But these people didn’t know the new Daniel, most still remembered the broken man that McLaren had left for dead. 

For his sanity’s sake, Daniel rarely thought back to the season he lost his seat. It had happened to his teammates before but he’d never thought it would ever happen to him. Even after McLaren had essentially fired him, he’d still had hope he could turn his career around. He’d only lost hope when he had found out that Pierre got the Alpine seat while he was still in Australia before the Singaporean Grand Prix. From that moment on, he’d known his prospects for 2023 were pretty much non-existent, but still he’d flown to Singapore, did his media duties, played his usual happy-go-lucky guy role to perfection and all the while, he had been dying inside. And then he got P5 in that race, his best finish that season. He had people congratulating him and through it all, all he could think about was how far he had fallen. He used to be on the top step and now people were patting him on the shoulder for fucking P5. 

That night, he’d gone back to his hotel room and looked at himself in the mirror, really looked at himself and he hadn’t recognised the man who’d looked back at him. He still loved the sport but he couldn’t see the Daniel who was passionate about racing, whether he came in first or last. He could only see a man who had been so concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other everyday for so long that he hadn’t realised he had reached the end of the road. He’d picked up the phone and dialled his mom even though he knew it was an ungodly hour in Australia. His mom had picked up on the first ring and she’d softly said his name. That string that had been holding him back finally snapped, and he’d cried, big gulping sobs, snot mixing with his hot tears. When he’d finally calmed down, his mom had quietly told him you know what you have to do. The next morning, he’d told Blake and Michael about his decision. 

For the rest of the season, everyone and their mother had gone on and on about what a terrible decision he was making, that they couldn’t understand why he would take a step back. He hadn’t needed people to tell him the risk he was taking, he’d been well-aware of the odds of him ever making his way back on the grid. But he’d reached a point where he couldn’t go on, it had been more important for him to salvage whatever dignity he had left and leave before he started hating the sport. Sometimes, it took a lot more of bravery to accept defeat. So he’d left. He’d taken the time to find his smile again and then block by block, he’d slowly started to rebuild himself into a better, improved Daniel. And this Daniel was here to win. 

-l l-

May 2026, Monaco

“Hello and welcome to the qualifying round of the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix. Join us as we watch the 20 drivers fight it out for pole position here. Martin, we all know how important qualifying is here. Who is your favourite for pole position here today?”

“Yes, Crofty. Qualifying in Monaco is always a special one. It really tests all the skills you need as an F1 driver. It should be an interesting fight for pole today. We can expect Max, Lewis and Charles to be bringing a good fight, but I believe we may be in for a surprising result in Daniel Ricciardo. He’s been on pole twice here before and with the season he’s been having since his comeback, I don’t think we can discount him from the fight.”

“Ah yes, Daniel Ricciardo. What a mega comeback it has been. He was in the top 5 in Bahrain and Saudi, and then he went on to win his home race! What an incredible weekend that was! I don’t think I’ve ever heard a crowd cheer so loud as he was making his way round that last corner at Albert Park before he took the chequered flag.”

“Definitely, his performances have been incredible. He did well in China and Baku as well, placing second in both of these races”

“If he continues with performances like that, I think he’ll have to lay off the shoey a bit. Surely, it wouldn’t be too good for his health if he does back-to-backs!”

Daniel knew these streets like the back of his hand. He could drive this track with his eyes closed. So far, he’d been P3 in both Q1 and Q2. There was 3 minutes left on the clock and he had to make this lap count. As he reached the end of his outlap, he briefly closed his eye, took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. He let his instincts take over. He almost felt like he was having an out-of-body experience, hovering over the car, watching as he hit the apex, anticipating where the racing line was even before he was taking that exit. He didn’t even need confirmation from his engineer to know pole was his. And the next day, as he took the chequered flag, he couldn’t help thinking that winning Monaco was even sweeter the second time around. 

-l l-

September 2026, Monza

“Mate, zucchini on pizza sounds awful”

“Don’t diss it until you’ve tried it, Russell George” Daniel laughed, as they made their way to the truck for the driver’s parade. Daniel couldn’t really tell how his friendship with George had come about. They were vastly different people, but they’d always shared a mutual respect and then George had been one of the few people who had not hesitated to outwardly support him during that last year. And for that, Daniel would always be grateful. He got on the truck, fist-bumping all of the drivers.  The Italian sun was shining and just like in 2021, he was starting in P2 just behind Max. Daniel was desperate to pull off the same start as he had the last time around. He badly wanted to win here again. His last Monza win would always be associated with McLaren and he wanted a Monza win that he could call just his. 

Later on, as he stood on the highest step of the podium, head tipped back as Max poured the bottle of champagne over him, Daniel felt vindicated. Last time around, he’d cried on the podium, out of relief, out of happiness that he could give that win to his team. This time around, he felt like roaring, felt like banging on his chest. This more than anything felt like a big fuck you to McLaren. In the five years since that last victory, since McLaren had kicked him out, he’d won two of the most prestigious motor races in the world, had clawed his way back to F1, had won another six Grand Prix, had been on 10 podiums so far, while McLaren was still chasing that illusive next victory. He was still McLaren’s last winner. He sat down and unlaced his boots. He’d had his redemption, now it was time for his vindication. 

-l l-

November 2026, Abu Dhabi

“Radio check, Daniel”

“Loud and clear” 

“30s to the formation lap”

“25s…”

“10s …”

The tire blankets were removed, the car was lowered on its jack. His head mechanic gave him a slight nod. Good to go. 

Daniel lowered the lid on his helmet, flexed his hand on the steering wheel. This was it. All or nothing. Last night, he’d been beating himself up for missing out on pole and for qualifying P3. Then this afternoon, as he walked into the paddock, Martin fucking Brundle had pushed his microphone into his face and had the gall to go on about how surprising it was that Daniel was even a name in the championship fight, how no one had expected that he would only be four points behind Max in the lead going into the final race. Daniel had wanted to snap that he had, that he’d come into this season with the full belief that he could win, but he’d put on his usual smile and gave his usual asinine answer. 

That more than anything had fired him up. All throughout his career, people had always underestimated him, thinking he was no more than the joker he liked to play.   He let that need to prove people wrong fuel him. He thought back to his win over Valterri in Silverstone during their junior years. He wasn’t meant to win that race, but then he had.  It had been the same in China in 2018. Most of his wins had been outside of pole. The championship was still his to lose before it was even Max’s to win. He was Daniel Ricciardo, he could make the unexpected happen. 

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … breathe … 1 … lights out.  It was time to go hunting. 

“Good job, mate. You got Leclerc on the start. Up to P2. 54 laps to go. All to play for.”

Max wasn’t the kind of driver who would easily give in to mind games on track , but Daniel knew the only way he could win this was to force Max into making a mistake. For him, that was the fun in hunting - lulling your prey into complacency, slowly drawing blood before  pouncing for the kill. 

So, he waited.  Lap after lap, he held on to Max, staying in his slipstream. They both built a gap to the rest of the grid, had their pitstops and yet Daniel did not make a move. His engineer kept feeding him information about tyre temperature, Max’s lap times and through all of it, he kept his eyes fixed to the back of Max’s car. Five laps to go. It was time to add a bit of pressure. He closed the gap to the car in front, his front tyres nearly kissing the rear of Max’s car. He stayed glued to Max’s gearbox as they went into the next turn.  From then on, it was a game of cat and mouse. Daniel dove down the inside of Max, but Max firmly closed the door. Daniel weaved back and forth, never letting max forget of the danger he posed. He dove and recoiled. Daniel once again dove down the inside going into the next chicane, coming out of the exit side by side with Max. He knew that he wouldn’t have been able to make the move stick because Max had the racing line on that one, but he could feel Max’s nervousness. He had started driving more defensively, going over a couple meters of track he didn’t need to to fend Daniel off. Daniel could smell the blood in the water. Two laps to go. It was time to make his move. He did the classic switcheroo, diving down the inside before switching back, making the move stick by outbraking Max at the last second. They exited the corner with Max trying to come back at him, but Daniel kept a steady grip on the racing line, gradually pulling away. 

Daniel knew the battle wasn’t over. Anything could happen in the last few corners. He tried to keep his heart rate down, kept his focus on the last lap ahead. Keep it together, don’t get cocky, he repeated to himself.

“Okay, Daniel. Last corner, last corner. Verstappen is 0.4s behind you. You’re going to make it, Daniel. We just need to keep it together. This is it, Daniel. This is it.”

“What a brilliant battle we’ve seen these last two laps. Max Verstappen has defended his first position valiantly, but there was no stopping this man, Daniel Ricciardo. And just like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the honey badger has come back to win his first world championship as he takes the checkered flag under the lights here in Abu Dhabi! He becomes the second driver only in history to have won the triple crown of motorsport and a Formula One championship! What an incredible achievement!”

Daniel could hear his team go wild over the radio as he crossed the finish line. His heart felt like it could burst from his chest at any moment, it was beating so furiously. The fireworks overhead blurred and sparkled through his tears and sweat running down his face. He’d spent so long chasing this dream, sacrificed so much to get to this moment that now that it was within his grasp, he couldn’t quite believe it. For the first time in his life, Daniel Ricciardo was speechless. 

“Thanks boys. Thank you” Daniel’s voice cracked with emotion. He wasn’t even embarrassed that he was openly crying. He had fought too long for this, he deserved it. “Thanks for believing in me. I knew we could do it. We deserve it!”

He parked his car in parc fermé. Knees weak, he clambered up onto the halo and as a million flashbulbs went off, he beat on his chest. The honey badger was finally victorious. 

Then, it was a blur of celebratory hugs and pats from his team, from the other drivers. Through it all, he remembered seeing his mom’s tear-stained face, his dad’s proud smile. On the podium, the Australian flag draped over his shoulders, head thrown back as he tried to stop himself from crying once again. Fucking hell, he’d done it. Then he was handed his trophy. He placed a soft kiss at her base, then he was lifting her up as the lights bounced off the silver. 

Much later, Daniel walked into his driver’s room, still in a daze, shoeless, race suit drenched in sweat, tears and champagne. He looked at himself in the tiny mirror on his wall. The urge to both laugh and cry bubbled up inside of him. It was going to take sometime for it to really sink in for him. He dragged his hands over his face and up into his curls. Guess he could really say he never left this time around. 

Hello fellas! What a sprint race that was

Anyway i wanna write a small one shot and i have 4 ideas that I’ll drop them here so be kind and choose ( or send ask) which one i should do:

F! Mafia x charles Leclerc (smut)

Charles Leclerc’s watch has been stolen in Italy, in other word, ferrari driver’s watch. They ask for help in an unhealthy way but it’s the only fast way. Don’t joke with Ferrari in Italy.

F1 drivers x f! Driver

She has a weird condition, she wanna puke after getting out of f1 car and Miami’s hot weather is no help but at least she has friends around.

F! Driver x Daniel Ricciardo ( x Lewis Hamilton but platonic) smut

The three hottest f1 drivers were in same place for CK underwear ad and that can’t possibly end well when she already has a crush on one of them.

Daniel Ricciardo x Max Verstappen

Max can’t tolerate seeing Daniel upset

Mystery of love (Maxiel one shot)

Hello people, last night during a conversation and sleepy haze at 3-4 am I thought I might fuck around and write a little Maxiel piece and here we are, thanks to my bestie for not talking me out of it

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x Max Verstappen

Word count: 1.7k

Warning: none

Also you can listen to this, I think it matches

No one could deny how good looking Daniel Ricciardo was, it didn’t matter if you were a man or woman, he was undeniably hot.

Max always thought he was, never gave it too much thought because that’s what everyone else thinks. Yet he couldn’t help but linger on his compliments, friendly-sometimes- inappropriate touches and his effort to make him laugh. No one has ever tried to coax a laugh or smile out of Max and since his first arrival in RedBull Daniel had made this his sole mission. He’s been there for him in ways Max wouldn’t even expected from a teammate but Daniel was so selfless and light hearted, he’d give without expecting anything in return, he’d put up with him being grumpy and awkward, would try and light up the atmosphere during debrief sessions. During an occasion when Max was not in the mood to sit and listen to the way the race went wrong, Daniel simply surprised him by touching his hand, Max would like to think he wasn’t phased by his warm hands, soft touch and slander fingers but he couldn’t deny the way his heart seemed to skip a beat.

Daniel on the other hand was very intrigued by his teammate who seemed like a grumpy cat most of the time, he wanted to do his best and bring him out of his shell, to let him relax and laugh as carefree as him. At the end of the day Max was one of the youngest on the grid and as his teammate he wanted to make him as comfortable as possible, he knew he shouldn’t but anytime something would go wrong for the younger he couldn’t hide the way him, too would also feel upset. But nonetheless would put on a smile and crack a joke, it was always such a relief to watch the tension leaving Max’s body and his shoulder relaxing.

The buzz in RedBull garage was so high after the double podium, even though Max and Daniel were separated by Lewis no one was complaining. Daniel’s loud laugh could be heard at every corner of the garage, music playing loud enough to annoy the teams next to them. Max changed from his sweaty race suit as soon as he could but Daniel was still walking around in his, which now had a mixed smell of sparkling wine and sweat. The smell was too familiar with Max when Daniel appeared next to him “that was some gorgeous driving on track Max, you did so well, proud of ya” he grinned wide, genuinely happy that his teammate has won.

Max returned his smile just as big, pulling him for a hug without minding how wet his race suit was or how sweaty he smelled, he felt like his cheeks blushed by the firm hug Daniel returned but was sure people would think it’s because of the awfully hot weather. Max didn’t pull away completely “you did well too, we brought in a double podium”

The pair started walking towards the back of the garage, actively discussing the race they had. Daniel was walking ahead, turning his head from time to time to signal that he was listening to Max.

Max made a gesture with his hands, trying to remake the circuit “the first turn was crazy, I’m glad nothing bad happened”

Daniel turned and gave him his full attention, he’d always do it when Max was giving him explanations about the track, not intending to look distracted in his eyes “yeah I know, also nice move on Lewis you really got him there”

Max’s face bloomed at his compliment, he always felt a deep warmth anytime Daniel would tell him he did something good during a race “ah thanks mate, you weren’t so bad yourself on Bottas, that overtake was a classic”

Daniel turned his face away to hide the pink blush appearing on his face and kept walking towards his driver’s room with Max walking behind.

Somehow without giving it much thought Max ended up in his room, throwing himself on the only available piece of furniture “I’m really tired man, but what a race” his aching body relaxed and it suddenly hits him what was going to happen. Without a care about the fact that Max was sitting there, Daniel unzipped his racing suit and threw it on the floor, sighing out of relief, next came his white fireproof suit that was drenched in sweat and it landed straight on the pile on the floor. Max couldn’t get a word out, it was true he had seen this scene more times he’d like to count, but he never stopped being amazed at how good look Daniel looked. Leaned body and bronze sun kissed skin, the ink adorning his right thigh that he had never admitted to anyone in his life just how much he liked it, ripped stomach and chiseled chest, the result of long training sessions. The muscles of his biceps had him mesmerized the way he moved his hand and grabbed a dark blue RedBull shirt, the scene was gone as soon it had arrived, later his thigh tattoo was hidden by a short.

Daniel turned and glanced at Max who didn’t shy away from staring, he giggled at his face expression “I put on a show for you didn’t I”

Max blinked a few times to clear his head “what? Yeah yeah that was quiet a show you did there”

Daniel didn’t reply, instead sat down next to Max, both pressed against each other on the tiny leather sofa, he leaned his head backwards and moved closer to him, completely closing the distance left between them.

Max turned his head to look at his face in close approximate, eyes closed, long eyelashes casted a slight shadow over his skin and his curls were a mess on top of his head, his mouth had a tiny smile on and Max couldn’t help but to smile back subconsciously.

“I’m so tired that I just want to get to the hotel and sleep on a soft bed” Daniel whined, not knowing how the youngster next to him was eying him. At some point he felt a heaviness of a stare and opened his eyes, Max was taken aback but didn’t back down, curious to see how far he wanted this to go. Daniel moved his body and faced him, his elbow supporting his head. The soft expression on his face and his kind eyes had Max relaxed, deep down he knew Daniel would never react too harsh but he couldn’t be sure about this.

Daniel’s face remainder unchanged, the whole interaction made Max feel like something has crawled under his skin, somewhere between the haze of win and his own feelings he leaned in closer, close enough that they could easily kiss but he suddenly stopped, his brain reminding him that what if Daniel didn’t want this, what if he gets mad and walks out and would never want to see Max’s face ever again.

On the other hand Daniel was silently begging Max to go ahead and just do it, even if it was one time he was very willing and eager to let it happen, he tipped his head forward to show that it is ok by him, their forehead slightly touched. Daniel blinked and his eyes were fixed on his face, patiently waiting to see what the next move would be “you know It’s fine, I’m ok with it if you are” Daniel spoke in low soft voice, trying not to urge him to make a decision if he had decided he didn’t want to go ahead. The words settled the commotion in his chest and Max leaned closer until their lips met, both of them took their time, trying to enjoy the feeling of their lips locked and the way each of them kept sucking at each other’s lips. Max’s hand were aimless until Daniel grabbed his hand and locked their fingers, the gesture had his heart leaping in his chest. He got bolder and kissed harsher, even though Daniel was the most experienced one he let Max lead this the way he wanted and was comfortable with cause he was aware the first time kissing your own sex can complicate your senses. Daniel was pushed back by the force of kissing, he finally dared and put his hand on back of his head, fingers playing with his short hair.

Max couldn’t deny how good the kiss was, he knew Daniel was older and therefore more experienced but the reality was a lot better. He kept it light and sucked his lips between his like never before and drove Max crazy.

Max let go of his hand so he could easily cup Daniel’s face and not break the kiss, still not getting enough of the way it was happening. He put both of his hands on sides of his face, the beard under his fingertips felt so good and he couldn’t help but to rub his thumb on his skin over and over, this had Daniel to lose his control for a second and bite his lips but he liked it.

Both continued kissing until the air was completely knocked out of their lungs and they had no choice but to separate and catch their breath. Daniel looked over to see how Max was doing, he needed to know if he regretted it.

“Wow, that was the best kiss I’ve ever had” ok he definitely wasn’t regretting it and Daniel was thankful. Max’s eyes landed on Daniel who has been quiet since they stopped and he started rambling “Daniel I’m so fucking sorry man, fuck I didn’t really mean to do that, I understand if-“

Daniel leaned in and pecked his lips hard in an attempt to shut him up “you know Max sometimes you really need to shut up” the sentence was said with a giggle that Max laughed at it cause he was right.

Before standing up and leaving, Daniel’s fingers touched his hand in assurance, he walked towards the door and glanced at Max “you coming or not? I don’t know about you but I can use a warm embrace and hotel bed now”

Love of my life | D.R.

Daniel Ricciardo x younger!reader

Summary: What happens when you confess your profound love to the person whose heart you broke? How fragile is the hope of reconciliation?

Warnings: comforting angst??? (idk even im in my feels)

Word count: ~1.2K

^^

“Hiding from me?” the velvety voice behind you felt more familiar than you’d like it to.

“Should I?” you turned your eyes away from the dark ocean before you and met his eyes. Gosh he looked handsome and you could feel your body react to him, still the same as it was, gentle shock waves weaving through your fingertips.

“God I hope not…” he sat down beside you on the straw beach furniture. You were trying to keep your gaze on the horizon of the ocean where water seemed to bleed into the dark night sky and become one.

You could hear him take a deep breath, it was shaky and an uncomfortable feeling settled in your gut as if foreseeing that his following words would remind you of something you had been trying to keep buried for the last 5 months.

“I didn’t think I’d see you here tonight…” he spoke out softly, his eyes on your silhouette, encaged by the silver glory of the full moon you looked untouchable. And he knew that you were untouchable to him, no matter how much his palms seemed to have thoughts of their own and wished to just reach out to you, and relish in the touch of your silky skin just like he’d done months ago.

“Why not? You know I didn’t attend all those parties just because of you,” you held your stare stoic, letting yourself get lost in the starry night sky, counting the stars only so you’d hold yourself back from latching on the man sitting beside you.

Nothing could have you forget the day you’d met him. Ironically it was a party that you had only attended because you were dying to catch a glimpse of the charming man that he was. Luckily, at least that’s what you thought at that very moment, you had caught his eye and soon enough you were carrying his heart in your hands and he was carrying yours. Although now after everything, you believe you might have been wrong about the later…

“Y/n… I just want to say-”

“Please don’t say it, don’t apologize again,” you turned to him almost instantly which left him speechless, your eyes sparkling in the moonlight reminiscent of the various jewels he used to clasp around your neck and the supple kisses he’d leave there throughout the day, but the jewels that adorned your eyes now weren’t a consequence of a blissful time together, “I will not hear it again… I do not need to be reminded of that… time”, you lowered your head trying to catch your breath and the lonely tears from falling.

“Baby,” he kept his hands secured in tight fists, too easy to lose control now that he could see tears escaping out of your eyes and cascading down your cheeks. He still remembers the salty streaks from the last time he’d been this close to you. How could he ever forget when the pain he’s been carrying in his chest for so long never denied itself. You had given his heart back to him, but you sure took a piece of it for yourself before that, though how could he blame you when he had done the same… to have the smallest part of you and suffer rather than have no memory of you was and would always be Daniel’s first and only choice.

“Daniel,” your eyes traveled back to his warm eyes, the same one’s that had made you all the promises of a perfect tomorrow. One that never came. One that you still let yourself dream about whenever the air smelled like the cologne you’d gifted him, the one he was still wearing now…

Looking at him you wished you could hate him, you wished to be physically repulsed by the man in front of you, maybe that would help you walk away now and continue living as you once had. Striving for the brightest most delightful future, without looking back at the old dark days, but he has possessed your mind, you can no longer make a step without seeing him there, what if’s about the past clouding your future. How could he sit there and give you those eyes… those gorgeous sad eyes. You bit back your lip. You could no longer kiss his sad eyes and see them light back up after.

“Y/n… you were the love of my life,” he accepts the torture that is to come his way, he knows he deserves it for the crime he just committed. Tears were fully running down your cheeks now, large droplets falling into the sand beneath your feet and disappearing right away, like they were never there…

“Why are you doing this to me, Daniel?” you instinctively covered your face with your palms as sobs made your shoulders tremble, hiding the tears from him even if he’s seen them already. You hated nothing more than for him to see you cry.

“I just… I felt that you had to know, because I never told you how much I actually loved you. I treated you so wrong for a very long time and I am to blame for that… I was the shitty older guy who took advantage of someone who didn’t know what she was doing…”

“That was the problem, Daniel. You always viewed me as a child…I am young, but I am not a kid and I can make decisions for myself. You might regret me, but I know the choices I made and I have no remorse over them,” your heart ached. How unfortunate is it to meet the love of your life and understand that they never truly saw you as their equal.

“The only thing I regret is not doing more to get to know you and… leaving you behind… I was in the wrong, so please do not cry darling…” his voice sounded so different, he was breaking from the inside out seeing you this way. He leaned closer to you, his warm palms encompassing your wrists to reveal your face to him.

Two pairs of teary eyes stared into one another.

The both of you took in a shaky breath in, which finally broke the suffocating tension and helped your lips ease into a simple smile. Daniel wiped at your cheeks, his touch ghostly light, removing the salty puddles, before gracing your forehead with an effortless kiss.

“I’m sorry too, Daniel,” you leaned back just so you could once again let yourself go and drown in his warm eyes, completely forgetting your morals and bringing back the buried feelings you couldn’t not tell him, “You were also the love of my life…”

Now it was Daniel’s turn to let the tears flow. And he did. He wished he had you, all of you, he wished to cry on your shoulder whenever a race went wrong, he wished to have your attentive hands run through his curls and soothe him when the air seemed to get too heavy. Most importantly he wished he had said it sooner, the short ‘L’ word, because if he had, you’d be home, tangled in bed together with big tranquil smiles on your faces.

Instead you two were crying on a beach together, reminiscing on what would have been if it could have been. But it was enough for Daniel, even if he was crying, at the very least he was crying with you… the love of his life…

^^

A.N. loving older men is not a hobby, it's a lifestyle<3

Daniel Ricciardo x Queen of Genovia!Reader - Social Media AU

voguemagazine posted a story

danielricciardo

Liked by maxverstappen1, landonorris, and 842,153 others

danielricciardo life update

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f1wagupdates he really just said “life update” as if this isn’t the most chaotic thing to happen since abu dhabi in 2021

maxverstappen1 finally! i was constantly worried that lando would accidentally say something while streaming

landonorris that was uncalled for

maxverstappen1 mate, you literally leaked your own launch date once

metgalaofficial why do we feel like proud parents?

genovianroyalfamily

Liked by danielricciardo, genovianroyalupdates, and 1,853,746 others

genovianroyalfamily Thank you for all the birthday wishes! To mark the occasion, Her Majesty Queen Y/N has shared a collection of photos taken by Mr. Daniel Ricciardo at the royal residence

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lightsoutric daniel3.jpg 🤝 genovianroyalfamily

dr3lvr the fact that daniel took these photos and they’re the ones queen y/n chose to post for the world to see is making me emotional

f1wagupdates she really is the most gorgeous woman on earth 😍

genovianroyalupdates and the kindest and an amazing leader ❤️

danielricciardo posted a story

genovianroyalfamily

Liked by ricciardoupdates, f1, and 1,794,625 others

genovianroyalfamily Her Majesty Queen Y/N would like to wish her partner, Mr. Daniel Ricciardo, a very happy birthday. In honor of the celebration, Queen Y/N has released a series of photos taken by her during the couple’s visit to Australia earlier this year

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ricciardoupdates we are getting fed 🙏

f1wagupdates imagine daniel passing on his love for photography to queen y/n

f1wagupdates wait this means they probably visited his family in australia together 🥹

queeny/nfan their relationship is so pure

f1 happy birthday, danny ric 🦡

genovianroyalfamily

Liked by metgalaofficial, redbullracing, and 3,187,564 others

genovianroyalfamily Her Majesty Queen Y/N and His Royal Highness Prince Daniel, Duke of Pyrus are overwhelmed by the love shown for their marriage. They are so incredibly grateful for the warm wishes and support they have received from everyone around the world throughout their relationship and during their wedding. Each of you made this joyful day even more meaningful

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metgalaofficial just call us the royal matchmaker

royalfashion the tiara, the veil, the dress … absolutely magnificent

formulastyle do you know why daniel is wearing an uniform?

royalfashion as prince consort, he has an honorary standing in the genovian military

dreamdriver i just realized that daniel is one of the hosts of the genovian grand prix now and he’s definitely going to be at the race as a full on prince which means that zak brown will have to bow to him 😈

ricciardoupdates karma is wonderful thing

The roughie and the racer

Part one

Daniel Ricciardo x male!oc

Word count 4k

I don’t know how I feel about this honestly let me know what you think I had to break up with the last 2k words 😭😭😭😭

Caden arched an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest. "You want me to accompany you where?" he inquired. His sister let out a sigh. "To the Austin Grand Prix," she repeated. Caden's expression turned sour. "What happened to your date?" he probed. His sister glanced down at the ground and murmured, "He bailed." "And why do you assume I'm free that weekend? Perhaps I already have plans," Caden retorted sarcastically. His sister gazed at him doubtfully. "So, do you have plans?" she asked, fully aware that her loner of a brother likely had no prior commitments for the weekend.

Caden let out a deep sigh and slowly uncrossed his arms. "No, I don't have any plans that weekend," he said, his voice tinged with defeat. His sister's face lit up with a smile. "See, I knew it! And who knows, maybe you'll end up having a great time," she teased, playfully punching her brother in the arm.

Caden rolled his eyes, but a faint smile played at the corners of his lips. "I doubt it," he muttered, rubbing his arm where his sister had made contact. "But I'll go," he conceded, knowing full well he had little choice in the matter. "But don't expect me to enjoy myself. I don't get why you're so into this F1 junk." His sister beamed with excitement. “You're lucky I love” Caden says to his sister rolling his eyes. His sister grinned widely as she ruffled Caden's hair, playfully teasing him. "Awww, Caden, you're such a softie deep down," she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Look at how easily you're being corrupted by my influence. Soon you'll be begging me to take you to every race." Caden grumbled as he attempted to fix his disheveled hair. "I'm only doing this because it's important to you," he muttered, his voice tinged with feigned annoyance. Deep down, he couldn't deny the fondness he had for his sister.

"And I won't beg for anything!" he added defiantly. His sister couldn't help but chuckle, clearly enjoying teasing her brother. "Oh, I know you won't beg," she replied with a smirk. "You're too stubborn for that. But mark my words, by the end of the weekend, you'll be a racing enthusiast just like me." Caden scoffed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "In your dreams," he muttered, crossing his arms across his chest. "I'll tolerate the races, but I'll never become a fan like you. It's just not my thing, and it never will be."

Their banter continued as they joked and teased one another playfully. Despite Caden's reluctance, he secretly couldn't help feeling a hint of anticipation for the upcoming weekend and the chance to spend some quality time with his sister. "Just promise me one thing," Caden said, interrupting their playful banter momentarily. His expression turned serious, and he looked at his sister with sincerity. "Promise me you'll make sure we get the best view of the race. If I'm going to suffer through this, I might as well have a comfortable seat."

His sister raised an eyebrow, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Oh, don't worry, Caden," she said with a sly smirk. "I already have it all figured out. We'll be sitting in the front row, practically on top of the action. You might even forget you hate F1 by the end of it." Caden rolled his eyes again, his irritation mingled with a hint of reluctant curiosity. He didn't want to admit it, but his sister's enthusiasm was beginning to rub off on him...just a little.

"Just don't expect me to root for any of those drivers or anything," he grumbled, trying to maintain his grumpy facade. His sister laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of asking you to root for anyone," she replied playfully. "You can just sit there and judge them in your head. That's what you do best, right?"

Caden huffed, pretending to be annoyed but unable to suppress the corners of his lips from twitching into a slight smile. "You know me too well," he conceded, a hint of affection in his voice. "Besides, you might discover you find one of those drivers surprisingly attractive," his sister teased, wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

Caden's eyes widened in mock horror. "Oh, please, don't say things like that! I wouldn't be caught dead crushing on some rich, arrogant racer."

His sister laughed wholeheartedly, thoroughly enjoying Caden's sarcastic reactions. "Relax, Caden, I'm just messing with you," she giggled. "But you never know, stranger things have happened. And if you do end up crushing on a racer, you'll owe me a year's supply of ice cream."

Caden playfully shoved her, trying to feign annoyance, but it was evident he was enjoying their banter. "You're insufferable," he muttered, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "But fine, if I end up hopelessly swooning over a racer, I'll treat you to a year's worth of ice cream. However, I highly doubt that's ever going to happen." His sister grinned widely, clearly pleased with his response. "Deal. But beware, Caden, life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it," she teased, her eyes gleaming with amusement. With the deal struck and the banter still flowing, they continued their playful banter, their laughter echoing through the room.

As the conversation continued, Caden found himself slowly becoming more at ease. Despite his initial reluctance, the idea of attending the race with his sister no longer seemed entirely unbearable. Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, this could turn out to be a memorable weekend. But for now, he would continue grumbling and eye-rolling, maintaining his grumpy exterior as much as possible. After all, he needed to uphold his reputation as a tough, no-nonsense guy.

The weekend finally arrived, and Caden found himself standing outside the entrance to Circuit of The Americas, surrounded by a boisterous crowd of racing fans. His sister stood beside him, bubbling with excitement, while Caden tried to maintain his indifferent facade.

As they made their way through the bustling crowd, Caden couldn't help feeling out of his element. The noise, the energy, the excitement - it was all so foreign to him.

But there was something oddly captivating about the atmosphere. The colorful team jerseys, the enthusiastic chants, the intoxicating scent of engine oil and gasoline. It was a different world completely, a world that his sister seemed completely enthralled by.

“Here,” Cadens sister said, handing him something. “What’s this? " he asked looking at the lanyard. “It’s a paddock pass” his sister says. Caden raised an eyebrow, his tone filled with skepticism. "A paddock pass? Seriously? I thought we were just going to watch the race like normal people."

His sister shot him a teasing smile. "Oh, come on, Caden. Where's your sense of adventure? Besides, how could I possibly ask you to accompany me to the race and not give you the full experience?"

Caden rolled his eyes, but a hint of curiosity piqued his interest. He had to admit, being in the paddock and getting up close with the race cars did sound somewhat intriguing, even though he tried hard to hide it.

“So what team hospitality will we be in?” Caden asked his sister. His sister's eyes lit up with excitement as she replied, "We'll be in the Red Bull hospitality. It's one of the best teams in the league right now, and their hospitality is legendary. We might even get a chance to meet some of the drivers!"

Caden couldn't help rolling his eyes once again. "Meet the drivers? Yeah, because that's what I want, to spend my day chatting with a bunch of pompous, adrenaline junkie billionaires." His sister laughed and playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Lighten up, Caden! You might find that these drivers are not as pompous as you think. They're human beings like us, dedicated to their passion and craft."

“Oh yeah like you and your bull riding? his sister says. Caden's expression hardened at the mention of his own profession. "Bull riding is a true test of skill and courage. Those bulls are unpredictable. It's a lot more than just sitting in a car and pressing pedals." His sister raised her hands in surrender, realizing she had inadvertently struck a nerve. "Alright, alright, I get it. Your bull riding is hardcore, no question. But you have to admit, those race car drivers have some serious skills too. It's not just about the speed, it's about precision, strategy, and the ability to handle these machines at insane speeds." Caden grumbled, still not entirely convinced. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Fine, maybe those drivers do have some talent or whatever. But I'll still stick to my horses and bulls, thank you very much."

As Caden stood among the crowd, a voice interrupted his thoughts. "You ride bulls?" The question came from behind him. Turning around, Caden was met by the sight of a man slightly shorter than himself. The man stood confidently, wearing a crisp Ferrari polo. However, it wasn't the polo that grabbed Caden's attention. What stood out was the curious fashion choice of the man - his jeans were tucked into his boots, making for an interesting appearance.

Caden couldn't help but stare in disbelief at the man's attire. He had certainly seen some unique fashion choices in his life, but jeans stuffed into boots inside boots – a cowboy style – was definitely not something he had come across before. It was a stark contrast to the formal dress code he had grown up with thanks to his father's strict ways.

"Yeah, I do ride bulls now and then," Caden replied, trying to compose himself and look away from the man's unusual boot situation.Caden’s sister gasped, tapping him on the shoulder trying to get his attention but she had no luck because he was still staring down at the man’s boots.

As Caden looked down at the man's boots, he could feel his sister nudge him on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. But his focus remained on the unusual boot situation before him. Feeling a sense of obligation, Caden kneeled down and swiftly fixed the man's jeans, ensuring they were properly positioned outside the boots.

"Jeans go on the outside of your boots," he advised, trying to keep his tone neutral but unable to resist a subtle hint of amusement in his voice.

The man looked utterly bewildered, clearly stunned by Caden's unexpected act. He glanced down at his boots and back up at Caden, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. "You... you fixed my boots?" he stammered, still processing the situation. Caden stood up, casually adjusting his own attire. "Yeah, sorry, man, but jeans stuffed into boots is just wrong," he replied with a shrug. "You gotta do it right if you're going to be in Texas and I’m surprised that everybody just let you walk around like that”

The man looked down at his boots once again, a hint of embarrassment creeping onto his face. He chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I got carried away with the look," he admitted, unable to hide a sheepish smile. "Thanks for the correction, man." “I’m Charles” the man says introducing himself. Caden glanced up and met Charles eye-to-eye, offering a firm handshake. "Caden," he responded simply, his voice carrying a subtle hint of curiosity. There was something oddly magnetic about Charles' presence that intrigued him. "Are you a racing fan or just really into boot fashion?"

Charles grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "A bit of both, I suppose," he replied, his tone laced with a touch of playfulness. "Racing is my profession, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to rock this fashion statement."

Caden raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback. "Racing? as in F1?" he asked, his skepticism evident in his tone as he gestured towards the Ferrari emblem on Charles' polo. Charles nodded enthusiastically, a mixture of orgullo and enthusiasm evident in his expression. "Yeah, Formula 1, to be precise. I drive for Ferrari."

Caden's eyes widened slightly as he took in this newfound information. He had a feeling he was speaking with someone of significance within the racing world, but he hadn't anticipated just how significant. "Well, I'll be damned," Caden muttered, a hint of surprise in his voice. "I never thought I'd be fixing some posh Formula 1 driver's fashion faux pas."

Charles laughed heartily, clearly amused by Caden's remark. "Posh, huh? I guess you could say that," he replied with a light-hearted shrug. "But hey, fashion faux pas can happen to anyone, even F1 drivers." Caden rolled his eyes, not entirely convinced by Charles' self-deprecating remark. "Yeah, well, it's a good thing someone was around to fix it," he retorted, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Imagine if you had been filmed walking around like that."

Charles nodded, his expression turning sheepish once again. "Yeah, I wouldn't have heard the end of it," he said with a chuckle. "Thanks for saving me there, Caden. I owe you one."

Caden waved a dismissive hand, trying to brush off the gratitude. "No biggie. Just doing my Texan duty to spread proper boot style." Charles' eyes widened with interest as he processed Caden's words. "You're a Texan, huh? That explains the boots. And the bulls, I assume?" he asked, a spark of curiosity in his eyes.

Caden chuckled, a subtle hint of pride in his voice. "Guilty as charged. Born and raised in Texas, where cowboys and bulls coexist. Though the bulls might have the upper hand sometimes." Charles let out a hearty laugh, clearly amused by Caden's remark. "Sounds like an interesting life you lead, Caden. Bulls and cowboys, huh? Maybe you could teach me a thing or two about handling those bulls. And I can teach you a thing or two about F1."

Caden raised an eyebrow, feigning indifference. "Oh, so you're offering lessons now, Mr. Fancy Formula 1 Driver? I'll consider it, but only if you promise not to bring back the boot fashion blunders."

Charles grinned, clearly enjoying the banter between them. "Deal. No more boot blunders from me, I promise," he agreed, holding out his hand for a mock handshake that Caden reluctantly returned. "And who knows? Maybe you'll end up enjoying the racing world more than you think.”

Caden playfully rolled his eyes, masking his intrigue. "Right, sure. I'm sure the racing world and I will become fast friends. Just as soon as you convince me it's not just a bunch of millionaires driving in circles." Charles couldn't help but chuckle at Caden's remark. "No worries, I won't force you into a racing suit. But I do hope you'll enjoy your day and the race," he said, his voice tinged with sincerity.

Suddenly, someone called out to Charles from a distance, drawing his attention away. "I have to go, but it was great meeting you, Caden. Maybe we'll see each other later." Caden nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Likewise, Charles. Take care of those boots, and yourself. And try not to crash in the race, alright?" "I'll do my best,” Charles replied with a wink, offering a playful salute as he turned to leave. As he walked away, Caden found himself stealing a quick glance at the shortened jeans, still feeling the lingering impact of the brief encounter.

As Caden watched Charles walk away, his sister appeared at his side, a knowing smile on her face. "Making friends already, huh?" she teased playfully, nudging him with her elbow. Caden rolled his eyes, trying to feign nonchalance, but a faint blush creeped over his cheeks. "Don't be ridiculous. I just fixed the guy's boots. It's not like we're best friends now." His sister laughed, seeing right through his attempt to play it cool. "Right, right. Fixing someone's boots is the classic Texan move for making friends," she jested, a mischievous twinkle in her eye."Oh, shut it,” Caden grumbled, feeling a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. "I just didn't want him walking around like a fashion disaster, alright? That's all there was to it." His sister just grinned wider, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Whatever you say, big brother.“

Caden scowled at her, knowing he had inadvertently given her ammunition to tease him about for the rest of the weekend. "Just great. Now I'll never hear the end of this" he muttered under his breath. His sister laughed, clearly amused by her brother's annoyance. "Oh, don't worry, Caden. I'll make sure to keep reminding you of this little boot-fixing episode. It's not every day you get to impress a Formula 1 driver with your Texas manners." Caden let out a long-suffering sigh, resigning himself to the fact that his sister would always be there to remind him of his embarrassing moments. "I should have known better than to step foot in this racing-crazed world. It's like a magnet for embarrassing situations" he grumbled.

As Caden and his sister made their way towards the stands, the atmosphere grew more intense. Cheerleaders performed acrobatic routines, bands played upbeat music, and fans wore colorful shirts and hats representing their favorite teams. The energy was palpable, and Caden couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Remind me again why I agreed to come to this madness," he groaned to his sister as the two of them walked to the red bull hospitality and garage.

"Because you secretly love it," his sister teased with a knowing grin. "You’re just too stubborn to admit it."Caden huffed in playful annoyance but couldn't keep the corner of his lips from curving into a small smile. He secretly enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere, despite his initial reluctance. As they entered the Red Bull Hospitality, Caden's eyes darted around, taking in the luxurious interior adorned with the team's signature bulls and crimson red colors. The atmosphere was a whirlwind of chatter and laughter as fans mingled and enjoyed food from various catering tables.

Caden's sister seemed to be in her element, effortlessly striking up conversations with fellow fans and basking in the buzz of excitement. Caden, on the other hand, found himself feeling a bit out of place. He stuck to the sidelines and observed the scene unfolding before him in silence. As they made their way through the bustling crowd, a sudden change in the atmosphere caught Caden's attention. The fans around them erupted into cheers and applause, their gazes fixed on something or someone behind him. Curiosity piqued, Caden turned around to see what had caused the commotion. Standing amidst the whirlwind of commotion was Daniel Ricciardo, the charming Australian driver with a contagious smile. His presence commanded the attention of everyone around him, and the crowd seemed to gravitate towards him like moths to a flame.

Caden's heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes on Daniel's captivating presence. There was something magnetic about him, an undeniable charisma that drew people in, and Caden found himself strangely drawn to it. His sister noticed the way Caden's gaze lingered on Daniel, and a sly smile curved her lips. "Seems like you've found someone interesting," she teased, nudging him gently with her elbow. Caden snapped out of his momentary trance and quickly composed himself, trying to mask his interest in Daniel. "What? No, I was just observing," he replied, trying to maintain a nonchalant demeanor but failing miserably.

His sister arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by his reaction. "Observing, huh? Is that what we're calling it now?" She teased softly, her eyes twinkling with playfulness. Caden grumbled under his breath and turned away, trying to hide the faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "I was just admiring the whole circus, that's all," he muttered, but his sister saw right through his denial.

She laughed softly, clearly amused by her brother's subtle interest. "Whatever you say, Caden. Just don't deny that you're intrigued by the charm of that Aussie driver and besides he’s your type.” His sister rolled her eyes, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Oh, come on, Caden. Don't act like you can hide it. All those guys you've had little flings with over the years, tall, charming, and charismatic. Seems like Daniel Ricciardo ticks all those boxes for you." Caden shot her a glare, feeling a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment at her astute observation. "Shut it," he muttered between gritted teeth. "I'm not interested in him. And even if I were, there's a zero percent chance he'd look my way."

His sister shrugged nonchalantly, clearly enjoying teasing her older brother. "Who knows? People surprise you sometimes. And who says you're not his type?" Her mischievous grin seemed to suggest that she had a few ideas up her sleeve. Caden gritted his teeth, feeling the familiar frustration and annoyance that always surfaced whenever his sister played matchmaker in his life. "Leave it, alright? We're here to enjoy the race, not discuss my non-existent love life," he huffed, hoping to put an end to the conversation. His sister chuckled, sensing her brother's discomfort. "Alright, alright, I'll drop it for now. But just remember, life's too short to hold back from what you want," she said, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder before sauntering off to explore the hospitality area.

As his sister vanished into the crowd, Caden let out a frustrated sigh, feeling a mix of relief and irritation. He cast a quick glance around, his eyes landing on Daniel once again, who was engrossed in conversation with a group of fans a few feet away. Despite his best efforts to remain aloof, Caden couldn't resist stealing discreet glances at Daniel. There was an inexplicable allure about him that drew Caden in, a magnetic charm that transcended the realm of racing. He couldn't shake off the subtle flutter in his chest every time he laid eyes on him. It was a confusing mix of intrigue and unease, and Caden couldn't help but question the strange pull he felt towards the captivating Australian driver. As he continued to observe Daniel, Caden couldn’t help but notice the effortless way he interacted with fans. Daniel's smile was genuine, and he engaged with each person with warmth and enthusiasm. Caden's heart thumped against his chest as he watched, and the thought that he could ever even approach such a vibrant and charming individual seemed far-fetched. He silently chastised himself for allowing his imagination to run wild.

Just when Caden was lost in his thoughts, Daniel glanced in his direction, their eyes locking for a brief moment before Caden swiftly averted his gaze. His heart raced, and a wave of nerves washed over him, silently cursing his awkward demeanor. It was in that fleeting glance that Caden felt a connection, a strange recognition that sent a shiver down his spine. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this encounter than just a casual glance. The moment was brief, but it left an indelible mark on Caden's mind. He couldn’t help but wonder if Daniel had felt it too. The thought tormented him, making him question everything he thought he knew about his own feelings and desires. With a mixture of excitement and trepidation swirling within him, Caden knew that this chance encounter had stirred something deep within him, a flame that refused to be extinguished.

The rest of the time at the hospitality area went by in a blur for Caden as they mingled with fans and enjoyed the pre-race festivities. He tried to keep his mind occupied, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the brief connection he had felt with Daniel. As the race grew closer and the crowd became more hyped, Caden's anticipation to witness Daniel in action slowly replaced his initial apprehension.

As they made their way to their seats, Caden found himself torn between excitement and anxiety. Every time Daniel's name was announced over the loudspeaker, Caden's heart raced, and a mixture of nerves and anticipation swirled within his stomach. He had never felt such a strong connection to someone, especially someone he barely knew, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was something more to this inexplicable pull he felt towards the captivating driver.

The race started, and Caden was immediately immersed in the frenzy of engines revving and tires screeching against the track. The energy of the crowd was infectious, and he found himself caught up in the excitement of the competition. His sister leaned over, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, Daniel Ricciardo is leading the race so far. He's quite the skilled driver," she remarked, subtly trying to gauge Caden's reaction. Caden's heart skipped a beat as he heard the news, a mixture of anticipation and anxiety swirling within him. He tried to play it off coolly, shrugging nonchalantly. "Yeah, he's not bad," he replied, trying to keep his emotions in check. "But it's a long race, anything can happen," he added, hoping his sister wouldn't pick up on the newfound interest in his voice.

As the race continued, Caden found himself glued to every move Daniel made, his heart racing with every pass and overtake. He couldn't help but admire the confidence and skill with which Daniel navigated the track, seemingly unfazed by the intense competition. Caden's sister noticed his unwavering attention and let out a soft chuckle.

"Looks like you have a favorite driver now," she teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "He's quite captivating, isn't he?" Caden playfully shoved her shoulder, trying to lighten the situation. "Shut it, you. I just appreciate good racing," he protested, though he couldn't deny the undeniable charm that Daniel exuded both on and off the track. The race continued to unfold, and Caden watched with a mixture of anticipation and dread as the leading positions changed hands numerous times. The race was on a knife's edge, with Daniel still firmly in contention. As the laps neared their end, Caden felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He couldn't help but feel invested in Daniel's performance, his heart racing with each turn and overtake.

As the final lap commenced, Caden's heart pounded against his ribcage, the tension palpable in the air. His eyes were fixated on Daniel's car, watching as it navigated through the curves and bends of the track. The race was nearing its climax, and the suspense was unbearable. Caden found himself involuntarily clenching his fists, silently cheering Daniel on.

The final minutes were a flurry of excitement and anticipation, and Caden's heart skipped a beat as Daniel took the checkered flag, securing first place. The crowd erupted into a roaring applause, and Caden found himself smiling despite his earlier reservations. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and admiration for the captivating driver who had managed to capture his attention like no one else had before. As Daniel's car slowed to a stop and he climbed out, waving to the cheering crowd, Caden's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't help but stare, captivated by the magnetic aura that surrounded Daniel. There was something about him that transcended the realm of racing he was charismatic, talented, and undeniably charming.Caden felt that strange pull towards him, a connection that he couldn't explain but couldn't ignore.

His sister, who had observed his reactions throughout the race, gently nudged him once again. "Looks like you're hopelessly smitten with the race winner," she teased, her eyes twinkling with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Caden snapped out of his temporary stupor, quickly regaining his composure. "Smitten? Hardly. I just appreciate good driving," he retorted, dismissing her statement with a casual wave of his hand. However, the faint blush on his cheeks betrayed his attempts to downplay his true feelings. His sister smirked, clearly not buying his denial. "Sure, just ‘appreciating' his driving skills, right?" she teased, her words dripping with playful sarcasm. Caden rolled his eyes, secretly flustered by her teasing yet unable to deny the magnetic pull he felt towards the charismatic race winner.

As the crowd started to thin out and the excitement began to subside, Caden found himself feeling a mix of emotions. There was a strange combination of anticipation and dread building within him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Despite his best efforts to push the thought away, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever cross paths with Daniel again. He was pulled out of his reverie by his sister's soft voice. "You know, you've been watching him like a hawk. I never thought you'd be this interested in a race," she commented, a teasing lilt in her words. Caden shrugged nonchalantly, trying to play it cool. "I just appreciate good driving, that's all. He's a talented driver." But he couldn't hide the fact that his heart was beating erratically in his chest at the mere mention of Daniel.

As they made their way out of the hospitality and towards the parking lot, Caden's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the charming race winner. He tried to dismiss the persistent flutter in his heart as mere adrenaline, but deep down, he knew there was more to it. Little did he know that the night had a surprise in store for him

Chapter Nineteen

“We have never seen the devil’s side of the story, seeing as god wrote the book”

word count: 17.1k

warnings: mentions of sexual harassment, explicit language, drinking, motorsport accidents, mentions of sex, mention of sex, mentions of death, mature themes

It had been two hours since Sam walked out of Daniel Ricciardo’s hotel room. He’d been sitting in the exact same place ever since he heeded the warning his knees gave him that they were threatening to give out from under him. The first place he could find to sit was at the edge of his bed, which was one step up from the floor in his opinion, and ever since the back of his legs hit the mattress, time seemed to have stopped. He’d had no idea how long he’d sat there, eyes trained on the floor, mind replaying their last conversation like a broken record. 

That was until somebody started banging on his door like a madman. 

He didn’t want to get up at first. No, there was no point. Not when there was no chance the only person he wanted to see was the one knocking. But it didn’t go away, and he preferred silence when he sulked, it made it that much more punishing. 

Slowly he rose to his feet, taking a moment to make sure his knees were sturdy enough to carry his weight that seemed to multiply tenfold in the last few hours. The knocking didn’t let up, and step by step he approached the door. 

He wasn’t in a rush. No, not until he heard a familiar voice from behind the wood. It wasn’t the voice he wanted to hear, but it was one he hoped could offer him something as close to an answer that was available. 

“Open the damn door, Daniel!”

The pleading tone in Molly’s voice terrified him. If Sam’s best friend sounded this desperate to get him to open the door, he wasn’t so sure she had the answer he was looking for. And once he opened the door and saw her tear-stained face, he was absolutely positive she came to him looking for that exact same answer. 

Their eyes met and for a moment, there was silence. The girl was breathing heavily, eyes glossy and threatening to spill over with tears. Daniel just stood there, wondering if he looked the same; wondering if she was feeling the same utter sense of helplessness at the sight before her that he was. 

“Please tell me she’s here,” she whispered desperately, as if she already knew the answer but was hoping she was wrong.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered back. There was nothing he should have been apologizing for except giving her the answer she didn't want. But a small part of Daniel felt like it was his fault. Maybe if he had done something different she would have stayed. Maybe if he had done something different she wouldn’t have left in the first place. 

It wasn’t inherently his fault, and a part of him knew that, but he couldn’t help but feel like it was. 

And Molly saw right through him. 

She walked forward and embraced Daniel in a hug. She buried her head into his chest with a muffled sob once his arms tightened around her. He was sure if he had any tears left a few would have escaped, but now all that he could bring himself to do was revel in the empty feeling occupying the entirety of his chest. 

He softly lifted one of his hands from Molly to reach around and give his door a shove so it would swing closed. At the sound of the lock clicking shut, the girl lifted her head and took a step back. 

With a sniffle, she wiped her nose and reached forward to try and wipe off some of the tear stains she’d left on his hoodie. 

“God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to— I just—”

Daniel took a step forward, softly putting his hands on the girl’s shoulders in hopes to try to calm her down. The pit of concern in the depth of his chest was tripling in size. He was confused, but he didn’t want to start panicking alongside her, so he took a deep breath. “It’s fine Molly. What’s going on? Is Sam alright?”

But his efforts were futile because Molly was still freaking out. Her mind was racing a hundred miles an hour and he could see she was trying to process her own overwhelming emotions on the spot. 

“I just feel so stupid! I saw all the red flags and ignored them. I knew something was wrong and me and Mick just ignored it because we thought she’d push us away if we tried to talk to her about it. Did she say anything in your letter?”

“What are you talking about? What letter?”

“Me and Mick got letters, so I assumed you did too.”

She whipped out a folded white envelope from her back pocket 

“I left her be after the race. I wanted to let her cool down and I knew she wouldn’t want to talk. She never does with stuff like this, so I stayed after with Mick and got back a few hours ago. I finally went to check on her about half an hour ago but when I opened two envelopes fell out. One addressed to me and one addressed to Mick.”

She took a deep breath, “It explains everything. Well, everything except where she is right now.”

“Explain what, exactly?”

Molly's letter

She folded her envelope back up, leaving Daniel’s question unanswered. “Sam needs to be the one to tell you herself. We need to find out where she left your letter, maybe with the front desk—”

“Molly, she didn’t give me one.”

The way he said it came across much angrier than he intended. Daniel knew Molly was only trying to help, but the hope she had that he lacked was starting to increase his heartache. 

Molly shook her head in protest, adamant she was right. She had to be right. She needed to be right. 

“She had to leave you one, there’s no way she wouldn’t.” 

Her words were sincere, and she said them without an ounce of doubt. But Daniel just sat there, eyes locked on his hands intertwined in his lap. 

Molly affectionately put a hand on his knee, and he looked at her with eyes full of empathy “Daniel, she really cares about you. I haven’t seen her act that way with anybody, ever. You just bring out this side of her I haven’t seen since she started racing. I don’t know what drugs seep out from your pores but she’s so comfortable with you so easily, it’s like she’s known you for years. The uncrackable hard-candy shell was cracked and in record time."

For some reason, he found no solace in her words, he couldn’t even let out a small laugh at the girl's words he knew he would normally find amusing. If what she was saying were true, Sam wouldn’t have left. He shook his head. “There’s definitely a way. You didn’t hear what she said to me tonight. I thought—”

Molly interrupted, “She was here? When?”

Daniel nodded, unsure what the wide-eyed hopeful look on the girl’s face meant. 

“She left a few hours ago,” he replied nonchalantly. 

Instantly, Molly stood from her seat and began to look all around Daniels room for a matching envelope. He couldn’t bring himself to get up, let alone help her. He was somewhat envious of the potential she thought this situation held. So for a moment he just watched her frantically look around his room for something he was sure she wouldn’t find. 

“Molly, she didn’t give me one,” he finally said as she continued to rummage through his things on the table. 

She opened his backpack and dumped its contents onto the floor with no remorse before she dropped to her knees and mumbled, “Well that doesn’t mean she didn’t leave it for you to find somewhere.”

Now Daniel stood, feeling awful for the desperation he was witnessing. He wanted to help Molly move past it any way he could… he wished somebody would be able to help him do the same. 

“In your letter… did she explicitly tell you she wrote me one?”

He tried to put his hand on her shoulder but she brushed it off without even a glance in his direction. 

“No,” Molly said plainly, moving on from the pile of papers on the floor over to Daniel’s nightstand. 

He hesitated before saying something else, not sure if Molly could be stopped by anything except disappointment. But a small part of him was morbidly curious, while the rest of him wanted to have Molly hear herself say it out loud so she would realize it wasn’t an absolute possibility. 

“So how can you be so sure?”

She opened and closed the drawer with a slam before she turned to Daniel, finally looking at him and breaking free from her tunnel vision but brushing past him to look on the desk. She huffed in exhaustion or anxiety, he couldn't tell. “Like I said, she cares for you. A lot. More than I’ve seen her care for anybody else in a long time.”

Daniel stood there, eyes begging for an explanation against his will. 

Molly abruptly stopped digging around in his things, her mind racing. 

“That night in Hungary, after you guys kissed, she came to my room. She was freaking out like she’d just killed a man; face ghastly, speechless, damn near catatonic. And then she sat on my couch and spilled her guts to me. Everything from that night, all this about how much she enjoyed spending time with you even though she thought she should steer clear of you, and how she felt like she was betraying herself because despite everything horrible she thought you said about her, she still felt drawn to you. And then the kiss, the way she described how it made her feel was straight out of a romance novel, except it ran past her lips like it was the worst thing to possibly happen to her. She couldn’t put it into words— she’s horrible at describing her emotions, truly— but everything she was describing was just the fact that she was falling for you. The worst part is, that whole conversation, I knew she had no reason to hate you; I’d already known that Lando had lied to you both. Sure I played wingman for you a bit, told her she was being ridiculous and just needed to accept her feelings. But I sat there and let her believe you were a bad guy, I didn’t tell her, didn’t clear it up, nothing. And sitting here, I’m realizing I apologized to her, but I never apologized to you. So I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you guys.”

“It’s alright—” 

“It’s not. But we’re going to fix this. I’ll forgive myself when she’s back here with us. Back…” she trailed off remembering Daniel hadn’t read his hypothetical letter yet, and that she knew he should find out for himself before she tells him anything. So she just resumed rummaging through the clutter spread out across his desk. 

Daniel could see how much this meant to her; Molly was determined to get her friend back and it seems like she wanted Sam back for more than herself. She had read her letter and was clued in to what had actually happened, and Daniel was starting to think something Sam had written was giving Molly hope that it was possible. This was hope he was interested in, not hope he was scared of or jealous of; hope that motivated him. For himself. For Molly. For Sam. And so he decided to give it all a chance and began to look around his things for a single white envelope. His mind and his chest were on a seesaw. He’d think back to earlier that night, retracing her steps in his room, but then his chest would start to tighten at the words exchanged on every corner he thought of. The door, the edge of the bed, the dresser—

The dresser. 

He starts rummaging through the heavy layer of clutter along the piece of furniture. Under folders, beneath bags, hats, loose papers and inside of folded clothing until he reached his fingers inside a folded up polo and they landed on a thick, white envelope which once he pulled it out, was decorated with his name and a small phrase scribbled across the front. 

For when it happens

“This has got to be it,” he mumbled into the silent room. 

Molly dropped what she was doing and made her way over to him. She grabbed her own envelope from her pocket and unfolded it as she brought it up to compare the two. 

The exact same phrase. The exact same handwriting. 

He noticed how the envelope was nearly bursting at the seams in comparison to Molly’s. Anxiety wrapped its hands around his neck and squeezed. He forced himself to swallow any fear of the unknown and replace it with anticipation.

“This whole situation is a lot bigger than I thought, isn’t it?” he asked, turning to the girl standing beside him for moral support. 

She nodded softly. 

“I’ll give you some space while you read it. I’m going to go check on Mick. He went to see if George got a letter too,” she walked over to the bedside table and grabbed the complementary pen and pad of paper, “Here’s my number. Just shoot me a text when you’re ready to talk about it.”

He nodded with gratitude and watched her walk out the door.  

The room went silent. It was heavy. Charged. There was tension between him and the envelope, despite it being an inanimate object. Suddenly, he was terrified. A part of him felt like throwing up. He had no idea what the letter contained, or what any of this meant, but he knew it could go one of two ways. 

It was either going to break his heart even more, or make him wish he’d never let her walk out that door. 

He inhaled, and broke the seal which had been keeping it closed. 

Daniel’s letter

It was somewhere in the middle of the third page of his second re-read when he was yet again interrupted by banging on his door. 

Again, he heard shouting on the other side. Not shouting directed at him like before— these people were shouting at each other. He heard Molly’s thick accent in a shrill tone, and even through the wood of the door he could tell she wasn’t as caught in turmoil as before. No, she was angry. Before he had the chance to ask himself who she could possibly be upset at, especially when her best friend had just been banned from racing, he got an answer in the form of cries of annoyance and pain. 

He swung the door open and Molly wasted no time dragging George Russell into the room by his ear. 

A small part of Daniel wanted to feel bad that George was obviously in pain, but ever since Austin, the British driver had left a poor taste in his mouth. Of course, Sam had told him she and George weren’t an item all the way back in Russia. Yet their history was always what lingered over Daniel’s head. Every small moment between the two exes had managed to catch Daniel’s eye and cause him to overthink it for hours after. The unanswered question he asked her that night at the carnival still weighed heavy on his conscience all the way up to when he’d finished the letter still clutched in his grip. Sam may have had no romantic feelings for George anymore, but Daniel hadn’t been sure the same could be said for her future teammate who should have been her future teammate. 

But Austin… Austin was a turning point for Daniel. All of the longing glances and lingering touches from George had only raised concerns in an ugly shade of green; they’d always been out of his control because Daniel and Sam had only been friends. But things changed after Sam told her friends about her and Daniel. Everything angsty and affectionate George had been doing only amplified, and to Daniel, it felt as though it was out of spite. It wasn’t like he was doing it all behind Daniel’s back. No, he was doing all these small nuances with him standing a few feet away. Not to mention George purposefully forgetting to invite Daniel to Sam’s surprise, stepping in front of him to hug her before him after her Mercedes announcement, and then their argument when Sam had been in the back of the police car. They hadn’t spoken about it, not to anybody, but since then, there had been an awkward tension between the two old friends. Daniel wasn’t even sure he’d spoken to George since Austin. And seeing him comfort Sam after the qualifying session only made him more upset. Both at her and at the man now stumbling to his feet in the middle of his hotel room. 

He gripped his letter tighter at his presence. 

So he would never say it, but he didn’t mind that Molly was inflicting pain like an enraged mother. To be honest, he would’ve laughed under different circumstances. 

“Ow!” George yelped as Molly threw him forward by his ear. 

“Talk,” she spat without an ounce of sympathy in her tone. She folded her arms across her chest and Mick appeared from the doorway to stand behind her. Daniel watched as the boy’s hands found her shoulders and the girl became the slightest bit less tense in an instant. He tore his eyes away when Mick pulled her back against his chest; something about seeing something so affectionate right now shot a pain through his heart. 

George stood straight, rubbing the ear that had just been violated by a 5’6’ petite blonde woman as if she was a bodybuilder or something. He tried to play dumb, “What do you want me to—”

Molly scoffed. “You’ve always been a horrible liar George Russell, tell us what you really know about Sam leaving.”

Daniel’s eyes whipped over to George. So not only was he hiding feelings for Sam, he was hiding the truth about why she left? The emptiness in his chest was slowly filling with rage. 

George looked around at everybody in the room. They all stared back at him waiting, impatient. He took a deep breath and started to explain, “She wrote us all letters—”

Mick, Molly and Daniel simultaneously whipped out the white envelopes they had been holding onto since they had been opened. They held them up incredulously for George to see, not an ounce of amusement in sight. 

“Yeah we got that part. Fast forward,” Mick finally chimed in. 

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the hell he was about to unleash. “I found mine in Mexico and read it. I’ve known about her plan since then and—”

At the same time, each of them broke out into shouting, louder and more aggressive than George had expected. Instantly the room was filled with angry, confused yells. George was bombarded from every direction. He couldn’t tell what any of them were saying in the chaos, but he heard bits and pieces here and there. 

Unbelievable

Maybe violence is the answer

Inconsiderate

What was going through your head

Selfish

You let her down again

Molly’s southern accent was the loudest of the three as she was shouting possibly empty threats at George. She was fighting Mick’s grasp trying to close the space between them, her finger accusatory and pointing at him as her inhibitions were clouded by rage. 

As he fought off his own urge to beat George to a pulp at this revelation, he knew he needed to hold his girlfriend back. The only thing keeping Mick’s mind on Molly rather than George was Sam’s letter. His anger was getting the better of him, but he chose to take a deep breath, focus on what he promised himself he would do, and stopped shouting at George to shift his focus on getting Molly relaxed. 

Mick’s letter 

Molly had finally stopped trying to lunge at George and responded to Mick’s futile pleas to calm down. Yet unexpectedly, Mick saw something flicker in Daniel across the room. The younger driver watched as the Aussie’s fists clenched and his jaw tensed. He noticed the weight shift from Daniel’s heels to his toes, which allowed him to anticipate what was about to happen next. 

Mick jumped between the two drivers just in time to put a firm hand on Daniel’s chest to keep him back. But that wasn’t enough, and he ended up using both hands and a lot of his upper body strength to keep the two apart. Still trying to push against Daniel, he turned around to see a retreating George with wide eyes. The rage in Mick’s chest flared, but he pushed it down, preferring to ask a question rather than lunge at George himself, “you knew she was going to choose to get her third strike this whole time?”

“What? No! Of course not. I only knew about her plan to run off if the strike thingy ever happened. You both knew about the contract this whole time and never said anything, don’t get mad at just me!” He pointed between Mick and Molly, the former scoffing to defend himself and his girlfriend. 

“We knew the basics. There was a contract and she had three chances. We all just assumed they meant three strikes every season. Don’t try to turn this around on us!”

The men in the room started to argue even more intensely with one another, but as Molly was trying to collect her rage and put herself back together, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. In an instant, she pulled it out, hoping it was a text or message from her best friend. But in reality, it would turn out to be much, much worse. 

haasf1team posted a new video

“Guys,” Molly said into the loud room, finger hovering over the notification. They guys didn’t hear her over their arguing. 

Her eyes were still locked on the screen, finger getting dangerously close to pressing. And then she let it.

“Guys,” she repeated louder with more conviction as her instagram feed refreshed. Mick looked over, unsure of if he’d heard her at all. 

But when Sam’s vacant face appeared on her phone screen, encapsulated in the little white box of her Instagram feed, she finally found it within herself to shout. 

“Guys!” That grabbed everyone’s attention. “Put your dicks away. I think HAAS just dropped a statement about Sam, but it’s a video.”

The three men flocked over and huddled around Molly’s phone. Silence fell over the room as she refreshed the post so it would start over and turned her volume up to full max. 

Hi guys. Uhm, pretty unfortunate end to my race here in Saudi Arabia. Got shown the black flag before the end of the first lap and that was it. And with that, I’m actually turning in my metaphorical keys and stepping down from racing all together. This was my last race for HAAS F1 Team, and my last race as a Formula 1 driver. I’ve appreciated the support you’ve all given me this season and the way you welcomed me to the team with open arms. I’ve loved every second of racing here and I’ll always look back on this season with a smile on my face. Thanks for everything. This is Sam, signing off.

“What the fuck,” Molly said plainly. 

“That’s got to be scripted. She would never say half of that stuff; it’s not even true! It’s got to be some sort of agreement with the team and the contract ending…” Mick was trying to rationalize the horribly out-of-character video they’d just watched.

“Yeah,” Daniel said quietly, “she doesn’t even sound like she believes what she’s saying.”

George looked over at Mick, “Have you heard anything from your team about this since the end of the race?”

He shook his head, “Not a word.”

“We’ve got to do something, we can’t just sit here while she’s off god knows where, and the FIA is just getting away with this like nothing even happened!”

“And Guenther. We can’t let Guenther get away with it either” Mick added painfully to George’s statement.

Everyone’s eyes locked on the man, confusion riddled in their expressions, waiting for him to explain. 

“In my letter, Sam told me not to trust Guenther. She didn’t say why, but I have a feeling we should believe her.”

They stood around stunned for a moment, trying to process this new, key piece of information. Finally, Molly spoke up, “Is there anything else in anybody’s letter that might be helpful in figuring out the whole story?”

George and Mick shook their heads. Aside from the personal message to each of them, their letters hadn’t contained any vital information as to where Sam could be, or any way to help her situation that hadn’t already been shared amongst the four of them.  

But Daniel, who had taken a seat on the edge of his bed moments ago, didn’t respond— verbally or with a shake of his head. He was avoiding eye contact with everyone, unsure if he wasn’t responding because he didn’t want to break the promise he’d made to himself once he’d read her letter, or if he was just too zoned out to realize the question wasn’t rhetorical. His mind was racing like it was wheel to wheel down a final straight before the checkered flag was waved. He could barely form a coherent thought, let alone decide how he should tell the people staring at him expectantly what had happened in this exact room only hours ago. 

The silence was deafening, everyone just staring at Daniel as they watched him fight some form of internal demon eating away at him. 

“I told her I was falling in love with her tonight and she still walked out that door,” he said out of nowhere, staring at his hands. 

George’s eyes went wide, Mick’s eyebrows raised and jaw fell open a few centimeters, and Molly wasn’t sure the gasp she’d let out was quiet enough to have gone unnoticed.

“She told me we were a disaster waiting to happen, that whatever we were was doomed from the start and she wouldn’t be able to love me back if we kept it going.”

Daniel wasn’t sure why he was telling them this. It wasn’t integral to them finding her, or figuring out what to do; it was personal, deeply personal. Yet a part of him felt like in his hypnotic state, he’d missed something; that in a way, when he got it off his chest— which he knew he needed to at some point— maybe they could catch something he’d missed in the small details.

His eyes remained locked on the floor beneath him, “But she also was talking about next season, about a future in the sport that apparently doesn’t exist as of a few hours ago. She told me she had to—” he picked up his letter to find the right line, “inflict lasting damage so it would be easier to leave.” His eyes lingered on the paper in his hands. For the first time that night, at the sight of her words in her own handwriting, he imagined Sam sitting down to write these letters, and how difficult it must've been to go through by herself. And now each line, each word, each individual character held an intimacy it hadn’t before. 

But then, when he read those characters and the words they were strung together to form, and the specific order those words were arranged in to create sentences, that intimacy vanished and was replaced with hurt. Daniel rubbed a corner of the paper between his thumb and index finger, finally looking up to meet the eyes of the three people standing in front of him.

“So I don't know what's true and what's not, but I know for sure that she still left. I watched her walk out that door, and I just let her. I’m angry at her, that’s no secret. For lying, for leaving, but most of all for telling me that I’m the only person who knows where she is and then asking me not to come and find her.”

The last sentence he spoke fell onto the silence with a boom. Everyone stood in shock at how casual Daniel said it, and then George spoke up.

“Mate, fucking tell us where she is so we can go and fix this together,” he said it as if he were confused why Daniel hadn’t continued talking. But when his expected answer never came, his chest began to rise and fall quicker. 

Daniel said nothing, only staring at George with a hard expression and full intent to keep the wordless promise he made to Sam that he would do what she asked. He wasn’t going to go and find her. 

George started toward him, long limbs moving swiftly in anger, but Molly stepped between them. 

“You’re a lousy friend if you're not going to help us go get her,” he spat trying to shove past Molly toward Daniel the best he could while still trying to be polite and not to push too hard against the girl. 

Daniel couldn’t help but scoff, his anger at George finally escaping, “Lousy friend? Just like I was back in Austin while I was laying into some rando for touching her? You think you’re the hero for stepping in to argue with the police? Well you only got to do it after you pushed me out of the way when I had it under control.”

Mick and Molly turned to look at eachother, wildly confused as to what the two drivers were arguing about. They hadn’t witnessed George and Daniel get into an argument outside of the bar in Austin: Molly had already ran off and pulled Mick with her in the direction of the Uber pickup line to rush to the sheriff’s station. 

George scoffed right back, surging against Molly again. “Under control? She was still in the back of the police car in handcuffs! If you would have just let me handle it from the beginning—”

“Why, so you could rescue the damsel in distress and be her knight in shining armor?” 

Daniel’s words stunned George, the Brit looking like a deer caught in headlights. The Aussie took a step forward, but was blocked by Mick yet again. At this point, they were arguing with each other over Mick and Molly’s heads. 

“Yeah, I know you guys have a history. And don’t think I don’t notice how you look at Sam, or how you pretend I don't exist when we’re all together. The glares when you think I’m not looking, the ‘accidentally’ forgetting to invite me to the surprise for her birthday, the little one on one talks you guys have, all of it. However much you want to deny it, I know Sam pretty damn well too. I might not have known her for as long as all of you have, but I know that if we just show up, she’s going to resent us for it. We would blatantly be ignoring the one consistent thing she asked each of us in our letters. So no, as much as it fucking hurts me to do, I’m not going to tell you where she is. Not without a plan first anyway.”

Molly could feel the small part of George’s neck that her hand was touching heat up; he was getting angry. But the lack of a response from him meant he was taking into consideration what Daniel had said. A moment of clarity, of sorts. She took the silence as her own opportunity to speak, looking George in the eye as she did.

“Daniel’s right. We can go out to…” she looked at Daniel with his unrelenting posture and firm expression before turning back to George, “wherever she is. But that doesn't mean she’s going to come back with us. She’s stubborn. There’s no doubt in my mind she’d slam the door right in our faces if we showed up. In my letter she asked for time, and said she’d come find me when she was ready.”

The group mulled over what Molly had to say, each thinking about what could possibly be done with yet another roadblock in their way. 

Daniel was the first one to speak. 

“So we make her ready. We make sure she can come back to the paddock, get her seat back, and keep racing. She doesn't need to be here for that. If we can do this before Abu Dhabi, we might have a chance.”

As if it were out of instinct, or just spite, George immediately met Daniel’s statement with retaliation, “And how do you suppose we do that?”

He shrugged, addressing everyone in the room, not just George, and tried to convince them of the initial stages of a potential plan. “I don’t know, we’ll look at her contract. Try and find a loophole or something they missed. Something we can use to read between the lines, a half truth of sorts.” 

He looked back at George, “You’re a leader in the GPDA and know all of our rights and stuff as drivers. Plus you’re good with all that legal jargon; you act like the rules can be read as easily as a picture book, that’s where we can start.”

“Yeah, but I need an actual copy of the contract to go over. In the letter, Sam mentioned it was written specifically for her. New stipulations, new sections, new articles, just for this specific situation. If I want to apply what I know to it, I need to read it first. And if she says we can’t trust Guenther, then I doubt he’d just hand it over if we asked nicely.” 

Now the cogs in George’s mind were starting to turn. The look of jealous rage shifted into one of concentration and perplection. Eyes were locked on him, hoping the driver widely acknowledged for his intelligence would be able to come up with anything. 

“So we don't ask.”

Everyone looked at the girl who had just said something completely out of character as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. She crossed her arms absentmindedly, as if she were preparing herself for a fight. “If there’s one thing Sam has taught me it’s how to get into a precarious situation and not get caught. She’s been dragging me into her mischief since we were in seventh grade, and I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve been caught. We make a plan to distract Guenther, sneak into his office and find the file. The only issue is, I don’t know his computer password and—”

George interrupted her eagerly. “We won’t need it. If she broke her contract, she would have had to sign a copy recognizing she breached its contents. The FIA will have their own, but it’ll be a gamble to assume Guenther has one. And seeing as that was only a few hours ago, we need to get to it before it's finalized. If we can’t, then we have no chance of saving Sam’s career.” “When is it finalized?” Mick asked the question everyone else was afraid to.

“All yearly contracts are finalized at the checkered flag of the last race,” George answered solemnly, the gravity of the situation settling among the group. 

“So we have 6 days to figure out how to outsmart the FIA? We’re fucked,” Molly threw her arms down in defeat, Mick walking over to try and bring her a bit of comfort. 

“Technically we only have 5”, George said matter-of-factly, getting met with glares from around the room. He threw his hands up in defense. “Well, if you factor in the start time of the race and the fact that its 2 am right now it really only—”

“Way to lighten the mood,” Mick held off from rolling his eyes and squeezed a visibly distraught Molly tighter toward him.

Daniel looked around confused, “I don’t get it, why couldn’t she tell us how she was feeling? Why did she have to run off when there are four perfectly capable people standing in this room who would do anything to help her at the drop of a hat?”

“That’s just Sam,” Mick said flatly.

Molly looked to Daniel and spoke up, “To her, asking for help is admitting defeat. I have a feeling if this works out you’re gonna be around for a while, so it’s best you learn that now.”

“We’re wasting time, we need a plan,” George wasted no time interrupting their conversation, letting his jealousy creep back out and end the conversation about Daniel and Sam’s potential future. He walked over to the table in the room and pulled out a chair. With a heavy demeanor, he sunk into it and began to pick his own brain for ideas. 

Everyone else followed suit and took an empty chair for themselves

Daniel looked at George and got the ball rolling with questions, “Look let’s just start simple. In any normal situation, how would a driver go about opposing a formal decision the FIA made?”

“Fuck,” George murmured nearly instantaneously as the innocent question clicked all the pieces into their desired place.  

“What? Share with the class,” Daniel grumbled impatiently. 

George took a deep breath, “A petition. Greater than 51% of drivers must come to an agreement, but unless they get a unanimous vote, the FIA can table the case until a later date, and we don't have a later date.”

Mick and Molly dropped their heads in frustration

But Daniel just looked at the three younger drivers, wondering why a simple petition sent such anguish through each of them. He leaned his elbows on the table, “We can get a unanimous decision. It’s Sam for Christ’s sake.”

The tone in his voice may have very well called Mick, Molly and George dumb. Daniel had no idea why a petition was such a bad sign, or why it seemed so unfathomable to achieve. 

“Yeah well it didn’t work the first time it happened, so I doubt it's going to work this time. Especially not under these circumstances,” Molly leaned back in her chair and dragged her hands down her face dramatically. 

“Of course history had to go and repeat itself,” George shook his head and angrily pushed his chair away from the table to pace the length of the room anxiously. 

Daniel could only quirk an eyebrow, more lost than he had been previously. “What do you mean history is repeating itself? I’m confused,” he asked the question innocently, but from the stunned looks on everyone’s faces it was as if he’d been playing a cruel joke on them. 

They all looked around at each other, first trying to tell if he was serious and then confused as to how Daniel had no idea, especially since he and Sam were so close. 

“2017? When she lost her F2 seat and was kicked from Formula Series racing altogether? Why do you think a talent like hers went to Indycar? By choice?”

George selfishly jumped at the opportunity to make Daniel feel stupid. Sure, he said he’d gotten over him and Sam being together. But he was angry that Daniel apparently knew where she was and wouldn't share, as well as annoyed he’d called him out on what happened in Austin. So his tone came out insulted, offended that he called Sam a friend and didn’t know what had happened at a major point in her life. 

And much to the Brit’s satisfaction, the words landed painfully with Daniel. A part of him felt guilty for not knowing, so he spoke quietly, “I know she lost her seat, but what about that makes you think it’ll happen again?”

Mick was the one to speak this time; he wasn’t too pleased with George at the moment, seeing as he’d not only spoken to Daniel as if he was a child, but also lied to everybody’s faces for weeks. So he took it upon himself to explain the incident to Daniel, and it felt like the right thing to do seeing as George played a rather large part in it. 

“Back in 2017, Sam was racing with Prema in the F2 championship. Charles was her teammate and they’d been in a pretty intense battle for the title all season. She’d just passed him in the standings and was only increasing her lead. During the second to last race in Spain, they were racing each other the entire time, ignoring their strategists and going wheel to wheel, pulling really risky overtakes, and trying to prove themselves for the Sauber seat that was rumored to be going to the F2 champion.”

Molly took over. 

“The only thing is that Sam was fighting for the win— to keep Charles behind her— and Charles was fighting to catch Sam and hopefully retake the lead. She was trying to extend the gap and he was trying to close it.”

Mick took over again to explain the racing incident using words a driver would understand. 

“The circuit in Jerez has a pretty tight hairpin. Not as tight on the entry as Monaco or as heavy on the breaks because it’s not downhill, but practically the same angle in the curve. Sam was in the lead going into the turn, but only by a little bit. She had the racing line, but lost the rear at the apex because she had to brake hard once she realized Charles was trying to overtake on the outside. He was off the racing line into the turn, but tried to regain by changing directions just the slightest. It was far too aggressive on his side. Sam did everything right; her front wheel was ahead of his and should’ve earned her respect of the space. But she tried to evade a collision when she was squeezed, braked hard, and Charles’ front wing pierced her front suspension and sent them both into the wall. It was a pretty nasty crash, and thankfully they were both okay, but when they both got out of their cars, they immediately went over to each other and started arguing—“

Molly interrupted. 

“But before the race that day, they’d already gotten into an argument. Charles had been ignoring Sam recently and she was getting annoyed so she confronted him. Not only was she upset he was being callous with her, but she was also worried the outlets were starting to create some fake rivalry between them because of how distant they’d been in the media. Charles snapped first, yelling something about how the rivalry wasn’t fake, and how Sam would never understand what he was going through. And then Sam snapped right back talking about how he was just getting intimidated by her results and was too worried about getting beat by a girl to focus on working as a team for the constructors championship. It was a pretty ugly fight. The entire Prema team was split down the middle that whole weekend. It was super awkward. They were really good friends before they became teammates, so nobody had expected something like this to blow up.”

Mick took back over. 

“Yeah, so when everyone began to blame Sam for the racing incident, and her whole team just let them, she wasn’t having any of it. She’d really been struggling with the media around then; they weren’t too fond of a woman leading the standings and breaking traditions. This was the last straw. The media ate her alive. Interviews. Publications. Everything. They blamed her for something that could have been considered a racing incident, but was technically Charles’ fault. Called her desperate, reckless, lazy, talentless; if it was an insult, they probably threw it in her direction. To make matters even worse the FIA even tried to penalize her for it in the next race. But if she was going to start from the back like they wanted her to, and Charles would finish 4th or above, he would win the title and get the Sauber seat. So she retaliated. Went to the stewards and pleaded her case. They wouldn’t even hear her out. And then she lost it; all the anger she’d been suppressing all season just came out at the stewards. Name calling. In multiple languages. She got up in their faces, slammed her hands on a desk here and there, and threw some papers for dramatic flare. Of course they were pissed off and went to her team above her head about it.”

Molly took over, knowing the story better from Sam’s perspective seeing as though she was there with her when it all happened. 

“They gave her team CEO a choice. Allow Sam to keep her superlicense but condemn Charles’ actions and upset all of golden legacy boy’s sponsors, which meant they could potentially withdraw their loads of support. Or condemn Sam for an incident she didn’t cause and revoke her superlicense and access to FIA governed motorsports. Obviously, they chose to kick Sam from the team. It was the easy option. She was already being blamed in the media, she was a minority in her series, and her temper had given them a scapegoat. It was blown completely out of proportion. But Sam being Sam didn’t go easily. She took it up with the FIA, they begrudgingly told her to start the petition, get the signatures she needed, and it would be resolved.”

Molly looked over at George, the faintest glint of buried resentment visible in her glare. 

“You want to take it from here?” 

She may have phrased it as a question, but she wasn’t asking. George played a role in the next part of Sam’s story— more specifically the end of it— so she only thought it was right for him to tell it. A punishing reminder of sorts, that even though they had made up and moved on, he still did what he’d done. 

Daniel looked over at George, a confused quirk to his enamored expression. And with a clear of his throat, George continued the story. 

“Like I said, she needed a unanimous vote to get the notion overturned immediately…”

He hesitated before continuing. 

“Any series Prema had a team in was included in the cohort of voters. F2, F3– where me, Alex and Lando were racing, Super Formula, which is where Pierre was racing before he got pulled up to race with Toro Rosso that year, and Italian F4. When the time came, for the drivers to sign, that is, we were briefed on the situation, Sam was given a moment to plead her case to us, and we were given 24 hours to decide our vote. We weren’t allowed to see her in that time period, so I was with a big majority of our friend group out for dinner. And if you haven’t figured it out yet, it was me, Charles, Lando, Pierre and Alex.”

“The fecal five," Molly added confidently. 

George held off from rolling his eyes, “Yeah, whatever. But Charles spent all night telling us about what it was like to be Sam’s teammate. All the horror behind the scenes we never saw such as her complaining about unfair regulations, needing special accommodations, always being a downer, and pointing out biases and stereotypes. And at the time, he made it sound awful. He made her sound awful. In a way, Alex, Lando, and I all idolized Charles; he was on the path we all dreamed about: nearly F2 champion with a Formula 1 seat right beneath his fingertips, and he’d told us the only thing standing in his way anymore was Sam. Which he said also meant, she was standing in our way too. Any seat she took was a seat we couldn't. She was a threat to all of our careers. And of course, Pierre and Charles were best friends; they’d follow each other into fire. So we decided that night not to sign. Worst part is, once they announced her campaign had failed, I found out she only needed five more signatures for it to have been a success. Well, greater than fifty-one percent anyway. But knowing Sam she would’ve fought tooth and nail for that case to have been resolved before it was finalized, so we let her down. I let her down. When I looked back over the years, I felt awful and with reason. I know Sam didn’t have it easy, being the only woman and all, but she told me a few months ago that she never talked about it because she didn’t want to feel like she was complaining, or that she was ungrateful for the opportunity. She was well aware that if she complained, it would be blown out of the water. So she grinned and bore it all season. I was so worried about staying on good terms with a bunch of people that could potentially become connections later that I forgot Sam was a close friend. Every day I regret—“

Still in a bit of shock, Daniel cut him off, trying to find a way to sympathize rather than be angry at George for something that happened so long ago. “Don’t waste our time explaining why you did it. It happened. It’s over. And for some reason Sam has obviously forgiven you for what you did, so in some twisted way I feel like I should look past how shitty of a person you were before your balls dropped so we can move on from this. Right now we need to be thinking of how we can prevent this from happening all over again.”

“There’s one problem,” Mick interjected, “Contractually, Sam wasn’t supposed to tell anybody. If we tell everyone that we know now, won’t that just reveal that she broke yet another contract?”

“And contractually,” Molly added on, “those of us who knew about the contract when it was signed,” she gestured between her and Mick, “are also under the same legal obligations.”

Daniel looked at George. For the first time in what felt like ages, the two men seemed to be on the same page. They both even managed to curve their lips upward in the tiniest of smirks. 

“I don’t remember signing any contract… How about you George?”

“No Daniel, I don’t recall that I did.”

“I don’t see why I have to wait in the car,” George complained from the driver's seat. 

“Because,” Daniel said as he unbuckled his seatbelt, “your role in the plan is being able to read the contract, and you can’t do that until we get it.”

Molly couldn’t help but laugh at Daniel’s slightly humorous tone of voice, which George had held off rolling his eyes in response to. 

But Mick chimed in to offer some reassurance, “Technically you’re the getaway driver. And every secret plan needs a getaway driver. It’s an integral part of the team.”

He patted George’s shoulder from the passenger seat as the car rolled to a stop. 

George put the car in park, not really impressed by the way Mick tried to make him feel important by sitting and waiting in the car. He shifted in his seat so he could address everyone. 

“So we’re all set on the plan?”

Mick, Molly, and Daniel nodded. 

The Aussie spoke up from the back, “I’ll intercept Guenther in the paddock on his way back from the team principal briefing. I’ll start a conversation, and do my best to keep him busy for as long as possible.”

They had initially planned to sneak into his office before he even got to the paddock that morning, but they knew his office would be locked if he had yet to arrive. The admin briefings were roughly around 10-15 minutes every weekend, depending on how many issues needed addressing and questions were asked, so the group was hoping Guenther would leave his office unlocked while he was there.

“I don’t see why I couldn’t distract Guenther and you could have been the getaway driver…” George pouted. 

Daniel let out a laugh as if George had just told the funniest joke ever he’d ever heard. But when he collected himself, he noticed nobody else was laughing. In fact, they were all staring at him— George looked offended and Mick and Molly looked like he’d just cracked a joke at a funeral. 

“You were serious?”

George just sat there trying not to distract from the task at hand with his boyish anger. 

“Mate, not to toot my own horn, but I’m Daniel Ricciardo. Everyone wants to talk to me. And I’m not saying this to gloat, I’m saying this because it has a better chance of distracting Guenther for longer. Plus, I’m not sure you can hold a conversation with somebody longer than a few seconds without them plotting a way to politely leave it.”

Molly sent his shoulder a smack from beside him, which made him chuckle. 

Begrudgingly, George folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “Just finish going over the plan.”

Mick took the lead. “Since me and Molls are the only people here who technically have access to the HAAS hospitality, or at least wouldn’t look out of place being there, we’re in charge of retrieving the contract. Get in then get out as quickly as possible. No unnecessary stops or detours. I keep watch at the door of Guenther’s office and Molly looks for the contract.”

Molly took over, looking to George as she recited what he’d told her, “it’s going to look similar to the contract we signed during preseason, but it’ll have something along the lines of ‘recognition of breach’ or ‘addendum’ written in bold on the first page.” He nodded, confirming what she’d repeated to him, so she continued. “I’ll look in his desk, in the filing cabinets on the far wall, and if it’s not in there, we bail.”

Everyone nodded. That was the plan. And now it was time to execute it. 

“Alright, meet back here whenever you’re done and—“

“Guys,” Daniel interrupted, pointing out the front windshield toward the turnstiles of the paddock. 

Just past the entrance, team principals from every constructor were seen descending the stairs and heading into the paddock. 

“Shit, the meeting must have gotten pushed up.”

And then Guenther appeared from the base of the stairs. Everyone silently began to panic. This is the only chance they’d have to get this done and it potentially could’ve been ruined by a change in schedule. 

Daniel opened the door and turned to Molly beside him, “time’s ticking.” And with that, he shut the door and jogged to the entrance of the paddock. 

As calmly as they could manage while still rushing to their destination, Mick and Molly exited the car, scanned into the paddock and headed toward the HAAS building. 

It was only Wednesday morning, so there wasn’t any media around— except Netflix— which meant they could get over to the building without being stopped. 

They walked briskly, quietly, hand-in-hand, all the way through the hospitality doors. 

Without a single word being exchanged, they made their way up to Geunther’s office. It’s as if uttering a single syllable would jynx the entire plan, or throw them off, or even just make the very illegal thing they were about to attempt that much more real. So they were silent. 

That was, until they reached the door to Guenther’s office. Mick inhaled loudly and reached for the door handle. The anticipation was palpable. Whether or not this door handle pressed all the way down or was met with resistance determined the course of their plan, Sam’s future potentially along with it. 

His hand hovered over it, waiting. For what, he had no idea. 

Molly put her hand over his and pushed down for him, “we’re a little short on time for dramatic pauses.”

And with that, the handle pressed down completely and they pushed the door inward. 

Relief washed over them.

In an instant, Molly rushed in and headed straight for the cabinets at the back of the room, not even bothering to turn on the light, which Mick flicked on for her not too much later. 

She opened drawers and delicately plucked her way through labeled folders, lifting up contents of the topics that could potentially relate to Sam’s contract. 

Nothing. 

She slammed the last metal drawer closed a little too loud for her liking and moved over to his desk. 

Mick's head swiveled between the hallway and his girlfriend behind him. He knew if he helped this would probably be over quicker, but he also knew there needed to be someone keeping watch, especially now that Guenther was out of the meeting and the only thing keeping him at bay was Daniel downstairs. 

That being said, Daniel had barely intercepted the team principal before he started to head in the direction of the HAAS hospitality. 

He wasn’t sure he could hold the man off for long, because every moment or so, he’d take a few steps in the direction of where he needed him not to go. 

To catch his attention he’d brought up their plans for the last race, fueling the man’s ego by not even mentioning Sam. Daniel was smart and knew that the second he mentioned the driver Guenther had probably had something to do with banning, the conversation would be over. 

So he asked about Pietro, his opinion on their ability to clinch 6th in the constructors championship, and how he was oh so very interested about Mick’s teammate next season. Guenther smiled and entertained the Aussie, even cracking some of his own jokes— which Daniel didn’t particularly find funny— and taking the conversation in a different route. 

But then, he got a phone call. 

“This is Gene, I’ve got to take this. Good talking to you, Daniel.”

And then with a wave, he was gone. 

Daniel waited until the man was facing away from him to pull out his phone and text Mick:

On the move. Just started walking toward the garage. Hurry. 

Mick’s phone pinged and he pulled it from his pocket. He read the text and began to sweat.

“You’ve got about three min—“

“Got it—“ Molly shouted, hoisting a massive stack of papers into the air. But in her excitement, she nearly dropped it, but managed to catch it before it hit the table. 

Luckily, they were secured together and they wouldn’t be caught because of a mess of papers lying everywhere. What made her stop in her tracks is what she saw as a result of her frantic movements bumping the table. 

Guenther’s laptop screen woke up, and there was his home screen. 

It was unlocked. 

She stood there for a moment, frozen in shock. 

So without a word to Mick, she sat down in the chair and started using the mouse and keyboard like this was her own computer at home. 

He was confused to say the least. Not only did she ignore the warning that they had no time to spare, but she already had the contract. What more was there to do? 

“Molly what are you doing?” He asked it in a panicked whisper, but she didn’t flinch. 

“Creating our loophole,” she said quietly as her fingers delicately worked away at the keyboard, face so close to the screen that it cast a white glow across her features . 

“We don’t have time for this. We got the contract and we’ve got to get out of here before someone sees us in here, or worse, Guenther comes back.”

She didn’t look up from the screen to respond.  “Mick, he accidentally left his laptop open. We’re not going to get another chance to cross this part of the plan off our list. I just need a few more seconds.”

He huffed and let her do whatever it was she was doing. His head peeked back out around the corner into the hallway. It stayed like that for a few seconds, then suddenly, Mick’s head came around the corner of the door. He began trying to fold the thick contract up into a hideable size, but it was too big to be discreet. 

“Well you’ve got about 30 seconds before Guenther walks through that door so finish whatever it is you’re doing.”

Without tearing her eyes from the screen she asked, “quick, how does Guenther sign his emails to you”

Mick didn’t hesitate, knowing there was no time to, “Only his first name.” He was still struggling where to hide the copy of the contract he was holding, so he panicked and put it behind his back and under his shirt between his pants and his back. Good enough in a moment's notice. 

He heard the sound of a whoosh come from the laptop, and then the low-pitched ding. Molly then stood from the chair and made her way across the room in record time, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs on the other side of the desk. Mick quickly sat down next to her. 

And just like that Guenther walked through the door. He was taken aback seeing Sam’s best friends in his office, he wasn’t expecting them until closer to media day— and to be fair he wasn’t expecting to see Molly at all now that Sam was gone. 

“I'm not speaking about Samantha, so if that’s why you’re here, I suggest you leave.”

They both bit their tongues; their plan was in too early of stages to say anything to Guenther if they wanted to fly under the radar and draw suspicion away from them. 

So as much as it pained them, all they could bring themselves to do was roll their eyes and walk out the door. But then Mick realized he couldn’t just walk out that door without saying anything. If he was actually as clueless about the situation as he needed to pretend to be, he knew he would never leave like that. 

He kept it simple, “you can’t keep everyone in the dark for long. People are expecting an answer and we’ll be patiently waiting for you to give us one.”

Once they’d turned the corner, they both gave each other a glance, which without words told one another that was too close of a call for comfort. 

With contract in tow and whatever Molly had done on the computer completed, they walked a little quicker than usual back where George had parked their car, the two other drivers already waiting inside with the engine running. 

Seb and George stood at the front of the conference room they’d reserved in the hotel and asked all the drivers to come to. 

It wasn’t often they called informal meetings of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, so everyone obliged without much protest. 

Seb started, “I’m sorry to ask you all to come on such short notice.” 

That was putting it lightly. It was Wednesday night. He’d only found out about Sam’s contract this afternoon, and they’d all be in the paddock tomorrow afternoon for media day.

The next step of their plan was to talk to two veteran drivers who they knew they could count on— who they knew Sam trusted— and fill them in so they could help. 

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton nearly marched over to the FIA offices themselves with flaming torches and pitchforks when they learned about Sam’s contract and what had really happened. Of course, Daniel and George had been the ones to explain the whole thing (with the help of some written notes from Mick and Molly to help fill the gaps) so no other legally binding contracts were broken. So now, they were two more signatures they could count on and we’re helping Mick, Molly Daniel and George complete the plan 

“We came to talk about something that has happened to one of our drivers. One of our friends.”

Seb’s calming, diplomatic voice filled the room as drivers looked left and right to see who they could possibly be referring to. 

George stepped forward to take the lead on explaining the situation, a neat powerpoint presentation popping up on the screen behind him. 

“Sam,” he answered their unasked question. “We were all there when she got the black flag last weekend, and by now I assume we’ve all seen the video HAAS posted.”

George’s stomach turned at the conglomeration of reactions to his mention of the video. Some drivers looked upset, others a bit confused, while others didn’t look sympathetic whatsoever. But nevertheless he continued. 

“Well we’re here to fill in the gaps and tell you why she was banned from racing.”

At his words, almost all the drivers wore a look of pure confusion on their faces. 

“When Sam signed with HAAS, they added an addendum to her contract solely to do with her behavior. Behavior that a group of men would get to decide whether or not was appropriate in accordance to their reasoning to allow Sam to regain her superlicense,” George clicked a button and the slide changed from the photocopied front page of the contract, to the text of certain sections highlighted. Then Seb began to speak, reading word-for-word from the slide behind him. 

“The competitor Samantha Jordan Thompson is aware that the sole purpose of her return is to garner publicity and gain Formula 1 viewership across the globe. Any action which is thought to do the opposite will gain a mark on her contract toward the revoking of her super license.”

The room became even more silent, except for one nearly inaudible chuckle, which George knew was probably from Checo, Fernando or Lando. 

Seb ignored it and moved on. 

“Under protection of an NDA, Sam was given three chances to earn a mark on her contract, strikes as she called them, before her contract was revoked indefinitely. The first noncompliance was when she made the tabloids in Monaco. Photos somebody within the paddock took and then leaked themselves. Photos that many of you were cropped out of in that same state, or had recreated years prior. Inherently, she did nothing wrong. Next was Austin. Being taken into custody under false pretenses when she was defending herself after she was sexually harassed and assaulted. Something which none of us have ever experienced before and probably never will. Again, she did nothing inherently wrong, but the backlash F1 received because of this, garnered her that strike. And finally, last weekend in Saudi Arabia. It’s still unclear to us as to why she received the final mark, but we know it happened this past weekend. Our two biggest theories have been her distress about getting pole position by default, or changing grid positions with Lewis after the formation lap.”

Drivers began to shift in their seats, unsure of how to process this information. But this wasn’t about them. It was about Sam. 

Lewis turned around from the front row and addressed the drivers in the room, “Obviously, this is extremely unfair treatment. Not only is it completely invalidating for them to bring her in here as a publicity stunt, but the things she was given a mark for are completely unethical. I know people in this room who’ve done worse things and gotten away with it. As much as any of you might try or want to deny it, it’s because she’s a woman and has a target on her back in a sport with such a lack of diversity like this one. She’s an incredible driver with a bright future in this sport and we owe it to her to try and fix this.”

Checo was the first of the other drivers to break the silence, “Did she not sign the contract herself? Know all the stipulations beforehand? She still did these things and broke their rules. Why should we have to help her get back in her seat?”

George didn’t even hesitate before he spoke up, “because regardless of what any of you have ever done to her or said about her— whether it was behind her back or to the media— she’d do the same for you if the situation were reversed. She’s one of us whether or not you want to believe it.”

Seb huffed, stepping forward to diffuse the tension in the room. “Look, we aren’t going to force you to sign the petition if you don’t want to. The FIA drivers’ rules, rights, and regulation’s guidebook states that a decision can be overruled by greater than 51% of the majority or unanimous decision. Yet, it never specifies which series, or year, or division. If we don’t all unanimously decide, it’ll be a long shot, but we think our best option is to campaign to drivers across the globe who hold a superliscense and race under the FIA, in hopes of filling in the gaps. And if we bring it to the attention of the public, there’s a better chance at holding Formula 1 and the FIA accountable for their biased treatment of Sam. You don’t all have to participate, or even agree, but all we ask is that you keep this silent until we are able to announce our plan to the public. If you’d like to be a part of our message which we’ll each have to post to our socials, we ask that you stay to help us create and execute it. If you aren’t willing to participate, you’re free to leave.”

There were murmurs among the group, drivers who had just learned of the news turning and talking amongst themselves. The volume was low, as if it were disrespectful to have the conversation out loud despite everyone having been here for the presentation. 

George, Daniel and Mick stood alongside Lewis and Seb. The small group didn’t speak, simply waiting for a decision to be made. Whether that was no driver left, every driver left, or somewhere in between, they couldn’t be sure. 

All was answered when Checo and Fernando stood and left the conference room together. 

Sam’s three friends’ and two mentors’ hearts sank. Sure, they still had faith they could do it, but it was going to be a lot harder now. 

But then, Lando stood to leave. Each of them felt disappointed, watching him approach the door. From next to him, Carlos shook his head silently. Daniel on the other hand, wasn’t keen on staying so silent. 

He rose from his chair and chased after him. Once he reached his teammate, Daniel grabbed his shoulder. 

“Lando,” the young driver turned to face Daniel, “You’re seriously not going to be a part of this?”

He shrugged, “No mate, I’ve got better things to do. Losing a seat is part of the sport.”

He started to walk away, but Daniel held on tighter to his shoulder. The anger in his chest was flickering into a flame. “Did you hear nothing that we said earlier? This isn’t just her losing her seat because of something like money or ability. It’s the FIA going out of their way to discriminate using biased treatment—“

“It’s behavior, which has been the reason people have lost their seats before.” If Daniel didn't know better, he’d have said Lando was holding back a smirk. 

He looked at Lando with astonishment… astonishment that was morphing into the rage he felt inside him. “Seriously, you’re not going to sign it? Not even when you had a part in her losing her seat in the first place?”

At that, Lando’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t expected Molly to say anything about the leaked photos, but maybe Sam losing her seat changed the odds. But hearing Daniel say it, that was something he hadn't expected at all. 

And by letting out the smallest bit of his anger, Daniel had broken the dam and it was flowing like a wild river.  “Look, I know what you did to me and Sam. Everything. The absurd amount of lying, breaking into my phone and changing her number, leaking the photos in Monaco, even more lying, the empty threats. Everything. And despite it all, I’ve tried my best to be nice to you. I’ve kept my mouth shut. I gave you time to admit it. And you sat back and dug the hole even deeper. Every comment to the media, every complaint over the radio, everything. But I'm done letting you get away with being a proper cunt. So you can threaten me—I know it’s not out of your reach, keep shitting on me to the media, or whatever it is you feel so inclined to do. Just do me this one solid and sign the damn petition. You owe me at least that much. You owe her. Don’t let history repeat itself.”

Now the look on Lando’s face was nearly impossible to read. Daniel could tell there was the slightest bit of guilt, but that was shadowed by the continuation of the shock from moments ago. But the final piece that Daniel was struggling to place was something along the lines of… anger? Maybe annoyance? Almost as if he was furious Daniel had finally spoken up about this season and was holding it against him. 

“Just know, I’m only doing this so nobody asks why I wasn’t involved. Not for you, not for her.”

Without another word in return, Lando walked back toward his seat and brushed Daniel’s shoulder a bit harder than accidentally in the process. 

On the other side of the conference room, Charles sat quietly while Pierre talked his ear off. His elbows rested on his knees as his mind flew in every direction about what he’d just learned and what it resurfaced. 

To be honest, his brain wasn’t even processing the utterings of French that Pierre was sending quietly in his direction. His eyes were focused on his hands, absentmindedly messing with his fingers and the jewelry that adorned them; so focused to a point where he didn’t even notice Pierre had stood from his seat with the intention to leave. But he snapped out of it when the Frenchman scoffed in protest. 

“What are you talking about?”

Charles came back to reality, no clue what was happening only inches to his left. 

Yuki sat up straighter in his seat, “I said I’m not going with you.”

Pierre looked incredibly disoriented, and was genuinely unsure what was going on with Yuki. Was he confused? They both disliked Sam, why did he want to stay, especially after everything he’d told him about her. 

“Just because you don’t like Sam, doesn’t mean I have to. She’s really nice, a good driver too, and all season I’ve let you make me think she was some sort of girl with cooties! So I’m staying to help my friend.”

Both Pierre and Charles looked shocked. 

Mick on the other hand, let a small smile form on his lips. He remembered how tentative Yuki had been to accept the invite to Sam’s birthday surprise. Mick himself was even tentative about extending the invite because he knew how close he was with Pierre. But then he remembered just how much fun Yuki had that night, how much he’d come out of his shell and how much Sam had said she enjoyed having him there. 

Pierre didn’t put up a fight, not in front of his 17 coworkers. So he rolled his eyes and brushed it off. 

“It’s fine. Do whatever you please. Let’s go Charles,” he turned to start to leave, but then Charles spoke up. 

“No, I’m going to stay too.”

Multiple heads in the room snapped in his direction. 

Pierre, because he was expecting Charles to come along. They had both been open about their dislike of Sam for as long as they could remember since 2017. He wasn’t sure what had changed. 

Lando, for thinking that Charles would leave and not sign, seeing as he was the ringmaster in a nearly identical plan all those years ago. 

Mick, Molly, George and Daniel, because they had all wholeheartedly expected history to repeat itself. 

“Charles—“ Pierre protested. 

The Monegasque looked up at his best friend, “Do whatever you feel is right but I’m staying. She doesn’t deserve this. I made this mistake once, and I’ve lived with it since then. And recently, I learned that it’s not hard to give your support to somebody even when you don’t want to…”

He trailed off, his mind wandering back to when Sam had told him those exact words back in Monaco earlier this season. A moment when he only thought the worst of her and she’d proved him wrong. And now, as much as he wished he didn’t have to admit it to himself, he was going to take her advice. 

Pierre hesitated, not sure whether to stay with his best friend or leave as he had planned. Charles turned back to the group of drivers at the front of the room, noting Pierre’s choice to stay. 

He took a deep breath, “So, what kind of statement did you guys have in mind?”

The salty air blew off the water with the tide and then crashed in the rocks along the shore. It did this again and again, the only difference in results being the shape of the crest of the wave when it broke along the surface. The repetitive motion hypnotized Sam, keeping her attention, giving her something to wait for. But what? She didn’t even know. The sea would not part, turn red with blood, form a tsunami or disappear. It would do the same thing it did the last time, and the time before that: crash. 

She’d been sitting on the beach for what felt like hours, but it easily could have been minutes; her focus was elsewhere. Despite being a beach, the Maine December air was frigid. The sweater she bought at a local boutique was doing little to shelter her from the cold. Nonetheless, she sat there and endured it. She thought maybe she deserved a bit of punishment for everything she’d done the last few months. 

Since she stepped off the plane from Saudi Arabia less than a week ago, Sam had taken it upon herself to physically detach herself from that completed chapter of her life. Her suitcases lay untouched in the closet of her temporary hotel room; it wasn’t ideal accommodations, but she’d already been in touch with a real estate agent in hopes of finding something more permanent. 

Because of the weather, the beach was empty. That, and the small town of Kennebunkport had little of their minuscule population to spare during working hours of lobster season. So to Sam’s surprise, someone sat down just a few feet from her. 

She didn’t want to look at the imbecile who had taken a look at an entire empty beach and chosen to sit directly next to her. But she wasn’t going to let them disturb the peace she was so desperately yearning to build. 

Well, that was until they scooted even closer to her. 

Before she could stop herself, something within Sam snapped and she turned to whoever was beside her. 

“Do you mind—“

She cut herself off with a gasp at who was next to her. 

“Corinna?” She whispered the name, as if she said it too loud, the woman with the familiar, bright smile would disappear.

The woman she’d known for years nodded, nostalgia intertwined along her features. 

“Hallo mein engel." Hello my angel

Sam couldn’t control herself and leapt forward and into the open arms of Corinna Schumacher. The woman she’d come to know better than her own mother held her tenderly, a few tears escaping them both. 

“I’m never trusting Daniel with anything ever again,” she chuckled. “ But god, I could kiss him right now. But I’ve also never wanted to slap him more in my entire life,” Sam laughed as the two women pulled away. 

“To be fair, he did tell me to let you know you only asked him not to come and get you. Mick asked me to come instead and I knew I had to. I’ve been walking around this little town for an hour trying to find you.”

The woman laughed and wiped away the tears that had managed to fall. Sam couldn’t help but laugh at the loophole Daniel had managed to find. Now that she had some form of connection to her life with her in Maine, everything she’d done felt so out of sorts, so excessive. 

“I needed to be alone,” Sam shrugged, “I think I’ve convinced myself that I like to be alone,” Sam began, ready to jumpstart the conversation she knew was ahead, “because when you’re alone… nobody can hurt you. But I think it’s also because deep down I’m afraid I won’t ever be capable of returning the love that my friends and family give to me, despite everything.” 

She wasn't sure Corinna making her way across the country for her changed what she knew needed to happen next. 

“I’m happy you’re here, but I can’t go back. Not yet. I need—“

“Time,” Corinna interrupted. “They told me you wanted time…”

Sam looked out into the ocean. She didn’t just want time… she needed time. 

“But what if I told you there was a chance to fix this, and all you had to do was sacrifice that time,” Corinna whispered and laid her hand on Sam’s shoulder. 

“What do you mean fix this? The FIA was clear that if I broke my contract I was done. And I did just that and now I am just that: I broke it and now I’m done,” Sam said matter-of-factly. 

She couldn’t decipher the look on Corinna’s face, but it smelled of anticipation. 

“Yes, well a certain group of people weren’t happy with that choice and took matters into their own hands.” She handed Sam her phone, which she took cautiously. 

On the screen was the F1 Instagram page. 

“Check the most recent post.”

Sam did as she was told, her mind swarmed with the potential of what lay within the singular, tiny square. Her gaze turned to Corinna one last time for reassurance, and with a single nod, Sam pressed the post. 

None other than Corinna’s son and Sam’s best friend and teammate graced the screen first. 

“This is Samantha Thompson,” Mick said plainly. 

Incredible moments of her on track quickly flashed on the screen, intertwined with photos of her in her racing suit in the pit lane, on the podium, and even in press conferences. 

Mick returned to the screen, “And this is also Sam.”

Then a slideshow of horrendously embarrassing videos and photos of her began to play. Her sleeping on the plane with random items stacked on top of her, her taking a game of Dance Dance Revolution far too seriously, clips of her laughing so hard she snorted, moments of being clumsy, silly, just downright herself and so many other clips of her fond memories from other’s prescriptives quickly flashed across the screen. 

They were humanizing her to the public. It was genius.

Next on screen was Sebastian Vettel, who took time and effort explaining her contract situation to whoever cared enough to watch the post thus far. The moment the words began to leave his lips, she was terrified; nobody was supposed to find out— legally Sam was in deep trouble. 

But then it hit her. She thought about what Corinna had said Daniel pointed out about specifics. Technically Sam asked him not to come and find her, she never said he couldn’t send any of their friends to come get her. So that meant…

The contracts her and her team had signed only said they couldn’t share the news, and once they signed it, it became legally binding. But Seb had never signed anything, so technically she wasn’t breaching her NDA. 

Still confused, she still paused the video and turned to Corinna. 

“Someone is going to get in trouble for leaking the contract. I don’t need any of my friends to get in more trouble because of what I—“ Sam began to grow panicked but was quickly interrupted. 

“Molly took care of it. She sent an email from Guenther’s computer with the contract attached to Sebastian. I’m not sure of the specifics but Mick said she made it look as though he accidentally cc’d the GPDA email account while meaning to cc the stewards instead. Than she deleted it from his computer completely. That smart little friend of yours really covered their trail well.”

Sam smiled, relieved. She didn’t want to know the specifics of Molly having access to her boss’s computer— plausible deniability at its finest. With that, she pressed play again and was met with Lewis on her screen. 

The soon-to-be-retired driver was so eloquent and well-spoken with his words, that the way he went about and explained the unfairness and bias within Sam’s situation even made it clearer for her, and she was the one experiencing it. 

Then came George. 

“We’ve decided to campaign to racing drivers across the globe. Those who race under the FIA and those who do not.”

Then, it switched to Valterri, “Veterans and rookies.”

On to Max, “Men and women.”

Antonio was next, “Near and Far”

And to Sam’s shock, a stoic-looking Lando, “Young and old.”

Lance followed, “From any formula series to NASCAR to endurance racing to IndyCar to motocross, all the way to karting. Your voice matters.”

Kimi Raikkonen made an appearance as well, “Your voice helps.”

Yuki came next and Sam couldn’t help but crack a small smile, “Help us take a stand against discrimination.”

Then Carlos, “Help us create a safe space for every racer who steps foot in our paddock.”

Nicholas Latifi was after, “Help us right a wrong.”

Despite being a reserve driver, Alex Albon appeared next. 

“Help our friend come home.”

And an even bigger shock was that Charles followed, “In a time like this your support is not only crucial, but appreciated as well. We ask that you sign the petition linked here to help Sam return to the track.”

Daniel appeared next and her heart dropped. Everything she’d done to him, everything she’d said to him, over the last few weeks fell onto her at the sight of his somber, familiar, brown eyes. Even the sound of his voice sent a shockwave through her. 

“We are all race car drivers. But at the end of the day, when the helmet comes off, we’re humans too. Humans who struggle. Humans with emotions. Humans who deserve to be treated as such. We are not tools, trophies, paydays, or pawns. We are just 20 people doing our job.”

Esteban followed, "If you cannot sign the petition, share this post any way possible and help spread the word and condemn the actions by the FIA, Formula 1, and HAAS F1 Team taken against Sam, before our deadline of Sunday night at 6:59pm Gulf Standard time.”

Another surprise to Sam was to see Pierre, “We were told by our superiors that together, we race as one. It’s time we hold them accountable to see that true.”

The screen went dark and a link appeared, followed by the names of all of the drivers within the video listed under a placard with the words “endorsed by” written in large red letters. 

Sam could barely utter a word after what she’s just watched. She looked at the phone in shock, the screen still frozen on the ending frame. 

“They did all of this, for me?” Her whisper nearly got lost over the crashing of the waves. 

Corinna nodded, “Just like my husband told you all those years ago when he came to see you after your father had passed. There are people out here who care about you… sometimes it’s alright to just let us.”

She smiled, tears brimming in her eyes, and pulled the woman back into another hug. 

“That was posted 3 days ago. The deadline is tomorrow, and they already have 693 signatures.”

Sam’s mouth dropped. 

“Mick and Sebastian called many of Michael’s old racing buddies to get their support. The people over at Mercedes put out a stamens that you still have a seat next year if all works out. George and Lewis sent out a detailed rundown of your situation. And Daniel… Daniel used his charm and called as many of his friends across the globe as possible. The notion and the ban were overruled, and the FIA put out a statement saying that you are welcome to race in Abu Dhabi…” 

“But next season…” Sam said knowingly.

“You’d have to place in the top 3 in this race for them to agree to let you come back. The drivers and teams are trying to protest that as well, but the administration said that this was the only way they were willing to compromise.”

The top 3 was hard, especially in such a shitty car. yes, Sam had done it before, but it wasn’t easy. And after reading headlines, she too was convinced her podiums had been at the hand of luck. It worried her, she didn’t know if she could do it.

Most of all, ater everything she’d done and said, her friends were still trying to help her. But despite the gesture, and the opportunity, she wasn’t sure she should follow through. 

Sam took a deep breath, “I don’t know, Corinna. I don’t think I can go back. It’s exhausting. And I don’t think I can sacrifice my mental health to try and live my dreams and break these barriers people keep preaching about. I love what I do but I don’t know how long I can do it if it’s gonna be anything like last season. The headlines. The rumors. Everything. I just— I just don’t know if I can handle it.”

Corinna just sat quietly and allowed Sam to get everything off her chest. The fact that she hadn’t even needed to facilitate Sam opening up about this just proved to her that the girl she’d known since she was a child needed to just be heard for a change. 

“It sounds dumb, but I’m so exhausted being the outlier. For once in my life I want to blend in and be allowed to. Being the bigger person is the right thing to do but, god I’m so sick of it. Why do I always have to change for others? Why can’t they adapt to me for a change? I just want them to treat me fairly. I want them to understand how hard I’ve worked for this. I want them to see me like any other driver. But at the same time, I want to stop putting on this show for everyone that I’ve been acting in for years. I want to drop my walls and make them hurt, make them pay, make them regret the day they chose to use me as a publicity stunt.”

Her anger was pure but so were the tears beginning to cascade down her face. Sam took a moment to control her breathing and collect herself. She turned to Corinna, her tone genuine and even a bit pleading, “I want them to apologize.”

Now the tears came quicker, but not as quick as the way Corinna pulled Sam into her embrace. 

The woman whispered in Sam’s ear as she pulled her head closer with a mother’s touch, “You have to want something else more.”

Sam’s response was muffled into Corinnas' shoulder before she lifted her head, “I want to be gentle, I want to be kind, I want to be happy. But when life gets hard and people turn their guns at me, I feel like have no other choice than to get harder to match.”

She leaned into the woman’s touch on her shoulder, turning her gaze out into the ocean once again and allowing it to wash the smallest sensation of calm over her, “Everybody always tells me ‘this isn’t how it’s supposed to be’ and ‘it’s not supposed to be like this’. But it is. This is what reality is for me. I never know what I’m going to accomplish in each race, but it has to be perfect. I can’t make any mistakes, I can rarely be involved in raveling incidents. It has to be irreproachable in every way in and off the track…”

Cortina cut her off empathetically, “But why? Why can’t you make mistakes like everybody else?”

“I have to make up for it,” Sam took a deep breath, “I have to make up for the fact that it’s me.”

The older woman stared at the girl, devastated at what the young child she once adored had blossomed into to try and survive. 

“Some people laugh while others try to help. And everybody that surrounds me… they’ve got their hands wrapped around my hope— the hope that maybe they’ll listen, maybe things will change. And they’re tightening their grip and squeezing the life out of it. So I— I don’t know how much longer I can do this. And with this offer, I don’t know what to do now. Do I go back, do what I love surrounded by the people I love, but sacrifice a part of me I care so much about? Or do I leave a life I’ve spent years building behind for the sake of my sanity? It’s just so overwhelming.”

She threw her hands over her face, hoping it would hide her from the word as she hid the world hid from herself.

“Samantha, take a deep breath. When you don’t know where you are going, all you have to do is stand still. I’m so proud of you for sticking around as long as you did. It couldn’t have been easy. This world can be such a cruel place sometimes; that’s why you’re so courageous simply by waking up each day and facing what’s ahead. Think of it like this: being born in a burning house makes you believe that the world is on fire. But it is not. There is so much in store for you outside of these fears. Know that some of your best moments are still waiting for you down the line and there are so many people waiting for you there. Yes, the world is messy, but we must find the beauty among the chaos. There are still so many places to go, races to win, cultures to experience, people to love, words to say, and memories to make.”

Sam’s mind raced, thinking of the possibilities the future held if she were to go back. The races, the places, the opportunities, the people— the person. She fought a smile as she continued to listen to what Corinna had to say, “And I know you Samantha, I’ve known you for a long time. So I know how you fear you are always putting others out by being what you think is a burden. But you don’t have to carry the heaviest burden for your struggle to matter. It doesn’t matter if other people have it worse, or if they’ve hurt longer than you, or if someone is going through the same struggle but is handling it worse. If something is painful for you, then it is painful for you. And if it affects you, it is important, and it matters. Your struggle is real regardless of what anybody says. You’re allowed to be hurt, to be affected, to feel broken or sad, and most importantly you’re allowed a space to talk about it. And the people who care about you do not feel it is a burden when you talk about it. We will always care because we care about you. The people who are meant for you will find you on the other side of all of this. We’ll help you build a new comfort zone around the things that actually move you forward, not connect you to the parts of your past that tie you down. Instead of being liked, you will be loved. And instead of just being understood, you are going to be seen.”

Corinna put her hands on Sam’s cheeks, “all you are going to lose by opening up to us is the walls that were built for a person you no longer are. Embrace the people who are willing to see you for who you are, not who everybody expects you to be. Nobody will ever be able to understand what you had to endure to heal, to grow, to be here, to be you. Be proud of the way you fought to save yourself. Be proud of the way you survived…”

Sam smiled, but the way the tears in her eyes illuminated the regret— the guilt— made Corinna fear she may have not helped Sam decide, just remind her of what she is incapable of doing. 

“I pushed my friends away, I did horrible things, said horrible things and all they wanted to do was be there for me. There’s nothing to be proud of about that,” Sam sniffled and wiped her tears. 

“Sam, you know you have a big heart when you feel bad about doing what’s best for you. You just did it in a… rather unconventional way. And about those friends of yours…” Corinna reached into her back pocket and handed Sam something. It took her a moment to register what it was. 

An envelope with her name on it, written in the messy handwriting she immediately recognized as Daniel’s. 

It took her a decent amount of time to get through the thick letter, but by the time she finished reading what Daniel had written to her, her mind was set. Now more than ever, Sam was determined. 

Determined to get back. 

Determined to fix things. 

Determined to get on that podium. 

Determined to get back what she had stolen from herself. 

She turned to Corinna, “we better get going if we’re gonna make it back in time for the race.”

The woman cheered and clapped at Sam’s choice, pulling her in for yet another hug. 

Less than two hours later, Sam was on a flight to Abu Dhabi, her itinerary displaying that she would touch down with 2 hours to spare. That meant she would make it to the paddock roughly 30 minutes before the race started. 

It was going to be close. Hell, if Sam could pull this off it would be a miracle. 

But if there’s one thing about Samantha Thompson, it’s that she would never turn away from a challenge. Not anymore. Not when she finally knew how many people she had on her side.

SO GOOD🥹

Chapter 20

“we have never heard the devil’s side of the story, seeing as god wrote the book”

word count: 10.6k

warnings: mature themes, horrible writing, unedited, and the end of an era.

Molly stood at the entrance to the paddock, foot tapping impatiently, nails chewed to the quick, and desperately but quietly arguing with the worker hired to stand by the turnstiles. 

“Look, I can’t tell you what’s going on, I just need to know how much it’ll cost you to keep your trap shut.”

The woman shook her head. 

“I can’t be bought. Nobody comes in or out without a pass.”

Molly huffed, “They have a pass! But they can’t scan in because it will alert the stewards and— I can’t explain, hell, I don’t even know if they’re going to show up. Just tell me how much it’ll cost you to look the other way if they do.”

Again, the woman shook her head, turning her attention back to the empty wall across from her. 

Groaning, the blonde reluctantly dug into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. The woman didn’t even flinch. 

Molly pulled out one bill, “One hundred American dollars.”

Nothing. 

Then another. “Two hundred.”

She remained statuesque. It would’ve impressed Molly if she wasn’t frantically trying to get this woman to take her bribe. 

With another huff, she pulled out the entire contents of her wallet. The bills were counted, and presented to the woman in a tall, partially crumpled, unruly stack. 

“Eight hundred and twenty seven American dollars. That’s the best I can do.”

The woman shook her head, finally turning to Molly. 

A snarl she didn’t know could be made by somebody so small and non intimidating was on the woman’s face and Molly would be lying if she said she wasn’t the least bit frightened. “I’m not going to lose my job so you can sneak your friend into the paddock unnoticed. I don’t care if it’s Beyoncé, or the President, or Mother Teresa. I’m not taking your money.”

“What about my money?” 

Their heads snapped to the voice that had snuck up behind them, a voice that Molly had been waiting to hear for over a week. 

It took everything in her to not launch herself at Sam, who despite the warm weather and lack of bright daylight was hiding under sunglasses, a baseball cap, and a large black hoodie. 

Molly was elated. Elated didn’t even scratch the surface of the emotions running through her veins. Because it worked. Their ragtag bunch had created a ragtag plan that had actually worked.They did it. She was here. 

Sam removed the hood and sunglasses so the woman could get a better look at her. Once recognition clicked, the woman’s eyes widened with disbelief. The driver pointed toward the paddock and put on a small smile.

“Because I really need to get in there. Preferably unnoticed. And preferably within the next,” Sam checked her watch, “nineteen minutes.”

“You’re—“ the worker mumbled in shock. 

Molly stood silently watching this whole thing play out, her jaw on the floor and body frozen in shock. 

Sam’s smile was sweet, hoping to bypass this roadblock as quickly as possible. “I am,” she finished the woman’s thought. 

“Go,” the worker said as she stepped aside to let Sam through without scanning in, “go kick ass and show them they fucked with the wrong bitch!”

The two girls tried to stifle their laughs. The excitement the woman was showing, and the foul language she was using was a shock coming from her small frame and once serious tone… it was the start contrast to the protest she was giving them earlier. 

“Thank you,” Sam whispered and snuck past the turnstiles landing directly in the arms of her best friend on the other side. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, muffled into blonde hair. 

Molly squeezed her as tight as she possibly could, worried as if she were to let go, Sam would disappear again. 

“Don’t apologize—“

Sam cut her off, “I have to. I know you don’t think I need to but—“

Now Molly was the one to cut her off, “No, I mean seriously, don’t apologize. I love you and I can’t wait to have this long conversation with you, but we don’t have time. How about a punchline teaser?”

She smiled at their tradition of catching each other up on the fly, “I love you. And Connecticut is too cold anyway.”

Molly laughed and took her turn, “Charles stood up for you, Guenther found your replacement, Daniel is smitten as a kitten, and now we only have 13 minutes so we’re going to have to run.”

Sam’s eyes widened at the time and she nodded her head, putting her glasses and shades back on in hopes of going unnoticed during the walk through the paddock. 

Before Molly could drag her down the long row of buildings at a sprint, a golf cart pulled to a stop in front of them. 

The women at the turnstiles shouted from behind them, “Called in a favor! Give ‘em hell!”

The two girls shouted their thanks and climbed into the golf cart, Sam making sure to keep her head low as Molly gave the man driving the precise location for them to be dropped off at. 

Once the cart had left them behind the HAAS garage, Molly took the lead and kept Sam behind her as she peered around the corner. She looked toward Mick’s side of the garage; empty. His car was currently sitting on the grid, waiting for lights out. Her head turned toward what was now considered Pietro’s side. The reserve driver has been called to fill in for Sam this final race weekend and had no shame in speaking to the media about how it’s where he should've been this whole season. So it made Molly smile to see that he was nowhere to be found but Sam’s car was right where it was supposed to be. 

Pietro had put the car into the wall during qualifying— typical. So that meant he needed a few bits and bobs changed before the race and would evidently mean he was starting from the pitlane. But lucky for Molly, it made the plan of getting Sam into the car unnoticed much easier. 

She turned around to look at Sam, “we can’t just waltz in there and let you get in the car. Guenther would have you escorted out within seconds of you showing your face. The garage has been on edge all weekend. Majority have been rooting for you to come back, but there have been a few instances of anonymous team members snitching to Guenther when we’d try and get something ready for you and keep it on standby.”

Sam nodded, quietly waiting to hear what her best friend had planned. 

“Do you have your fireproofs and suit on like Corinna said to?”

Again, Sam nodded, lifting her hoodie to reveal her white race suit underneath. 

“Perfect,” Molly took a deep breath. “Here’s the plan,” she took another look in the garage to make sure they hadn’t drawn any attention to themselves, “Me and a few of the mechanics have your seat insert at the ready. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or two to change. Head to Mick’s drivers room, a plain helmet is waiting for you on the desk with the rest of the equipment you need. Get suited and booted, then with your visor down just walk into the garage and get into the car without saying a word. Anyone the wiser will keep it to themselves if they think it's you. Nobody knows you’re here. Not yet anyway.  And we need to keep it like that for as long as possible.”

Despite Molly’s terror bubbling up in her throat, her sure tone never wavered. This plan was going to work— it had to. Across from her, panic was absent from Sam’s face despite her last place start and her need for a podium finish to survive another day in this sport. 

To say Molly was confused was an understatement. 

“What?” She asked her best friend, as if something was inherently wrong about her plan. Panic laced every word as the clock ticked down. 

“Nothing…” Sam trailed off with a smirk, “it’s just… you’re scheming all on your own. I never thought I’d see this day.”

Molly smiled, her unease momentarily melting away. 

“Yeah well I had a great teacher”

Sam couldn’t help but laugh and then pull Molly in for another quick hug. But a thought occurred to her and she pulled back. 

“Speaking of Pietro, where is he? I know he didn’t just volunteer his seat by choice…”

She fought a smile creeping up onto her lips, “we may or may not have taped his mouth and locked him in the hospitality supply closet.”

Sam inhaled and clutched her heart with pride dramatically, “god, they grow up so fast.”

Molly smiled softly, pride coursing through her but simply happy to have her friend back above all else. But then, at the sound of a wheel gun firing in the distance, reality came crashing back down.

“Ready?”

Sam nodded, and the girls headed into the garage. Molly continued in straight and a few seconds later Sam turned right with her head hanging low to get towards the drivers’ rooms. 

Once she’d shut the door behind her, she exhaled. Everything was laying out just as Molly had said. She stripped off her hoodie and sweats, and began putting on the rest of her suit like clockwork. 

Twelve minutes to go. 

Comms. Balaclava. Helmet. Gloves. 

Sam took a deep breath and closed her visor. She would need to get out of the room and into the car at record speed. Not only was she nearly four inches taller than Pietro, she wasn’t sure the reserve driver had developed hips or sprouted black acrylic nails any time recently. She was going to stick out like a sore thumb until her head sank below the halo. 

Another deep breath and then her hand was grabbing the door handle and swinging it outwards. Her feet carried her the familiar path to the garage and she wasted no time swinging her leg over the halo and taking a seat in the chassis. 

The only thing she’d torn her eyes from the ground long enough to look at was the nose of the car, which was emblazoned with the number 51. 

She shuddered. Ace had been tarnished. Given a tattoo she hoped was temporary. It didn’t feel right racing in her car when it wasn’t entered under her number. Especially since this was the last time she was going to be driving the car that had taken her to the moon. 

Well, it felt like the moon; otherworldly and impossible. But in reality, it had taken her to the third step of the podium, into a barrier or two, a gravel trap here and there, sometimes it didn't take her anywhere at all, not to mention it took her to her rightful place in history; however, all Sam could think about right now, with his orange car perfectly in her view beyond the pitlane and on the grid, was how in some way that car had taken her to straight Daniel. 

Okay fine, so it wasn’t a straight line at all. It was actually like driving a narrow, twisted course similar to Monaco, but in the pouring rain on slicks with one hand tied behind her back. And there was definitely a botched pitstop in there too. Maybe even a racing incident or three. 

From this moment forward, everything else in her life could be uncertain but she would always know one thing for sure: As long as she had Daniel, she would be more than willing to take everything as it came. 

She refocused her attention on the chaos of the garage. A good sign was that she had yet to be forcibly extracted from the cockpit by HAAS crewmembers. Another good sign was that her head mechanic Greg had just knocked on her helmet like he did every race, and when Sam instinctually looked up at him, he gave her a wink. 

Her body settled into the curves of the seat— her custom seat they’d switched with Pietro’s. She hated to admit that a small part of her missed just how uncomfortable it was. Before she knew it, there were hands double checking her safety straps, pulling cooling fans off the car, and a soft touch was sending a jolt down her spine. 

It scared her to death, not only because she was focused on trying to get in her racing headspace, but because she had no idea who it was or if they knew it was her or how they would feel if they did. 

Floyd. 

Something about the completely serious, borderline stoic look on his face made her extremely nervous about what he’d have to say to her... Or Pietro?

And it only got worse when he leaned down close to her helmet and flipped her visor just the slightest bit open. 

Sam gulped, the anticipation of whether or not she was going to be pulling out of this garage in a few minutes was held in the balance by her previous engineer. If he knew it was her, he had the power to get her removed from this car in an instant. One word into his microphone and Guenther would be at the side of this car in seconds. Her foot was toggling with the throttle as her finger hovered over the gear shift wondering if she could escape out into the pitlane and get away with it. Because she knew that of course he had reason to rat her out; she had treated him horridly towards the end of her time with the team, just as she had her friends, and she was sure if the roles were reversed she would snitch on him too. 

He slowly moved the microphone connected to his headphones away from his lips. 

“There are people out there holding their breath, waiting for you to fail…” 

He paused, and made direct eye contact with Sam through the visor. He was looking at her and he knew it. But Floyd’s expression didn’t waver, leaning the slightest bit closer to her. 

“Make sure they suffocate.”

The fear instantly melted away and transformed into motivation as Floyd walked away as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Just an engineer talking to the driver he’d been working with all weekend… Business as usual. 

Sam’s eyes darkened, and though it was hidden from the public by her plain red helmet, she smirked. She was gonna do this. She was going to earn back her seat and prove everyone wrong. 

And if she couldn’t get on the podium? She was at least going to make a point in showing everyone that she deserved her seat while she had it. 

It would be hard, there’s no doubt about it, especially on a track like this. All of the contraband data Corinna had given Sam to study on the plane ride over made that very clear. But not to mention she’d have to cross the line with the checkered flag; she needed 58 laps of clean racing. She could try her hardest to have her own clean race, but she couldn’t count on the other drivers. Besides, there would need to be extremely high levels of risk taken on her behalf, especially if she’d want to overtake seventeen cars. And more risk meant more susceptibility for accidents. Then throw strategy and pit stops into the mix and there are even more ways for this race to go wrong. 

It was going to be the hardest race of her career. 

The mechanic walked in front of her car and gave her the signal that it was clear for her to make her way to the exit of the pitlane. Sam pressed down on the throttle and the vibrations and energy the car radiated wiped away all of her nerves. 

She was home. And that one word was hard to quantify in her line of work, traveling nearly nine months of the year to stay in hotels among cities around the globe, and renting houses where it was convenient to stay the few months you had to be near your factory. 

Sam hadn’t felt like she’d had a home since she’d gone off to pursue her dream. Not since she’d left her home and knew what she was missing. And not since her father had passed away. But now, she knew exactly where home was. 

Not at HAAS. Not in Abu Dhabi. Not in Ace— especially not with the wrong number plastered on him like a regrettable tramp stamp. 

But here, on a track, under a helmet, in a chassis, surrounded by people she is lucky to call her friends, that support her more than she will ever be able to comprehend. And that's when it clicked. 

Home isn't always a person. To Sam, home was people. Her people. 

There were always going to be people who didn't want her here, and she would always want them to eat their words. But as Corinna had told her only hours prior, she’d have to want something more. And that something was her home. She wasn’t going to let them take that from her. Not again. And especially not for good this time. 

After last season, many of those people thought Sam was the worst thing to have happened to this sport. So she knew to them, she was already going to hell… but she might as well drag as many as she could down with her along the way. 

Inhale.

We’ve been waiting for this all season long. The finale. The title-decider. Under the lights here in Abu Dhabi, it’s lights out and away we go!

Hamilton gets a decent start and he’s already ahead of Max Verstappen! There's a bit of jockeying going on between Tsunoda and Ricciardo, But it’s Hamilton who leads into the first corner! 

Norris goes wide. Sergio Perez slips through into third place, then comes Carlos Sainz! Fittipaldi has already made up two positions and is wheel to wheel with Russel in turn one for a third! 

Hamilton is still out in front on those medium tires, which are working well for him and his teammate Valterri Bittas who is currently challenging a Ferrari! 

Into the hairpin we go now! 

This has been a dream start for Lewis Hamilton. The only good news for RedBull is that Perez is up in third. But for the second consecutive weekend, the RedBull did not get off the line very well. 

There’s three abreast going into the turn nine hairpin, both Ferraris and Norris are—

Oh! Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton almost coming together! Hamilton has to go off the track! The Dutch fans are absolutely roaring in the background!

Is back on track in front of Verstappe, but will he have to give back the place?

Yes, of course he will, he regained the place illegally. But the problem he’s got is Perez being right on Verstappen’s tail!

“He’s got to give that back!”

Verstappen wants that place back and he wants that place back right now. 

What Max should do is back up a little bit and make sure Perez is right on his gearbox for when Lewis inevitably has to give that place back. Verstappen had to do that lunge. 

So behind them,at the end of lap one is Norris, Sainz and Leclerc all battling for fourth. Followed by Tsunoda, Bottas and Ocon, with Daniel Ricciardo rounding out the top ten. 

Down the rest of the line we’ve got Alonso, Gasly, Giovanazzi, Stroll, Vettel, Fittipaldi, Latifi, Raikkonen, Shumacher and finally George Russell. 

Let’s go back to the replay and take one more look at the rundown of the incident at turn 1. 

Verstappen a long way back, lunges into the apex, they do touch, and Hamilton has to take to the escape road. But did Verstappen lunge correctly and fairly? Will the stewards rule in Verstappen’s favor there? Or was that an opportunist move that was never, ever going to be on?

It was late, but the door was open and Max stayed on the race track. 

Oh and there it is. No investigation necessary. Lewis stays in front and subsequently sets the fastest lap. 

***

“These are great laps Lewis, just keep it up. Keep the pressure on.”

And these are tremendously fast laps from Lewis. Look at that. A 4.6 second gap. So what that means is that Crofty, is that with that kind of gap, whatever RedBull do with Verstappen, Mercedes can wait another lap. They can just then casually react to whatever RedBull does. 

Fernando Alonso has been on the radio saying something is wrong with his front tires. He’s on the hard tires, so maybe they’re just not up to temperature?

I’m not sure, he’s been trying to stay ahead of the insane battle between Gasly and Fittipaldi right now— both also on hards and I’ve seen no reports of issues from either of them. 

But this, this I did not expect. It’s lap 14 of 58 and Max Verstappen is heading into the pits to make what should be his first and only stop of this whole race. The hard tire goes on and he’ll come out hopefully, if RedBull got their strategy right, ahead of Carlos Sainz. 

Past goes Perez, and then followed by the Ferrari of Sainz… And Max Verstappen is nowhere to be seen. 

Well he’s somewhere, but that somewhere just happens  to be in the pitlane. So where is Max Verstappen going to come out on track? 

He emerges from the pitlane exit underneath them, he’s trying to put the power on, and onto the track he goes now, ahead of one ferrari, but two places back from where he was expected to be. 

But he’s not going to stay too far back too long because he’s already passed Lando Norris and slotted himself into fourth.

So the pit exit and the way it connects underneath—

One moment David. 

“Okay Lewis. Box, box.”

Let’s take a look as Hamilton rolls into the pits. 

A neat stop. Two-point-four seconds of stationary time. 

Sergio Perez will stay out and go on to take the lead of this race. 

But now Hamilton must trundle down the pitlane at eighty kilometers an hour, taking care because that tunnel is deceivingly tighter than it looks. He disappears out of our view temporarily and will come back onto the track in wide open space ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari and into the second slot. 

Verstappen made his pitstop and he’s fourth. Hamilton has made his stop and he’s second. 

***

Forty laps to go of this race and Verstappen has just passed Carlos Sainz to put himself into third only twelve seconds separating him and Lewis Hamilton. 

Pit windows are open and drivers are rolling in to change their tires. Notably, we’ve seen both Williams struggling quite heavily around this circuit. Same goes for the HAAS of Mick Schumacher who has yet to score a point during his rookie season. 

But from the looks of it, his teammate for the weekend Pietro Fittipaldi might beat him to the punch. Replacing Sam Thompson this weekend after she failed to return and fulfill her offer to finish the season. 

He knew he had some big shoes to fill, and he’s definitely putting in the work. He started from the pitlane and has made it all the way to P8. 

Here he is racing Daniel Ricciardo, who’s been struggling on his tires the last few laps. 

Fittipaldi closes the gap after a few solid laps of racing between these two! 

Yeah, I just think Daniel’s tires are struggling. We should definitely be seeing a pit—

What on earth was that? Did you see that, Crofty? Pietro Fittipaldi just flipped Daniel Ricciardo the bird as he overtook him! 

Well I don’t see why. It was a clean overtake, I saw nothing inherently wrong with it. Daniel definitely saw the gesture as well, his head was facing the HAAS as it took the outside line. 

One moment Crofty, let’s hear what Daniel had to say about that:

“Oh my god. That’s not Fittipaldi. That’s Sam.”

What is he going on about? That’s impossible. Pietro has been in the car all weekend and there hasn’t been a word from Samantha ever since she left Saudi Arabia. When could she have possibly gotten in that car?

I can’t answer that, but I do think Daniel might be right. He sounded relieved, and he’s been very vocal in his support of her return and has been a driver who has been very adamant about the accountability that the FIA needs to take regarding the bias around Sam’s contract. But yeah, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. I mean, no offense to Pietro, but have you seen the driving that’s been done by the pilot in that car? It’s been outstanding; far above his standards. The calculated overtakes, the wheel to wheel finesse, and the late breaking. It all adds up. 

How on earth did this happen? When did it happen?

I have no idea, but this changes everything. Not only do we have the penultimate laps of a championship battle on our hands tonight, but now we’ve got a driver racing to save her career as well.

“What? What is everyone freaking out about? Why are you all looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost?” Guenther asked from his seat on the pitwall. 

From beside him, the HAAS head of strategist quietly admitted, “Uhm, it’s Sam in the car. Not Pietro.”

The team principal’s head reared back. At first, he thought he was definitely being pranked. But when the strategists didn’t say a punchline, Guenther realized this was the truth and frantically turned toward the monitors. “What? How is that possible?”

“I’m not sure but--”

He didn’t even give the man time to answer before interrupting him. “For fucks sake. Call her into the pits!”

Guenther was angry, and that made the man even more scared to clarify the call he’d just made. “Strat A doesn’t call for a stop until another—“

Now he was shouting, ripping his headphones of and heading toward the garage, “Fuck the strategy, get her out of that car! Show her the black flag! Call the stewards and figure it out! I don’t care how, just do it! And somebody find Pietro!”

Reluctantly the man pressed the corresponding button. Despite Fittipaldi being listed under the flashing light, he addressed who he knew was sitting in that car. 

“Uh, hi Sam… Good to have you back. Box this lap. Box, box.”

Guenther marched toward the group of mechanics frantically scrambling to get tires ready. “Nobody better touch her fucking car when she gets in here. Put the tires away!”

The yell sent the garage into momentary silence. People stopped in their tracks, looks of terror, shock, and annoyance decorated the garage. 

Floyd cupped his hand over his microphone and mouth, trying to salvage Sam’s race by avoiding this pitstop. “Abort, abort. Stay out. Stay out.”

But it was too late, her car was already making its way down the pit lane entrance. 

“If you want a job after today, don’t fuckin move.” Guenther extended his index finger and scanned the garage left to right with it, issuing his warning to the whole team. 

Her car pulled up in front of the waiting crew, all of them itching to change her tires. Guenther was angrily marching over to the car and her confusion about why nobody was changing her tires was cleared. Sam turned her head toward where the crew was looking, and at the first sign of Guenther, she made sure nobody was in front of her car before she slammed down on the accelerator. 

She’d have to complete a stop at some point in the next 40 laps, and that stunt could end up costing her valuable positions in this race. But one thing Sam excelled at was managing tires and luckily they’d intended to start Pietro on hards, so she still had time to delay the impending doom looming in the back of her mind. 

“Seems like cats out of the bag, Sam.”

She managed to find a spare second to laugh at the tone of Floyd’s voice, “it was only a matter of time.”

“We’ll figure out a way to get you in here, just keep your head down and try to manage those tires as long as you can.”

“Hey Floyd?” She asked in response, “can I engage those rocket boosters for the last time?”

Her car was making its way out of the pitlane and into the track when her engineer finally responded,”be my guest.”

Back down to P18. Same tires she went into the pitlane with. Even less time to make up positions. 

This was not only going to be the most difficult race of her career, it was going to have to be the best. 

Lap 21 and who we now know to be Sam Thompson is up to 15th!

32 laps remaining and Sam Thompson is up into 12th!

It’s lap 36 of this race and Samantha Thompson has yet to receive new tires despite already making one pitstop. Her team had been relatively quiet over the radio since Guenther Steiner stormed off around lap 18, but she was just given the instructions to box under this virtual safety car.

“Am I gonna get tires this time?”

Her career is on the line and she’s still got jokes. What a stand up gal. 

She’s got a big enough gap to Ocon where she’ll come out in 11th behind Tsunoda, but this stop needs to be perfect. And yeah, she does need tires this time. Not another joy ride through the pitlane. 

In she comes and the pit crew are waiting for her! This has got to be—

Guenther Steiner is marching out of the back of the garage like a madman! 

Oh my god, I think he’s going to try to interfere with the pitstop! 

What could be have in—

He’s trying to grab the tire away from the mechanic! Well, he realized that wasn’t the smartest idea without gloves and now he’s trying to yank the wheel gun out of another mechanic’s hands! 

This is an act of desperation! I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this in years! Sam is nearly there. I'm not sure how they’re going to get him out of the way!

My god! A bloody punch! Samantha’s race engineer had exited the garage and just laid into Guenther Steiner right outside the edge of her marks. 

She’s in! Wheel guns are whirring and Guenther is clutching his face while trying to put himself between the car and its new wheels. The stewards are going to have to look at that; definitely a safety concern if you ask me. Guenther, not his assailant haha!

But they’re too fast, the mediums are on and she’s headed back out!

That was something out of a movie, I don’t even have words. I’m not sure we’re going to be seeing much of Floyd Higgins in the garage next season. 

That stop was picture perfect, and she’s back out there, right on track. 

“Am I dreaming or did I just see you punch Steiner?”

“Can confirm you were not dreaming.”

“Why couldn’t I do that? You get to have all the fun.”

“Those hands are too valuable. They have a car to drive next season. Besides, I handed in my notice of resignation the second I found out about your contract.”

Lap 44 and Sam Thompson has officially entered the points. 7 more overtakes and she’ll be back next season. 

Lap 47 and Thomspon brilliantly over Norris just as he exits the pits. That puts her into eighth place with a 2 second gap to Gasly in front. 

Samantha Thomson is showing everybody what she can do with yet another overtake! This puts her in 5th place in front of Valterri Bottas and she’s one step closer to the podium she desperately needs. This is absolutely unbelievable! I am baffled! 

Just five laps of this race remain and Carlos Sainz just lost his edge on Thompson around the hairpin after a hell of a fight. Not even the Smooth Operator is immune to the skillful late breaking of the Hell Raiser. 

Crofty. She’s officially fighting for her spot on this grid next year. And she’s fighting Sergio Perez for it. One place to gain. Five laps to go. And one hell of a masterclass from Samantha Thompson. 

Even if she isn’t able to meet the requirement for her return tonight, she’ll have proved to just about everyone that she—

Oh heavens! Nicholas Latifi is in the wall at turn 14! 

Lap 53 of this incredibly nail-biting race and we are getting a full safety car!

This now completely changes the context of this race for not only our two championship contenders, but for Samantha Thompson’s efforts as well. 

Verstappen is headed into the pits and Hamilton stays out— lap 55 of 58– may not restart— will the lapped cars overtake— odds are stacked against Hamilton— waiting— Checo we’ve got to retire the car— lap 56 of 58– Thompson moves to third— lapped cars cannot overtake— unnecessary— one single racing lap— Verstappen has got massive work to do— classic decision— lap 57 of 58— race control— lapped cars can overtake— safety car is ending— Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen side by side — Thompson sneaks behind him— Michael this isn’t right— Verstappen is desperate— one map to decide the championship in 2021— Hamilton has the advantage— Verstappen has the fresher tires— green flag— 3.2 miles of racing— lap 58 of 58— first overtaking zone— Max lunges— Max leads— no DRS— second overtaking zone— Hamilton down the outside— Verstappen goes wide— Hamilton misses out— No Michael, no— third overtaking zone— Hamilton slipstream— almost touch— and Hamilton takes the lead— drama— controversy— 2021 comes to a end at this corner— Verstappen has the slipstream— the final corner— Mercedes will be delighted— history is made— the record is broken— checkered flag— Lewis Hamilton is an 8 time champion of the world— Samantha Thompson defies odds. 

The large number three on the placard in front of the HAAS VF Challenger was staring back at her. The longer they started at one another, the slower time moved… until it stopped altogether. 

Exhale. 

She’d done it. 

It’s as if she could feel the shackles crumble. She felt lighter, her freedom making her feel as if she could float. It was over. All the lies, all the suffering, all the pain, all the

She would get to come back next season and race. Her great war was over. She was free. The chains were ripped from her ankles and she could practically feel weightlessness this newfound freedom provided. No more biased contracts or strikes. No more shitty, unreliable car. And no more bosses who took advantage of her. 

She sat there for a few moments, Lewis celebrating in the corner of her vision. Her heart soared knowing he was ending his career on a note like this. Eight world championships. A new record. She loved Michael more than she could put into words, but if anybody was going to beat his record, it stung less knowing it was Lewis. 

In an instant, reality trickled back into her subconscious and the volume of the cheering crowds and continuous fireworks crescendoed back into her ears through her helmet. 

Frantically, Sam began to unbuckle her safety straps, removing her headrest, and hoisting herself up over the halo. She peeled her helmet off, her balaclava not far behind. 

There was only one thing— one person— on her mind right now, and all she wanted to do was find him. All the clarity she received from what had happened in the past week, but most importantly from Daniel’s letter, had allowed her to locate the piece of the puzzle she’d been missing all along. 

It had shown her where she needed to be— aside from on track, and that was with Daniel. 

Sam was ready to let herself fall. 

Once she was on her feet, standing tall on top of her car, she ignored the cheers, the cameras flashing, and the looks of shock on some people’s faces. Her feet hit the pavement and she didn’t hold back. 

The hideous orange car had been unable to lap the safety car during the chaos that was the race, and seeing as he was right behind her for the safety car restart but had already been passed by her before then, she’d assumed  Daniel had to have pulled in right after her. 

She didn’t even need to see the car for herself to know she was right because before she knew it, she saw him running right towards her. 

Daniel’s eye lit up the moment he saw her, the worried crease between his brows softening and a smile loosening his clenched jaw. He picked up the pace, every nerve in his body telling him to go faster. She hadn’t seen him yet, but the second she did he watched her head stop scanning the crowd and her concerned look melted into the smile he had learned to adore so much. 

In an instant, but what felt like eternity, their bodies collided in a desperate embrace. Though Daniel had been thinking about seeing her again for the past week, he was taken by surprise at the level of intimacy it held. God, he wanted to never let her go again, but seeing as there were cameras literally surrounding them from every angle and he knew Sam’s aversion to the media, he tried to loosen his grip to let her go. 

But she only tightened her arms around him. For the first time in what felt like weeks, Daniel let out a breath. With his exhale, a relieved laugh escaped as well. He tightened his grip on her waist, savoring the feeling of her being in his arms again, and her arms hugged his neck tighter. 

Sam didn’t give a damn who saw. It wasn’t like she had dramatically pressed her lips to his in a kiss of passion. Daniel was her friend, and that was made more than obvious to everyone throughout the end of the season. Friends hugs. 

This whole rationalization had come to Sam after the fact, because in that moment, she didn’t take a moment to think of the repercussions of her actions. Sure, she wanted to kiss him, but she wouldn’t have done that even if they were in a public relationship. All she wanted at that moment was Daniel, and she was going to be a little selfish and let herself have it right then and there.

His mind struggled to find the right words to say. But what do you say when your world feels complete again? In a moment like this, words would never be enough to explain how Daniel was feeling. 

Sam beat him to it. She lowered herself from her tiptoes and finally pulled herself out from the crook of Daniel’s neck. He missed her embrace the second it was gone, but he was willing to make an exception if it meant he got to stare at those hazel eyes. 

Her hands were still draped over his shoulders, her helmet long discarded on the pavement beneath them. She tried to speak loudly enough so he could hear her over the fireworks, “I want to eat ice cream in the white house with you!”

To say those were not what he was expecting her first words to be to him after everything would have been an understatement. He quirked his eyebrow, confused. He’d heard clearly what her strained voice had said, but couldn’t piece it together with all the adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

“What?” he shouted back. 

“I want you to be the person I eat ice cream with at midnight in an empty United States presidential building!” 

She was laughing, which made it harder to shout over the booming atmosphere around them. And then it clicked for Daniel. 

Their conversation in Colorado. Her horrible movie reference and analogy. What it all really meant. 

The moment she saw him comprehend what she was saying, she looked around, and thankfully only saw cameras at a distance which she knew wouldn’t be able to pick up audio, and then continued. 

“I want you to be my person, Daniel.”

He smiled: eyes crinkling, teeth gleaming, and heart soaring. 

As if she were back in grade school, she blushed at the boy she was crushing on. His response made her positively giddy. There was something so vulnerable about allowing herself to swoon like this and not be embarrassed or try to hide it. 

“I'm sorry I lied to you. I thought it was the right thing to do for me… for us. But god, I couldn’t have been more wrong. None of this really matters! Yes, racing is my life. It always has been and after tonight it will be far into the future. But you know what else my life could be at the same time? Black tie casual at street fairs. Breaking onto hotel roofs. Avalanches. Stupid movies paired with overpriced grape juice. Successful stabbings. And that life sounds really fucking good. Because when all this is over, and the lights go out for good, I want to be with you. Fuck the media, fuck whatever anyone else has to say about us or what we are. I’d go through it all as long as I get to go through it with you.”

Daniel’s smile hadn’t faltered. 

“In your letter, you told me that we only live once. But I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Sure, we only die once, but we live every day. And I think I’d like it if we spent those days together.”

Sam’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, her adrenaline from the race and what she’d manage to pull off was completely gone. Now it was replaced with the adrenaline of pouring her heart out to the man she was falling for. 

“I think I’d really like it if you were my person as well,” he smiled. 

She engulfed him in a hug yet again, her arms snaking around his waist this time. 

However, their moment didn’t last much longer because Sam heard her name being shouted from the direction of the rows of cars that had finished pulling off the track. And if it was anybody else, she would’ve made them wait. 

But it wasn’t just anybody. 

It was Mick. 

She whipped her head around to see for herself and sure enough her best friend was standing by his car, looking disheveled. The first time he said her name it came out as a question, but once he determined it was in fact her, he slowly began weaving himself through the maze of parked cars, FIA officials and drivers. 

“Go, I’ll catch you after the media.”

She turned to face Daniel, apprehensive to leave before their important conversation was completed despite him telling her to go. 

But he answered her silent question with a simple nod of his head, and she thanked him with an affectionate squeeze of his hand and a smile. 

Sam turned and ran off toward Mick, gracefully avoiding every obstacle in her way, and flung herself into his arms the first chance she got. She hurled her entire body weight at him in excitement, wrapping her legs around him for stability. 

Daniel couldn’t help but smile. Nobody would question their interaction, seeing as Sam went and hugged Mick ten times as hard only moments later. He watched Mick cradle the back of her head against him as he stuttered back against the force of her embrace. The relief on the young driver's face revealed just how happy he was to have his friend back; he almost looked ready to burst into tears. 

“I’m so sorry,” Mick mumbled into her shoulder. 

“Don’t you dare apologize, Mick Schumacher. You did nothing wrong. I’m the one who needs to apologize. For a lot,” he set her down onto the ground and she continued, “but more importantly I want to say thank you. For hearing me out when I didn’t deserve it. Everything I asked you to do in the letter—“

He cut her off by placing his hands on her shoulders and giving her a shake. “You’re welcome. You can pay me back by never doing that again.”

She laughed, his smile easing the fear and guilt that had been eating her alive. 

His grin turned mischievous before he bent down and picked her up by her upper legs, throwing her over his shoulder. Where she would normally protest and try to get Mick to put her down, she just laughed and went along with it. 

“Let’s go. I know of a few people who are dying to celebrate with you.”

He walked her over toward the teams waiting behind the barricade. The cheering got louder the closer they got, and Sam started to clumsily wave to the crowd from over Mick’s shoulder to the best of her ability. Instead of putting her on the ground, he went ahead and just tossed her into the awaiting HAAS team members who were hoisting her up into the air. 

It was like a scene from a movie. The smile on everyone’s face, the absolutely contagious joy the people around them were radiating, and the fact that Sam had just pulled off the seemingly impossible. 

She was shocked that this many members of her now former team were here. Sam knew Guenther wasn’t happy with her return or the stunt she pulled, and to see so many people who worked for him still support her— especially after she’d been banned— made her extremely grateful. Each member of her crew throughout the season had played such a vital role in her success on track; whether it was something big like completely rebuilding her car in one night after she put it in the wall at Monaco or locating and removing a lodged piece of carbon fiber during a Pitstop, or the smallest things like preparing her car every weekend and quick stops during the race. So she was glad she could repay them with another podium. 

There are times in life when a moment finally comes to an end, and then you realize you cannot remember a single thing about it; a total blackout. Most of the time this happens when you’re drunk, but sometimes it can happen when your body is working so hard that it forgets to create a memory. For Sam, it had happened on countless occasions under many circumstances:

During arguments as she was trying to play defense while simultaneously throwing her own daggers laced with anger. 

When fear would strike and the decision of fight or flight would need to be made at a moment's notice. 

Most straightforward were the nights where she drank far too much and woke up unable to remember anything— but that was more the alcohol to blame than her subconscious. 

Sometimes something so exciting, so surreal would happen and it would cause her to completely forget to remember the moment because she was too busy living in it. 

And that’s exactly what happened during the podium ceremony after the race. 

It started with the post race, pre-podium media. Everything happened in a blur. All she remembers is that Natalie Pinkham was asking her incredible questions and the crowd was cheering so loud that the interview took twice as long to get through. 

The cooldown room was a bit easier to remember in comparison, seeing as she was in a smaller room with only a few other people. Not to mention the tension in there could’ve been torn to shreds by a butter knife. Yes, both Max and Lewis each gave her a hug and congratulated her; however, despite being cordial with one another, where Lewis was glowing with accomplishment, Max was darkened with disappointment. 

And Sam? Sam was just happy to be there. 

The instant she was ushered out onto the podium and her ears were filled with the deafening sound of support, her mind went blank. 

Next thing she knew, she was headed back toward the Mercedes hospitality to change out of her race suit accompanied by George— who she’d nearly taken to the ground as she tackled him into a hug— before she was needed for the official post race press conference. 

On the way back, they were stopped more times than they could count. Fans, drivers congratulating both of them on their season and their accomplishments, post-race broadcasts trying to get a quick word, and everything in between. 

Sam had no intention of ever stepping foot back in the HAAS hospitality ever again. Despite racing for then one final time and giving them another 15 point boost in the constructors championship, she assumed after everything that had transpired, she didn’t owe Gene or Guenther anything. 

Which is why she showed up to her press conference with Lewis and Max wearing Mercedes team gear. 

Everything was still happening so quickly. Reporters were tossing questions at all three of them. There were moments of laughter, moments of frustration, a few passive aggressive remarks, sentimental responses, but all were lost on Sam because she simply hadn’t stopped living in the moment. 

Sure, she was completely conscious and answered questions to her complete and full capability. But it was all so overwhelming; the bright lights, the loud noises, the uncomfortable chair and the eager feeling behind her sternum she knew was her itching to get back to Daniel. 

The mast thing she expected was the final question to snap her out of her daze and back into reality. 

“Can you repeat that, I’m sorry.”

Her smile shone bright and the reporter happily obliged. 

“Your replacement for next year was announced between races. Any thoughts on Guenther’s choice?”

Her heart stopped. He’d already replaced her? Molly had told her in passing but it had completely slipped her hind.

“I’d love to share my thoughts as soon as I know who the lucky guy is.”

The crowd laughed at the sarcasm included in her cluelessness. 

“Her name is Reynolds. I know you guys have history racing together, and I know you two were considered rivals for the longest time, but how does it feel to have another woman joining you on the grid next year? And are you willing to put your differences aside to keep this forward moment of increased diversity ongoing?”

There were only three words running through Sam’s mind. And they were highly inappropriate when it came to press conference etiquette. 

What. The. Fuck. 

That blackout? Sam had no idea what caused that one, but it sure as hell wasn’t excitement. It definitely could have been her fight or flight response. But it just as easily could have been her attempting to suppress her anger at Guenther. She busted out the back doors of the building which led to the hospital. 

He was doing this to spite her. There is literally no other reason any team would sign Reynolds to a contract this big… not unless they needed her alarmingly high list of sponsors and whatever they could offer… and Sam knew it wasn’t past Guenther to do something like that. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charles walking by.  She was still trying to get her breathing under control, but she somehow managed to holler his name across the way. 

The shock on his face when he saw it was her trying to get his attention told Sam everything she needed to know. 

“Sam, glad to see you back. Congrats on the podium.”

He said it without wincing, without clutching his side in pain, or with a twitch of his eye. 

Hmmm, maybe he was being sincere… Sam wouldn’t have bought it a few months ago, but after seeing he publicly endorsed her return, she gave him the benefit of the doubt. 

“Thanks. I uhm— I just wanted to say I saw the video and.. and I wanted to say thank you.”

Saying that hadn’t hurt as much as she’d expected it to…

Her pain tolerance must have increased at some point. 

“It’s the least I could do. Doing that once makes me a shitty person, but I think doing it twice makes me some form of criminal in a few counties…” he chuckled, raising his hand to the back of his neck awkwardly. 

Sam let out a laugh as well, “Maybe you aren’t a terrible person after all…” she joked, coaxing a chuckle and a small smile out of Charles, who dropped his gaze to his hands. She hesitated a moment and the words that came next were anything but a joke. “And maybe you weren’t as terrible a person back then as I liked to believe.”

His eyes lifted to look at Sam, almost as if he couldn’t believe what she’d just said. 

She went on, “Maybe you were just young, wanting to win a championship, fulfill your dreams, and climb the ladder toward where we are now…”

Her gaze softened, and for what felt like the first time in years, she spoke to Charles with complete sincerity. No ulterior motive to make him upset or feel bad about himself; just a hope that he would finally see what she’d wanted him to all along. 

“But so was I. And I know I didn’t deserve what happened to me. What you did to me… And I think you know that too.”

In an odd turn of events, Sam almost felt empathetic at the horribly guilty look on the man’s face. She’d spent years resenting him— resenting all of their friends— so why didn’t she feel accomplished? 

Maybe retribution wasn’t what she needed? Or maybe in a way, this was her retribution, but she was able to get it without being sat in a race car? Or maybe, this was closure. Maybe she felt that Charles had paid for his sins by not allowing history to completely repeat itself. It was as if by signing this new petition and endorsing her return, he was apologizing. 

Whatever it was, she felt oddly content with it  And perhaps that meant she wasn’t upset with Charles anymore. Perhaps it meant she had forgiven him. 

“You’re right. I see that now, and I’m sorry.”

It took everything in Sam to not gawk at Charles’ apology. She hadn’t expected it, but it only furthered the contentment she was feeling inside. And despite her prior distaste for the Monegasque, she was appreciative of him in this moment… something she never thought she would say… ever. 

Both Charles and Sam couldn’t deny how awkward this situation was… they couldn’t remember the last time they’d been nice to each other, and now that the apology had been shared, they both were standing still and waiting. For what? They had no idea. 

Charles was nervous about how Sam would react. Which was unfortunate because, well, Sam had no idea how to act. 

She sheepishly tried to smile through the awkward tension, “Thank you…” and then, doing what she did best, Samantha Thompson deflected in hopes of changing the subject, “just don’t expect me to go easy on you next season now that you’ve apologized.”

Both drivers smiled and laughed. Of course, Sam wasn’t joking-- not in the slightest. But she needed to cut the tension and knew that would get the job done. 

Luckily, Daniel interrupted the conversation. Not in an interjecting or rude type of way, that wasn;t like him. Sam couldn’t help but smile at how he politely approached the two other drivers but hung back until he knew they were done talking. 

Charles saw him first. 

“Daniel! Great drive out there tonight!” he closed the gap and reached out to give the Aussie one of those bro handshakes. 

Daniel tried to hide his skeptical expression the best he could. He didn’t know if Charles had accidentally confused he and Lando's results, or didn’t know how Daniels' race went whatsoever, or maybe he was just straight up lying.

Now it was Sam trying to hide her amusement. Because while all the drivers would keep a bit of distance between them and greet her with a fist bump, or the nudge of their shoulders, all the rest of the drivers would greet each other with the male ritualistic high-five-handshake-hug-pat-on-the-back combination. She was still convinced they all thought she had cooties… 

Well everyone except for Daniel… because he had previously had a pretty solid record of not keeping his distance from her. 

He smiled softly, “Yeah, I think I’m just gonna keep it lowkey. Ya know, take things slow for a while.”

His gaze flickered over to Sam who was already staring at him like he was an angel sent down from the heavens. Take it slow: her one request if they were to be more than friends, and he wanted to all break.

Her heart soared at what he was insinuating. She was his plans. He wanted to spend the winter break with her and she couldn't wait to tell him she wanted nothing more than to do just that. 

“Alright, well I’ve got to run. You both have a good break. I’ll see you next season.”

They waved Charles off, and watched him disappear around a corner. 

“So,” Sam said and looked left and right to make sure nobody was in sight before grabbing Daniel’s hand, “take things slow, huh?”

They smiled, Daniel blushing as he nodded. 

Sam smirked and played coy, “because after tonight, I realized I really like going fast…”

His smile grew, and he played along. “Yeah? How fast?”

“Oh, like really fast. Super fast. Extremely fast.”

“Really?” he asked rhetorically. “Because it just so happens I like to go mega fast too…”

Sam was grinning ear to ear, cheeks flushing and butterflies swarming behind her ribcage. 

“What a coincidence…” She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“I want to do this Daniel, and I want to go fast. No more going slow.”

He’d been unable to stop smiling since he had discovered she was back in the paddock, but the grin on his face at those words was positively beaming. 

With a nod, he closed the space between them a few more inches. “I do too. But like you said back in Colorado, I want this to be ours for as long as possible. I don’t want the media to stick their noses into our business. I want you all to myself as long as possible.”

For the second time that night, fireworks started booming and illuminating the sky. It took them by surprise. Sam startled, jumping slightly and laughing at her reaction.

Daniel’s head reared back at the shock, eyes wide as his hands flew to Sam’s waist to stabilize her, laughing along with her. 

Their eyes were glued to the glimmering colors filling the sky. It was perfect. Everything about it. The fireworks. The empty paddock. An end to Daniel’s toughest season so far. An end to Sam’s contract horror. And most importantly, they were together. 

The loud bangs echoed through the empty paddock. They stood and watched, knowing it was no use to try and talk over the noise. 

Yet while Sam’s eyes were locked on the sparkling explosions, Daniel’s eyes were locked in her. He watched as the light bounced off her features and reflected in the white of her eyes. He was absolutely mesmerized by her despite everything going on around them. 

The fireworks didn’t stop, but Sam’s attention was drawn back to Daniel. 

Her smile grew, and for some reason, a small part of her was feeling shy. The vulnerability grew inside her, doubt started to creep in at the feeling and she wondered—

Then it all went silent. Because something about Daniel’s arms around her, his eyes melting her concerns into something that washed away without a second thought; it reassured her there was no reason to feel scared. It all told her that this was exactly where she needed to be. 

Sam said something to Daniel, but he had no idea what it was. Her mouth was moving, but over the sound of the fireworks, no words were coming out. 

He queried his eyebrow, letting her know he had no idea what she’d said. She rolled her eyes playfully and tried again. 

Daniel could tell she was shouting louder, the muscles in her neck straining just slightly more. His eyes focused on her lips, and watched them move. 

The third time, she said them slower and it finally clicked. Selfishly, he wanted to ask her to say them again; he would’ve wanted her to say them a thousand times if she could. 

I love you

Now there were even more fireworks, except this time they were going off inside of Daniel’s chest. Shaking, and rattling every nerve in his body. Consuming every ounce of oxygen in his lungs as they explode. Warming him from the inside out. 

There was no use I. Shouting over the continued booking of the firework, so he just mimicked Sam and wordlessly mouthed what he had to say. 

I love you too. 

And now the fireworks were going off inside of Sam.

Despite their best efforts to satiate the hunger to be back in each other's arms after everything, and attempt at keeping their newfound relationship private, they had ultimately and unknowingly been unsuccessful.

Because even from where they stood behind the HAAS hospitality, in what they thought was a damn near empty paddock, one person had their camera phone pointed directly at them for nearly the entire duration of Sam and Daniel’s conversation. Their silhouette had been lit by the flashing of the pyrotechnics, but thankfully the phone wasn’t nearly close enough to have picked up any  audio. 

It was a bump in the road, but one they had no idea about and wouldn’t until later next season. All because they hadn’t noticed this person standing in the shadows on the upper level of the building. 

But who could blame them? Tons of people are blinded by love… 

Oblivious to being recorded, the two drivers wrapped up their conversation and sealed it with another kiss before walking in opposite directions to collect their things before heading out. 

“Lindsay!” 

The phone nearly tumbled over the railing of the hospitality when she jumped a little. Her focus has been to remain so quiet and so still in hopes of going unnoticed, that the abrupt interruption scared her half to death. Quickly ending the video and tucking her phone into her back pocket, Lindsay Reynolds turned to face the person who had taken her by surprise. 

Gunther poked his head out of the door, “We need you in the garage to film something.”

“Sorry,” she apologized while trying to subdue the smirk eagerly tugging at her lips, “Let’s do it.”

All I have to say is thank you. This is the first thing I've ever seen all the way to it's end...

Or is it the end?? Watch below and find out for yourself

more info coming tomorrow ;)