The Team // A Formula One AU

Lance

I've been looking forward to Los Angeles since the start of the season. The glamour, the ocean, and the fact that my parents will finally be coming to see me race. Of course I'm excited, but I'm also a little nervous because none of the others have had their parents come to see them. Will it be weird? Will they embarrass me? Will people think I'm childish for inviting them?

That's stupid talk, I tell myself. Everyone misses their parents.

I know my teammates won't think I'm stupid. Most of them, anyway. Esteban has been on my back since I put him at the bottom of the table after Dallas, but now he's overtaken me after finishing higher in Las Vegas. So I really don't get why he's still throwing balled-up paper at my head.

"Will you tell him to stop?" Nikita glares from beside me on the back row of the bus.

"Um..."

Nikita huffs and rolls his eyes, turning his face back to his phone which is covered in texts I can't read. I can't believe I've ended up next to him again. Luckily it isn't far to LA, compared to our previous two-day journeys across the country anyway. Seriously, whoever's bright idea it was to start the season in Indianapolis needs their brain checking.

I check my watch. Almost halfway.

Things started going wrong when George decided to sit on the back row in Valtteri's favourite seat, bringing Alex with him. He said he didn't want anyone else to see his preparations for the race in LA, like he's got some special secret that he doesn't want anyone to find out about, but that meant Valtteri took the opposite windows seat where Nikita usually sulks. I sat beside him, but Nikita shoved himself into the middle seat, not wanting to associate with the other members of our team down the front. It might only be four hours, but being blocked in from both sides almost killed me before we left Nevada.

As for Esteban, he's been displaced to the toilet row where he sits alone. I haven't opened any of his paper missiles yet but I don't suppose they contain messages of encouragement.

"Can we stop? I have to pee!"

Nikita and Valtteri groan in unison. I crane my neck and recognise Lando's beaded bracelet as he waves his hand in the air, coming to my rescue. This might be my chance to change seats.

We pull over by a forest and Lando darts out of the door and off into the distance.

"Please don't go too far!" Tom yells. He starts biting his nails and I hop off the bus into the fresh breeze. It isn't too hot here since we've gained altitude and the sun has gone behind some clouds anyway. Valtteri appears beside me before striding off down the road.

"That's it, stretch your legs lads." Weird Old Phil begins jogging on the spot and I follow Val, not wanting to be around when he starts making us do push-ups.

"Esteban is driving me crazy," my friend mutters once we're away from the group.

I look at him, surprised. "Driving you crazy? It's me he's aiming for."

"I know. I don't know why he's acting like this though, he's got his own row to sit on! Not like us crammed in like sardines."

"I mean... He is in the toilet row."

Valtteri smirks and slows down, seemingly deciding this is far enough to walk.

"Don't let him get to you, Lance. He's the irritating one, not you."

"Uh... Thanks."

Back beside the bus there's a debate going on amongst Daniel's gang. While Lando is still lost in the woods, his friends are arguing about who gets to sit next to him for the second half of the journey.

"Well I was beside him the whole way south from New York, so I think I've done my fair share." Max holds his hands up and leans back against the bus.

"It might be better now he's been for a run, but he's been shaking his leg the whole way down here and I can't take it anymore," Daniel says.

"If no one else wants to then I can take a turn," Mick volunteers.

"Good idea, maybe you'll bore him to sleep."

Mick shoves Charles sideways and he laughs despite nearly tripping over his own feet. Those guys don't know how good they have it, a bouncing leg and constant conversation sounds far better than my current situation.

"I could swap with you if you like?" I ask Daniel. The group turns to look at me.

"Are you in the back row?" He asks.

"Yeah, between Valtteri and Nikita."

Daniel considers for a moment then looks to Valtteri who shrugs beside me.

"Sure. Me and Val always have a laugh, don't we mate?" He claps Val the shoulder and my friend returns a tense smile, shooting me a look of begrudging agreement. He isn't always the most exciting person to be around, but in times like these being Valtteri's best friend all becomes worth it.

I sit down in my new seat surrounded by the rest of the Dan Gang. Charles and Pierre are in the row in front while Mick sits behind me with Max. Lando is oddly quiet in the window seat, clutching his jacket to his chest as if he's suddenly gotten cold. At least his leg hasn't started bouncing yet.

"Have you swapped seats?" He asks me warily as the bus pulls off with a backbreaking shudder.

"Yeah, Daniel wanted to sit with Valtteri."

"Okay... Then I'll have to show you my secret instead."

I suck in a breath. I guess this is the kind of thing Daniel was trying to avoid.

I watch as Lando moves his coat from his chest gently, unfurling the material and beckoning me to look inside. I recoil backwards into my seat when I see it. He has a squirrel.

"Is it alive!?" I whisper frantically. Lando nods with a grin and I gingerly lean forward for another look, hoping it doesn't leap up and bite me on the nose. But the squirrel is asleep, its little chest rising and falling quickly.

"How... How did this happen?" I ask.

"I saved it from a racoon."

"Are you insane!? You could have gotten rabies!"

"You're right, I think it is a baby," he nods. He closes the coat once more and I shake my head as I glance at the people around us, grateful they've all got their own things to be getting on with.

"What are you planning to do with it?" I ask.

"Keep him until he's better. He just needs some love and some warm food."

"Okay..."

How has this happened to me? All I wanted was to be further away from Esteban, not to become a father to a wild animal. I hope the idiot tells his roommates about this at the hotel. Otherwise I don't know how I'll cope knowing I'm the only hope this animal has of surviving being kidnapped by Lando Norris.

"I think I'll name him Valentino..."