racing hearts - a Fabio Quartararo fanfiction [🇬🇧]

chapter 14

[Car's outside - James Arthur]

It was now half past five.
Someone from the Redbull Racing Team had also called me to see how I was doing, what was wrong and how long my injuries would last.
I explained everything to her the doctor told me earlier. I also apologized again that it turned out to be a race without points again.
However, the employee assured me that the most important thing at the moment was my health and, above all, that I was still alive.
I was pretty sure the team call was only coming now as the race had ended seconds ago and the interviews were about to start.
So it wouldn't surprise me that I would see an interview of Christian soon giving the all-clear.

Actually, the race should have ended much earlier, but the red flag, which I triggered, lasted half an hour. There were also a few yellow flags, which delayed the end of the race again.
I was just looking at the podium and I was actually quite happy because at least Max got points for the team.
Since I didn't score any points, I'm still third in the championship, but I didn't lose any place, which at least gave me a little motivation.
I felt a vibration next to me. It was my phone which revealed to me that Mick had texted me. I clicked on the chat.

hey
The race is over now, which
is why we're texting now

What did he mean by "we"? I decided to keep reading.

We've been told that you're okay
Thank God
Write back as soon as you can
-Mick & Daniel

Now I knew what Mick meant by "we". I answered him directly so that they also have an official confirmation from me that everything is really fine.

Hey, yes I'm fine
I'm not really injured and I'm
feeling okay
I was lucky

A few seconds later the next message from Mick came. I didn't bring up the speed thing again as I was pretty sure he already knew as it was also in Christian's interview he gave a few minutes ago.

That's good to hear
Daniel had to go back
to his team and me too
I'll call you in
the evening, ok?
Then we can talk better,
but I'm damn glad I can
text you at all right
now after this crash

So my suspicion was confirmed.
I agreed because of the phone call and put my phone away.
I noticed now that I got headaches again as soon as I was on the phone for a longer period of time.
Suddenly I heard a knock on the door, which opened a few seconds later and-
Shit, my assumption was probably right.
"Dude, you're crazy."
That was the first thing that escaped me as I stared at him in disbelief.
Fabio, who was standing in the doorway, grinned, "Dude, you're probably right, but I just had to see you now."
I too got a huge smile and Fabio came to my bed.
We immediately hugged each other.
I almost clawed at him.
On the one hand because I was able to touch him for the first time in three weeks, on the other hand because I realized that this might never have happened if I had driven faster.
We looked at each other for a moment and our lips were touching each other's a few seconds later.
As in the car, the explosion in my stomach came again.
"God, I missed you," I said after we parted.
"I missed you too. I hate never being able to be with you," replied Fabio as he took a chair and sat down next to me on the bed, "but now first explain to me how that happened and where you are hurt you."
So I just started to explain briefly, "It was quite normal the first lap and as I was about to go into turn 7 I started spinning and crashed. The doctor said it was putting pressure on my head which is why I was unconscious and I don't even remember starting afterwards. I just watched it earlier so I know how it happened."
Fabio listened carefully and I didn't miss the worried look in his eyes.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, which prompted me to show him my right hand as it was hidden under the covers until recently.
"They had to splint the fingers," I said, "but nothing is broken. I have a few bruises and nothing happened to my head..."
I only said the end of the sentence softly when I saw Fabio's gaze, which almost pierced me. It looked as if he was trying to read my mind and slowly I realized that he was able to do it.
Fabio got suspicious. He noticed that I didn't mention everything.
He looked deep into my eyes and asked, "Is there anything else?"
I tried to avoid eye contact, but didn't really succeed.
"No, what else should there be?" I asked, my tone rising a notch.
Damned. That always happened when I lie.
I hoped Fabio didn't miss this, but he tilted his head slightly and gave it a thoughtful look, which told me he hadn't missed it.
"I don't want to force you into anything, but you should know that you can always talk to me. No matter what," Fabio said and took my hand, which wasn't in the rail, "I love you, Nika."
I felt goosebumps run through me. A heat rose in me.
This was the first time...
The first time I heard these words from Fabio's mouth.
We've been a couple for three weeks, but these words just came of his lips for the first time.
I think we both secretly wanted to say those words as soon as we meet again. In reality, the effect of the words was much greater than saying it over the phone.
I looked at him and got a smile on my lips, "I love you too, Fabio."
I also caught a smile on his lips before I looked away from him again and my smile faded.
I noticed Fabio stroking the back of my hand with his thumb once, which gave me the go-ahead to tell him what was going on.
"10 km/h more and I probably would have died," I spoke quickly, my gaze fixed on the covers of my bed.
I felt Fabio squeeze my hand: "But you didn't. And that's the important thing, okay? You're still here and that's the only thing that matters."
I looked at him again. Even if it didn't seem like it, I still noticed that Fabio was also a bit shocked by this news. His voice was firm and determined, but it showed in his eyes.

What I noticed in the last few weeks was that Fabio liked to act tough and yet had a soft core.
He liked playing the protector. Even if he didn't notice it, it sometimes didn't do him any good.
And somewhere there could come a point where his soft core and tough nature get in the way...

Fabio spent the rest of the evening with me. He really distracted me and we caught up on the physical time that we hadn't had in the last three weeks.
But he also had to say goodbye and made his way home shortly before eight o'clock.
I still thought it was crazy that he drove from his route to here to the hospital, even though it's 'only' an hour's drive. And yet I was glad that we saw each other again.
Suddenly I heard a melody, which meant I got a call.
Before I looked at the screen I was pretty sure it would be Mick.
And it was also confirmed, whereupon I immediately clicked on accept.
"Hey," came his voice on the other end of the line.
"Hey, how are you?" I asked.
Mick laughed ironically: "I think I should ask you this question first, right? So, tell me everything."
And so I explained for the third time today what the doctor told me.
"... I'll probably be able to go home tomorrow, but I have to wear the splint for another week. But I'm fit again for Spain."
"That's good. Thank God the cars are now built very safely. I don't want to imagine this crash a few years ago without a halo."
A shudder ran through my body.
"Yes, I think it would have been over without the Halo. Even without the 10 km/h. But I don't want to think about that at all."
Mick realized that a change of subject was in order and started with something else, "By the way; Danny and I are still here in Italy."

Mick should actually be on his way back to Monaco by car and Daniel should have been on the plane to Australia long ago.

"When we got the all-clear, we thought that you'd probably be allowed to go home soon and that's why we stayed here. That means we'll pick you up tomorrow, drop Daniel off at the airport and then we'll continue towards Monaco."
Now I felt anticipation for tomorrow. "Thank you! I'll let you know as soon as I know the time of discharge. Is Daniel with you right now?"
Mick laughed briefly, "Yes, but he's sleeping right now. He was so worried about you today that he's exhausted and fell asleep as soon as we entered the new hotel room. You know him..."
I've been thinking about that all day. Dan will probably be the biggest concern. Even if the worries were completely in vain after the all-clear, as Mick reported to me afterwards, he didn't give up until I wrote back to the two after the races.

Daniel was by far the one who worried the most as soon as something happened to me.
He had an instinct that helped him protect me from the bad and always be there for me. A father instinct.
Yes, after the things that happened Dan was sort of a father role for me once I got into F1.
And he played the role damn well.

Mick and I talked a bit more, but my tiredness soon caught up with me. All the events today have made me extremely tired, which is why my eyes would close at any moment.
I explained that to Mick, who seemed to understand and we ended the conversation shortly thereafter and decided to continue it tomorrow.
We said good night and as soon as I put my phone on the bedside table, I fell into a deep sleep.