sweet escape [c.l.]

prologue

Before

The setting sun cast a warm glow over the field as the couple embraced themselves.

"You know," Rory lifted her head from Charles' chest, "I wish I could live here."

"In Andorra?" He took a bite out of the strawberry and leaned more into the towel that was below him.

"No," She accepted the strawberry he was offering, "in a field like this."

"And what's stopping you?"

She looked at him sideways, "'Cause that would totally work with me being a doctor."

"It could," He pulled her to him, "you could open up your own clinic in a place like this."

"I don't know Charlie, I first need the experience and I don't want to ask my parents for money..." She trailed off, staring at the sky above them, lost in her thoughts.

Charles followed her gaze after dropping a feather-like kiss on her forehead. Silence lingered between them, and while it wasn't uncommon this time it was different.

It was the last day of their vacation and that meant that reality was approaching rapidly and with it came the question they were both avoiding. What would be of their relationship?
They would both be working somewhat together, but paddock relationships never worked without external problems getting in the middle of the relationship. It was hard, none wanted to let go, but neither knew what to do.

"Rory?" She looked up at him, "What are we going to do?"

She sat up, "About what?"

"Us."

She turned her back to him and sighed, "Charlie..."

"It's time we talk about this Rory, it's the last day of vacation and soon we will be getting back to work..."

Aurora turned around and sat starling Charles with her arms around his neck, he automatically put his arms around her waist, "You know I don't want to go into work with a relationship." She confessed, her voice soft, "Paddock relationships are already difficult as it is and me being new I don't want anyone to think that I got the job because I'm your girlfriend..."

Charles laid his head on her shoulder snuggling closer to her and pulling her to him, Aurora ran her fingers through his hair. This was hard on both of them but they knew that it needed to be done. It would be Rory's first contact with this side of the media and entering it as Charles Leclerc's girlfriend would only complicate things.

Rory started to feel wetness on her neck making her lift Charles face, "We are going to be okay, I promise." She pulled his face closer to hers and kissed him, "In a week's time you won't even remember me," she teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

"That will never happen."

Now

"It's always the same thing every year, they want to introduce us to the team and no one changes."

"Okay, grandpa," Lando said, escaping from Lewis' slap.

To be honest Charles wasn't really interested in listening to the rest of the drivers bickering. See, the drivers were being introduced to the team they would be working with for that season and right now it was time for the medical team and Charles couldn't wait to see Rory.

He looked to his side when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Will you stop bouncing on your feet?" Pierre asked, "You're making me nauseous."

Charles raised his hands in surrender and stopped moving and started playing with his ring instead.

"Listen up, everyone," they all looked at the man, "this is the same thing each year, so let's get a move on. The only addition we have to the medical team is Aurora Delgado, she just recently graduated medical school so don't give her a lot of work. I will let you all move around and catch up for a bit while I go and talk to the team executives."

As the drivers started talking amongst themselves and the people that they already knew, catching up on the summer vacation, Charles made a beeline next to Aurora.

"Hello, you are Aurora Delgado, right?" The boy asked with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, and you are...?" She was going to play along.

"Charles Leclerc," he picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, "at your service."