Just Him ❤

42. It all comes out.

A/N: this chapter will have content that some readers could find distressing. Please feel free to skip this chapter if you feel it's too much. This is as dark as i'll let the story get. It's quite a long one as I wanted to get it all into one part. Thank you xx

Qualifying had come to an end and Chloe's nerves started to calm down. Her investment in her driver had risen considerably since she'd first started to work for him, now she also watching him drive as his girlfriend. She removed the headphones she'd been given to listen to all of Seb's radio transmissions and picked up her phone and her recording device so that she'd be ready to head to the media pen. From there they'd then head to the press conference. Antti followed her as she walked across the pit lane to wait for Seb. With third on the grid she knew he'd probably have mixed feelings about today, the team wasn't expecting Mercedes to be as quick as they were. Paul Di Resta had wrapped up his post quali interviews and Seb appeared through a gateway in the barrier, heading towards them. He passed his helmet and hans device to Antti and took the bottle of energy drink he handed him.
"You did great out there." Chloe said as they started walking to the media pen and she gave him his Ferrari cap."How did it feel?"

"The car felt good, but as you could see, not quick enough." He replied. She could tell he was very much still in driver mode by the tone of his voice, so she kept quiet until they got to the media pen. Straight away journalists and tv sports reporters were clamouring for his attention. She pointed the RTL reporter out to him and put her hand on his back for a moment to gently guide him over there. She had the recorder switched on and held it in front of him making sure to capture every word he said. She noticed when it came to the English reporters (the only ones she could understand) he was asked the same questions over and over. She had to admit seeing Seb fully into a race weekend had been fascinating, no one could question his focus and no one could question their professionalism, they worked really well together. Most of the time he didn't even have to ask for things, she, along with Antti, just seemed to know what Seb wanted or needed without him having to ask. They all seemed to communicate just by exchanging looks. They were pretty seamless between the three of them. With the media pen done and dusted they headed to the press conference. As with the last time, Chloe placed her recorder on the desk and took her place on the front row. Lewis came in, somehow having had time to change. She knew Seb was actually quite good friends with Lewis, but she just found his arrogance annoying and so spoke very little to him. She allowed herself a minute or two with her thoughts while Lewis and Valtteri spoke.

                                ~*~

Sitting in the hospitality tent, Chloe finished typing up some quotes to send to Giulia and opened her emails. She sat back for a moment and checked the time on her phone. She was just waiting for Seb to come out from his final debrief meeting and then they'd head back to the hotel.
"Hi, how's your day been?" Antti sat down opposite her.

"Pretty much the same as yours I expect." She replied.

"Feeling good about properly being back into it though?"

"Yes, very much. I've found it fascinating seeing Seb in action today." She closed her lap top, she'd had enough of it for today.

"He's been pleased with how you've been working together, he told me earlier when he came to get changed." Antti leaned his elbows on the table.

"I'm glad, I did wonder if being together in and out of F1 would work but so far so good."

"Ready to go?" Seb walked in along with Francesco and came to a stop standing behind her chair with his hands on her shoulders.

"Very much so." Chloe grinned, she'd have her Seb back for the evening now instead of the intensely focused racing driver she'd been working with. She stood up, packing her lap top away in her bag, and gave a little wave to everyone as they turned to leave.