Picture Perfect | Daniel Ricciardo

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The sun had set when Daniel, his parents and Dani arrived at the airport. On their way to the airport, Daniel had gotten many flashbacks from his youth years and when these very same people came to say goodbye. The only difference was that his father most of the time would go with him and now it was only him and his trainer, Sam, who was waiting for him at the airport. Daniel had nervous flying around in his stomach. He was sure it wasn't about his long flight that he was just about going to take. Funny enough, he wished those nervous were about that. He had his arm around Dani and had pushed her tightly to his body now that it still was possible. She had her arm around his waist and hugged him back just as tightly. They didn't have to tell each other how much they were gonna miss each other, they both knew how much already.
'We're going to find a restaurant where we can sit and maybe have something to drink and have a little snack, while you two can check-in Daniel's suitcase. Text us when you're done. Okay honey?' Daniel's mom asked and patted his free shoulder with a motherly smile that said that everything was going to be okay.
'Okay.' Daniel said back and pulled Dani with him.
'Where are you meeting Sam?' Dani asked, hoping that a conversation would distract her from her thoughts that only tried to remember her that she was going to miss Daniel.
'Oh, he's also checking in with his suitcase so I think we'll see him there.' Dani nodded and he was right. They found him already queuing up and after they were done checking in Daniel they walked with Sam to the restaurant Daniel's parents had found and tried to distract themselves for just a little while until they finally had to say goodbye to Daniel and Sam. It all was going too fast for Dani's taste and in no time they stood in the middle of the airport having to say goodbye before the two men had to go through customs. Dani looked at how Daniel was hugging and saying goodbye to his parents. It had forced her to take a deep breath in and out to not suddenly start to cry.
'Don't worry Dani. I'll keep a good eye on your man. You will have him in one piece back in Melbourne.' Sam smiled as he gave her a big hug.
'Thanks Sam. But I'm not going to the Melbourne race, so you better keep him in one piece a little bit longer than that.' Dani joked, hoping that it would hide her teary eyes. God, why was she so emotional right now?
'Oh,' Sam said. 'Well, then I try to keep him in one piece just a little bit longer. But it's going to be hard.'
Dani looked at him with a smile and Sam gave her one last hug before Daniel would take over. 'You two are going to be fine. Don't worry about it.' he whispered in her ear. She nodded at him gratefully before he took a step back and let Daniel take Dani's hand. He pulled her with him a little bit away from the group to have some privacy. He turned his body to her and stared into her eyes.
'I remember this being way easier when we were pre-teens.' Daniel said an showed a grin before he gave her a long and big hug. He placed his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes. 'I'm gonna keep calling you so many times that you're slowly gonna get crazy and want to throw your phone away. I promise.' Daniel heard a laugh coming out of Dani and he pulled his head a little bit back to lock eyes with Dani.
'You're not going to have time for that.' Dani said and although she wanted it to come out in a joking way, she sounded very sad saying that and Daniel definitely heard the sadness in her voice. He cupped her face.
'I will make time for you, always.' he smiled at her. 'Trust me.'
'Okay.' she softly said. She knew she couldn't believe that as much as she liked to believe him. Because Daniel probably hadn't think about everything that was going to be in their way to make that promise get broken. Timezones was a very big factor and Dani soon started with school again she couldn't just take a phone call at three in the morning every day. And with Daniel training every day and probably having to do some simulator work and what else not for the team, she couldn't help but think this was going to be hard. But maybe now she was being very negative.
'I love you Dani. I want you to know that.' Daniel said, disturbing her thoughts. Her lips curled up and she put both of her hands on top of his. Feeling his warm hands had given her a funny feeling in her stomach.
'I love you too Daniel.' she said before curling her arms around his neck and placing her lips against his. His hands had left her face and instead were placed around her back to hug her tightly against his body. He didn't care if people or even his parents could see the intimate goodbye between Dani and himself as he kissed her passionately back.
'Am I now allowed to say that I'm gonna miss you?' Daniel asked as he shortly turned his head back. He wanted to kiss her again, but the tear that was walking off her cheek made him stop. After that one tear, more came leaking out of her eyes. Dani had tried to stop it, but after a long fight from Daniel's house to here, the tears had finally won.
'Hey, hey, hey.' Daniel said with a worried face as he wiped the tears softly away from her cheeks. 'I'm sorry. I'm trying not to cry but...' Dani stopped explaining herself because talking made her cry even more.
'It's okay Dani.' Daniel hugged her tightly against his body as he had to press his lips tightly on each other or he was going to cry too. His heart was beating faster as he could see Sam translating with his hands that they had to go. Daniel cursed in himself. He couldn't just leave a crying Dani alone. He should've asked her to come with him to Monaco. She still had a week before she was going to school. Surely there were people that took a flight that long for even fewer days. 'Dani?'
She looked up after she let out another sob and wiped off her tears herself. 'I know you have to go.' she said.
'You're the first I will call or text when I arrive, okay?' She nodded at him and gave him just one last tight hug.
'Call me. I don't care what time it's going to be here. I will pick up.' she whispered to him. She looked with her teary eyes in his. 'I'm gonna miss you.'
'I'm gonna miss you too. But we can do this. I love you.' They slowly let each other go when Daniel's parents and Sam walked over to them.
'It's time to go, mate.' Sam said and patted his shoulder. Daniel nodded and said his final goodbyes. The two men slowly walked away from the group and Grace took it upon her to give Dani a motherly hug while they looked how they walked away. Sam gave Daniel a look as they walked into customs.
'Are you okay?' he asked with a worried face.
'I will be. Just give me a little bit of time.' Daniel mumbled as he took off his shoes like the workers had asked him to do. This was definitely harder then he had ever experienced before.