Unspoken (Sebastian Vettel Fanfiction)

something's wrong // 35

When your breath catches in your throat it's like someone is holding your breath for you, and all you can do is wait because really, now you are powerless. 

That's how Darcey felt as she watched her life be destroyed right in front of her. Everything she had worked hard for, valued, loved taken away from her just like that. She was powerless to stop it from happening and there was nobody who could help her. 

"Are you happy now?" Darcey stuttered, through tear-stained eyes as she stared down at the floor refusing to meet his eyes.

"I will be when you leave" Brad smirked, as he thought about his plan finally coming together.

"Well there's nothing left for me here, you've made that perfectly clear" Darcey hissed, "Now just let me go"

"It's not that easy, I need to be sure nobody sees you." Brad explained, "I'll be back in the morning to let you out, then you can go and don't come back"

"You can't leave me in here" 

"Sure I can, I survived a lot worse"

The room fell into darkness as Brad left the cabin, the sound of the lock and chain banging against the metal doors. It was like a scene straight out of a horror film, the wind rattling the gates for extra measure. 

For the first time since Nate had died, Darcey cried herself to sleep but this time she wasn't in Sebastian's arms as he soothed her to sleep. No, she was alone and she felt like she only had herself to blame. Since joining Red Bull, her life had been flipped and turned upside down and she was beginning to wish she stayed in her small town after all. 

"I just don't get it" Sebastian tried to express to Heikki, as they sat at the hotel bar. "It doesn't make sense to me. I've never been confused when it comes to Darcey. I can read her like an open book, but I never saw this coming" Sebastian declared sadly, remembering how he always knew what she needed even she didn't herself. He got her like nobody had before.

"You said you called her right? How did she sound on the phone?" Heikki asked, trying to help his friend out of his worries. 

"Like, not Darcey" Seb spoke, then sighed rubbing his neck as he thought back to his short phone call. "Something wasn't right in her voice, something's wrong" 

Sunday morning wasn't the same without Darcey, giving him her normal encouraging smile or witty remarks about keeping out of trouble. In the two years of being here, Darcey had made quite the impact on not only him but everyone around her. Her absence was felt amongst the garage, as they still struggled to come to terms with the mechanic's shock exit. 

The team arrived at the circuit early that morning and continued on their way to the locker rooms to change. Each mechanic had their own locker where they stored all their things during a race, their bag, shoes, keys etc. 

It then came to Brad's attention that Darcey's was still locked up, all her things still inside which sparked concern for his plan. He waited for everyone to leave before he attempted a four-digit code, trying to retrieve any evidence. 

"Hey buddy, you coming or not?" Scotty called out, before realising what Brad was up to. "Wait, is that Darcey's bag?" 

"Uh, yeah she left it" Brad quickly explained, his eyes darting between the bag and his coworker.

"She left it?" Scotty asked, sadness evident in his voice "Wow, she must've been in a hurry then" Brad let out a sigh of relief as it seemed that he was buying it.

"I guess so, but the race goes on" Brad grinned, patting the other mechanic on the shoulder as he walked past him. "I'll see you in a bit, just got some stuff I gotta sort out first alright"

Brad had more than just the race to worry about, as he made a quick detour on his way to the garage. He had already made all the arrangements he needed to in order to have Darcey leave unnoticed by anyone, but his plan was halted as a familiar figure walked out in front of him.

"Excuse me, it's Brad right?" David asked, causing the young man to falter slightly.

"Uh-yes" Brad answered awkwardly, not sure what to do with himself now. The two stood there for what felt like minutes as David tried to sus the mechanic out, something seemed off. 

"It's just, you're good friends with Darcey, so I was wondering if you'd heard from her at all?" David explained, "With her leaving so suddenly, I just wanna check she's okay"

"Oh yeah, uh-she phoned me this morning actually. She's home now but wished the team good luck and was sorry about how she left things" Brad expressed, trying to piece the lie together. He hoped that the presenter would buy his little story.

"Right, I see" David stated, "Well if you hear from her again, send my best wishes and good luck today as well" The presenter said his farewells and walked in the direction of the C4 suite. Realising he had now missed his opportunity, Brad decided the best thing to do was to return to the garage. 

And for the third time that weekend, Brad came rushing into the garage leaving the rest of the team to wonder where he had been in the first place. 

But Heikki knew exactly where he came from as he watched him appear out of nowhere, clutching a Red Bull backpack far too tightly for Heikki's liking. What was Brad up to? 

A poor start from Sebastian had him falling back to third behind Mark and the Lotus of Romain, but Seb wasn't about to give up. After keeping his head down, and a lucky strategy call he was able to return to his first-place position. Now with his fourth title within reach, all he had to do was finish in the top five, but Sebastian wasn't thinking about that yet. He had a girl to find. 

The interviews were caught short, and the media pen was avoided all together that afternoon as Sebastian made his way back to the garage. The team had already begun the pack down, preparing to ship everything out ready for India in two weeks time. 

Amongst the chaos Sebastian was able to spot something hiding behind the tires, wondering how it had gotten there. 

"Who left this here?" Sebastian called out, as he pulled the team members backpack out and showing it to the team. Most of the crew had already left the garage making there way over to the lorries and shipping containers.

"Wasn't me" Will jumped in as the driver game him a questioning look, because honestly he wouldn't be surprised if he had put it there and forgotten about it. "Does it have a name?"

Sebastian unzipped the bag, the familiar scent from the content inside hitting him in the face as he looked through the pieces inside. If he wasn't sure of it before he sure was now, as he pulled out an old Mclaren hat, signed by Jenson Button himself. 

"It's Darcey's" Sebastian said her name as he tried to gather his thoughts, panic setting in as he was faced with what he knew all along. She hadn't left on her own accord. There was no way. 

"What a Mclaren hat? Maybe she finally saw sense and threw it out" Will interrupted again, earning a warning look from Scotty and Seb as they both gathered around the bag.

"It was from her Dad, she would never leave it here" Sebastian explained, holding it tightly "There's no way she'd go anywhere without this cap, it's been in her bag since she started"

"I think that's the same one I saw Brad with earlier, he was acting pretty odd too" Heikki explained, the driver slowly turned to gawk at him now. 

"Tell me everything"

After Heikki told Sebastian everything he knew about Brad and his morning antics, there was no time to waste as the running Sebastian Vettel made his deputy. Taking no notice of the crowded paddocks until he came to a stop.

"Darcey! I know you're here!" Sebastian called, hoping to hear her, hear anything. He walked around frantically, banging on all the container around him. The thought of her being trapped inside one of them giving him a wave of panic and anger. 

Just as he went to shout again, something git Sebastian in the back of the head sending the driver down to the floor in seconds.