Without You [Daniel Ricciardo]

EPILOGUE

Lafayette Cemetery was quiet early in the morning. Even birds went silent as Daniel and Nico stood over the dark whole in the ground. After days of crying, Daniel had no more tears to spill over his beloved's grave. He felt numb as their little world came to an end. He came back to the state he was in before he met Zoe. He was again an empty shell of a man, walking around with no purpose. There was no hope, no sense without her. Only dark void, which was swallowing him. Nico pulled out from his pocket the golden piece of metal which caused all of this. He looked at it one last time, before he throw it to the whole. It hit the coffin, making a dull sound. Nico didn't learn the numbers by heart or write them down. He wanted to get rid off it as soon as possible. There was no good from the founders' treasure, only pain. Their secret should stay buried. Daniel seemed like he's about to faint or throw himself into the dark abyss. Nico approached him, touching his shoulder gently. "Why did you do that?". Daniel asked with sorrow in his voice. "I had to do that. There was no other way. Romain was about to fly away". Nico shook his head. "She asked for it". His brother looked at him, clenching his jaw. "So you just listened her like that? She was in shock! She didn't know what she was doing!". "No, Danny. Zoe knew exactly what she was doing. She was fully aware of what she's asking me for. As much as she loved you, she wanted to die. Because that meant that you'll be safe". "God, you're so stupid! You don't understand!". Daniel yelled, while some tears escaped his eyes. His chest was rising and falling in uneven rhythm. "I let her in. I don't let people in". His voice was breaking. "You knew this Nico and you've taken her away from me!". He sighned, looking up to the clouded sky. Even world seemed to be mourning today. "I needed her and you've broken me. She was my world, my everything...". Nico clenched his fingers into fists. He felt guilty enough for killing Zoe. Daniel's words only made him feel worse, but some things had to be finally said. "I did what I had to do. She asked for it. And yes, I pulled the trigger. Yes, I did. I made the thing everybody always expected from me. You were the golden child in the crew, while I was a guy doing the dirty work. Do you even know what that means? He made me kill women, children... You don't know how it feels like. You think you're a monster? I am the true monster here. And that's what monsters do, they kill good people. We don't get to escape to our room, because we don't have one, Danny". Daniel swallowed hard, seeing his brother in such state for the first time in his life. He didn't remembered the moment when they were that honest towards each other. That's true that Nico had seen more shit as Daniel was meant for greatness, but Nico never made him feel guilty about it. He never even mentioned that before. Daniel never asked for it, to be taken away from his family, to be trained for assassin, to be stuck in a loop where he constantly kept losing people. "I lost the woman I love too. Did you even thought about?". Nico continued. "Egle was Romain's spy all the time. I trusted her, I invited her to our house... I let her in. I was happy and I lost it. But who cares? You're the most important person here. Everything must spin around you". Daniel's eyes widened at his words. "Alessandra was my sister too. I knew how much she loved you, so I pulled you out from that church. It wasn't easy for me. I was mourning, but I had to keep going, because you didn't care about anything". Daniel turned away, looking back at Zoe's grave. "I guess we don't know how to talk to each other anymore". He said and Nico nodded. "Maybe you're right".

Daniel was so angry at Nico in this moment, but he decided not to show it. His brother could find a better circumstanes for such conversation. He could see something broke in him, long before Zoe died. Egle meant the world to him, though their love might not be as passionate as his with Zoe. Daniel never realised that. But now Nico expected that everything soon will come back to normal. It won't. There is no normal anymore. Whenever he'll look at his brother he will see him, killing the love his life. No matter if she asked for it or not, this image will haunt him in his dream. He will never be okay. Thought about Zoe lying six feet under made him sick. He'll never be over it. He'll never accept it. "I'll wait for you in the car". Nico left him alone as the tension between them wasn't pleasant. Daniel felt another tears streaming down his face. He wiped them away, while starring at the coffin in the whole. "You stole what was left from my heart and soul, and now I've lost you forever". He sobbed. "I have nothing without you, Zoe Taylor".

The journey from Lafayette Cemetery to the mansion was silent. Nico was focused on the road, while Daniel looked out through the window. Yesterday he left Mrs. Taylor a message about what happened, when and where they decided to bury Zoe. She didn't show up. Apparently she didn't want to say goodbye. When Nico drove into the mansion's property, they noticed a black car standing at the front of the house. The registration informed them it travelled here all the way from New York City. Nico pulled over next to it, while the door of the car opened. Daniel observed as a man dressed in a black suit got out and looked at them briefly. His hair was dark, his skin brown-tanned just like his, the heritage of South Europeans countries. The mysterious man rounded his car, opening the passenger door on the side. Daniel frowned, but then his eyes widened at the sight. He immediately uncliped his belt and got out of Nico's car in the speed of light, while his brother couldn't move. He came closer to the woman who now stood next to man. She was holding his hand. Her dark hair blew slightly by the wind. Daniel wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. That was some horrible joke from the universe. It couldn't be happening, but she was here, looking healthy and alive. "Alessandra". He spoke softly, before embracing his sister tightly he thought he lost.

This is the end of "Without You". It was my first F1 story. A lot of things were done by me for the first time and the support I received was overwhelming. I love this fandom so so much! Thank you for joining me throughout this journey. I hoped you liked it. I have another story about Alessandra in the works which I think would be a nice prequel for this story. What do you think?

Until next time :)