My Escape

Chapter 15: The Clash

Sunday, February 6 – L.A. Coliseum

"This is complete mayhem," Danielle comments as her and Chase stand at the top of the coliseum, looking down on the second last chance race. Thankfully, for her nerves, he had been solid in his qualifying race for a fourth to lock himself in to the big show.

"Would you expect otherwise with everything on the line in this small of a track?" Chase questions to which she laughs and shakes her head no. She was exactly surprised it hadn't started sooner.

"Bubba driving over his head and turning into a wrecking ball doesn't surprise me..." Chase looks over, now surprised as she wasn't one to voice much opinions before today. "What? I still haven't forgave him for what an ass he was at the ROVAL."

"That was two years ago..." Danielle nods her head, easily recalling the moment vividly. Sure, she was a Blaney fan, but she could never understand how someone could be friends with a guy like that.

"The same way that you weren't able to forgive Kevin immediately, and the same way I suppose you still think Denny is a complete ass." Chase nods his head, still surprised they were having the conversation, but knowing she wasn't wrong in her words either.

"Didn't he prove again he was yesterday?" Danielle nods her head, almost wanting to laugh in watching the way Bubba was driving. That would just give Denny a headache to have to endure tomorrow, and the season ahead.

"Can I be a fly on the wall at 23XL tomorrow? I mean, who wrecks their new teammate in the first race together?" Chase was a little surprised himself, though also knew it was partially a matter of circumstance with how chaotic things had gotten. It just sucked Alex would now miss the show because of it.

"Shit could be interesting later...."

Later on that day, Danielle found herself sitting at the top of the crew section of the stands, ready to watch her man behind the wheel now. He was doing a good job, having worked his way through some of the traffic to just outside the top-10.

Then it happened as she watched the No. 9 Chevrolet go around, barely clipping the outside wall.

"Shit!" She lets out, knowing that was going to be good for their chances.

Being privileged to the scanner audio, she heard about the mechanical issue, slightly confused as to what that was, but hopeful in believing the guys could fix it.

She watched as he began to make his way back forward, only taking her eyes off of him when she realized Ryan was done for the event. She evidently pouted immediately, wishing it had gone differently for him. She was surprised by his reaction in throwing the HANs at Erik Jones, but applauded him in knowing he needed to stand his ground.

She spent the rest of the event focused on the No. 9, seeing him cross the finish line in 11th when it was all said and done.

"It was harder to make moves than I realized it would be," Chase comments after getting changed later. "And I just couldn't stop the left front from locking up."

"What causes that?" Danielle questions, genuinely curious though also trying to create a general feel of conversation.

"Brakes may be the reason, or just being too tight going into the corner. Certainly overlooking everything afterwards in being a new car will probably help with some answers and theories."

It wasn't long before they were on the plane ride back home, with Danielle's eyes glancing out the window to gaze over the area.

"I know there's an opening for a traveling doctor, and I was thinking it may be a good idea," she muses, catching Chase's attention. He had several questions about that as to how she found out about it, and more.

"Do you really feel it's a good idea, or are you just doing that to keep running from what happened?" Chase questions, as she glances over at him curious by the timing of the question. "I mean, we haven't talked about it yet so I know you're avoiding it that way. We also know he is around town, has approached your work."

"Would it be so wrong to want to run away, though, and to know I'd be safe with you on weekends?" He bit his tongue, wanting to bite the temptation of that line but knowing he had to stand his ground to help her right now.

"No, it's not wrong, because I was the same way with the pain that I endured myself. However, you can't keep running forever because eventually it will catch up with you. The only way to deal with it is handle it."