Something Gained

Chapter Eighty-Six

"Welcome everyone. It's the beginning of the 2022 season, we're glad to have our dream team of Daniel and Lando" everyone cheered and clapped as Zak spoke "and of course every single of you, we go again this year to keep heading up in the right direction. We obviously have two new members of the team, Sophie and Ben, our press officers for the drivers so I hope everyone's made them feel welcome" again everyone clapped and Sophie blushed across from me "so let's have a lovely team dinner, the first of many this year, we begin in sunny Spain for our pre season track session, it's a practise run for everyone single one of us, so good luck to everyone, let's have an amazing year and let's work hard, thank you" Zak raised his glass to the large table in the hotel restaurant, everyone did the same and we all clinked glasses with the people nearby us.

I was still so tired, the nap I had was great but I could of stayed asleep all night, Daniel rested his hand on my leg under the table and rubbed his thumb across it. I had dressed up, we all had, but it was more to make myself feel better, but my dress had hitched up and his skin was burning into mine. I put my hand on his and he smiled. I wasn't feeling hungry so I didn't eat much, but I drank plenty of water. We all got up to leave and Daniel walked ahead with Lando and Michael made sure to wait for me.
"You don't need to worry"
"I'm tasked to be your btec Daniel" he laughed
"Btec" I laughed but it hurt my head "I'm so sick of being tired"
"You know I give great piggybacks" Michael chuckled, I looked at him, well up at him, he was similar height to Daniel so he was taller than me.
"Go on then" I laughed, I hitched my dress up a little and jumped on Michael, he caught me easily "am I heavy?" I laughed in his ear
"No, you're like a feather Lex" he said, his hands were behind my knees and he walked as I kept my arms securely around his neck, making sure not to choke him.
"What are you doing?" Daniel laughed
"Being the queen she is, she can't possibly walk" Michael said, Daniel nodded and walked alongside
"As long as you don't start going off with mr Italiano here" he smirked
"Ahh, well apparently I have a thing for Australians so" I joked
"I'm also a lot stronger than he is" Michael joked
"Woah woah woah" Daniel laughed, he pressed the button of the lift for the three of us, Lando had already gone up.
"You can put me down now" I said to Michael, he turned his head and smiled
"Sure?" He asked, I nodded and pressed my cheek against his making a kissing sound
"Thank you" I said as I jumped down. "Oh that's depressing, I'm short again" I sighed stepping into the lift
"That's your natural state bubs" Daniel smiled and put his arm round my shoulders.

I woke the next morning to my alarm and literally groaned. This was no joke, day 5 of this, I was nearly done with my antibiotics but I had taken paracetamol every single day, every four hours, plus vitamins in the morning and probiotics as well. I had slept for majority of the time and probably drank the equivalent to the Pacific Ocean in water, I still felt so weak. But I had to push through, I had a job to do. I got up and had a shower and got dressed, leaving Daniel to sleep peacefully in bed. It was day one of three days of pre season track testing, it was for the guys to get back into the cars and be back on track, and to see what worked well and what didn't, and for the engineers and mechanics to get back into things as well. I got out the shower and was greeted by Daniel at the door.
"I made you tea, on the dressing table" he said, kissing my forehead. I missed the proper kisses, since getting ill we hadn't kissed or anything and I felt sad about it, I missed him even though he was right with me. He was so sweet though, he was also half asleep still. I was worried for him, he looked a bit tired himself, Michael had told me that he was still waking up through the night a lot to check on me and it was concerning me, we talked last night about it but it clearly didn't make a difference.

"DR3, LN4" Lando yelled through the hotel. I rolled my eyes and walked down, meeting Sophie and Ben on the way.
"Another warning, they're basically children" I said to them
"Seriously no joke, that's why it takes so many of us" Michael laughed
"Oh I also forgot to say, not sure if you're aware. You obviously will be on camera a lot of the time from journalists but also with McLaren they do an unboxed series on YouTube that's filmed for every race, this week none as it's not as important, but it will be from the first testing in Bahrain. Then there will also be Netflix filming throughout, but they let us know in advance when they're filming" I told them, I sipped my water as my throat was dry as we got into the big van taking us to the Barcelona track. They both nodded along with me
"Are you still taking everything?" Michael whispered to me as I settled right at the back between him and Daniel
"Yeah, but honestly I feel shocking" I said to Michael, I leaned my head on his shoulder and he kissed the top of my head. My relationship with Michael was a lovely friendly one, but in the last few months it had developed, he was such a friendly person, like a brother, I knew Daniel didn't mind. Himself and Michael were so close, and now so was myself and Michael. Michael looked out for me when Daniel wasn't there
"Maybe go and see the doctor when we're back? Just to make sure?" Daniel suggested, I nodded and put my mask back on, I had been wearing it a lot around everyone to make sure no one else got ill, I was worried Daniel would and I had tried to stay away but he wasn't having that of course.

The group of us, two drivers, two personal trainers and three PR exited the van. The guys walked ahead while I walked with Sophie and Ben.
"Right, it's not as big as it will be come the first race, but it's a lot easier to work out what you're doing and where you're going. So here we are, welcome to your first paddock. You each have your badges, you can't get in without them" I said, they followed me through scanning.
"Do you want us to wait?" Lando asked
"You guys go ahead" I said, they all nodded and Lando took my bag from me, I smiled and let them walk off.
"This is amazing" Sophie beamed "I love being here, I've missed this"
"It so is" Ben agreed
"It doesn't get any less thrilling I can promise you that. So this is the paddock, McLaren is the big orange one obviously down there, our home. We're in the middle, in a race weekend it's crazy outside the gates, it's better in here but still big, it's not a general access but you'll have full strength teams, marshalls, the FIA personnel, all the journalists, cameras and crews, then special guests plus fans who have bought special paddock passes for entry" I said as we walked down towards the papaya building, talking more to Ben than to Sophie
"Alex!" Someone yelled, I turned round and saw Carlos dressed in his red Ferrari attire, walking alongside Charles
"Hey" I greeted, I loved Carlos.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, I waved at Charles who smiled back and waved
"I'm okay, getting there. Are you excited?" I asked him, his smile was so wide
"You know I am. New McLaren?" He asked gesturing to the two people standing behind me
"Yep, new PO's. Guys this is Carlos and Charles, Ferrari obviously. Boys this is Sophie, and Ben"
"Trust me, best woman in the world. You'll love her" Carlos smiled
"Everyone speaks so highly of Alex" Ben smiled
"She's amazing, anyway we've got to go. See you on the track" Carlos winked, I waved goodbye to them both.
"Do you know many of them?" Ben asked as we continued to walk
"You get to know everyone, I know Carlos closely as I used to work with him when he was at McLaren during my first year, I've hung out with them a few times because of Dan and Lando, but it's like a massive family circus when you are in F1" I said smiling "and here we are" I said as we stood outside the trailer. "Quick tour and then work work work" I smiled.

I showed them round the trailer, where the cafeteria was, the briefing rooms for engineering, where Daniel and Lando's rooms were, and finally my office where they would be keeping there stuff. Then we moved onto the garage quickly where they saw the cars and the pit lane and all the screens. The magic happens here for sure, they were very excited, now it was time
to work though.