Drive to Survive [Lando Norris]

-36-

This would most likely be one of the most exciting race days for Willow in a while. Her thoughts were overflowing with excitement and pure adrenaline that all her problems seemed completely gone. She slept like a baby and she was strolling through the paddock, ready to get the day started. 

"Willow?" Even though she thought that nothing could bring her down today, the young Brits voice tore her back, stopping her in her tracks as she starred at him. 

"Can we talk?" It might have been a question that Lando was trying to get out, but it sounded more like an order. 

Willow didn't even get a chance to answer, before Lando grabbed her wrist and dragged her behind the Aston Martin motorhome, away from the public.

"Lando what-"

"What is going on?" Lando was very straightforward, a concerned expression covering his face. It only made Willow uneasy and confused. 

"Lando, what are you talking about?" she asked. 

If she hadn't been so confused, she might have been more excited by her somewhat secret boyfriend dragging her behind a motorhome and standing incredibly close. 

"Come on, Willow. What happened the other night? You've been acting so- so distanced since that. Please, just talk to me" he begged, referring to the night that Willow left both Lando and George rather confused. 

She still hadn't told Lando or anyone else about Pierre. Obviously, everyone now knew that she was Red Bull's reserve driver, but no one knew about her fight with Pierre. And she intended on having it stay that way.

"N- nothing happened, Lando. I'm fine" she said, doing everything in her power to sound sincere. 

"Willow..." Lando sighed, looking around to make sure the coast was clear before he stepped closer, grabbing Willows hand and rubbing small, gentle circles in her palm. "You can talk to me, you know that" the way his big blue/green ish eyes were starring at Willow made her heart race and her knees threatened to give in and collapse. 

"I-" was all she managed to say, her mind foggy and her throat dry. She wanted to just break down right there and then. 

"It's okay" Lando spoke, his voice low and deeper than usual. 

Willow let out a deep sigh, knowing that there was no escaping. "I had a fight with Pierre" she began, unclear of what to say next. Lando looked at her, encouraging her to go on. 

"I uh, I was contacted by Red Bull almost 2 months ago, and Christian asked me to be the new reserve driver, but I wasn't allowed to say anything yet. And then uh, he overheard Christian and I talking, and yeah, he wasn't happy" maybe it was a lot more simple that Willow thought, but it still pissed her off and she wasn't ready to talk to Pierre yet. 

It took a few moments for the words to sink in, but when they did, a saddened expression fell upon Lando's face. He wanted nothing more but to pull her closer and hold her, but the circumstances wouldn't allow that. 

"Oh Willow... I'm so sorry" Lando's face softened. 

"It's just- it sucks! I know, I should have told him sooner, but I also didn't wanna screw anything up with Christian and Red Bull and I just got so excited about it" she rambled, 

"Look, babe, I think, you should talk to him. He's your friend, he'll understand" Lando said, the words coming from his mouth made everything seem a little bit easier to her. 

"I know... I just can't do that yet. I need to focus" she breathed, pulling herself together. 

"Okay. I understand" Lando said, giving her a small smile. 

And just like that, the conversation ended and the pair walked into different directions, to different motorhomes. 

-- 

It took a lot of work and concentration, but Willow had regained her focus and she was ready to smash this race. Lily helped with her warm up drills and she smiled, watching just how focused and ready the driver looked. 

"You're good to go, Willow. Give it all, you got" Christian spoke confidently, happy to see the confidence reflecting back on his reserve drivers face. 

"Will do, Christian" she smirked, feeling the excitement grow. 

Sitting behind the steering wheel, mere seconds from lights out was nerve-wracking. The euphoria coming from the worked up crowd was drowning in the background. It was now or never. That one big chance. It was right now. 

"And it's lights out and away we go!"

"Oh both Red Bulls off to a great start, keeping their position round the first corner. Hamilton is quick on Fords tail, Red Bulls reserve driver. It will definitely be exciting to see if she can pull something great off this weekend." 

After a good pitstop, Willow emerged P3 right behind Lewis and with a Ferrari breathing down her neck. Her pace was good, and she felt ready to kick in with an attack on Lewis. 

"Gab to Hamilton 1.9 seconds. Pace looking good, how are the tyres?" Philip asked. 

"Tyres are good, let's get them" Willow responded and she began her chase for the 7th time World Champion. 

It was a tough race. Lewis was skilled and Willow was doing everything in her power to keep up and try and attack. On the positive side? She was still P3 and Max was leading. With only 14 laps to go, Willow had to give it all. It was now or never. 

Speeding down the straight, the pace was strong and she felt the adrenaline rush through her veins again. Then, round the corner and-

"Oh no! That's a big crash. Sainz locking up and sending it into the side of Ford, sending her in a whirlwind into the gravel. And it looks like the back of her car is on fire as well. That looks nasty. Nothing from the driver herself yet, but medicals and marshals are on the way"

"Willow? Are you alright? Willow?" Philip's concerned voice sounded over the radio, but judging by the scratching noise, the radio was likely to be broken. 

Her throat was itching, coughing as the smoke reached the front of the car. Her eyes watered, making her vision blurry. The ringing coming from her ears drowned everything else around her. She felt paralyzed. Her limbs were numb and it was like they stopped interacting with the part of her brain that made them move. 

"Fuck" she coughed, feeling like she was floating on a line between awake and blacking out. 

It was like everything moved in slow-motion, yet she couldn't register what was happening around her. She couldn't register, when her car was surrounded by people, some putting out the fire, some trying to get in contact with her and get her out of the car. 

But her numb limps seemed to register something after all, when she was being pulled out of the car and she was able to help herself a bit. But as soon as her feet hit the ground a shockwave of pain hit her, and if it weren't for the two marshals, she would have collapsed on the ground. 

She winced but felt grateful that her helmet was still covering her expression. Or, at least she was grateful, until she realized that her throat was dying for some fresh air. And finally her brain registered her needs and she lifted her arms, pulling her helmet off along with the balaclava, almost gasping when the fresh air finally hit her face. 

The marshals were still supporting her side and it didn't take long before she was being directed into an ambulance and that's when her brain started to shut down again and the darkness slowly swallowed her. 

A/N
Dramaaaaa. Tihi. Anyway, hope you still like the story <3