Like a moth drawn to a flame

I will be there

*Charles*

Luisa had finally fallen asleep and I was seriously worried. I had gone to see her in the first place because I was worried. She hadn't replied to any of my messages, and that was really weird, because I had been sure that she hadn't been asleep yet.  And even now I wasn't convinced that she had told me the truth, but I had taken it that way for now.

Maybe what she had told me was also part of the truth. But certainly not the full truth.

She had told me that she was worried about Mick and that she often lay awake not knowing how to help him. I was sure it was because she loved her brother very much and if I hadn't held her last season, I'm sure Kevin's door slamming at Günther Steiner would have been quiet. She had literally fumed with rage.

But that wasn't all that was bothering her. She was acting strangely and I couldn't tell why.

Now she was half in my arms, asleep. I was still stroking her hair.

I was worried about her because she was important to me. And because she meant a lot to me. She was more to me than just my race engineer. I liked her very much and found it hard to bear to see her like that.

She seemed so lost.

I pulled her a little closer to me and held her tight. I would not leave her alone. Never. She was far too important to me.

I let my nose slide into her hair. She always smelled the way she smelled now. I recognized her smell everywhere by now. Her shampoo, her perfume. She smelled... just like Luisa Schumacher. To me, that was her smell. No matter where she was, I would recognize her by that alone.

With my free arm, I pulled the blanket over us and snuggled closer to her.

It wasn't weird being close to her. It felt good and I could already feel myself slipping into a peaceful sleep. She was giving me peace. Contentment. I knew she would have done the same for me. She would be there for me when I wasn't feeling well, too.

She had been last year.

After every damn race. After every time something had gone wrong again.

She had just been there, pulling me into her arms and holding me. Or she had hugged me from behind, resting her head against my back. Then I could feel her warm breath through my shirt. Sometimes she had just taken my hand and squeezed it so that I could feel that she was there.

But she had always been there. I hadn't had to ask for it or look for her. She had always been there.

And this time she hadn't had to ask for it. I would be there. No matter what happened and no matter if she told me the full truth or kept part of it to herself. I would be there.

I lay down on my back, already half asleep, pulling her onto my chest. I heard a low growl from her "Charly?" she whispered.

I gently stroked her head "I'm here. You don't have to go through this alone.".

She seemed to go right back to sleep. Her warm breath brushed my chest.

"I'll always be here.", I promised and then finally couldn't keep myself awake anymore.

I was awakened the next morning by a movement. When I managed to open my eyes, I saw Luisa sneaking into the bathroom. She still looked kind of beat.

"Good morning.", I said half aloud, she flinched.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," she spun around but didn't come back.

"It's okay. How are you?"

"Fine, honestly."

I raised an eyebrow "That's what you told me yesterday and then I found you crying in the hotel hallway. So again. How are you?"
"I'll be fine. Now my focus is back on you and your car anyway. Mick can handle it," a half-smile brushed her lips.

"For sure he can handle it. He's a good driver. Haas just wasn't his team."

"Don't remind me. I've got a score to settle with Günther."

"Poor guy.", I laughed and sat up.

"He'll live. The only good thing about the team was Kevin. He still calls Mick regularly. The two of them really liked each other."

"Well, you see. And now he's at Mercedes. Like your dad.".

Immediately a very strange expression crossed her face. There was pain and fear, pride, sorrow, love. There was so much.

"Yes. One Schumacher at Mercedes. One at Ferrari.", her lower lip quivered "I know he's proud, but I'd like him here at the races sometimes.", a silent tear ran down her face.

"I miss how it used to be."

"I can understand that," I whispered.

Now guilt dragged through her gaze "I'm sorry. You have it worse, as far as that goes.".

I lowered my eyes a little. I missed my father and I was incredibly sad that he had never seen me at Ferrari, but I knew he was watching over me and watching me from up there. And it wasn't the same, but I had a lot of people who genuinely cared about me, who cared about me and supported me.

They would never be able to replace my dad, but they were there.

And I didn't carry the endless burden that Luisa and her siblings carried. They had to live up to their name. Everyone expected a lot from them and they were constantly referred to their father.

I was spared that.

She came back to me and sat on the bed with me "I didn't mean..."

"It's okay. That's what we have each other for now.", I took her hand "And I think that's what makes us bond even more. Because we know how the other feels.".

She squeezed my hand "I'm so glad I joined your team."

"I am too. I don't know what I would do without you.", I returned the squeeze and looked at her in the light of the beginning day.

My heart began to beat a little faster. She was important to me. Maybe even a little more than that. Maybe I actually saw her as more than just one of my engineers. Maybe I wanted to hold her hand more. Maybe I wanted to sleep next to her every night and wake up with her. Maybe...

I stroked the back of her hand with my fingers as her gaze returned mine.

Maybe she saw that in me, too?

Did she maybe want that too?

"I should go to the bathroom and you should go over to your room. We need to be at the track soon.", she slowly let her hand slip out of mine.

Or was it just a job for her after all and we were just friends?

"But thank you Charly. You really saved me last night. I certainly wouldn't have slept without you.".

She walked a few steps, then came back to me, put her hand to my cheek and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"I am so infinitely grateful to you."

"If you want, I'll sleep with you again tonight. That is, if it will make you sleep better."

"I think I'd like that. But you need sleep. After all, you have a race to win in two days."

"And if I sleep better with you? Then wouldn't it be important if I slept with you?"

"Then you should just knock tonight and maybe I'll let you in."

"Maybe?"

"Just knock." she smiled , then disappeared into the bathroom.

"Fifteen minutes at breakfast, Mr. Leclerc! We have a lot of work to do!" she called through the closed bathroom door.

"But of course Mademoiselle Schumacher.", I replied with a laugh and got out of her bed.

I would be back tonight. I wanted to be with her.