Precious Star

Stay

Charles POV:

"I guess it was just that father and brother nature where I would rebel against them in a way," she answered. Before she stayed quiet. Looking down at her cards they were clearly shaking. Looking back up at her I saw it in her eyes right away. I could hear her cry for help, she needed my help.

Quickly ending the interview I thanked everyone who planned the interview before I followed her out of the building. "Val? Valentine? Where are you?" Approaching a corner I could hear someone hyperventilating. Valentine. I found her curled in the corner, hands wrapped around her body as her chest rose and fell viciously. "Hey, hey, hey. Look at me." Kneeling down in front of her, I cupped her cheeks forcing her to look at me, but her eyes were blank, looking everywhere but me. They were filled with terror and sadness. No, no. Find me. After Jules went into a coma she has a few panic attacks that were horrible. She would explain to me that her mind would go completely blank. It was as if she was possessed by her own mind, lost in her own darkness. The last time she had one of these was months before Jules had passed away. They had stopped since. I wonder if she has had to go through these alone. "Valentine, look at me please!" Get out of there. I shook her lightly but she wouldn't react.

"Out. On our own." I began to lightly sing. "Dreaming in a world in a world that we both know." This has been the only thing to pull her out of it. When she had these attacks nothing could cheat her our, I had tried everything until this song started playing in the background on time. "Is out, of our control. But if shit hits the fan, we're not alone." Her eyes began to shift, finally looking at mine. Come on, come on. "Cause you've got me and you know."

"That I've got you and I know," she finished.

Immediately, I brought her into my lap, engulfing her in a hug, caressing her hair with my hand. "Buon lavoro, preziosa." [Good job, precious.]

"Charles, I'm so sorry."

"Don't you dare apologize right now," You have nothing to apologize for, I do.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her body clearly exhausted as she leaned her body onto mine, resting her head on my chest.

"I've got you, always." Placing a kiss on her head, resting my chin on top of it.

"Promise me you will stay Charles?"

Intertwining our pinkies, we both kissed our thumbs simultaneously. Connecting both of, our pinkies let go of each other to form a heart. "I'll never leave you again, Valentine." My heart yearns for you, Valentine.

~

Alaina's POV:

Today was quali day, I came into the paddock a little early so I could have enough time to meet up with Christopher's family and prepare before the race. I had stayed with Charles yesterday for about an hour or so. The only reason we had to leave was we both got a call from our media team asking where we were. We didn't really talk much within that time we where there. We didn't need to. But we did agree to have dinner tonight to talk some things out.

Feeling my phone ring I pick it up, smiling to the security guards. "Morning, Chris."

"Alaina, babe," I recognized Christopher's voice. Babe? That's new. 'What are you doing tonight?"

"Hey Chris, it is so lovely to hear your voice this beautiful morning. My morning has actually been good. Thank you for asking. How are you this fine morning?"

"Great, thanks. What are you doing tonight, Alaina?"

Having dinner with Charles. "I'm going to have dinner with Max and Carlos." You see. I can't really tell him who I'm truly having dinner with because he'll flip. This whole time I have been complaining about Charles. Saying how he's so ignorant and inconsiderate and reckless, which he is not. So for me to completely change my mind overnight is impossible, but I was wrong.

"Oh," Shit. "Is there anyway you can cancel? I've got something big for you. For us." Something big? Us?

"I would love to, you know that." No you don't. "But it's sort of a tradition. We don't do it and our vibes and concentration for race day are completely blown off." Dear God, forgive me for lying.

"I totally understand, babe. The team and I have something like that too." Wish I could say the same. "Tomorrow night?"

"Sounds good, Chris." We said our goodbyes, promising to meet up before I had to prepare with the team.

What the hell does he have planned? He won't ask me to be his girlfriend. I know that, he knows that. He told me he likes to take things slow. But what is considered slow to him. What's considered slow to me? I'm a F1 driver, the word slow in not even in my vocabulary. I really need Carlos or Max right now.

"Valentine." Turning around I see my teammate waking past security and running up to me as he waved his hand in the air as if I couldn't see him.

"Charles." This will work. If he doesn't blow me off like he did earlier this week when I brought up meeting the parentals. But I really do need help. Max and Carlos aren't here right now, and I can't enter quali with my mind overthink shit like it always does.

"How are you this lovely morning?" he asked, matching my stride as we entered the paddock together. Media is for sure going to love this. Team bonding. Best marketing you can give.

"My morning has been actually good. Yours?"

"Can't complain." I can. I can complain about a lot of things. Like how I left a tiny bit of the curtain in my hotel open last night and I woke up to the morning sun blinding me. And how I found a absurd amount of hairs in my toothpaste. Disgusting. "What's wrong?"

How does he know? Pulling him to my drivers room I shut the door and sat him on my couch. "You won't get mad," sticking out my pinky in front of him he took it and repeated our little pinky promise/handshake we have used since we met. It was cute. It was ours.

"To the heart."

"It's about Christopher."

Leaning back on the couch crossing his arms across his chest, I watched as his whole demeanor changed. He tried to hide it. He promised it. But I couldn't blame him. I knew him better than I knew myself. And he knew me better than I knew myself.