One last Chance

I do care if it's still fair

*Charles*

I had locked myself in my driver's compartment. Headphones on, sitting over the data. I wanted to be as prepared as possible. I wanted to be undisturbed, I had told my people. No one was to interrupt me.

I wanted to win this race.

Nevertheless, the door opened, I took off the headphones and looked piercingly at Charleen, one of our staff.

"Charles, there's someone to see you," her voice sounded friendly. But she somehow always sounded like that. It was probably because of her job, though. She was always taking care of guests and stuff, so you had to be friendly and she really had that down.

"I told you that I don't want to see anyone!", I grumbled anyway, annoyed. That people couldn't understand that I needed my peace and quiet...

"Oh, I think you'll want to see her," Charleen smiled and took a step to the side.

I had already stood up to send whoever away in a friendly but clear manner, when I could see Evi, the tension immediately drained from my face and body.

"Evi.", I was with her with a few steps, took her face in my hands and kissed her. I could hardly put into words how much it meant to me right now that she was here. I pulled her close to me and deepened the kiss as the door closed behind her.

"What are you doing here?", I looked down at her, unable to hide either my delight or confusion at her sudden appearance.

"Lance called me because he was worried about you." she said, stroking my hair tenderly "So I headed out.".

Her eyes looked so infinitely tired. She probably hadn't slept at all since she got the call. I still held her face and then put my lips on her forehead.

"Thank you for being here," I whispered.

"What's wrong Charles?" she asked quietly, taking my hands from her cheek.

"I want to win. And I don't have many chances left. I have to put everything in now to still have any chance. I mean...I want to win. For you, for us.".

"Charles for me you don't have to win anything." she whispered "I love you. Even if you don't win anything. I don't care about that at all. I love you because you are you. Not because of any podiums or wins."

"I still want to win it. You were the only one who still believed in me. The only one that still spurred me on. And everything that's happened, I want to make up for it all, and I mean a title..."

"Charly. That's completely stupid. You're getting down on everybody, you're going completely crazy, and you're not doing yourself any good. And the more you force it, the further it's going to get away from you."

"You don't understand. You don't know what it's like to be so close to fulfilling your dream. Jules' dream, my dad's dream. It's all within my reach, and if I have to sacrifice a little bit to get it, I'm willing to do it.".

I could see something change in her expression. She pursed her lips very thinly and then nodded "Ok. But you should be aware that if you sacrifice things, you will not only win in the end."

"I will win. You said it yourself, in Greece. Do you still remember? I just have to do more. Put even more into it all, and I'll get there. Just a little bit more. It's just a few more races, but I can do it, I know I can. And then I'll dedicate the title to you. Then I'll have done it just for you. For you and for Aly and the pea."

"You don't have to win a title for us! Don't you understand? Your daughter thinks you're great just for being there, and I'm proud that you made it into Formula One in the first place. There are so few people who can say that about themselves."