Precious Star

Crash

"Last lap, you are nearing the end. Keep it up, Senna," my race engineer informed me as I was leading the race.

"Who's behind me?" I asked.

"Leclerc, you both have a good pace. Keep it like this."

"Can you connect me to Charles?" There had been no crashes, not even a small one between anyone this whole race and it looks like it will stay like this.

"Copy," he said before I heard a beep and intense breathing.

"Charles?" I asked.

"Valentine, how are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm good. I guess my dream was just a dream," I laughed.

Silence.

"Charles, are you there?" I asked. "Charles?" Looking in my mirrors, I didn't see anyone. Once I looked ahead, I had just crossed the finish line, but the fans weren't cheering.

"Senna," my engineer said, his voice faint.

"I think my radio connection with Charles failed. I can't hear him. Where is he?" I asked.

"Senna," my engineer repeated.

"Why isn't anyone cheering? You said this was the last lap, right?"

"Alaina," he repeated in a more stern voice.

"What? Why aren't you answering my questions? Where is everyone-"

"CHARLES CRASHED, ALAINA!" my engineer shouted as he cut me off.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

"What?"

"He crashed, Alaina," he said tiredly.

"What do you mean he crashed?"

"In the last turn, he crashed-"

"NO! HE DID NOT CRASH!" I shouted, understanding everything but not wanting to accept it.

"Alaina, we need you to come in," he said calmly.

"I was just on the radio with him. He asked me how I was holding up."

"Alaina, where are you going?" he asked as I sped up my car. Blocking everything out. "Alaina, the red flag is out. Don't go over there. ALAINA-"

I turned off the radio before I drove all the way around the track. Before I came to the last corner, all the cars were stopped, and the guys were all surrounding the crash. Hopping out of my car, I threw my helmet off and ran towards the scene. As I reached them, I saw how bad the crash was. It was exactly like my dream. Every detail, every thing.

His car was upside down, in flames, and in between the barriers.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

"ALAINA!" I heard multiple people shout as I started to run towards him.

"You can't go in there!" Max shouted as he pulled me back.

"HE'S IN THERE!" I screamed as I fought against Max's hold.

"You can't help him, Alaina. He'll get out," Carlos said as he got in front of me, helping Max hold me back.

"NO, HE WON'T! NO, HE WON'T! NO, HE WON'T!" I repeated.

"Why not, kiddo?" Lewis asked as the rest of the drivers held me back and tried to block me from seeing Charles.

"Jules and Papa didn't make it," I cried as I stopped fighting against their hold. "They didn't make it out." My body went weak as Carlos and Max kneeled down with me. I curled into a little ball in Max's arms, watching as the flames only grew. The marshalls were fighting against the flames, but they wouldn't go away. "He promised," I whispered.

Come on, Charles. To the end. This is not the end. It's not the end of us. We are not done yet.

I closed my eyes, hiding in Max's chest until I heard Lando, "They got him," he said in disbelief.

Looking up, I saw the marshalls pulling him out of his car. Without another thought, I broke free from Max and ran to Charles. When I reached him, he was far enough from the flames that they couldn't burn us. "Charles," I cried, pulling him into my lap. "Mon amour, look at me," [My love] I said as I lifted his burnt visor.

"Valentine," he groaned, his eyes opening and closing in pain. "Take off my helmet, please."

Doing as he said, his face had a few bruises and some small burns, but other than that, his face was untouched. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, preziosa," he cried. Nodding my head, no. I carefully grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. "Valentine? We are out in public," he said worryingly as he looked around.

"Charles, you almost died. I could care less about that," I laughed as I pulled him into another kiss. He finally caved in and placed his right hand on the back of my head, pulling me in even more, if that was possible, as he placed his left hand on top of my hand.

"I KNEW IT!" we heard Carlos cheer as the guys approached us. "PAY UP, GASLY!"

"Pay up?" I asked, looking up at Carlos dancing in front of Pierre as Pierre nodded his head disappointedly.

"It was a bet, I'll explain it later," Carlos dismissed.

"You better. Let's get you to the hospital," I said to Charles, as I motioned for the marshalls to get an ambulance here.

"Did you finish the race?" Charles asked me.

"Yes, I did. Why are you asking when you are clearly in pain?"

"Congratulations," he smiled. "You're first home grand prix, and it didn't end up like mine," he laughed, but he quickly winced as the pain shot up his body.

"Thank you, Charles. But calm down now," I said as I placed a hand on his chest and a kiss on his forehead.