Heartdriven: Too Driven To Drive

5. Sticks And Stones

Having just returned home from the karting event, Fernando was surprised to find Sebastian waiting for him. Perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised, considering recent events, but he hadn't been expecting him to show up out of nowhere just the following day.
Sebastian was understandably upset, but there was an underlying anger directed at Fernando's refusal to lead him to Alice. She was still in the hospital and would stay there for a while, at least until he could talk to the doctors after the karting finale of tomorrow. But he couldn't let Sebastian know where she was. It had been her wish to not have any of this impact Sebastian, not predominately emotionally but lawfully. If any of this came to light, he could be forced to testify his knowledge of the situation under oath, and it could implicate him as an accessory.
There was no telling what William would do, and living in the unknown was proving difficult for Fernando to cope with.

Sebastian had left again without Fernando spilling the information of Alice's location, although he wrote a note for her.
After a quick shower to wash off the karting event, Fernando headed back out, to the private hospital taking care of Alice.

Alice was lying in the hospital bed, just like when he had left her. She wasn't sleeping and it barely looked like she had rested. Her eyes were sunken holes by the dark circles surrounding them, and they were still distant but no longer emoted red.
"Look what I got!", he tried to sound cheerful as he put a box of chocolate on her bed, which he had bought in the hospital gift shop. She didn't react. To not even get a reaction out of her from chocolate, he wondered if she was completely doped up on the pain medication they had been giving her. He hadn't had the time to talk to the doctors, and now neither, as he had to go home and get some rest of his own before finishing off the karting event tomorrow.
He sat on a chair next to her and held her hand, stroking her. She wasn't even cold, but the room was rather warm, maybe they had heated it up to raise her body temperature.
Taking matters into own hands, he opened the box to try and tempt her, chewing on a piece of dark chocolate with marzipan. It tasted cheap, but if he spat it out now, it was definitely not going to tempt her, instead he let out, "Mmmh, chocolate." Nothing.
His final attempt to hear her voice, was pulling out the note from his pocket, "I saw Sebastian today. He gave me this for you." He handed it to her but she didn't take it, and he placed it on the table next to her. But her eyes moved a bit. She was there. She was listening.
"Alice. Would you like for me to take you back to him when things settle and you are well enough?", he held her hand in both of his, close to his face and restraining himself from kissing her.
She opened her mouth and let out the littlest noise, but her answer was clear, "Yes."
"I'll take care of it," and he finally kissed her hand, getting up from his chair and moved to leave her be, but her hand held onto his.
She sat up as her arm was stretched for him, "Fernando... Will you please stay with me for a moment?" She was only wearing a hospital gown and it was visible that her body was covered in bruises. It looked like she had been smeared with blue paint. He couldn't imagine what was hiding underneath the cloth, thinking about how wrecked her torso had looked just after the fact.
"Of course." He sat back down and she fell down against the bed. She looked fragile and quite exhausted for someone who had spent all day in bed. Hopefully they were making sure she was eating, and didn't start another hunger strike.
He couldn't help but feel responsible for her situation. After all, it was at his karting event that William had found and harassed her. Maybe if he hadn't hired her, this never would have happened. Those fews horrible days were only the beginning... He wanted to kill William then and he wanted to kill William now.
Holding her hand until she finally passed out, he could sneak away. He kissed her forehead, she was a bit sweaty, and he asked the nurses to turn down the heat in her room. She felt warm enough now, she didn't need to be boiling just as much as his head was when leaving her behind like this.

Fernando managed to put a mask on for the finale karting day, and actually did end up having fun with the kids as he was trying his hardest not to win over them in any of the heats. He had to try very hard.
During the day, he had received a message from Liam, that William was in a stable condition at the hospital now, so that was one lesser problem for Alice. And one more for Fernando.
Before visiting Alice in the private hospital, there was another hospital he had to visit first.

Alice had been lying still and completely out of it when he left her, and now walking in to William's hospital room to see him sat comfortable and contend, eating his dinner. It looked like some hot stew and Fernando had to fight the urge to push his face into the steaming bowl. He had broken Alice's ribs but been saved by his own. Scumbag.
William recognised Fernando as he approached him, but he didn't bother him any attention. Fernando didn't want to listen to him anyway, he was here for one job.
"So here's the thing: You are going to leave this city and never come back, disappear, and you are never going to bother Alice again. Understood?", he crossed his arms with determination (and to keep his fists in check).
William shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"How much?", Fernando pulled out a cheque book and a pen from his pocket, preparing to write any number.
"Are you trying to bribe me?", scoffing.
Fernando repeated, "How much?"
"Ah, she's got you wrapped around her finger too," William shook his head again and Fernando was contemplating how long it would take a broken finger to heal if he punched him right now, "You guys think she's so easy, but I'm the only one who knows her soul, what she is like underneath that sugarcoating." Fernando wondered if that plastic fork was sharp enough to pierce skin.
"Final time: How much?", at least Fernando could pierce him with his eyes to get an answer out of him.
Before that, he got another eyeroll, "5 million."
"Done."
"Wha-at?", William was actually caught off guard by something. But if 5 million was what it took for him leave Alice alone, that was nothing.
Fernando scribbled on the cheque and signed it before throwing it at William, "Now leave. And never come back."
Fernando turned his back and walked away, but William couldn't leave it, "Joke's on you, I don't care about her anymore. She's a bitch."
Hastily walking back, Fernando pushed him back in his seat by shoving him on the mark Alice had left behind across his collarbone, "Joke's on you, I would have paid 10 million. And if you ever seek out Alice again, I will kill you."
Blood slowly started soaking spots through the bandage and Fernando left him there to tend for himself. The amount she had bled for him, he deserved to bleed more for her. He was lucky Fernando didn't leave a permanent mark, but hoping what Alice had left behind would scar him for life. It would never be enough vengeance. Was that really up to fate? If he couldn't count on that and he ever saw William's face again, Fernando might actually have to take matters into his own hands.