𝙾𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚢┃ Charles Leclerc┃

Chapter Thirty Nine - The Test

"Charles, something is wrong." I said abruptly, my voice cutting through the silence of the night.

Charles stirred beside me, his eyes fluttering open as he registered my words. "Ana? What's going on?" He asked, his voice groggy but laced with concern.

"I don't know." I whispered. "I'm hot and sweating, but I'm shivering at the same time. I don't know what's happening."

Charles immediately switched on the bedside lamp, casting a soft, golden light across the room. He sat up and placed a hand on my forehead. "You're burning up." He said, worry etched into his features. "Let's take your temperature."

I watched as he quickly got out of bed and found the small travel kit where we kept essentials like a thermometer. My heart was racing, and I could feel the burning heat rising within me.

Charles returned with the thermometer and gently inserted it into my mouth. We sat in tense silence until it beeped. He checked the reading and his frown deepened. "It's 102.5°F. You have a fever."

I groaned, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over me. "What's that in Celsius? About 39?" I hummed. "Shit. What do we do? Should we call a doctor?"

"Let's not panic just yet." Charles said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Do you have any fever reducers?"

"There's ibuprofen in my bag." I said, pointing weakly to the corner of the room. Charles hurried over and rummaged through my things, finding the medicine and bringing it back to me with a glass of water. I swallowed the pills, hoping they would help.

"Try to relax." He said, sitting back down on the bed and stroking my hair gently. "You're going to be okay."

I nodded, though I could still feel the worry bubbling inside me. "What if I have to miss the next race?"

Charles took a deep breath, clearly trying to remain calm for my sake. "It'll only be one race if you do. We'll deal with whatever comes. Right now, just focus on resting and getting better."

I took a shaky breath, trying to calm myself. "I'm sorry for waking you up like this."

"Don't be silly." Charles said softly, his eyes filled with concern. He cradled me closer to his side, engulfing my frame in his arms. "I'm glad you did. I'm here for you, always."

I managed a small smile in return, feeling slightly reassured by his presence. "Thank you, Charlie. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out." He said, kissing my forehead gently. "Now, check your blood sugar, just to be safe."

I nodded, knowing he was right. Charles helped me retrieve my phone from the bedside table on his side of the bed. My Libre Sensor app flashed up, and I sighed in relief. "It's a bit high, but not dangerously so. That'll be the fever."

"Okay, that's good." Charles said, visibly relaxing a bit. "We'll keep an eye on it. Maybe it's just a bug or something you ate."

"Yeah, maybe." I said, though I wasn't entirely convinced. "I just feel... off."

"Let's try to get some sleep." Charles suggested, pulling the covers back over us. "We'll check your temperature again in a few hours."

I nodded, closing my eyes and trying to ignore the discomfort. Charles wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I drifted back into a fitful sleep.

"You scare me, Anastasia Henderson." Charles mumbled quietly, and I was only just awake enough to hear him.

I rolled over and frowned, propping myself up on one elbow. "What?"