sweet escape [c.l.]

chapter fourteen

The silence was deafening all around the paddock. Everyone just stopped and watched as Charles hit the wall waiting for news. Everyone just watched in silence waiting for some news to come over the broadcast, either from the Ferrari engineers or preferably from Charles' radio.

Due the silence was deadly, not a single answer came to the questions asked to Charles and that scared Rory.

She has seen accidents during her years watching Formula 1, but this was the first one she was watching live and it had to be Charles. The universe was really fucked up, the first accident she ever saw in Formula 1 was of the man she was denying her feelings for.

Rory stood like the doors, in silence, the tears threatening to come out of her eyes and clenching her necklace.

Everyone that glanced at her took pity in her, she was Charles' girlfriend to them after all. Someone was also rubbing her back in circles, she didn't know who, she could simply look back and see but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen a second in fear that Charles would disappear.

The red flag was up, the drivers were making their way to their garages and the marshals and medical team were making their way to the car. But no words had come from Charles radio.

Charles opened his eyes slowly and started to look around, his vision blurry at first. The pain in his chest was excruciating, but he tried not to move. He could hear the faint sounds of the marshals and the medical team approaching, their voices of concern growing louder as they reached him. His first instinct was to try and move his arms, to signal that he was awake, but the pain was too much.

"Charles, stay still," a voice said over his radio, "the medical team is on its way. Don't try to move."

He wanted to answer, to let them know that he was conscious, but all he could manage was a groan. The team worked quickly, assessing his condition before carefully extracting him from the car. As they placed him on the stretcher, he finally found his voice, albeit weak and strained.

"I'm okay... I think," he managed to say, his words barely audible.

Back in the paddock, Rory let out a breath when she heard Charles' voice. The relief was overwhelming, and she felt her knees buckle. The person who has been rubbing her back, helped her to a chair, and she sat down, her head in her hands as she tried to calm herself.

"He's okay," she whispered to herself, repeating the words like a mantra and letting the tear fall from her eyes. "He's okay, he's okay."

The medical team quickly transported Charles to the medical center to a thorough check-up. The race had been put on hold, and the atmosphere in the paddock was tense, everyone waiting for more news on Charles' condition.

Rory sat in the waiting room outside the medical center, her mind racing with thoughts and worries. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Charles' engineer, Bryan, his face etched with concern.

"He's a tough one," the engineer said, trying to offer some comfort. "He'll pull through this."

She nodded, appreciating the sentiment but still unable to shake the fear that gripped her heart. Minutes felt like hours as she waited for any update, her eyes fixed on the door of Charles' room.

Finally, the door opened, and the doctor stepped out, his expression calm and reassuring. "He's stable," the doctor said, addressing both Rory and the gathered team members. "He has a few bruises and a minor concussion, but he'll be fine. He needs rest and recovery, but there's no serious injury. He will be able to go home later today after we check everything is okay." Rory lets out a sob of relief, tears streaming down her face as she thanked the doctor. "If anyone would like to see him you can go ahead. But only one person at a time."

Rory looked around at everyone to see if any of them wanted to go before she did.

"Go, carina. He probably wants to see you more than any of us."

Rory laughed before she entered the room, she saw him lying on the bed, looking tired but alive. He managed a weak smile when he saw her.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice a little rough from the accident.

"Hey yourself," she replied, walking over to his side and taking his hand. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry about that," he said, his voice still weak but filled with genuine remorse. "I didn't mean to."

"I know," she said, picking his hand and squeezing it gently. "Just focus on getting better, okay? That's all that matters now."

He nodded, closing his eyes as exhaustion took over. Rory sat by his side, holding his hand and watching over him, grateful that he was going to be okay. The race and everything else could wait; right now, all that mattered was that Charles was safe.

Rory watched the rhythm rise and fall of Charles' chest, each breath a silent reassurance. She gently brushed a lock of hair from his forehead, her fingers trembling slightly. The room was quiet, the only sound the soft beeping of the machines and the muffled noises from the paddock outside.

As Charles rested, Rory allowed herself to take in the details of his face, noting the small cuts and bruises that were beginning to form. Her heart ached seeing him like this, but she was thankful it wasn't worse. She leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You're going to be just fine," she said, her tone both a promise and a plea. "We'll get through this together."

Charles stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open for a moment. He looked at her, his gaze soft and filled with a depth of emotion that took her breath away. "I know," he whispered back. "Because you're here with me."

Tears welled up in Rory's eyes again, but this time they were tears of relief and love. She leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Always," she vowed. "I'm always here with you."

He gave her hand a weak squeeze, his eyes closing again as sleep overtook him. Rory settled back into her chair, her hand still holding his, her heart finally beginning to calm.

As the minutes turned into hours, Rory didn't move from her spot. She watched over Charles, her thoughts a mixture of worry and gratitude. The love she felt for him was undeniable, and in this quiet room, away from the chaos of the race, she allowed herself to embrace it fully.

She knew the road ahead would be challenging, with recovery and the inevitable return to racing. But at that moment, none of it mattered. All that mattered was Charles, safe and alive, and the strength of their bond.

Rory rested her head on the edge of his bed, her eyes growing heavy. She closed them, feeling a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time. Charles was okay, and they would face whatever came next together.

As she drifted off to sleep, still holding his hand, she whispered one last time, "I love you, Charles."

And for the first time in a long time, she felt relieved.