Shifting Gears || cl16/ln4

Gear Fifty-One

As I saw Lando just standing there, looking confused as hell, I quickly stood up from the seat and started walking toward him. Charles cleared his throat, looking down at the floor, still seated. The tension in the room was suffocating, and I knew I had to say something, anything to Lando so that he didn't get the wrong idea. But before I could even get the chance to approach him, the door to the waiting room swung open, and the doctor entered, drawing all of our attention.

"I assume you're here for Mr. Gasly?" the doctor asked, his voice calm but authoritative.

Charles immediately stood up and walked toward the doctor, his concern palpable. "Yes, how is he?" he asked, the worry etched in every word.

I gave Lando one last glance, hoping to read his expression, to find a way to explain what had just happened. But he avoided eye contact, his focus now on the doctor as well. Whatever I wanted to say would have to wait. The news about Pierre was the only thing that mattered right now.

The doctor sighed, a small gesture that made my heart skip a beat. "His condition is stable," he said, his voice a mix of relief and professionalism. "He's recovering better than we had anticipated. He's awake and should be released tomorrow morning. You may see him now."

A heavy wave of relief washed over me, the tension that had been coiling inside finally beginning to unwind. I nodded in acknowledgment, feeling a bit lighter for the first time since the crash. The doctor gave us all a reassuring nod before he turned and left, his job done, but ours just beginning.

Charles didn't waste a second. As soon as the doctor finished speaking, he was already heading for the door, his urgency clear. I watched him go, knowing how much he needed to see Pierre, to reassure himself that his friend was truly okay. There were no words needed between us at that moment; the silent understanding that we were all in this together was enough.

I glanced at Lando, and our eyes met for just a brief moment. Neither of us said a word, but the confusion and tension from earlier seemed to settle into a mutual understanding. Without any further hesitation, we followed Charles out of the waiting room and made our way to Pierre's hospital room.

The walk down the hallway was quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the hospital's fluorescent lights and the distant murmur of activity from other rooms. Each step brought us closer to Pierre, and the anticipation grew with every passing second. We were all eager to see him, to confirm with our own eyes that he was alright.

When we reached Pierre's room, Yuki, Daniel and Max were already inside, standing by the bed, his expression a mixture of relief and concern. Pierre was awake, his face pale but showing a small, tired smile as he saw us all enter.

As we entered Pierre's room, the tension that had been hanging over us all day seemed to lift, if only slightly. Pierre looked up at us, his face pale and drawn but alive, and that alone was enough to make my heart feel lighter. His eyes flickered between each of us, and when they settled on Charles, his tired smile widened just a bit.

"Hey, guys," Pierre said, his voice hoarse but filled with a kind of relief that mirrored our own. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Charles chuckled, though it was shaky, filled with the remnants of his earlier worry. "We almost did, mate," he said, stepping closer to the bed. "You scared the hell out of us."

Pierre's smile softened, and he looked at Charles with a mix of gratitude and understanding. "Sorry about that. Wasn't exactly part of the plan."

Daniel leaned against the foot of the bed, crossing his arms as he looked down at Pierre. "Next time, maybe skip the whole fiery crash bit, yeah?" he said, trying to keep things light.