Everything Changed- Carlos Sainz

21. All of me loves all of you

"Carlos?" Georgie sighed, walking up behind him, her hands trailing over the tense muscles of his shoulders. "Come on, let's get you back to the hotel."

The crowds in the garage had long since thinned out, and Carlos was yet to move from his spot that he'd been sat in for the race.

She'd spent more time watching him during the course of the race than she had actually watching what was happening on the track. He'd perked up a bit as he'd joined the engineers, talking to them and Ollie about the race and sharing some words of wisdom.

But she'd also noticed the way he leaned heavily against the table in front of him, the way his face would pinch in pain every time he moved. When everyone else stood up to leave and he stayed rooted to the spot she knew he'd pushed himself too far.

"Five more minutes." He groaned, not even lifting his head.

"Come on, you'll feel better once we get you back to the hotel and you can lay down properly." She suggested.

"You can say it, you know." Carlos sighed.

"What?" Georgie asked, looking at him blankly.

"I told you so." He shook his head at her. "I hate to admit it but I think you were right. It was a bit too much today."

"I could, but it doesn't matter." She shook her head. "I'd rather just get you back to the hotel so you can lay down and get some rest. I lo-"

"Carlos!" Charles walked up behind him, patting Carlos on the back in a way that made him flinch. "Sorry, my bad."

"We were just going." Georgie said quickly, not wanting to get swept up in whatever Charles had going on. "Carlos needs to get some rest."

"Yeah you look terrible mate." Charles nodded in agreement. "You can go in a second there's just someone you need to meet first."

"What?" Carlos looked at his teammate in confusion.

"Not you, Georgie."

"What are you up to?" She glared at Charles.

He didn't answer her, just waving to someone who then walked over to the three of them. "Pierre, this is Georgie who I was telling you all about." Charles smirked.

"Nice to meet you Georgie." Pierre grinned. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name. Carlos just cant stop talking about you. It's nice to see him so in love again."

The way Charles giggled at Pierre's words made it clear the two of them had been scheming. Georgie glared at Charles, shaking her head. Carlos hadn't moved or acknowledged the fact that Pierre was there, and she wondered if he was strategically ignoring them in the hope that they'd leave or if he just felt so rough that he hadn't heard them.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Pierre but I think I'd better get Carlos back to the hotel." She said, holding out a hand to Carlos to help him to his feet.

"Oh I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of eachother." Pierre smirked. "I'll leave you two love birds to it for now. I'm sure you've got urgent plans in that hotel room."

She opened her mouth to point out to Pierre that Carlos could barely walk, so whatever he thought that they were up to, he was wrong. But Charles and Pierre were already walking off, giggling away and she didn't even want to think about what they might be saying.

"He's so weird sometimes." Carlos muttered, shaking his head. "Let's go, before they come back."

"Pierre?" Georgie asked.

"Charles." Carlos corrected her. "I mean Pierre too, but mainly Charles."

"Agreed." She nodded. "Come on, let's go."

Carlos nodded in agreement, sliding slowly off the stool he'd been sitting on with a grimace. He leaned against Georgie for a moment, getting his balance, and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Thanks for taking care of me." He mumbled. "You're the best."

"You're still a terrible patient." She joked. She went to take a step forward but his hands caught her waist, turning her to face him.

"I'm being serious." He said quietly, brushing her hair out of her face, thumb gently caressing her cheek. "I'm really glad you were here this weekend. I wish you were here every weekend."

"Carlos, I-"

"I know what I said to you, in the hospital." He continued, eyes searching her face for a reaction as he continued to speak. "I didn't... I didn't know if I should bring it up... I don't know if you were pretending you hadn't heard me because... well I don't know... but I want you to know that I meant it. I love you, Georgie."

She was quiet for such a long time, staring at him with an expression that he really couldn't read, that he was starting to wish he could take the words back. The fear that he may have just ruined everything overwhelmed him. But at the same time he couldn't keep trying to stop himself from saying it accidentally. He wasn't surprised it had come out as soon as his brain wasn't quite there, the words had been on the tip of his tongue for a while.

"You don't have to say it back." He said quietly, hands moving soothingly over her waist. "I'm not telling you because I need you to say it back, I just wanted you to know that I meant it. It wasn't just some random thing I came out with because of all the drugs they gave me. I love you, and I'm so thankful every day that we met."

"Carlos." Georgie just about managed to choke out his name.

"Don't cry." He said, softly wiping a stray tear as it rolled down her cheek. "Is dating me really that bad?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm happy you idiot." She choked out, leaning into kiss him.

"Oh thank god." Carlos mumbled against her lips, kissing her back. "I was getting worried for a second there that you were going to run away."

"I did think about it the first time you said it." She joked. "But you said it so many times I've had a bit of time to get used to it now."

"What do you mean so many times?" Carlos asked, frowning. "I only said it in the hospital?"

Georgie shook her head. "No, pretty much as soon as you got a fever you started coming out with all sorts." She laughed quietly. "Freaked me out so much I had to confide in Charles of all people, and then of course he told Pierre."

"Ah!" Carlos had a lightbulb moment. "So that's why Pierre kept looking at me weird. Why would you tell Charles? You know he can't be trusted with secrets."

"He told me telling Pierre didn't count." Georgie shrugged. "It doesn't matter now. You told me yourself and I know you actually mean it."

"I do." Carlos nodded. "I love you, Georgie."