Torn

Australia 2

Qualifying on Saturday had confirmed everyone's suspicions that Mercedes had taken an unexpected slump in form with their new car as Ferrari and Renault locked out the first four grid slots with Sebastian claiming pole with a time of 1:22,141 and Fernando lining up alongside him with a 1:22,368. Behind them was Charles in third and Daniel in fourth. Lewis and Valtteri could only manage fifth and sixth, giving the silver arrows a lot to think about over night. It meant the atmosphere in the paddock on Sunday morning when Nevaeh arrived with Fernando was already buzzing while her Spanish boyfriend still couldn't quite believe how good the car was feeling beneath him. Nevaeh herself was buzzing too with the news that her best friend had finally fallen pregnant after months of trying following a very early morning phone call from Harmony who had forgotten about the time difference in her excitement to share her news. If Fernando could clinch the win today from Sebastian it would give them both double the reasons to celebrate. After somehow managing to avoid seeing Seb all weekend, she walked hand in hand with Fernando along the paddock towards Renault's area, with both of them smiling widely. As per usual she stepped aside whenever a photographer loomed into view and although most of them were now getting to know her and remember that she didn't wish to be photographed, a few still tried their luck along with a particular tv cameraman who always seemed to spot her. It felt like it was only a matter of time before her ex-husband would be tapping her on her shoulder.

"I don't why you won't just let them photograph you now." Fernando said as let Nevaeh enter his hospitality room first.

"You know why."

He went ahead of her, leading her to his changing room. "He's going to see you at some point, we both know that and we're both prepared for it. What do you think will happen when he sees you?"

"I'm only thinking of Anaya here, he can't find out about her."

Heading through a door at the back they entered a short, narrow corridor and then the door to his changing room. "I agreed to help you keep her secret, he won't find out. I don't want to lose her either but please think about how awkward this is for me. I have to speak to him and race against him knowing that I'm in a relationship with his ex-wife. How do you think he'll react when he finds that out?"

Nevaeh sighed as they entered his changing room. "I've just always had this fear that he'll find out that I've had a baby, his baby, and then he'll do whatever it takes to take her away from me."

"Neev...." He closed the door and then pulled her close. "....that won't happen."

"Won't it? With all the money he's got and the lifestyle he can offer her, if he wanted to get lawyers involved I'd never stand a chance."

"Now you're being ridiculous." He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "And you're forgetting one very important thing."

She linked her hands at the back of his neck and kissed him. Of course, she was forgetting about the man in front of her, the man she loved and who loved her and made her the happiest she'd been in a long time. The man who thought of her daughter as his own. "Of course, you. I'm sorry." She brushed her nose against his.

"I won't let him or anyone else take our little girl, no one can give her a better life than you, her mother, has done and will continue to do like we do, together."

She visibly swooned as she looked at him. "You always say the nicest things 'Nando, I love you,"

"I love you too. Now please stop worrying, everything will be fine." He was just about to kiss her when the door opened and Edoardo walked in.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked, taking a look at his smart watch as if to try and remind him.

"Do I have to guess?" Fernando asked, feeling himself melting inside as he felt Nevaeh's finger tips stroking the sides of his neck.