Lifeline (Sebastian Vettel)

Chapter 31: Erased

Author's note: This chapter runs alongside @__highflying's Lifeline Chapter 9. Link in comments.

Tully staggered out into the first class cabin, or at least, what was left of it. She gaped around at the horrific mess of upturned chairs and luggage strewn across every surface. She had been on a fucking plane at least, that much was apparently true.

She felt something dribble down the side of her face and reached up to touch it. Her fingers came away covered in dark red blood.

"Fuck..." she whispered shakily, wiping her hand on her shirt. She had to hurry, she knew thay if she was losing blood, her time could be quite limited. She also knew that Formula 1 driver's took their trainers absolutely everywhere with them, which meant Heikki had to be there somewhere. As for why she was there, that part still wasn't making any sense.

A lot of stumbling and knee-scrapes later, Tully found herself collapsing in the dirt just outside the torn first class cabin. She could see and hear people around her amongst the trees, crying in pain or yelling at each other for help.

She squeezed her eyes shut as pain seared through her head again, leaving her panting with her cheek pressed firmly against the earth. She didn't have time for this.

With a strangled cry she heaved herself upright and waited for her vision to focus. Slowly, she got to her feet again and persevered forward towards a small group of survivors huddled nearby. She scanned her eyes over them before determining that she knew none of them and quickly moving on to the next group. She passed group after group, only to find nothing but unfamiliar, frightened faces. A rising feeling of panic gnawed at her insides as each person turned out not to be her brother, of Stoffel, or anyone else she knew.

Where were they? She needed them so badly. She needed them to explain, to tell her what happened, to help her stop the blood from pouring out of her head.

She fell to her knees after she'd walked as far as her beaten body could take her, with still no sign of her brother. Tears were starting to threaten now as the horrible feeling of being broken and completely alone overwhelmed her. Was she going to die out there? Really? That's how she would go? Bleeding out, alone in the dirt, with ripped jeans and a hole in the head had never been on the agenda.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" a voice murmured in her ear as she felt her body become weightless.

She looked up as she was cradled against someone's chest and carried back towards the plane.

He looked down at her and frowned when she didn't reply, "Jesus Tully, your head is looking shit-awful."

She finally managed to focus on his face and suddenly felt like she'd been physically slapped as a flashback crossed her mind's eye...

"Hey!"

She watched as one of the chair's in front of her swivelled around to reveal a young guy in a Red Bull uniform smiling up at her. He stood up and stepped towards her, holding out his hand.

"You must be the new trainer." he said, his voice warm and friendly.

"Yes, Tully." she introduced herself, unable to tear her eyes away. The only thing that might ever convince her that love at first sight was possible, would be people who looked like him. He was astoundingly flawless, with rich chocolate hair that swept across his forehead and sparkling green eyes that lit up his entire face. His faultless skin could make a girl cry and the dimples on his cheeks would be envied by anyone.

"Shall we get started?" He said, clapping his hands together and snapping Tully out of her train of thought, "Tully, you're welcome to move around. There's a seat next to me over there if you'd like me to show you what we see while he's in there?" He said, pointing over to his station.