Chapter Text
F1
The roar of the wind rushed by.
The cheers of the crowd were deafening, though unheard.
The only thing that mattered to the drivers?
The win…
The rush…
The thrill ya’ only get when you're charging down a straight towards a hairpin turn at over three hundred and twenty kilometers an hour.
Even after two years of this, Vi couldn’t believe that she was here. Racing living legends like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Fernando Alonso.
And living up to an almost impossible legacy…
Caitlyn Kiramman…
The only woman to have entered Formula1 in the last 50 years…
And win…
Not once but twice…
Two back-to-back championship wins before disappearing from the racing world…
Vi didn’t know what happened to her, fixated as she was on winning her own races but the desire to live up and someday surpass Kiramman kept the former champ on her mind.
Even now as she was attempting everything possible to pass Hamilton and Verstappen on the straight before the Dunlop Curve – Vi flinched as she felt more than heard something collide with the rear right!
That moment before she spun was when she finally realized her team had been screaming warnings to her all the while!
Vi blinked.
Then slumped when she realized that she and her wingman – -woman! – were “parked” in the opposite barrier.
She flinched when Fiora suddenly waved a hand in front of her visor and it was only when she looked up at her older sister that she realized her ears were ringing.
“Vi?!”
Vi could only just barely hear her as her sister continued shouting, trying to figure out if Vi was concussed.
“VI!?”
Vi groaned as she grew more aware of all the voices shouting at her. She let her sister pull her out of the car before ripping her helmet off and pulling out the screeching earpiece.
Fiora dragged her a good distance away from the cars and forced her to sit before she started fussing over Vi. The younger woman tried to wave her away but Fiora was having none of it; only muttering, “Answer them, Violet! Before they blow out my eardrums as well.”
Vi mumbled some nonsense about her sister being a disciplined loony before speaking into her mic, “I’m good guys. Just a little winded.” She had been holding the earphone a little ways from her ear because of all the noise they were making but she pushed it into back into her ear, when she heard her race engineer speaking.
“You’re certain that you are alright? The impact certainly looked nasty…” Viktor asked, playing it safe as always. Neither driver could blame him…
Not after the crash that had ended his career, cost him his co-driver and forced him to wear back and leg braces.
Fiora answered this time, having finally stopped fussing, answered, “I’ll make sure that a medic takes a good look at her, but she seems fine.” The older driver – and sister – sighed before pulling off her helmet and moving to collapse beside Vi, pulling her sister into her side.
There was nothing heard apart from the roar of engines as the other drivers sailed on by. Fiora and Vi kept their eyes pointed at the ground, having no desire whatsoever to catch anyone’s eye.
It was a long moment before anyone spoke.
“Violet…” Fiora started, voice so soft that Vi almost missed it over the screams of the last few drivers racing by, “after they clear us and we go back… there’s something I need to talk to you about…”
Vi let her head fall onto Fiora’s shoulder.
She knew what it was.
She had known for some time. Her big sister had been talking about this for a year now…
We need a new plan, Vi…!
We can’t keep doing this, we need to try something else…
This isn’t working…
Maybe it’s time to move on…
Vi nearly snorted at how unsubtle her sister had been about changing teams.
But she had never actually thought that Fiora would do it. Not for one second. This team had launched their careers. Surely they still owed some loyalty…
Vi shifted to press harder into her sister’s side. Fiora tightened her hold on Vi, tucking the younger woman into her side.
They both slumped into the barrier, exhausted from the race and humiliated by yet another disastrous performance. And to think, the season had started so well!
They had both secured positions in the top ten in Melbourne. Then Fiora had managed to place fourth in Shanghai, with Vi placing sixth - her sisters had gotten a real kick out of that placement - but now…
Vi remembered the trouble they had at Suzuka last year, but she thought that they had it in the bag this time around, especially with her sister placing fourth in Shanghai… So much for that, she thought bitterly.
Eventually, after what both sisters would swear was at least 10 laps, the first responders arrived. Shifting slightly to see the approaching vehicles Vi glanced up - and immediately let out a whimper.
Fiora shifted slightly, not expecting that sound. She looked down at her sister than up at - “Is that Mel?”
The Team Principal practically leapt out of her vehicle before sprinting towards the slumped drivers.
By the time Team Principal Mel Medarda slid to halt in front of them, Vi’s face was overcome by a furious blush. Fiora glanced between them confused by the -
Mel immediately placed her hands on Vi’s face and lifted her head. Mel examined Vi for a moment. She shifted her thumbs to pull Vi’s eyelids a bit, looking for any sign of a concussion before leaning back a bit to ask, “Are you alright?”
Before Vi could recover from Mel’s rough inspection, Fiora asked, confused - and a bit offended at having not received so much as a glance from the Team Principal - “I’m here too, you know! And I thought you two had broken up?”
Vi mumbled something unintelligible. Her only goal was to avoid making eye contact with Mel.
The latter answered, “We did…” Mel was silent for a while. She kept looking Vi over before sighing and sitting on Vi’s free side.
For her part, Vi immediately shifted to rest her head on Mel’s shoulder.
Fiora let out a noise of protest and tried to get her sister back but Vi just pulled her along.
With both drivers leaning on her, Mel muttered, “Just because our parents "asked" us to break up - and we obliged - does not mean that we had ever stopped caring for one another.”
Vi again mumbled something completely incoherent before snuggling further into Mel.
Fiora just sighed before giving into her younger sister’s impromptu snuggling session.
They all groaned softly when the medics arrived to peel them apart. Vi and Fiora were immediately seen to while the lead marshal admonished Mel for letting her drivers nearly fall asleep - and for driving her Lexus on to the track.
When the checks were done, both Fiora and Vi groaned as more marshals came over with stretchers. Vi was particularly vocal in her objection, “We’re fine! Look, see!” Vi made to stand up before a sharp, familiar voice called out, “Violet, if you attempt to move before you are officially cleared, I will give your spot to Powder!”
Vi, who had been blushing heavily at Mel’s tone, felt the blood drain from her head. Powder had once mentioned getting in the car at one point - but had immediately chickened out when she found out about the workouts she’d have to do. It was very much an empty threat, but it gave Mel just enough time to come over and force Vi to remain seated.
Mel threw Fiora a similar glare - the older sister barely suppressed the surprise squeak at being on the receiving end of that look - before wrapping an arm around Vi’s shoulders to hold her in place till the marshals were ready with the stretchers.
Mel kept both women in check until they were loaded into the ambulances for the trip to the hospital. Which was precisely when they both groaned, startling the medics, “Mama’s gonna kill us!”
Neither gave a damn about what the team owner thought.
Said team owner who was watching his multimillion pound (£) cars being pulled out of the barriers for the trip back to the pits.
Viktor stood beside the owner. They remained silent - both winced horribly at the body panels being shorn off by the barriers - before Viktor muttered, “I take it this means that you will be reaching out to her…?”
The owner glanced at the Race Engineer - his eyes were downcast with sorrow as Viktor pointedly refused eye contact - before replying, “She has a few days free soon. I’ve been meaning to see her for a while. She won’t be happy about it, but… maybe with this latest disaster, she’ll be more amenable to lending us a hand…”
Viktor turned away but before he walked away, he muttered, “Just remember not to charm her… It never works out for the person on the receiving end when you do that…”
The owner’s head whipped around but the Race Engineer was already gone.
At the hospital entrance were three people that Vi and Fiora loved above all others. And one person who inspired a terror to match that love!
Felicia’s eyes were blazing as she watched her older daughters get wheeled in. Her other daughters, Powder - who was wisely silent as she stood beside her mother - and Isha - who was perched in their mother’s arms and waving at them - softened the blow a bit, but Vi and Fiora knew that they were really in for it once they were all alone.
Their only saving grace would be Isha. Vi and Fiora exchanged looks, already trying to figure out which of them would get their shield of a baby sister first.
Most unfortunately, the paramedics wheeled them both past far to quickly - or maybe it was the fact that they were strapped down… Either way, neither driver had managed to get ahold of their baby sister.
As they were wheeled into the circuit medical center, the doctors began their checks.
By now, both sisters - the whole family, actually - knew the procedures by heart: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability and Exposure. Isha loved singing it the few times her voice would work to the obvious delight of her older sisters…
After that came the other exams, neurological - Fiora’s favorite - concussion - Powder’s favorite - and spinal. After those were done, the doctors put both drivers through the CT machine - Vi’s favorite - before forwarding everything to Mel.
And because of a clause that their mother had secretly put in their contracts, Felicia as well. Together, they would decide if the girls were “fit for duty”.
Both Fiora and Vi dreaded the wait, but this time felt different.
Maybe it was the fact that Fiora wanted to leave the team - that she might actually go through with it this time - that added to the tension but…
It felt like hours had passed by the time Mel and Felicia came over to deliver their verdicts.
The tension ratcheted up even higher - Vi had stopped breathing completely and Fiora resorted to praying. They both nearly flinched off their beds when their mother snapped the reports through the air.
The drivers chanced a glance - they cringed so horribly that Isha giggled. But there was really nothing funny about the situation as Felicia glared at them.
Despite the harsh tone their mother used, the prognosis was better than they could have hoped for. Neither driver had suffered any major breaks and, luckily, no internal bleeding. The crash had been nasty, but all the built-in safety systems had done their jobs and kept the drivers safe.
Fiora collapsed back into the bed, hands pressed hard into her eyes as the relief washed over her. Vi’s reaction was a tad more despondent.
Now there was no avoiding talking to her older sister.
As soon as the girls were cleared by the doctors, Felicia marched everyone out and into - Fiora and Vi did a double take. They both turned to their mother and Fiora asked, “Mummy, why’s your beamer here?” They had not expected to be picked up in their mother’s BMW X7 M50i.
It was a gift that Fiora had bought for their mother after placing podium for the first time the year before. And Felicia almost never allowed Fiora or Vi into it after the popcorn incident.
Felicia really wasn’t in a charitable mood. She went to the door, opened it and said, “Get. In.”
Even Isha scrambled to get into her seat at that tone.
The drive home was entirely in silence. Powder pulled out her iPad to continue her project. She also handed Isha a few snacks. The youngest sister, despite the despondent mood, hummed and snacked and giggled as she watched the scenery go by.
After ten minutes of just sitting in traffic, Felicia finally spoke, “This is not my car.”
It was so sudden and out of nowhere that Fiora turned in her seat to exchange confused looks with her sisters. Felicia clarified, “We’re in Japan, sweetheart. This is just a rental. And besides, did you really think that I’d let you in my car after that performance?”
Vi and Fiora stiffened. Powder paused her drawing and Isha stopped looking outside to look between Fiora and Vi, more worried than a baby sister should ever have to be.
Felicia glanced in the rearview, “What happened, Violet?”
Vi glanced quickly at Fiora. She looked back at her mom to answer, but… She wasn’t actually sure what she meant.
Fiora turned a bit to glance at Vi. The two made eye contact and they reached the same conclusion: They had no idea what their mother meant.
“I…” Vi was prepared to spew some nonsense to try and cover up for having no clue what her mom wanted to know but before she could say anything, they were pulling into the Hotel Castle Inn Suzuka parking lot.
Vi and Fiora stepped out and stretched before reaching back into the rental to help their sisters and grab their stuff. Felicia was waiting off to the side, on her phone.
Fiora suspected that their mother was conferring with Mel.
Vi thought that she must be scouring through social media, looking for more angles of the crash.
And Powder and Isha? They were wondering what was for dinner.
In the hotel, they split off. Felicia went to the front desk to arrange for dinner to be sent up. The girls went straight upstairs to their room. Once they were gone, Felicia went to the bar to order a drink. Non-alcoholic, of course!
She was also very much aware of the news that Fiora would be breaking soon. She needed to be sober for that.
Felicia knew that Vi would not take it well. The single mother of four slumped a bit as she wondered how her second baby would take the news…