Woman on fire (Alessia Russo x F1!reader)
With the season coming to a close you wanted to make every second count. Ferrari had won the constructors championship but the driverâs championship was yet to be decided. It was between you or Lewis.
You went into the Bahrain Grand Prix equal on points with Lewis. The last two races were crucial and both of you were striving for perfection because one mistake could be costly.
Alessia had suffered a minor knock during training. It wasnât serious but it did mean she would be on the sidelines for a couple of weeks. She hated not being able to play but the silver lining was that she could travel with you for the last two races of your season.
âHow are you feeling?â The day was just beginning as the sun peaked through the curtains of your hotel room.
Alessia head rested on your chest. The moment is silent but comfortably so. Right now it was you and her or the calm before the storm as the blonde likes to call it. She would often try to imagine whatâs going through your head but she knew whatever she came up with wouldnât come close.
âGood.â It was a lie. An ill timed red flag during qualifying meant you were starting the race near the back of the grid. It wasnât going to be an easy race but you knew that you had what it took to get the win.
âPlease donât do anything stupid.â
She only gets a hum in response and it isnât the answer she wanted. You are known for taking risks. If you saw a gap then you would take it. You are known as the queen of overtakes and whilst you loved to do it, you would only do so if it was safe. The only thing is that the definition of safe in your eyes and safe in Alessiaâs eyes are very different.
âY/N, I mean it. I know you want to win but no win is worth your life.â
Deep down you knew she was right but you couldnât allow yourself to get lost in the what ifs. If you did then you would hesitate and hesitation kills on the track.
Alessia was still getting used to having a girlfriend that drove fast cars for a living. The two of you had met during her off season last year during a family trip to Italy. You, a born and bread Italian, were making most of the summer break in Como when you first saw her. In all honesty you actually saw her brother Gio first, or more so he saw you. Her older brother recognised you and is a big F1 fan whereas Alessia was the polar opposite. She had never watched a race on her own volition. You were hooked from the first meeting and during the ten days that followed you saw Alessia everyday.
The two of your were both in your own heads. Overthinking wasnât something either of you could avoid. Alessia was thinking about what would happen if something went wrong and you were obsessing about what it would take to win. You both might have been in the same bed but your minds were far away.
A knock on the door brings you both back to the present moment. Nothing was said as it wasnât needed. The knock of your door meant that you were leaving in an hour. It was something your performance coach did any time you needed to go to the track.
You walked through the paddock hand in hand with your girlfriend as cameras flashed and followed you until your were in the Ferrari hospitality. You said good morning to Charles and Alex before going to get you and Alessia a coffee. When you returned she was chatting away with the two of them. Alessia fit in with both your friends and the team with ease.
A short while later you gave Alessia one last kiss as she sat in the family section in the garage. She watched as your placed the balaclava over your head followed by your helmet. You were in the zone now and she could only pray that you had a safe race.
Red light. Red light. Red light. Red light. Green light.
Cars were wheel to wheel as they tried to get in front going into the first corner. You had a near perfect start and were able to gain three places very quickly. You saw the gap, you had the racing line and so you made the move. You had the right but Ocon thought differently as he cut in at the last second. It was a dangerous move and it sends you into the railings at over 150 miles an hour. In that moment there was nothing you could do. You hit the brakes as hard as you could but it was no use. You hit the barrier and saw red, literally. The flames surrounded you and you knew you needed to get out of the car quickly or today would be your last day on earth.
âThatâs a huge crash.â Crofty commentated.
The entire garage gasped in shock and horror. It was the worst crash in recent years. Alessiaâs eyes were glued to the TV as she watched the replay. Hoping that her nightmare wasnât coming true but it was. She saw your red Ferrari go into the barrier time and time again.
Charlesâ voice came over the radio, the Monegasque was the leader of the race.
âThatâs a bad one. Who was it? Do we know if they are ok?â Charles had a panic in his voice. Anyone listening would have assumed that he knew it was you but he didnât.
âCharles, itâs Y/N.â
There it was, official confirmation.
This is what Alessia and the entire garage also wanted to know.
âWe donât know. We have lost radio connection.â
Were you alive? Were you hurt? Had the track claimed your life?
âIâm going back round. I know the rules but we need to know.â He pauses for second âAlessia?â Charles wanted to speak to your girlfriend.
âYes.â Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper, as Alexandra held her closely to comfort her in any way possible.
âIâll go get her. Sheâll be ok.â Did he believe what he was saying? No. He did however know what it was like to lose someone close to you in a racing incident and he was going to do everything in his power to make sure you got out alive.
Alessia's mind was racing. On your third date she asked you who your idols were and you said Ayrton Senna and Nikki Lauda. You told her about Senna's iconic Monaco lap and Nikki's intelligence and bravery. You told her about the movies and documentaries which she insisted for you to watch them. By the end she had one question: could that happen to you? you responded nonchalantly saying yes but it won't. Alessia couldn't understand how you didn't fear for your life every time you stepped into the car because god knows she did.Â
âNo.â It was barely a whisper. It was as if Alessia was living her worse nightmare. âPlease Y/N, please be okâ.
The eyes of everyone in the garage went from the screens then to Alessia. They could not begin to imagine what she must be going through. Even Mattia went over to check on your girlfriend and tried to reassure her the best he could. It was a small gesture but one that she appreciated.
Nikki Lauda survived his crash.
Silence overtook the radio. Charles was quiet, all anyone could hear was his heavy breathing. Your radio had completed disconnected, but then again a fire would do that.
The world watched as the number 16 Ferrari pulled up to the crash site. Your team mate jumped out and ran straight towards your car which was still in flames. Charles wasn't thinking straight and a couple of safety stewards held him back before he got himself hurt.
Alessia could do nothing. She had to watch, along with the rest of the world, to find out if you were ok.Â
Time seemed to stand still as it was revealed that your car has completed split in two.
"I can see her!" Charles shouted over the radio as he shoved the stewards out of the way to get to you as he tried to help you out the car.Â
Everyone watched as you jumped over the barrier looking like you barely had a scratch on you. Alessia fell backwards and would be on the floor if not for Alex who was keeping her upright. The latter woman was also relieved to see what you were in one piece.
You were in shock and Charles could tell by the look in your eye that something wasn't quite right. He began to worry that you had sustained a brain injury but little did he know you were experiencing the fight or flight response. You had spent the last 7 minutes fighting for your life.
Your arms wrap around his shoulders as his wrapped around you waist.Â
"Charl, am I happy to see you." you briefly hug Charles "Let's get out of here, I'm boiling." this earns a chuckle from him. You both run towards the ambulance that was waiting for you.
Charles is about to jump in but then remembers his car. He tells you that he will meet you at the hospital but you refuse the gesture. He had a car and a race to win. After a short battle, he agrees to continue the race.
Once in the ambulance you feel the adrenaline start to fade as the pain begins to take over. It hurts to breathe and you quickly consider how much smoke you must have inhaled. You hands were suddenly very hot and when you look down you see that some of the gloves have melted into your skin. Panic begins to set in.Â
The paramedic tries to calm you down but itâs no use. Everything she tells you goes in one ear and out the other. Little did she know whilst you were in that ambulance with her, your mind was miles away. You wouldn't like to guess what your heart rate was but in an instant everything went dark. Just as they say, you were in the eye of the hurricane and it was quiet. With you eyes closed your mind went to one thing, one person, Alessia.
Then the darkness overcomes you.
When you wake you see nothing but you feel everything. Every body part is sore and for a brief moment you wonder why, then it all comes back. The crash, the flames and being stuck in the car. You focus on your breathing and try to identify your surroundings. What can you hear? Voices, some louder than others but thereâs something else. You can hear heavy breathing, almost like someone is crying. What can you feel? Aside of the pain, you feel tight pressure around your hand and something wet.
âYou told me this could happen but never did I think it would.â
âVita Mia.â your voice is husky but in the many scenarios Alessia went through in her mind, many of them included her never hearing it again.
The sound of her saying your name got the attention of everyone in the room. Someone from the team went to get the doctors, Alex brought you some water and your girlfriend perched herself on the edge of your bed.
âHow are you feeling?â Alex asked.
You donât want to seem rude but you can only look at Alessia. Her eyes were red and you could see the dried tear streaks on her cheeks. She looked like she has been through hell and you know that youâre the reason.
âAre you ok?â You asked her. When she doesnât answer you know that something bigger is happening.
âYou almost died. I thought I watched you die.â You tried to reach towards her but she pulled away âI asked you not to do anything stupid.â With that she walked towards the door telling Alex that she needed a couple of minutes.
âThat was a bad one Y/N, really badâ
You know both women were hurting but this was starting to annoy you.
âPer l'amor di Dio!â Itâs only when you go to move some stray hairs do you realise that your hands are bandaged up âI had the right to make that move. It wasnât my faultâ
âYouâll never understand, you and Charles are exactly the same. We love you but dating a formula 1 driver isnât fun. We watch your tires lock up and our hearts stop for a minute. What just happened could have killed you. Alessia cried her eyes out on the way here and began speaking about you as if you were already dead. She loves you Y/N and sheâs scared.â
You knew that is was scary to watch your loved one, not by experience but by the stories the partners told.
âWill you please go find Less. I donât want her to be alone.â
The silence gave you time to think. Was this fair to Alessia? Even though you warned her of the dangers, this was a lot to handle on a weekly basis. You may not have seen the crash but you know you came very close to death. If the crash would have happened ten years ago then maybe you wouldnât have survived.
Alessia came back not 10 minutes later and Alex gives you both some privacy stating that she would be outside should either of you need anything.
âYou really scared me Y/N.â Alessia retakes her seat beside you on the bed.
âI thought you were going to die.â
âI thought it was the end of our story.â
Neither of you were raising your voice. This is an honest conversation and one where you didnât know how it would end. You were very protective over Alessia and if she was half as protective of herself then she would choose to save herself and walk away.
âHereâs the thing, being in a relationship with someone in this industry isnât easy. Every week I put myself in a car that goes over 200 miles an hour and thereâs a chance that it could be the last thing I do. Driving one of these cars has been my dream since I was 6 years old and I have accepted the risks I take and what they may cost. As I said, I have accepted that but you shouldnât have to.â
âY/N, thatâs not what this is about.â
âBut maybe it should beâ you place a kiss to the top of her hand âYou should be with someone who will be at home waiting for you after training, someone that will be in the stands cheering you on every week, someone that doesnât drive around in fancy circles and call it a job. You deserve someone that isnât me. I wish it was, god I do, but you deserve better Lessi.â
âStop. Stop saying those things. My reaction and what I am feeling has nothing to do with me not wanting to be with you or wanting something normal. In fact itâs the opposite. When I watched youâ Alessia blinks - once - slowly as she remembers you going into the barrier âall I could see was flames and I thought I had lost you. Y/N, I have watched video after video to prepare for this possibility but none of those were like what happened to you. It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest and I remember feeling so many emotions but one of the strongest ones was anger. Baby, I was so mad at the universe because I thought you had been taken away from me.â
Tears were falling down Alessiaâs face but she made no effort to wipe them away. For the first time today, she let herself feel.
âNow you are but for a while I wasnât sure if you would be. It made me realise how precious time is. We donât know how long we will be on this earth but for the time that I am, I want to spend it with you.â
Alessia was trying. She was trying to say the words that have been so hard to say. It wasnât that she didnât feel them for you but she had never said them before, and the weight they carry scared her.
âI-â She stutters slightly.
âI know. You donât have to say it.â
âI do, I want toâ Alessia leaned even closer to you and looked you directly in the eye âI love you Y/N. I am so very deeply in love with you.â
There they were. The all important three words.
âI love you, Alessia Russo.â you lean in and kiss her. You kiss her as if it was the last time and the first time all at once.
You learn that the burns on your hands werenât as bad as you thought. There were very sore but the nurse was able to take off the extensive bandages and apply a new thinner layer.
The two of you lay in your hospital bed talking about what youâll do over the Christmas break and during your off season. You promise her that youâll come to as many games as possible and she tells you that sheâll come to Italy over Christmas to try your Nonnaâs Cuccidati.
A gentle knock on the door gains both of yours attention. The person on the other side waits a couple of seconds before entering.
âThe woman on fire lives.â
âCharles!â Alex scolds her boyfriend.
âWhat? Thatâs what everyone is calling her.â He replied before facing you âItâs what theyâre calling you, Y/N.â
You all laugh for a little bit before Charles speaks with a more serious tone.
âYouâre ok? Really ok?â He asks and you nod âYou scared me for a moment. I canât lose someone else.â Charles says and you know he is speaking about Jules and Antoine.
âIâm ok. Quite sore but other than that Iâm in one piece.â You tell him but even with his question answered, you can tell that thereâs something else he wants to say.
He looks at you, at Alessia and then at Alex who in return shakes her head and tells him no.
âWhat is it?â You ask him.
âAlex, I want him to tell me.â
She raises her hands in defeat and takes a seat in the chair beside your bed.
âLewis had engine failure on lap 48.â
After crashing you thought lewis would win the race and the championship. There wasnât much you could do about it and you began to accept that.
Charles isnât finished.
âHe had to retire the car which means-â
âHe and Y/N are still equal on points.â Alessia says as she realises what your team mate is telling you.
This means the title was still undecided but your car was in pieces, literally. The Ferrari engineers had worked miracles in the past but this was asking too much. That being said you knew if you called Mattia and said you wanted to race next weekend then he would put every engineer available on your car.
âMy car.â It was simple. You could get in the best possible condition but you needed a car.
Alessia watches as you think of all the possible options. There are a lot of qualities she admired in you but the way you thought about the sport you loved never failed to amaze her. She also began thinking about you in a car again. Honestly, she thought she would have months to process the crash but now she may not even have a week.
âYou can have mine.â He said as if it was that simple. âI spoke to Mattia and he approved it. He can have the engineers start work straight away, theyâll apply your spec and-â
âCharles.â you stop him from talking âThank you for offering you car but look at me. I am in the hospital after being in a crash that, lets be honest, should have killed me. My hands ache like crazy and I feel like Iâve gone though twelve rounds with Canelo. What if Iâm not 100%?â
You expect the Monegasque to answer only the next words spoken do not come from his mouth.
âWhat if you donât try? Y/N, this has been your dream since you were a child and now you have been given a second chance than none of us thought possible. We will speak to the doctors and if they agree then weâll do everything we can to get you race ready.â
If anyone in the room would be against you racing, you thought it would be Alessia. Now here she is trying to convince you that you can still be a champion.
âAre you sure? Iâm not in this alone and I wonât make a decision without you being ok with it.â
âPositive.â Alessia nods confidently.
âLetâs do this. Iâll speak to the doctors. Charles call Mattia. Iâve got a championship to win.â
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