Lifeline (Daniel Ricciardo)

Chapter 22: Findings

Salut, Caio, Hola, Hej...to all of you new readers (please don't be offended for my spelling, I did try). I hope you're enjoying the story so far:)

lacellak 's chapter runs alongside this and the two are very closely linked- we thought it was about time for a crossover chapter!

One last thing make sure you pay very close attention to this part...oh and if you'd vote that would be parfait...go on, I dare you!

My heart was racing in my chest. I could almost hear the thud of it above the music. I hadn't properly processed what was happening. And judging by his face, Evan was slightly clueless too.

I wanted to laugh.

"We'd better head for the tube now; we need to leg it if we're going to make the last train." Evan spoke, pulling my arm so I would begin to move through the bar.

"So you get me drunk, kiss me and then send me home..." I chuckled, pushing his arm. That was a bad move. I nearly fell over. I didn't know what would have been worse: tripping over Ev, or slipping on a spilt drink.

"No, it's not like that." he whispered, suddenly seeming sober. Sadly though, I couldn't comprehend that. Merde.

"What then?" I gushed, miraculously finding the bar and accepting Evan's shopping bags back. Why had the weight of his new t-shirts suddenly become so bloody heavy?

"I shouldn't have just done that." he asserted, pulling my arm again to lead me out into the April night air. Outside was so much cooler than inside the venue, and it felt as if I could breathe once again. " I wasn't thinking."

Maybe Evan was right...maybe I was a little more intoxicated than I had first thought.

"Where is this flipping tube station?" I asked, the street lit as if it was daytime.

"Not too far. I don't need to carry you, do I?" thankfully, as Evan replied his mischievous grin was back, "and can you just say 'flipping' one more time for me, please?"

"Why?"

"Stop asking questions!" Ev laughed, directing me away from a road sign. That was a very close call.

"You're the one asking me flipping questions." I flung my hand out only for the blonde to catch it. "Please don't let go...I am going to need your help down the steps."

---

Evan and I chatted the whole hour and a half journey back and received numerous displeasing looks from disgruntled passengers.

Once on the final stint of the journey from London Euston to Milton Keynes, we sat ourselves at the back of the last carriage, away from everyone else who wanted some quiet time. Well, almost everyone.

We rambled on about the previous years, not mentioning the past month or my parents. For that small amount of time it felt as if I was human again. It felt as if there was a small glimmer of hope that one day, things would get better. I wouldn't have to put on a false front- I could be myself, albeit the girl who was orphaned just before her eighteenth birthday. And I knew who I wanted around me for that.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Evan rubbed his forehead as we emerged into the station car-park at the Central Milton Keynes station. It had gone midnight. At least now both of us were walking a tad straighter.

"What's the matter?" I looked up at the blonde who looked distressed.

"Before you try and protest, my car is here and neither of us can drive...Karin, I said neither." he reiterated before I could try and convince him that I was fine. Even though I was far from it.