Dodging the Heat (Year 1)

Attempted Amends, Amends and That Photo

It's another race, another weekend. Malaysia Laura wants nothing but to try and right her wrong this weekend, get the win that she let slip away in Australia. She's not sure she's ever wanted something so badly. And finally getting in front of Sebastian would also be nice.

She was standing with Miles at the back of the garage prior to Saturday qualifying, she's staring at the car with her lips pursed not feeling quite so confident from her practice runs that she can deliver a pole. She folds her arms and wants to get this moving, get going.

"Lillian says good luck," Mile looks over at her and Laura looks up smiling. She hadn't spoken to her sister since their phone call in Australia but maybe things were moving in the right direction. "You two sorting things out?"

"I hope so." And Laura means that, she wanted her sister back on her side. This fight was now dragging on too long.

The cars are being fired up and Miles nudges her. "Now go and get pole," he orders.

She grins and salutes before reaching for her balaclava and getting ready.

* * *

Opening the door to his hotel room on Saturday night the last person that Sebastian expected to see was his teammate. Laura was standing there smiling at him. "Aston?"

"Want to celebrate?"

Seb's eyes looking at the water bottle she was holding as he answered, "What? My pole and your fourth position?"

The smile on her face falters. "Yes."

"I have water in the room," Sebastian informs her again his tone colder than he intended.

Her smile returns, "You shouldn't judge anything by its packaging, Sebastian."

And he was sure that was meant to mean something else, but he moves aside to let her in as he satisfies his curiously, "What is it?"

"Vodka," she answers simply moving to the spot on the floor that he'd been occupying before he was interrupted. "Studying?"

Her foot nudges the rough spread of telemetry printouts he'd been pouring through for tomorrow's race. "There was a reason why I beat you at the last race," he tells her as he roughly scoops up his data not at all willing to share with her.

"A crazy assed race that was mine and I aquaplaned from first in?" she challenges.

"Or Bahrain," he fires back.

"I'm so pleased you're keeping score, I was worried we weren't keeping track." She snaps sarcastically and Sebastian scowls at her.

He drops his papers onto a chair and goes to get some glasses. "Where did you get the vodka?" They were in Malaysia and a country not known for its drinking.

"Something I brought with me," she smiles unscrewing the cap and pouring two drinks.

"To my win tomorrow," Sebastian states downing the drink she'd poured and slamming the glass down.

"We'll see," she says gulping hers down.

Drinking was something Sebastian didn't do during a race weekend but he'd just made an exception. And it was because he wanted to know the real reason why Aston was here. "So now that we did that, are you going to tell me why you're here?"

She falters. "I'm making an effort."

Sebastian raises his eyebrows not following.

"With us," she clarifies. "We're teammates."