DREAM - Daniel Ricciardo

-11- Piece by Piece

But piece by piece, he collected me up
Off the ground, where you abandoned things and
Piece by piece he filled the holes that you burned in me – Kelly Clarkson

The sun was warm on Isa's back. They were in Daniels apartment in Monaco. The perks of Isa working for herself was that she could travel with Daniel. They were keeping their relationship on the down low for the media, but the team and Daniels family knew all about her. They have been dating for a few months and it was time for Isa to meet Daniels family. They wanted to meet each other sooner but with the hectic schedule it just didn't work, so in two weeks for the last race of the season, Daniels family is flying out to Abu Dhabi to support Daniel, it was the perfect time for Isa to meet them as she was coming to Australia for the holidays. It had been a while since Isa had slept In her own house in Texas but both Daniel and Isa were happy traveling together. She bit her lip, she had to tell Daniel at some point. 'Babe, I may have done something really stupid' Isa says, making Daniel turn around, putting the weights he was training with, on the floor. He looks at Isa who has a concerned and nervous look on her face, Daniel feels like this is serious and turns of the speakers, sitting down on one of the chairs on the back porch of Daniels apartment in Monaco. 'I know I'm going to meet your parents and sister in two weeks, and it made me think how sad it is that I don't have any parents to introduce you to, and I was thinking about my dad. And I have come to the conclusion that I want to visit my dad in jail. And I would really like it if you went with me'. 'Isa's statement shocked Daniel a bit. He knew she missed her mom a lot but he didn't know she thought about her dad that often. It made sense as Daniel loved to talk about his family, and the couple talked a lot on facetime with his parents. It made Daniel a bit nervous, meeting the father of your girlfriend was always terrifying but meeting someone who was in jail, is just petrifying. Even though Daniel was scared he didn't have to think twice, 'Of course I want to come with you, I would do everything to support you. When were you thinking of going, well, I booked my flight for tomorrow morning,' Isa says looking away from Daniel. Daniel lets out a soft chuckle, of course she would do that.

Daniel was driving the rental car from the hotel to the prison Isa's dad was staying in. Isa's leg bounced up and down from the nerves, her palms sweaty and her heart beating out of her chest. Daniel put his hand on her thigh, stroking it to try and calm her down. As they walked into the visitors entrance, they had to go through security, once all checked out they were brought to a small room where is stood in front of the door. She took a deep breath, this is it, she thought. Once she opened the door she would be faced with the man who gave her life but also the one who ruined it. She opened the door to reveal a small man, he stood up from his chair. He was not much taller than Isa but he was well build, his gray hair short on his head, a clean and shaven face. 'Hi, dad' Isa didn't know if she should hug him or give him a hand so she just sat down in the chair across from her father, Daniel taking the seat next to her. Daniel took her hand underneath the table, giving it a light squeeze. 'Isabel, you have grown so much'. Isa cringes at her birth name, which she hasn't used since the horrible events in her past. 'And who are you? As far as I know I don't have any other children' Jake chuckles. 'I'm Isa's boyfriend, Daniel' Daniel states. 'Well you can't say I have completely ruined your life If you have a rich f1 driver as a boyfriend can you?' Isa doesn't know what to say. Now that she is sitting here she doesn't know what she expected from this. 'Why did you want to meet after all these years?' Jake asks. 'I have just been curious, why you treated me so bad, I wanted to know what I had done to make you hate me that much. Because I don't know any other child who is hated so much by one of her parents' Isa chokes out, tears almost spilling out of her eyes but she succeeds in holding them in. Jack lets out a chuckle, ' if all you came for was an explanation or even an apology, this will be a short visit sweetheart. You were just an easy target for me, me and your mom were far from happy together but I knew that if I left her that I would be left with nothing, so I stayed. But after your mom died in that car crash I got the money because you were not eighteen yet. It was the only reason I was there. Because you gave me money, so for that I need to thank you' jack says with an evil grin. 'How can you sit there with that smirk on your face and just tell me that I have never meant anything to you. Have you never loved one bit of me?!' Isa almost screams. Daniel rubs her hand to try and calm her down. 'You really have some nerves little girl, coming here accusing me of ruining your life when in reality I am her because of YOU, so I should be the one getting mad at YOU!,' Jack shouted her way. Isa couldn't believe her ears, her blood was boiling and she couldn't hold the anger in anymore. Angry tears spilled out of her eyes, she stood up from the table pushing her chair back, ' I'm done her Dan, let's go' with that they left. Daniel walking behind Isa as he could see her hands were formed into fists as she was walking through the hallway, headed towards the exit. As the visitors hour was almost over the parking lot was almost empty, Daniel grabbed Isa's hand and turned her around. Pulling Isa against his chest, Isa let the tears fall, putting her fist against Daniels chest, she was sobbing. They stood there a while, Isa finally calming down. Isa grabbed Daniels hand and they walked toward the rental car. They drive to the hotel was silent, Isa was tired and closed her eyes for a bit. Once in the hotel room Isa changed into one of Daniels shirt to sleep in, Daniel stripped to his Boxers and they both laid under the covers. They faced each other and Isa finally spoke up, 'I'm a bit embarrassed, I don't know what I expected from that meeting but it certainly wasn't this. Maybe I'm a bit naive to have thought that it would turn out positive, to think that he would actually apologize'. 'You hoped he had changed, that is totally normal, you want a parent to love you that is nothing to be embattled about babe. But know that even though they don't come close to your mom, my parents love you, even if they haven't met you' Daniel whispers, caressing Isa's face softly. 'I know Dan, your mom told me, we call all the time you know' Isa says closing her eyes. She was exhausted, Daniel could hear her breathing become steady as she fell asleep. Daniel was a bit surprised by what Isa said. He knew his parents liked Isa, they told him many times, but he had no idea that Isa talked to them outside the FaceTime calls they had together. It made Daniels heart swell, it was a sign for him that they were in it for the long run and Daniel couldn't wait what the future would bring, even if it wasn't perfect all.