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Nico was trying so hard to just be Virginia’s father but it was difficult with Lewis in the picture. The Brit had unofficially invited himself into Nico’s home in order to help care for the baby. On the day that Nico and Baby Virginia were due to go home, Vivian had made Nico promise that he would try and be civil with Lewis for their daughter’s sake. Nico didn’t want to argue and Vivian had been so helpful and caring throughout the time they had known each other and not just the pregnancy but he didn’t hesitate to agree. His daughter was now three months old and yet Lewis was still living in his apartment. That was, when he wasn’t racing, he was in Nico’s apartment. The German’s patience was slowly drifting away. He couldn’t handle being with Lewis much. They would often argue over different things even though there was the little voice in the back of Nico’s head saying that he was as much to blame for the situation and Lewis had every right to be in his daughter’s life. He was glad that Vivian was living there too and only had to look at Nico and he would calm down.
Lewis had not long returned from season testing in Spain and when he arrived back in Monaco, he was immediately fawning over Virginia. He unfortunately woke his daughter up from her nap and Nico sighed as he heard crying from the bedroom and stormed through to his daughter’s bedroom to see Lewis cradling their baby in his arms as he tried to sooth her back to sleep.
“Why couldn’t you just leave her be?” Snapped Nico.
Lewis frowned.
“I haven’t seen her in two weeks, can you blame me?” He questioned softly.
Nico scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the door frame, watching Lewis settle Virginia back to sleep.
“There, there, Vivi. There’s nothing to worry about. Daddy’s back.” Whispered Lewis.
“I told you not to call her that.” Nico said, annoyed.
Lewis rolled his eyes and turned his back to Nico. The German shook his head and left the room. He headed towards the kitchen and let out a deep sigh. Vivian raised an eyebrow from where she was making a cup of coffee.
“What?”
“Why does he have to make things difficult?” Nico asked.
Vivian rolled her eyes.
“The same could be said to you.” She shot back.
Nico’s eyes widened.
“Don’t look at me like that, he’s trying to be a father. Leave him be.” Said Vivian, gently.
“I’ll be glad when he goes home.” Nico replied honestly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get out of your hair.”
Nico spun round and was met with a very angry Lewis. He couldn’t be sure but he thought he saw tears gather in the Brit’s eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but Lewis rushed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. Nico winced as the slamming caused another series of crying to flow throughout the building. He turned round to go back to his daughter’s bedroom but a tight grip on his arm stopped him and he was met with Vivian and the murderous look on her face.
“Don’t.”
She let go of his arm and walked swiftly to Virginia’s room. Nico was left on his own wondering where it all went wrong. When Vivian did return, Nico was sitting slumped against cushions on the sofa. She went and sat in the one seater recliner across from Nico and just looked at him.
“You and your big mouth.” She muttered quietly.
Nico glanced up at her.
“I’m sorry, Viv. I’ve been trying.” He said softly.
Vivian shook her head.
“When did it go wrong? Seriously, Nico, everything has been fine so far. Lewis has been living here for 3 months and it’s never been a problem. Alright, maybe it was supposed to be short term but there’s never been any issues.”
Nico didn’t answer. Vivian studied Nico as he fidgeted with one of the cushions.
“You love him.”
Nico blushed and looked down at the ground.
“You don’t want to let him go. Don’t even try and deny it. You were acting strange before he went to Barcelona. Did you think he wasn’t going to come back?”
She was met with a stone wall of silence.
“Nico, you have to talk to him.” She said sternly.
“I can’t.” The German mumbled.
Vivian sighed. The man sounded like a child. He sounded scared but it was no excuse for his actions. She grabbed her phone before rising up out of her seat. Nico didn’t move until he caught a glimpse of Vivian standing near the front door with a bag.
“Where are you going?” He asked frantically as he rushed towards her.
“I can’t stay with you when you’re being ignorant and refusing to admit your feelings. It’s not fair on Lewis or Virginia.” Vivian replied honestly.
“Vivian, please.” Begged Nico.
“Goodbye, Nico.”
The German found himself on his own for the first time in a long time.
Day after day, Nico would constantly text and call Vivian pleading with her to come and visit. She didn’t message back or call back and Nico was sure there was going to be a day where she was going to answer the phone and tell him angrily to leave her alone. She didn’t. It wasn’t until after the Australian grand prix that Vivian went to see Nico without informing him in the hope that the German had perhaps spoken to Lewis or that the Brit was back. She saw the relief on Nico’s face when he opened the door to his apartment and saw the blonde standing there. The first thing she noticed was that Nico hadn’t been sleeping. He had bags under his eyes and his eyes were in fact red. He had clearly not shaved in weeks. He was cradling his daughter close to his chest but she was fussing so Vivian quickly forced her way into the apartment and took the baby out of her father’s arms.
“You look dreadful.” She said honestly.
“Thanks.” Replied Nico sarcastically.
She sighed as she rubbed a hand up and down Virginia’s back as Nico slumped down on the recliner seat. She gently sat down on the sofa and cuddled the baby in her arms.
“Have you spoken to Lewis?” She asked softly.
Nico shook his head.
“Has he been in contact with you?”
Another head shake.
Vivian was starting to get annoyed.
“What are you playing at, Nico?”
The German glared at her.
“He’s in the UK, what do you want me to do?” He snapped.
Virginia let out a little whimper and Vivian glared back at Nico as she tried to settle the baby down.
“You need to speak to him, Nico. You need to apologise, I told you this a few weeks ago.” She tried to reason with him.
“What’s the point?” Nico replied glumly.
Vivian looked at him in disbelief.
“Lewis hasn’t seen his daughter in weeks after a certain someone opened his big mouth. You have to apologise, Nico. You’re supposed to be an adult.” She told him seriously.
“He’s the one who walked out.” Nico mumbled.
Vivian sighed.
“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation right now.” She murmured.
Nico bit his lip as they sat in silence for a while.
“I don’t know if I can talk to him.” He mumbled.
“You have to. For your daughter’s sake at least.”
Nico let Vivian make up his daughter’s bottle and was grateful when she stayed the night. Nothing more was said about Lewis as Vivian stayed to help out.
A couple of days later, there was a knock at the door. Nico frowned as he went to open it, leaving Vivian to hold Virginia. He wasn’t expecting a parcel and his parents usually called before coming. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he opened the door to reveal Lewis. The German looked back between Vivian in the apartment and Lewis standing at the front door.
“It’s for your own good.” Vivian stated.
Nico hesitantly opened the door wider to let Lewis in. The Brit entered the apartment without a word but he smiled as he caught sight of Virginia. He raced over and took his daughter into his arms as he cuddled her close.
“Daddy’s missed you, sweet girl. Yes he has.” He cooed.
His smile brightened as the baby gurgled when he raised her up. He then brought her back to his chest and kissed her cheeks. Nico looked at Vivian nervously who had moved away to let Lewis have time with his child. She just stared at him before she left the pair and baby alone to head to the spare room.
“I’m sorry.” Nico mumbled.
He wasn’t sure if Lewis heard him as he seemed too caught up in their daughter. He cleared his throat before he spoke a little louder:
“I’m sorry.”
Lewis turned round to face him and sighed.
“I’m sorry too. I’m sorry that I didn’t keep in touch. You have every right to be angry. I should have come home after Australia but to be honest, I couldn’t face you.”
Nico looked guilty.
“Where did we go wrong, Nico? I thought we were doing alright, man.”
The German sighed.
“I didn’t want you to go. When you went to Barcelona for testing, it killed me. It had nothing to do with the racing, it was the fact that you left me and Virginia.”
“I had to go to testing though.”
“I know that!” Snapped Nico.
He looked apologetic as Lewis flinched and took a step back.
“I’ve been so used to having you around, I didn’t want it to change. I thought, maybe, we could go back to normal. Like how we were before things went to shit.” He said softly.
Lewis frowned at him.
“I love you, Lewis. I suppose, I was scared of getting rejected, of being left on my own. I know I’m an idiot for the way I treated you during the pregnancy but I can’t deny that you’re an amazing dad to our wonderful girl and I meant what I said in the hospital. I want to try and make this work. Together. I just don’t want to get hurt again and I don’t want Virginia to get hurt either.”
He looked down at the floor. He was waiting for Lewis to shout or scream at him. To tell him he was stupid to think that they could ever be together. He nearly gasped as Lewis lifted his chin up to face him.
“I love you too.” He whispered.
Nico could feel tears gather in his eyes. He gazed back at Lewis and his heart felt warm. Perhaps they could make it work. Lewis cupped the back of Nico’s neck as the German moved in closer and kissed the Brit softly. They pulled apart when they heard a gurgle and they smiled down at their daughter. Nico stroked her cheek gently and smiled at Lewis as he felt the hand that had been on his neck, lower so that his arm was wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer.
“We should thank Vivian.” Murmured Nico.
Lewis chuckled.
“Yeah, that woman is a saint.”
A couple of months later, Nico admired Lewis from afar as he showed their daughter another trophy that had been won by the Brit. He smiled softly as their baby girl reached out with her tiny little hands to grab it. He slowly made his way over and crouched down on the floor beside them so that he was cuddled into Lewis’ side.
“She’ll be in a racing kart in no time.” Nico chuckled as he leaned in to kiss Lewis’ cheek.
The Brit laughed.
“Amen to that.”