Chapter Text
Max opened his eyes, dazed by the light filtering through the window. He didn’t recognize the bed, in fact, he didn’t recognize the room at all. His head was killing him, and his throat felt so dry it was as if he hadn’t water in years.
He sat up in bed, still disoriented. He clutched his head; perhaps he had gotten up too quickly because the room was spinning. When he finally managed to stop the ceiling from moving, he heard a noise coming from the door. Footsteps, probably. A voice followed, one that sounded strangely familiar.
And then George Russell opened the door. He looked at Max, his eyes soft… almost tender.
“You’re awake. I brought you something for your head” His voice was calm, but it did nothing to keep Max peaceful.
This has to be a nightmare.
He pushed himself off the bed, putting a lot of distance between himself and George.
“Where am I? What did you do to me?” his head was throbbing.
“Max, please. I need you to relax. Just sit down and listen to me, okay?” George's eyes remained kind. And that terrified Max even more.
“I know this will sound crazy, but please believe me. It’s the truth” He took a deep breath. “You had an accident. A crash during a race, three months ago. The doctors say you’re fine, you’ve recovered. But your mind…” George swallowed clearly trying not to cry.
“You lost your memory. We don't know exactly how much. You couldn’t tell us anything useful at first, but we think it’s about six or seven years, because of your reactions”
“Is this a joke? Is Lando behind that door?” Max felt completely unsteady.
“No. It’s not a joke” George tried to sound calm, but a faint tremble in his lower lip hinted at the emotions he was trying to suppress.
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
“I don't know. Maybe after the race week in Abu Dhabi. Is this about Qatar again? You didn’t have enough telling that shit to the press?” He was beginning to get angry
George let out a short laugh, then a quiet snort.
“What’s so funny?” Max snapped “I told you I don’t like this stupid joke. Just stop. I want to leave”
“No, Max. Stay here. This isn’t funny” He shook his head slightly. “ Of course you only remember Qatar. The universe really has sense of humor”
George tried to step closer. Max stepped back until his shoulders hit the wall.
“I don't understand why you’re telling me this?”
George looked up and sighed deeply. “I thought you’d lost six or seven years. Now I know it’s eight” George’s voice dropped. He looked at Max carefully. “You don’t even remember when we became friends”.
George looked at him a little nervously now, his face slightly furrowed. He hesitated “ Max… we are married”
A stifled scream escaped him, followed by a burst of hysterical laughter.
“Where are the cameras? Did Netflix get creative this year?” he said as he looked around the corners of the room.
“It’s the truth” He looked at him with a straight face.
He took a moment to look around the room, letting his eyes linger on every detail.
The pictures on the nightstands caught his attention. In one of them, George and Max were smiling at each other like idiots. But there was also a little kid between them, blond, with turquoise eyes.
His gaze drifted back to George. And to his very noticeable belly in the picture.
Okay that definitely didn't help to feel less terrified
“We have kids?” He said, in shock.
He didn't fully believe this was real, but who would joke about such a thing?
George noticed the nervous edge in Max's voice and tried to meet his eyes. The same intense turquoise as the child in the picture.
“We really don't need to have this conversation right now. You should go back to bed and rest” George said softly. “The doctor warned us you'd spend the first days sleeping. He also said we should avoid agitation or stress, even though… we both know that's impossible right now”
“Russell, just answer,” Max said, his voice sharp. “it's not a difficult question”
He already knew the answer. The second picture showed a hospital room, George and Max holding a newborn.
“Yes”
As if on cue, a dull thump echoed from another room, followed by a sharp, piercing cry. George rushed out instinctively, but stopped at the door.
“I know this is difficult” he said without turning around, “but I'd rather you stay here. I don't need you scaring the kids”
Fuck
If he was telling the truth…
FUCK
As the reality of the situation sank in, Max's panic began to give way to overwhelming fatigue. He sat back down on the bed, trying to calm himself. He ended up lying down because his body felt heavy, weighed down by the emotional turmoil.
The doctors were probably right. Max felt exhausted, even though he’d only just woken up. closing his eyes in an attempt to shut out the chaos. Despite his racing mind, exhaustion eventually claimed him, pulling him into a restless sleep.
♡♡♡♡♡
George knocked on the door this time, waiting for permission before coming in. Max didn't know how long he had been asleep, but outside it was completely dark.
“We can talk, if you want. As long as you stay calm” George said, his back was noticeably stiff, tense, as if he were negotiating in a hostage situation.
Max agreed. If he wanted answers, he’d have to play along.
“So…we are a couple,” Max said slowly.
“Yes, we’ve been together for seven years”
Max swallowed hard “And we have kids” said in a whisper.
“Yes. Benjamin is four, and Matthew is two”
George look worried as he closed his eyes “And… we can’t forget about this little pea”
He touched his stomach, a small smile appearing despite everything.
oh no
Max forgot all about staying calm.
“You’re pregnant? Right now? You’re pregnant?”
He stared at George, confused “But I was in a coma. You told me I was in a coma for three months”
He didn’t really look pregnant. It didn’t add up.
The question clearly annoyed him. He recovered quickly, though, and answered softly.
“I’m sixteen weeks pregnant. We found out shortly before the crash”
Max didn't know much about pregnancy, but sixteen weeks sounded like it should be… more visible.
He forced himself to stay calm, and stray from the topic.
“You said I couldn’t tell you anything useful at first. What did you mean?”
“You woke up a couple of times before this,” George explained. “The first time, you want to run away” He let out a small laugh “but you were heavily sedated. You couldn't really do anything”
He looked at him “I decided to bring you home, I thought it’d be better if the kids saw you here, in your own bed, instead of in that hospital room” George added.
Kids
Children he had not yet seen, but could definitely hear now somewhere in the house. Laughing or screaming.
Panic crept into his chest.
He couldn't believe it.
The panic led him to think about scenarios. He couldn’t walk out of that room and have a small kid call him Dad.
The guilt followed immediately. None of this was the kid’s fault. They probably wanted to see their father. But Max could not do that.
A family
Having a family had always been one of his greatest wishes. Finding love, having children, building something real. A renegade desire forced to remain deep within his soul. One he could not fulfil. And somehow, that wish had come true.
Only he didn’t feel fulfilled.
He felt miserable.
Like he’d skipped a hundred important steps.
He’d missed falling in love, getting married, starting a family. How on earth had he fallen in love with George Russel in the first place?
“So… I woke up before” Max said quietly “And I still don’t remember any of this”
“Yeah, this time just seems more… definitive” He smiled, clearly trying to make Max feel comfortable.
Max couldn’t even think or imagine that George ever looked at him like he wanted to hug him.
He cleared his throat. “So when did it start?” He hesitated “How did we go from He lashes out with unnecessary anger to happily ever after?”
George settled on the edge of the bed, sitting across from him.
“Long story short. We became friends after the next season in Qatar” A small smile escaped him “I don’t know how it happened, but the year after that… we started dating” He took a breath.
“After a while, Benji was born. Then we got married. Then Matt came along” His hand went back to his stomach. “And this little pea was a complete surprise” He touched his belly as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
Max wondered if he’d ever felt that way before.
If he’d loved George, and their babies, so deeply that the thought of them alone could bring him to tears.
Silence settled between them, and Max decided to ask the question he was afraid of.
“Did the doctors say when I’ll recover my memory? I will recover, right?” He tried not to sound desperate, but he failed.
“They don’t know for sure, it could be tomorrow, in a week, in months, or…” His voice faded before finishing the sentence. They both knew what the unspoken option was.
“What matters is that you need to rest. Your memory will come back with time. I’m completely sure of it” George’s eyes stayed fixed on Max. His expression was intense, unwavering. There was confidence in his voice, and love in his words. George looked like he truly believed it
And that made Max wonder about…
What did it feel like to fall in love with George Russell?
What did it feel like to be loved by George Russell?
He realized the answer was right in front of him.
It was the man looking at him as if he were all the constellations in the universe rolled into one. His eyes were filled with emotion, with love. He smiled so genuinely that Max wanted to believe him.
His mind was in turmoil. It felt like searching for something you know should be there, something you are sure you left in a specific place, but when you look for it, it is nowhere to be found. It was frustrating. Exhausting.
And not even a day had passed since he woke up in this nightmare.
But George kept looking at him as if he were prepared to wait forever.
He didn’t understand why that didn’t seem frightening to him.
“I have to make dinner. I’ll bring it here for you” He said softly, offering a gentle smile as he stood up, leaving Max alone.
As soon as it was, Max found himself thinking about the way George had looked at him. He lingered on it longer than he meant to. He did not know why, or maybe he simply did not want to go down that spiral.
Feeling that loving gaze on him sent shivers down his spine, but he had also seen the sorrow in George’s eyes. And then his thoughts shifted.
How hard must this be for George?
They had built a life together, and now it had fallen apart. Max could not remember anything about them. That thought made he feel sick.
He actually laughed, softly, bitterly.
A few weeks ago, or rather years ago, he had felt so much anger toward George that he had sworn he had lost all respect for him.
And now he was sitting there, empathizing with him.
That was too big a change.
He laughed again,incredulous, and covered his face with his hands. Because it was all a bad joke.