Chapter Text
Eight-year-old Vi tightened and loosened her grip around the steering wheel of her go-kart, her small racing gloves squeaking softly against the rubber as she bounced her knee anxiously. Around her, engines roared loudly, mechanics shouted over one another, and the crowd cheered from the stands overhead, but it all slowly faded into muffled noise as she stared at the track stretched out in front of her.
The turns looked sharper today.
Longer.
Meaner.
Vi bit down hard on her bottom lip.
Then a throat cleared beside her.
A hand settled onto her shoulder gently.
Vi didn’t even need to turn around.
The familiar scent of vanilla perfume with a faint fruity sweetness wrapped around her instantly, calming something deep in her chest before she finally heard her mother’s voice beside her.
“The track looks good today,” Felicia said casually. “But you’re probably gonna have to play defense a little more this race.”
Vi nodded absentmindedly, still staring ahead.
Beside her, Felicia smiled softly before glancing over her shoulder toward the sidelines where Vander and Silco stood arguing dramatically over something while three-year-old Powder sat on Silco’s shoulders clapping excitedly every time a kart sped past. Vander reached over to poke Powder’s cheek, making her squeal loudly before Silco swatted his hand away with an annoyed look.
Felicia snorted quietly at the sight before looking back down at Vi.
Her expression softened immediately.
“Nervous?” she asked gently.
Vi shrugged.
“A little.”
Felicia hummed before crouching beside the kart completely, resting her forearms against the side as she studied her daughter carefully. Then she reached up and rubbed a hand affectionately over Vi’s hair beneath the edge of her helmet.
The simple touch made Vi finally look at her.
And instantly, some of the fear faded.
Because her mother always looked at her like there was nothing in the world Vi couldn’t do.
Felicia leaned in slightly closer.
“Listen to me, Vi,” she said softly. “If you get scared out there…or too nervous…and you wanna back out, that’s okay.”
Vi frowned immediately.
Felicia smiled.
“I’m serious.” She pointed toward the sidelines where Vander and Silco stood with Powder. “You can pull off the track anytime and run straight to me. I’ll be right over there waiting for you.”
Vi rolled her eyes dramatically despite the smile tugging at her lips.
“I know,” she muttered. “You always say that. Even after I’ve won a bunch of races already.”
Felicia laughed warmly.
“Yeah, well,” she said, nudging Vi’s knee gently. “That’s because I need you to know it’s always okay to stop if something feels wrong.” Her voice softened. “No race matters more to me than you do.”
Vi’s chest warmed instantly.
Felicia smiled at her for another moment before reaching up to straighten the collar of Vi’s suit absentmindedly.
“No matter what happens out there,” she continued quietly, “I’ll be waiting for you with open arms after the race.”
Vi stared at her mother for a moment before leaning closer slightly.
“Always?” she asked quietly.
Something in Felicia’s expression softened almost painfully.
She leaned forward until her forehead rested gently against the front of Vi’s helmet.
“Always,” she whispered.
Vi’s grin widened immediately.
“Then I’m gonna win this last race just for you.”
Felicia laughed softly before pressing a kiss against the top of her helmet.
“Go win that race, kiddo.”
………
Vi stood on top of the podium with the trophy lifted high above her head while the crowd cheered loudly around her.
Her helmet sat tucked beneath her arm, messy pink hair sticking to her forehead from sweat as she grinned so hard her cheeks hurt.
Below the podium, Felicia stood near the barrier with Powder balanced on her hip while Vander and Silco stood behind her shoulder-to-shoulder, clapping loudly as Powder bounced excitedly in her mother’s arms.
“That’s my girl!” Vander shouted over the noise.
Silco smirked proudly beside him. “Took long enough.”
“Vi!” Powder screamed happily. “Vi won!”
Vi laughed breathlessly as she looked straight at her mother.
Felicia’s smile was impossible to miss.
Proud.
Warm.
Certain.
Like she’d never doubted Vi for a second.
The second the ceremony ended and the officials started guiding the other racers away, Vi jumped off the podium without hesitation after spotting Vander, Silco, and Felicia beginning to walk off toward the garage.
“Hey!” she shouted before sprinting toward them.
Powder squealed loudly the second she saw Vi running toward them, practically launching herself out of Felicia’s arms while Vi slid to a stop in front of them, still clutching the trophy tightly against her chest.
Felicia laughed softly at the sight of her.
“You did amazing,” she told her warmly.
Vi beamed instantly.
“Like you?”
Felicia’s expression softened with something almost emotional before she nodded once.
“Like me.”
That was all Vander needed before he suddenly grabbed Vi around the waist and hoisted her up onto his shoulders, making her yelp loudly while Powder jumped excitedly beside them.
“She did it!” Powder screamed.
Vi laughed so hard her stomach hurt as she lifted the trophy again while Vander spun her around once dramatically, Silco shaking his head beside them despite the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
And for a moment—everything felt endless.
Safe.
Whole.
~ 7 years later ~
The Ferrari garage exploded into cheers.
Fifteen-year-old Vi grinned widely as her mother’s scarlet Ferrari flew across the massive screens overhead, the sound of engines roaring through the packed garage while mechanics shouted excitedly over one another.
“There she goes!”
“She got the McLaren!”
Vi laughed loudly as the announcers’ voices echoed throughout the pit lane.
“And Felicia Lanes makes the overtake look effortless! What a drive from Ferrari today!”
Vi pumped a fist excitedly before immediately grabbing Powder around the shoulders and shaking her dramatically while Powder groaned loudly.
“Vi!”
“She’s insane!” Vi shouted excitedly. “Did you see that move?!”
Powder laughed despite herself while Vi turned back toward the monitors with shining eyes.
Near the pit wall, Vander and Silco sat side-by-side with headsets on, both staring intensely at the race data screens in front of them.
“She’s doing amazing,” Vander muttered, unable to hide the pride in his voice.
Silco nodded once before speaking calmly into his headset. “Sevika, conserve your tires through Sector Three.”
The rookie driver’s voice crackled back through the radio.
“Copy.”
Silco glanced toward Vander briefly.
Vander gave him a confident nod.
Vi’s chest swelled at the sight.
This was home.
Not the ranch in Arizona.
Not the interviews.
Not the press.
This.
The noise.
The engines.
The people.
Her family.
Vi turned back toward the screens just as the camera switched to Felicia’s Ferrari rapidly gaining on the Red Bull ahead of her.
Immediately, her excitement sharpened into nervous energy.
“Come on…” Vi whispered under her breath.
Behind Felicia, Sevika’s Ferrari closed the gap quickly.
The announcers grew louder instantly.
“Ferrari looking incredibly strong here—Felicia Lanes is hunting down the Red Bull while Rookie Sevika closes from behind!”
Vi tightened her fists unconsciously.
The two Ferraris lined up perfectly behind the Red Bull car as they flew down the straight.
“Hold on,” Vi whispered quietly.
Felicia suddenly pulled out.
The entire garage erupted.
“She goes defensive!”
The Red Bull driver immediately shifted to block her while Sevika shot forward behind them.
Vi’s eyes widened.
The corner was coming up too fast.
Sevika barely slipped through first.
Then everything slowed.
The Red Bull car edged too close.
Felicia tried correcting.
The Ferrari clipped sideways.
Vi stopped breathing.
Her mother’s car spun violently across the track before slamming straight into the barrier.
The explosion came a second later.
Fire burst upward instantly.
Someone screamed in the garage.
Vi stood frozen.
Completely frozen.
The flames swallowed the Ferrari almost immediately as smoke poured violently into the sky.
“No…” Powder whispered beside her.
Powder grabbed onto Vi’s arm tightly.
“Vi…” Her voice shook. “Was that mom’s car?”
Vi couldn’t answer.
She couldn’t move.
Onscreen, the broadcast zoomed out as marshals sprinted toward the wreckage while smoke covered almost everything.
Her heartbeat pounded violently in her ears.
Then movement beside the pit wall snapped her attention away.
Vander and Silco were already running.
Both of them tore their headsets off while shouting at nearby staff before racing toward the center of pit lane. An ambulance flew past seconds later and both men climbed inside without hesitation as the vehicle sped away toward the burning wreck.
Vi slowly reached up and pulled her headphones off.
The garage noise sounded distorted now.
Far away.
Muted.
She walked forward numbly toward pit lane while people rushed around her in panic.
Then—another explosion echoed somewhere in the distance.
The entire garage erupted into horrified screams.
Vi stopped walking.
A massive dark cloud of smoke rose into the sky far beyond the track barriers.
Her breathing suddenly turned uneven.
Too fast.
Too shallow.
Her chest tightened violently.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale—
Nothing.
Her lungs wouldn’t work properly.
The world tilted around her as panic flooded every inch of her body.
And the very last thing Vi heard before everything started fading was Powder screaming her name.