Panic

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Summary: Kevin's been watching the news and doesn't like what he sees.

AUTHOR: Catw00man
EMAIL: catw00man@cryptoffic.com
RATING: PG-13
CHARACTER: Kevin Harvick/Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kevin POV
CATEGORY: Romance/Angst
COMPLETED: July 21, 2004
WORD COUNT: 634
DISCLAIMER: I own NOTHING and am affiliated with NO ONE mentioned here. Not the drivers, not the teams, no one. This is all fiction and fun. In other words...NOT REAL, NOT REAL, NOT REAL. ;-)
DEDICATION: To Dale Jr, get well soon and stop driving those Vettes!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well this one just wouldn't leave me alone. I can't help it, they really are so *cute* together.
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Sacramento, CA: Sunday Night, July 18, 2004

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the news reel showing the crash again and again. After the fourth time I watched the car become engulfed in flames with him still sitting dazed inside, I had to do something. The media in their endless quest to sensationalize any situation where his name is involved continue to give conflicting reports. First degree, second degree burns, possible concussion, injured knee….

Finally I just couldn’t take it anymore. Even when Steve assured the world that he was fine, my heart still wouldn’t stop it’s frantic pace. What if he was covering again? What if he really wasn’t “fine?”  I couldn’t stand there any longer wondering at all the possibilities. I had to know. I had to see for myself that he was ok.

DeLana was shouting at me as I called for a flight and packed a small bag that he would be fine and I was just over reacting. I knew she was right. I knew he should be fine, but that knowledge did nothing to quell the pain squeezing my heart. I had to see him with my own eyes.

The flight was interminable. I never thought it would end. It didn’t help that I had the image of him sitting stunned surrounded in flames seared into my mind. My anxiety had reached a fevered pitch as the plane finally landed and I rushed to my rental car. I know someone must have been watching out for me as I broke all speed limits on the way to the hospital. I couldn’t hardly breathe with the pain in my chest as I finally reached my destination.

Now I’m here standing in the doorway of his room as he “rests comfortably.” I see the bandages around his face and neck as he sleeps and I feel my throat start to constrict. He’s still here. I want to go over and touch him, to further convince myself everything is going to be ok, but I can’t make my feet move.

I know I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up. We’re race car drivers. Getting hurt is part of the job. But, the very thought of the world without him in it is more than my now fragile mind can comprehend.

“So are you gonna just stand there and stare at me all day or what?”

I look up to meet laughing blue eyes that are finally open. I take in a short breath and try to find the teasing words that always come to me so easily. But, they won’t come. Instead I finally make myself move and walk over to take the chair beside his bed.

He looks over at me and grins and says, “Aww come on, where’s that ‘Happy Harvick’ smile I know and luv?”

I can’t help but let out a breath at his teasing remark. If he’s feeling good enough to kid around with me I know he’s going to be alright. I smile back at him with a smile I know doesn’t completely reach my eyes and tease back, “Well the next off weekend we get why don’t you try doing something that won’t have you ending up on the evening news.”

He lets out a small laugh at that and meets my eyes. His smile wavers a bit as he must see what I was thinking. He reaches out to take my hand and I intertwine my fingers with his. Finally I have the contact I was so desperately needing. He is going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright.

He squeezes my hand and with a small smile says, “Hey, Kev… I’m not going anywhere yet.”

I squeeze his hand back and reply, “Neither am I Junior, neither am I.”

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Catw00man - catw00man@cryptoffic.com