SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA. JULY 2025.

Olivia spent all day and all night in the hospital, waking for any sign of the two drivers to wake up. A couple days had passed and nothing had changed. Jaxon and Sophie made the effort to fly out and visit both Thierry and Jake in the hospital.

"Hey." Sophie said, rushing to give Olivia a hug. "How is everything?"

Olivia had a straight face. "Nothing's changed, they're still not waking up."

Sophie sighed. "How are you?"

"Tired, stressed, conflicted."

Sophie grabbed Olivia gently by her arm and brought to a seat to sit down. "What's up? Talk to me."

Jaxon went off to visit the two, even though they weren't awake he wanted to just check in on his friends.

Olivia turned to Sophie. "I haven't been able to sleep properly, the doctors aren't sure whether they're waking up and I've still got my tour to do."

"It's ok," Sophie comforted, pulling Olivia in for a hug as she began to sob quietly, "it's difficult, I know."

The crash had affected everyone, Sophie had asked for a break from filming her film to come visit the hospital and it was causing her a lot of stress - she would sometimes struggle to focus when acting. She was a professional, but this was such a devastating situation.

She understood the commitments Olivia had, she had thousands of fans waiting for her to perform, with hotels and travel booked. It would be incredibly difficult for her to just cancel it. However, she knew the mental toll it would take on her if she was to perform.

"Jake would want you to carry on," Sophie reassured, "he knew how much it meant to you."

"I know," Olivia said in between sobs, "but it's going to be so hard. How can I just perform knowing that he's like this?"

Sophie sighed.

"It's shit, I know. Let's just pray he wakes up soon after."

"The doctors said that they'd both suffered severe internal bleeding and a couple of broken bones," Olivia explained, "Jake had it worse than Thierry but the impact must've knocked them out."

"They'll be fine." Sophie said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than Olivia.

Just then, Jaxon rushed back into the waiting room where the two girls were. "Guys, you might want to come. Thierry's just woken up!"

Their eyes lit up but Olivia couldn't help but feel severely disappointed, this meant that Jake was still unconscious. She couldn't help but feel so much rage for Thierry - if it wasn't for his reckless driving perhaps everyone would be ok right now.

Sophie placed a hand on Olivia's shoulder. "Are you ok? I can stay here with you, I understand you might not want to see him."

Olivia shook her head. "I don't think I can talk to him right now."

Sophie understood and Jaxon offered a solution. "I managed to say hello before the doctors came in and got me to leave, I can stay here with Liv whilst you go speak to him. Maybe knock some sense into that stupid brain of his."

Jaxon was half joking with the insult but even he couldn't deny what was almost in front of him.

Sophie nodded. "Yeah maybe...has Sabrina visited?"

"No." Olivia said immediately. "Not one sign of her. I don't think she cared. I think she was using him to get to me."

Jaxon scoffed. "That's fucked up. Thierry wouldn't have known better too...he would have been an easy target."

For a split second, Olivia allowed herself to feel bad for the Arquette. Maybe he was just a pawn in Sabrina's games to mess with her head, maybe she was the reason the feud between Jake and Thierry had been accelerated to such high levels.

When the doctors left Thierry's room and he had a moment to coordinate himself and realise where he was. The harsh lights blinded his eyes and he had to squint and the beeping of the medical equipment was a reminder of how severe his condition was. He felt groggy, his body aching all over, but he was alive. He could remember the crash, but absolutely nothing after it - a wave of guilt rushed past him when he realised what his actions lead to and one of his first thoughts was whether Jake was ok. As his vision cleared, he saw Sophie sitting by his bedside, her expression a mix of relief and concern.

"Sophie?" Thierry croaked, his voice weak from disuse. "When did you get here?"

"Hey, Thierry," Sophie said softly, a gentle smile on her face, "You've been out for three days, I flew out to see you both. How are you feeling?"

Thierry groaned, trying to sit up. "Like I got hit by a truck."

Sophie chuckled lightly, though her eyes remained serious. "Well, you kind of did. You and Jake both. Do you remember what happened?"

Thierry's expression darkened as more memories of the crash flooded back. "The race... the crash. Is Jake okay?"

Sophie replied. "He's still unconscious, but the doctors are hopeful. He's stable, at least."

Thierry closed his eyes, guilt washing over him. "I could have killed him, Sophie. I could have killed both of us."

Sophie reached out, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "Thierry, you need to understand the consequences of your actions. This feud between you and Jake...it's gone too far. It almost cost you both your lives. This isn't who the both of you are."

Thierry's stubbornness flared for a moment. "Jake never gave me any respect on the track. He always pushed me aside."

"And what about you?" Sophie asked, her tone gentle but firm. "You've been just as aggressive, if not more. This rivalry...it's tearing you both apart. It's not worth it."

Thierry looked away, his jaw clenched. "Maybe you're right. But it's not just about respect on the track. There's more to it, Sabrina told me-."

Sophie took a deep breath, deciding to tackle the delicate subject head-on. "Thierry, we need to talk about Sabrina."

Thierry's eyes hardened. "What about her?"

"Sabrina was using you, Thierry. She was manipulating you to get to Olivia, to cause friction between you and Jake. She never loved you."

Thierry's face contorted with anger and pain. "That's not true. She cared about me."

"Think about it, Thierry," Sophie urged, "what has she done to show she truly cared? What about all those times she stirred up trouble between you and Jake? She hasn't even visited you and I doubt she's even texted you."

Thierry was silent, memories surfacing that he had tried to ignore. "She...she always had something negative to say about Jake. She pushed me to confront him, to stand up to him in ways that always ended badly. She said that I always let him walk over me, I was always second best."

"And did she ever support you outside of that?" Sophie asked gently. "Or was it always about driving a wedge between you and Jake? And think about, would Jake really ever say those things about you? He has so much love for you Thierry, you have been inseparable since day one, the two of you have something special."

Thierry's silence was telling. Slowly, he began to see the truth in Sophie's words. "She never really cared about me, did she?"

Sophie shook her head. "No, Thierry. She didn't. She used you as a pawn in her game. And look where it's gotten you. You almost died. Jake almost died. Over a girl who never had your best interests at heart."

Tears welled up in Thierry's eyes, the weight of his actions crashing down on him. "I've been such an idiot, Soph."

Sophie squeezed his hand. "We all make mistakes, Thierry. But you have a chance to make things right. If Jake wakes up, you need to talk to him. You need to end this feud. Almost two decades of friendship is too valuable to lose over someone like Sabrina."

Thierry nodded. "You're right. When Jake wakes up, I'll make things right. I owe him that much."

Sophie smiled, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I'm proud of you, Thierry. It takes courage to admit when you're wrong. And I know Jake will understand, once he hears you out."

The conversation switched to more light hearted topics but once Sophie left, Thierry laid his head back on the pillow, the exhaustion consuming him.

For Sophie, she made her way back to where Jaxon and Olivia were and informed them that she had a successful conversation with Thierry.

"He's a good guy," Sophie explained to them, "he was just lead on the wrong path by Sabrina."

Guilt flooded Olivia's face. "I'm so sorry, if it wasn't for me-"

"I'm going to stop you right there Liv," Sophie interjected, "this is not your fault whatsoever. Sabrina just needs to stop being such a petty bitch."

Jaxon couldn't help but let out a chuckle at Sophie's crude language, she glared at him and he raised his hands in defence. "What?"

All three were then distracted by the sound of the TV playing in the waiting room. They were first drawn by the presenter's voice but then saw the headline, it was about the crash in Austria.

Olivia's heart sank as the footage of the crash began to play. The violent collision, the cars spinning out of control, it was all there, replayed in brutal slow motion. She felt her breath quicken, her chest tightening with each replayed image.

The reporter's voice was a detached commentary over the horrific scenes. "Thierry Arquette has regained consciousness after three days in a coma. However, Jake Thompson remains unconscious, his condition critical but stable. This incident highlights once again why Formula One is considered one of the most dangerous sports in the world."

The room seemed to close in around Olivia. She could hear the muffled sounds of Sophie and Jaxon talking, but their words were lost to her. Her vision blurred, and her breathing became erratic as the full weight of the situation crashed down on her. The terror she had felt watching the crash live at the track returned with a vengeance, paralysing her with fear and helplessness.

"I...I need to get some air." Olivia managed to say, her voice trembling. She stood abruptly and hurried out of the waiting room, the sterile walls of the hospital pressing in on her from all sides.

Sophie watched her go, worry etched on her face. She turned to Jaxon. "I need to check on her." she said, her voice resolute.

Jaxon nodded. "Go. I'll be here if you need anything."

Sophie followed Olivia outside, finding her in a secluded corner of the hospital's courtyard, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

"Liv." Sophie called softly, approaching her friend. She reached out and gently touched Olivia's shoulder.

Olivia turned. "Sophie, I can't do this. I can't watch that crash again. It feels like I'm reliving it, every time."

Sophie pulled Olivia into a comforting embrace, holding her tightly. "I know, Liv. I know. It's overwhelming, and it feels like everything is falling apart. But we're going to get through this. Jake is strong, and so are you."

Olivia buried her face in Sophie's shoulder, her sobs muffled. "I felt so helpless, Sophie. Watching him crash, not knowing if he was alive or dead...it was the worst moment of my life."

Sophie held Olivia comfortingly, her own tears threatening to spill over. "You're not alone, Olivia. We're all here for you. And Jake...he'll fight through this. He has to."

Olivia pulled back slightly, looking into Sophie's eyes. "What if he doesn't wake up? What if...what if we lose him?"

Sophie shook her head firmly. "Don't think like that, Liv. We have to stay positive. Jake needs us to be strong for him. And when he wakes up, he'll need you more than ever."

Olivia nodded and the two girls remained silent, enjoying the comfort of each other's company.

Thierry had stayed in the hospital for a couple more days and both Jaxon and Sophie were still at the hospital. The two spent most of their days talking to Thierry and comforting Olivia who spent most of her time either in Jake's room or the waiting room.

The steady rhythm of the heart monitor was a small comfort in the quiet hospital room. Olivia sat by Jake's bedside, her hand gently clasping his. His face was pale and bruised, the toll of the crash evident, but the sight of his chest rising and falling gave her hope. She brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead.

"Jake," she began softly, her voice barely more than a whisper, "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need to talk to you. My manager says I have to leave soon for the rest of my tour. The fans are waiting, and the shows are sold out. But I don't want to leave you like this. I can't bear the thought of being away while you're still here."

She squeezed his hand, finding some solace in the physical connection and having someone to talk to, even if he was unresponsive. "I know you'd tell me to go, that you'd want me to follow my dreams. But I can't help but feel guilty. What if you wake up and I'm not here? What if you need me?"

"I love you, Jake," she whispered, her eyes brimming with tears, "please wake up. I need to see your smile again, hear your laugh. I need you."

Just as she was about to lean back, she felt it - a gentle squeeze of her hand. Her breath caught in her throat, her heart racing. "Jake?" she called out, her voice trembling with hope.

She quickly pressed the call button, and within moments, doctors and nurses rushed in. They ushered her out of the room, their faces a mix of urgency and reassurance. Olivia stood in the hallway, her hands clasped together.

An hour felt like an eternity. Sophie and Jaxon joined her, their presence a comforting anchor. Finally, a doctor approached, a warm smile on his face. "You can go in now. He's awake."

Olivia's heart soared as she stepped back into the room. Jake's eyes were open, his gaze searching the room until it found her. Tears of joy streamed down her face as she rushed to his side, taking his hand once more.

"Jake," she said, her voice choked with emotion, "you're awake."

Jake smiled weakly, his eyes filled with affection. "Hey, Liv," he said, his voice raspy, "looks like I gave you quite the scare."

Sophie and Jaxon, standing at the doorway, exchanged smiles and nodded at Liv before stepping out to give them some privacy.

Olivia sat down beside him, still holding his hand. "I was so worried, Jake. I thought I lost you."

Jake shook his head slowly. "I'm here, Liv. I'm not going anywhere."

She wiped her tears, laughing softly. "You better not. I have something to tell you. I have to leave soon for the rest of my tour. But now that you're awake, I don't know if I should go. I want to be here with you."

Jake's eyes softened as he looked at her, he squeezed her hand as a sign of reassurance. "You need to go, Olivia. Your fans are waiting, and you can't let them down. I'm fine now. I'll be here, getting better. You don't have to worry."

Olivia bit her lip, her heart torn. "I still worry. I can't help it."

"I know. But I'll be okay. And once I'm better, I'll come join you. I'll keep you company on tour. How does that sound?"

Olivia's smile widened, her heart filling with relief and happiness. "Yeah...I'd like that."

Once Olivia had left, it was time for Jax and Sophie to come speak to Jake. He was exhausted and his body felt heaving and weak, however speaking to Liv had lifted his spirits.

"Hey, buddy," Jaxon greeted, his voice warm and steady, "how are you holding up?"

Jake managed a small smile. "I've been better, but I've also been worse."

Sophie pulled a chair closer to the bed, her expression a blend of relief and determination. "Jake, we need to talk about Thierry."

At the mention of Thierry's name, Jake's jaw clenched. "What about him? He almost fucking killed me, Sophie."

Sophie nodded, her eyes never leaving Jake's. "I know you're angry, and you have every right to be. But there's more to this than just the crash."

Jake's gaze hardened. "What do you mean?"

"Thierry woke up a little while ago," Sophie began, her voice calm and measured. "We talked. He understands now how badly he's messed up. He wants to make things right, Jake. He realised that Sabrina was manipulating him, using him to get to Olivia and to create a rift between you two."

Jake frowned, suspicion creeping into his voice. "I've always had my doubts about Sabrina. But Thierry...he should have seen through it...he should've known better."

"He should have," Sophie agreed, "but he didn't. He was blind to it, caught up in his own anger and pride. When he woke up, he saw things differently. This crash, almost facing death, it changed him."

Jake's anger simmered, but he listened. "So, what? He gets a free pass because he had an epiphany?"

"No," Sophie said firmly, "but he's willing to apologise, to make amends. And you need to give him a chance to do so. He knows he almost lost everything. And Jake, think about it, if Thierry hadn't made it, how would you feel right now?"

Jake stared at the ceiling, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He imagined a world without Thierry, a world where the crash had taken his friend's life. The thought was unbearable.

"I'd be devastated," he admitted, his voice cracking, "we've been through too much together. But he still put us both in danger."

Sophie reached out, placing a hand on Jake's arm. "Exactly. And that's why he wants to fix this. It's not worth losing a friend over someone like Sabrina. You both need to see that."

Jake took a deep breath, his anger slowly giving way to understanding. "I guess...I guess you're right. But it's going to take time."

"And that's okay," Jaxon chimed in, "take all the time you need. But just know that we're here for you, and so is Thierry."

Jake nodded, appreciating their support. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot."

Jaxon then shifted slightly, a more serious expression on his face. "Jake, there's something else we need to talk about. The doctors...they don't think you'll be able to race for the rest of the season."

The news hit Jake like a punch to the gut. Racing was his life, his passion. "What? No, there has to be a way. I can't just stop."

Jaxon placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I know it's tough. But your dad's talked to McLaren. If you make a good recovery and you're in decent condition, they'll give you a seat next season. For now, they want you to rest and maybe act as a reserve driver for the final few races."

Jake's heart ached at the thought of being away from the track, but he knew Jaxon was right. He had to recover, for his sake and for the people who cared about him. "I... I understand. It's just hard to accept."

Sophie leaned in, her eyes filled with empathy. "Take this time to heal, Jake. Focus on what's important - your health, your friends, Olivia. Racing will be there when you're ready."

As they embraced him, Jake felt a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. Once they left, he laid back, contemplating the reality of his situation. The near-death experience had opened his eyes to how precious life was, to the importance of his relationships beyond the racetrack.

He knew he had a long road ahead of him, both in healing physically and mending his friendship with Thierry. But he also realised that this break from racing, as painful as it was, might give him a chance to appreciate the other parts of his life he had often neglected.

It would be odd to get used to a prolonged period without racing, but perhaps it was for the best.