"Vale where are we going?" Alessia giggles.

It's dark when Valentino leads her through the sleeping paddock.

"We're almost there." He whispered.

The few people spotted around them are crew members who've just finished packing up their respective garages ahead of tomorrow. Some of them glance their way as Valentino drags Alessia across the paddock.

"Okay we're here."

The couple has stopped in front of a great wall, an insignificant wall to Alessia. She opens her mouth to protest his intentions, however Valentino is two steps ahead.

"Hold on." He smiles fiddling for the key in his pocket.

"Ooo! A key!" Alessia chants sarcastically.

Valentino rolls his eyes before making his way towards the dark wall. Only now does Alessia notice the door. Valentino inserts the key and turns the lock.

"Now close your eyes."

"Vale!" She groans, but does what she is told.

Valentino begins shuffling her into what she assumes to be a small warehouse, their steps have begun to echo.

"Vale I am not having sex in a warehouse."

Valentino chuckles, "What?"

He instructs her to keep her eyes closed as he goes to turn on the lights. Alessia hears the light flicker behind her shut eyes.

"Okay, you ready?"

"Yes?"

"Open your eyes."

It takes a minute for Alessia's vision to clear, her loud gasp echoes through the room as her vision returns.

Valentino smirks, leaning against his 500cc two stroke MotoGP bike. "Pretty cool eh?" Alessia looks around Valentino's team garage with big eyes.

"Welcome to my office!"

"Vale this is amazing, If only Etienne could see, he would love this."

Etienne is Alessia's fourteen year old brother.

"We'll bring him sometime."

"You would do that, for me?"

"I would do anything for you."

Alessia turns around to admire the bike again. Her hand stroked the back of it. She bites her lip "Can I sit on it?"

Valentino recognizes the excitement in her eyes and moves to help her mount it.

"Is this how you sit, how uncomfortable."

"Yeah, it takes a lot of skills and muscles to yield the bike." Valentino clenches his muscles. She teases him by poking his lean stomach. "You mean the skinnier, the easier it will be to go fast."

"Shut up." He mumbles.

Alessia leans forward and pretends to ride the bike, Valenitno chuckles as she makes funny engine noises.

"Hello?" Someone is heard calling from behind the garage door.

Valentino is quick to help Alessia dismount the bike, the couple doesn't have time to either hide or escape as the garage door flung open.

"Vale? Thought that was your voice."

A young woman not much older than themselves entered.

"Sophia!" Valentino exhales. "Thought it might have been someone else."

"You're lucky it wasn't" the young woman smiled, a million dollar smile.

Alessia notes her perky aura as well as her youthful attraction.

"I was just showing my girlfriend the garage." Valentino let's Alessia come forward.

Sophia looks curious. "Alessia, the girlfriend?"

Alessia stretches out a hand proudly, knowing her status has been established.

"We've met before haven't we, in Florence?"

Alessia pretends to be oblivious, "We have? I don't recall."

"Yeah, the first time you were in Mugello with me, the team dinner, don't you remember?."

Alessia silently curses as Valentino reveals her cover. Of course she remembered, it was on the same day she met the tailor, considering she needed a dress made for that particular event, nevertheless her encounter with Sophia hadn't been the best of memories.

"Anyway, I'm Sophia Schwantz." She said. They shook hands.

"Schwantz?" Alessia repeats. "As in Kevin Schwantz?"

Sophia smiles politely.

"Yeah, Kevin Schwantz is her father." Valentino said not hiding his admiration. Kevin Schwantz was his racing Idol.

"A part for Valentino being a big fan of my dad, my dad is a big fan of Valentino." White teeth enlighten Sophia's million dollar smile.

Valentino nudges Alessia's side to make sure she heard. Irritated by his touch, Alessia rubs her arm.

"Anyway, I'm glad I found you Alessia, Blanca told me she might have spotted you here..."

Blanca, Alessia recalls the woman who Uccio encountered in the hospitality center, Alessia knew she recognized her from somewhere, Blanca had also attended that team dinner years ago.

"You had the little girl with you?"

"Esmeralda!" Valentino butts in. " Yeah, that's my daughter."

Sophia nods, "Yeah I remember now, you were pregnant when we first met, congratulations."

"Err...thanks." Alessia frowns, a little too late, she thought.

"Blanca and I thought it would be a great idea to invite you and Esmeralda to sit in a more private area during racing hours, considering it won't be as much noise affecting your child."

"The noise up in the hospitality center was fine for Esmeralda." Alessia counters.

"That's nice, however on Sunday when the race takes place, the hospitality center has already been reserved, I'm sure you'll understand."

Valentino interrupts "I was thinking that they could be with me in the garage, they can wear earmuffs like Uccio."

"I see what I can do, but I'm sure Alessia would be more comfortable with Esmerlada being able to run freely upstairs rather than having to be restrained among the mechanic's."

Valentino opens his mouth to protest but Alessia is quick to stop him. "Your right, that will be better for Esmeralda."

"But Lessy I..."

"Perfect, I'll make sure you'll get your passes first thing in the morning."

It wasn't until they'd left the garage, making their way back to the trailer, that Valenitno spoke again.

"I wanted you to see me race on Sunday." He said, clearly disappointed by the rearrangements.

Alessia hooks her arm with his. "And we will, just from a different angle, we won't miss a thing."

Valentino nods, "I guess Sophia is"

Alessia swallows the needles in her throat, knowing what Valentino doesn't now. "Yes she is."