Author's Note: Warning, this chapter is pretty much pure shipping. If you're not interested, the flashback and the part after the final line break are racing action.

Chapter 15

Three Years Ago

It would all come down to one race. The Atlas Grand Prix was the final race of the season and the title race was close. Yang had a one point advantage over Weiss. Much like the previous year, Yang had been dominant. She had five wins to Weiss' three but she had been held back by a series of DNF's resulting from mechanical failures and crashes. Yang was fast but sometimes she could be her own worst enemy. Weiss, on the other hand, was having a perfect season. She had only failed to finish one race and was on the podium for almost every grand prix. Her equipment seemed bulletproof compared to Yang's, but part of that was down to driving style. Weiss treated her car with care and only went as fast as she needed to go. On the other hand, Yang was not one to hold anything back and she paid for it with broken cars as often as it won her races.

Beacon GP had been crushing the competition, winning eight of eleven races and capturing the pole for ten. They saw no reason that dominance should not continue in the finale. Then Team Juniper sprung a surprise. They had had a frustrating two years. After winning the title as a rookie, Pyrrha had three wins between the two following seasons. Jaune had still never scored points. Lately, Pyrrha was having trouble scoring points too. She had the same engines as Beacon GP, but her chassis could not match what Ruby produced. About halfway through the season, Team Juniper effectively gave up. While other teams were working on refining their cars they moved on to the next year's challenger. Now it had arrived, just a few months earlier.

To call Team Juniper's car radical would be an understatement. Instead of thin airfoils on spindly stanchions, its wings were integrated into the bodywork. And they were big. Nora had designed the car and she was never one for subtlety. Those big wings would surely come in handy at the twisting Atlas Circuit. Also modified was the cooling intake. Instead of a hole in the front of the car to funnel air to the radiators, the front narrowed to a closed wedge. The intakes were moved to pods on the sides of the car. What the car would lose in aerodynamic drag from its wings, it gained from not having a gaping hole in the nose.

Only Pyrrha had the upgraded car for now, but only Pyrrha mattered. Jaune could have a rocketship and he would still probably finish in the back. In practice it was immediately clear just how advanced the Team Juniper design was. No one could come close. The car was a paradigm shift. Everything else on the grid was immediately rendered obsolete and the teams were left scrambling. Even Ruby, recognized as the best mechanic in the sport, was caught out. To her aerodynamics were an afterthought. First you built a good chassis, then you bolted on some wings. That would clearly not be good enough anymore.

Pyrrha's dominance continued into qualifying. She set a track record with her first lap and did not bother to run a second. A few seconds slower, Yang took second and Weiss third. The pair had gone from the undisputed masters to decidedly second-best. It was a shock to be sure. They hoped things would be closer the following year once Ruby had a chance to build an updated car - it would not, Pyrrha won the title going away - but for now they had to focus on the present. It was simple. Weiss needed to score two points more than Yang. If she did not, Yang would be champion. Weiss had home field advantage, but Yang had the starting position.

The race got off to a fairly uneventful start. Pyrrha predictably shot off into the distance. She was on her way to lapping the field, most of it more than once. Yang and Weiss both got decent starts, running in the positions in which they had started. The rest of the field could not keep up. Weiss was in position to lose and she knew it. Yang was driving an uncharacteristically measured race and Weiss knew she could not count on her teammate breaking. She had to make a pass. Yang was not going to make that easy.

Weiss tried using the draft to pass on the track's fast section. Yang would just wait for the next long straight and be right back in front. They swapped spots over and over but neither could gain a significant advantage. Weiss tired the first turn, the hairpin, even The Esses, anywhere she might be able to make a pass stick, but Yang was not having it. She was too quick and too good a blocker. The cars and drivers were just too evenly matched. Measured and intelligent moves were not working, so Weiss took a page from Yang's playbook.

Weiss looked to pass on entry to every corner. She knew she was not going to make the move stick, but that was not the point. Yang began to speed up. She altered her lines to block. Her measured pace disappeared even as Weiss continued to take it easy. As the laps wound down, Weiss' strategy began to bear fruit. Yang's tires were shot. Driving hard on unorthodox lines to keep Weiss at bay had worn them almost to the cords. Weiss' tires were not in great shape, but they were better. As the final lap began she knew she had the title as good as won. Yang struggled around and Weiss did not even attack. Yang slipped and slid through The Esses, getting a horrible launch as her bare tires could find no purchase on exit. Weiss pounced. She swept around Yang as they careened down the backstretch, heading for the final corner, Pear Tree. Yang tried to pass up the inside but her worn tires did not grip. She slid wide, just barely coming up short of the armco that lined the track, and Weiss dove to the inside to retake the position. With a strong exit off the corner, Weiss pulled away and made it to the line to finish second. Her six points to Yang's four meant Weiss was champion. As she had maintained all season, smarts could beat outright speed. Yang learned the lesson, but it would be three years before she could really put it to use.

Present Day

Many years ago Taiyang and Summer would spend the weeks prior to the Mountain Glenn Grand Prix vacationing near the track. They would tour the region's many wineries, enjoy the natural beauty, and just generally relax together. It was a place where they could escape their worries. No racing, no commitments, no kids, just them. Yang decided to revive the tradition with Pyrrha. To her surprise, Pyrrha had readily agreed to the trip. A week or so in a small lakeside cabin was not exactly Yang's idea of an exciting time, but with Pyrrha any time could be a good time. Pyrrha apparently felt the same about Yang.

They arrived separately. Their relationship was not yet public, so far only known to their close friends. There would be a media presence wherever either of them went, but the less the better and showing up together would likely turn some heads. Pyrrha only had an address. Yang had told her it was a cabin beside the lake below the track. Pyrrha took a taxi and upon arriving found a small, non-descript house with the most conspicuous yellow sports car she had ever seen sitting out front. It was basically identical to the Nevermore Yang and later Pyrrha had driven to victory in the 24 Hours of Vytal, a gift from the car company. Painted bright yellow with Yang's logo emblazoned on a few spots, it would be impossible to not know who was driving it. That was Yang though, she never cared much about the attention. If anything, she reveled in it. She did respect Pyrrha's wish to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible, but Yang had clearly not given much thought to the issue when she picked her ride.

Pyrrha approached the front door. Yang opened it before she could even knock. "I heard you coming." Yang explained. In truth she had been bored out of her mind, eagerly anticipating Pyrrha's arrival. "So, what should we do today? We could hit some of the wineries, there are couple of great little shops in town, or we could even go swimming. The water's a little cold though."

Yang had driven in the previous day but Pyrrha had just flown from her home in Mistral. It was a long and exhausting trip, even on a private jet. "Maybe we could just relax for a while." Pyrrha suggested. "I'm pretty tired."

Yang looked a bit disappointed but the expression soon passed from her face. She stepped aside and waved Pyrrha inside. "That's good too." She said. "Just as long as you let me take you to dinner tonight. I know the best steak place but they only have the good stuff one night a week."

Pyrrha stepped through the door and looked around. The accommodations were very simple. There was a couch facing a large window that overlooked the lake, a small kitchen and a dining table, all in the same room. There was a radio and a few books but no television. There was a map spread out on the table with a bunch of points circled, wineries as Pyrrha would later learn. "This place is quaint." She said. "I like it."

"It's a bit boring." Yang admitted. "Oh, over on the right, first door is the bathroom, second is a closet and the third is the bedroom." Pyrrha stashed her luggage in the bedroom. She would unpack later. The bedroom featured a queen-sized bed and another big window overlooking the lake. "I hope it's up to your standards." Yang said.

"This place is perfect." Pyrrha said. Her own home was not very different. It was a little bigger with a few more amenities, but it too was simple and located off the beaten path. Unfortunately her job responsibilities meant she did not get to spend much time there. She instead spent most of her time living out of an apartment in Vale. It was luxurious and exclusive, but it was also lifeless and planted her squarely in the public eye. "How did you find it?"

"My father gave me the information." Yang said as she sat down on the couch. "He and Summer rented a cabin from the same person. Unfortunately I couldn't get the same one. I only got to go there once, and I'd love to see the old place again. In just a week we made so many great memories there."

"We'll just have to make some new memories." Pyrrha said. She sat beside Yang and leaned against her.

Yang put her arm around Pyrrha's shoulders. "Oh, I don't think we'll have any trouble doing that."

On the road, even behind the wheel of what was effectively a race car, Yang did not drive like a race car driver. Sure, she constantly ran over the speed limit, but she was nothing like as fast as most of the other drivers. If it was not for the fact that she was a famous person in an easily identifiable car, she probably would have made a lot of people angry. Instead she gave a smile and a wave as they passed her staring in disbelief. She got where she was going and that was what mattered.

Yang and Pyrrha alternated days spent relaxing together in the cabin with days exploring the countryside. Yang's personally annotated map of wineries came in handy and as the week went on the pair visited dozens. The quality was generally good even if there were a few stinkers, and the people were friendly. They either did not know or did not care that the pair were famous Formula 1 drivers. With the circus that was F1 sweeping through every year, maybe they were used to it.

It was Wednesday. Most of the drivers and team personnel would be arriving the next day and the vacation would be over. Pyrrha would have preferred to spend the day resting, but Yang was insistent. There were a few places they simply had to visit. First up was Yang's personal favorite winery. Pyrrha agreed that she had saved the best for last and the pair left with a case of wine. Next they went to Mountain Glenn proper. Yang took Pyrrha to a little store that sold all kinds of trinkets ranging from everyday, mass-produced junk to bizarre one-of-a-kind artifacts. There was a little something for everyone. After that was lunch at a fancy restaurant overlooking the lake on the side opposite the cabin. For the first time since they had been there, Yang did not have wine with her meal. Pyrrha thought it curious.

After a delicious meal they returned to the car. Yang refused to tell Pyrrha where they were going next. All she would give her was a "you'll see." The lake sat at the bottom of a steep, narrow valley, and the road that ringed it was correspondingly winding and scenic. They drove across a bridge where a stream ran under the road, flowing toward the lake. Yang stopped the car in the grass on the side of the road. "We're here." She said.

"Where's here?" Pyrrha asked.

"You'll see." Yang said again. Yang led Pyrrha down a narrow forest path, one that had clearly not seen much traffic. It was a short walk but with a steep elevation change it was a demanding one. Pyrrha regretted wearing high heels but she managed. Finally the trees ended and the trail opened up into a grassy plateau. "Take a look." Yang said, moving her hand in a sweeping motion.

Back in the direction from which they had come, to the side of the path was a breathtaking waterfall, only visible now that they had cleared the trees. The stream they had crossed earlier dropped off suddenly, millennia of water gouging out a narrow gorge that ran into the lake. The plateau ended at a cliff, and below the forest was rich with the orange and red hues of autumn. Further on the lake sparkled in the afternoon sun. "It's beautiful." Pyrrha gasped.

"Not half as beautiful as you." Yang said.

"Stop." Pyrrha laughed, blushing slightly. She stepped further out onto the plateau, getting a better view of the scenery below while Yang stayed back near the trees.

"I came here once as a kid." Yang said. "I couldn't help but think about how great the view was, and how much I'd love to share it with someone special. Now I've finally got my chance."

"It's incredible." Pyrrha said. "Is this why you didn't drink with lunch? You wanted to really take it in?"

"Not exactly." Yang said. "I thought I should be sober for what I'm about to do."

"What you're about to do?" Pyrrha asked. She turned around to find Yang down on one knee, holding up a small box containing a glittering diamond ring.

"From the way you're shaking and the look on your face, I take it you know what this means." Yang said. She was doing a good job of hiding it, but the sweat dripping down Yang's forehead betrayed her nervousness. "So, Pyrrha Nikos, what do you say? Will you marry me?"

Pyrrha was blindsided by the proposal, but looking back, some of Yang's behavior made more sense. She had been a bit distant and evasive at times, and seemed more distracted in general. Having something like this on her mind accounted for all of it. "I...I…" Pyrrha stammered. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, desperately trying to recover from the shock enough to give a coherent answer. "Yes. Of course." She finally said.

"Well that's a relief." Yang said as Pyrrha took the ring and slipped it onto her finger. "I've spent the last few weeks thinking up new and exciting ways you could have said no." She stood and embraced Pyrrha. "I love you."

"I love you too." Pyrrha said. There, surrounded by the beauty of nature, they kissed.

As Pyrrha sat down in the passenger's seat of Yang's car she could not help but stare at the ring. It was all still hard to believe but there was the proof. Yang hopped in the driver's side and passed Pyrrha the box the ring had been in. "There's one in there without a stone so you can wear it under your gloves." Yang said.

"You thought of everything, didn't you?" Pyrrha said. Yang laughed. "So, how long have you been planning this?"

"Since we had that talk at Forever Fall." Yang replied. She fired up the engine and set off. "You convinced me that it was worth taking the risk. I bought the ring the day after the race. I just wanted to wait for the right moment."

"I think you nailed it." Pyrrha said.

"I thought about doing it after the race, maybe on the podium or something, but I figured that would be too much spectacle for your taste." Yang continued. "I was pretty sure you wouldn't want it to be a big event."

"You got that right." Pyrrha confirmed. "But my answer wouldn't have changed. The way I feel about you...I've never felt like this about anyone before. You just make me happy."

"I'm glad to hear it." Yang said. "I feel the same way about you."

"So, what's the next stop?" Pyrrha asked. "Whatever it is, it'll be hard to beat the last one."

"I thought we'd head back to the cabin." Yang replied with a grin. "You know, for a little celebration."

On Friday it was time to get back to business. Yang and Pyrrha's engagement was a secret, known only to their close friends. Once the season was over they would go public with the news, but now that was an unnecessary distraction. There was a championship to be decided and it was a close one at that. With a three-way tie for the lead and only four points back to fifth, it was easily the closest title race ever. The top four - Pyrrha, Yang, Weiss and Ruby - all controlled their own destiny. A win would secure the title. For Winter in fifth, she would need a win with anyone other than the top three finishing second.

Practice revealed little. The top four in points were all very quick, their times nearly identical throughout all three sessions. Winter and May were a little behind, but not so far that they could not make it up in qualifying. SeaMonkeys F1 was surprisingly close to Schnee Automotive, but were not quite there on the timesheets. Heading into time trials, it was still very much anybody's game. It could all come down to the smallest slip, a moment's hesitation, or even blind luck.

The early stages of qualifying mostly mirrored practice. Ruby was fastest, followed by Yang and Weiss. Next up were Winter and May. Pyrrha had been having difficulty finding enough clear track to get in a good lap. Then when she finally did, a slip in the toe of The Boot meant the lap was not fast enough. There was still plenty of time left though, about ten minutes. That was long enough to go out for a run, come back in for service, and go out again. Most of the frontrunners were waiting for the last moments when the track would be fastest, but Pyrrha could not afford to wait.

May jumped out into the pit lane just in front of Pyrrha. They both headed out onto the track for a quick attempt, hoping to bank a good lap in case their final run went wrong. They rounded the track on their warmup lap going fast enough to warm the tires and brakes, but not so fast that they would shred their rubber. Pyrrha hung back before the final right-hander to open up a gap to May and ensure clear running for her lap. May thundered down the frontstretch, followed by Pyrrha a few seconds later. They rounded the first turn and raced up into The Esses.

Inspirations

- Team Juniper's flashback car is based on the Lotus 72. It is somewhat anachronistic.

- The Atlas Grand Prix in the flashback is meant to be the Mexican Grand Prix a the the Circuit Hermanos Rodriguez.

- Mountain Glenn is based on Watkins Glen and the surrounding area is based on the Finger Lakes Region of New York, a place I am very familiar with. The lake nearest the track is Seneca. All locations described are based on real places.

- Yang's car is a GT40.

- Unlike in my last story, the layout for Watkins Glen is now period accurate.

Inaccuracies and Anachronisms

- In the 60's, the lack of reliability was such that finishing all but one race in a season was basically unheard of. Most drivers were lucky to make it to the finish in the majority.