Family Piastri ... or Norris?
“What do you mean, you won’t let me fly?” Charles by now yelled. “There needs to be somebody here who can give me a really good explanation!” he stood at the check-in at Nice Airport, on Sunday afternoon, trying to check-in for his first flight to Melbourne.
“It is the rules.” The employee said coldly.
“But why? That’s something I don’t get! There is no law in Abu Dhabi or in Australia that denies an omega single travel. Why can’t I fly and why is it not listed on your website?!” he asked loudly.
“Monsieur Leclerc, please stay calm – “
“This is me being calm!” he yelled.
“We can’t let you board this flight on your own.”
“But WHY, that is what I’ve been asking.”
“It is against regulations.”
“What stupid regulations?”
“That omegas are not allowed to fly without a beta or alpha accompanying them.”
“Then back to the initial question: WHY IS THAT A FUCKING RULE?! There is no law forbidding me to fly on my own, why do you deny me this flight?”
“Is everything okay?” a voice asked from a little distance.
“Yes, sir, please keep walking.” A security guard said, now walking up to Charles.
“I was asking Charles.” Max stated coldly, adjusting P on his hip and slowly walked up to Charles, cautious in case Charles didn’t want any help after all.
“They don’t want to let me fly to Melbourne.” Charles said.
“Why not?” Max asked, looking between the airline’s employee, Charles and the security guard.
“Please walk away, sir. This is the private matter of this man.” The security guard said to Max.
“The young man will decide if I keep walking or not.” Max growled at him.
“Now, why won’t you let him fly?” he asked the employee.
“It is against regulations to let an unaccompanied omega on a long distance flight.”
“He’s eighteen.”
“It has nothing to do with age, sir. The regulations are for all omegas.”
“So, you won’t let any omegas on long distance flights, even if they are legally allowed to?”
“They are the regulations of the airline, sir.”
“So, it’s an airline problem, not an omega or legal problem.” Max stated.
“Well … yes.”
“This is all your luggage?” Max asked, pointing at the big suitcase in front of Charles.
“Yes, it is.” Charles said and Max pulled out his phone.
“Can I have your passport for a second?” Max asked and Charles handed it him, a little confused. “Hey Ben, it’s Max, we have one more passenger on the flight … Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc.” He said, raising his eyebrows at Charles before handing him back the passport.
“Sir, I really advise against taking strangers with you.” The security guard warned Max.
“Why are you talking? You have no part in this conversation. He is not a stranger, he’s my friend. Do you even have any idea who this is?!” Max asked, getting louder with each word. “You’ll fly with us. Are you good with your suitcase?”
“Yes, I am.” Charles said.
“Alright then, let’s go.” Max said, taking his own suitcase and walked next to Charles to the private and charter terminal.
“You have your own plane?!” Charles yelled against the engines when he saw Max’s logo on the side of the plane.
“Yeah, being rich has it’s perks.” Max smirked. “We have to go down in Dubai quickly to refuel, though.”
“I think I’ll survive that.” Charles laughed, still a little overwhelmed when they made their way up the stairs.
“Okay, guys, child in the house.” Max said, laughing at Oscar, who was planted on Lando’s lap, pretty much eating his face off.
“Never too early for proper sex education.” Oscar said with a smirk but still climbed off Lando’s lap.
“No, we will wait with that until she at least understands the words we are saying.” Max said to them.
“You want to drink something, Charles? We don’t have stewardesses, there is a fridge in the front as well as a snack bar. Make yourself at home.”
“I should text my mum first.” Charles said.
“Championship2024, capital C” Lando said.
“What?”
“That’s the wifi password.” Oscar explained. “You look a little overwhelmed.”
“His stupid airline didn’t want to let him fly and then some dumb security guard came … most important, it’s over now and he’s safe on a plane to Melbourne.” Max said.
“Alrighty, then, time to get comfortable. Take-off pic anyone?” Lando asked, turning his back towards them and holding up his phone. Oscar turned towards him with a smile, giving a thumbs up and Charles held up his left hand in a peace sign, getting surprised by Max who slung an arm around his shoulder and smiled at the camera.
“You should also update your team and management; our estimated arrival time is … 8.45 am.”
“But it’s already 2pm!” Charles exclaimed.
“You save a lot of time if you don’t really have to switch. We go down in Dubai, refuel, 30 minutes later we’re back in the sky.” Lando said, storing away their jackets.
The flight itself was really calm and Charles was able to enjoy the perks of a private plane. Penelope was a little whiny after the starts, but those are normal anyway.
“Are you okay, Charlie?” Max asked an hour before landing, keeping his voice low as Lando and Oscar were still sleeping, cuddled up on the couch in the back.
“Yes, I just remember the flights I took when I went from Nice all the way to Austin, it was so much more exhausting than this.” Charles said with a smile.
“Well, it is more exhausting due to all the other people and being in an enclosed space with them, you know, it’s a threat even if you’re not actively threatened or scared. Plus, the layovers, of course. I take the plane most of the time. I’d always prefer first class on long distance if I don’t, just to be able to lay down, you know.” Max said, laying on a reclined seat, the hallway in the middle of the plane parting him from Charles.
“True, those layovers really get you in the jetlag.” Charles said and his stomach growled loudly.
“You like cinnamon rolls?” Max asked.
“Do you have the sugar icing?” Charles asked with a smile, making Max nod and walk over to the fridge and microwave, preparing some cinnamon rolls while Charles cut up some apples and made tea.
“Are those cinnamon rolls?” a sleepy Lando asked, lifting his head.
“As soon as he smells food.” Max grumbled and shook his head. “Yes, they are and there are enough for all of us.”
“God” Oscar let out, sitting up on Lando. “If I would have known this is so much fun before, I wouldn’t have waited until after Christmas.” He said, kissing Lando.
“Oh, no, no, no, don’t you dare try to get away.” Lando said, holding him tighter when Oscar wanted to lift himself off. “I’m not done with you, yet.” He smirked, rolling them over on the big hotel bed.
They spent the next day sightseeing a little bit, as even though Oscar grew up here, his family lived outside of the city. He had tried to contact them, leaving a message every couple of days, but there was no reply. They were also invited to dinner by Daniel’s parents on Wednesday evening, going to a restaurant a little bit outside of the city.
Grace and Oscar were in the hospitality together on Friday during the training, when one of the security guards from the track came in, looking for him.
“Sir, I apologize to interrupt your day, but there are people at the side entrance requesting entry, citing you as a reference. They are very persistent, but don’t have any tickets.” He stated calmly.
“Uhm, okay, I will come with you.” Oscar said, taking his VIP tag with him and followed the guard to his golf cart. They drove quite a while to the side entrance and entered a little container building behind the ticket booth.
“Mum?!” Oscar asked surprised when he saw his mother and sisters in the little room, paper cups with water in front of them. They all looked a little dishevelled and were definitely on the road for a while.
“Oscar!” his mother exclaimed happily and got up, while his youngest sister ran into his arms.
“Hey little sis! How are you doing?” he asked his four-year-old sister, Chloe, when he picked her up.
“I’m okay, we walked really long.” She then huffed.
“Oh, so you’re all tired now?” Oscar asked her while walking over to his mother.
“No, I’m not tired.” Chloe said eagerly.
“Alright then. Can I sit you down for a second to talk to mum?”
“Okay” Chloe said, going over to their middle sister Julia.
“Mum, I tried to call, what is happening?” he asked, sitting down next to her. Only now he realized how exhausted his mother looked.
“Your father doesn’t know we’re here, he didn’t hear the messages. After you left … he changed.” She lowered her voice, taking care only Oscar heard her “He doesn’t think one of the girls will present as an alpha … he punishes them for it … they need to go, somewhere else, somewhere, I don’t care if I go back, but the girls can’t go … you have to protect them somewhere, please!” his mum begged him.
“Mum, mum, mum, calm down, we will find something, okay? First … we’ll go to our hospitality, okay? Then you guys can calm down, eat something, freshen up if you want to. Excuse me?” he said to the stewards standing at the side and went over to talk to them. A couple minutes later he came back, holding a couple of lanyards for them, hanging them around each of their necks. They were brought back to the hospitalities by the golf cart, entering together.
“Oh, hello there!” Grace exclaimed, seeing Oscar coming back with his family.
“Everyone, this is Grace, she is the mother of Daniel, he works together with Lando, my mate. This is my mother, Nicole, and my sisters, Chloe and Julia. They came over for a surprise visit!” Oscar told her.
“Aren’t you sweet darlings! Are you hungry?” Grace asked the girls and was met with yeses. “Well then let’s have a look what they have for us today!” she added, stretching her hands towards them and went over towards the kitchen with them.
“Let’s sit down.” Oscar pointed at the couch and got his mother a water from the fridge. “You just left?” he asked a minute later.
“I had to. I packed only a little, he won’t know until he’s back from work tomorrow, he has a double shift.”
“Okay, do you have your papers and all of that?”
“Passports, birth certificates and vaccination passes.”
“Okay, that’s the most important. We can’t talk to Lando right now, he has to concentrate, but you can stay here the whole day, don’t worry.” Oscar said to her.
Lando came back to find Oscar about an hour after second practice, their post practice meeting short, due to their good performance there weren’t a lot of things to talk through and media duties were limited. He found him sitting on the couch together with his mum and his sisters. Oscar saw Lando through the window and met him in the front room, explaining what happened with his mother and sisters. Lando made a couple of phone calls and changed into his regular team clothing before walking towards them, introducing himself to Oscar’s family. Oscar’s sisters were both sleepy, the steward driving the golf cart helping them carry Chloe to the cart, while Lando carried ten-year-old Julia. It was only a short way to their drive to the hotel. They drove directly into the underground garage, where an hotel employee informed them, they already opened the connecting door of their suite. Daniel also met them downstairs, carrying Chloe upstairs before leaving them alone. Oscar and Nicole quickly tucked the girls in while Lando made another couple of calls.
“Alright, so.” Lando said, sitting down and rubbing his face. “Just to have that clear for me: You don’t want to go back to your husband, right?” he asked Nicole.
“No”
“Okay, Oscar said you brought your papers, which is really good. That helps with everything. I already called my lawyers, they are currently researching the best ways to help you. I asked the hotel to buy a couple of things for you for the next days. For your safety, I also need you to stay in the hotel, preferably on the floors that are booked specifically for the teams. That includes the smaller spa area on the 22nd floor. Why I want you to stay inside is, as you are officially mated to your husband, he has the right to know your whereabouts, and the girl’s as well, Oscar doesn’t need to talk or get into contact with him, as he is mated to me and with that not under your husband’s alpha protection any more. Now, I do understand if you want to stay with your mum and sisters this weekend and I definitely won’t hold it against you if you decide to stay in the hotel as well. I will update you as soon as the lawyers are calling back.” Lando explained to them and Nicole let out a deep breath. “Now, some things I want to make sure with you, if they call back with a solution. Would you be okay to move to Monaco with us? Please keep in mind that we are travelling a lot and won’t be there all the time.”
“I don’t have any money for a move.” Nicole said silently.
“That is not important right now.”
“Yes, I would move with you.”
“Okay. Would you be okay with me taking over as the alpha, to be under my alpha protection?”
“Yes”
“And you do realize that that means I will be the one to be in control of your whereabouts and the whereabouts of your daughters?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. I want you to promise me, that if your opinion or decision on any of these things change, that you will tell me, and then we will find a different solution. That doesn’t mean, that you would have to go back to your husband.”
“I promise to tell you.” Nicole said with a little smile, just before there was a knock on the door.
“To the bedroom.” Lando ushered them quickly, then opened the door. Two of the hotel employees were there, together with a luggage trolley with bags. “Ah, just inside, please, I will take care of everything else.” He thanked them after bringing everything in, handing them both a tip. “You can come back out.” He said after the front door closed. “You can always order room service, but I thought it would be nice to have a couple more things on hand.” He said, holding up two grocery bags towards Oscar, who took them happily. Lando saw Nicole’s questioning look. “I’m not allowed to fill the fridge, apparently, I’m messing up the order. I’m just allowed to take stuff out.”
“Not allowed to fill the fridge?” Nicole asked perplex.
“He stores stuff by size and form, no regards for what’s in them. Veggies, meat, dairy, pudding, everything on the same level. It was exhausting to just look at it.” Oscar explained, shaking his head.