Me: This is just something to get me through Easter :P Enjoy :D :D (and the majority of the time this fic is set in 2001 moving onward) (&& sorry if this chapter seems short, this is just the beginning)

February 18, 2001 *Shea's POV*

"Excited about today sweetie?" Asked my mother Theresa.

What she was referring to was me, at thirteen years old was at my first ever Daytona 500—a race that I wanted to see since I was able to sit on the couch and watch the television in general. I'd always asked my father to let me go but he didn't want to have me go till at least I was around maybe 15-16 years old, but as a Christmas present, he got me tickets for it and I was so freaking happy.

Wanna know who I am exactly? My name is Shea Earnhardt, and the 'dad' that I've stated is none other than 'The Intimidator' Dale Earnhardt—and I couldn't be more prouder to have a father like him, and yeah, that would mean that my brother would be Dale Earnhardt Jr., and he's a brother that I would be proud to have.

"Yeah," I said with pep in my voice. "I can't thank you guys enough for this,"

"It's nothing Shea," Theresa said. "You wanted to go to a Daytona 500 race for a long time, and me and your father gave it to you," She added.

"I know, but thanks anyways," I said with a smile on my face. I looked down at my outfit, which consisted of a black 3 t-shirt, Chor Purple and White Piping Pants and black flats and just couldn't get over that I'm actually here at the biggest event in NASCAR history.

"The race is starting, wanna wish Dale and your father good luck?" Theresa offered.

"Sure," I said as we walked onto pit road and saw the drivers getting into their cars about to start racing when me and Theresa walked over to Jr.'s #8 car and I leaned into the window. "Good luck Dale, love you," I said.

"Thanks Shea, love you too sis," Dale said as me and him hugged then I got out of the car myself then me and Theresa walked over to my Dad's car. "Good luck Daddy," I said. Hey, even though I'm thirteen, I still call my Dad Daddy. "I hope you win out there,"

"Thanks Shea sweetie," Dale said.

"I love you so much, you know that, right?" I asked.

"Yes, and I love you too sweetie," Dale said as he kissed me on the forehead before putting his helmet on and I leaned out of the car and walked with Theresa for where we're going to be sitting for 500 laps. Who knew that the very last lap of the race would be the one that would be permanently stuck to my head for the rest of my life?

FF to Lap 499

It was the white flag lap and the lap that would get everyone in the grand stands out of their seats in hoping to see someone that they like or at least can stand win the Daytona 500, including me because I just wanted to see who would win and whoever did did deserve the win very much. I looked over at one of the turns and saw that there was a crash with my father and Schrader and my heart sank. I saw crashes like that on TV and knew that the person involved would be alright, but I didn't have trust in this one.

"Shea?" Theresa asked noticing the change of expression on my face, and when I didn't respond, "Shea?" She asked again and by the second time she said my name, my eyes started to tear up, and especially more when I saw a stretcher pulled by the medical staff pull up beside Dale's busted car and when I saw that, I ran away from my mom in search of the ambulance. "Shea!" Theresa yelled to get my attention but it was no use.

Few minutes of searching for the ambulances, I ended up finding Jr. and I instantly ran up to him and hugged him and just cried. Few minutes of me just crying, I had enough courage to look up at him and asked, "How's Daddy?"

He probably knew what had happened so he bent down so that he was at eye level with me and whispered loud enough so I can hear, "He didn't make it,"

I knew what that phrase meant and I just hugged Jr. again and started to cry. The one race that I do go that wasn't in the summer, it just happened to be my fathers last race, and I have my father's last words running through my mind Yes, and I love you too sweetie.

"Why did God have to take Daddy away from us?" I asked in between cries.

"I don't know Shea," Dale said.

"It wasn't his time yet," I said in between cries.

Dale lifted me off of his shoulder and had his eyes deadly focused on mine. "Shea, listen to me, alright?" He asked and I could only nod. "Dad might be gone from us, but that doesn't mean that you can't have a father figure in your life," He said.

"What do you mean Dale?" I asked.

"I promised this to Theresa when you were born, if anything would happen to Dad making him…be gone from this Earth, then I would be the father that you were supposed to have growing up," Dale said.

I stopped crying for a few moments only to force out a, "Really?"

"Yeah, I believe that every child should have some form of parentship in their life, and even though I'm treating myself without a father, I'm making sure that you should have some form of it," Dale said as he hugged me again.

"Thanks Dale," I whispered into his ear and continued crying.

Me: RIP 'The Intimidator' Dale Earnhardt—April 29, 1951-February 18, 2001. You would never be forgotten. #3 Forever :'( Read and review