When an old enemy of Jeff's Tracy enters Alan Tracy's life, Alan and Jeff's relationship is tested to the brink. Alan is desperate to escape his past and his family, but hidden secrets, dishonesty and danger are his destiny, and that's before he joins IR.

This story is a replacement and re-write of Façade, a story I posted over five years ago. I don't have any rights to any F1 teams or the characters.

Resentment

Chapter one

Opportunities and old opponents

After shutting the laptop to erase the image that had been emailed to him by his second eldest brother Virgil, Alan Tracy considered his actions. The photo was taken at last years benefit in memory of his mother, and seeing it made the young man considered the past months and the direction his life was taking. Also in the email, as in many others his brothers had sent, the message was that Alan desperately needed to call his father to apologize for his actions recently. That email may have been erased but that wouldn't stop them trying to contact him by emails, calls or other methods to locate him that his family had tried. All his brother's emails consisted of the same content, he was lectured on what he was doing and why, and all of them wanted to know Alan's location. Alan had replied to the odd email at first, but as time went on Alan replied less and less, as he still had no desire to see his father. After a blazing arguments based on deep rifts between to two men, Alan now had nothing left to say to his father. Nevertheless Jeff Tracy was going to have a lot to say to his son, and Alan knew it, he was about to publicly announce his new career and therefore completely disobey his father.

"Alan we're starting in ten minutes you ready to make history?" The voice spoke from the door of a small make shift dressing room, which only contained Alan and a few other belongings.

"Everything okay?" This time there was a hint of concern in the voice of his boss, as he noted the troubled look on the young man's face.

"Yep I'm fine. I was just thinking about the press." Alan looked up at his new boss, he knew that was a lie that neither he, nor the British billionaire Richard Barton believed.

"Right… It is a big day today I suppose, but Alan I have all the faith I need in you. You're a going to be a world class formula one driver." Richard smiled as Alan dipped his head showing his uncertainty in his abilities and moved uncomfortably in his driving suit.

"That's thanks to you Rick, racing in Formula Two was great but no one was willing to take a chance on me, except you."

Even considering his position at that moment, Alan still held a great deal of disbelief in his mind at his current situation. Not long ago he had graduated, just, and told his family he had only a desire to race cars in the future, not go to college. That Alan uncomfortably recalled was a bad night, his father had been furious. Alan was called ungrateful, and had been forbidden from the racing. Without Alan's knowledge Jeff Tracy had decided his wild, reckless youngest son's path for him, he was to train with NASA to be an astronaut. Unknown to Alan this was necessary for a project that Jeff had been working on for many years, the plans were in the final stages but Jeff needed another trained pilot, and astronaut. His three eldest sons were already training and designing rescue equipment for any possible emergency; his final two sons would assist soon. However Alan's laughter and complete dejection at joining NASA didn't quite fit in with that plan. Jeff had expected Alan to not be too taken with the idea; especially as Alan had no interest in space or engineering at all, but Alan wanting to drive in F1 was a shock. Both had exchanged hateful remarks, Alan disclosed accusation of years of this father wanting nothing to do with him, while Jeff had let slip he was disappointed in Alan. That night Alan stormed out, only returning later in the night to pack his stuff and disappear by his bedroom window at three in the morning. That night Alan had left to follow his dreams, and since that day he hadn't returned. Alan had thrown away his cell phone and not spoken to any of his so called family, but with no money from a frozen back account, he was struggling after a week. Alan had been surprised that not a single F1 team was willing to give him a chance at being a driver despite his fantastic junior record.

Richard Barton stared down at his new rising star, he knew Alan's future would be impressive in F1, but that alone was not the purpose behind his large personal support for Alan's career. The business tycoon had created a bombshell in the business world by reducing the amount of hours he spent on ring leading his multi-national corporation to focus on a Formula One team. Barton industries only main rival in the business world was Tracy Corporation, and both were well known global companies.

"Alan I know you are going to be a champion. F1 has always been an interest to me and once I bought a team I wanted to see what it's really like, I wanted new drivers, and you're one of them." Richard Barton smiled before continuing.

Alan still looked uncertain and nervously ran his hands through his blond locks. This was a big step for him, and apart from Richard, he had no support from anyone.

The billionaire crouched down to Alan's sitting position and held the young mans shoulder.

"Alan. You have talent, passion, ambition and such strength." He paused before continuing.

"You're just like your mother." Alan looked up to meet his bossed eyes while that statement reminded Alan of when the two first met.

Flash back seven months earlier

"Hi Alan." Shocked by his name being called Alan looked at the source of the voice, a well dressed, light brown haired man looking in his fortes smiled down at him from the end of the row of red seats.

"Hi…" Alan looked at the man surprisingly.

"Do I know you?" he stated questioningly.

Alan had come to sit in the cool late night air of the Parola sands stadium, away from the high profile party being held inside the business suite for drivers and managers. This was Alan's last ditch attempt to get a F1 team to take him on, if not his dreams were over. He had been included in the party because he trained with some of the drivers who had just been signed this year to teams, but no teams inside wanted to sign him. His coach had tried, Alan had tried, but he was rejected before he even began.

"Sorry let me introduce myself." Why he was surprised that Alan had no clue to who he was made him smile.

"Richard Barton" Alan competed his companions sentence for him after recalling the billionaires name.

After nodding to Alan in confirmation Richard moved closer to his companion and sat on one of the fold down seats near the young blond driver. Alan's big cerulean eyes looked distant and lost as they examined the stadium before them. Alan's demeanour was very different Richard noticed from the happy ten year old he appeared to be when they last met. That had occurred by accident when an elevator broke at a major business conference many years ago, Richard had been trapped with the then ten year old Alan Tracy and his nanny for many hours. Richard became amazed at the boy before him that day, and had always kept his eye on the boy ever since.

Alan sat back in his seat and adjusted his designer suit and tie, both which had been forgotten about when he came out of the party to face the rejection he had been dealt. Today the rejection wasn't a shock but three months ago it was. Despite very early interest in Alan, and a near enough promise to be guaranteed a place in the team, the dream was ended fast. One call from a large supplier to the teams, who wasn't happy about the rumours of himself as a future racer, ended Alan's ambitions. That man, Alan believed was his father. The family name had haunted all the Tracy boys in different ways but here it was closing doors for the youngest Tracy son. Alan's father's company was a contractor to the teams, and no one wanted to risk losing a contractor for the sake of a kid with a dream.

After what seemed like minutes of silence, Alan uncomfortably turned to face is companion.

"I don't mean to be rude but how did you know who I am?" Alan quizzed, unlike Jeff Tracy, Richard Barton's company wasn't known to supply the making of a F1 car.

The elder turned to answer the young man's question, he had previously been deep in thought about how to answer Alan's question, before it was even asked.

"You look just like your mom." Alan internally caved, that was a thought every one who knew the Tracy family concurred on, but never spoke of. Something that Alan wished would change. The one thing that had dominated his life, and had always been the steel door between him and having a relationship with his father.

"Sorry". Barton noticed the unease of the young man by his words and cursed Jeff Tracy for it. Barton knew Tracy well; both were in the same Air Force class when they were younger. These days he only knew Jeff by what information he could gather, but still well enough to know he never spoke of his late wife. After meeting Alan in the elevator he was keen to keep aware of what was happening in Alan's life. Richard himself was devastated by Lucille's death, as they had dated before she was in a relationship with Jeff. Alan was like a carbon copy of her; a piece of her back from the grave. Richard Barton's distaste for Jeff Tracy, and interest in Alan only increased when Alan's nanny talked openly in the elevator about the fact she was raising Alan single handed. Due to Alan birth causing the death of his wife, Alan's nanny explained that Jeff was not being able to show any interest in him at all.

"Alan I was a very close to your mother, and I…knew… your father too."

Richard decided to leave it at that for his description of Jeff Tracy, to get into the deep unpleasant relationship that the billionaires had would be a story for another day. The two businessmen had strong disagreements. However this seemed to be something he and Alan had in common when dealing with Jeff Tracy.

Barton was quickly snapped out of his thoughts by Alan's movement.

"Oh...right...well I better get back inside." Alan began to get up from his seat; a friend of his father's was not what he needed now, and he was anxious to get away because of that.

"Alan I want to offer you a place at Mercedes McLaren as are top driver." That stopped Alan in his tracks and the young blond turned around with a look of amazement on his face.

"What?" Alan spoke quickly and Richard Barton smirked back at Alan.

Richard spoke with his hands out reaching to Alan to encourage him to sit back in his seat.

"Alan, I have just bought the majority of the shares in this aspect of the company and I am going to lead from the top. I want you as our driver, as you're the best there is. I have watched you race, spoke to your coach and your team mates; I know you could be a world champion. You just need to be given the chance based on your abilities, and not being judged by your surname." A proud smile was on Richard's face as he then moved to place his hand on the young man's shoulder.

The shocked expression on Alan's face turned to look at the hand on his shoulder.

"But…I thought you said you were friends with Jeff Tracy? You must know this is the last thing he wants me to do." Richard Barton eyes had a sparkle that Alan missed.

"Son, I said I was close to your mother, not your father. Don't worry about Jeff Tracy, I will deal with him." Richard spoke confidently and he noticed Alan was more relaxed by the idea that Jeff had nothing to do with this offer.

Alan had no need to consider for long, as the smile spread across his face.

"I would love to race for you!" Alan's whole face brightened and his eyes flashed with desire and dreams. The young driver shook his future bosses hand and followed him inside for more talks, for the first time in a long time he felt like he was being supported.

Present day…

Alan's thoughts from that day ended when Richard calling his name again, the mention of his mother by his boss had been near constant from there first meeting. However due to the lack of anyone speaking of his mom in his own family Alan's uneasiness on the topic was still as fresh.

"Sorry...I was just thinking." Alan fiddled with his sponsorship covered helmet and gloves as he sat ready to face the world's sporting press as the new driver in the circuit.

Richard spoke while he encouraged Alan up from his chair and into a hug.

"Alan you have nothing to feel bad about when I mention your mom; you're her son and she would be proud of you, just am much as I am."

The relationship between the two had grown dramatically over the previous months, just as Richard had wanted. He had taken Alan under his wing, he knew Alan was more than capable to be a fantastic driver; it was personally that he wanted to know the young man, and get the boy to know and trust him in return.

"Thanks, I don't know what I would do without you da…" Alan stopped there and pulled back from the embrace, not meeting Richards's eyes.

Alan considered his near name slip in his mind.

"Er…Sorry." Alan looked embarrassed.

Alan felt so indebt to the man before him; he had given him somewhere to live, which happened to be in Richard's own home, a new Mercedes, and an amazing contract with his company. What was more surprising to Alan was how interested he was in him. Richard himself, Alan soon found out had no children, and had been in love with his mother before Scott was born. The new details about his mom had just shown Alan how little he knew of her, which was no thanks to his father. He had been taught not to speak or ask about her when he was young, so had learnt so much about a woman he would never know personally. The thought of his father's anger had been on his mind ever since he left home. However Alan found himself beginning to care less and less over the years, he now no longer wanted his father's attentions as he had once before. The negative relationship he and his father had was starting to become his driving force for trying to win, and so get away from his past. Learning that Richard Barton was both a competitor to his father, that the two were not the slightest degree of friends had helped Alan trust his new boss. Alan had demised that he and Barton both had his mother has a major negative issue between having a good relationship with Jeff Tracy.

Richard couldn't help but smile at the boy before him as he left the room, what he had wanted from Alan was working, but more than that he was enjoying himself. Alan was a great young man and as he had discovered, so much like Lucy. However Alan personally was more shy and closed about his feelings, and had clearly not dealt with his past troubles. The young man was not used to having such a supporting personal relationship; therefore a close fatherly like relationship was developing. When Barton found out Alan had been staying with a friend he made sure the boy stayed with him in his newly bought mansion. Richard was pleased to find evidence that Alan was starting see him as a father figure more, and so also becoming bitterer towards Jeff Tracy based on the new knowledge he had supplied.

"I'll see you out there." Richard said proudly before closing the door behind him.

"Rachel, I wish you were here." Alan's voice was filled with emotion as his head fell forward. He had never cried since his former nanny, or to Alan, his mother, had died on a plane journey. The two had been inseparable, and along with Alan's eldest brothers had attempted to divert Alan's attention away from the boy wanting his father. However the day of Rachel's death Alan's father had decided that they were too close, after hearing his son call Rachel 'mom'. He therefore had kept Alan at home while Rachel went on vacation. Alan knew himself that he had never recovered from her death; but also from that day on he had never tried to develop a relationship with his father again.

"This way Alan." The blond left the room only to hear his coach calling him, the blond turned and headed in the same direction.

"No going back now." Richard spoke quietly when Alan appeared by his side.

"I know, but my dad is going to hate this." Alan replied, as he peered out towards the stage and the media pack.

"Don't worry about him, this is about you." Richard smiled before he moved out towards the press to introduce his drivers.

Alan considered Richards's words as he stood listening to Richard introduce his teammate. Since he was eleven Alan wanted nothing to do with his father, and Jeff had always kept his youngest at arms length. So much so Alan spent most of his teenage years running away from boarding school, trying to run away from boarding school, or being expelled. The constant disappointment and fighting with his father may have got Alan some attention but not of the kind he wanted, he hadn't had that since Rachel.

The blond smiled as he heard his name Richard was right, this was about him now.

Shaking his thoughts away Alan stepped towards Richard and the stage as the cameras rolled. The photographers flashed away, and Alan smiled standing next to his new boss, as he stood behind the sponsorship name of Barton industries. Alan appeared happy as the flashes went off but he knew he was about to deal with the negative consequences of his decision to chose his own path, and not his fathers.

Richard Barton smiled at the new pictures of himself and Alan that were to be printed in newspapers in the next weeks, the identity of the new drivers was being held back to boost publicity for the Australian Grand Prix . He knew what was to come with Alan and Jeff Tracy in the future, and all that did was please him. Alan was what he wanted, a son. A son abandoned and unwanted by Jeff Tracy, the man that had stolen his future wife.

Richard dropped the picture on to the desk, since meeting Alan when he was younger he had been waiting for the opportunity to get Alan away from Jeff Tracy and towards him. I get back a future Jeff Tracy stole from him.