Chapter 53

When the team arrived at Fuji International Speedway it was around lunchtime on the day before the first official practices and a few teams had already arrived but no one was on the track. Ryosuke left the team to set up to go talk to the track officials about their entry into the race and about getting a little time on the track to set up the new spare car, currently sitting quietly in the back of the car hauler. When he came back Gavin started his five allotted laps hoping the spare wouldn't be needed for the race.

About a half an hour later, while Reiko was coming down Pit Lane to park the spare NSX for the rest of the day, Dr. Yuki Nakahara walked into the team's garage area.

"Dr. Nakahara, what brings you all the way out to Fuji today?" Ryosuke asked sounding extremely professional since he hadn't been expecting her.

"I came because you invited me Ryosuke," the black haired doctor replied playfully.

"Who's this?" Fumihiro asked when he noticed the woman, inadvertently bringing the whole staff's attention to her.

"This is Dr. Yuki Nakahara; she's a colleague of mine at the clinic in Takasaki," Ryosuke replied before Yuki could.

"I'm also his girlfriend," the lady doctor replied with a wide smile, giggling slightly when the whole team seemed to let their jaws hit the floor in surprise.

"So, how long have you been dating my brother?" Keisuke asked when he regained his ability to speak. To Ryosuke his little brother sounded really confused and just a little upset.

"Not long really, two weeks at the most," Yuki said sounding a little embarrassed, "We've only been on one real date so far."

Keisuke was still trying to figure everything out when Kyoko decided to break the awkward silence.

"Well I'm Keisuke's wife Kyoko, it's nice to meet you," the dirty blonde said with a sweet smile as she held her hand out, "I'd introduce the rest of the team but that could get a little confusing so I'll let them take care of that."

While the team started to introduce themselves to the black haired doctor, Keisuke took the chance and pulled his brother out of the garage.

"So you got a girl huh?" the spiky blonde haired man said with a slightly joking tone having stopped being any kind of upset long before.

"So it would seem," Ryosuke replied seriously, "Keisuke, I'm sorry I didn't tell you but..."

"Don't worry about it Aniki, some things need a little time to see where they land," Keisuke interrupted with a genuine smile.

"Like the two years it took to see where you and Kyoko-chan would land?" the doctor said with a quiet chuckle as his brother pouted like a five year old.

The two walked back into the garage noticing that Kyoko and Natsuki had immediately taken a shine to the lady doctor. Shaking his head Keisuke went back to working on getting things set up without a word while Ryosuke decided to break up the three women so at least Kyoko could go back to doing her job for the team.

"So why did you come out here this early?" Ryosuke asked once he and his girlfriend were alone.

"I swapped shifts at the clinic so I could come out early. After two hours on the road sitting in my hotel room for what was left of the day didn't appeal to me so after I checked in and got everything settled I came here," Yuki replied with a little shrug, "I hope you don't mind me distracting your team like I did."

"Today was probably the best day to tell them I guess," Ryosuke replied seriously, "But next time you feel like telling someone, would you mind giving ME a heads up?" he added with a slight chuckle.

"Of course I will," Yuki said hugging him around the chest making him blush slightly.

"Umm, Ryosuke, we need you in the paddock, one of the circuit officials wants to talk to the whole team," Fumihiro said not looking towards the two as if to not interrupt anything, "Just something about the track getting patched for the rest of today."

"I'll be there in a moment," Ryosuke replied as his black haired friend of more years than he cared to count turned and walked back into the garage area.

Later in the day more teams were starting to pull in and there were several journalists going in and out of the paddock looking for interviews with whatever drivers and team managers were around. Reiko saw her in-laws walking towards the paddock with a circuit official and two young girls running around them.

"Gavin your parents are here," the curly black haired woman said nudging her husband's foot since he was under the NSX.

Her husband immediately slid out from under the car and stared in the direction his wife was. When he saw the two little girls running circles around his parents he knew his friend and her husband wouldn't be too far away, and then he spotted Jessica's fire red hair just behind his father. When the two girls spotted him they immediately left the group of five adults screaming 'Uncle Gavin' at the top of their lungs as they ran towards him. The buzz cut blonde immediately went down and scooped both girls up into one big hug.

Ryosuke cleared his throat, making the driver put the two girls down and let them hold his hands as he turned to face his boss.

"Mr. Reynolds, I believe you've got some introducing to do," the doctor said gesturing to the whole team and Yuki, whose complete attention seemed to be on the buzz cut blonde.

"I'm sorry Sir, these are my daughters," a tall red headed woman said having finally gotten to the garage.

"It's alright, we're not really working yet," Ryosuke replied with a slight chuckle, "But who are you?"

"She's my older sister Ryosuke-san," Gavin replied without missing a step, making Tatsuo and Nika's attention snap to the red haired woman, "Her name is Jessica Samford, she came for the race on Sunday."

"We decided to see what you guys did the day before practice," Gavin's father, Steven Reynolds, said with a serious tone, "Thought maybe you'd allow us to join you for dinner tonight."

"I was planning on a team dinner tonight so I guess it would be alright," Ryosuke replied with a slight nod before the two girls at Gavin's side shouted triumphantly making the whole team laugh.

As the team locked everything up for the night Gavin and Reiko were talking with his parents and Jessica while her husband tried to catch their two very energetic daughters. Nika came over to the group alone while Tatsuo was listening to Kyoko going over the mechanic team's schedule for the next day.

"So, Gavin, why don't you officially introduce me to your sister?" the brown haired woman said with a chuckle while she looked at Jessica.

"You must be Reiko's sister in-law…Nika right?" Jessica asked in English making Nika blink in confusion before her brain kicked into English mode and translated the question for her.

"Yes, me and her brother have been married just over a month," she replied in perfect Gavin taught English, "Gavin never mentioned having a sister though, I'm a little hurt he hasn't let me meet you until now."

"That's because she doesn't live in Japan Nika-chan," Helen replied with a motherly smile, "Otherwise she might have met you before now."

"How much older are you than Gavin?" the brown haired woman asked the red headed woman forgetting her manners in her confusion.

"I'm only a year older, but my parents didn't move here, his did," Jessica answered with a quite giggle at the confusion that grew on Nika's face.

After a few minutes of leaving his wife's sister in-law to steam at the ears as she tried to figure out the relationship tree, Gavin finally took pity on Nika and explained the relationship he shared with Jessica since they were in elementary school. When the rest of the team joined them Gavin helped corral his nieces back into their parents' rental before following Ryosuke out of the circuit in his own FD with Reiko beside him.

They had a pretty quiet dinner, mostly talking about the upcoming race and some of the things that had happened since the last time anyone saw Gavin's parents. Yuki talked mostly with Natsuki, Izumi and Kyoko, the three women having gone a little out of their way to make her feel as if she were already part of the team. The two little girls settled down only once they had food in front of them, making it very clear they'd slept most of the flight from the States and probably the whole car ride to the circuit.

The next day Gavin was first on the track for the Super GT practice session. His good mood that morning seemed contagious and everyone was working at their best even though it wasn't even qualifying day. When the buzz cut blonde came off the track he went through the details and warned his wife of a few slick spots before Reiko took to the track. While he walked back to the team's motor home he noticed Takeshi Kanzaki walking towards him with one of the friendlier journalists that Gavin knew about.

"Takeshi-san, what brings you here today?" the blonde said with a joking tone before noticing the older man's serious expression.

"Reynolds-san, is it true that Kanzaki-san has offered his race seat to you for next season?" the reporter asked sticking his microphone between the two men.

"Yes it's true, but how did you find out? We decided not to tell anyone," Gavin replied looking more confused at the reporter than angry at Takeshi.

"One of my mechanics let it slip out, I'm sorry Gavin-kun," Takeshi replied somberly.

"Hey, it's okay, it's not like they wouldn't find out when I signed the contract if I take you up on it Takeshi-san," the buzz cut blonde said with a smile.

"While I have both of you here, can I ask a few questions about this offer Kanzaki-san put up?" the reporter asked.

"Basically all that was said is that I have the ability to choose the driver that would replace me and that I'd like it to be him," Takeshi replied calmly.

"And so far all I've said is I'll think about it," Gavin added with a smirk, "I'd rather concentrate on the offers I have after the championship."

"That's probably the best idea Reynolds-san," the reporter said with a chuckle.

"Now if you'll both excuse me I need to change," the buzz cut blonde had only taken two steps away from the reporter and Takeshi before he turned back and added, "Takeshi-san, let's have fun on Sunday."

"Absolutely," the brown haired man replied with an almost evil look and a low chuckle.

As the day went on more and more journalists bugged both Takeshi and Gavin about the possibility of the blonde taking the older man's seat next season. After practice Fumihiro and Ryosuke decided to lock everything up and get the drivers out of the circuit to get away from the press for an hour since they'd started to bug Tatsuo and Nika about the idea.

"I can't believe some of the journalists at this race," Izumi said as the team ate dinner together in one of the private rooms of the restaurant they'd chosen.

"They are kinda nosy," Yuki agreed from her place next to Ryosuke, "I mean what business do they have asking what offers a driver has for next season?"

"It is their job Nakahara-san," Fumihiro said with a calm tone, "If they find something to go with, they're supposed to make sure their magazine or newspaper prints it first. Generally they make sure it's true first but today they don't seem to care."

"This may get worse before the race, I want you on your toes tomorrow Fumihiro. Try not to let anyone in the paddock or into the pit box, we'll have our statement ready by then," Ryosuke said drawing attention to him, "Gavin-kun, you should be ready to make your own statement."

"Ryosuke-san, what they're asking about is true, he did offer me his race seat for next season," the buzz cut blonde said with a confused glance to his boss, "Why should it matter what I say about it being true?"

"They'll likely ask how long ago he offered, or why he offered the seat to you instead of someone else, you need to be ready to answer those kinds of questions," Tatsuo answered, getting a nod of agreement from Ryosuke.

"He offered after the race in Motegi, he offered it to me because he also wanted Reiko and I on his team in the twenty four hour race at Le Mans," Gavin said with a shrug, "I don't get what the big deal is, Takeshi-san was offered his seat by another driver they didn't make a big deal out of that."

"You're on the rookie team this season and a five year veteran has offered you his race seat, that's pretty spectacular Gavin," Nika said with a serious tone, "Kanzaki-san was already racing for two years when he got offered the seat he's been in for the last three years."

"Still, it's not like he just offered out of hand or as a joke. He's raced against me several times this season, he knows what Reiko and I both are capable of, why should it matter that I'm just a rookie?"

"Gavin you really don't get it do you?" Reiko asked looking at her husband who just shook his head, "He offered you his race seat because unlike some other driver he saw you as the best rival on the track to take his seat from him."

"Okay first, I still don't see the big deal, on or off the track he's a friend who doesn't see any of us as a rival but a distant target," Gavin said pulling everyone at the table's attention to him, "Secondly if he saw me as a rival, why would he offer to help you win the championship if he could?"

"He did what?" Keisuke asked seriously, "Oh his team is going to hate that idea."

"They won't find out unless it becomes blatantly obvious he's playing blocker for her instead of trying to pass," Gavin said with a serious tone, "He's got the skill to make that happen so I'm not too worried about his team, I'm wondering what the federation might do if they find out."

"There really isn't anything they can do should a driver decide to go against his team's orders," Takumi said finally joining the conversation.

When they arrived back at the circuit the drivers immediately hit the rack, locking their bedroom doors as well as the motor home door to be sure no one could get at them before morning. Before the Super GT qualifying session Reiko and Tatsuo's parents, Hikaru and Sakura Sasaki, came to the paddock to have a little chat before Reiko and Tatsuo took to the cars.

"Reiko, I want to talk to you in private," Sakura said to her daughter with a head nod to the motor home's door.

They walked out of the team's garage to the motor home, Reiko bypassing her husband with a quick shrug at his confused look as the two women entered the motor home. Sakura continued to one of the bedrooms and allowed her daughter in before closing the door behind them both.

"Reiko, are you happy with your life right now?" the older woman asked point blank once they were both seated on the bed.

"What would make you think I'm not?" Reiko replied sounding both surprised and confused at her mother's question, "Is this about all the attention from the press the last couple days?"

"Some of it is, but I want to know if you're going to be happy if you have to give up an offer because of Gavin."

"Mom, I'm going to be honest and I don't want you to tell anyone okay?" the black haired young woman replied getting a nod from her mother, "I'm taking a tester's seat next to him next season no matter what offer he takes; I'll still get to drive and with a little luck I could have a seat again."

"But you'd rather have to cheer him on from the stands than have to drive against him," Sakura finished getting a nod from her daughter, "You know the chances of you getting your seat back are kinda slim right?"

"I know Mom, and Nika has the same problem, we've both been talking about it, and honestly I think that's helped me get over that fear of not driving a racing car after this season," Reiko said just before her mother yanked her into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you honey, you're just as strong as your father when he was your age," Sakura said continuing to hold her daughter close, "And just as beautiful as me when I was younger."

"You're still beautiful Mom; Dad has said so more times than I can count," the black haired woman replied quietly into her mother's ear, "Now let's go back out there before both our husbands send a search party to find us," she added with a giggle.

"Before we do go, what if Gavin were to give up an offer for you?" Sakura asked before her daughter could get out of the room.

"Mom, I'll be blunt, I'd give up my RX-8 before I'd let him do that," Reiko replied seriously, "Racing means so much more to him because Gavin's not only getting his dream but the dream his grandfather didn't have time to fulfill before his military career took over."

"And it's not that big a dream for you?" the aging woman asked not believing her.

"It was, for a while I guess, but when I saw my Gavin take the podium at Okayama he did something; he pulled his grandfather's dog tags out and let them hang out in the open, which is something he's done at every podium ceremony that we've had since. His grandfather never got to race as a professional so Gavin does that so his grandfather can see it with him."

"Ryosuke-kun lets him race with the dog tags?"

"Gavin hasn't taken those dog tags off since the season started," Reiko giggled at her mother's shocked face, "Ryosuke-san knows the risk but they're so pinned down by his racing suit even when he hit the wall at Autopolis they didn't move."

The two women left the motor home still talking about some of the things that had been on Sakura's mind since Gavin and Reiko's wedding three weeks before the season started. Gavin was out on the course for his final lap when the two women rejoined the rest of the team in the pit box.

"Reiko-chan you need to get ready," Ryosuke said pointing to Gavin's NSX on the screen.

Reiko nodded just as Wataru came up to her with her helmet, gloves, balaclava and HANS device. Nika took the helmet and gloves while Reiko pulled her hair into a ponytail and put on her fireproof balaclava and pulled her racing suit the rest of the way on. Gavin was just pulling into Pit Lane when Reiko's helmet was being hooked to the HANS device. Seeing her 'girly girl' daughter dressed the way she was made Sakura very emotional; Hikaru just took his wife by the hand and led her out of the pit box.

"Okay Reiko, you know what to do, kick some ass babe," Gavin said headbutting his wife's helmet before he closed the door on the car.

"You got it sweetheart," Reiko muttered before pulling out of the pit box and driving out onto the circuit.

By the end of the qualifying session Reiko and Gavin held third place on the starting grid for GT500, while Tatsuo and Nika held the fourth place spot in the GT300 grid. Tatsuo and Reiko were met back in the pit box by their brother Raiden and his wife for a little chat about how proud Raiden was of his brother and sister for making their dreams come true.

"Ryosuke-san, I'd like to have a word with you before I go, if you don't mind," Raiden said with a polite tone as the oldest of the Takahashi brothers walked by.

"What is it about? I've got a manager's meeting to attend in about an hour," the doctor replied with the same polite tone.

"I'd like to offer up any sponsorship you might need for future teams coming out of your school, just as a way to thank you for helping my brother and sister," the oldest Sasaki said shocking everyone within hearing range.

"I can't see any teams coming out of the school in the near future, but you're welcome to sponsor the school itself if you like," Ryosuke said with a smile, only getting a smile and a nod in return before Raiden turned back to the conversation he was having with the drivers of the team.

Race day morning was met with a lot of craziness in the paddock; a thunderstorm was currently dumping insane amounts of rain on the track, the mechanics were pissed and the warmup lap had been delayed to see if it would lighten up. Reiko and Gavin were going over the rain settings for the NSX with Wataru and a little strategy with Ryosuke while they waited for the new start time.

"Nika-chan, someone to see you," one of the mechanics' voices rang through both garage areas making Gavin and Reiko look to their teammates.

"I'm surprised to see you at one of my races," Nika said rather coldly to the woman, who Tatsuo recognized as her step mother, standing in the garage entrance.

"Nika, I wanted to talk to you before the race," the woman replied sounding a little hurt by Nika's reaction.

"Nika-chan, you've got another ten minutes before the warm-up start, with the way it's coming down they might just delay it again," Kyoko said just trying to get everyone in the garage back to work.

Nika nodded and walked out of the garage towards the motor home with a not so comfortable look on her face, the woman following close behind. Tatsuo followed a couple steps later to be sure that his wife didn't get too upset before the race.

"Nika I wanted you to know, that despite our relationship being so bad, I am proud that you made your dreams come true," the black haired woman said quietly once they were all in the motor home.

"Why would you be proud of me? You did everything you could to get me out of the way so you'd have my father all to yourself," Nika replied coldly, "You pretty well succeeded at driving a wedge between us as it stands just so you know."

"I know, I've been horrible, I tried to make you into someone you weren't and I can see why I failed, you were raised by two men for two years of your life," the woman said with a slight chuckle before continuing, "Look, I want to do things better from now on."

"You're too late to the game lady, you should have tried from the start, then maybe I'd be a little more willing to believe what you have to say," Nika said before leaving the motor home.

Tatsuo was standing by the door but didn't try to stop his wife as she left, he just stared at the older woman with a rather disconnected appearance. Nika's step mother just stood there as if she were in shock for a few seconds before making eye contact with the black haired man by the door.

"Shouldn't you have stopped her or something?" she asked callously as she readied herself to leave.

"Nope, she's got a race to think about starting, if getting away from you helps her concentrate on that, then that's all good by me," Tatsuo replied with an even tone.

"I guess my husband was right then, you would stick by her no matter what decision she's made."

"Not every decision she's made, but then again I don't particularly like the picture she painted of you and by my account of things, you've got no right to ask for forgiveness from her, so this one I will stand by her."

"You've got half the picture, the side of a distraught teenage girl; do you really think that account is a good representation of me?"

"No but the fact you answered the door with 'what are you doing here?' in a shocked state and 'do you always have to be such a brat?' pretty well does Mahara-san," Tatsuo answered rather coldly, "I don't know about you but that's not the best way to greet your step-daughter's boyfriend or make a first impression on him."

"Okay, I'll admit you took me by surprise that day," the woman said with a sad tone.

"And then not showing up at her début race with her father, not showing up at either of the races at Motegi, then not even showing up to her wedding on your husband's arm, which personally I'm not sure how you managed that with Toshiyuki-san being as traditional as he is," the black haired man continued as though she hadn't said anything, "Mahara-san, you've done nothing to gain her trust in the five or six years you've been married to her father, and you've not said two words to me before today, so I think you're pretty well shit out of luck to put things mildly."

Tatsuo turned and left the motor home and returned to the garage to find out his wife was in the FD that currently sat in the pit box to wait out the rest of the delay. He smirked and shook his head before going out to the radio tower to talk to his wife that way.

"Nika, I know you've got your radio in, I just wanted to tell you that your step-mom probably isn't going to stay for the race," the black haired man said staring down at the top of the FD.

"Good, maybe now she'll just leave all together and I can get my father back," Nika replied with a strained voice, making Tatsuo jump off the tower and into the space where the passenger seat of the FD would have been.

"Nika, what's wrong?" he asked once he was in the car completely.

"It's nothing, I'll be fine in a minute or two, I just can't believe after everything she's done she'd have the fucked up idea of showing up alone," the brown haired woman said, her voice now muffled by the helmet she wore, "Tatsuo you need to go, they're starting the race."

Tatsuo climbed out of the car after kissing his wife's gloved hand and hurried back up to the observation tower where it was dry. Keisuke, Takumi, Kyoko and Wataru were all up there while the families of the team were up in the private box David Crandon had reserved on behalf of the team.

"Keisuke-san, I need to talk to Tatsuo," Gavin's voice rang through the empty headset Ryosuke usually used.

"I'm here Gavin, what's up?" Tatsuo answered before anyone had to tell him what to do.

"How's Nika doing?" the buzz cut blonde asked as the NSX moved onto the course.

"She'll be fine, just a little shaken up by her step-mom's appearance," the black haired man said with a light chuckle, "You're set right?"

"Oh yeah, got some good stuff picked out, I'll be leading this thing before you know it," his brother in-law replied sounding a little arrogant.

"Tatsuo-kun, exactly what is it he's got picked out?" Kyoko asked after the FD driver had taken off the headset.

"Music," the young man replied before climbing down off the tower and going back to the garage area.

Once the warmup lap was done the rain seemed to completely stop out of nowhere and just as the lights turned green for the race to start Keisuke could have sworn he heard Gavin singing though the radio.