The One That Got Away (Sebastian Vettel)

Epilogue

A/N So here we are. The end of this story.  Thank you all for reading and I hope you hang around for my next projects. Please comment and vote to let me know what you thought.  I appreciate each and every vote I get.  Hope you enjoyed this so far.  ♥️♥️

The rain lashed down, soaking all the mourners at the graveside. There weren't many people there, just close family and friends. Seb and Antti stood at the back under the line of trees.  Seb didn't want anyone to be distracted by his presence. Today was about her. Her life, her death. 

His eyes were red from crying.  He didn't know it was possible to cry so much.  He'd finally stopped, his tears all used up for now. 

Antti lay a comforting hand on his arm.  He was trying to help, but it made no difference.  She was still gone, and nothing was ever going to bring her back.  

As the mourners moved away from the graveside her mother approached him.  She looked so much like her, it was uncanny. She lay a hand on his cheek.

"I'm so sorry," he said, his voice cracking.

"She loved you so much Seb,"  she said, before breaking down and being ushered away. 

The press were of course hanging around trying to get pictures. As disrespectful as usual. They didn't care that a family had lost someone they cherished. All they cared about was the news. 

"Seb, we need to go if you want to make your flight," Antti said. Seb felt awful for leaving so early. He felt he owed it to her to stay longer but he just wanted to leave this god damn place and go home to Heppenheim, to his Mother and Father.

He nodded at Antti and they walked side by side back to the car. He climbed into the passenger seat and Antti slid in behind the wheel.

He took one look behind him as Antti pulled out of the car park. This was really happening. She was really gone. Suddenly he found he did have more tears in him, because they were running down his face again.

***

A few days later it was Christmas but the last thing he felt like doing was celebrating.  He should have been spending it in England with Mollie and her family. 

Now he'd just shut himself in his room, resisting all pleas from his mother to come downstairs. 

He lost count of the number of days that passed. They all seemed the same.  He missed Mollie so much. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms again. 

The New Year came and went. He knew it was time to return home.  He had to start training again.  Although he just couldn't summon up any enthusiasm.

He'd spoken to Sophia on the phone. She'd broken her leg in the accident but she was healing well.  She'd decided not to return to Formula W. She was returning to Indy W. 

He just wanted to feel a bit of hope again.  Maybe when he got back into the car he'd be able to forget. 

                                        ***

It was now the beginning of February.  Seb was visiting Aston Martin for the first time since the accident.  He knew people were avoiding mentioning Mollie's name. They were all tiptoeing around him as if he'd break if they mentioned her. He did his seat fit and made small talk with the mechanics but he didn't really want to be there.

Sitting in the canteen at lunchtime he glanced at the television and saw the headlines on Sky Sports.

Jodie Morgan and Lily Pierce confirmed as the new drivers for TBR

They'd replaced her.  It was as if she'd never existed. He choked back the tears as it hit him once again that she wasn't coming back.   He'd lost his Mollie forever. 

                                          ***

Seb pulled into the pit lane in Barcelona.  This car was seriously quick!   He'd topped the time sheets in all his sessions.   They were onto a winner this season.  He swore there and then that he was going to give it everything he had to win the title. 

His championship dream was all he had left.  He would never love again, because he would never stop loving Mollie.  So he was going to put every single piece of him into his racing.

He would win again.  He would be champion again.  For her, for Mollie.  Wherever she was, he hoped she'd be proud of him. 

     To be continued...