What The Heart Wants (Sebastian Vettel)

11. The End Is The Beginning

A/N:  so as we reach 2020 things will be different to real life.  Instead of being dropped by Ferrari and signing for Aston Martin Seb chooses to retire from Formula 1

2020

Seb sat in the silence of his driver room, trying to prepare himself for what was to come. This was it, it was nearly time to take the car to the grid for the final time.

It was a decision he hadn't taken lightly, but eventually he'd decided over the summer break that the time was right to end his Formula 1 career.  Ava had been on and on about it, she was desperate to start trying for a baby, and to be honest, so was he.   

What had finally made his mind up though was the totally lacklustre season he'd had. The car was quite simply rubbish.  Even Charles had had a pretty poor season.  He didn't want to keep going around at the back, it wasn't who he was, so when he'd been offered a new two year deal he'd declined and announced his retirement a few weeks later.

Now the day has come. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His final race. 

There was a knock on the door.   "Ja?"

The door opened and Britta stuck her head in. 

"Seb, it's nearly time.  Are you ready?"

Was he? He wasn't so sure anymore.  He was scared of the future. Would he be a good father? Would he regret leaving the sport he loved? He guessed time would tell.

"I'll be there in a minute," he told Britta. The door closed.

Seb took a few deep breaths. Was this what he really, truly wanted? It didn't matter. It was too late now. Carlos Sainz would be driving the second Ferrari in 2021.

He picked his phone up and glanced at the screen. He'd had numerous messages of good luck, but not from the one person he'd hoped to get a message from. Jessie.

He'd not seen her since the day she'd left his and Ava's house fifteen months earlier, though they'd often FaceTimed each other.

He'd tried to persuade her to come to a race that season but she'd refused, not wanting to see Joel.

He got that, he knew it must still hurt. They were officially divorced now, and he'd heard through the grapevine that Joel and Larissa were now engaged, and that she was already pregnant with their second child,even though their first born, a son named Tyler, was not even a year old yet.

Maybe now he'd be less busy he and Ava could have a break in the U.K. and meet up with Jessie.

She was still living with her friend Katie, but she had spoken recently about looking for a place of her own. She was considering buying a place at auction and renovating it herself whilst working from home. She'd set up her own business, creating websites for companies and managing them.

Seb waited a minute longer, sure Jessie would send him a text but his phone stayed silent. Eventually he knew he had to go.

He slipped his arms into his racesuit and zipped it up. His gloves and helmet were already in the garage waiting for him.

He left his driver room and went down the stairs to the dining area where he knew his family would be waiting for him.

There was a round of applause as he entered the room, the team members gathered there paying their respects to him.