On the flight back to the UK, Joey had upgraded her seat to be next to Seb and she had spent most of the flight asleep on the German's shoulder.
'Baby, we've arrived.' Seb gently shook her.
'5 more minutes' she yawned.
'I don't think we can ask the pilot that' he chuckled. 'Come on, Matt is waiting for us'
Joey reluctantly got out of her seat and let Seb grab her hand and guide her through to the exit.
Matt spotted them from afar, they both looked happier than they had been the time he saw them together before.
Joey jumped on her older brother, holding him tightly to her body. Now she knew she was moving for longer than a year, she wanted to make the most of the family time she could get.
'Alright, Sebastian?' Matt greeted the German, once Joey let him go.
'Oops he called you Sebastian, not Seb, he's definitely still pissed at you' Joey teased him.
'I am. My sister might have forgiven you, but I need some more time.'
'I totally agree with you, I was a complete jerk' Seb agreed. 'But I will show you how much your sister means to me'
'Well, ain't this awkward. If you need me, I'll be in a nice hole in the ground. Matty, please, let's go. I am starving and Carmen promised me some tortilla and some patata bravas'
'Alright' he huffed, getting in the car.
'Sorry about him, Mo Cuishle' Joey said. 'He's...'
'Your brother, I totally get it. You two are really close and I really hurt you. I would be angry at myself if I were him' Seb sweetly kissed her. 'I just know I need to prove myself with him and I have no intention of failing'
Arriving at Matt's home, Joey could feel the tension between her brother and Sebastian. She knew Matt only wanted to protect her, but she also felt like that might create a rift in her relationship with Seb.
They walked into the house in an awkward silence. Joey followed the corridor into the kitchen, finding Carmen at the stove, swearing to herself about the food sticking in the pan.
'Hola, guapa' she greeted her. 'Why haven't you bought some better pans yet? Your mum wouldn't like this mess'
'Callate' she laughed. 'Welcome home, Jo. How was the trip?'
'Alright, until we got here. Then it was ice City.'
'Matt's not happy with Seb, at all' Carmen agreed. 'I tried to speak some sense into him, but he told me I would have done the same if it had happened to Isabel'
'Yeah, I get it. It's just a bit awkward knowing they'd have to spend time together... I hope they can figure it out. Do you need any help with stuff?'
Back in the living room, Seb was trying to shake the feeling Matt not only hadn't forgiven him but he also did not like him at all.
The man had been distant, icy and had barely spoken to him since they had been left alone. What was probably only 10 minutes had felt like an eternity. Seb had been trying to figure out what to say that could make Matt trust him again.
'Listen.' Matt suddenly said. 'Joey is special to me. We've grown up together, just me and her, and I've seen boys treat her like shit many times and I was always there to pick up the pieces and glue her back together. Seeing her how she was after Japan made my blood boil. She's forgiven you, I get it. She loves you. But now you're whipping her away to Switzerland and if something were to happen between you two I can't be there to help her.'
'I never meant to be such a dick, Matt. I... it's been a hard year. I was frustrated at myself and said the wrong thing, I didn't mean it'
'But you still said it. Which means in the back of your mind you do have that thought' Matt raised an eyebrow.
'Fuck, he's not having it' seb mentally swore.
'Listen, Matt. I can spend hours here telling you how much your sister means to me. Telling you how I felt after Japan, how destroyed I was at the thought of having lost her. You're not the first brother being pissed off at me for what I've done. My own brother spent over an hour on the phone calling me all sorts of names. But I can promise you, on my own life, that I have no intention of letting this fail. I have loved your sister from the first day I met her and I want to spend every single moment I can with her. I'd marry her right now if I could'
'That's a bit of an overkill' Joey's voice made both of the men jump. Seb blushed hard.
'Matt, let the man breathe, please. He's done and said enough for me to forgive him, so you should do the same too.' She told her brother, sternly. 'Now let's eat, because I'm fucking starving.'
Matt didn't reply but he took his place at the table where Carmen had set the plates for dinner. Joey and Seb sat with him even if the tension could still be felt around the room.
For a few minutes, all that could be heard was the clinking of cutlery over the plates, nobody knew what to say or how to say it.
'I'm pregnant' Carmen suddenly burst.
'You're what?' Joey and Matt asked at the same time.
'Wait, you didn't know either?' Joey asked her brother who silently shook his head in disbelief.
'I mean... I only found out today. I wanted to tell you both as you were here but this has just been too awkward. I couldn't keep it in anymore.' She rambled. 'I really fucked up, this is not how I wanted it to go'
'You're? We're? I'm?' Matt spoke,in shock. 'I... baby? You and I?'
'Well I hope it's yours' she joked.
Matt jumped up from his chair and grabbed his fiancée from hers, pulling her in a tight hug.
Joey was sitting in her chair, still shocked by the sudden news. She couldn't believe she was about to leave her family at the beginning of such a special journey, but she was glad to know that her house offer couldn't have come at a better time.
She felt Seb reach over for her hand and squeeze it in his. He had noticed tears on her cheeks and he reached over to dry them with a tissue.
'You ok, my love?' He asked her.
'Yes, yes. Just a lot of emotions all at once.' She kissed his cheek before getting up. 'Congratulations, you rascals.' She hugged her brother and sister in law to be. 'Guessing we're waiting for the wedding just a tiny bit longer' she joked.
~•~•~•
'Why do you need all these shoes?' Seb moaned, as he tried to organise yet another box labelled trainers.
'Don't, Seb. Dad and I have been asking her the same since she has been able to buy her own stuff.
'Nice to see you're calling him Seb, again' Joey teased Matt. 'And please don't squash my only nice stuff. Fold it properly!' She huffed.
It had been a few days and packing her belongings up had turned out to be a bigger task than Joey had anticipated. Luckily, moving in with Seb meant she didn't need to move any furniture but the amount of books, racing memorabilia, suits, helmets, clothes and shoes were enough to need a small army to help her pack.
That day was the day the removal company they had hired would arrive and Matt and Connor had joined Seb and Joey to make sure they made it to the deadline.
With a lot of huffing and puffing, everything was finally packed in clearly labelled boxes and with a lot of hard work from Seb, everything had been finally loaded in the removal vehicle.
'Alright, we did it' Joey said. 'Wow. It feels so empty' she looked around what had been her house for a few years. 'Matty. These are yours' she gave him her copy of the house keys. 'And dad...' she turned around to Connor who was holding tears back. 'These are for you' she gave him her car keys.
'I'll keep her in shape for you' he smiled.
'You'll have to let me borrow it when I visit' she replied.
Seb had been silently moving their luggage in their rental car, letting Joey say goodbye to her family properly.
'Dad, Matty. I really need to go now. But I promise I will see you both very soon.' She pulled them into a hug. 'I love you both very much and I wouldn't have got anywhere if it weren't for both of you.'
'Be good, baby' Connor said. 'And call me'
'I will'
'Little sis, I can't believe you're not going to be only a phone call away but you're gonna smash it in Germany.' He kissed her cheek. 'Where is Seb?'
'Probably outside'
They walked out to the drive to find Seb still fighting with one of Joey's large luggage.
'I don't think this will fit in the plane' he mumbled. 'Oh sorry, I thought it was just Jo'
'Sebastian.' Connor started. 'Could I borrow you for a moment?'
'Of course' he nodded, leaving Joey's luggage to the side.
'This' Connor said, as they were out of earshot from the two siblings. 'Is the ring I used to propose to Aisling. Joey has been wanting this for years and I told her that I would only let go of it if she met the love of her life. Now... from what I see... she has. And I want you to keep it safe until the time you find appropriate. I am not asking you to do it, nor I am expecting you to do it now or soon, but if you have it in the back of your mind, I want this to pass onto to her... I promised her when she was 8, and I don't break my promises.'
'I... don't know what to say.' Seb mumbled. 'It's not like I don't want it, I feel like it's a piece of family history, it shouldn't be in my hands'
'you're part of our family, now' Connor told him.
'Sure' Seb eventually agreed. 'I can tell you this will be safe with me'
'Good. Don't break her heart again, because I will break you. Clear?'
Seb swallowed hard, Connor didn't look like he was joking and his change of tone had been obvious.
'Crystal clear' he replied.
'Good. I'll see you soon, son' he hugged him. Sebastian stood there confused. At first he threatened his life and then he was calling him son? They walked back to Matt and Joey who had been chatting away, pretending that they didn't need to say goodbye.
'Seb, you know how I feel. Treat her nice or I will come to Switzerland myself.' Matt extended his hand.
'Well, now he is going to change his mind' Joey tried to joke.
'Nothing can scare me off, Jo, I am in it for the long run and I'm happy to show your family. Guys, I won't disappoint you.'He shook their hands. 'Ready to go, love?'
'Sure, just a moment. I'll be there in a sec.' She told him.
Seb nodded and got in the car. Joey hugged the two men once more.
'Thank you for everything. I will see you soon. I love you both so much'
And with a last kiss and a few more tears, Joey joined her partner in the car.
'I love you Josephine O'Shea'
'I love you, Sebastian Vettel'