After the podium celebration, everyone headed back to garages and media teams headed towards the media pen where the other drivers were about to head towards.
Valtteri congratulated Emilia one last time before taking his leave.
But Emilia sat down on the top step of the podium, putting her elbows on her knees and head in her hands before staring out ahead of her. The empty champagne bottle and trophy sat next to her and she untied the flag from around her neck before draping it over her knees, taking a handful of the confetti and holding it in the palm of her hand.
"You alright?" Sebastian's voice echoes, the German taking a seat next to her.
"Mhm." Emilia hums, nodding her head. "Just in shock."
"It was a good performance." Sebastian mutters, looking over at her.
"Thanks." She whispers.
She rests her head on his shoulder and he rests his on top of hers, both of them staring out in front of them completely unaware of the camera that stayed hidden snapping photos of them.
They must've sat there for about twenty minutes before Sebastian stood up and took her hand, both of them collecting their things and Emilia ensuring she still had a handful of the confetti before they made their way off of the podium.
Walking through the pit lane after a quick visit to her drivers room, Emilia rubbed at her face with her hands before making her way into the media pen where her PR manager was waiting.
"You've got a lot tonight." She states (I totally didn't forget who I named her manager by the way). "This stuff on top of the conference with Seb and Valtteri."
"Great." Emilia mutters.
"Their going to want real answers, Em." Natalie (I think that was her name anyways) mutters.
"I always give real answers." Emilia replies.
"No, you give Kimi-like answers, always have." Natalie laughs.
"What can I say, me and Kimi are practically the same person media-wise." Emilia shrugs.
Making her way over to the first interviewer, Emilia only then realised that she was still sticky and covered in champagne causing her to laugh. Of course, the interviewers questions were the usual stuff and it wasn't long before she was flying through them - giving 'real' answers just like Natalie wanted - whilst the PR manager watched her like a hawk so she didn't run off again.
After that was done, Emilia was allowed a chance to go and change out of her sticky race suit and into team wear. She then jogged to the press conference - she would admit she was slightly late but she blamed it entirely on having to give real answers and not blunt ones in the media pen, which did get everyone laughing.
"Question for Emilia." Someone speaks out and she scans the crowd before spotting him. "It was really good to see you back up on the top step again - any chance this might become a recurring thing?"
"I think its something that myself and the entire team are praying for." Emilia replies. "To be honest, I'm unable to give you a real answer to the question because the future with the car is so uncertain."
"Thank you." He nods. "Also, both cars - on yours and Fernando's side - seemed to be different to what we've been seeing recently, any comment?"
"The car itself felt different, yes." Emilia nods her head this time. "At the start of the season I was doing well but not good enough to fight for a podium and Fernando couldn't even get out of the bottom five but after today, I'm hoping that whatever was done on the cars doesn't get undone."
"Thank you again." He smiles politely.
Emilia leans back in her chair and grabs her water bottle, turning to chat quietly to Valtteri as some questions were directed at Sebastian.
The second she was able to get out of that conference, she did.
She didn't care that it was the first race she had won in almost four years.
Emilia Senna despised media duties and would disappear the minute they were over.
Although, in this case, she disappeared off to the Red Bull motorhome where Christian then spotted her and found Max who then told Daniel she was waiting outside.
Emilia was just thankful that Christian Horner didn't seem to hate her as much - Daniel had probably told him about the thing between the two of them and maybe that was reason Christian was trying a little bit harder to not want to rip her guts out every time he saw her.
Daniel rushed out of the Red Bull motorhome, leaving the door swinging wildly behind him, and down to his partner who he then scooped up into his arms and held onto tightly. Emilia nearly burst into tears for a second time then and there but she managed to hold them back as she wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck and buried her face into his shoulder. The Australian muttering his congratulations along with telling her how proud he was.
Feeling her feet hit the floor again, Emilia tilted her head back as Daniel cupped her face, her eyes glistening with unshed tears of happiness and her smile wide.
"You deserve that so fucking much." Daniel says, using his thumb to wipe a stray tear.
"I'm so happy right now." Emilia whispers, placing her hands over his.
Before Daniel could respond, their little moment was interrupted.
"EMMY!" Charles' voice shouts, the Monegasque running over to the woman.
"You did so well today!" Emilia gasps, engulfing him in her arms. "So, so well."
"Not as well as you did!" Charles says, voice muffled by her shoulder.
"Oh honey, lets not focus on me." Emilia shakes her head. "Lets focus on you for once!"
"But you won." Charles pulls away, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"I did win, but I've won lots of things in my life." She waves a hand. "You can only celebrate your first points once, Charles."
Emilia pulled him back into her arms after her comment was made, hearing him mutter a thank you. Charles was slightly shocked over the fact that Emilia would just brush her win aside like that and from a few feet away, so was Daniel. But unlike the Monegasque, the Australian knew that Emilia would do absolutely anything for Charles and that includes pushing aside her first Formula One win in years if it meant celebrating his first career points.
Eventually, the group headed back to the hotel. But the entire walk through the paddock to get to the car park where their rental cars were parked, Emilia kept getting congratulated and patted on the back, posing for photos with fans and quickly signing things whilst trying to get through the crowds of people screaming congratulations at her.
She forgot just how overwhelming everything was when you were winning races.
She could let out a big breath of fresh air when she finally reached her rental car and could climb inside. Turning the key in the ignition and smiling at the roar of the V8 engine the McLaren held.
Emilia very nearly broke many speed limits driving back to the hotel.
She blamed the adrenaline...
Back at the hotel, the drivers group chat was buzzing with making plans for another night of drinking alcohol - don't even ask me how but even Sebastian was raving for it. This time, the drivers girlfriends would also be attending since many were present which meant it would be a lot more fun for Emilia because she wouldn't be surrounded by so much testosterone and masculinity like she usually was.
Okay, many of the drivers weren't very masculine when they were drunk but you get the idea.
That was how Emilia found herself sat on the floor in front of the mirror with her make-up products scattered about around her listening intently to Charles who sat on the bed behind her.
"Hey, Charles." Emilia says softly, catching his attention. "Take some breaths."
"Why?" He asks, words rushed.
"Because your doing that thing where you word vomit and I know its because your really excited and happy about your first points which you are allowed to be and I am so proud of you as well." Emilia begins, accent filtering through the air. "But your starting to slip French and Italian into your words and I can barely understand your sentences because your not taking in any air."
"Oh right." Charles whispers. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry." Emilia shakes her head. "I love how happy you are but sometimes we all need just a moment to gather our thoughts and think about what we're talking about."
So, whilst Emilia applied her last bit of make-up and packed her stuff away, Charles was gathering his thoughts. When Emilia clipped her heels on he looked over at her and smiled.
"I'm really happy, you know." He says, linking their arms as they go to leave. "Like really, really happy."
"I know you are and you have a good reason to be." Emilia grins, opening the door.
"And I bet that my dad and Jules are so proud." He whispers.
"They are so proud." Emilia says, watching that sparkle form in his eyes.
"They are?" Charles' asks.
"Oh I know they are." Emilia nods her head. "They have so many reasons to be proud of you."
"I love you Emmy." Charles mutters.
"I love you too, Charles." Emilia ruffles his hair. "But we have one rule about tonight."
"Just one?"
"Just the one. Do not do shots with Pierre."
"Okay, but you can't do shots with Fernando then!"
"That is so not fair!"
"Yes it is! If I'm not allowed then neither are you!"
"Hey! Whose the adult here!?"
"Me!"
"You are most definitely not Charles Leclerc!"
The young Monegasque squealed, laughter echoing through the air as he jogged off down the hallway leaving Emilia chasing after him, although she definitely wasn't as quick considering the fact he was wearing trainers and she was wearing heels but either way, their laughter echoed through the air and once Charles was tired enough he waited for her and allowed her to hit his arm before continuing on his run down to the lobby leaving Emilia chasing after him.
And seeing the way that both of them were smiling when they appeared, Charles still claiming loudly to his sister that he was the more mature one hence the reason for their rule.
Everyone smiled softly.
Pierre even more so than the rest.
The Frenchman had been forced to watch as his best friend lost himself with the loss that shadowed over his life. Starting with Jules then losing Emilia and adding his father onto the top of that, sometimes people wondered just how Charles had come through all of that.
But, whilst he would never be able to get back his father or godfather, he had managed to get back his older sister.
The woman who was gentle with him like a mother. The woman who was there whenever he needed her to be and the woman who throw down everything she was doing for the smallest inconvenience that Charles could've accidentally made.
The woman who healed his inner child - the one so tainted with nothing but sadness.
Neither Emilia or Charles stuck to their bet of not doing shots with someone.
The second that the Senna woman had found herself inside the building with loud pounding music, she had been dragged away from her little brother by her overexcited teammate who proceeded to order ten shots and make them do five each.
It was safe to say that a wide majority of the grid was completely fucked after only an hour.
Max and Daniel were involved in their usual Max and Daniel chaos. Kimi was once again clutching onto a bottle of vodka which he was sharing with Emilia, the Brazilian woman stood next to him as he held his arm around her shoulders - mostly to support himself. Lewis and Valtteri were singing karaoke in the corner but it wasn't even to the song that was currently playing and Fernando had managed to drag Sebastian into his chaos with the two of them dancing smack bang in the middle of the dance floor.
Charles was dancing with his girlfriend, Giada, whilst Pierre stood somewhat awkwardly on the side because he knew that he was majorly third wheeling but Charles had promised to do shots.
The other drivers were scattered about the place either with their fellow grid mates or with their girlfriends. The dedicated sober guys were gathered around a table in the back corner, some with their girlfriends who were also staying sober for the night and other staring off towards the bar with sad looks.
Sebastian had assigned the sober lot before he himself had got absolutely shattered.
"SEBBY!" Emilia sings, seeing the German stumble out of the crowd.
"EMMY!" Sebastian sings back. "AND KIMI!"
"Vodka?" Kimi thrusts the bottle towards his teammate.
"Its empty." Emilia whispers.
"Fuck." Kimi looks at it. "CHECO! WE NEED MORE VODKA!"
Emilia ducked out from underneath Kimi's arm and the Finnish man moved to find the Mexican supplying all the straight bottles of vodka. Sebastian grinned drunkenly at his best friend and Emilia just smirked before ruffling his hair.
"You should get drunk more often." She comments.
"I only get drunk when you win races." Sebastian's words were slightly slurred.
"That's not enough." She shakes her head.
"I GOT THE VODKA!" Kimi shouts, reappearing from the crowd. "Oi, my Em, not yours."
"Rude." Sebastian mutters, letting go Emilia who slipped back under Kimi's arm. "Give me that."
And that right there is how the three of them managed to unknowingly go through another bottle of vodka between them.
Although the bottle had barely been finished when Valtteri and Lewis appeared, dragging the trio over to the table they had found to do shots. The wide majority of the grid was already there and even in her drunken state, Emilia could tell that some of them should stop drinking before they give themselves alcohol poisoning - Daniel and Charles were in that category.
The Brazilian slotted herself in between them and leant back, trying to listen to Valtteri explain whatever was going on in front of them only to be distracted by Charles passing out on her shoulder. The situation sobered her up slightly because she managed to manoeuvre herself to cradle the Monegasque whilst looking around for Giada who she spotted at the bar.
"Hey, Lewis." Emilia hisses, catching the attention of the Brit. "Can you get Nico?"
"Mhm." He nods, standing up swiftly and moving to the sober drivers.
Lewis was the least drunk of everyone sat around the table and dealing with Charles was sobering Emilia up rather quickly. The young Monegasque had awoken from his short slumber by the time Nico Hulkenberg had appeared and with the help of Emilia, they managed to get him out of the chair and outside with Nico managing to snag Giada from the bar on the way past.
"Are you okay getting back?" Nico asks, slightly hesitant to leave. "I can bring Romain out-"
"Its okay." Emilia nods, seeing the way Charles was holding his more sober girlfriend.
"Just call me when you get back okay?" The blonde asks.
"Aye aye captain." Emilia salutes.
"Idiot." Nico mutters.
"Make sure Kimi and Fernando stay off of the tables." Emilia reminds him.
With a nod of his head, Nico disappeared back inside.
How the fuck the two woman managed to get Charles back to the hotel they didn't know, but Giada had squealed and ran to hide in Emilia's hotel room when she heard that Charles felt sick.
Which is why Emilia ended up sat on the bathroom floor with a very drunk Charles Leclerc rubbing his back as he violently threw up into the toilet bowl.
"You done?" She asks, receiving a nod of the head in return. "Okay."
"I want a hug." Charles mutters, turning his head.
Pulling him up, Emilia smiles softly as he relaxes into her embrace, taking a small sip of the water she offered out of him before burying his head away into her shoulder when the room started spinning again. Emilia's phone buzzed and she glanced down only to see that it was Nico replying to her message she had sent when they got into the safety of the hotel to say that the rest of the grid were on their way back now as well.
Apparently Max had thrown up and that was when they called it quits.
Emilia leans back against the wall behind her, looking down to her little brother who she held in her arms only to see that he was slowly fading off into sleep.
So she grabbed her phone and sent a message in response to Nico saying that she thinks she will be spending the night with the Monegasque considering she was already weighed down by him.
———————————————————————————
Just some adorable Em and Charles content
I know that I haven't really been focussing much in Em and Daniel in the last few chapters but I promise that more of them will be coming in the next few!
I also completely forgot about the WAG's and decided that I should mention they exist😭
Much love,
- Hollie <3