The American Fire that Melted the Ice Man (Mycroft Holmes x OC - BBC Sherlock)

Chapter 7: The Highlands

"Mycroft," she gasped out as they approached the Highlands in the rented helicopter that was taking them on an air tour. "Look at it. There aren't words to describe it's beauty."

"A situation I am familiar with," he said through the headsets they each wore to protect their ears and communicate with each other on the journey.

"Hmm?" she said, barely glancing away from the view.

"Every time I try and describe you, love," he said with a soft smile and saw her blush in response.

After a half hour of flying around through the mountains and valleys, the pilot came over the headset. "Sir, we're approaching our destination."

"Very good, James. Please be gentle in your landing."

"Of course, sir."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Soon they were setting down and Mycroft stepped off the helicopter first before holding out his hand to help Sophia off.

"We'll circle around and be back in thirty minutes, sir," the co-pilot shouted out to Mycroft.

Mycroft nodded and waved.

"What's going on Mycroft?" Sophia asked curiously.

"Come with me—just over this ridge," he said, motioning her forward and taking her hand in his.

As they came up over the hill, Sophia gasped again, as she'd done several times on this trip. "Oh, wow," was all she whispered.

"Indeed," he said as they came to rest at a flat area that seemed made for viewing the gorgeous valley below them and the mountains beyond.

She slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest as she looked out over the view. "This is more than I could have ever dreamed, Mycroft. Thank you."

"I've one more thing for you, dear."

She pulled back, a look of exasperation on her face. "Mycroft, this is so much. Too much. You can't keep."

"I think you'll want to see this. At least I hope so. God, I hope so," he chuckled a bit nervously.

That got her attention, for Mycroft Holmes rarely, if ever, acted nervous. "Okay," she drawled out slowly. "What is it?"

"Sophia, I've spent every day since the one I realized I loved you trying to express it to you the best I could. Yes, sometimes it's through gifts, through trips, experiences, and as terribly as I do—with words. You are my 'other' Sophia, the piece of me I didn't realize was missing till I walked into your lab that day and was completely awestruck by you. You are the person in this world I trust the most... with everything in fact. With all of me. And that is why I see no other way forward than this—" as he finished, he took a deep breath and lowered himself to one knee, slipping his hand out of hers and into his jacket pocket quickly to pull out the ring box. "Sophia, I wish to share every moment of the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

Her eyes had already grown teary as he spoke. Now, tears trickled down her cheeks. It was only because he saw the glint in her eye and the smile on her face that he knew they were tears of happiness and allowed himself not to panic. "Mycroft Holmes, had you been a poor powerless man I would have still been caught up in your eyes, in your voice, in your mind, and in the heart you so desperately hid and protected for so long. I had decided my life in London would be one of solitude, and I'd come to grips with that. Then you walked into my lab, and it was as if the missing piece of the puzzle of my life slipped into place. It would be my most treasured honor and joy to share the rest of my life with you."

She spoke so poetically yet so confidently that he was, as usual, blown away. It took a moment before he shook himself free from her gaze long enough to stand back up and pull the ring from its box and slide it onto her finger. He pulled her into a hug, and she wrapped one arm around his waist while the other, the one that now held the ring he'd given her, rested on his heart. When she slid back slightly and examined the ring, she looked up at him coyly. "I see you went with the understated look?"

He smirked. "I considered larger and made myself choose this. I went as understated as I could possibly bear while still ensuring the best for you, my dearest love."

She smiled. "You had it custom made, didn't you?"

"Of course. As I said—"

"Only the best—yes." She sighed. "With amethysts. It's gorgeous." The ring was made to look like interweaving vines, and purple amethysts were set at intervals, appearing almost like leaves with a half carat diamond set in the middle.

"Happy?" he asked as he looked down at her.

"The happiest."

"Good," he said as he slipped his phone out of his pocket and pulled up a contact before handing it to her. She looked down at the phone and smiled back up at him before he spoke again. "Then you can report as such to your father. He insisted I allow him to be your first call."

She giggled. "Have you been planning this since Christmas?"

"Planning it? Well before Christmas. But since the opportunity presented itself, I did ask your father's permission while on our trip."

She swallowed. "That's so kind, Mycroft. You didn't have to. But you did. That means so much to me."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Your family is important to you. Your father is very important to you. No matter how old we may be, it felt—right."

She tapped the dial button and held the phone up to her ear, sliding back into her place in Mycroft's arms as she did so. "Hi Daddy... yes... yes, he did..." She then giggled. "Of course, I said yes, Daddy. Where? Um, he brought me up to the top of a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. I'll send you a picture of the view. You'd love it." Her eyes grew teary then and she looked up at Mycroft. "Yes, perhaps you can visit it when you come for the wedding... okay... Hi Mom... Uh huh... Yes, it's gorgeous," she said, holding the ring out where she could see it while still held tight in Mycroft's arms. "Yes, I'll call you later and we'll talk. I'll send you pictures first... Okay, I love you mom...." She smiled wide. "Yes, I'll tell him that. Bye." She sighed happily as she hung up the phone and held onto it as she wrapped both hands around Mycroft's waist and stood there a moment before pulling back. "My parents said to tell you they love you," she said with a wide grin.

Mycroft smiled. "I'm fairly certain it was your mother who expressed that sentiment."

"Maybe, but my father's words were, 'You did say yes, right?' and if that's not a signal of his acceptance and love, I don't know what is."

Soon the helicopter was landing again.

Sophia sighed. "That's our signal, right? Time to head back?"

"Hold one moment—I do believe—"

And just then the co-pilot came up over the ridge, camera in hand. "I take it all went well, sir?"

Mycroft nodded to the man. "Indeed, it did."

"Very good, sir, ma'am," he said nodding to Sophia. "Congratulations"

"Thank you," Sophia said with a grin.

"A picture to commemorate the moment?"

She smiled wide and hugged Mycroft tight around his waist. "That would be wonderful!"