"You're mad, the pair of you."
"Possibly."
Mary brushed down the front of Evelyn's white tea dress, checking the satin material of her bodice, the material of her narrow straps, then giving one final glance over the pins in her hair. They had tried to disguise the bruise as best as possible with concealer, and clipped a curl conveniently forward to cover the stitches in her hairline.
Mary adjusted the necklace to sit more centre on her friends chest, making the most of the square neckline of her dress to show off her collarbones. "You look amazing."
"Thanks. Not too bad for a rushed job."
"Not bad at all," Mary grinned, squeezing her friend's arm fondly. "But are we really sticking with the trainers?"
"They're white and they're new. What more do you want from me?"
"Could have borrowed a pair of my heels is all. Or, I dunno, worn the Louboutin pair you won't use but also won't share."
"Move on, Mary. You're not having them, they were a gift." Evelyn frowned. "I don't like heels. Why should my feet suffer? Besides, Sherlock likes our height difference, turns him on. The last thing I want is to avoid that." She wiggled her eyebrows.
Mary broke out into a laugh then.
There was a knock on the door and John Watson poked his head around. "Only me," he stepped over, shaking his head. "You look lovely, Eve. Sherlock won't know what hit him."
Evelyn felt the tips of her ears heat up. "How is he?"
"He's fine, don't worry, bit nervous but don't tell him I told you that," he rummaged in his pocket. "I came by to give you this."
John dropped the small soft pouch in her palm. She pulled the drawstrings open and tipped out the contents. A platinum band dropped out, cool against her skin. She smiled. "He got one."
"He was always going to wear one, Eve. Always."
Evelyn watched John for a moment, a small frown on her features. "He had this already, didn't he?"
John was grinning. "You know him. Cocky git."
"Cocky, but usually right," she bit into her bottom lip, bouncing on her feet. "We're actually doing this."
"Everyone's here. The room might look a bit empty but it's everyone you wanted. Both Mrs Hudson and Mrs Holmes have cried already, Siger has lost both his original and spare handkerchiefs, Greg is trying his best to not film the entire thing," Eve barked a laugh, shaking her head. "And Mycroft is ready when you are." John gestured to his wife. "Hand Mary his majesty's ring and I'll go in and let them all know you're on your way."
She did as instructed, watching Mary slip the pouch into her bag. There was a look passed between husband and wife that didn't go unnoticed by Eve, watching John pat his breast pocket.
"Ready?"
"Yeah, go. Go, before Sherlock thinks I've legged it."
"Right, see you on the other side." John rushed out the room then, leaving the two women alone once more.
Mary smiled. "Alright?"
"Yeah," Eve waved a hand in front of her face. "Didn't think I'd be so emotional."
"Well don't be! You'll ruin your make up! I know there's not much of it but I still put effort into it." Mary handed over the bouquet Greg had stolen from the evidence locker at work. Was just for prints, perfectly safe, he'd been quick to clarify.
They finally left the confines of the bridal room and walked down the corridor until they came across Mycroft Holmes, umbrella free, pacing outside large double doors. He looked anxious, but offered his best attempt of a sincere calm smile. "Are you sure you want to be part of my family permanently? It's an awful lot of work." He was teasing, which was weird enough in itself.
"Absolutely sure." She took the offered elbow from the taller man.
"Not too late to back out. I'll have a car here for you in seconds."
Evelyn saw the confused look on Marys face, and couldn't help how hard it was to suppress the bubble of laughter trying to break from her chest.
"No, thank you."
"He's a terror to live with."
"I'm aware. Excellent in bed though."
Mycroft seemed to startle at that, coughing. "Very well. Always good to check these things."
"You know he's everything to me."
"And you are the very thing that allows him to breathe," he looked down at her, a warm glint in his eyes. "It is my greatest honour to give you away to my brother."
Mary shook her head. "I was getting ready to punch you, Mycroft Holmes."
"Hm. Jesting hasn't always been my forte."
Eve released a breathy laugh. "We'll work on it. Really will be my brother-in-law now."
"I do believe I already was," he smiled softly, patting her hand. "After you, Mrs Watson."
The doors opened and for a moment Evelyn felt herself stop breathing. Music began to play, and she knew immediately it was a recording of the man waiting for her at the end of the aisle.
As Mary walked all Evelyn had eyes for was Sherlock, and it seemed he felt the same for her. His smile was so huge, eyes crinkling at the corners with it. He was in a new more tailored suit, and, to her surprise, he was wearing a matching black tie.
Thinking back to everything they'd managed to get done today with the help of their family, especially Mycroft, it was a bit insane.
She looked down towards Sherlock's leg to find Rosie Watson in a little mauve dress clinging to her uncle's finger while trying to get a good look at her aunt. Her father was stood next to them both, but she was only interested in her godfather. It made her heart do somersaults in her chest. Rosie was pulling herself up against any and everything at the moment, and right now it seemed she wanted to be in on all the action.
It wasn't until they were already half way down the aisle that Evelyn realised she'd been walking, clinging to Mycroft's suit sleeve. Evelyn pointedly looked up, hoping Sherlock understood what she was trying to convey about the music. He gave a timid smile and shrug.
Silly sentimental man.
"Here we are," Mycroft let go of her arm and Sherlock was eager to receive it. The older brother stepped back, joining Mary as she took the bouquet from her friend. Out the corner of her eye she saw John scooping his daughter up so Sherlock could have his other hand back, and Eve noticed his hands were shaking ever so slightly, she squeezed them.
"Hi." She whispered.
He was oozing with happiness as he held her gaze, but John was right, he looked terribly nervous. "Hi." He was also very obviously fighting the urge to kiss her. "You're so beautiful."
She brushed his tie with her fingertips. "Don't scrub up too badly yourself."
That lopsided smile she adored so much was back. "I try."
"Shall we begin?" The registrar opened her book, looking between them. They each gave a nod, smiles unable to fall from their faces. "Good afternoon to everyone present here today, and on behalf of William and Evelyn, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the Chelsea Old Town Hall for this very special occasion: their marriage ceremony."
Behind them Eve could hear Greg muttering 'who the hell is William' and couldn't help the small noise of amusement that escaped her. Sherlock rolled his eyes.
"I know both Evelyn and William are delighted that you could all be here to witness as they make their marriage vows, in which they promise to take each other as partners for life. These vows are a formal and public pledge of their love and a promise of a lifelong commitment to each other."
Sherlock gave Evelyn a wink and somehow her smile got even wider.
"If there is any person here present who knows of any lawful impediment to this marriage, then they should declare it now."
Sherlock's head shot around to their friends and family, giving his best, most stern, don't even try glare, seeming to especially linger on Lestrade. There was a scattered laughter. Eve shook her head fondly.
"We have come to the part of the ceremony where you take each other as husband and wife. And so l ask you now: William, do you take Evelyn to be your lawful wife, do you promise to love, cherish and respect her, and to be loyal, faithful and kind to her for the rest of your lives together?"
Sherlock beamed brightly. "I do."
"And Evelyn, do you take William to be your lawful husband, do you promise to love, cherish and respect him, and to be loyal, faithful and kind to him for the rest of your lives together?"
She beamed right back at him. "I do."
"Please now repeat after me: I, William Sherlock Scott Holmes, take you Evelyn Margot Wilson, to be my wedded wife."
Sherlock cleared his throat, suddenly feeling a tad more emotional that he thought he would.
"I, William Sherlock Scott Holmes, take you Evelyn Margot Wilson, to be my wedded wife."
"And Evelyn, repeat after me: I, Evelyn Margot Wilson, take you William Sherlock Scott Holmes, to be my wedded husband."
"I, Evelyn Margot Wilson, take you William Sherlock Scott Holmes, to be my wedded husband."
Eve was biting into her lip, watching Sherlock rub his eye not as subtly as he might have hoped.
The registrar continued on after giving them a moment. "I do believe there were some personal vows you wished to exchange?"
Evelyn's eyes flew wide as saucers. "No, I–"
"I do."
She stared at him. "I didn't– I hardly had the time."
Sherlock chuckled, the rest of the room joining in and muttering similar sentiments. "I've always been ahead of you when it comes to our marriage."
She hiccuped a laugh. "As you continue to prove."
"Hm. It's not too long, don't worry," he cleared his throat. "From the moment we first met, you became the bane of my existence–"
John scoffed. "Great start, mate."
Sherlock narrowed his eyes, throwing a dirty look at his best man. Evelyn burst with a laugh, trying to cover it under her hand.
"Anyway," he shook his head. "The reason you had become such a distraction to me was because of how strongly I desired you–"
"Pulled it back, well done, keep going."
Sherlock was utterly flummoxed. "Watson!"
"Sorry," John clapped the groom's shoulder. "Sorry, I'll stop now."
Sherlock gave Evelyn a look of 'can you believe this shit?!'. She giggled.
"I desired you so strongly and yet I was forcing myself to keep those feelings locked away. You, of course, had no idea of my persistent struggle, and continued being your brilliant, beautiful, perfect self. You can see how this was an issue for me," Sherlock pursed his lips, thinking back on a memory, a small smile appearing. "But no matter much of an idiot I was, I fell in love with you anyway. Truly, madly, in love with you. When I kissed you for the first time, I was never going back, and I kicked myself for ever thinking being without you was doable. It was always you, Evie. You make me better."
There were sniffles and a couple of oh sherlock quietly being muttered from the chairs around them, and she was greatly amused at the sound of John Watson blubbering while trying to hide it, but Sherlock and Evelyn only had eyes for each other. She was aware of the tears leaving tracks down her own face, but couldn't find it within her to care. Sherlock moved to wipe the tears off her cheeks for her, and she instinctively leaned into his touch.
"I love you." She said quietly.
He smiled brightly. "I love you more."
She huffed a laugh. "We're not doing that right now."
With more laughter from their friends, the registrar glanced between them both questioningly, her own mouth turned up in amusement. "Shall we continue?"
"Please do, before my so called best man tries interrupting again."
"Okay. Do we have the rings?"
Evelyn turned towards Mary who is ready and waiting with the pouch already pulled open. She tips it into Eve's upturned palm and grins widely.
When Eve turns back to Sherlock he is being handed something John has just pulled from his inside breast pocket. She looks from her almost husband to the small matching band of his he held between his thumb and forefinger. He gave a crooked smile, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"I have a ring."
"An engagement ring. I know we've barely been engaged twenty four hours, but this one means something different."
"You've had these as long as you've had this," Eve waves her left hand. "Haven't you?"
"Might have."
She chortles. "Eager indeed."
"Prefer meant to be," she inhales sharply, watching his fingers remove the engagement ring and set it on her right hand, ready for the wedding band to sit closest to her heart. He shrugs. "Tradition."
He looks to the registrar, waiting for her to continue, but even she seems a bit choked up. "Yes. A ring is the ancient and traditional way of sealing the contract you have just made. It is an unbroken circle, which symbolises unending and everlasting love, and is an outward sign of the lifelong promise you've just made to each other. William, please take Evelyn's left hand in your right and repeat after me: Evelyn Margot Wilson, I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, now and always."
Sherlock eased his thumb over the back of her hand as he held it gently. "Evelyn Margot Wilson, I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, now and always." Then he pushed the ring onto her finger, the fit perfect.
"Evelyn, please take William's left hand with your right and repeat after me: William Sherlock Scott Holmes, I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, now and always."
"William Sherlock Scott Holmes, I offer you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, now and always." As the ring moved into place on his hand, Evelyn felt herself choke up once again. It was all feeling very real, and she'd never been so happy in all of her life.
"William and Evelyn you have now both made the declarations required by law and have made a solemn and binding contract with each other in the presence of your witnesses, guests and the registrar of marriages. You have sealed your vows with the joining of hands and exchanging of rings. It therefore gives me great pleasure to pronounce you are now husband and wife."
Evelyn pulled a gleeful face at her husband while he laughed, desperate to snog him senseless.
"Congratulations! You may now kiss!"
The words had barely left the registrars mouth before Sherlock swept in and pulled her close with his hands wrapped around her head, wasting no time to press their lips together. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, holding her to him. At the sound erupting around them they laughed against each other.
Along with the clapping and cheers, John Watson was whooping loudly, accompanied by whistling who one can only assume to be Greg Lestrade.
When Sherlock finally gave his new wife some breathing space, he lifted their joined hands, pointing at them and beaming proudly. Evelyn shook her head at him. "You're ridiculous."
He simply kissed her again. "You're the one that said yes to marrying me."
She shook her head. "That wasn't ridiculous. That was the smartest decision I've ever made."
He looked off, rocking his head. "Eh... We'll see."
"Shut up." She tugged him down for another soft press of lips, hanging onto his shoulder.
"Alright, you two, save the rest for later. You have paperwork to sign." John gestured them over towards the table where the marriage certificate was waiting.
Sherlock groaned, ignoring his best friend. "Can't I kiss you for a bit longer?"
"Do you want me to be Dr. Holmes?"
Sherlock looked surprised. "You'll change your name professionally?"
"Yeah, 'course. I want your name. Besides," She gleamed. "Think of what I can get away with under the name Holmes."
"Thinking of using Mycroft already? That's my girl."
She shrugged. "Nepotism." He barked a surprised laugh, holding her even tighter. "Do you want me to have your name?"
"Very much so."
"Then we have to sign the papers," she offered her right hand. "Can you put that one back where it belongs, please?"
Sherlock slipped the diamond ring from one hand to another, settling it against the fresh band. "That is quite sexy."
Eve gave a vibrant grin. "Right?"
———
"I think we owe Mycroft big time."
Sherlock hummed in response, not entirely paying attention, his mouth still happily attached to the side of her throat. He was pushing her farther into the flat with hands on her hips, pressing the length of his body against her back.
Eve sighed blissfully, arching her neck to allow her new husband better access. "Do you think we should invite him for dinner next week?"
"Absolutely not."
She snorted. "Maybe I'll just send him some fresh cakes."
"Better," he moved to hold her face, kissing along it. "Bake him that lemon drizzle cake you did the other day, he'll be very appreciative."
"Sherlock, he did commander an entire venue and its employees because we couldn't hang around to get married," she fiddled with his tie, pulling him down closer. "And he made sure you and John had custom suits. And pulled the strings so I could have the run of a bridal boutique. How does he do that?"
"He also kept the press at bay, I'm still trying to figure out how it got leaked. Oh, and got you two weeks leave from work." Sherlock shrugged. "Just another day for him."
"Two weeks?" She raised an eyebrow. "What does he think we'll be doing?"
Sherlock gave a toothy grin. "I have some ideas."
"You're such a bad boy. Was the quickie in the pub toilets not enough for you?"
Greg had organised for them to have a drink in The Cadogan Arms after the ceremony, which Mycroft had also closed down for the wedding guests only, although there was a suspicious amount of officers from New Scotland Yard there waiting. Most of them she recognised from being in the room when Sherlock had snogged her in the middle of their office. Evelyn supposed they were a part of their story.
Within ten minutes of getting through the door and saying hello to people, Sherlock had tugged her down a long corridor until they got to the toilets, shoving her in keenly, bending her over the sinks and hiking up her dress. She'd nearly knocked the mirror off the wall in her frantic efforts to stabilise herself.
She was grateful for Anthea, who had shown up at some point though Eve wasn't entirely sure when, for standing guard. When they'd emerged looking red cheeked and flustered she simply smirked down at the phone she always had in hand, offering a nod as Sherlock thanked her.
He chuckled against her forehead. "As exhilarating as that was, no. I want to make love to my wife in our marital bed," he gave a coy glance down her form. "Then I'd quite like to fuck her senseless on every surface in our flat."
Eve grinned up at him. "That can be arranged."
"We have two weeks," he kissed her softly. "Although I think we might complete that task in two days. We could move the rest of your belongings in somewhere between all the sex."
"You're incorrigible."
"Let's dance first, though."
Sherlock watched her brows furrow delicately as he pulled back and fiddled with his mobile for a moment, setting it down on the mantle once he was satisfied. Then a song began to play through the tinny speakers.
Sherlock pulled her against him in the centre of their living room, entwining their fingers and lifting her hand so they could sway to the music.
Evelyn recognised the tune immediately. "Why... How did you– Why this song?"
"It was playing the first time I kissed you from the radio in the dining room," he smiled softly. "And it's one of your favourites. Your parents danced frequently to this when you were young."
Her eyes were filling with tears, the way he was looking at her with so much adoration causing a small sob to leave her mouth. "You remembered me telling you that?"
"Of course I did. I remember everything about you, Evelyn. Everything."
She soothed her hand along the back of his neck, resting her head to his chin. "You're the loveliest man I've ever known."
"Don't go spreading that around, will you."
She laughed. "Too late."
At last
My love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
At last