Disadvantageous

Chapter 40

Lydia woke up with a smile on her face, instinctively trying to snuggle closer to Sherlock. However, when she did not feel his body next to her, she reluctantly opened her eyes and discovered that the bed was indeed empty. With a sigh she rolled onto her back and started up at the ceiling, trying to convince herself to get out of bed. The night before had been amazing: going to the theatre, then a proposal, then those amazing new discoveries in the bedroom; it was a fantastic night. However, it had left her quite exhausted now that it was morning.

The thought of just lying in bed all day was certainly a tempting one, she did only have one show in the evening. Other than that, what else did she actually need to do? Of course there was the fact that Willow would be waking soon if she hadn't already and she really couldn't make Sherlock take care of her all day, especially if he ended up on a case. That was if he wasn't already on a case given that he had decided to leave her alone in bed.

Lydia glanced down at the ring now sitting on her hand, a smile creeping up onto her face. It was truly a gorgeous ring, but what truly made her giddy was not the ring itself, but what it stood for. The fact that Sherlock had proposed to her. Becoming Mrs. Holmes was something that perhaps she dreamed of, but she never seriously considered it as she never thought it could ever become a reality. Yet here she was, engaged to the man who had once claimed that sentiment was a chemical defect found on the losing side.

Knowing that she really couldn't lie about all day, Lydia finally dragged herself out of bed and picked up her fallen pyjamas from the floor so she could redress into them. Just because she was getting out of bed, that did not mean she had to wear real clothes, not yet. After dressing, she took Sherlock's robe and tied it around her body, feeling content being swaddled in his sent. It was one of her favourite articles of his clothing to wear and she knew Sherlock rather liked it when she chose to don it.

Stepping out into the main part of the flat, she quickly found her fiancé at the hob, making breakfast. A large smile spread across her lips as she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Are you really making breakfast, Sherlock? What did I do to deserve this great honour?"

"I think attempting to make breakfast would be the more accurate way of phrasing that. It's only eggs and I've already failed a few times," he replied taking Lydia's hand in his and bringing it up to his lips to kiss it.

"Have all of my lessons gone to waste?" She teased him, pulling her hand out of his grasp so that she could adjust the heat down a notch. "I think these will turn out quite good, as long as we don't let them burn."

"I had rather hoped to surprise you with them, breakfast in bed is meant to be a romantic gesture, yes?"

Lydia's heart skipped a beat realising what Sherlock had been planning, "well yes, but I think you've been quite the romantic recently so I can let this slide. Especially after last night, I think it should be me giving you breakfast in bed."

"Nonsense, I don't fully understand the appeal of the gesture," Sherlock brushed her off as he took the eggs off the heat, realising that they were fully cooked and hoping not to burn them... again.

"That's because you've never had the desire to lazily lounge in bed all day."

Sherlock frowned, "that's not true, I have that urge every morning that I wake up next to you. But I'm afraid that if you got up to make me breakfast, I would lose my reason to stay in bed."

"Who are you and what have you done with Sherlock Holmes, you're being awfully romantic," Lydia hummed, wrapping her arms around Sherlock's neck.

"Perhaps engagement has changed me," Sherlock grinned, putting his hand on her waist so that he could pull her closer.

Just as their lips were about to meet, they were interrupted by Mrs. Hudson barging in, "good morning, you two! Just popping by with some tea and biscuits I thought you might enjoy."

Lydia quickly extracted herself from Sherlock and rushed over to take the tray from the landlady, "oh, Mrs. Hudson, you really do spoil us. Let me take that for you."

"It's no trouble, dearie, none at all. I was in the mood to bake this morning and-" Mrs. Hudson began to ramble before cutting off with a scream.

Lydia quickly placed the tray on the kitchen table before rushing back to Mrs. Hudson and placing her hand in her shoulder, "what is it, Mrs. Hudson, what's wrong?"

Mrs. Hudson didn't reply, and instead looked between Lydia and Sherlock before squealing. Confused, Lydia looked over at Sherlock for an explanation, but he merely grinned at her. Lydia hadn't the foggiest what that meant, but at least it assured her there didn't seem to be any apparent danger.

"Mrs. Hudson, are you alright?" Lydia tried again, not sure what to do with the exuberant landlady.

But the older woman instead just turned to Sherlock and embraced him, "oh you, why didn't you tell me? Must I always be the last to know?"

"Mrs. Hudson, I can actually assure you that you are the first," Sherlock replied, finding it difficult to wipe the grin off of his face. "I asked her last night after the show, it was a bit too late to start ringing everyone."

As Sherlock spoke, Lydia finally realised what Mrs. Hudson was so excited about, she had seen Lydia's engagement ring when she had taken the tray from her. Relieved that there was no immediate dangers, she allowed herself to relax and bring the tray to the centre of the table instead.

"But surely John knew, didn't he? I bet Sherlock was awfully nervous to ask you, he would've needed that support," Mrs. Hudson continued, not quite believing that she had been the first to find out.

But Sherlock shook his head, "no one knew of the proposal beforehand. I suppose my parents knew it was a possibility, having given me the ring, but that was so long ago I doubt they've given it much thought."

"Oh, come here, you two." Mrs. Hudson wrapped her arms around Lydia and gestured for Sherlock to come closer. "I'm so happy for you, I always knew you would end up married. Even though Sherlock rejected affection for years and despite the ups and downs you've had. You two were meant for each other, that much I've always known. And I-"

Mrs. Hudson's increasingly emotional speech was cut short by a voice at the top of the stairs, "mummy? Is everything alright, I heard screaming."

Lydia quickly extracted herself, muttering a small apology, as she hurried to go see her daughter, "nothing to worry about, darling, that was a happy scream."

The young girl frowned as she began to descend the steps, "why would someone scream when they're happy?"

"Mrs. Hudson was just a bit excited to hear some news. News that mummy and daddy are excited to tell you about, too."

Willow's eyes lit up with excitement, "what is it?"

"Do you remember Aunt Mary and Uncle John's wedding when you got to dress up all pretty and have the important role of scattering the flower petals?" Lydia promoted, knowing that they'd never really explained fully what marriage meant. But when Willow gave a nod, Lydia knew it would be a bit easier. "Well, mummy and daddy are going to have a celebration like that too, we're going to get married!"

"Do I get to be the flower girl for yours, too?"

Lydia smiled, amused that that was the most pressing concern of her daughter, "of course, Willow, we couldn't possibly find a better flower girl than you."

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(A/N): It wouldn't be a wedding without Willow as the flower girl!