I Am Sher-locked

24. Only love Can hurt Like this

The wedding ceremony was so beautiful and so moving that it would remain etched in everyone's mind for a long time. The emotional charge between the couple was so intense. Their eyes were full of love and affection. The ring sparkled on Irene's finger like a diamond in the water. She was now officially Mrs. Holmes.

The venue filled with the guests and the loved ones and the couple enjoyed the champagne, talking and laughing with John, Violet and Scott. Irene excused herself and stood up from the table to go mingle with the other guests. The tail of her wedding dress was crawling behind her elegantly. She was holding a glass of champagne and a white rose. Sherlock had taken it from the bouquet and gave it to Irene while they were eating. 

"Here's the dazzling bride!", Lestrade exclaimed as she walked up to him and his company. He was with Molly Hooper and her date. 

Irene looked Molly up and down and offered a tight smile. That woman had no sense of style whatsoever. She was wearing an auburn dress with lace and had a weird, little hat on top of her head. 

"You look gorgeous, by the way", Lestrade earned Irene's attention. 

"Why, thank you, inspector", she smiled and sipped her champagne. "Everything happened so fast."

"I disagree", the inspector shook his head. "You're one of a kind. He should have proposed to you from the first moment he met you."

"Sherlock would never do such thing", Molly jumped in, grimacing disapprovingly.  

Irene's smile froze on her lips as she turned to look at the woman. Her gaze was intense. "Why?"

Molly let out a stiff laughter. The liquid inside the glass she was holding waved dangerously. "Sherlock hates being manipulated and you were so... so cunning!"

Lestrade sighed and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Molly, stop drinking."

"No, let her", Irene offered a cold smile. "It's quite entertaining actually."

"Why do you care anyways?", Molly's date frowned. 

"Why, indeed", Irene's smile dropped and she stared at Molly dead seriously. 

"Sherlock is--...", Molly stuttered. She swallowed hard. "...he is my friend."

Irene opened her mouth to speak but she closed it again once she felt a pair of warm hands on her shoulders. She turned her head and saw Sherlock standing behind her. She immediately smiled at him.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt but I need my wife back at the table", Sherlock looked at the others. "It's time for John's speech."

"Yes, darling", Irene nodded slightly and took his hand in hers. "Let's go back to our table."

Sherlock inclined his head and led the way. Once they were seated, John stood up and the guests took their seats at the tables. The best man cleared his throat softly and looked at the guests with a small smile. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends...", John started. "We are here today to celebrate the union of these two people...", he glanced at the couple, then looked back at the guests. "...Their relationship has been a problem from the beginning, both for the authorities and for everyone else..", he chuckled and Irene looked at Sherlock with an amused smile. He held her hand underneath the table and returned the smile. John continued. "I know Sherlock better than anyone, and yet I knew nothing about his personal life. I always believed that love was a concept that Sherlock approached in his own way. And I was right. Only ... when he fell in love with Irene, I did not expect it to be as normal as it turned out to be", he laughed. "This woman here...", gestured towards Irene. "...managed to love the dark side of Sherlock that we all try to avoid. That says a lot about her. On the other hand, Sherlock ... came out of his comfort zone and learned to accept the tenderness and love of a woman as dynamic as he is. He's an arrogant sociopath and she's a hot-headed temptress but... God is my witness, these two belong to each other."