Chapter Three- The wedding.

Sherlock helped me out of the car and went to help the others whilst Sally sorted my dress and veil out.

"This is it." She said.

I gave her a look. "Don't sound so reproachful Sally." I said. "Things won't change."

"Abi, your nineteen and getting married, things have already changed."

I smiled at her. "We should go." And I walked over to Sherlock and the others. Everyone was looking at me and I smiled at them and thanked them all for being here. Then we got ready at the door. Sherlock must have signalled the vicar because I heard the organ strike up and the bagpiper start playing. I had chosen to enter the church to 'Amazing Grace' because my mother had on her wedding day.
Molly and Mary walked in first, almost as soon as the music began. Then Emily walked in. Sherlock and I got ready.

"Don't let me fall." I whispered to him as we linked arms.

"Never." He replied, kissing my forehead. "Good luck."

I smiled at him. As the pipe player re-started playing 'Amazing Grace', Dad and I began to walk down the aisle. There were so many people there. I could see Lestrade and Mycroft sat with their daughter Phoebe, Mrs Hudson, Daniel's grandparents, people from Bart's and Scotland Yard, Anderson and Donovan and right at the front was Daniel and Johnny. I touched Phoebe's nose with my bouquet as I walked down towards Daniel. Sally and Amber were following us. Finally we reached the altar and I smiled at Daniel from behind my veil.

The vicar asked, "Who gives this woman to this man?"

Sherlock replied, "I do." Then he smiled at me, lifted my veil over my head and placed my hands in Daniel's. Then he stood next to Molly, smiling and taking her hand.

The vicar continued, "Before we begin, we shall sing the hymn requested by the Bride."

I smiled. The organist began playing, 'Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer' which is the Welsh rugby anthem. Daniel whispered in my ear, "How did I know you would pick this one?"

I laughed and joined in with the singing. After the hymn the vicar led us in the opening prayer:

"God of wonder and of joy:
grace comes from you, and you alone are the source of life and love. Without you, we cannot please you; without your love, our deeds are worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, that we may worship you now with thankful hearts and serve you always with willing minds; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen."

The vicar looked at everyone gathered:

"In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have come together to witness the marriage of Abigail and Daniel, to pray for God's blessing on them, to share their joy and to celebrate their love." He paused. "Marriage is a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God. It is given that as man and woman grow together in love and trust,
they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind, as Christ is united with his bride, the Church." I smiled at Daniel, and he at me.
The vicar continued, "The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight and tenderness of sexual union and joyful commitment to the end of their lives. It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are born and nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love." I blushed, knowing that this had already happened and was the reason we were there today. I turned my attention back to the Vicar.
"Abigail and Daniel are now to enter this way of life. They will each give their consent to the other and make solemn vows, and in token of this they will each give and receive a ring. We pray with them that the Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen them, that they may fulfil God's purposes for the whole of their earthly life together."

There was silence for a few minutes and Daniel and I stole a glance at each other.

The vicar then said: "First, I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now."

There was silence. Daniel and I looked at each other

"Well that's always a good sign." And everyone laughed.

The vicar then turned to us.

"Daniel and Abigail, the vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God,
who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our hearts; therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now."

Neither of us said anything.

He continued, "Daniel, will you take Abigail to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

Daniel looked into my eyes, "I will." He said smiling. I smiled back, holding back tears again.

The vicar then turned to me, "Abigail, will you take Daniel to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

I looked at Daniel, "I will." I replied, smiling at him.

Then he addressed our friends and family, "Will you, the families and friends of Abigail and Daniel support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?"
Everyone replied, "We will!"

We turned to face them smiling, Mary winked at me.

The vicar then asked everyone to pray and Sally read our chosen reading, followed by the sermon. At last Daniel and I were able to sit down and he never let go of my hand. We then sang the hymn that Daniel chose which was 'I, the Lord of Sea and Sky.' (Another one of my favourites).
Then we had to go and stand in front of the altar again. For some reason, I had butterflies in my stomach. I wasn't having cold feet or anything like that, I just suppose I realised that forever was about to start right here.

The vicar said to us, "Abigail and Daniel, I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in the presence of God and his people" We turned to face each other and joined hands.

The vicar turned to Daniel first, "Daniel, take Abigail's right hand." Daniel did as he was instructed.

Then Daniel said his vows, vows that we had learnt by heart over the past three weeks. "I, Daniel Mycroft Holmes, take you, Abigail Charlotte McNiesh, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law and in the presence of God I make this vow."

Daniel released my hand and I took his right hand in mine and said, "I, Abigail Charlotte McNiesh, take you, Daniel Mycroft Holmes, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law and in the presence of God I make this vow."

We smiled at each other. Then Sally and Johnny gave the rings to the Vicar who blessed them and handed one to Daniel who took my hand and said, "Abigail, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

The Vicar then gave me the other ring and I took Daniel's hand saying, "Daniel, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

We smiled at each other and the Vicar turned us to face everyone. Sherlock and Molly were smiling at us, Mycroft and Lestrade cuddled into each other, Lestrade with tears in his eyes, Mrs Hudson was crying along with Mary and Sally. John had his arm round his wife. Amber was looking bored and Phoebe was sat next to her fathers, asleep.
The Vicar said, "In the presence of God, and before this congregation, Abigail and Daniel have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings" He paused looking at everyone and then us. "I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife!"

Everyone cheered and clapped. I couldn't stop smiling. Daniel was looking at me again but I was looking at the back of the church. Two people who looked like people I knew were crying and cheering. I couldn't think where I knew them from.

"You may kiss the bride." The vicar said to Daniel. He cupped my face with his hands and pulled me towards him, kissing me slowly. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to fall completely into him, my husband, my life, my world. I could hear people wolf-whistling and cheering but I ignored them.

After what seemed like ages, we broke apart and the rest of the service carried on like normal. We then walked out of the church and the couple I had seen at the back of the church became clearer. The man was in his fifties with greying hair and brilliantly blue eyes. He had his arm round a woman, also in her fifties with brown hair flaked with grey and deep brown eyes. They looked so familiar to me but I couldn't think where. I was smiling looking at everyone when it dawned on me….