A/N: Thanks to those who shared the well-kept secret that Brains' name is Harry Wiggerty. Chapter 23 has been slightly rewritten due to that.

Now we are back with Molly, but the lovely CJ has returned to Bath. It seems like the bride and groom are not the only ones longing for the wedding.

Chapter 25

Thursday, Dec 21

Molly

I had had a hysteric day at the hospital and yet I had managed to think about Charles unreasonably many times. He seemed to pop up in my head in all kinds of situations which was both pleasant and disturbing. Flashes of his brown eyes looking into mine for an instant, his gloved hand holding mine when we were skating, his warm thigh pressed against my own during the nativity play, leaning towards me while talking to me during dinner, so close that our breaths mingled, the lingering touch on my shoulder before he left for Bath. The thoughts made my lower abdomen clench in an unwanted reflex. I could not deny it anymore, I had feelings for him and I had not felt anything even close to it since in the very beginning with Artan. The difference was I was only thirteen then, almost a child still, falling for a boy who would treat me bad, step on me and use me, soiling the small scraps of beauty there had been to it initially. Now I was a woman with a history and a different, more complete and mature palette of emotions, falling for someone who definitely was a man in every way imaginable. A man who took my breath away and awoke needs that had been slumbering for long or never even been fully awake at all until now, but who also left me filled with self-doubt that I could possibly attract him in any way. If Charles had wanted to kiss me, he had had plenty of chances – in bed not least of all but chosen not to and it seemed like he had someone in Bath that was important to him. It could be an old sick aunt, but it could also be a gorgeous blonde he was dating. On the other hand, if that was the case, why would he want to go skating and going to my sister's nativity play when absolutely nothing forced him? And was it only me who thought we had so many special moments together? With my famously vivid imagination I could not be sure.

When my shift ended, I met up with Georgie in the lobby because we were going for some Christmas shopping including buying a Christmas tree. We had barely met since the hen because we had been working different hours and when I saw her she seemed to beam with happiness in a completely different way than when I saw her last.

"Hey girl! You look happy?" I gave her a hug.

"I am!" Her eyes twinkled, her entire body language one of jubilation.

"Let me guess… A new date with Alex?"

Georgie frowned briefly.

"No, not a new date with Alex. He's my bad conscience. I'll tell you about that too, but first I want to share the good news."

"And that is?"

Georgie reached out her hand to me and I felt my jaw drop. To my surprise there was an engagement ring on her finger, the very last thing I had expected.

"What!? How? When?"

She giggled.

"Yes, it's quite unexpected considering the last weeks."

"Or years?"

"Well, yeah, there's that."

"But it is from Elvis? You're engaged to Elvis?"

"Who else should it be?"

"I have no idea, but it's just… You didn't seem to be there or let me rephrase; he didn't seem to be ready for this."

"Turned out he was after all."

The girls walked out the revolving doors but did not stop talking.

"He showed up Monday evening, when you were at work. Sat on our stairs waiting for me."

"Let me guess, with a giant bouquet of red roses."

"No, nothing like that. I know it would have been classic Elvis style, but he was very low-key."

"Until he pulled out the ring?"

"First we were just talking. He was acting all nervous, I've never seen him like that. Told me he was truly sorry he had hurt me, not just now but over the years. He has realised he wants nothing more than for us to be together, that he always has loved me and don't want to lose me."

"And you believed him?"

"You know he's always such a smooth-talker and then he has been out the door when you really need him. I told him this time I need more than words, need him to really show me he's there for me and loves me – and then he proposed. He had the ring with him and all."

"And you said yes? Just like that, after all he has put you through?"

"I know it's mental, but yes. I realise it may seem naïve or impulsive, but I had to, it felt completely right. You see, the moment I saw Elvis sitting there waiting for me, I felt there is really only him and when he proposed I knew it's all I want. I love him, and I truly think he loves me too. I sensed a difference in him, he has decided this is it for him too. What's in the past is in the past and now we look forward."

I stopped to give Georgie another hug. I knew that I probably would not have been able to be as trusting or forgiving, but I have always liked Elvis despite his shortcomings in the capacity of boyfriend and I wished Georgie happiness. I hoped he had changed, or maybe realised something that always had been true. Judging by how happy Georgie seemed now compared to some days ago, this was probably the right decision for her.

"Then I'm happy for you Georgie. Congratulations to the engagement - and congratulate Elvis from me."

"You can say it to him yourself, he'll join us to buy the Christmas tree. I thought he can carry it for us."

"Great thinking. Now, before he comes, what happened with Alex? You said he was your bad conscience? Did you just dump him when Elvis returned?"

"I did not dump him, if you mean in the sense I did not talk to him. I called him the day after I got back with Elvis and told him I can't see him anymore. He deserved to know."

"No explanation?"

"I said I had realised I have feelings for someone else. That I did not mean to string him along, because I thought that was over, but realised it isn't."

"And that was the truth, so you've been honest with him. Why the bad conscience?"

"He sounded so sad and he's this top bloke that I really didn't want to hurt. It was the last thing he deserved. I wish I could split myself in two to make him happy too."

"You didn't date for that long, so I dare say he'll get over it."

"Of course, he will, but I felt bad about it anyway. His mum just passed away, it's soon Christmas, I wish something good happened to him."

"Maybe it will, you just don't know."

We dropped the subject for now to focus on buying Christmas gifts as it was the last chance we had before it was time to give them away. I do not know why I always save it for the last minute. Both me and Georgie would be at the hotel for the wedding over Christmas and my family would of course be there all of them, meanwhile Georgie would travel home to her family in Manchester on Christmas Day. I had more gifts to buy because I have so many siblings and I wanted to get them really nice gifts as I know mum and dad cannot afford that much, not even these days when they are better off than when I was a kid. There were some Christmases when Bella and I practically got nothing in our stockings because gifts came lower down on the priority list than food and clothes – and dad's beers obviously. I want to spare the little ones from that disappointment. Not that they are that little anymore, but young enough to appreciate gifts in the stockings and I'm lucky enough to afford a bit more on my doctor's salary. Nothing makes me happier than sharing it with them.

After a couple of hours of successful shopping, we were both carrying numerous bags with parcels and decided to drop them off at home before buying the tree. We met up with Elvis at a place around the corner were trees were sold. I noticed that he seemed a bit hesitant when he saw me, like he was unsure what my reaction to them being together would be and it mattered to him. That was a first, Elvis being sensitive to other's reactions. I liked the change.

"Hi Molls."

"Come here and give me a hug, so I can congratulate you." His expression changed to one of relief and pride.

"You cheeky bastard, you do know you're getting the best girl in the world, don't you?"

"I do", he said seriously. "I'm the luckiest man in the world."

"Then I'm very happy for you, but if you ever treat her badly… Just let me say that it won't save you that you're SF."

"Message received, loud and clear", he smiled.

"That's said, I've missed having you around. Life is a little bleaker without you in it, Elvis."

"Thanks, I've missed you too. You're my second favourite girl to Georgie."

As we went strolling between the lines of trees, Elvis wrapped his arm around Georgie's shoulder and pulled her to him. They both seemed more at ease and in harmony than I had seen them be together for a long time, like they both were exactly where they wanted to be in this moment. There had always been passion between them, now I thought I saw somthing more profound an it made me terribly happy for them. Watching them, walking joined together a few steps ahead of me, inspecting trees, I also felt a bit sad, bordering to jealous. All these years they had been together, I had hoped they were heading somewhere and now when they finally were, it left me with the conflicting feeling of being left behind. Now they were engaged. Likely they would want to move in together soon and while I thought it was about time, that also meant I would lose my flat mate. It would be 'the end of an era', as Rachel and Monica in Friends once said when they moved apart for the same reason. They would move together, and I would be alone, or maybe not alone but still single without any specific plans for my life other than to finish my foundation years which was demanding enough but not very romantic.

Charles. He flickered by in my head. Well, I would not mind if he was part of my life but there was nothing indicating he would be after the wedding.

"What do you think of this one?" They had stopped in front of a tree.

"Too asymmetric."

"And this?"

"Too big, it would take up all the space in the living room"

"Aren't you a picky one, both with trees and men", Elvis smirked. Given the mood I was in, I would have found that comment funnier any other day.

"Molly might have found someone", Georgie said, over-sharing in my opinion.

"No, not really."

"You fancy him, and you were on a date yesterday. You haven't told me how that went?"

"I don't fancy him, I just like being with him like with any friend and it wasn't a date for real. We were just hanging out, went skating."

"Just the two of you?"

"Well, yes."

"Sounds like a date to me. Tell me more."

I did not feel like sharing much more, knowing they would meet Charles at the wedding and Elvis could be such a tease. He would surely embarrass me, but Georgie apparently felt free to update him with the things she knew.

"His called Charles."

"Charles!?"

"Yeah, and he's apparently gorgeous and can sing and bake and is a major in the army."

Now Elvis was grinning.

"I wasn't aware he can bake and sing, but one of my best friends is a major and called Charles. Will he possibly be bestman at the wedding?"

"Yes", I said weakly, appalled that Elvis seemed to know him well and Georgie had shared that I fancied him.

"Then it's one and the same! God, Molly, I would love if you and Charles got together."

"You're a bit previous there. I never said I fancy him and he sure does not feel anything for me. As I said, yesterday was not a date. We've just been seeing each other because we're preparing a song for the weeding", I said through gritted teeth.

"And you don't like him?"

"I didn't say that. I just said you shouldn't jump to any conclusions."

"If he asked you on a real date, would you say no?"

I hesitated what to say. I did not want to share with Elvis that I would die to go on a date with Charles, but I did not want to lie and say I did not want to either in case he would forward it to Charles and kill any possibility he would ever ask me on a date.

"I might say yes."

"You're just playing hard to get Molly, I can see by the way you're blushing you like him."

"My cheeks are just red from the cold."

"Yeah, right. You do know he's a good guy? One of the best there is."

"I figured as much."

"He's just got a bit of bag…"

I never got to know what Elvis had intended to say, because he was interrupted by Georgie.

"This one, it's perfect!

It was; symmetric, perfect size and the needles seemed to be fixed on it rather than dropping to the ground already, but I was a bit annoyed Elvis had been interrupted.

"What were you saying Elvis?"

"Eh, no nothing important, better he tells you if you actually get to the point of dating."

I understood that Elvis was not teasing me on purpose now, but this was far worse. He had intended to say something about Charles but had second thoughts. I could not be more curious, but for once Elvis' mouth seemed zipped.

"Are we buying this one, or what?" he now said.

"Yes!"

"I agree, it looks perfect, let's take it", I sighed, hoping that whatever Elvis had decided to keep to himself was not something too negative.

The tree got wrapped in a net and we brought it home and decorated it with an insane amount baubles and lights and it felt like Christmas truly had arrived in our little flat.