Claire woke up next to Sarah, whom she had shared the queen bed with. She got up quietly and slipped into the lounge room. Fran was already up, drinking coffee at the table. Julie was beginning to stir next to Jess on the couch. Claire made herself a coffee and sat next to Fran.

"What did you think of the dress?" Fran asked her, looking dubious

"I admit, it doesn't look stunning on the hanger, but it's very flattering on" Claire explained. Fran nodded her head.

"How's the groom?"

"No idea. He's been doing really well so far, though."

"How are you going?"
"It was good to have you guys around to take the pressure off" Claire admitted. Fran was Claire's most understanding friend, and she felt safe telling secrets to her as she was the world's best secret keeper.

"So how's Sherlock?" Fran asked

"Good" Claire said, nodding and sipping her coffee. All her friends knew about her 'new experience' with Sherlock.

"How's Fred?" Claire asked

"He's been really busy with work recently, if you know what I mean"

"You think he's cheating on you?"

"It's crossed my mind several times, but I don't want to say anything unless I'm wrong."

"Sherlock could take one look at him and give you a definite answer, I bet" Claire said

"He'll be at the wedding; I'll bring him over to you"

"Ok. I really hope it's just work"

"I don't know what I want. He's been a bit of a jerk recently"

"Either way is good then"

"I guess so"

"Hey all" Julie said quietly, hopping up from the couch and grabbing a coffee

"Hi" Claire answered

"Hey" Fran said

"How's Sarah?" Julie asked

"Still sleeping" Claire replied "I'll just check up on her now" Claire walked towards the bedroom door and quietly opened it. Sarah was stirring, about to wake up. Claire came in quietly and sat on the bed where she had been sleeping.

"Have a nice sleep?" Claire asked her.

"Mmhmm" She replied, not actually talking

"Do you know what day it is today?"
"Mmhmm"

"Wake up sleepy-head; we've got a lot of work to do before four"

"What time is it?"

"Seven." Claire answered. Sarah sat herself up.

"I'm getting married today" She said

"Not if you don't get up!" Claire said, hopping out of the room and into the kitchen, where she put two pieces of toast in the toaster. Jess was at the table where Claire had been before.

"Bride up yet?" She asked

"Getting there" Claire said, as Sarah walked into the room

"Hey everyone" She said

"Hey" The girls answered. The toast popped from the toaster, and Claire took it out and laid it on a plate. Her phone rang, and she answered it.

"Hello?"
"Hey, Claire, it's Sherlock"

"We're all alive"

"Good to hear it. Sarah excited?"
"She will be when she wakes up properly"

"How are you going?"
"All good. You?"

"John's having a minor freak-out, but other than that it's all good over here."

"Good to hear it. I'll see you at the wedding, ok?"

"See you then"

"Bye"

"See ya" Claire hung up the phone and got back to the toast.

"I can't believe I'm getting married!" Sarah exclaimed for the hundredth time

"Hold still sweetie" Jess warned her. She was carefully placing bobby pins in Sarah's hair to keep it in place.

"Sorry" Sarah said excitedly

"Which shade for us?" Fran asked Sarah, holding two containers of lipstick in front of her.

"That one" She said, pointing to a pale pink. Fran moved over to Julie and applied the lipstick to her face.

"What do you think?" Jess asked, holding a mirror out in front of Sarah

"You look amazing" Claire said, looking up from the mirror which she was using to apply her mascara

"I love it!" Sarah said, gently twisting her head to see it in the mirror. Jess held up a second mirror so she could see it from the back.

"Claire, can you do my hair?" Jess asked

"Sure" Claire said, putting down her eyeliner and walking over to the chair Jess had been occupying and started combing Jess's hair. Fran finished Julie's makeup and walked over to Sarah

"Your turn" She said, and an excited Sarah sat down to let Fran do her makeup. Julie started sifting through the nail polishes.

"How do you think the guys are doing?"

The guys weren't doing quite so well. At this point in time, the two were waiting outside Mrs. Hudson's door after knocking, waiting for her to come out. The door opened, and Mrs. Hudson appeared.

"What is it dears?" She asked

"The bow tie won't sit" John complained

"Who even cares?" Sherlock asked for the umpteenth time

"Sarah" John replied, as Mrs. Hudson carefully knotted John's bow, and then moved onto Sherlock's.

"You boys need to learn how to do those yourselves" Mrs. Hudson chastised half-heartedly.

"Thank-you Mrs. Hudson" John thanked her, while Sherlock just grumbled about wearing a penguin costume.

"Are you nervous, dear?" She asked John

"More nervous than when they were shooting at me in Afghanistan" John replied

"What's the big deal? You listen to some guy say lots of words, you say some words, Sarah says some words, you kiss her, we eat and dance and you go on a honeymoon. I don't see nerves in any of that."

"That's because you're a sociopath" John calmly explained, adjusting his already straight bow.

Claire and Sarah watched their friends step into their dresses. The three-quarter length dress went just below the knee. It was a rich ivory colour with a pale ivory waistband. Above the waistband, the dress was folded to make a pattern, with matching triangular sleeves. The ivory shoes were high, and gave the girls extra height. The girls looked stunning. Claire was next, stepping into a matching floor-length dress, as she was the maid of honour. Shoes fastened, she looked to Sarah, and she excitedly stepped into her own dress. The floral pattern was beautiful, and her low shoes suited the dress, although they were hard to see in the floor-length gown. Her veil went on with the help of Fran and Jess, and the girls stepped back to take in their work. Sarah was a vision, and the girls sighed appreciatively. Sarah anxiously looked in the mirror, and was stunned silent at herself. She looked amazing, and she felt it too. Her lips twisted upwards in excited happiness, and the girls gushed over her. Everything was set.