Thank you for the reviews.

Now I am not going to sit here and say that I am an amazing speechwriter but I have delivered a few off the top of my head and Tommy's speech kept writing itself in my head. So you are at least getting Tommy's speech... Not to give away anything.

Also within keeping with this story, the song This Is a Love Song is by Scouting For Girls (are we surprised?)... Maybe play it when you get to that part of this chapter...

Been waiting to give you this chapter for a while. I mean, it is what we have been waiting for since chapter 30 of WR, WM.

So I accordingly invite you to the wedding reception of Mr and Mrs Lawson...

Becoming Mrs R Lawson

There was a tap of a spoon against a glass that Tommy had been waiting for ever since the plates were cleared from their last course. He knew better than to wait for Sophie to introduce him. She had already told him that as soon as he heard the taps, he was to stand up and start delivering his speech. His mum put a hand on his shoulder as he cleared his throat before standing up, her hand running down his arm before giving his hand a squeeze.

This was the moment he had been dreading for the last three months.

It was time for his speech.

"Firstly, I would like to thank you all for coming. Mum will hate me mentioning it but this is more people than she had at her wedding to Dad but I think that in itself just says something without me having to go into too much detail for those of you that don't know. But I am glad that you could all be here to witness this moment. Mainly because Sophie had been planning it for the last three years and I wouldn't have wanted all her hard work to go to waste.

"This isn't going to be your typical speech. I mean, I am no father-of-the-bride but you can all try and look up how many son-of-the-bride speeches there are in a moment. I was not spoilt for choice with examples. But maybe that is how things are always going to be for us as a family. Different from the norm. In all honesty, I talked myself into doing this. Maybe when Mum said that I only had to make a speech if I wanted to, I should have just left it at that. But other than leaving no one to really talk about Mum, I had allowed Louis to convince me into carrying on French so a bit of practice at speaking out loud is probably worth it."

He sighed and smiled to himself before he looked down the table.

"I don't think if anyone told me four years ago that I would be standing here, with a family that was weird to most people, I would have believed you. I have Micheal as my new brother and Philip is still around, who I have always seen more like a brother than a cousin. It only makes sense that I see my other cousin like a sister."

He turned to Sophie. "Don't worry. You're family. Anyone takes the mick or teases you about it, let me know and I will punch them in the face. Those were some of the first words you said to me and I have said those words back to you. You didn't know how much I needed to hear them at the time. Sophie, you are not only my cousin and now step-sister, but you are also one of my best friends and someone who knows me better than anyone else. You always seem to know what I am thinking or feeling and know exactly what to do when I am feeling that way. We say it all the time. We wish that we had met each other sooner. I could only imagine the chaos that we would create. Probably with Dex thrown into the mix as well. You are naturally confident, something I wish I was, and I still can't believe that you have managed to pull this all off. "

He turned to Eddie. "Mr Lawson. Eddie. Thank you for returning to Waterloo Road. Thank you for reuniting with Mum. Thank you for being the first person to try and get to the bottom of what was happening with Dad. Thank you for being there for us when we needed you there. Thank you for making Mum happy again. Thank you for being a better man than my dad. Thank you for being a great father figure. I could go on Eddie. On and on and on with all the things that I am thankful for because of you. Mum kept asking me whether I had a problem with you two getting together. I had no problem with it at all. In fact, the moment I handed over the scrapbook to you, I had made up my mind that I would be happy with you and Mum get back together. She called you her deputy and even though it is the other way around now, I don't think anything has changed from the stories she told me. You are both there for each other and should always be by each other's side."

He sighed before he sniffed and turned to the guests. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry." He said as he started to well up. "Mum." His voice broke slightly and he swallowed before continuing. "As we said earlier, I can't believe that we are here. I know that we can look out at everyone here and see more friendly faces than we have ever known. I know that my childhood hasn't been what you wanted for me. But look where we are Mum. We are finally surrounded by people that love and care about us. I don't say it enough any more but I love you Mum and, not really what your son should be saying to you, but all I want you to be is happy. I remember thinking that the morning after you told me about your past. I remember thinking how brave you were. I also remember wanting to get you out of the house, to Philip or Eddie, because it wasn't fair the circumstances that you had to tell me. You are my idol Mum. I look up to you so much. And if I only have half of your passion and determination and compassion and kindness, then I think that I will definitely turn into the man that you want me to."

He turned back to the table and picked up the champagne flute before he turned back to the guests. "I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say that Mum and Eddie are the perfect match. Whether you saw their relationship the first time around or now. So, if you would join me in raising your glasses. To the new Mr and Mrs of Waterloo Road. To Rachel and Eddie."

There was a chorus of Rachel and Eddie before he took a small sip of the champagne before sitting down. His mum leant over straight away and kiss his cheek.

"See. I don't know what you were so worried about." She whispered to him.

Eddie stood up. "Well, thanks for that Tommy. Because I now have to follow that."

"Oh come on Tommy."

"No."

"Please for me."

"Sophie, I am not going to dance."

"Just this one. Just to join them for their first dance. I've got Dex to dance with Kim."

"Probably because you asked him."

"What do you mean by that?"

Tommy looked at Sophie. "Nothing. I'm not dancing with you."

"Okay don't do it for me. Do it for Rachel."

He groaned before he pushed himself off the wall. "What song did you choose in the end?"

"Not Butterflies, which is the song you were on about. But one by the same artist."

"Come on just tell me. We are going to hear in a bit after they cut the cake. It isn't like I am going to know it."

"I have been singing it. It's called This Is a Love Song."

"Okay."

"It was a toss between that, another song they did called Count on Me and Show Me Love. The slow version of Show Me Love."

"I'll trust your judgement."

"Honestly I think it is so them. There are these lines. 'And if you go, well, I'd still sing this song without you, Hoping that one day you say, "That's my song, can you play it again and again and again?"' I just think it suits them so well."

"I'll take your word for it for the moment."

"Come on, they are bringing out the cake."

"Sorry, before the first dance, I would like a word," Sophie said into the microphone. "Both Dad and Tommy have made a speech and, bearing in mind the pressure I have put them under these last few weeks, I think it is only fair that I stand up and say something."

Her dad smiled at her and she didn't know where the words came from but they just seemed perfect.

"Dad. Before you moved to Greenock, you told me that you didn't choose Mum over Rachel but Rachel choose me for you. Now you didn't ask me whether I was okay with you and Rachel getting together like Rach asked Tommy but you knew that I was already enthusiastic about the two of you being reunited. You said that you never wanted to blame myself for what happened between you and as much as I would like to say I don't, I do. So Dad, please take this and everything I have done for this wedding as me choosing Rachel for you.

"You gave me the honour of choosing the song for the first dance. I managed to cut down a list down to three songs and I spent a week listening to all three on repeat. All three I think, felt so you two and the version of your relationship that I have heard and this version that I have seen. But I was listening to this song as I watched you having a water fight in the kitchen and I felt it fitted the best. I hope you both feel the same. So if you could both take to the floor, this is This Is a Love Song."

The music started and Sophie handed over the microphone before she joined Tommy where he was standing, looking on. It was after the first verse that he turned to her.

"This song is perfect." He said.

"You haven't really heard the best part."

"I trust your judgement."

It got to the second chorus before people started joining the happy couple on the dance floor. Sophie pulled on Tommy's rolled up sleeve and placed her arms around his neck when they were on the dancefloor. He sighed before he placed his hand on her waist.

"I think we have done well today." She said.

"Sophie, you have done bloody brilliantly over the last few months. I don't think Mum and Eddie would have done it without you."

"Have you had too much champagne?"

"Maybe but I mean it Sophie, I think you are amazing."

"I think you're amazing."

They ended up smiling at each other and were ambushed by their parents as the song ended. The mood on the dancefloor changed as the song changed to something more relevant to the party that was now in full swing.

Rachel watched Tommy as he sat on the wall, probably doing what she was doing and trying to escape the madness that filled the hall.

"Are you hiding as well?" She said as she sat down next to him.

"Sophie keeps dragging me onto the dancefloor. The Grease mix really took it out of me."

"I really don't understand why she cut the room in half."

"You were enjoying that."

"Yeah, I was."

He took her hand as they looked out over the gardens.

"Mum."

"Yes?"

"We can finally close the chapter on our life with Dad. We were reluctant because we thought that he might show up today but I think we can finally do it."

"Well, I am now Mrs Rachel Lawson."

"Mum… The reason I never told you exactly what Dad did to me was because I never wanted you to worry about me. You were still healing from what he did you and… I didn't want to place that burden on you as well. It was all in my statement that was given to the jury. But I never want to tell you. Because you have finally healed and so have I."

"It is why I never asked. It was a question that I never wanted the answer to."

"Eddie knows. I told him when you and Sophie were out shopping after our first Christmas together. I had to tell someone."

"And I'm glad you trusted Eddie enough with it."

"So we can close the chapter on life with Dad?"

"We can definitely close the chapter on our Fleet life. For, I am now Rachel Lawson and you are Tommy Mason. And as long as Adam stays away, we can live our lives as we should do."

He gave her a smile and Rachel could only imagine that he had been wanting to say that to her for a while.

"Come on. We had better get back before Sophie realises that we are gone." She said.

"That just means more dancing."

"You're not your mother's son in that respect."

"I know. You look like you are really enjoying yourself."

She was glad that he was still holding her hand. It made it easier to pull him off the wall and lead him back to where the reception was in full swing. Even if he was reluctant.

Eddie's hands were on Rachel's back, pulling her as close as he could towards himself as her hands rested on his neck as they kissed. They had spent easily half an hour saying goodbye to people before they had the first chance to be alone. Her hands started to make work on unbuttoning his shirt while he couldn't even think about starting to undress her from her dress.

"Eager are we Mrs Laswon?" He said as he broke from the kiss.

"Mrs Lawson. That is going to take a bit of getting used to."

"Well, you better get used to it. Because come September, that is what everyone is going to be calling you."

"I can't wait." She paused. "Tommy told me that he told you about what happened between him and Adam."

"Yeah, he did."

"Just so I can put the matter to bed. How bad?"

"Bad. He just wanted to protect you from it."

"I guessed." She smiled. "Kiss me again. All I want to think about is how I have finally married the man of my dreams."

"I think I can definitely do that and more."

It was the way that she giggled as he started to back her towards the bed. It might not have been their first night together but to Eddie, it felt as magical as that night. He had Rachel and that was all that mattered to him.

Here she was. Mrs R Lawson. And he was never letting her go again.