Holy cow! I never thought my story would be such a success here! Thank you all again for your kind comments. They really help to motivate me. Anyway! On with the story!

Dreams can be peculiar things, and I should know, I have been known to have some rather odd and vivid ones, normally I am climbing these massive staircases, but I can see right through them and it's the most frightening thing, but this one was completely random. When I opened my eyes in the morning, I almost forgot that this was my house. I woke up in a cupboard under the stairs and instead of my sisters, I had an annoying, spoiled little brat of a cousin and his overly indulgent parents who gave him his own way in everything, while I was fed the scraps of their table, but then I got a strange letter sent to me from a faraway place called Pigswarts something or other, and was just about to learn a spell taught by a professor by the name of Snape, whose eyes were as cold as stone and could probably kill me with one harsh glare, when Mother started shaking me awake.

"Lottie, darling! Hurry up! We don't want to be late for the wedding!" She was talking so fast that I hadn't the foggiest clue what she was saying at first. Her voice sounded muffled, but maybe that was because I had my face buried in the pillows. "Charlotte! Come on." She pulled the blanket off of me and tossed it carelessly onto the floor. I groaned silently, still groggy from having just woken up and opened my eyes. It was still dark out, or at least that's how it looked, until she rushed over to the curtains and pulled them open so that the sun was shining right in my face. I squinted my eyes and let out a demonic screech, which Jane found hilarious but Mother did not. If it's one thing she didn't have was a sense of humor. "Breakfast is on the table," she added as she passed through the door and went into her room to pick out what she was going to wear.

Father was sitting in an armchair in the living room, reading this morning's newspaper. Grandfather was in the chair beside his, spreading some jam onto a slice of bread. I could tell it was the end of the loaf because the back of it was brown, and it had been lightly toasted.

"Good morning, girls," he said as he flipped the page to an apparently more interesting article. Not surprisingly, it was about the attack last night at the club. He looked up and smiled. "Your mother tells me that you had quite the adventure last night." His eyes shifted over to me and he raised his eyebrows.

"Yes," I said, taking a teaspoon of margarine and spreading it onto my toast. I told him about how Aunt Lucy forgot to make the reservation and how I had to eat at a Diogenes club. He didn't interrupt me once, not even when I told him about Simza and the assassin that tried to attack us, though he did stop eating for a few moments and I could tell a million questions were running through his mind. Perhaps he was thinking whether or not he should have allowed me to go by myself. "But don't worry, I'm alright. No harm done." I rubbed my arm as I said that because I did manage to get a bruise on it.

I wondered if Simza made it home safely and hadn't run into anymore trouble on the way. Despite having only just met less than twenty four hours ago, I spoke of her like she was my best friend and like I had known her for my entire life. And even though I knew she was fine, I couldn't help but feel fiercely protective of her.

"Well, we're just glad that you're alright," Grandfather said when I finished telling my tale. Mother came into the kitchen and started to give him the medicine that Doctor Watson prescribed for him, but just because he had to take it, that didn't mean he liked it. As soon as the tonic went down, he made a face like he just bit into a sour lemon. "Thank you, Lillian," he said once he recovered himself.

"All thanks to the great Sherlock Holmes," Jane snickered beside me, staring at me with an odd look on her face. I glanced over at her quizzically and she winked. I knew exactly what she was implying and I gave her a look.

"You were lucky, dear," Mother said, sitting at the table. "Now, Jane. You never told us how the party last night went. How is William?" William and Jane had been courting for the past three months. He was from a good family, and he was considered one of the most romantic and eligible bachelors in London. Mother never failed to ask if he had proposed to her yet, or not. But last I heard, he came to speak to Father last Sunday, that could only mean one thing. But Father never even hinted at it, so either it was for something else entirely, or he was just really good at putting on a facade.

"He's well." She nodded and continued to eat her breakfast. "We are thinking about taking a trip to Italy in the spring." She smiled and a light blush appeared on her cheeks. Jane had had her fair share of courtships, her last suitor, Rory, was a shy and gentle soul. Naturally our parents set them up, but for some reason, which I still don't know about to this day, they called it off, saying that they needed more time. But I could sense that she was happy now, and I was happy for her.

"That's wonderful!" Mother remarked. "A marriage proposal can't be far behind," she added hopefully. I honestly felt bad for my mother. She just wanted the both of us to have someone to provide for us after they were gone. It wasn't something I wanted to think about, but now that Jane was probably going to be engaged, it was becoming a constant thought. Would I ever find someone I love as much as Jane loved William?

Speaking of love, I needed to get ready for the wedding!

The dress I had worn to dinner last night was laid out on my bed. I wanted to wear it to the wedding and Mother agreed that it would be very appropriate and beautiful. It was fancy enough, and at least it was dry from being laid out near the fireplace. As I slipped my arms through the sleeves and smoothed down the creases, I thought about what the wedding was going to be like. It was taking place at the same church where my parents got married. There were many churches in this city, all of them impressive, this one was, too but without being overly elaborate. Besides, they didn't want an expensive wedding. I didn't think they needed to be expensive, either. I understood that your wedding day was the best day of people's lives, I just didn't understand why some had spent a fortune on it. If I ever got married, I would want my wedding to be simple, too. A simple yet elegant dress, wearing my mother's dress would be perfect. Only bring my closest friends and family, and maybe have the reception at my house. I would love to do it in the springtime when all of the flowers are blooming and baby animals are being born.

Giving myself a once over in the mirror, I fixed a loose curl that was hanging in my face, securing it with a pin. I made sure they weren't too tight that they would pull on my skull. Last time Mother put curls in my hair they were too tight and it hurt my scalp for days, even after she had loosened them for me. I looked presentable enough. "Here it goes," I said to myself, straightening up and smiling confidently, going out the door.

I came downstairs just as Father was fixing his tuxedo and Mother was helping him with his tie. Jane was wearing a pretty dark blue dress with puffed sleeves and frill on the bottom. It suited her colourful personality. We stepped outside just as the sun came peeking out from behind the clouds.

I hadn't met Mary before, but from what I heard Watson say of her, she seemed like a really nice lady. And when we walked into the church and saw her standing outside the two big, brown doors that separated her and her soon-to-be husband, she was more beautiful than I imagined her to be. Her hair was almost golden and her eyes were a soft brown. Her lips were soft-looking and her skin held not a single imperfection. I felt almost inadequate standing next to such beauty. "It's so lovely to finally meet you, Miss Berkeley," she said in a voice that sounded like a bell. "John has told me so much about you I feel like I know you already."

I nodded, remembering myself. "Likewise, Mrs Watson. He's told me about you, too, all good things of course." She smiled as the music began to play and one by one, the bridesmaids walked down the aisle. When it was my turn, I pretended not to pay attention to the fifty pairs of eyes watching me and instead, tried to focus on finding one familiar face in the crowd. It was hard since most of the people here were Watson's acquaintances, (some friends from his rugby club, medical school, and a few others) I don't know a single person here.

My eyes shifted left and right and though Watson was right in front of me, they landed on the face just a few feet to my right.

I should have known that Holmes would be there, after all, he was Watson's business partner and closest friend. I smiled to myself as he took a moment to straighten Watson's suit and tie, as only a best man could.

Our eyes met and I nodded my head and he did the same. He appeared to be quite happy for the couple, but there was something else behind his eyes, too, not unlike sadness. I remember feeling the same way when Aunt Daisy got married. I didn't want for things to change, to lose someone who closely resembled an older sister even though I would gain a brother. And for the first few weeks, part of the house seemed empty. Every time I would go to see if she was in her room, she wouldn't be there, or if we were sitting at the table and I would say, "Shouldn't we wait for Daisy?" Mother would remind me that she wasn't here and I would feel less hungry than I did before.

I understood why he did and didn't want Watson to get married. He probably didn't have anyone else. Not a wife or children to come home to.

It was when Mary walked down the aisle, that Watson's face lit up completely, his eyes were misty and his smile was one of pride and love for the woman whose voice never faltered as she read through her vows and whose hands slipped effortlessly into his as he guided the ring onto her finger and when the minister pronounced the couple husband and wife, Watson lifted Mary's veil above her head, revealing a smile that would forever be imprinted in his mind. He swallowed. On the battlefield, he was always taught to be tough, to show no mercy and conceal your emotions, but at that particular moment, he let them show. In his face, in his trembling hands and his pounding heart.

They kissed and the entire room burst into sighs and applause. "I love you, Mary, more than life itself," he whispered almost so softly that I couldn't hear him.

"I love you, too, John. To the ends of the earth and back again." She reached up and brought his lips to hers once more and then arm in arm, Mr and Mrs Watson exited the chapel.

We were all outside, enjoying the sunshine when I made the acquaintance of Mrs Hudson, the lady who owned the flat Watson had been living in for quite some time. I knelt down to pet Gladstone, the adorable little Bulldog, who was sitting obediently beside Mary and Watson. His face was in a permanent frown, but he was probably quite happy with the change in scenery.

When Jane told them that she and I were going to Paris tomorrow, Mrs Hudson smiled. "Ah, I hear that Paris is lovely in the wintertime, I have thought of taking a trip there myself, but I would much prefer to go in the spring when it's less cold and damp."

As they spoke to my parents about how the weather was exceptional for this time of year, Gladstone began chasing his tail, making Jane and I laugh.

Later, we watched as Watson and Mary avoided the confetti that was being tossed into the air and landing on them. It looked pretty messy, but they didn't seem to mind it. In fact, they were laughing. He helped her into the hansom and they drove off, waving out the window. I noticed that a wooden sign engraved with the words, "Just married," was tied to the back of it with some twine. I turned around just in time to see Holmes smiling at them sadly before disappearing behind a thick shrub.

I was about to go after him to make sure that he was alright when Mother started walking briskly down the path.

"Come on, girls. We don't want to miss the lecture!"

I didn't understand what the big fuss was about, it wasn't as if we were going to meet the Royal Family, or anything, just a world famous author and mathematician. I highly suspected that she secretly fancied the man, but I didn't think it would be wise to say so.

We threaded our way through a chattering crowd of middle-aged ladies, all craning their necks for a view of Professor James Moriarty, who sat signing books at the rear of the library. Behind him was a deep green board with a long equation written all over it in white chalk. I wondered how long it took for him to figure it out. Probably years. I had to admit, he was a genius and what made it more convincing was the classical music playing in the background to give a pleasant ambiance to the room. It was working, yes, but as much as I would have liked to deny it, there was something about this man that was fishy. The other man who was sitting beside him looked just as shady. I shook my head, positive it was just my paranoia talking to me, if that's what it was and not my instincts.

At the sight of the former, Mother patted her hair down as if it could go any flatter. "There he is," she said and I rolled my eyes until they were far back into my head. It was normal for people to be infatuated with a famous person, take Jane for instance. But my mother was a married woman, she didn't need to be making such a fuss. I looked to Father who just chuckled lightly and said, "Your mum fancies him. I'm starting to get jealous." That earned him a light jab in the shoulder and he laughed just as short man with a camera shoved past us, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to where he was going so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"You girls can wait outside if you want, we'll get these signed," said Mother, adjusting the handful of books and tucking them underneath her arm.

"I don't mind staying. William is quite a fan of the professor's work, I promised to get him an autograph," Jane said. "Are you sure you don't want to stay, Charlotte?"

"Positive." I took the invitation and made my exit. I was actually relieved when I stepped into the hallway. I leaned against the wall, trying to regulate my breathing and laughed to myself. Why was I in such a state all of a sudden? I had never been so eager to leave the library before, it was one of my favourite places in the entire school. I went over to the window and looked out. Mary was right, the weather was lovely, the sun was shining and the air was warmer than it was yesterday.

Mother did say we could wait outside, so I went out the door and sat on a bench that was warm from being in the sun for so long, reaching into my pack and taking out the novel that I brought with me for the ride here. This was where I did most of my reading anyhow, I was studying to get my English major, and though the library was nice for the colder days, I usually liked to sit outside during the warmer ones and read. Some of my friends from school were talking together on the grass, but they were too far away for me to hear them.

I looked over my shoulder just in time to see a familiar head of dark hair walking through the stone pillars and stopping as his eyes landed on me and he hid himself behind one of them.

Stalker much, Holmes?

"I know you're there," I said, looking around and sure enough, I felt someone behind me.

"I hope I'm not intruding," he said, his eyes scanning the cover of the book.

"Not at all," I replied, turning back to my book briefly before looking up at him. "How is it we have met twice in the same day? Are you spying on me, Mr Holmes?"

He shook his head, circling me and his eyes locked on me. "It is a pure and utter coincidence, I assure you." A smile crept into his face and my heart gave a little leap. Why was his smile so charming?

"I should say so." I stood up and joined him, leaning my arm against the pillar and looking into his eyes. "So, if you're not here to see me, then why are you here?"

"Business, very important." He was about to say something else when we heard footsteps. Maybe it was one of those cases. "Very important business, so if you'll excuse me."

I watched as he went inside the school and wondered if he was a fan of the professor's work, or whether my suspicions were true, that there really was something fishy about him.

Jane came outside and placed her hands on my shoulders. "What a relief! Mum's in there flapping her gums about us and it's embarrassing." She sat beside me and swung her legs on the edge of the seat. "I can only imagine what she's saying right now. And she's giggling, too. I have never heard her giggle once. Goond

Mother was one of those women who chat and chat after saying goodbye a minimum of three times. I wondered how long Father had been in there trying to get her to stop talking.

"I can't say I blame her, however, he really is rather handsome," Jane continued.

"Not you, too," I said, throwing my head back dramatically and she giggled. "And you shouldn't say that when you are in love with someone else," I added, just to tease her.

She stuck out her tongue and could tell she wanted to say something, perhaps something rude about me not knowing what a handsome man even looks like, and I was about to prove her wrong when Mother and Father appeared from the doorway. She had her books tucked under her arm and a huge grin on her face. Her clean appearance clashed with the wild look in her eyes; her long brown hair was flipped to one shoulder, yet every curl was still perfectly intact.

"Alright, Charlotte, Jane, let's go home and pack, the train will be leaving in a few hours." My mother's schedule was written down to the minute and we had to follow it accordingly. "I'm sure Uncle Charlie and Aunt Daisy will be happy to see you and we can't forget cousin Anne, and the twins, Arthur and Alice will be almost seven now."

I hadn't seen Uncle Charlie since I was really little, obviously too young to remember. I did remember what he looked like, though. He had brown hair and blue eyes like my father, and he always wore suits, even when he was at home with Aunt Daisy and his two daughters and one son. Aunt Daisy herself was lovely. She had red hair and green eyes, which she passed down to Anne, and freckles covered her entire face.

"Oh, wait. I forgot," said Jane as she walked beside me and we slowed our pace so that Mother and Father were a little bit ahead of us. "You do know that a handsome man looks like."

I rolled my eyes as she started telling me how she would react if she ever met the great detective. And after hearing what she had to say, I thought it would be best to keep her as far away from him as possible. I would have no trouble with that.

I nodded to my mother who asked if we were still listening, and took my sister's hand. She walked quicker than me, the excitement of youth causing her to rush straight through the remainder of the small crowd, her hat falling behind her. She broke into a sprint, rushing down the stairs and onto the lawn. Mother shook her head and called Jane back to us.

On the ride home, Mother was raving about how charming the professor was, which was making father jealous. I could tell because he was barely interrupting her except to give an occasional grunt in reply. After a while, she assured him that she made the best decision of her life when she married him and had the three of us.

Father smiled at that and I continued to look out the window as the sun disappeared once again.