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"As much as I hate to interrupt your reunion, I'm afraid there is business we need to attend to. Miss Adler, you are still in danger." Mycroft said, somewhat ominously.

He leant on his umbrella, doing his very best to detach himself from the situation as much as possible; it being as far from his comfort zone as possible.

Irene's eyes snapped to Mycroft's, briefly scanning over his relaxed stance.

"And you care about that?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. Mycroft Holmes certainly hadn't made an effort to hide his complete disdain and dislike for her.

"My involvement is purely due to my little brother's...investment in you. It would be easier for me if you were dead. Alas." He gave her a sardonic smile, eager to make it clear that although Sherlock Holmes was clearly...enamoured by The Woman. He was most certainly not.

"Investment?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, Mr Holmes, When it comes to me, love and investment are two completely different things. Let me clarify." She smiled sweetly at him.

"Jim Moriarty invested in me. Your brother loves me. See the difference?" She looked up at him with large, innocent -if a little red and tired- eyes.

Mycroft simply rolled his eyes, unamused and even less interested.

"Can we please get back to the point!?" He asked, annoyed.

Sherlock turned towards him.

"She makes a very important point, and one that you will take care to remember." He spat at his elder brother, glaring at him.

Mycroft sighed.

"Fine." He turned back to Irene.

"My involvement is purely due to my brother's... infatuation." He was loathed to say 'love'.

Irene rolled her eyes slightly, that was the best they were going to get out of him.

"Don't worry Mycroft. I wasn't accusing you of caring. Heaven forbid the idea of Mycroft Holmes showing such an emotion." She smiled sweetly at him, her eyes mildly mocking.

The elder brother sighed.

"The point is, Miss Adler; you need protection. The government's protection. I assume you're familiar with the Witness Protection Program?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Isn't that the lie you told Sherlock after you thought I was executed?" She asked innocently.

"Yes I know of it."

He sighed again, "Yes, Miss Adler it is. However, it won't be a lie this time."

Irene nodded.

"What does it require?"

"Change of name, ID, location, etc. The usual." He replied boredly.

Sherlock looked up.

"Mrs. Carlton. Mrs. Claudia Carlton." He said matter-of-factly, glancing at Irene.

She glanced back at him and grinned widely. The perfect identity.

She turned back to Mycroft.

"Yes, that's the name I want. Claudia Carlton." She glanced at Sherlock."Mrs?"

Sherlock grinned smugly at their inside joke.

"Would you rather my sister? That could get rather insestious...could be fun." He winked playfully, completely ignoring his brothers presence.

"I think I'm going to be ill." Mycroft muttered, bringing his handkerchief to his mouth.

Irene breathed a laugh; it hurt less this time.

"Well done Sherlock, You just stated that the idea of incest was fun... whilst your brother was in the room. This is a lovely awkward moment." She smirked before her face turned neutral again. It was too much effort right now.

"But, aren't you staying as Sherlock Holmes?" She asked him.

Mycroft stepped in, "It's safer if you both stepped out of the limelight. Honestly, brother, a name like yours stands out. Heaven knows why you decided on Sherlock; utterly ridiculous if you ask me."

Sherlock narrowed his eyes, but relented; his brother was right in this case.

He turned to Irene.

"Ben?" He asked.

Irene turned to Mycroft.

"First of all, can I just say that you certainly do not get to comment on Sherlock's name being ridiculous. You're called Mycroft for goodness sake" She muttered before turning back to Sherlock.

She narrowed her eyes at him slightly, thinking. "Ben. I like it, make it short for Benedict though, not Benjamin. Otherwise I'll have the urge to call you Benji and I don't think any of us would want that."

She paused again.

"Benedict. Now that's a name I'd have fun screaming in bed" She winked at him with a wicked grin.

"Benedict." Sherlock stated, testing it out. "Rather regal. I like it. And don't ever call me Benji, dear." He glared at her but was smiling as he did so.

"I'm definitely going to be ill" Mycroft frowned at the pair of them.

"Very well, Mr and Mrs Benedict and Claudia Carlton?" He confirmed.

"Yes." Sherlock answered, smiling at Irene.

Irene smiled back. "Does that mean we get to go shopping for a fake engagement ring? And wedding rings?" She asked with a grin.

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. "I don't do 'fake,' Miss Adler." He replied lowly, a glint in his eyes.

She frowned "But what if people ask to see the ring? What do I do? Lie and tell them it's at the cleaners or something?" She was a little hurt, was he really that miserly?

"It doesn't have to be expensive" She muttered, looking down.

Sherlock resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a dark blue velvet Tiffany's ring box. "No. You'll show them the ring." He replied condescendingly.

Irene's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Are you... are you proposing to me?" She glanced at an equally shocked Mycroft before adding. "In front of your brother as well?"

This time Sherlock really did roll his eyes. "Honestly, woman, perhaps I've given you too much credit intelligence-wise. Of course I'm proposing! What else would I be doing with my Mother's diamond ring?"

Her head was still dazed from her ordeal and this was not helping. "Why... why the hell are you proposing to me?!"

"Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for..." He replied.

Mycroft, finally having recovered the use of his voice snapped at his younger brother. "Where the bloody hell did you get that?! And more to the point, do you think I'm actually going to allow you to give away Mother's vintage Tiffany's engagement ring to her?"

Sherlock stood up and faced off with his brother. He spoke low and threateningly. "If you think you're going to stop me from giving the woman I love and adore the best you are gravely mistaken. Last time I checked you were still a bachelor with no prospects of even a one-night-stand, let alone a wife. If any woman deserves Mother's ring it's Miss Adler. Don't make me punch you again." He snapped viciously before taking a deep breath.

"Besides, it will stay in the family." He added calmly.

Irene smiled as Sherlock defended her and everything snapped into place. Ever since she was a child she had hated the idea of marriage. Who wanted to tie themselves down to one person? However when she thought of Sherlock, she realised that she wanted nothing more than to become Mrs Sherlock Holmes... well. Mrs Benedict Carlton.

"Yes." She said simply as she watched the brothers in their intense standoff. "I'll brave having Mycroft Holmes as a brother-in-law." She smirked. "Yes, I will marry you."

Sherlock's head snapped to hers. He beamed, crossing to give a chaste kiss before slipping the ring on her finger. "I love you." He whispered. "You've just made me the happiest man in the world."

"I love you too" She whispered back with a bright grin.