A/Notes: Yay! My beta came through and I'm very excited to be posting this. So here's my idea: sometimes, as the credits roll at the end of a movie, we see short sentences that tell you what happened to the characters afterwards. I had done something similar in my last story, but only a small note at the end. Then, as I posted this one, you were enjoying it so much that it gave me ideas as to what I wanted to see beyond chapter 6. It didn't work in a short format, though. But I'm happy with the way it turned out.

This is the result. Enjoy! And this time, this is - really - the end.

7. Hereafter

Brian was shoved out of the white van as the blindfold was yanked away. Blinking in the blinding daylight, he fell to his knees, trying to make himself smaller. He closed his eyes tightly, cringing, hands shielding his head, expecting to be mercilessly shot in the back any second now. But then he heard screeching tires peeling away from him. He opened his eyes widely. The first thing he saw was the logo for The New Scotland Yard. Looking to the side he saw the van already a few blocks away. That's when a camera on the corner turned to point itself at him. He blinked, unsure. Turning his head to the opposite direction, he saw another camera do the same. Goose pimples ran throughout his body. No, it can't be. He looked around and saw yet a third camera swing slowly, only to stop once he was on its sight. His blood went cold and he started trembling, looking from one camera to the other. Stumbling and scrambling up, he ran inside.

The sergeant on duty didn't know what to make of the blabbing crazy man that was trying to turn himself in and confess, but took him in anyway, so someone else could try and make sense of the lunatic's story. Not soon after that Greg came down to ask if anyone like Brian had showed up. He had just received an anonymous tip via an untraceable email incriminating one Brian Winston, with apparently his own electronic diary relating his crimes as an attachment. The email also stated Brian was on his way to turn himself in.

By the following day his victims had been contacted and came in to identify him and press charges.

According to Brian, he had been abducted the night before at a charity event. He was approached from behind by two men. A gun was pressed against his back. He was told to walk and keep looking straight ahead.

Once outside, he had been blindfolded and handcuffed. After a long drive, his captors released him into what seemed to be an area in an abandoned warehouse used to store valuables: a chain link cage with a padlocked gate. His "cell" had a small camp bed, a small sink and a bucket with a roll of toilet paper. He was left alone overnight, in the dark, without any word or explanations.

On the following day, four armed and masked men handcuffed and blindfolded him again, taking him to a different room and shoving him onto a chair. A man (he supposed it was a man) spoke to him, with his/her voice electronically and creepily distorted. His captor called him/herself an observer and merely - somewhat politely even, urged him to turn himself in and confess. When he asked what they would do to him if he refused, the voice calmly replied, 'Pray that you will never find out, Mr. Winston. I would have to abandon my post as an - observer.'

Those words were followed by the sharp sound of a blade being drawn. Soon after that, he found himself at The New Scotland Yard. He smelled of urine.

The Yard looked into the CCTV footage showing the white van, but the number plate was fake and led them nowhere. The van seemed to have an uncannily good timing as the cameras never seemed to be pointing in the right direction as it drove away. Soon it vanished without a trace.

...

Cousin Edward recovered from his injuries. And with time and the help and support of his loving boyfriend, as well as his family and friends, he gradually recovered from his trauma, too. He was also contacted to identify and press charges against Brian. That helped him on his way to recovery.

Two months later, his boyfriend proposed while paddling on a lake. He made the mistake of kneeling to do so. Edward threw himself in his arms and both fell into the cold water. Shivering - and not only because of the cold water - he said yes.

Four months after that, they had a small and intimate ceremony at Auntie Willelmina's gardens, with family and friends. He and his husband went on to have a happy and long marriage.

...

Sherlock was "forced" to attend the wedding so he brought John as his guest. He made sure to buy John another suit, one that made him look "even better than the one Mycroft had given him". The colour of the shirt suited him extremely well, bringing out his eyes, if Sherlock were to say so.

Of course his annoying brother noticed and approached them "to say hello", so Sherlock made a spectacle of himself by pinching John's tush in front of Mycroft. John was not too impressed with Sherlock's (lack of) manners as, unfortunately, the whole wedding party also saw it. He turned an unbelievable shade of red and, pulling Sherlock aside, went off on him for such a public display. Sherlock claimed that no one in that particular group would care about the gesture, yet tried to soothe him by making promises of future compensation later on in the evening. So John melted, or rather, hardened at the prospects and forgave him. He remained outside by the cars for a while.

Sherlock would be lying to himself if he didn't acknowledge that the wedding had given him ideas as to a more permanent and effective way to stake his claim and keep Mycroft's grubby hands away from his John. He immediately started to contemplate ways in which to proceed. He wanted to find the most optimum scenario that would not only guarantee that John would say "yes", but also, extract that look from him. The one that always gave him chills, the one he reserved only for Sherlock, when they were alone and intimate. He needed to find the right combination of design, presentation, setting, venue, time of day, words, et cetera - all perfectly orchestrated to be the most appealing to John. Romantic. Only for John's sake of course, he would care for such things. And not on a boat on a lake.

Detailed research and careful planning was necessary. Unfortunately, it would have to wait until tomorrow. It would be most unrealistic to try to get started tonight.

He smiled. Tonight.

...

Mycroft rolled his eyes at his brother for being so publicly crass - social grace was never Sherlock's forte. But as soon as they turned away from him, he smiled contentedly, happy for his little brother. After all, John was perfect for him, and he could tell that maybe, in a not too distant future, there'd be another wedding in the family.

Ridiculous that Sherlock is still jealous!

Mycroft himself was going to bring a guest today, but that had been cancelled at the last minute due to a call regarding a triple murder in Camden Lock. He didn't resent it though. This wasn't the first cancellation, nor would it be the last, from either one. After all, both of them had demanding jobs. Just as well. In any case, as a safety precaution, he always preferred keeping his relationships very private.

J+S

A/Note: I never got into Mystrade and never imagined I'd ever write anything in that vein. As I edited the first chapter though, Greg seemed to be in awe of Mycroft, that's why I added that bottom note. But I just couldn't resist this last bit. After all, even the British Government deserves love and a happy ending. Hope you liked it. And please let me know what you think.

This is really the end! I mean it this time. Thanks for reading!