Dear readers: this is goodbye. This will be the FINAL chapter of Everlasting. I think you will rather enjoy the ending, but if not let me know. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. Please review my final chapter as it is your last chance to do so. There will be no epilogue or anything like that. Thanks again for reading. After six months the story has finally come to a close and I couldn't have done it without your lovely words of encouragement.

Sincerely yours,

Myelle xx

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

John POV

I couldn't believe how fast the time flew leading up to the day of our wedding, which we had decided would be in September.

I couldn't wait to see Sherlock in a tuxedo. As for me, I was going to be wearing my formal service attire. Sherlock said it made me look 'handsome' and I always thought that if I would get married I would want to show that I was a soldier-to protect my country and therefore whom I was marrying.

The venue of our wedding and reception was offered to us by Sherlock's mother. The Holmes' country estate was a beautiful, and big, building of stone brick. It was lovely on both inside and out. There were almost twenty rooms just for guests and on the ground floor; there was a banquet hall which would host the reception as there was a dance floor centered in that room. I had always known the Holmes family had money, but I had never imagined they had this much.

In the small field behind the house, which was fenced in by trees and gardens, the ceremony would be held. There were going to be three entrances to the field: one for me and one for Sherlock, then one for the guests. Sherlock and I would enter the field at opposite ends and meet halfway. In the middle of the field, and equal distance from both entrances, was an archway which was situated in the centre of the field. Since neither of us was a bride, there was no aisle needed to walk down. We were going to walk out and meet in the middle under the archway where there would be a judge to perform the ceremony.

I went over and over the plans in my head. I was so nervous I could barely think. Just to imagine Sherlock getting ready in the room down the hall...he was probably just as nervous as I was. As for names, we had discussed the matter but decided that we wouldn't be the same if we didn't have our names. So we would both keep our own.

"Looking good, John." I heard from behind me. I hadn't even noticed anyone enter the room.

"Thanks, you have the ring, right?"

Mike Stamford, whom I had chosen as my best man nodded. I figured he was a suitable choice because Sherlock and I owed our entire relationship to him. After all, if I hadn't run into Mike that day in the park, I wouldn't even know Sherlock existed.

"You're not gonna have a bridal moment, are you, mate?"

"What makes me the girl? Sherlock is probably worse off than I was. Honestly, did you ever expect him to get married? He's probably just as shock, if not more so, than the rest of us."

"True. Think I should go check on him?"

"No, he'll be okay. Lestrade is looking after him. That's who he chose as his best man, remember?

"Yeah, yeah." Mike said, waving his hand dismissively. "It's time to go, by the way. Sherlock is already gone and waiting at his side of the meadow. Are you finished in here?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Mike led me to the entrance of the field which I was using. I waited until I heard the cue from the violin music. I knew that Sherlock had asked his mother to play the songs he had written for the wedding. It wasn't commonly known that his mother was almost as good a player as his father, but Sherlock knew she would be perfect.

It was time to begin walking out. My heart was pounding.

VVVVVVVVVVVVV

Sherlock POV

When Lestrade has finally told me it was time to walk to the meadow, I suddenly had a wave of anxiety flash over me which remained until I began my walk from the entrance to the archway.

When I saw John, in his soldier's uniform, all anxiety was washed away and I knew that I would fine from here on out. I felt tears rising, but didn't dare cry in front of everyone. Of course John had seen me cry, but I would never cry in front of our guests. It was a small wedding but anyone who wasn't John was a person too many to cry in front of.

John had actually seen me cry many times. There was when Molly broke up with me... I looked over at her and she smiled warmly while holding her new boyfriend's hand. Then there was when he came home after being abducted my Sebastian Moran. To be fair, I actually hadn't cried until I saw his hands. The time after that was after Ben kissed him and I thought he was leaving me. That was the most heartbreaking moment of my life thus far. Finally, when I asked john to marry me and he said yes, I shed a few tears, of happiness, of course.

As I got closer to John then finally stood in front of him, I knew without a doubt that this is where I'm meant to be. Everything in my life seemingly led to this moment.

The music came to a halt and I turned to smile at my mother, who beamed back at me. John nodded to her before turning his attention fully on me. His eyes sparkled with half formed tears. He was stronger than me, for I had already let one fall onto my cheek.

I am unmistakably infatuated with him. My heart breathes his breath and my soul is tethered to him. There is no one else I want to love. No one else I could love. If there is someone for everything, John is for me.

I barely notice the ceremony beginning and I remain in a trance-like state for most of it until we arrive at the vows. John and I agreed to write our own. A wedding is always more special when couples write their own vows, or so he says. Of course I had to agree seeing as I've never actually been to a wedding before. He would know better than I would.

However, it took lots of research to figure out what, exactly, a vow was.

John began his with a deep breath.

"Sherlock, I never expected you to become my best friends, let alone my husband. The day you asked me to marry you, I didn't think I could be happier. However, every day since then has proved me wrong. Every moment I spend with you is better than the last and I promise to you that I will never let any harm come to you. I'll be your crying shoulder and your best friend as long as you live. I love you, Sherlock."

No, no, no...the lump in my throat rose higher and higher. I restrained my tears with all my strength. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't stand. I felt faint and I was ready to fall over but John put a hand on my arm and I couldn't help but look directly into his eyes. Big mistake. My tears started to fall as I tried desperately to remember what I was going to say.

John's grip tightened which seemed to bring me fully down to reality.

"You are perfect. Indescribable. You're the only person I can imagine myself being with and I vow to you to take care of you until your dying day. I'll never let anything bad happen to you. You've saved me from becoming a horrible person and you helped me become a better one just by being yourself. I promise to always preserve your good-natured personality. I will support you in times of need and I'll be there for you whenever you want me to be. Most of all, I promise to love you until the last breath leaves my lips and beyond that."

There were sighs from the audience so I guess I said the right words. The judge said a few more things which I barely understood and finally he 'gave us permission' to kiss each other.

I took John's face in my hands and he wrapped his arms around my back. There were rounds of applause coming at us from all angles. When we turned to our audience, I let my smile show to express how much John truly meant to me. As I rotated to look at him, I saw he wore a similar expression. My heart literally skipped a beat.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

John POV

The ceremony was followed almost immediately by dinner, which was uncommon for weddings but we didn't have far to travel from the place of the ceremony to the reception, seeing as it was just inside the country home.

The staff had set up tables around a large dance floor that was in the centre of the room...honestly, I had no idea what the dance floor was doing there in the first place but I was glad for it. The whole room was decorated beautifully with oranges and yellows and browns. All the fiery colours of fall were mixed into the room. The light from the sun created a sparkle in the banquet hall that could only be described as golden. The soft glittery sunlight was flattering to everyone, making them look heavenly.

Mike Stamford and Sherlock's mum said a few words before Lestrade closed the speeches with one of his own. They weren't long in length but each person had many nice things to say.

The dancing began soon after speech. Mrs. Holmes announced our first dance.

"Please welcome, for the first time together as a married couple, John Watson and Sherlock Holmes for their first dance."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Sherlock POV

I enjoyed dancing very much with John, but did not appreciate what came after a few more dances. The speeches John and I had to make to each other were dawning upon us now and I couldn't manage to calm myself down before stepping up to the podium with my papers.

"It's taken me much longer than it should have to write a speech on John. The problem is that I had to choose which of the many good things he is to talk about. If you asked me to talk about my favourite thing about him, I would go one for days describing in extensive detail everything he does. There is not one single thing I don't like about him and no single thing is my favourite because everything is my favourite. It breaks my heart that I should not be able to tell you exactly how I feel about john. To make you understand, you would have to feel it for yourself, but don't try on him. he's mine now."

There were laughs from our friends and family and I felt confidence sneaking up on me.

"John is my everything. He is my crying shoulder, my best friend and by some stroke of luck he is now my husband. I would like to thank my mother for raising me and ultimately leading me to become a detective, for if I hadn't, I wouldn't have met John. I would also like to thank you, Julia, for raising John the way you did and making him perfect. I'll be by your side forever, John. When you need me, you'll never have to call because I will already be solving your problems. I love you, all I want is you, John and I thank you for loving me back."

Both our faces were stained with tears, I realized, as I looked back at John and we both smiled through them.

There was no better man in the world than him and I was proud to be his husband.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

John POV

Sherlock's speech made my eyes tear up, as had many of the day's moments. I stepped up to the podium to make my own.

My throat closed when I opened my mouth to speak and no words came out. I felt overwhelmed by everything and the room felt as if it were spinning. The sun that had brought me such pleasure earlier now seemed to outline everybody's waiting glances.

Sherlock noticed my discomfort and came to wrap his fingers around mine. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and I knew in that moment what I wanted to say and none of it was on paper. With my free hand I folded my speech and put it into my pocket.

"I actually had a nice speech planned but what you all see here is what I want to talk about. What Sherlock did just now, how he took my hand and encouraged me, that's what I want to tell you about him. He is supportive without me asking him to be. He knows that I need help when I don't tell him I do. There isn't one thing I would change about you. If all you want is me then I'll give you nothing less. There isn't a soul in this entire room who would disagree with me after what they saw today. Everyone who knows us knows that we can't be the same without each other. I live for you Sherlock. Being picked on in school, years of painful heartbreaks because I was with the wrong person, getting shot in Afghanistan...it was all for you. It was worth the wounds, both mental and physical to be here today and to get a glimpse of you great heart instead of your great brain. I know without a doubt that that heart now belongs to me as mine does to you, ever and always. There is no question that we will be together until our final day. One might go so far as to call our love everlasting."

VVVVVVVVVVV

THUS CONCLUDING "EVERLASTING"

Thanks for reading to everyone! I LOVE you all and im so fortunate to have such a dedicated fanbase! ;)

Please review my final chapter!

I cannot thank all of you enough for your reviews so far and I hope that you will continue to follow my other stories when I so chose to write a new one...which might be sooner than later as I have had MANY ideas as of late.

Thanks again to EVERYONE!

Very sincerely yours,

Myelle White xx