A Rose By Any Other Name | Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 12

"Your dress looks great, and you," Aryn commented, putting the finishing touches on her sister's hair, "are a beautiful bride."

They were sitting in her sister's room getting ready for her wedding. They were hosting it at their mother's house, a beautiful two story home with a large, spacious back yard. Numerous flowers graced its grounds and great trees provided the perfect amount of shade and light to have a wonderful gathering with friends and family.

"Aryn, I don't know what I would have done without you," Amy whispered, tears welling in her eyes. She stood up and looked at herself in the full length mirror once more. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face her sister. "I can't believe this is really happening!" The tears faded and a large smile spread across her face.

The smile was infectious, Aryn's face mirroring her sister's.

"Now, we need to talk about you for a minute. Sit, sit, sit," Amy ordered, gesturing towards the seat she was just in.

Aryn rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down, now looking at herself in the mirror. Her light blue dress matched her sister's bouquet that was on the table next to her. Her hair was curled and put up with a million and one Bobbi pins and her make-up was simple. It was the nicest she had made up herself since the night she had last seen Sherlock. It was a thought she didn't want to bring back to mind, but after looking at herself in the mirror, the memories pushed through.

"I know that since you're my maid of honor, and very single, you're most likely going to meet a lot of guys tonight."

"A lot of drunk guys," Aryn added. "I'm not going to be looking for a boyfriend tonight, Amy. It's just not happening."

"Can you at least get laid or something then?" Amy teased.

Aryn turned around and glared at her sister briefly before bringing her attention back to the mirror in front of her. "I'm not that shallow. I'll find love when I find it. This is not the time or place for it."

"Then can you, at the very least, take that ring off of your finger? I can guarantee that it's a deterrent to any many wanting to even think about a relationship with you."

Aryn looked down at the silver band she had received years ago. She twisted it around her finger as she sat in silence following her sister's comment.

Amy stared at her sister in the mirror and watched her actions. "Aryn, you need to move on."

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It was the last time her sister had mentioned the subject. It was touchy and neither one wanted to risk a huge fight over it. Part of Aryn had wondered what would have happened that night had she taken off the band. There was no doubting that her brother-in-law's best man was the cutest guy in the wedding party, but the alcohol turned him into one of the rudest people Aryn had ever met. She remembered leaving the reception early, in fact. It wasn't worth the headache of trying to deter guys from "cheating" on her husband or dealing with her sister's drunk husband.

Aryn was lost in her thoughts after her captor had left her alone once more. The minutes felt like hours. All she knew was that the longer she waited there on the ground, the closer she was getting to her demise. She was finally able to turn herself over completely on her back so that she was staring up at the ceiling. Every part of her body ached in one way or another, and it was excruciating.

She had to keep reassuring herself that Sherlock would come for her. That hope, though, was starting to fade. The words her captor had placed in her mind were eating away at her thoughts. It was a horrible feeling: losing hope in the one person that could save her.