AN. Well, we have finally reached the end of the line with this story. It has been an absolute pleasure, and I hope you all enjoy the epilogue. Thank you all for being such lovely readers, and so very supportive with this story :-)

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How could I forget - Epilogue

"Ladies and gentlemen" he tapped a champagne flute with his spoon as the guests around the room sat to attention. He cleared his throat and continued confidently. "For those of you who don't already know me, my name is Chris Adams, and I'm the best man at this beautiful wedding." Scattered applause rang out as he began his introductions.

"It's an absolute pleasure to see you all here today, and may I thank you all on behalf of the bride and groom for joining us on this wonderful day. Frankly, I'm amazed that Charles let me anywhere near this job after the last time!"

"Anyway-" he cleared his throat, as Charles shook his head in mock horror at the mention of his first wedding. "-You'll be glad to hear that my best man's speech today will be much like a mini-skirt. Long enough to cover the essentials, but definitely short enough to hold your attention!" The guests chuckled as he paused. "Rest assured that, unlike most traditional best man speeches, which are full of sexual innuendo, I've promised both Charles and Molly that if there is anything even slightly risqué, I'll whip it out immediately." The chuckles increased as he continued to joke.

"No, seriously, I'm going to try my very hardest to keep this toast exactly like the new Mrs James." He looked at Molly. "Short and not very funny!" He raised a glass, grinning at the bride as the audience voiced a few heckles, and she stuck her tongue out at him jokingly. She was soon distracted by a brief, tender kiss on the lips from her new husband, and Chris took the opportunity to continue.

"So. My best mate has gotten married, and I have to give a speech. Now, what can you say about a man who is quickly rising to the very top of his profession based solely on intelligence, grit, and the willpower to push on where others might fail? A man who is beginning to distinguish himself amongst his peers and where no‐one can say a bad word against him? A man who is so unbearably handsome that it's quite unfair on the rest of mankind." He raised a glass to the groom.

"Anyway... that's enough about me. I'm here to talk about Charles." There were more laughs and whoops as he hammed it up for the crowd and Charles groaned from his place at the top table, shaking his head again.

"I digress. Now that I've taken the piss out of them both, I can get straight to the point. The first time Charles and Molly ever laid eyes on each other, was just over three years ago, on a dancefloor, of all places."

"Oh. Shit-" he looked over at the table where Lieutenant Colonel Beck had been seated with his wife, his eyebrows raised in complete and utter surprise, whilst Charles and Molly both groaned in unison. "Didn't think this part through", he muttered under his breath. "-Sir, you'll probably want to shut your ears for this part of the story.." he continued as the guests awaited the remainder of his tale.

"Anyway. Charles and I were out on a double date with a couple of ladies. Not with the new Mrs James, I might add!"

This time it was Molly's turn to raise her eyebrows in surprise as she turned and looked directly at Charles.

Oh god. Why did he make Chris his best man again? He should have learned from the last time.

The guests howled with laughter as Chris picked up on the look passing between the newlyweds and pointed out "Don't worry Dawes, it was my unwavering charm that these ladies were interested in!"

"We were on the double date, Charles was completely disinterested by the whole thing, quite embarrassing really, when suddenly, he started acting as if he'd been struck by lightning. He stared and stared into the distance. His mouth was hanging open like an idiot. I was beginning to think he'd had a stroke or something." Chuckles broke out around the room at the description.

"When I finally turned around, I realised just who he was staring at. Molly Dawes. And when we got a little nearer, she had exactly the same foolish, spaced out look on her face as she looked at Charles! It was clearly meant to be!" The guests let out an "awww" as Chris continued to recount his tale.

"Of course, things didn't run smoothly from then on. They somehow managed to lose each other that night.." Charles raised his eyebrows at Chris, remembering exactly why he had lost Molly; he had been too distracted rescuing his friend from a fight. Needless to say that part of the story had been omitted from the speech.

"The poor sod pined after her for 6 months without knowing her name and no way of finding her; it was quite unbearable really!" More "awws" emerged from the crowd, mainly from the women in attendance. Charles' cheeks tinged with pink as Molly kissed him briefly on the lips before turning her attention back to Chris.

"He headed off on a tour of Afghan, ready to get his head back together, and stop being such a bloody idiot, when, completely by chance, a stroke of luck, his mystery girl turned up on tour in Afghanistan with him."

"Again, close your ears Sir" he aimed at Beck, who spluttered, and looked as though he might turn purple. Mrs Beck was chuckling knowingly at his side. "Despite all of the hiccups that it took for the two of them to finally get their act together, and believe me, there were plenty, they finally ended up exactly where they both belonged. These are my two favourite people in the whole world. And they are absolutely perfect for each other." The guests applauded the sentiment, and he waited for it to die down before continuing.

"-As Charles' best friend, I've seen him go through the hardest of times, and the best of times. Those best of times have only ever been when Molly has been by his side. Without a doubt, him meeting and falling in love with the new Mrs James, was one of the smartest decisions he's ever made." Molly teared up and beamed at Chris until he inevitably ruined the moment. "It's second only, to choosing me as a best mate."

"Now, as a man who will drink to absolutely anything, it gives me immense pleasure to invite you all to be upstanding, raise your glasses and join me in a toast to my very best friend and his very beautiful new wife - because I think they were made for each other." He raised his glass in the air, gesturing towards the happy couple.

"Charles and Molly!" He raised his glass in a toast, as the remainder of the guests followed his lead.

"Charles and Molly" they chorused.

The newlyweds took a brief minute to study each other, Charles caressing Molly's cheek and bringing his lips to hers for a lingering kiss as the room toasted them.

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Later in the evening, the guests swirled around the dancefloor, enjoying what was left of the day. Chris had been correct in his speech; it was a truly beautiful wedding.

He took a moment to take in his surroundings as he surveyed the room. His mother was being whirled round the dancefloor enthusiastically by his new father-in-law. Dave had been one of the most vocal supporters of the wedding arrangements as soon as he realised he didn't have to contribute to the bill, despite his role as father of the bride. He had enjoyed the free bar a little too much, and spun Annabel around the dance floor, his mother giggling in response.

In the meantime, Belinda Dawes was being led onto the floor by Chris, an all-knowing, predatory look gleaming in his eyes as Belinda laughed at his jokes. Charles raised an eyebrow at his best man warningly, knowing he would have to keep an eye on that particular situation.

Sam was also weaving in and out of the crowd, being tailed by Molly's siblings as they played chase, and he completed the obstacle course by racing her brother Josh, both on their knees, to slide across the polished dance floor.

He sighed happily for a moment. The day had gone completely to plan; it had been perfect. He was torn from his observations by Molly approaching. She looked as stunning as the very first time he laid eyes on her, if not more so. Her hair cascaded in thick loose waves around her shoulders, and she wore a fitted, A line gown, with a high waist. It was so very Molly. She had shunned the 'big meringues' as she had called them, for a more simple dress, which suited her down to the ground.

As she walked towards him, he had a sudden sense of déjà vu, an uncanny flashback to the moment they first laid eyes on each other, when he had stared at her from afar, taking in every single bit of her beauty, and locking it away in his brain without her knowledge. She continued to recreate his memories of that night as she walked towards him, leaving him gaping at the effect she continued to have on him.

She made her way over to him, their eye contact never faltering as she moved, when all of a sudden, she had closed the gap between them. She stood in front of him, grinning at the adoring look on his face.

"Hi" he breathed, his tone low and husky.

"Hi" she responded, beaming at him happily.

Unlike their first meeting, there was no awkwardness, although they still couldn't stop staring at each other. Recreating her first ever moment of body contact with him, all those years ago, Molly grabbed his hand, and led him toward the dance floor. His head spun with the memories, as the flashback played out in his head at the exact same time as they moved now, totally in sync with the memory.

She let go of his hand, turning round to face him. He looked down as she weaved her arms round his neck, both swaying in time to the music. He placed his hands on her hips, pulling her even closer to him and taking care to close any tiny gap of space between them as their moulded bodies moved in perfect time to the rhythm of the song.

She had changed his life that night, and she had continued to do so for as long as he had known her. She watched his thoughtful face closely as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the memory, and the recreation of it right now.

His hands moved round to her back, one hand weaving its way through her long hair, and the other resting at the base of her spine. He rubbed it gently with his fingers as they moved together.

"What are you thinking about?" She wondered at the marvelling expression on his face.

"This. It's exactly the same moment as the first time we met, the first dance we ever had. I danced with you before I even knew your name." He reminisced once more.

Her eyes lit up at the memory. He was right.

"Well let's just hope you don't lose me this time" she joked, one eyebrow raised.

He smiled, holding her close in his arms as he whispered, "I didn't lose you that night. It was just the first step in finding you."

"You're so cheesy!" she joked, before adding her next point. "You know" she ventured mischievously, "there is one big difference to the first time we met." He looked at her, mystified.

"I haven't had one single drink." She whispered in his ear, referring to their secret. It was only for their ears, a private secret, one which held so much joy. They weren't ready to share that one with anybody else. Not yet. He placed a tender hand on her abdomen, beaming with happiness.

Another thought occurred to Molly. "Although. If you are trying to recreate that moment, then you know what you need to do now, don't you?" She teased him as they moved in time to the music, looking at him with lust in her eyes.

"You, Mrs James, are a tease."

She grinned. "Only to my husband. You gonna hurry up and kiss me then, or do I need to snog you myself?"

He returned the grin and continued to recreate the moment, the memory coming back to him full force as he played it out for her.

His hand moved from her hair to her face, caressing the smooth skin on her face as he studied those green eyes, heavy with what he recognised as lust. He lowered his mouth to hers as they continued to move.

She hungrily accepted him as she deepened the kiss, drawing his tongue firmly into her mouth as she continued to hold her arms at the back of his neck, playing with the fine hairs on the nape of his neck.

Suddenly, the sound of smashing glass broke the moment as the music stopped. The moment had passed and they pulled apart, chests heaving with breathlessness, still staring at each other.

Another bang came from the commotion in the corner.

Neither had to turn around. They knew exactly what had happened.

"Chris!" they groaned in unison, as they both turned around to the prospect of Chris being set upon by none other than Dave Dawes.

The memory was complete, all factors restored. Only this time, there would be no losing each other.

Mr and Mrs James were together.

Forever.