I'm so sorry this has taken so long... I hope this chapter will be somewhat enjoyable for the long wait you've had to endure.

If you're still here, patiently waiting and reading, thank you.

To You, I Pledge

It was the day before their wedding when Ema had a thought. Klavier and she had been eating, looking over the details of his suit when she (horror-struck) said, "The press is going to be there…."

Klavier had given her a long, assessing look. "Just the one we sold the rights to," he said. "If you do not want them present, I can—"

She quickly shook her head even though the thought had her stomach into knots. "I was just thinking… Won't it seem strange to them if we don't have our own vows?" She bit her lip nervously as she had taken to doing in the last few days. "They think we're in love…"

"Yes," he said calmly, reaching over to brush his thumb over her cheek. "But I have done enough damage and taken enough from you, Ema. I will not ask you to—"

Ema hadn't even flinched at his caress, having gotten used to it. "Oh shut up, fop," she said somewhat playfully and grabbed some cards and a pen. "I'm sure we can find a few good things to say about each other."

"Ema, I must insist—" he started to protest but she cut him off.

"Klavier, maybe this isn't the most conventional marriage and we're not doing it for the right reasons but everyone is going to be watching so let's at least do it right. I'm not saying we need to write a lot – something small will do."

He stared at her, his gaze assessing again, as if he was trying to figure out if she was being honest but Ema just flicked him on the nose.

"My only stipulation is it's got to be honest! So no flowery words and passionate declarations of love. I don't want to laugh in your face."

That made him chuckle and he nodded, taking a few cards from her and pulling out his own pen. "Very well. I have a stipulation of my own."

"No, you're not allowed to make dirty comments either," she said loudly before he had a chance to say more.

"I am capable of being a gentleman," he said with some amusement, casting her a glance. "I was just going to say, we are not to look at one another's vows."

"Oh." She was surprised by this request though she didn't see anything wrong with it. "All right then. Wait, I have one more question," she said, looking at him with a frown. "The journalist I spoke to… Won't she know we're—?"

"No, she will not," he said patting her hand. "Deston took care of it."

"You threatened to sue her out of everything she has, didn't you?"

Klavier flashed her a grin. "Perhaps."

Ema shook her head but didn't really have any sympathy for the woman just as she didn't have any for herself. She turned to her cards, concentrating on the new task at hand.

Beside her, Klavier rapped his pen on the cards for a moment then interrupted her. "Ema, I want to say something."

She was already scribbling out something she had written and wondering if Lana would help her, so she failed to notice the tone of his voice. "Save it, fop, I don't want to hear another apology or commentary on your suit."

Klavier leaned over and turned her face to look at him. His expression made her pause and she stopped writing to focus on him. "What's up, Klavier?"

"What I said about no divorce…" He stared intently into her eyes and he almost seemed upset. "I want you to know that after some time, you are welcome to leave me. I will not force you to remain attached to me."

Ema bit her lip again. "Thank you," she said softly. "But the media—"

"To hell with the press," he said fiercely, surprising her. "Ema, if you want to go, I would ensure you could. I would do it now, but you would be targeted too. Maybe after some time, we can arrange for the press to learn I have cheated on you? Although… I would never want the world to think you… Maybe I can show them how amazing you are, this way when—"

"Stop," she commanded, gripping his arm and shaking her head. "No way in hell am I going to be responsible for more bad press about you, okay? Let's just take it one step at a time." Klavier nodded, but she could see the gears still turning and felt a stirring of unease. "If you want to leave, we can arrange something a little more dignified than infidelity—"

"I will never leave you," he said matter-of-factly, cutting her off so abruptly that she was taken aback. "Ema, aside from the fact that you I have got you into this mess in a moment of madness, there is no one else who could possibly make this marriage more fun."

Ema laughed at that, picking up a few Snackoos she had lobbed at him earlier and throwing them in his face again. "Fop."

"Mrs Fop," he said with a smirk.

She couldn't help it — even though she hit him (because their relationship dictated she had to), Ema grinned.

.'.

"Ema! It's almost eight o'clock! Get up!"

She was jerked out of sleep by Lana scolding her and she heard something heavy fall on the bed. "What?" she mumbled sleepily.

"What the hell is this?" Raina's voice joined in. "I told you not to stay up late! You needed all the rest you could get for today!"

Those words jolted her right out of her slumber and her eyes flew open.

Today. She was getting married today.

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped, sitting upright with a face filled with so much panic that Lana looked alarmed. "I'm getting married today."

"How deeply were you sleeping?" Raina said exasperatedly.

Ema stared at the two women standing beside her bed, one looking annoyed that she had not followed every order and the other looking at her with sisterly concern. It seemed Lana didn't believe that she was simply having some pre-wedding jitters because she turned to Raina and said, "I need a few moments with Ema, please."

"But—"

"That wasn't a request," Lana said in a firm voice.

Instead of looking offended, Raina nodded. "I'll get you breakfast," she said as she headed for the door. "And you will eat it."

Lana waited until the door had closed and then she sat down beside Ema, her brow furrowed. "Ema, I know you said you li—"

Ema wasn't listening. "Do I have any zits?" she demanded as she scrambled out of bed, touching her skin.

Lana paused, bewildered. "You haven't had a zit since you were 16, Em."

"Yes, but it would be just my luck if I broke out on my wedding day. How're my eyes? I didn't sleep enough, do I have eyebags?" It seemed like it was too much for the younger Skye to wait for an answer as she was already racing over to the mirror, examining herself.

Lana blinked at the space her sister had just vacated then turned to look at Ema. "I've never seen you so concerned with your appearance before..."

"I am getting married and it's going to be in the press!" Ema squealed with a little panic, turning to look at with Lana with a terrified expression. "Oh my God Lana, what if I make a fool of myself? What if I mess up my vows or I forget to do something? Everyone's going to be watching and I—"

"Ema," Lana said sternly, walking to her and gripping her by the arms. "Calm down. You're panicking."

"Of course I'm panicking!" Ema pressed her hands to her cheeks, the full weight of her situation falling on her; she was getting married. She was no longer going to be single – every time she filled in a form she would have to state she was married, she was going to be a Mrs and she was going to have to include Klavier in her decisions and—

"Come in, Klavier. I think you're just who she needs to speak to."

Ema's head whipped around and realised that the groom was standing in the doorway and she hadn't even noticed until her sister was mentioning his name. Klavier looked infuriatingly calm (how did he do that?) and he was smiling understandingly at Ema in a way that told her he knew exactly how scared she was.

"Would you mind if I speak to Ema a moment?" he asked Lana who smiled and shook her head.

"I'll go help Raina with breakfast. See if you can't calm her down, would you?"

Ema thought she would panic at being left alone with Klavier but somehow, the moment Lana closed the door shut behind her, she relaxed. The tense muscles in her body eased and she exhaled slowly, looking up at Klavier who was smiling. "Breathe, Ema."

Surprisingly, she found it easy to follow his instructions and took a deep breath before releasing it slowly, slumping against him slightly. "I'm so sorry," she whimpered, taking him aback.

"You're sorry?" Klavier echoed, pulling back so he could cup her chin, tilting her head back to look into her eyes and she could see that he was confused.

"I did this… I did this by opening my big mouth because of my insecurities! I thought you were making fun of me, telling everyone we kissed, and I thought that I'd become the laughing stock of the department for trying to get with someone so obviously out of my league and then I decided to make you feel the same by going to that damn reporter and—"

"Ema."

She heard the stern tone of his voice and flinched but because he was still forcing her to look at him, she could see him shaking his head, a sad expression in his eyes. He held her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing the soft skin under her eyes. For a long moment he said nothing, his blue eyes boring into hers with a warmth she hadn't expected, especially in light of her rant, but then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"That wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault," he said quietly. "Whatever your reasons were for what you did, it does not matter. We agreed to exonerate one another of those mistakes, remember?"

He was right – they had both agreed to start over but the fact that he was willing to actually follow through only intensified her guilt. They had both made some pretty big mistakes but how many people were actually able to forgive one another for something like that? She had a chance here to make a fresh start with him and even though this was not a love marriage, the time they had spent together had taught Ema that she and Klavier were suited in many ways she hadn't anticipated. She had never realised that he understood her better than most people, more than he should considering she had never really opened up to him. Klavier had been reading between the lines from day one – it was Ema who had failed to understand him.

But that was going to change - she was adamant that she would put in the effort. She didn't know if she would make a good partner but she sure as hell was going to try.

"Okay," she said with a deep breath. "New beginnings… Clean slate, ja?"

Klavier laughed and nodded. "Ja."

But the worries hadn't completely dissipated. "…what if I make a fool of myself today?" she burst out suddenly which made Klavier laugh.

"What you consider foolish is only adorable in my eyes," he said with a smile, wrapping an arm around her waist and instead of recoiling from him like she normally did, Ema only felt the stress ebb from her muscles. She wasn't sure how he was doing it but his reassurances were certainly working.

"You're not the only one at the wedding," she pointed out with some residual anxiety in her eyes. "Maybe we should have had more than just one rehearsal and—"

"Ema," he said brushing back her hair. "You will be fine, I promise. Stop worrying. And if anything did happen that you didn't want getting out, then I will guarantee that it does not. All right?"

Ema blinked apprehensively as he talked but at his promise, she nodded and looked away, a slight pout developing on her lips. But then another thought came to her mind and her head whipped back to him, her eyes widening. "Wait, what about a pre-nup?"

Klavier raised an eyebrow. "A pre-nup?"

"Well, we've been talking about a divorce down the line, don't you want to protect yourself with a pre-nup?" She put a hand to her mouth, shocked that she hadn't thought of it before. "Oh my God, why didn't we think of this before?"

Klavier didn't look the least bit nervous at this which suggested to her that he had thought of it even if she had not. His mouth was twitching at the corners. "Do I need protection from you, mein liebling?"

"Uh…" Ema's breath hitched slightly at the way he was looking at her – she recognised that expression. He couldn't kiss her now! She hadn't even had a chance to brush her teeth!

Wait… That was her concern?

Klavier wasn't deterred and his fingers slid into her hair, grinning devilishly as he stared deep into her eyes again. He held her in place as he leaned in, his breath now washing over her lips. "I do not need a pre-nup, Ema."

"Y-You don't?" she stammered. Her body was growing hot and she wanted to both slap him for teasing her like this and kiss him to end this anticipation.

"Nope." He seemed to understand where her thoughts were because he dropped a feather-light kiss on her lips and rubbed his nose with hers. "One night in my bed and you will never even think of divorce again."

And just like that, the spell was broken. Well, at least Ema liked to think it was that swift. Truthfully, his kiss had temporarily muddled her mind, her eyes fluttered closed, her arms were even going around him – but then her brain finally registered what he was saying.

"You fop!" she snapped, smacking him away and knew immediately that he had been counting on this reaction because he was already laughing, ducking some swipes at his head. "Every time I think there's something redeemable about you, you go and open that dirty mouth of yours—"

"You were just kissing this dirty mouth," he teased.

"I was not. You were—"

"I felt your breathing change," he said and Ema had just become aware that he was still holding her wrist, slowly eliminating the distance between them. "It is still uneven."

"That's because I'm telling you off!"

"I see your chest rising and falling a little faster…" He slid his hand up her arm to her elbow which it soon abandoned for her waist, pulling again until she was standing in the circle of his arms. "In fact, I am willing to bet that if I put my ear to it, your heart would be racing – and it would have nothing to do with your irritation at me."

"Oh let me guess, it's because you're such a stud," Ema snorted, trying to keep the conversation playful as opposed to what it was in danger of becoming. She was trying to ignore the way her nerves were starting to burn or the way her heart was pounding in her ears.

Klavier seemed to know that answering her here would ruin the mood (or at least dispel the building sexual tension) because instead he just grinned down at her, the devil in his eyes, and took advantage of it. He dipped his head, his tongue flicking at her lips and Ema's mouth was parting under his, allowing it to slip inside and brush against hers. She was not ready for the pulsing heat that unfurled inside her or the tingling that spread to the tips of her fingers and toes.

There was something different about this – when she had kissed him before, it had been gentle and warm but this… this was hot and needy and trickling with desire. Suddenly she didn't know her own body, it was no longer under her control; her hands slid up into his hair and clenched it, tugging it while her body gravitated towards him, removing the remaining space between them. She pushed herself up on her toes, needing as much of this passionate kiss as he was willing to give. It was as if all of her senses had increased tenfold; the sheer masculinity of him seemed to overwhelm her. It wasn't that she hadn't known he was a man but in this moment, everything in her was noticing the little things about him that made him so distinctly male: the morning stubble that scratched her skin, the spicy cologne that filled her nose, his fingers on the bare skin of her back and she could feel the calluses of his musician's fingers. He seemed to be strumming all the right strings in her, bringing to life something she thought she had never had.

She had no insecurities about whether she was affecting him the same way; he pushed her against the wall and his hands slid around her hips, cupping her bottom so he could lift her up. Ema gasped when he pressed himself into the cradle of her legs and she felt the proof of his desire – a raw, husky groan escaped him when he rubbed against her, trying to find some relief. His fingers were digging into her thighs as he guided them around him and his chest felt rock hard against her sensitive chest.

She wasn't repulsed by him for once – in fact, she was surprised by just how good he felt, how good he smelt, how good he tasted – but she couldn't let this carry on. With her hands on his abs, she pressed firmly. "Klavier," she whispered shakily, breaking the kiss.

Klavier was panting for air and just pressed his forehead to hers. "Ema," was all he could murmur.

"I'm… This is moving too fast…"

For a moment he didn't say anything and she was worried he hadn't heard her or that he was displeased; he was still stroking her thigh and leaning in but then his lips pressed to her temple in a soft kiss. "I know," he said breathlessly. "We will take as much time as you need."

She felt a wave of relief and was spared the awkwardness of asking him to let her down when Klavier lowered her. He cupped her face again, thumbing her cheeks once more and smiled. "Thank you for trusting me enough to speak your mind," he said quietly after a long moment, his breathing still a little unsteady. "Now, are you ready to let Raina and Lana back in? Or would you prefer that I remove Raina from your morning? I know she can be quite the handful."

His request was so unexpected that it took her a moment to process it and then a question occurred to her. She stared at him a moment, her hands in the crook of his elbows. "Did you come in to check on me?" she asked curiously.

He shrugged as if it had crossed his mind but now she was even more certain that she was right. "I know you are a private person and this wedding is probably your personal nightmare."

Ema leaned back to make better eye contact with him. "What makes you say that?"

Klavier smiled. "Aside from the fact that you are reclusive? I've seen how you act around the press. And, of course, you've been avoiding Alex like the plague—"

"Who?"

"Alex, our wedding planner," he reminded her with an amused but satisfied expression that said she had just proven his point for him.

"I have not been avoiding her!"

"You met him—" Klavier was holding back laughter "—once. When you chose your wedding dress."

"I meant him," Ema said with a roll of her eyes. "But the way he acts, I'm not sure it makes much of a differ—"

"It does to some people," he interrupted and Ema realised he was right and she was probably being rude. "In any case, your behaviour in general has told me this is a day you've been dreading. So yes, I wanted to check on you before I go meet the boys and to ask you if you would prefer if only Lana was here to help you out."

Ema's instinct was to ask him to take away Raina (whose wedding fever was fatiguing and today of all days might be a bit too much) but something stopped her: Raina was the only one who knew what the situation really was while her sister was oblivious. With Lana she had to pretend this was the happiest day of her life. Sure, she and Klavier were moving forward and though she would need a bit of time to process what had just happened between them, she knew that there was some physical attraction that lingered – neither of these qualified this day as the happiest of her life.

"I'll be fine," she said with a nod. "I suppose I'll see you at the… the altar."

Klavier smiled as she gulped at those words. "You can see me before, Ema. This is no conventional wedding so I don't think it matters if I see you in your wedding dress or not. I will have my phone with me so I will be just one message or phone call away."

Ema smiled with some gratitude, surprised at the way that promise comforted her. She nodded in thanks and took a deep breath. "All right… Guess we better get on."

Klavier kissed her temple then took several steps backwards, his eyebrows wiggling at her; this would have once annoyed her to no end but now made her laugh.

Had it really only been a few weeks since this whole mess had started?

.'.

"There are so many things about you that I love: you are intelligent and beautiful. You're dedicated and fierce. You have a hair-trigger temper and you don't have time for any of my foppish nonsense. You are unlike anyone else I have ever met and I could list all the ways that you are special… But that's not why I am standing here today."

The wedding was beautiful. Alex the wedding planner had found them a beautiful venue – the glass walls gave them the perfect view of bright greens enshrouding the wedding party which consisted of several hundred guests. In the evening, oversized chandeliers lit up the cascading cluster of dahlias draped on the décor and in one corner, an elegant booth had been set up which blended in nicely with the party but was the perfect backdrop for pictures (of which there were many).

"On the worst day of my life, when my faith was gone and I wanted nothing but to be alone, when I rejected the company of even my closest friends… you came and planted yourself beside me. You did not touch me, you didn't speak. I don't remember how long you sat with me but each moment reinforced me with strength I thought I had lost. Your mere presence restored my belief when I thought it had been murdered. You made me fight through the haze of confusion. And then, my little Snackoo-munching detective, you left me again never realising that with your simple act of kindness, you had given me back everything."

Her dress was stunning – she hadn't realised how beautiful it was until Lana and Raina were helping her into it. It hugged her curves in a way that made her look and feel like a goddess – she shouldn't have been surprised; it was custom made for her. When she walked down the aisle she had heard the gasps of the guests and even seen some of their expressions reflected in the water that separated the aisle from the rows of guests watching her. She was eternally grateful for this feature which, quite aside from being striking under the lights, gave her adequate distance from these spectators.

"It is because of that day that I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I, Klavier Gavin, will love you when you throw Snackoos at me, catch you when you fall, hold you when you cry, and when you laugh, I will share in your joy. To you, I pledge everything that I am and everything I have, from this moment until the end."

When she came to a stop beside Klavier under the arch of roses, she thought that she would faint or do any one of the hundred things that she had had nightmares about for the last few days. Lana gently freed her hands of the bouquet and soon Klavier's hands were in hers and she looked at him and then all of her worries were gone. She felt a warmth fall over her and she forgot what they were doing, why they were doing it – he was her friend, who was staring at her with comfort and reassurance and she knew, even without the vows that followed, that she was in good hands.

.'.

"I find it hard to trust people. When I was assigned as a detective my only consolation was that I'd be working with Mr Edgeworth – someone I already knew and was comfortable with. You can't imagine my shock when I looked in his old office and found it covered with guitars, screens and littered with documents. You were my worst nightmare."

He had never been the most patient of men. Always, he wanted to be ten steps ahead – it was how he had become a prosecutor and rock sensation by the age of 17. He had always wanted more and this thirst had driven him, given him more energy than most people. But today, he didn't want to hurry. He didn't want to rush to the altar and get the marriage over and done with. He was the calmest groom the world had ever seen – he noticed every petal that floated in the air and on the water. He complimented the guests and took pictures. All the while, he waited for his bride, wondering how she would look, and how she was feeling. Not once did it cross his mind that she might leave him at the altar. After that morning, he knew she would be there.

"Everyone told me it couldn't be that bad and that it would get better. You're a perfectionist and hearing you complain about something being out of place when I knew the state of your office… Well, it was enough to make me want to strangle you. But then I started noticing things… like the difficult decisions you made behind closed doors where there was nobody else around to see your hard work, your integrity, your absolute devotion to the law. Failing to get in Forensics derailed me – I had lost sight of what I had set out to do: capture criminals. But you reminded me. You showed me I could still do that. And suddenly, I knew I could trust you."

He had never seen anyone more beautiful than the bride – his bride – walking down the aisle towards him. So this is what people meant when they said 'she took my breath away'? Because in that moment, she had rendered him breathless. All his doubts were gone and he knew this was right; he had gone about this the wrong way, he had forced this situation out of anger, but he knew in this moment that there was no other woman he wanted or could ever want more than Ema. She was perfect for him – and he would spend the rest of his life convincing her he was perfect for her.

"I owe you more than I could have imagined and I, Ema Skye, promise to share with you all things so that we can serve each other and our fellow humanity. To you, I pledge to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share in the silence when they are not."

She had chosen her words as carefully as he but he was more moved by this than any declaration of love she could have given him. She was shaking, she was anxious, but he could see the realness of each word she spoke. His heart raced at her confession even as calmness covered him.

And when he lifted her veil to kiss her, Klavier knew he had found home.

.'.

It was safe to say that the bride and groom both had fun trying to cut the five-tier cake that had been arranged under a beautiful, celebrity-worthy altar of florals. Ema and Klavier agreed it was ironic for them both to be snapped with the cake, holding a large knife together.

"I feel like Bonnie and Clyde instead of a detective and prosecutor," she said with a scoff which made Klavier laugh. The guests and photographers were going crazy at this, enjoying the obvious camaraderie the 'happy couple' were displaying.

"If that is where your mind goes when you hold a knife, remind me to hide all the sharp things when we get home," he said with a smirk.

Ema felt her heart skip a beat when he referred to the penthouse as their home. She had been living there for a few weeks now but she hadn't exactly thought of it as home even though she had known the day she moved in that this was the case. The fact that she been moved there under duress had made her stubborn about accepting the new living arrangements but since she had reached an understanding with him, Ema had been warming up to the place. Klavier had offered to move after the wedding so that they could have a fresh beginning but she had reassured him that she didn't need a new environment. What they had both done wasn't caused by their residence and wasn't attached to it.

They would return there tonight – Klavier was caught up in a case that he couldn't get out of so they had agreed to go on a honeymoon ('for appearances sake') a week later by which time Klavier was certain he would be done. They had a week to decide where they wanted to go and he insisted that it would be wherever she wanted. "Consider it my apology gift," he had told her.

"I'm quite tempted to stab you with this," she said now, giving him a deadpan look. "Think I could get away with it since it's my wedding day?"

Klavier glanced her with whimsical amusement. "What did I do now?"

"I thought we agreed to be honest in our vows," she pointed out. She knew she was stepping in it but she felt the sooner they cleared this up (she wanted an opportunity to explain her own), the sooner they could prevent any misunderstandings.

"I know we did," he said but the tone of his voice made it clear he knew where she was taking this. Ema looked up at him but he was posing for and focusing on the cameras which continued to flash at them. "Smile and eyes ahead, mein liebling."

Ema looked ahead again, giving them her best smile but all she could see was the look of reservation she had just glimpsed in his eyes. "'I, Klavier Gavin, will love you…'?" she repeated questioningly.

He didn't immediately answer. His thumb brushed over her knuckles and finally Alex motioned to the cake and Klavier gently guided her, being patient as she adjusted her dress so they were in the right position.

"And I will," he said quietly, as they cut into the cake together, slicing a small piece. The applause from the onlookers gave them the opportunity to continue their quiet conversation. "There are many kinds of love, Ema. Nobody can accuse me of lying if I say I love you."

She couldn't respond to him because soon he had taken a small piece of the cake between his fingers and was holding it to her lips. "I meant every word I said. You are one of the best friends I have ever had."

Ema was grateful that she was biting into the cake because she wasn't sure what she was feeling at his confession except that they were positive emotions. She used the moment of having to cut a piece of the cake to gather her thoughts so that she could say what she needed to express her thoughts – which wasn't much in the end. "Me too, Klavier."

.'.

Klavier had been cursed with the misfortune of having three Gavinners to choose a best man from and had told them to draw straws. To his great relief, it had been Seren who had won that particular draw and his best man speech had been perfect, even lending credence to their vows by pointing out how perfectly they complimented each other. Lana, as maid of honour, had followed up with a similar comment about how she had attended many weddings and never had she heard such 'heartfelt and unique vows.' Following this, however, he quickly realised how much of an impact their nuptials had on the wedding party as their guests kept commenting on their 'beautiful words' and Alex had told them there hadn't been a 'dry eye in the house.'

Both had found this highly amusing and had been snapped several times laughing together over the irony. For an event that had been planned in anger and strife, Klavier had never enjoyed something more and he was confident that Ema felt the same way. He complimented Alex on his choice of wedding dress – he had a feeling if it hadn't been as simple and light as it was, Ema might not have been in such high spirits. He kept her by his side the entire time leading up to the dance (for which all three of the Gavinners had been the natural choice) and jealously guarded her after; he didn't want her being hounded by the attending press without being by her side to protect her. He felt responsible for her, but even more so now, he felt protective of her as his wife. He would always take care of her and right now, his primary goal was to shield her from all the media attention he could.

His next goal? Make her fall in love with him. That couldn't be too hard, could it? He couldn't forget the things she had confessed, things he knew he would never have heard otherwise. It made him wonder what other thoughts she was trying to hide under all that delightfully obnoxious exterior.

He looked at her sideways now, his arm around her as they listened to a famous model (whose name Klavier couldn't recall) gush over how cute they were. He could see from the slightly glassy look of her eyes that she was bored with this woman and had zoned out.

"Oh, he forced me into it."

That caught his attention and made him focus on the conversation: Ema (who was obviously paying more attention than he had originally thought) was staring up at him with a pout before looking back at the model who giggled. "I can't imagine Klavier ever having to force anyone into anything," she said with a sickly sweet laugh that grated on his nerves.

"My charms do not work on Ema," he said with a smirk as he leaned in to kiss his bride.

"Ew!" Ema put a hand between them. "Gross. You already got two kisses."

The other woman stared between the couple with surprise, looking almost affronted that Ema was not playing the part of the gushing, adoring wife. Klavier resisted a chuckle and stared down at Ema as if he was the luckiest man in the world – had he seriously just been thinking that making her fall in love with him would be easy? He was clearly high on his nuptials.

"He needs someone who can keep his ego in check," Ema explained with a scowl.

"You look beautiful, Ema Skye."

Klavier was laughing at the look of horror on the woman's face (for the life of him he couldn't remember her name) so he didn't immediately register the words or the voice that came from behind them. Ema was already turning and Klavier with her, both silently dismissing their guest for the new one – except, a moment later, he felt is wife stiffen in his embrace and he frowned.

They were both now facing a man of jet black hair and piercing eyes which were currently fixed on Ema with a warmth that Klavier did not enjoy. He looked familiar and yet Klavier couldn't remember where he had seen him. He raised the glass of champagne he was holding in a toast, still ignoring the husband standing right beside her. "Congratulations, Ema," he said softly, leaning in and planting a kiss on her cheek.

Klavier raised an eyebrow and looked to Ema for an introduction but she had gone pale and seemed not to have a response for this man. Knowing something about this man was making his wife severely uncomfortable, he tightened his arm around her and instead held out a hand to introduce himself in a bid to draw the attention to himself. "Klavier Gavin. I don't believe we have met."

The way the man glanced down at Klavier's hand and then slowly lifted his eyes to meet his stare as if he was considering whether he was worth the introduction only made him warier. "Colin Holgate," he said, finally accepting the handshake. "Ema and I studied in college together."

Klavier's jaw tightened as did his grip on the man's hand as realisation dawned. "Ah yes… Ema has told me about you."

Colin Holgate.

He had seen this arrogant douchebag in a picture on Ema's nightstand.

"After college, we were both going to move here and live together but at the last moment he got an offer from research facility near where we'd studied… He told me to stay with him but I didn't want to. Lana lived here and I missed home so I said no… He said it was just as well, we'd had a good run and that two years wasn't that much anyway."

He had heard his name the day Ema had told him about the boyfriend that had broken her heart.