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Love and Other Labels
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dontstealmyvitaminies PM
Eli hated a lot of things. England, Headmistress du Bourg, Clare Bingley, her label, but particularly Darcy. It was very inconvenient for her, then, that they were forcibly engaged. Not to mention the fact that she might just be falling in love with him.
Rated: Fiction T - English - Romance/Drama - Chapters: 36 - Words: 226,969 - Reviews: 1,021 - Favs: 388 - Follows: 142 - Updated: 09-22-09 - Published: 07-15-09 - Status: Complete - id: 5219526
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A/N: Scruffypage7: Hey, I just thought I'd respond to your reviews, I'm not sure if you can get this, but if you do, please go to my author's page where you'll find my full response :D

"I thought I could resist you, I thought that I was strong,

Somehow you are different from what I've known

I didn't see it coming, you took me by surprise,

Stole my heart before I could still know

Falling head over heels, thought I knew how it feels,

But with you it's like the first day of my life,"

-The Veronicas, 'Speechless'

"Howell, please recite what I say to Antoinette," the priest requested in his wizened old voice.

"Seriously, it's Toni. How many times have –"

"Not helping the romance there, hun," Emilia hissed to her cousin from the line of bridesmaids beside her. Toni rolled her pale eyes.

"Do go on," she urged the chuckling Llewellyn, who reached forwards and took her hands.

"I do solemnly declare,'" the priest began.

"I do solemnly declare," Llewellyn repeated.

"That I, Howell Siôrs Rhydderch Llewellyn," he continued, stumbling a bit with the pronunciation.

"That I, Howell Siôrs Rhydderch Llewellyn," he repeated, trying to fight his snigger.

"Take thee, Antoinette Blanche Noëlle."

"Take thee, Antoinette Blanche Noëlle."

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer."

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer," Llewellyn repeated, his eyes never moving from Toni's.

"In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part," the priest prompted.

"In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part," Llewellyn continued, but his eyes conveyed that not even death could part them.

"According to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow," the priest finished.

"According to God's holy law, in the presence of God I make this vow," Llewellyn repeated, his amber eyes sparkling with love for the woman before him.

"And now, Antoinette," the priest began, turning to Toni, who sent him a rather irritated look. She repeated after him the vows, however, without murdering him.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," the priest announced finally. Llewellyn stepped forwards and pulled Toni to him, capturing her lips insistently. They broke apart sharing happy grins as the audience cheered around them.

"May I intervene?" George requested politely, stepping forwards as best man.

"No."

"Thanks, Howl, old friend," he laughed, pulling Toni by the wrist and giving her an equally firm kiss. She pulled away laughing.

"Sorry, you just aren't as sexy as him," she sighed, turning back to her husband.

"Madam, please, this is a house of God!" the priest exclaimed in disapproval.

"I'm sure he won't mind," she laughed in response, pulling her new husband back in for another kiss.

"Aren't they just so cute?" Emilia sighed to Eli, her fellow bridesmaid.

"Cute? Nada, you're grossing me out!" she cried laughingly to Llewellyn. "Ew, ew. Parentals pashing," she shuddered, turning away from the scene.

"Aw, sorry Eli!" Toni apologised, sounding far more cheerful than apologetic.

"What has been seen cannot be unseen!"

"Lucky she's not coming on the honeymoon then," George muttered.

"Sir! Need I remind you too that this is a house of the Lord?" the priest cried in horror.

"He'd ignore you and continue to desecrate it," Darcy assured him from the groomsmen side, causing those convened to snigger.

The reception venue had been decorated to the point of ridiculousness in various shades of rose, gold and cream, the music was good (surprisingly so for a wedding reception) and the group of people assembled was small but pleasant and loving.

"Elizabeth, oh dearie, it's so lovely to see you again!" Glynis, Howl's mother, cried, rushing towards her adopted granddaughter excitedly.

"Nain! I didn't see you in the ceremony," Eli replied warmly, stepping away from Emilia and allowing the plump but pleasant woman to pull her into a bone-crushing hug. She had first met Glynis and her husband Dristan on the trip that she, Howl and Toni took to Wales to visit them in September. Both her adopted grandparents absolutely loved her, and spent the two weeks they were there spoiling her to no ends.

"You looked so lovely, cariad, I cried all through the ceremony!" she declared, clutching her damp handkerchief tightly.

"Hopefully not out of grief," came Howl's teasing voice from behind. "I was just about to go embarrass myself in front of everyone assembled here. Care to watch?" he questioned pleasantly.

"I'm always in for that," Emilia threw in cheerfully.

"Toni!" Llewellyn called across the hall, where his wife was nodding miserably as her uncle, Emilia's father, droned on about how unhealthy cake was. She glanced up immediately. "I'm going to make an ass of myself, alright?" he informed her. She grinned, and nodded.

"Howl, you mustn't use that kind of language!" Glynis exclaimed in shock. He laughed, and gave his mother a quick hug. He said something in the beautiful flowery language that he spoke, and her eyes softened slightly, before he pulled off his dress coat and cravat, loosening the collar of his shirt.

"Take it all off!" one particularly adventurous person in the audience cried out as Llewellyn stepped over to the platform where the band was.

"Sorry George, I'm a married man now!" he called out in response, grinning as the entire room burst into laughter. He tapped the microphone warily. "Testing, hello? Anyone home?" he questioned into it playfully. Determining that it was, in fact, on, he beamed, and picked up a semi-acoustic guitar, winding the strap over his shoulders. "Alright, unfortunately, due to the restrictions of a Church of England service, my darling wife and I weren't able to write our own vows," he began. A unified 'aw' was heard out in the audience. "Yes, yes, I know you were all so looking forward to watching me make a tit out of myself with horrible poetry – sorry about the language, mother, but I decided to make a tit of myself with a guitar strapped around me instead," he informed them all playfully.

"What's he doing?" Emilia questioned in surprise.

"Serenading us?" Eli offered in vague return.

"I wrote this over two years ago, and for some reason it's Antoinette's favourite, so I decided to make a complete and total fool out of myself by reviving those days when I thought I would make a good rock star," he continued. "There will be no stripping, unfortunately, during this performance – George, I'm looking at you – but there may be some tears. On my part. I'm disgustingly sentimental," he added cheekily, before turning around to the band. He gave the countdown, and they burst into song.

"I don't know you, but I want you,

All the more for that

And words float through me, always fool me,

And I can't react," he began, his eyes trained on Toni, who was watching with a soft, appreciative smile on her lips.

"Games that never amount to more than their worth,

Will play themselves out…

Take this sinking boat, and point it home,

We've still got time, raise your hopeful voice,

You have a choice,

You've made it known…

Falling slowly, eyes that know me,

And I can't go back

Moods that take me, and erase me,

And I'm painted black

But you have suffered enough,

At war with yourself, it's time that you won…

Take this sinking boat, and point it home,

We've still got time, raise your hopeful voice,

You have a choice,

You've made it known…"

The band broke into an instrumental as Llewellyn stepped away from the microphone. There was a few bars silence, before he began the next chorus in a soft voice, accompanied only by his guitar until the last part of the song.

"Take this sinking boat, and point it home,

We've still got time, raise your hopeful voice,

You have a choice,

You've made it known…

Falling slowly, sing your melody,

I'll sing it loud…"

The song ended with a huge round of applause and grins all around. Toni marched right up to the stage and kissed her new husband full on the lips. She whispered something to him that no one else could hear, but apparently it had a very positive effect. He laughed heartily, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Apparently I have to continue playing or there won't be a honeymoon," he informed the crowd, who cheered in approval. "May I ask my incredibly talented daughter to join me onstage?" he requested Eli politely, a twinkle in his amber eyes.

"No!"

"Aww, and on my wedding-day and all?" Llewellyn teased.

"Go on! Do it!" Emilia urged her, pushing her friend towards the stage, the treacherous girl she was. Eli laughingly found herself on stage with a bright red electric guitar in her hands, clashing terribly with her pale pink bridesmaid dress, but she honestly didn't care.

"'Fall at your feet'?" he suggested. She nodded, and grinned. They burst into song like jukeboxes, and she couldn't remember having a more enjoyable time.

Things had settled into a wonderfully happy routine. Both Eli and Darcy had been accepted into Oxford, however, Darcy was the one that got the partial scholarship. Eli had expected as much, as she hadn't actually received her A levels and he had done outstandingly well in them, but she used the money that Dorr had given her to pay the fees. Eli was taking a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Performance Music and English Literature, and Darcy Business and Economics, which meant they shared no classes, but occasionally could have lunch together.

Emilia had decided that she would ignore how 'vain' George found clothing and was beginning a four year degree at the London College of Fashion, and was already designing for her eco-friendly clothing label 'George', named just to spite and tease him. She had decided that she wanted to be an eco-warrior, and had already sold over five-hundred cute environment slogan shirts on the campus of her University.

Toni had finally finished her degree at art school and had found herself a job at a very strange and indie design company called 'Metamorphmagus' based in London, it had about fifteen members of staff but they did good work, and it was paying her well for being lazy and making websites all day.

Things hadn't gone so wonderfully for everyone, however. Whilst her brother and sister both got accepted into Cambridge University, Clare had completely flunked out in her A levels, and was taking a 'gap year' to 'asses' her 'options', meaning that her father had given up on her doing anything intelligent with her life, and she was now dating Christian Thompson-Ruperts as a career option.

Char had moved on quite happily from Jay. Very happily really, with Richard, who had moved to London to take a course at Cambridge in business management. Their relationship wasn't 'out' to Mr and Mrs Bingley, but those who knew and loved them couldn't care less about their preferences, and they were accepted with open arms.

Word from Australia said that Jay had returned to the Royal Academy of Dance in Australia, and was dancing full-time. She had the intention of becoming one of the principle dancers in a year's time, and Eli genuinely hoped that she would succeed. Lyla and Katie were about to enter year twelve in an all-girls school in Sydney (much to their disgust), Dorr was doing very well in his new job at Manifest Publishing and Francie was now writing for Vogue Australia and 'The Good Weekend' magazine. She was pleased that her old family seemed to be going so well, but she was just so ridiculously happy with Llewellyn, Toni and Romulus (Llewellyn's Siberian Husky), not to mention being in such close range to Emilia, George, Darcy and Georgie.

"So how are you handling this horrible English weather then?" Darcy asked her teasingly later that night, when the madness had died down, and they were dancing slowly to a Nora Jones song.

"I must have gotten used to it," she sighed in false sorrow. "I think I'll survive," she assured him. "There was something I wanted to tell you, by the way," she added, excitement seeping into her voice. "I've already spoken to Nada and Toni about it, and they're both really great about the idea – it'll mean I'll have to make a few changes to my school schedule, but this is the opportunity of a lifetime," she babbled enthusiastically.

"Are you going to tell me, or will I have to ask?" he questioned doubtfully, raising an eyebrow. Eli grinned, and bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"Remember that day a few weeks ago when I said I was going out shopping with Em?" she questioned carefully.

"No. There are lots of days when you say you're going out shopping with her," he responded blankly. She rolled her eyes.

"Well we were, but after that I went for an audition. At the London Palladium," she informed him slowly.

"Isn't that owned by 'The Really Useful Group'?" he questioned in confusion. Eli nodded. "As in, one of the biggest theatrical companies in the world, owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber, your God, your Idol, the composer of 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Aspects of Love,' 'Cats, 'Jo –"

"Yes, yes, the list goes on!" she interrupted him, unable to hold back her excitement. "It's not a big part so far, I'll just be a minor character in some the productions that they're doing, I'm an extra, really, but… Will, I got in. I got the part," she said finally.

"You're serious?"

"NS, Sherlock."

Darcy laughed and pulled her in for a tight hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth! This is your dream!" he cried warmly.

"I wouldn't have been able to get in if it weren't for you," she insisted, stepping back from his embrace. "Seriously, you taught me so much, I'm… I'm really grateful," she informed him softly.

"It's your talent that got you this, Eli," he assured her, before another smile broke out on his lips. "You'll be incredible," he assured her firmly.

"We know she will," Toni's voice came, interrupting their 'moment'. She grinned cheekily. "We were going to head off for the hotel. We have to be up pretty early to catch our flight out," she informed them.

"I'll be so lonely without you!" Eli exclaimed sadly. Llewellyn chuckled.

"You'll survive, just don't starve Romulus," he instructed sternly. Eli muffled her laugh by pulling them both into a hug.

"Be good, don't get eaten by bears," she advised firmly.

"They have bears in Spain?"

"I think the sentiment is quite clear," Darcy chuckled from behind.

"We'll see you in two weeks, cariad, we're attempting to slip out without an embarrassing display," Llewellyn informed her quietly.

"See you soon babe," Toni promised finally, before the new couple turned to make their exit.

"Try to bring me back a little brother or sister!" Eli called out teasingly. She held back laughter as Darcy passed her a five pound note.

"I'll never underestimate you again," he sniggered. "But it was worth it," he added cheekily. "Dance with me again?" he requested, as the band began another slow song.

"Hmm. I thought you weren't very fond of dancing," she teased. He rolled his pale eyes.

"I'm not – but I am very fond of you," he replied, pulling her back into his arms as they slowly moved to the sound of the music. "So how are you going to be able to handle working in a real theatre and going to University?" he questioned doubtfully.

"Hmm. I'll make it work," she shrugged. He raised a brow.

"Oh really? And how will you be able to do that?" he asked curiously. She gave another light shrug.

"I dunno. Maybe it's just because I'm 'gifted'," she laughed playfully. Darcy chuckled, and pressed his brow against hers.

"Hmm. Perhaps," he murmured softly, before leaning in for a kiss.

"They're pretty darn cute," Toni murmured softly to her husband of six hours.

"No arguments here," Howl smiled in return, he too glancing over his shoulder to see the loving couple.

"I think they're going to last. Really last, you know? Not like some sort of childhood sweethearts that fall apart at the first sign of responsibility," she commented, a small smile creeping onto her face.

"They will. They love each other too much to fall apart," he assured her warmly, pressing a soft kiss to her uncovered shoulder. "Come on then, I had other ideas about how we could spend our wedding night," he murmured into her neck. Toni's grin grew as she pulled him into a kiss.

"Oh really? I suppose I'll have to muse about Eli and Darcy later then," she sighed, with poorly faked disappointment as they gripped hands and slipped out of the hall.

The couple managed to get away with a quiet exit – they didn't see the embarrassing 'just hitched' message scribbled on the back of the car with hot pink marker in George's handwriting until they got to the hotel.

Everyone else was too busy being in love to point it out to them.

A/N: Wow, it's all over!!!! Yay! 36 chapters!!! Thank you for all your kind support, reviews, comments and for just reading this story, it means so much to me, really, your support is everything. :D I'm glad that most of you seemed to enjoy it, and I really hope you will enjoy the sequel, 'The Hill'. I'm going to post 'The Hill' in the Pride and Prejudice category for the first week, and then move it to Emma, just so people don't lose track of it. You can check my author's page to find it in the next few days/week, as well as vote for your favourite character in Love and Other Labels! I might advise you put an author's alert on me, or you can keep checking until I put it up :D

Oh, and sorry about the soppiness in the last few chapters, I was reading Wuthering Heights when I wrote them :S And the song in this chapter was 'Falling Slowly' by Glen Hansard and Marka Irglova from the film 'Once'.

I'm really glad that it's over, but I'll also miss this story. Once again, thank you so much for sticking with me ^__^

xoxo Evie xoxo

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