"Are you ready to head down, Roxanna?"
Her sister turned from the mirror, looking at Leah as she touched her hair. In the last nine months, it had finally gotten some length to it, now resting on her shoulders, and it only served to highlight how similar they looked, despite the gap in their ages. "Yes. I know that this has been a whirlwind of change for you, but I have loved having you with me as I recovered. Especially after you rotated into my department."
"No, you just loved having me around for a ride," she teased, knowing that Roxanna would take it well. As expected, her sister laughed as she turned back to look at her reflection, fingering the pendant around her neck. "Seriously, Roxanna, I don't think that you could look any more perfect than you do right now, and Henrik is going to love everything about you."
"I hope so," she replied as she went over to the table and picked up her bouquet. "And I know that Sacha is going to love your dress, too. That was why I chose it for you."
Leah blushed as ran her fingers along the neckline of her dress, feeling pinned to the spot. "Things are still so new. But I really like where it's going. I feel settled when I'm with him, more myself."
Roxanna nodded as she linked arms with her, and Leah stepped a little closer to her. "Though one thing I will be glad for is no more late night giggles."
"Ugh, you heard me come in? I am so sorry. I tried to be quiet, but…"
"But the exhilaration of fresh budding love is a little too much to contain at times? Believe me, I know. I had those same feelings when I was first with Henrik, back in Boston. And I am so glad that you have found this joy in life, as too often we're stuck in a rut of unhappiness. And either you or Serena are catching this bouquet at the end of the day."
"Better Serena than me. She needs to realise that Bernie won't wait forever for a commitment." Roxanna nodded as they made their way down the hall to the back of the room where the ceremony would be held. Leah took a deep breath as she gave Roxanna's arm over to Lofty and took her place in front of her sister, gazing down the short aisle that separated them from Henrik and Serena. She had been surprised when her sister had said that she would be standing up with Henrik, but it did make sense, when she really thought about it.
Taking a deep breath, Leah waited for the music to change before she started down the aisle, smiling sweetly at Sacha as she passed him. Then she reached the front and turned to take up her position, watching as Roxanna and Lofty started down the aisle. There was something so radiantly beautiful about her smile that it stole Leah's breath away, and she felt the first tears start to well up in her eyes as Roxanna was finally in place, looking at Henrik adoringly.
She found herself so invested in watching Henrik and Roxanna that the service passed by in a blur, and then they were kissing for everyone to watch. It was a tender, romantic, kiss, and Leah swiped aside a few tears as she watched them head down the aisle. Then Serena was clearing her throat quietly before extending her elbow to her. The woman certainly looked dapper in her tuxedo, and Leah couldn't tamp down the small flutter of attraction that rose in her breast. She knew that it was only that latent appreciation of something beautiful, that she would never do anything to jeopardize her relationship with Sacha, not when she had finally found the peace she had been longing for.
By the time she reached the back of the room, Henrik and Roxanna were standing in the back, holding hands and talking quietly to themselves. "You know, I'm going to miss having you around, Roxanna. My flat is going to seem so empty without your presence."
"It's time that we both moved forward in our lives, darling. We've both become much stronger people in the last nine months, and I cannot wait to see where life takes you. Especially if it's with Sacha," Roxanna whispered as she hugged Leah tightly. "We're always going to be siblings, as well you know, and you know where to find me."
"I know, but I'm still allowed to pout about losing my big sister to some guy." She winked at Henrik before stepping away from Serena and hugging him tightly before hugging Roxanna. "And may I remind you that my words still stand. You hurt her, I hurt you."
"I will always endeavour to keep that in mind, Leah."
"Good. Welcome to the family, Henrik. I'll try to be respectful of your authority at work, but Sunday dinners? It's all fair game." Roxanna giggled as she wrapped her arm around Leah's waist. "We still have to do pictures, yes?"
"Yes. There are a few that I want, but I don't want to take too long before we head to the reception. If you and Serena want to wrangle the photographer down, and head back up to the front, we'll be there as soon as we've greeted everyone."
Leah nodded before stepping away from her sister and following Serena over to the photographer. As Serena talked to her, Leah looked around for Sacha, feeling a bit lost without him by her side. A soft smile spread across her lips when she smelled his cologne, and she leaned back against his chest, welcoming the soft kiss he placed to the top of her head before they followed after Serena and the photographer. Bernie was already sitting at the front, as if she knew that they would get there eventually, and Leah gave her a small nod before she cuddled close to her partner and waiting for Henrik and Roxanna to join them. "You look amazing," he whispered in her ear, and she nodded a little before turning a bit to rest her cheek on his chest.
"And you look so handsome in your suit. I can't believe that this day came up so quickly."
"Yes, well, I have the feeling that Henrik wanted to replace the very bitter knowledge that John was going to be behind bars for the rest of his natural life with something overwhelmingly happy. And I don't blame him for wanting that, seeing as how there has been so much sadness in the hospital recently. We have to find our little moments of joy wherever they may fall, and try to ignore the living ghosts of disappointment and sorrow when they come round."
Leah nodded before lifting her head and pressing her lips to his cheek. "I love the way you think, Sacha Levy. And I am so glad that you're in my life, too. I didn't expect to find this in my life when I first came to Holby, you know. I thought it would just end up with me learning about my sister and then moving on. But now I have a future brighter than I ever expected, and I don't think I would change a moment of it for the world. Sure, I made a few mistakes along the way, but it's how we learn from those mistakes that makes us who we are." Sacha rubbed her back slowly as he nodded before bending and kissing her forehead sweetly. And in his arms, she knew that she was truly home.