Prologue

❀❀❀ THE LAST WEDDING: PART ONE ❀❀❀

Set in 2040

Alex was the happiest he'd ever been in his entire life and the grin spread across his face screamed it from the rooftops. He and Jo were no stranger to weddings, hell they'd had two when they were first together over two decades ago, but the happiness he'd felt then and the happiness he was feeling now were very different. This was it, the final 'I do' of both of their lives. They had officially made it. Today, Alex Karev was going to marry the woman he will get to grow old with. Well, grow older with. I mean…he wasn't exactly an old man yet – his looks had held up great – but Alex was kidding himself if he thought the pounding headache he woke up with in the morning didn't have everything to do with the 'bachelor night' drinks Eli and Miles had dragged him along to the night before. He definitely couldn't hold his drinks like he used to.

Right on cue, both boys entered the room, Meredith trailing closely behind them. "I couldn't find the matching tie for Miles to wear, so we've gone with the blue instead for both of them," she gestured towards the pair.

"Did you tell Jo I lost it?" Alex questioned nervously, desperately hoping the answer was no. His wife-to-be had taken care of almost everything herself, including the outfits for their five very opinionated daughters. Alex's only job had been to make sure Eli and Miles had outfits for the ceremony, and yet he'd managed to mess that up.

"Are you kidding me? Of course I did. Where do you think I got the blue back up ties from? She brought them with her just in case," Meredith smirked. "She found it hilarious by the way."

"How is this my fault? Those two idiots are old enough to dress themselves," Alex struggled frustratedly with his own tie. He truly thought Jo had only assigned him the task of the boy's outfits, so he'd feel included. At the end of the day, they were twenty-five and twenty-three years old and more than capable of remembering a tie on their own.

"Well you're not wrong there," Meredith moved to help him with the knot. "But I think we've learnt from past experiences not to put too much faith in either of them. You, on the other hand, I had many higher expectations for."

Alex was on the brink of arguing back when he heard a knock at the door, interrupting his thoughts. "Can one of you please make yourself useful and get that," he ordered Eli and Miles.

"We're eating," they said in unison, both showing zero intentions of moving. "Can't you do it?" Eli added.

"Seriously!" Alex yelled back, the anger in his voice less than subtle.

"Oh calm down Alex," Meredith rolled her eyes at her friend's dramatics. "I'll get the door," she added, walking over to greet whoever was at the other side and inviting them in.

Alex crooked his neck to the side to try to see the visitor better, immediately smiling as he caught sight of the chestnut brown locks he knew so well. Her hair was hanging in perfect curls, two gold flowers clipped to the side. "Wow...Harley...oh darling you look absolutely gorgeous," he continued to stare in awe.

"Thanks dad," the young girl smiled back, twirling to show off the dress she was wearing. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"How is your mom doing?"

"Well she's cried three times already, which annoyed Lex because she needed to reapply her makeup. Next she got stressed and yelled at Flora for giving her attitude. Then as soon as Auntie Mer came in with the tie situation she cheered right up and went into full hysterical laughing mode…" Harley looked around at the boys busy scoffing their faces with food. "She's good right now, a bit anxious but good. They're just wrapping up last minute photos and then I think we're almost ready for Eli and Miles to come through."

"It's time...she's ready," Alex confirmed excitedly.

Harley nodded, grinning back in shared excitement. "I can't believe this is actually happening!"

Noticing her eyes starting to water slightly, Alex quickly pulled his daughter into a hug. "Oh Harles, I love you so much sweet girl. Let's not start with the waterworks, though, because I really want to get married soon and we both know Lex will want to fix your makeup if you smudge it."

Harley laughed, wiping away her tears. "I love you too dad...I hope you know that. I've said a lot of mean things to you over the years but I never meant any of it. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. I just wish it could have been sooner."

"Jesus, what in the emotional rollercoaster?!" Miles poked fun at Alex and Harley who stood hugged together in silence.

"Miles!" Meredith warned sternly.

"What? I thought this was a happy day, but big and little Karev here are having a mushy moment."

"Yeah, what's all this about dad?" Eli added mockingly.

"Oh shut up…" Harley whined and poked her tongue out her brothers. "Are you both ready, or what?"

Alex watched on as the siblings exited the room together, one leading in front of the other, and it suddenly, everything felt a thousand times more real than before.

.

mdevonsunflower

AUTHORS NOTE: So I posted this over on AO3 and tumblr yesterday but figured I may as well pop it on here as well!