A Thousand Years
Genre: Family, Romance
Pairings: John and Alex, with Greg and Molly, Sherlock and Sally background
Main characters: Ensemble
"I know it's a bit of an unusual request, Mrs. Hudson, but I would be honoured if you said yes," John said with a hopeful smile. "I know it isn't generally done this way, but since when do we ever do things the way they're generally done?"
Mrs. Hudson sat at the dining table with tears in her eyes. She wasn't generally prone to such blubbering, but this time she couldn't help it. Tears of joy, tears of pride, tears of relief, even.
"Of course, John, I could never dream of saying no to something like this. I could never say no to ANY of my boys, but since Sherlock and Greg are already married, you're the only one left I COULD do this for, I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world." She reached for a tissue as she laughed with a thick voice.
Later that day, Alex approached Greg.
"John has asked Mrs. Hudson, and she's said yes. I'd be honoured if you would do the same for me, Greg? My parents have both passed and as you have officially been declared our patriarch here, I can't think of anyone I'd rather ask, not anyone at all."
Greg cleared his throat and smiled as he thought about everything that had transpired over the years, the countless myriad of small events that had resulted in big ones.
This was a another big one.
And one he wouldn't miss for the world, or decline Alex's request for any reason whatsoever. To do so would be unthinkable, and probably also unforgivable.
"It would be an honour, Alexandra," he finally said softly, reaching his arms out. "I'll be there with bells on," as Alex stepped forward into his embrace and accepted his bear hug.
Earlier in the week, John had already talked to Sherlock, and the most obvious of choices for the honoured role would once again fall to his best friend.
Molly cautioned Greg against uttering those words he'd uttered so many years ago in the mortuary, the first time Sherlock had been called upon to stand up for John as his best man.
"Well... what's the worst that could happen?"
Had "Helen Louise" not been reduced to her cerebral basics, even she, from her stainless steel bowl held in Molly's hands, might have cautioned Greg against tempting the fates in such a way.
Later on, at the reception, as Sherlock was rambling in what would go down in the annals of history as quite possibly the oddest and certainly the most eventful best man's speech in this history of best man speeches, Molly would scootch closer and closer to Greg, distancing herself at least out of arm's reach (and any other sharp utensil that may come to hand) from her then-fiance, Tom.
"When you asked me what's the worst that could happen, did you actually MEAN it to be a challenge, Greg?" she whispered into his ear.
Greg had sighed and winced before looking at her sheepishly. "I'm not clever enough to influence fate like that. Just ask Sherlock, he'll tell you. Once he's finished this… WHAT the HELL is this he's doing anyway?"
Five minutes later, Sherlock was sending "Geoff" to the loo and requesting that he "lock this place down".
And so, years after Molly had questioned Greg's statement about the worst, and a month after the main players had been arranged, John Watson stood at the back of the church, with Mrs. Hudson on his arm, as their beloved landlady and Baker Street family matriarch prepared herself to walk John down the aisle to give him away.
Greg, likewise, stood outside, out of eyeshot of John and gazing proudly at Alex, decked out in her bridal attire. "By the time Greer is old enough to marry, I should be well practiced in giving the bride away," he said, chuckling. Sally, standing by with Sherlock, laughed at this.
"Just don't think giving the bride away means getting rid of her, Greg," Sally said, giggling. "Didn't work with ME, now did it?"
Sherlock, now much more at ease with weddings and his now traditional role as best man, gazed at Sally and bent down to kiss her. "You are stunning, my beautiful Old Plod," he whispered.
"Right, then," she said, finally breaking their gaze, "I believe John is waiting for us. Shall we, my gorgeous Git?"
Later on, as had also become something of a tradition, Greg and Sherlock, with duet vocals from Sally and Greg, serenaded John and Alex as they danced their first dance.
Considering how long it had taken John to get to this point – enduring endless hits and misses, personal trauma and devastating loss, the three hadn't needed much contemplation to decide on the piece they would play.
And so, John and Alexandra Watson moved over the dance floor to the notes and words of "A Thousand Years," as their Baker Street family looked on.
"And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me*…", Sally's voice rang out with Greg's unobtrusive vocal accompaniment.
Everyone there would be in agreement that indeed, John had finally found her.
Author's Note: *from "A Thousand Years Part 2" written by Christina Perri. No copyright violation intended.