La Vita Nuova

Genre: FUTURE FIC, Family

Pairings: All background

Main characters: Greer, Josie, the rest ensemble

The beach was quiet still, and peaceful - the steady stream in and out of the park, of locals and out-of-towners alike, having not yet begun for the season. Wildlife had begun to stir and return; the deciduous trees had sprung back to life there on the lower edge of the Boreal, their new leaves giving a fresh green hue to the previously dull brown landscape peppered by the year-round green of spruce and pine. It was late Spring in Saskatchewan - still just a bit prior to the regional park opening for the season.

Special arrangements had been made with the Park Board of directors, but given that two of them were friends with the McTavish family and knew the Lestrades quite well also, and one of them was furthermore the mother of a close local friend of Greer's, there hadn't been much trouble booking the beach for this small occasion.

The Lestrade and McTavish families had the place to themselves for Greer and Sam's second ceremony, gathering their Canadian contingent to join them in their joyous celebration.

The next day, with the same family and friends gathered, an exhausted yet ecstatic young bride took a deep breath in front of a mirror in a rustic rented cabin.

"I can't believe you've managed ALL of this," Josie said, softly. Greer looked at her and thought she positively glowed.

Molly felt the same way, as did Rosie Bailey, and Ciana Anderson. Johnnie would be FLOORED.

"HOW did you manage to… I mean this is everything. EVERYTHING I could have ever dreamed of."

"Stealth," Molly said, as she adjusted Josie's dress from the back. Grace, watching Molly, stepped in with a needle and thread to finish the last-minute alteration.

"Sneaky as hell," Greer said. "And you have a betrothed who loves you more than anything and wanted you to have a stress-free dream wedding. Once Dad was on board the plans seemed to go rather well, I'd say."

"Greg?" Josie asked curiously, as she slipped into the dressy yet practical sandals chosen for the occasion. "You mean, he wasn't on board?" Josie sounded concerned, all of a sudden.

"Well," Molly said reassuringly, "It's not that he wasn't agreeable to you marrying our son, of COURSE he can't wait for you to be our daughter… it's just that he was a bit skeptical at us planning your wedding day without any input from you. He had a valid point, of course."

"Daddy was just a bit concerned, Jose," Greer said softly. "He was of the wise and correct opinion that a bride as a rule likes to have a say in her big day."

"Well, he's right, she does," Josie said, "I mean I do. I WOULD have. But either I'm far too clichéd or I'm just boring and predictable, because you've gotten it all right. All of it," she said, her voice beginning to break. "You've even thought of things I wouldn't have been able to, damn this pregnancy brain..."

"Oh, now Love," Rosie said softly, bringing a tissue to her. "Don't start because you'll get ME started. We're hormonal enough as it is, we two. I swear Jules has the patience of a bloody saint most days."

"Julian just lets fear and common sense rule the roost," Greer said lightly, winking at Rosie. "Trust me on this, the man confides in me, and he's tired enough at the end of shift of GIVING orders that he's more than happy to sit back and take them... And that's all I'll say in the matter, other than he is positively over the moon with excitement. And just so you know," she said, turning to Josie, "those 'little things' were finishing touches Dad picked up on from talking to you. He went from the worlds biggest skeptic to the world's sneakiest bloody wedding planner. NO word of a lie!"

Josie cleared her throat, allowing herself several moments to compose herself. She blinked as they heard a soft knocking on the door.

"Are the ladies all decent?" Scott called out, in a voice that, like Johnnie's, was sounding more and more like their father's all the time. "Wouldn't want to cause any embarrassment, mind, what with this all being posted live video to social media…"

"Don't you DARE, Gregory Scott," Molly called out, as she opened the door. "You're not too big to turn over my knee, you know."

"I am actually, Mum, but point taken," he said, as he entered the cabin and leaned down to kiss Molly on the cheek.

"Is there anything I need to know?" Josie asked, finally composed.

"Well, the shit hawks are back but nobody's around for them to scavenge garbage from yet…" Greer replied lightly. "So not too many worries about "enhancements" to our outfits.

Everyone whose surname wasn't "Lestrade" gave a look of confused amusement to Greer.

"Gulls. They're the goat of the local ornithological… oh never mind," she sighed, with a sideways grin.

"Does Dad have his speech sorted yet?" Greer asked, suddenly, changing the topic as smoothly as breathing. Scott grinned at this with a nod.

"He's cheated, but I think he's done marvelously. He's stolen poetry, would you believe? He snagged it off the internet. Dante of all people too!"

"Dante?" Molly asked, suddenly concerned. "As in 'Inferno' Dante?" She frowned. "Oh bollocks…"

Later that day, when the vows had been said, and the sand had been brushed out from between toes, and the hair straightened from the breeze coming from the lake, the wedding party and guests had settled in at the local country hall known quaintly as "Spruce Grove Hall".

Greg, as John's best man, cleared his throat into the microphone. He never did like public speaking, but this was special. He had already steeled himself to suck it up and take it like a man.

"I'd like to begin by congratulating my and Molly's son, John William, on his most excellent choice of partner. Josephine," Greg said sincerely, smiling warmly at the bride, "you are family, Josie. You have been for a very, very long time, long before today. But as for my son, and for you, if I may be so bold, I would like to quote someone who is perhaps known for darker pieces. In this case, however, I think, his words are appropriate."

Scott, co-best man, shared a look with his brother, who simply shrugged his shoulders. Scott smiled, guessing their dad hadn't shared that detail with anyone but him.

Both looked to their uncles John, Sherlock, and Phillip, receiving only perplexed expressions in return.

"The author is Dante Alighieri, and he is perhaps more commonly known simply as Dante, and for "Inferno". Yeah, how's THAT for perfect joyous wedding fare!"

This drew light laughter from the small group gathered, before Greg took a deep breath to continue. "However, in this case, Dante's composition is called 'La Vita Nuova'. It was written in the 13th century."

Greg cleared his throat, looking then at first John, and then Josie.

"In that book which is my memory," Greg spoke clearly, "on the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, appear the words, 'Here begins a new life.'."

At this, Greg shared a look and a smile with Molly, while John Watson shared one with Alex, and Sherlock one with Sally (though in their case, it was accompanied with a shrug that seemed to clearly convey, "meh, who knew?")

"I believe most of us here can relate to that," Greg continued, as he noticed Rosie and Julian sharing the look, as well as Greer and Sam.

"But tonight," Greg said with a smile, "here in this beautiful rustic north-central Saskatchewan setting we've all fallen in love with long before today, we celebrate two people who also fell in love long before today - the day on which they began 'a new life."