Author's Note: Well, here you go guys, this is it. The world's longest running epilogue is finally coming to an end. I'd just like to say thank you all very much for not only giving this story the time of day, but for leaving me so many lovely reviews. This was the first Grey's Anatomy story I posted on here, and the response has been overwhelming, and I'm so grateful for it. If you haven't already, please check out my other Grey's story, Be careful what you wish for, and as far as this chapter goes, I really, really hope you enjoy it and think it's a fitting end to the story. And for one last time, I'd love to hear what you think of it…

Disclaimer: As before

Alex squeezed her hand as they walked down the street towards the Emerald City Bar. It was late evening, and they had just taken a ferry ride to watch the sun sink, blood red, into the ocean out to the west, but the peace they had felt on the ferry was beginning to fade and be replaced by anxiety for both of them, although they were trying not to show it.

'You okay?' Alex asked her.

Addison pulled a face. 'Sort of. I'll be better once we're in there.'

In fact, she was feeling kind of nauseous, but she wasn't going to admit it. For the first time, she wasn't so much excited at telling everyone about her and Alex as apprehensive. They'd been living over in London for a year now, in their safe warm bubble, just the two of them, protected from scrutiny and criticism, and part of her didn't want to lose that safety. But on the other hand, it felt like some dreamworld – not real – and she knew it wouldn't move out of that alternate reality until they had told everyone here in Seattle.

Alex smiled, and stopped walking, drawing them both to a halt. He was nervous too, but not nearly as much as she was. His greatest concern was whether the pitch of Izzie's inevitable squeal was going to render the entire company deaf in one fell swoop, and force Joe to bankrupt himself buying new window glass.

Gently, he reached out and stroked her cheek. 'It's going to be just fine Addison. They're our friends, it's time they knew.' He gazed at her warmly and watched as a little of the worry faded from her eyes. He kissed the tip of her nose. 'I want the whole world to know you're my wife.'

Addison took a deep breath, comforted. She had a flashback, to a moment that seemed a lifetime ago now, when she'd been feeling so lost and alone and with two simple words – I'd notice – Alex had managed to reach out and instantly salve her wounded soul. Back then, every day had felt like a battle to keep herself from drowning, from giving up, from letting her pain show, and Alex's rejection had been the final blow, the catalyst for her flight to California.

She never would have thought, then, that she would find herself back her almost a decade later, as Mrs Karev. But she was pretty happy that life had led her back here. Well, providing there was a first class ticket back to London waiting for her anyway.

She smiled at him. 'Did I mention that I love you?' she asked.

He grinned. 'Might have come up in passing.'

'Well, I do. A lot. Just so you know.'

He dipped his head towards her slightly, and brushed her lips with his with a tenderness that was more eloquent than anything he might have said. When they broke apart, he planted one last kiss on her forehead and stepped out of the embrace, taking her hand again. 'Come on.'

Together, they walked down the street towards the bar. They had arrived later than Addison had agreed with Callie on purpose – they had talked about it and wanted to tell everyone at the same time, so they had been killing time until they could be reasonably certain that, disasters and major incidents aside, those who had been on shift would have managed to escape the clutches of the hospital and make their way across the street to the bar.

Addison looked at Alex, and with one last smile at him, she pushed the door open and her senses were immediately assailed by warmth and noise. There was a throng of people by the bar and after a moment while her eyes adjusted to the lights from the darkness outside, she recognised some familiar faces.

'Callie,' she called out.

A mane of black curls snapped around, and within seconds, Addison found herself enveloped in a massive hug. 'Addison, you're here, what took you so long? I thought your flight was meant to land ages ago.'

'Sorry, I –'

'Never mind,' Callie cut her off, dispensing with the need for Addison to think up some delayed flight type excuse. 'Now, let's get you a drink. Joe,' she shouted across the bar, 'a vodka martini for the prodigal surgeon please.'

Callie grabbed her to drag her towards the bar, and as her fingers closed around her left hand, Addison knew the game was up and felt Callie stop in her stride. She lifted her hand up, and the light overhead glinted on the diamond of her engagement ring.

'Woah now, what's this?' The question was loud enough that everyone at the bar, some of whom had been looking at her anyway, had turned around to watch. She could see them all, Derek and Meredith, dark circles of parenthood under their eyes and arms around each other looking utterly content, Mark – taller than the rest and his knowing eyes already sliding beyond her to the doorway, Richard and Adele, Miranda, O'Malley, Yang, Izzie Stevens.

'That would be –' she tried to keep a straight face but she felt the corners of her mouth turn up into a huge grin that she couldn't keep inside any longer. God, she'd been waiting for this moment for so long. 'An engagement ring.'

Callie touched the band of gold that sat on the same finger. 'And this?'

'That would be a wedding ring.'

Instantly, she was overcome with a hubbub of noise and questions and squeals that could only have been from Izzie, coming from all angles, but over it all, she could hear Callie asking her incredulously, 'you're married? Who? Is he here?'

Addison looked over her shoulder, back towards the doorway, and Alex, taking his cue, stepped out from the shadows and up to Addison, arms encircling her waist and drawing her close to him.

'Hey guys.' He made an attempt to look sheepish, but like Addison, he was too happy to be able to pull the act off.

'Alex.' Callie stared, dumbfounded, at Addison, to Alex, and back to Addison again. 'You and Alex?' she asked. 'You're married?'

They nodded.

'As in a wedding? With vows and a minister, and 'til death do us part.?'

Addison felt an enormous urge to laugh at the array of cod-like gapes on their friends' faces, but she managed to resist the temptation. She could feel Alex's arms around her waist and took a moment to savour this. It was even better than she imagined.

She turned her head to smile at Alex before she answered. 'Especially the 'til death do us part bit.' Her eyes were shining as she spoke and anyone could see the happiness emanating from them both.

Just then, Izzie took a step forward from the throng at the bar. 'The two of you, all this time?' she asked slowly.

'Not all of it Iz,' Alex replied. 'Most of it though.' He looked at everyone standing around. 'We're sorry that we didn't tell you until know, but we wanted it to ourselves for a while.' He turned to Meredith and Derek. 'And we're sorry to totally upstage the christening and everything…'

He trailed off, and for a second the entire bar was silent, all eyes on them and the strains of the jukebox the only sound.

Then all of a sudden there was a burst of noisy congratulations from all corners. Callie was hugging them, shouting, 'I knew it, I knew it,' over and over. He could hear Izzie squealing and he was pretty sure Meredith was making the same sort of noise. George was trying to pat him on the back, Cristina offering congratulations and Derek was kissing Addison on the cheek. Amidst the hubbub it sounded as if Mark was giving him the don't you dare hurt her speech was he was quickly cut off by Callie elbowing him in the ribs.

Then there was a shout by Joe of 'All drinks on the house' and everything was a bit of a blur after that.

It was still all something of a blur the next day, but sitting in the church in a pew alongside Izzie and her fiancé Jason, Alex began to get everything into focus. He watched as Meredith held baby William during the service, while Derek beamed next to her.

Mark was standing next to Derek, and Alex could see him looking at someone in the congregation. He followed his line of sight and saw him smile at Callie, a secret, private smile between lovers. He'd seen Addison talking to Mark at Joe's last night – obviously her lecture had paid off.

His eyes soon moved to Addison, standing by the font. She looked stunning in a dove grey tailored dress, and she was looking at the baby with happiness but not a trace of regret in her expression. She must have felt his gaze on her, because after a minute or two she turned to look at him and met his eyes.

She smiled at him softly, and she mouthed I love you down the church. His heart swelled with contentment. Coming back to Seattle – last night, today – had completed a circle for him, for both of them, and it had been fantastic to see everyone again. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed all his old friends, people who had been his life for so long.

But as spring sunlight angled in on the white walls of the church, he ached to get home, to London. With Addison.