Chapter Text
2019
"You ready for this?" Alex asked me while I stood in front of the full-body mirror. I took a deep breath, finally facing the moment I had waited an eternity for. I looked at him.
"In what world did I agree that you'd be the best option to walk me down the aisle?" Alex grinned.
"Well, before you left nine years ago, this would have seemed right. Then everything else happened and it goes right back to being absurd. Either way, it's too late now, Dawson" I grinned.
"Soon to be Avery"
"Are you really gonna make the entire hospital call you Doctor Avery?"
"Your wife did it with Karev" I shot back. He shrugged.
"Touché."
"Besides, I've been looking into some other jobs. And Jackson has been looking into starting his own practice"
"A plastic surgery private practice?" Alex asked. I shrugged.
"Gotta admit, it would pay for itself and then some"
"Then let him do that, you stay at Grey Sloan and we're all happy"
"Okay, we're not getting into this right now, Karev. It's my wedding day and it needs to be the happiest day of my life" Alex seemed to get my hint and dropped it, smiling softly at me instead, making me roll my eyes. "What?"
"Nothing, you just look beautiful, and Avery is one hell of a lucky guy" I smiled.
"Who would have thought after everything we went through in that shooting, huh?"
"I would have. I saw the change the minute you made him bring me into my hospital room. I maybe wouldn't have predicted everything else that happened between now and then, but I would have definitely believed you and Pretty Boy could end up together, happily" I chuckled.
"Teddy said the same thing last year, on Luke's second anniversary." Alex shrugged in a nonchalant way.
"Great minds think alike"
"How does your mind fit in, then?" I teased. There was a knock on the door and Meredith walked in.
"Tay? Are you ready?" I nodded, taking a deep breath.
"He'd better be standing at the end of that damn aisle waiting" Meredith chuckled.
"He is, don't worry. Come on, he's waiting" I nodded and looked at Alex.
"How do I look? Ready to get married?" Alex nodded with a big grin on his face.
"You look great, Dawson. Let's get going" I nodded and grabbed my bouquet off him, following him out of the room where April and Harriet also stood waiting, April being my other bridesmaid along with Meredith and Harriet being our flower girl.
"Oh, you look gorgeous!" I gushed over Harriet, who grinned at me.
"I could say the same for you" April said with a nudge.
"Thank you for agreeing to this. I don't think I would have if the roles were reversed." April chuckled.
"Good thing I'm not the stubborn one, huh? Anyway, Harriet loves planes now because getting on one usually means getting to see Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa Richard, so it was worth it"
"They're ready for us" Meredith said. I nodded and we all lined up, ready to go through to the chapel where all of mine and Jackson's closest friends and family were waiting. Where Jackson was waiting to marry me.
The music started and my breathing hitched. Alex turned to me.
"Not getting cold feet, are you?" I shook my head.
"No, I'm just nervous, I guess. Let's not make this wedding any more chaotic than all the ones we've been to before" I said, remembering Alex and Jo's wedding. He chuckled and we began to walk, everyone on their feet and looking at me.
People were crying and I felt the lump in my throat rising as I looked at them all. So instead, I turned towards Jackson and saw him standing with the most amazing look on his face. I took a deep breath and flashed him a smile, afraid I was going to fall apart right then and there. He stood with Derek and Owen. In a perfect life, Mark and Charles would be the ones standing next to him. But our life wasn't perfect, and we had been through enough trauma to last us a lifetime. And yet, it was more than I could have ever asked for. Owen's words played through my mind.
It's everywhere I never knew I wanted to be.
I was meant for Jackson, and this was maybe not where I first thought I'd end up, but it was exactly where I was meant to be. Alex shook Jackson's hand and hugged me tightly as Jackson took my hand and lead me to where I was supposed to stand. I handed my bouquet to Meredith and took his other hand. We'd asked Bailey to officiate, and she stood in front of us and smiled at the two of us before speaking.
"Thank you, please be seated" Everyone took their seats, and I took a moment to look Jackson in the eyes.
"Hi" I whispered.
"Hi, you look beautiful" He whispered back.
"Ahem" Bailey cleared her throat, and everyone laughed, Jackson and I included. "Well, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the wedding of Taylor and Jackson, two people I have grown to really cherish and love during my career, and it means a lot that they asked me to officiate this day today, the day where they finally get married"
"Hey, I tried to get this much earlier" Jackson joked, prompting everyone to laugh again.
"I have known Taylor for fifteen years now, she started as a cancer patient of mine. I have known Jackson for almost ten years, he started as a second-year resident. And on their first meeting, Taylor threatened to have him fired and was prepared to sue the hospital if he was on her case. Love at first sight. Well, maybe not then. But over the years they went through some of the most unimaginable together, and despite the world crumbling around them, they have found each other and are here to celebrate that with almost all their friends and family. Of course, we want to commemorate those who couldn't be with us today, people who had a profound impact on their lives and their stories. So, we honor Doctor George O'Malley, Doctor Charles Percy, Doctor Reed Adamson, Doctor Lexie Grey, and most importantly, Doctor Mark Sloan and Doctor Luke Gallagher. Without these people, the stories, and paths of these two may have been completely different. They are the doctors that made Jackson and Taylor who they are, and if there was ever a day to wish they were here, it's today. Taylor and Jackson have decided to write their own vows and will recite them now, starting with Jackson" Jackson took a breath and looked at me.
"Taylor, when I first met you I accused you of hooking up with Doctor Karev in a hospital on-call room. And you weren't swayed by it, instead, you were determined to hate me and have me fired. And then you saved my life, physically. I thought that was the end of it all but four years later you showed up in my hospital and asked for a job. When you lost your love, Luke, I knew you needed someone who could just be there for you, so I endeavored to become that person. I stood with you when you needed someone, and I grew to love you in a way I haven't loved another person. You are a brilliant mother figure to my beautiful daughter and the perfect counterpart for me. You know what I'm thinking before I even say it, you are amazing in the kitchen, and you turned on the light in a very dark life, just when I needed it most. You are my forever, I'm in love with you, and I promise to only out stubborn you when you deserve it. I promise to cheer with you when life is good and to cry with you when it sucks. I promise to put all my dirty dishes in the dishwasher before you threaten to throw them at my head. But above all, I promise to love you, and not to squeeze your butt when we're at work" Everyone was laughing again, Jackson slipping the ring on my finger.
"Taylor?" Bailey asked and I nodded.
"Very few people in my life push back when I'm angry and live to tell the tale. You and I have overcome unimaginable losses in our lives, but it's only made us stronger. There was a time when I didn't think this would happen with anyone other than Luke, and at first, I was almost angry when you asked me on that first date. But you have only been easy to love and kind to me when I needed it most. You helped me get back into surgery when I threatened to walk away, you proved that I could overcome anything. I know you already said I saved yours, but you saved my life too, several times. You pulled me out of my worst moments, and you made me better. A better person, a better doctor. You make me better. I promise to always let you improve me, even when I think I'm okay. I promise to laugh at all of your jokes, even when they're not funny, and I promise to not threaten to starve you when you forget to put the laundry on. Mostly I promise to treat you with patience, kindness, and compassion, and to love you above all else, even when I want to throw your dirty dishes at your head. You're the love of my life and I can't wait to be Mrs. Avery" I took my own ring for him and placed it on his finger.
"Jackson and Taylor, what the two of you have done to get here is remarkable and admirable. And wherever you both may go in this life, I know that you will be exceptional. So, by the power vested in me by the state of Washington, and some form I filled out on the internet, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride" Jackson pulled me into a dip and kissed me passionately, as our friends erupted into cheers and applause. I took my bouquet back from Meredith and ran down the aisle with Jackson, so happy and so ready to get out of the damn heels I was wearing.
Later on in the night, Jackson and I finally had a moment to ourselves. He'd been dancing with his mom and was finally getting a break.
"You okay?" I asked, handing him a flute of champagne. He nodded, accepting it gratefully.
"Catherine Fox is surprisingly spritely" I chuckled. "I got a call from Boston, just before the ceremony"
"Oh?"
Boston was where April was currently a trauma attending at Mass Gen, having moved there about six months ago. It was where the Catherine Fox Foundation was based and it was where we were considering going, so Jackson could be more involved with the foundation, open a private practice with the foundation, and where we could be closer to Harriet who was getting ready to start kindergarten.
"Apparently mom made some calls, and the foundation is greenlighting the practice" I smiled.
"That's great, Jackson!"
"There's more" I took a breath and nodded.
"April has just been asked to be chief of trauma for Brigham and Women's, and Mass Gen wants you to run their trauma department" My eyes went wide. Mass Gen was one of the best hospitals in the country. And it wasn't affiliated with the foundation, so no one there would assume any strings had been pulled to get me in, even as an attending, which Jackson knew was important to me.
"M-Mass Gen wants me to be chief of trauma?" I asked and he nodded. "Oh my god! Yes! Call them right now!" Jackson chuckled.
"We have to tell our friends that we're leaving first, and it's also one in the morning there" I sighed.
"We're going to Boston though?" Jackson nodded.
"We're going to Boston" I sighed.
"I have to tell Karev, and I hate that I have to tell Karev" Jackson nodded. I stood and went to find Alex, who was dancing with Jo. "Can we talk?" I asked, him nodding, promising Jo he'd be right back.
"What's up, Avery?" He teased, making me laugh.
"Mass Gen is offering me chief of trauma" I said, not wanting to tiptoe. Alex and I had never been the kind to tiptoe around one another.
"When you said other jobs, I assumed it would be at least on the west coast"
"Alex, I'm sorry. But the foundation wants Jackson more involved and they're giving him the permit for his private practice there. Plus, April and Harriet are already there" Alex sighed and nodded, pulling me into a hug.
"I'm not allowed to be sad about this. This is amazing, Tay. And don't you let anyone tell you it's not" I smiled with tears in my eyes.
"It is amazing, but you're still allowed to be sad, Karev. I'm sad. I'm gonna miss you"
"As long as you're kicking ass and doing what makes you happy, I'm not going to be mad" I pulled him into a hug.
"Thank you, Alex. Boston!" I gushed, making Alex roll his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Rub salt in the wound. I'm happy for you, honestly"
"Do you think Luke would be?"
"Please, Tay. Is that even a question? He'd be over the moon. And he'd kick your ass there himself if he had to. Go on, Lover Boy is waiting for you"
"Thanks, Karev. You're the best"
"Friends with the best, you'd better actually come back this time. Although I'm not going to be sitting around wondering if you're alive at least" He teased.
"I'll be back, promise" I ran off to Jackson.
"I just told my mom and Richard. They're sad to lose us but happy for us" I smiled, pulling him into a hug.
"Jackson Avery, you have made me the happiest I ever thought I would be"
"Taylor Avery, I was going to say the same" He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my lips.
This is exactly how it's supposed to be.