Dedicated to you guys, thank you for everything <3
"He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man."
F. Scott Fitzgerald • The Great Gatsby
Today was the day, it was the day that Max had dreamed of since she was a little girl, it was something she had hoped and pondered for since she had first met Mark. Today was the day where her dreams came true.
"Wake up, Maxi" Graham cooed from the side of his and Lexie's guest bed, he was holding a cup of coffee and some pancakes.
"I don't think I can eat, I might throw it all back up" Max told him with a groan, taking the coffee and the plate nonetheless.
"Today's the day!" Lexie barges into the room with a smile.
"Lex, I told you to wait until she's full awake" Callie tells her, giving Max a sorry smile before grabbing Lexie's arm and pulling her out of the room.
"Sorry about that, love. She's quite a bit excited" Graham chuckles fondly.
"Don't worry about that Graham, besides, I would rather he be excited than jealous" Max gives him a pointed look, hinting about their wedding so subtly.
"Agreed" Graham nods his head. He takes the coffee and the plate from her hands and sets it on the nightstand, "Hey!" She opposes.
"You're eating too slow, you have to start getting your day ready" Graham tells her, throwing the blanket off of her legs.
"You're rude" Max tells him as she gets out of bed and head out into the living room.
"Max! How excited are you" Arizona smiles at her.
"Its all a bit of a whirlwind, if I'm being honest" Max plops down on the couch next to Callie, "Its like when you're a kid on the night before Santa comes, you're so excited that you can't even function"
"Let us function for you" Lexie tells her, handing the coffee back to her, "Your mom, brothers and Webber are going to be here in a little bit, then hair is at 12, makeup is at 2 and getting dressed is at 4. I made sure to leave space in between, just in case things are running a little slower"
"Its 10 now so you'll have time to talk to your mom, brothers and Webber before we have to get back to your house to get ready" Callie tells her, "I already spoke to Derek and he says that Marks speech is ready so all that is left to do is get ready for the actual wedding"
They all turn around when they hear a knock at the door, "Come in" Graham shouts, watching as Max's family walks through the door.
"My baby" Piper cries, pulling her daughter into a hug.
"Im glad we are doing this now because I don't think my makeup could handle doing this before my wedding" Max jokes, trying not to cry herself. When she looks over at Leo, whose face is red from trying to not cry, she looses it.
"Im so proud of you, Max" Leo whispers into her ear, "I know Dad wishes he could be here today"
When Max pulls away from her brother, she hears her friends quietly leave the room. She turns to Monty and lets out a shaky sigh, "Don't forget that just because Dad and Edie aren't here physically doesn't mean that they aren't here with you, watching you on this big day and filled with happiness"
"I wish Dad was here to walk me down the aisle but Richard, you have been in my life since the day we got adopted. You have alway been there when I needed you, looking out for me and my family when Dad wasn't here to do so, I am grateful to be apart of something that puts family above anything else and there isn't anyone I would want to walk me down the aisle other then you" Max turns to face her uncle, watching as his eyes glisten as she asks him to walk her down the aisle.
"I would love to walk you down the aisle, Kiddo" Richard pulls her into a hug, letting each of them into the hug as well.
They stood there quietly, thankful for the things they have and thankful for the people they are unable to see but can feel them cheering with them. Once they parted, they began reminiscing of the old days. Talking about embarrassing childhood memories that each of them had, remembering how crazy Edie was when she was younger and how their Dad would make them a blanket fort every Friday night and keeping it up until Monday morning.
It wasn't until Lexie came into the room announcing that they had to start getting ready that they realized that they had been talking for hours.
Max was placed in her bedroom at the house along with the girls, it was hair time so they had all took a set in front of the mirrors that were designed specifically for them. Max had spent the last couple of weeks with he hairstyles and makeup artist, she didn't want anything too fancy or done up, she wanted to look simple while still looking elegant.
"You ready to be in this chair for awhile, Max?" Amy, her hairstylist asks.
"Never been more ready" Max smiles at her, looking back at the mirror, ready for tonight.
"Do you guys think that Graham is going to purpose?" Lexie asks, looking at herself in the mirror as her hair gets done.
Max looks over at Callie, both of them already knowing the answer to the question, "Im not sure Lex. Why do you ask?"
"I want him too. I started looking up venues in his hometown" Lexie tells her friends.
"You want to get married in England?" Callie asks, almost spilling the champagne.
"Well, all of his family is down there so I figured it would be easier to haul you guys down there then his whole family" Lexie shrugs, taking a ip of her champagne.
"He would really love that, Lex" Max tells her, smiling at her best friend who is in love with her other best friend.
"You think? I know he loves his Mom so much and I know he misses his hometown, I just feel like it would mean a lot to him to have it over there" Lexie looks over at Callie and Lexie, are are nodding in agreement.
"Love is all about sacrifice, Lexie" Arizona tells her, looking at Callie while she did so.
"But when you find that love where you get butterflies and you can't stop thinking about them, sacrifices are easy to make" Piper says from beside Max.
"Exactly" Callie quips.
"I hope everything is running smoothly out there" Max worries, trying to take a peak out the window.
"Everything is running how it's supposed to be" Piper reassures her, grabbing her daughters arm for comfort.
"Its going to be a beautiful wedding, Max" Arizona tells her softly.
"I know, I know. I'm just going a little crazy, I guess" Max groaned, "The moment I have waited for since I have known Mark is here in a few hours and the wait is making me anxious"
"I was the same way when I married your father" Piper tells her, not letting go of her hand.
"I thought you guys eloped" Lexie questioned.
"Yes, honey, we did. We didn't have the money to have a wedding but when we were able to afford one, we had a beautiful wedding" Piper smiled at the distant memory, "I've been in love with Robert since the moment we met, just like Max and Mark. When you feel like that, everyday feels like your wedding day, the butterflies, the jitters and the worry"
Callie's placed her hand on Arizona's, letting her know that she felt the same way as everyone in the room.
"You still got butterflies from Dad years later?" Max asked, hating that this conversation was making her cry but a daddy's girl without her dad on her wedding day, was a tough one.
"When someone loves you, they'll never stop showing it, no matter if it's been months, years or even decades. I'm not saying that everyday will be easy, it definitely won't but realizing that you have each other makes all the dark days seem lighter"
"You guys loved each other so much, how did you guys make it last. What's the secret?" Callie asked, she feared that she was losing Arizona and any tips that Piper could give her, she would accept.
"The secret is that there is no secret, darling. Loving is hard but losing them is harder. My biggest advice to you ladies is, over use the words 'I love you'. Life is long but somehow, when you find the love of your life, it just doesn't seem long enough. Always say it, like you never know when you'll be able to say it again" Piper told them her wisdom that she has learned over the years.
"If Dad were here he would recite 'You learn' by Jorge Luis Borges" Max smiled at the many memories of her Dad talking about poetry.
Piper let out a chuckle, Robert was a different kind of man, a man that valued ones own independence, it was why You Learn was one of his favorites. He believed that in order to have a love that last, you needed to find the purposes within your own life, without the influence of the person you love.
"Max your hair is all done, Taylor will be in shortly to do your makeup" Amy told her, moving a piece of hair that had fallen in Max's face to the side.
Max looked at the mirror in front of her, she had tried her hardest throughout the process to not look until it was completely done but the way her short blonde hair fell in loose curls, framing her face, it was hard for her heart to not beat a little faster as the anticipation ate her alive.
"You look stunning, Max" Lexie said from the side, the rest of the girls hair was done as well, each of them in waves.
"Are you ready for some makeup?" Taylor, her makeup artist asked.
"Yes, please" Max beamed, grabbing the champagne class that Callie was handing to her.
Max's makeup was all done, now it was time to put on the dress. Standing in her bedroom, looking at herself in the giant mirror that was placed just so she could look at herself in her dress. All she had on was her robe, waiting for the girls to put on their bridesmaid dresses so that they could be there with her in the moment.
"Lets get you in that dress" Callie said, standing there in her champagne colored dress.
Max nodded at her friend, who walked towards the white wedding dress hanging on the hook. She slowly unzipped the protective slip and gently took the dress out. Lexie took one side of the dress, to help Callie bring it over to Max.
"Lift your arms up" Lexie told her, holding the dress from the bottom and placing it over her head, carful to to ruin her hair or makeup.
Max wasn't facing the mirror now, she wanted to surprised, she had never seen her hair, makeup and dress together like this before. It was a magical moment.
"Wow, Max I-I, You look perfect" Arizona said from the side, she picked up the hem of her own champagne colored dress and walked closer to her friend.
Max smiled at her before turning to look at her Mom, who was trying her hardest not to cry but as her lip quivered, Max couldn't help but tear up.
"Please, Mom. Ive done so well not to cry after my makeup has been done" Max let out a shaky laugh, bring her pinky to wipe her tear.
"Ill get Taylor" Lexie says, walking out of the room to get the makeup artist.
Max waited for Lexie to walk back into he room before turning around. Now, Max was glad that Taylor was in the room because as much as she tried to pull herself together, the sight of her in her very own wedding dress could make anyone cry.
"Oh, wow" Max hiccuped. She ran her hand along the dress, it was elegant but still sexy with how form fitting it was and it added some curves to her body, "Is it almost 5"
"Almost, Max" Callie said, laughing as she wiped her own tears.
Max didn't know what else to do other then stare at herself, it was a surreal moment.
"Max we have 5 minutes before 5, we need to get down there" Piper told her, opening the bedroom door. Her bridesmaids scurried to the back of Max's dress, lifting it up so it wasn't dragging.
They walked down the stairs to the back door, it was where she was coming out of when the wedding song starts. Max couldn't help to look out the window to see the set up, it was everything she wanted, from the twinkle lights to the enchanting eating area. As her eyes scanned the backyard, they stopped on Mark. He was facing Derek who was helping him fix his tie, the two laughed at something before hugging each other.
The traditional wedding song began to start. Max perked up, looking franticly at her Mom before feeling an arm snake around hers.
"You ready, Max?" Richard looked at her, a soft smile was resting on his face. All she could do was nod.
The double doors to the backyard opened, revealing Max to Mark.
It was everything he thought it would be. The butterflies he felt just by looking at her, were stronger than ever and his heart ached by the lack of touch. His eyes never left her, they roamed from her perfectly curled hair to the subtle makeup she had on to the most beautiful white dress he has ever seen. He stared at her, trying to make a mental snapshot of the moment he never wanted to forget. When she smiled at him, his mind went back to all of their previous memories, from childhood to being lovesick teenagers to standing in their apartment back in New York. Their younger selves would be so happy.
Max was a step away but Mark couldn't help but meet her, grabbing her empty hand with his, he pulled her up the steps. Richard grabbed his arm before they could go any further, "You're a lucky man, Sloan"
"I know" Mark simply replied, looking at his soon to be wife with love in his eyes.
Once the music stops, everyone takes a seat, letting Miranda begin the ceremony.
"Today, we celebrate the union of an amazing person and Mark-"
"Hey!" Mark interrupts, making Max and their guest laugh.
"All of you have had the privileged of getting to know Max, and all of you would agree when I say that she's the best person anybody could ever meet. I have known Max for a very long time, when she first stepped foot into the hospital previously known as Seattle Grace, she was a ball of sunshine and happiness, something that I didn't like but Max is one of those people where they have a magical pull, someone you know you could trust anything with. As I got to know her better, I learned about Mark. Someone I had grown to hate and then to like. If you were to ever ask Max if she believed in soulmates, she would immediately say yes, I used to gag at that answer but seeing how much love Max has for Mark and vice versa, they are the reason I believe in soulmates. I am happy to stand up here today, to share the love, to share the light and to share the happiness and these two are filled with it all. We are now at the part where we get to listen to two people share the words of promise and of love" Miranda looks at Max expectingly, it was her time to recite the vows she had written.
"When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having a love like by parents. Passionate, full of life and filled with love. I would watch the way my Dad brought my Mom flowers everyday because he passed the same flower shop on his way home and I remember making a promise to myself, to find a man who will always show me love even if his day was long and all he wants to do is sit on the couch. And then I found you. The moment I knew you were the one was when I didn't find myself wishing for my parents relationship anymore, I had already found it. It felt like I waited 100 years for this moment and now that it's finally here, the wait was worth it because you're worth it. Ive come to realize throughout the years that soulmates can come in different forms, friendship or romantic. I have a handful of soulmates but you, you're stronger than a soulmate. You captivate me in everything you do, you have this force about you that draws me in. I don't know if it's because how fiercely you love me or the way that you actually love being a dad but I do know that this feeling will never go away. I have loved you for decades and I will choose you for decades to come, I choose your goofy smug grin when you just won an argument, I choose your inability to ever put yourself first and I choose you for being the man who puts all of his energy in whatever he is doing. Whether that be running Maeve around the junkyard as she try's to find some scrap metal or never getting tired when Malakai wants to watch the same movie over and over. I have loved you through all the phases of my life, from the moment I knew who you were to now. I'll make a million promises but I vow to show you the million reasons why I love you" Max's voiced cracked when she said the words 'I love you'. She stopped holding herself back from crying and maybe that was a mistake since her makeup was now almost ruined. Mark had tears of his own, how do you not cry when you marry your best friends?
Mark cleared his throat, he wanted his vows to come off strong. "Max, I have known that you were the one, the moment I laid eyes on you and I've loved you every second after that. I love the way your nose wrinkles when you laugh, I love your presence and the way you make everyone feel like they have a home within you and I especially love the way that you love me. I'm not perfect and I know I never will be but I still wake up every morning trying to be the guy that is worth being loved by you. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and I couldn't wait for that life to start as soon as possible cause I know that with you by my side, the life I live will be the luckiest one. Loving you is making life worth living, I am a better man because I know that I am loved by you so I vow to love you always with passion and tenderness, i vow to always be the man who knows how lucky he is to spend a lifetime with you, and I vow to always spend Sunday nights finding new dinner recipes with you even though we have a book full of unused recipes. I have realized that as I grew to love you more, there would never be anyone who could stand where you do, who could love me like you do, who could love our kids like you do. I have always known that I was a lucky man because I have you. I love you, bubba"
"Im glad you know that nobody can stand where I stood" Max whispered into his ear, making him let out a laugh, which came out shaky because he was crying.
"Max and Mark will now exchange rings, the rings that symbolize their future, their hope and the love they share. Maeve, will you hand your parents their rings" Miranda looked down at the girl, who placed one ring in Marks hand and the other in Max's. When they looked down at the rings, they noticed that she gave them the ring that was actually theirs instead of the opposite. Max laughed and gave Mark her ring and took his.
"Thank you, sweetheart" Max said looking at their daughter with a smile.
"Mark, grab Max's hand and repeat after me" Miranda tells him.
"I promise to leave my manwhore ways in the past and I promise to always listen"
"I promise to leave my manwhore ways in the past and I promise to always listen" Mark couldn't help but laugh.
"Max, grab Mark's hand and repeat after me"
"I promise to try and be less overdramatic and I promise to stop over thinking things"
"I promise to try and be less overdramatic and I promise to stop over thinking things" Max repeats, giving Miranda a slight glare.
Both Max and Mark slide the ring on each ring finger.
"Max, do you take Mark to be your husband, forever and always?"
"I do"
"Mark, do you take Max to be your wife, forever and always?"
"I do"
"You may now kiss each other!" Miranda yells, throwing her hands up in the air.
Mark grabs Max by the back of the head and brings he closer, softly placing his lips on top of her, "This is everything I dreamed of" He whispered.
"You and me both"
The night was going pleasantly, people were chatting and having a good time. Both Max and Mark agreed that they didn't want speeches at the wedding, so it was a huge surprise when Derek walked onto the huge wooden stage.
"Excuse me, if I can have everyones attention" Derek looked around at the small crowed before facing Max and Mark, "As everyone knows, I have known these two my whole life. Max the longest, she would hate me if I didn't slip that in somehow-" The small group of people laughed at Derek. "The thing is, I have always known that these two would end up together and I know, such a cliche thing to say but it's true and I'll tell you when I first realized it. It actually started when they first met, I remember Mark asking me all sorts of questions about Max, anything from her favorite food to her favorite color and funnily enough, Max did the same. As time went on and the three of us got closer, it became very clear that I was the third wheel, the odd man out, Max would talk forever about Mark, and even asked me if I knew if he liked or not and Mark would do the same, which of course I knew but that was a line I couldn't cross, with either of them. It was a love waiting to happen and if you would ask anyone that we grew up with, they would agree with me. I am lucky enough to know you guys, thank you for bringing me along and always making me feel included when we were younger"
There has to come a time where you are all cried out, but for Max, that time has yet to come.
"I love you" Max mouthed to Derek, her eyes tinged with tears.
"I love you too" Derek mouthed back before handing the microphone to Callie.
"Max is my best friend, actually she's more than that. She's my light when I don't have any left, she is my home when I know I have no where else to turn, she is my safety. I haven't known Max as long as some of the other people here so I don't have stories about young Max and or young Mark but I still have good ones from the time I have known her. I want to start this off my saying how kind and how big of a heart Max has and since everyone here is really close with her, I think you would all agree. When I first started at Seattle Grace, I was homeless, god, I was sleeping in the basement of the hospital but when Chief Webber kicked me out, Max didn't hesitate to offer me a place to stay, she was actually really excited. Then there was the time where I was having doubts about my sexuality, Max had been the first one to tell me that there was nothing wrong with me and that it was okay to love who I wanted to love. Then George died, my ex-husband, yes husband, I know. Anyway, when George died I don't think Max left my side for a whole week, mind you, she had just had a baby and lost her father but she took the time out of her grief to help me with mine. Mark was a friendship that I didn't see coming, but it wasn't hard to be friends with him after I saw how much love he had for Max and Maeve. I know that Mark and Max are perfect for each other, I wouldn't be standing here if I thought other wise. They match each others intelligence, their wit and the amount of love they hold for the people around them. To my friends, I love you" Callie lifted up her champagne glass at them, stepping down the stage and handing Leo the microphone.
"I don't have much to say other then, Mark I swear if you break my sisters heart, I will break your hands. I also have a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald, he was one of my Dads favorites, 'The world only exist in your eyes- your conception of it. You can make it as big or as small as you want to' This was the last quote he said to us, I think maybe he knew he was dying and he knew what we needed to hear from him most. Dad used to read us his favorite lines, he would sticky note the page or sentence that he wanted to share with us and then over dinner we would talk about it. I know that he hates missing this day but I think that no matter where we are, he is with us" Leo stepped down from the stage and walked over to his sister, "I love you, Maxi" He whispered in her ear before giving her a kiss on the head, "Oh, their first dance starts now"
Max laughed at how Leo seemed to forget the last bit. Looking up at Mark who was now standing in front of her with his hand stretched out, "May I have this dance" He asked, making her nod in response. Once they got the the middle of the wooden stage, the beautiful beginning of 'Turning Page by Sleeping at last' began to play.
"Ive waited a hundred years
but id wait million more for you
Nothing prepared me for
What the privilege of being yours would do"
Mark pulled her closer to his chest, he was humming the words to the song as he twirled and swayed with Max.
"If I had only felt the warmth within your touch
If I had only seen how you smile when you blush
Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough
Well I would have known
What I was living for all along
What I've been living for"
Max felt the pads of Marks fingers glide down her exposed back, she felt the goosebumps rise as he traced along the fabric of her dress.
"Your love is a my turning page
Where only the sweetest words remain
Every kiss is a cursive line
Every touch is a redefining phrase"
Max laughed when Mark dipped her, the top of her head was almost touching the ground before mark pulled her back up, their noses touching softly.
"I surrender who I've been for who you are
for nothing makes me. stronger that your fragile heart
If I had only felt what it felt to be yours
What Ive been living for all along
What I've been living for"
Max placed her forehead on his, their chests were so close that they could hear how fast each others hearts were beating.
"Though we're tethered to the story we must tell
When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well
With a whisper we will tame the vicious seas
Like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees"
Max smiled when Mark whispered the last verse in her ear, he was completely and utterly in love with this women and it showed.
"I love her, and that's the beginning and end"