lxxvi. ❝i do❞
— ♾ —
you are my today,
and all of my tomorrows.
- leo christopher

two weeks before the wedding

"Bailey!" Atlas yelled out loudly, he was standing in a dressing room where he was trying on many different tuxedos. "Bails! We need a different bow!"

Poor Miranda Bailey couldn't catch a break, Atlas and her had been out most of the day doing some last minute wedding preparations. Since Atlas had put it all off.

"I've got it!" Miranda told him as she stood outside of the change room Atlas was in, her hands on her hip.

The door swung open and Atlas stood there with a huge toothy grin, "Thanks, Bails." He grabbed the tie Miranda held out for him. Atlas struggled to put the bow on, so Bailey took over and did it for him.

The dark blue tuxedo Atlas wore hugged his body, the outfit having been made just to fit him. The slightly lighter blue bow was now wrapped around his neck, finishing up the outfit. "How do I look?" Atlas questioned as he twirled around in a circle so Bailey could see him in his outfit.

"Wonderful, like a pro soon-to-be-husband." Bailey told him as she reached forward and smoothed out a few wrinkles in the shoulder of Atlas's tuxedo.

"Bails?" Atlas said quietly, a smile still resting on his face.

Miranda nodded, "Yeah?"

"Will you be my best man? Or is it best woman?" Atlas asked. Derek had already gotten his groomsmen picked out — Mark, Richard and Owen. (And possibly Oliver.) And Atlas had everyone else he could possibly need, he only had to ask Bailey to be his best woman.

( Oliver wasn't Derek's or Atlas's best man, only because he had asked not to be. He said, "I don't wanna be a best man! I suck at planning parties." Of course the two obeyed his request. So that's when they came up with the idea of Oliver being the flower boy along with holding Starlee, who couldn't walk by herself yet. He hadn't said yes yet. )

"No." Bailey shook her head, her lips pressed into a straight line. It was totally a Miranda Bailey type thing to say no in being someone's best man/woman.

( Atlas had an idea she would say no, that's why he had practiced pouting and making puppy dog eyes with Derek the night before. )

"What?! No! Bails! You're my person! You're my best woman, it's the law!" Atlas did as practiced, placed a pout on his lips and made puppy dog eyes.

Bailey sighed but nodded, Atlas was her person too, "Yeah, yeah, okay then. I'll be your best woman."

Atlas jumped and clapped happily, "Yay!" He threw his arms around Bailey, and Bailey reluctantly wrapped her own arms around Atlas in a hug.

"I don't have to throw you a bachelor party do I?" Miranda pulled away from the hug as she looked up to Atlas.

Atlas laughed, "Can we do a surgery for my bachelor party?"

Bailey nodded. "Yes! That I can plan."

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Derek Shepherd had already gotten his tuxedo fitted, two months before the wedding and now he was waiting outside of the tuxedo place to get it. It would just sit somewhere in his closet, safe and sound until it was time for him to wear it.

"Hello?" He asked into his phone as he lifted Starlee further into his hip.

"Derek!" Lilla yelled into the phone, she having been baking and baking for hours since Atlas and Derek had asked her to make their wedding cake.

( Atlas wasn't going to, but then Lilla had offered, and neither Derek or Atlas could say no. )

"Lilla, how are you?" Derek muttered as he got Starlee to hold his phone against the side of his head — why have children if that's not what they do? — no, Starlee was happy to hold the phone, she enjoyed being a help even if she didn't really know what she was doing.

There was a sigh on the other end of the phone, "Uh, well. We have six different kinds of cake at my house. And my kitchen is a mess so I had went over to yours and Atlys house and baked two more."

And that is how Derek, Lilla and Eliza all found themselves standing around a large table in one of the hospitals many conference rooms.

"So... there's eight different kinds of cake?" Eliza looked between Derek and Lilla as she stepped forward to grab a plate so she could try out one of the cakes.

Before she could even take two steps, Lilla shot her hand out and grabbed onto the back of her daughters scrubs. "We need to just enjoy how pretty they are before you eat them."

"Ooo! Cake!" Oliver bounced into the room and went right towards the table full of cakes.

He cut a slice and placed it onto his plate, when he had enough on his plate he went straight to eating it. "This is so good mom!"

Lilla jaw dropped as she watched bother her twin children move forward and stuff their faces with cake. "What... how... no." She muttered.

"He's right mom, these are great!" Eliza beamed as she ate a slice of the red velvet cake.

Lilla sighed and turned so she was facing Derek, "They couldn't just let it be, let me see how pretty they were — I knew they would just tear them apart."

one day before the wedding

Atlas paced the living room. "Okay, so everything's in place?"

He was having his last minute jitters before the wedding tomorrow, he wasn't nervous and didn't want to back out of the wedding. He was just freaking out because he wanted it to be perfect.

"Yes baby, it's all good." Derek answered as he stirred around some of the food in the pan he was heating up for dinner. "It's great."

Atlas seemed to calm down, his hands stopped shaking and he moved closer towards Derek. "Everything's going to be great, and even if something goes wrong you'll be there with me."

Derek nodded, "And if you need the getaway car, we know that Alex is the designated driver."

And the plans were set in motion, less than 24 hours now until the wedding.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

"You got me a kidney transplant?!" Atlas grinned as he stepped into the scrub room.

Miranda Bailey had convinced one of the other general surgeons to switch the surgery with her so she and Atlas could do it.

"I did. Now go scrub in." Bailey told Atlas as she gave him a light shove forward.

When both attendings were scrubbed and ready, they started to operation. Atlas did a lot, with guidance from Bailey.

The operation went smoothly, and Bailey had even told Atlas that he did great and that he deserved a gold star.

Definitely the best bachelor party ever.

day of the wedding

"We can run." Christina suggested as she took a sip from whatever drink she had in her hand.

Atlas shook his head wildly, "No! No! We can't run."

Eliza smiled and fixed her brother tuxedo. "Why would you want to run?"

"It was Christina's idea!" Atlas exclaimed as he whirled around to point right at Christina.

Everyone in the small room laughed. It was times like this they would remember.

"Are you ready?" Lilla asked her son as she wiped away any tears in her eyes. "Because if you're not, well then, poor Derek."

"I'm ready." Atlas nodded.

Christina was the first to walk down the isle, her bundle of white and purple, and dark coloured flowers held in her hands. The blue bridesmaid dress that Atlas had shoved into her hands about eight days ago, both just hopping that it fit, flowed in the light breeze as she walked down the isle.

Then it was Eliza who held her own set of flowers, a few different colours than the one Christina held. She smiled so widely, her brother was getting married. She was beyond happy for him.

And then it Bailey. Bailey even held a smile on her face as she walked down the isle. Her flowers were bright, some sunflowers and white tulips. The bridesmaid dress she wrote was long, ending around her ankles. It had taken awhile for Atlas to convince Miranda that she would look wonderful wearing it, that it was a dress for her.

All three bridesmaids were standing near the front, where Atlas's and Derek's wedding would be officiated. Across from them stood all the groomsmen, them all wearing the flowers Derek had picked out in their breast pocket.

Oliver wore a purple tux, ( him having pleaded with both Atlas and Derek to wear it ) with an even brighter purple tie. In his arms was Starlee.

Starlee was dressed in a dress that resembled something from a fairytale — she had actually picked out the purple dress with the many sparkles and a fluffy skirt made for a princess.

The little girl held a small basket full of flowers. As Oliver walked down the isle, Starlee used her little hands to throw flower petals up.

( Derek and Atlas had taught her how, and Lilla had practiced with her all the time. )

By time Oliver and Starlee were nearing the end of the isle, all the flowers from Starlees basket was empty. Except for the amount of flower petals that were still tucked into her hand. As the two neared Derek — who stood ready for Atlas to walk down the isle next — Starlee threw her last amount of flowers at Derek, she grinned and giggled widely as she did so.

"One look at you.
My whole life falls in line"

The door opened and Atlas stood there. His cheeks were flushed a light pink as everyone seemed to turn around to look at him.

"I prayed for you,
before I called you mine."

Lilla stepped forward and held her arm out for Atlas. Her son smiled faintly as he linked his arm with hers. The mother and son duo took their first steps forward.

"Oh, I can't believe it's true sometimes. Oh, I can't
believe it's true."

Atlas looked around, his heart started to beat even faster than it was when his eyes landed on Derek Christopher Shepherd, his soon-to-be husband.

"I get to love you.
It's the best thing that I'll ever do"

Derek smiled a love sick smile, his eyes turning glossy as he watched Atlas and Lilla walk down the isle. There was nothing more than happiness and love filling his heart.

"I get to love you.
It's a promise I'm making to you."

Atlas was only a few steps away now, it couldn't have been more than five steps away. He was so close to the next chapter of his life.

"Whatever may come your heart I will choose. Forever I'm yours, forever I do."

Lilla tightened her grip on her eldest sons arm. She couldn't be any more happy that she not only got to make the cakes for this wedding, but that she had the honour to walk her son down the isle.

"I get to love you."

Lilla placed a kiss on Atlas's cheek as she and him stopped walking. They were at the end of the isle now and she was giving him away. "I love you," Lilla whispered to her son. "I love you too, ma." Atlas had whispered back.

"I get to love you."

"I here by welcome you, to the wedding of Atlas Peter Lee-Sunny and Derek Christopher Shepherd." The older man officiating the wedding said. "Today, we are gathered on this ferryboat to celebrate a new chapter in their lives."

That's right, Atlas and Derek had chosen to get married on a ferryboat. It made sense though, both Derek and Atlas had a love for them ( Derek more than Atlas, ) — and Atlas would do anything to make sure Derek was happy.

"Now, I met Atlas here about for months ago when he came stumbling into my work. He was panicked and believed he wouldn't get anyone to officiate his wedding because it was so soon. Of course I was the only one available that day, and trust me when I say; I am glad that I had taken the opportunity." The older man, Carl, smiled as he talked. "I have been asked to keep this short, not to tell any embarrassing stories I've heard from friends and family. So let's get right into it."

"Both grooms have prepared vows they would like to read."

Derek unraveled a piece of paper he pulled out of his pocket. He took a deep breath before he started to talk. "Atlas Lee-Sunny. You brightened up my life the second you walked into the bar and asked if you could buy me a drink, and then you took me home where you and your mom had a playful food and dish soap bubble fight. That's when I felt like I belonged with you. You weren't afraid to show me a playful side of you — you had never been afraid to show me any side of you.

You showed me how to be myself, you unlocked something inside of me that would have stayed hidden. You brought out the best of me on my darkest days. You stayed by my side whenever I needed you.

You are the light, my stars, my moon, you are everything and anything I could have possibly ever needed. My love for you is uncontrollable. I had started to love you and your cheesy pick up lines from the beginning, it had just taken me awhile to figure it all out.

I promise to love you, to be honest with you, to be the person you can count on when you need, to be the light in the darkness... I promise to be by your side until the day we die.

My heart is drawn to you, to your heart and it always will be through think and thin. I love you."

Atlas sniffled — along with most of the crowd and Derek — he brought his hand up to wipe his eye before he pulled out a piece of paper and cleared his throat. "Derek Shepherd. What can I say that some of the guests haven't heard at your first wedding?" The guests laughed, that line had been prepared.

"When I had met you, I was the new surgeon in town. I didn't know much about Seattle, and I didn't know anyone besides the odd few. You had wiggled your way into my life so quickly, I couldn't even imagine what it would be like if you hadn't. You had shown me things that I didn't want to experience with anyone else.

You always took time out of your day to see me, to have a conversation with me. You had even stopped what you were doing to come and get me and my person, because we were so drunk that we thoughts the ice cream police were after us.

You're my other half. It may sound cheesy but you are. I had never experienced a love like the one you gave me. Like the one we have together.

There's so many things I want to say. I want to tell you how I'll always be there, because I will and I promise to do so. I want to tell you how much I thank you for just being you, because I am so thankful for it all. I want to thank you for putting up with me, because I know I can be a handful, and so can my family.

But you stayed, and I could never thank you enough. I love you so much, more than you could ever know. But let this wedding, let this be a start of a story where I can give all my love to you, because I am nothing but full of love that belongs to you. ( and our family ... ) I love you."

Both Derek and Atlas were crying when Atlas had finished talking. Derek didn't even hesitate to lift his hands and use his thumb to wipe away some of the falling tears on Atlas cheeks.

"And now: Atlas Peter Lee-Sunny, do you take Derek Christopher Shepherd to be your husband?" The old man officiating the wedding wiped his own eyes. "Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him forevermore?"

Atlas nodded without any other thought, "I do."

The old man Carl, nodded. "And Derek Christopher Shepherd, do you take Atlas Peter Lee-Sunny to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him forevermore?"

Derek looked Atlas right in the eyes, both men holding in their tears, "I do."

"And now by the power vested in me, it is my honor and delight to declare you married. Please go forward in this next step of your lives, and go forth and live each day to the fullest. You may now kiss the groom."

Atlas cupped Derek's face and leaned in, bring his lips right to Derek's. Everyone around them clapped and cheered as the two newlyweds kissed happily.

"I am pleased to present the newlyweds, Atlas and Derek Shepherd."

════════ ☆

and hello there.. here's the wedding.
it had taken me a lot longer to write this than i had hopped. but now it's here.

extra — there's a few things to be said — 1 atlas won't always go by atlas shepherd, he will go be lee-sunny alot because it keeps him connected to his parents. 2 atlas and derek had settled on a chocolate/vanilla wedding cake and the cake topper was of two little guys standing there, one with finger guns raised to look like the time they had semi-flirted in the elevator after they met. 3 they had gotten married on a ferryboat, and along the sides of the isle were buckets full of sunflowers. 4 there were three empty seats in the front row, one for derek father, one for atlas's father, and one for george. 5 if needed, alex karev was going to drive a get away boat.

the song i imagined atlas walking down the isle to was i get to love you by Ruelle. that was also the song that was written in italics as atlas walked down the isle.

would you like a honeymoon chapter?

also! 100k reads! holy smokes, thank you all!