chapter seventy-one ━ wedding bells
( season ten, episode twelve )

❝ well, don't just stand there. make
her feel special! ❞

ELLIE STOOD IN the back of the conference room with Meredith, watching Cristina's press conference about her successful treatment with baby Nathan, the baby who had caused such a loud argument between the friends.

"Dr. Cristina Yang," Owen announced to applause from the reporters who had gathered in the room. Cristina stepped up to the microphone and Ellie glanced at Meredith, who had a neutral expression. But she could tell she was still feeling particularly betrayed by the printer event.

"Thank you, Dr. Hunt," Cristina said and Ellie turned back to her friend. "The—uh... the procedure is—is so relatively untried that the associated risks are un—unusually high." Ellie furrowed her brows at the amount of stuttering coming from the normally composed, confident surgeon. "Still, that shouldn't be a reason not to try at all."

Ellie tilted her head and leaned closer to Meredith; she knew very well why Cristina was having so much trouble with her speech.

"I know you're upset, but couldn't you just bury the hatchet?" she whispered to the general surgeon while Owen stepped onto the stage to speak to Cristina for a moment. "Be proud of her?"

"She stole my printer, Ellie," Meredith whispered back bitterly.

"But she did something remarkable," Ellie contracted, giving the woman a pointed look; it seemed to be a mix of frustration and sympathy. "If she's truly your friend, then you'd be happy for her. Regardless of how it happened."

"Fortunately, the patient is responding very well for now," Cristina continued, clearing her throat and looking back out at the sea of media personnel. "His vitals remain stable, and it is our hope that this will continue. And if it does, I am cautiously optimistic that we can call this procedure a success..."

Ross suddenly took the microphone from her. "Uh—'home run' is a better word," he interjected and Ellie bit the inside of her cheek. "Dr. Yang hit a home run. Thanks to her, baby Nathan is thriving this morning."

She rolled her eyes at his tone of voice. She had purposefully taken him off of Cristina's service but he had somehow found a way back onto it. And he had somehow become even more annoying than before, which she didn't think was even possible.

The reporters around her began to clap and she joined in, rubbing her bump as she made her way out of the room. She was officially in the portion of her pregnancy where she was always uncomfortable and wanted it over.

Oh, and she really wanted to sleep.

"How'd the conference go?" Jackson asked, walking up to her with a pastry and iced tea in his hands which he held out to her. She took them gratefully and he rubbed her back; it seemed to be the only way he could help her.

"Well, Ross is still annoying," she replied with a sigh, opening the bag of food and peeking inside. "How did he even get back on Cristina's service? I took him off!"

"Do you want me to put him back on mine?"

She shook her head. "No." She let out a breath and rolled her neck. "I'm not particularly in the mood for emotional residents. I'm not in the mood for anything except a wedding in two days. Is this what the teenage years are going to be like? Are they just preparing us for the future?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Except here we can leave the residents and go home without them. Teenagers would still be living with us."

"I don't know if that helped at all," she said with a chuckle when her pager went off. She pulled it out and frowned at the message. "Why is April paging me to a conference room?" she asked out loud. "Isn't she supposed to be getting ready for her wedding?"

"Good luck," he replied, kissing her forehead and watching her disappear to find the bride-to-be.

Once she had finally found the conference room she had been summoned to, she opened the door and immediately paused upon seeing several seamstresses with yards of fabric around them. "Um—"

April suddenly appeared behind her, dragging Meredith and Cristina behind her. "Oh, good, Ellie," she said with a stressed smile. "At least someone follows directions."

She let out a breath and stepped into the room, facing her friends. "I'll do Arizona when she's in surgery. You three need your final alterations." She turned her attention to Meredith and Cristina. "You will look pretty for my wedding. You guys are supposed to be doing this stuff for me. Only Ellie has a pass because she's supposed to have a baby any day."

Ellie shrugged. "Just to put it out there, I did mention when my due date was. She still had her heart set on a December wedding."

"Good luck!" April said brightly, closing the door behind her and the three women turned to the seamstresses.

"I think you have your work cut out for yourself," she said to one of them. "I just get bigger every day."

She smiled gently at her. "That's why the original was a little large. I'll take in some of the material and it'll fit like a glove."

"Oh, you're making me feel skinny. How sweet."

☀️

"OKAY, I HAVE the flats that you wanted to change into," Jackson called from the front door the morning of the wedding. Ellie was sitting on the couch, gathering her belongings. "Your dress is in the car already. Are we forgetting anything?"

"Do you have your tux?" she asked him, walking into the kitchen and pausing briefly, gripping onto the island. She let out a breath. "Because... April would actually kill you if you were wearing jeans."

He nodded. "Right... tux." He walked into the bedroom and quickly grabbed his tux while she let out another breath. He looked at her, holding the clothes. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Let's go get our girl married."

☀️

ELLIE WAS STRAIGHTENING April's dress in her room at the venue when Arizona suddenly came in, nearly crying at the sight of the redhead who was standing in front of the mirror. "You look so beautiful!"

She then broke down in sobs and Ellie furrowed her brows, walking over to her. "Aw!" April said with a confused smile. "That's really sweet. But—uh... You're gonna be all puffy if you keep that up. Are you gonna get it together?"

"Yeah." Arizona stood up and Ellie handed her a box of tissues. "No, I'm fine. Callie's trying so hard to forgive me and to take care of me, and it's driving me crazy."

"I thought you wanted—"

"I do!" Arizona exclaimed, interrupting Ellie who shared a confused look with April. "I do. I love her and I want her back. And I—I broke us. And I... And I wanna fix it. But she wants to fix me. The reason that I cheated that night... someone was attracted to me. And she never knew me before. She only knew me after. And I was enough for her. And Callie... you know, she knew me before and she loved me before. And now sometimes I—I feel like... I'm not... I'm not..."

"You're not?"

"It's not fair," Arizona said, shaking her head. "It's not fair. It's not her fault. It's not her fault that I hate feeling this way. And Callie's just... she's trying to—to fix everything. And I'm finally feeling okay the way that I am now! And I'm—I'm not sure that Callie will ever make me feel that way."

April pressed her lips together. "I'm so sorry that you're going through all of this... today."

Just then, Meredith walked into the room. "I'm here."

"Thank God!"

"We have a crying woman on our hands and it's not the bride-to-be," Ellie told her, walking to get the box that contained April's veil.

"But you're here!" April exclaimed happily while Ellie paused and gripped the armrests of a nearby chair. "Now all we need is Cristina and we're good to go!"

Ellie handed Meredith the veil. "I'll be right back," she said, leaving the room quickly and finding the bathroom. She took in a breath and squeezed her eyes tightly. "Absolutely not. Not today. It couldn't be tomorrow? It can't be today." The pain in her abdomen disappeared and she nodded. "Okay, now you listen to me. Three more hours... We just need to get through the wedding, alright?"

She let out a breath and looked in the mirror before making her way back into April's room. She sat down on a nearby chair; maybe if she didn't move so much, it would help. Cristina followed her inside.

"Thank you!" April said, looking like she was praising God and Meredith and Arizona stopped fixing her veil. "I knew you'd make it. Okay, so when we get out there, Ellie's gonna take my bouquet. So, if you and Meredith can be on either side of my train and Arizona can—"

"How dare you say I haven't changed," Cristina interrupted, turning to Meredith. Ellie raised her eyebrows and glanced between them; did she miss something? "I don't have to justify my choices to you, not one. How dare you say I am the same person I was when I got here before I knew Burke and Owen and you.

"Your life looks different because it's filled with houses and husbands and kids. And mine looks the same, but I'm not. I've changed. I'm doing this alone. And that's—that's just as hard as what you're doing. But I thought I would at least have you."

"Uh—"

"I'm so jealous of you, I wanna set things on fire," Meredith interrupted Ellie who raised an eyebrow upward. "You did what I tried to do and couldn't. And you don't even know how you did it! You have nothing but time and focus. You're not who we were when we got here. You're who we both set out to be."

Ellie nodded. "You know, this—"

"And you've become something we never saw coming," Cristina said to her. "You are as good a mother as you are a surgeon. And I'm happy for you. But we're growing apart."

"And that sucks, but could you—"

"I know," Meredith agreed and Ellie threw up her hands in defeat. "And I don't wanna compete with you, but I do, because we're supposed to push each other and make each other better forever. Since the day we met, right?"

"Right."

"Okay. So then..."

"God, I know. I'm so glad because—"

"Oh, shut up!" April snapped making Ellie cover her chuckle at Meredith and Cristina's surprised reaction. "Today is not the day. You two... Super neat that you're working your crap out, but not today! And you!" She turned to a taken-aback Arizona. "Stop talking about adultery on my wedding day because it is my wedding day! The only person who has done anything for me is Ellie and she's thirty-eight weeks pregnant!"

"Pleasure to be of service."

She huffed. "I should be feeling very special right now!" she continued and Ellie rubbed her bump while shifting uncomfortably on the chair. "I should be flounced and fluffed and checked over and handed tissues and told not to cry with joy! So just... You know what? Stop thinking about you, and you make me feel special!"

Ellie smiled and looked up at the three bridesmaids. "Well, don't just stand there," she told them. "Make her feel special!"

"You look good," Arizona said.

Meredith nodded. "And the veil turned out so pretty."

"You know she's already agreed to marry you, right?" Jackson asked, sitting on the couch while watching Andy pace back and forth in the room across from April's. "She loves you, she's not going to say no at the altar."

"It's still a concern!" Andy countered, looking at the surgeon. "She planned this whole thing and then just... says no?"

Jackson sighed. "She looks at you with heart eyes," he said, leaning back against the couch. "In a sickening way. Take a deep breath and you'll see your bride at the end of the altar."

Andy nodded. "Yeah. Okay, thanks. And thanks for stopping by."

He shrugged. "Well, it's not like I had much to do," he replied and stood up. "Your fiancé stole mine."

☀️

THIS WAS THE moment. April Kepner was about to get married to the love of her life. Ellie turned away from the large doors and looked at her best friend with a tearful smile. "Are you ready for this, Apes?"

She nodded, staring ahead. Just on the other side was the perfect man. "Yeah."

"And how about you, Mr. Kepner?" she asked him, turning to the man April was standing next to. "Are you ready?"

"Very," he replied with a nod. "And don't tell your sisters, but he might be my favorite son-in-law. And it's not even official yet!"

Ellie chuckled at him and squeezed April's hand tightly. "Then let's get this show on the road. Cristina, get those doors open!"

"On it!"

The doors opened and Cristina started the procession down the aisle. Meredith and Arizona followed after her and Ellie turned back to April, adjusting her veil and giving her one last smile. "You look beautiful, Apes."

She caught Jackson's eye as she approached the end of the altar and smiled softly at him when she noticed April's sisters all glaring angrily at them.

She chuckled softly to herself and stood next to Arizona just as the doors opened once more and April walked down with her father. Ellie spared a glance at Andy who was biting the inside of his cheek while blinking rapidly, a stray tear fell down his cheek and he swiftly wiped it away. April handed Ellie her bouquet and faced Andy with a bright smile.

"There is no greater example of God's power than the love we share between us," Reverend Drew began and Ellie wiped the corners of her eyes. "April and Andy are here today to commit that love to each other before God and before all of you. So let's pray." Ellie side-eyed Derek when she heard his phone and he excused himself to answer; it couldn't wait? "Heavenly Father... Watch over April and Andy as they take the first steps on a journey that will last them the rest of their lives on Earth.

"All obstacles. And the humility..." April looked up at Andy and he smiled softly at her, wiping away a tear that fell down her cheek. "And give them the strength to commit their love to one another." Jackson tilted his head when he looked at Ellie who was shifting in place. "Unshakable through any storm, unbreakable in the face of any stress. And you, April and Andy's closest friends and family, are here today to bear witness to their union. Will you promise to love and support their marriage in all the days to continue? If so, please respond 'we will.'"

"We will."

"Now, I—uh—I've known the two of you for quite some time," Reverend Drew continued, smiling between them. "And I'm happy to be here to be able to do this for you. Andy, would you like to begin?"

He nodded and cleared his throat. "Oh, boy... April, when I first met you, there was something about you that I couldn't figure out. Granted, I met you because I was dating your best friend." Ellie waved at them and they laughed. "But you were this friendly woman who always seemed to have a smile on your face.

"And I knew when we saw each other in Ohio, that we were meant to be something to each other. The day you said yes to that date was the start of an incredible journey. Every mini golf date, coffee date, movie date, that one bowling date that went horribly—" April chuckled tearfully. "—I knew you were the one I was meant to be with. I promise to love you through any ups and downs we have. You're going to be an amazing mother someday and I promise to be the best dad I can be. I love you."

Reverend Drew smiled. "That was beautiful. April?"

"Uh... The answer is that yes, your vows did make me cry," she said and Andy shrugged making her chuckle. "For my entire life, I was always in the shadow of my sisters; I wasn't considered the 'pretty' sister. The Ugly Duckling, if you will. And no guy ever really looked my way. Until you. You looked at me like no one else existed on this planet and you made me feel like the prettiest girl at the party.

"My heart skips a beat every time you talk because it's so full of life and kindness. You're the sweetest person and I'm so happy you asked me to be your wife. No matter what life throws our way, we'll be okay because we're facing it together. I love you so much and can you hurry up, please, Reverend?"

He chuckled. "I can hurry up," he agreed with a nod. "Andrew, do you take April to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do."

"And April, do you take Andrew to be your lawfully wedded husband?" April was practically bouncing in place. "To have and to hold from this day forward? For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" 

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in me, in the sight of God, I pronounce you husband and wife," he said and Ellie smiled at those words. "You may kiss your bride."

Andy didn't need to be told twice. He pulled her closer and bent down, catching her lips with hers to cheers from their friends and family. April hugged his arm and she took the bouquet back from Ellie who, when she went back to her place, froze. The newlyweds walked back up the aisle just as Ellie gripped Arizona's arm.

"Ellie?" she asked her, looking down at the woman who was staring at the ground. "What's wrong?"

"Uh—" She looked up. "My—My water just broke."

Meredith and Cristina, who heard her voice, looked over and noticed the blonde shutting her eyes in pain. "You're what?"

"Cristina, get Jackson," Meredith said, ushering her towards the soon-to-be father. "Alright, deep breaths, Ellie. It's gonna be okay."

"We're gonna need April a really good wedding gift," she muttered, letting out a breath just as Jackson appeared at her side.

"You're in labor?"

She tilted her head. "Well, if this isn't it, I really don't want to know what it actually feels like," she said, holding onto his shoulder. "Can you get the car?"

"And I'll call the hospital."

"Oh—wait." Ellie stopped and looked around. "Derek Shepherd!" The man in question jumped at her shout and looked at her. "One, how dare you answer the phone during a wedding ceremony, and two, you need to call Addie."

"Why?"

"Because I want her!" she snapped at him and he shrunk back. "She's the best and I want her."

Meredith looked at Derek. "What the woman in labor wants, the woman in labor gets," she said, smirking at her husband.

"I'm on it."

☀️

IT'S BEEN SAID that a person experiences a change in perspective whenever a life-changing experience happens. That was certainly the case for Jackson Avery.

"Derek called Addie, right?" Ellie asked breathlessly, just as another contraction ended. "And—And we like the name?"

He nodded. "The name is perfect," he replied gently, smoothing back her sweaty blonde hair that was sticking to her neck. "They're gonna love it. And, yes, he called her."

Just then, they heard a knock on the door and a smile immediately graced the tired blonde's face. "Speak of the devil and she'll appear." Addison walked towards her with a smile. "Thank you for coming, Addie."

"I wouldn't miss it," she replied, putting on a gown and sitting on the stool in front of the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," she said quietly. She looked down at Addison. "Am I close at all?"

She nodded. "You're ready."

"And you know about—?"

"I know," Addison assured her softly. "Alright, are you ready, Ellie?" She looked at her before nodding. "Alright. One..."

☀️

THE DELIVERY WENT by in a blur for the new mother, and she soon found herself in the maternity wing, fast asleep while Jackson sat in the vacant seat beside her bed, gazing fondly at the newborn in the bassinet, stroking Ellie's hand with his thumb.

"Hey, there, sunshine."

Ellie sat upright and looked around at the sound of the voice, her heart nearly dropping to her stomach at the sight. "Say that again."

Mark smiled at her. "Hi, sunshine."

Tears immediately filled her eyes and she ran into her older brother's open arms. As soon as she was in his embrace, he squeezed her tightly. "I've missed you so much," she whispered into his neck, breathing in his familiar cologne. It felt like home. "You always said you'd never leave me."

"And I still haven't," he replied, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "I've always been with you, sunshine. Even if you can't see me. Like right now. You're not dead, just asleep. And here I am."

She smiled lightly. "I can't stay, can I?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "And I don't want you to. You have a family to get back to. Everyone's waiting for you to wake up so they can celebrate you. And, yes, April is there, too." Ellie looked up at him. "I'll be there, too. I'll be the one with the biggest smile in the corner of the room. Even if you can't see me."

She tilted her head, feeling tears well in her eyes. "Thanks for stopping by my dream," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I wish you could have been Uncle Mark."

"I'm Uncle Mark from a distance," he told her and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for looking after Sofia for me. Go home, Ellie, and live your life for me."

She nodded and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. "I love you, Mark."

He smiled softly and kissed her forehead. "I love you more, sunshine."

"Well, look who's awake." Ellie looked over when she heard Jackson's voice and smiled softly at him. "Hi. How'd you sleep?"

"Good," she replied with a nod, sitting upright in the bed and Jackson placed their newborn daughter in her arms. "Hi, baby."

"Are you guys up for any visitors?"

Ellie tore her gaze away from the little baby and saw April and Derek standing in the doorway. She nodded and waved them in. "I'm sorry, April."

"For what?" she asked, furrowing her brows. "And if you say it's because you had a baby, then I don't accept your apology. Today has been the best day! I married the love of my life and my best friends had a baby. I will never be mad at you for that."

Ellie squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "How's the baby?" Derek asked her and she looked up at him with a nod.

"The babies are fine."

Derek nodded in relief before pausing. "I'm sorry..." She raised her eyebrows as he met her gaze. "Did you say babies?"

She pressed her lips together and gestured at Jackson who was picking up their son from the second bassinet. "Surprise?" She shrugged sheepishly.

Derek shook his head playfully and she smiled up at him. "Now that's something you would do... How did we never know?"

"We just gave you ultrasounds that had an angle where you could only see one," she replied, adjusting her grip on her daughter. "I thought this would be more of a surprise than just telling you."

He chuckled. "Well, it worked."

"Can you tell us their names please?" April asked, practically bouncing in place. Jackson sat down beside her in the bed. "Please? The suspense is killing me!"

Ellie looked around at the growing number of doctors in her room before letting out a breath and looking down at the little baby in her arms who already seemed to have her nose. "Everyone... meet Charlotte Alexandra. Named for three of our closest friends, Charles Percy, Lexie Grey, and... Alex Karev."

The man looked up at her and she smiled softly at him.

"And her younger brother by three minutes..." she continued, gesturing to the baby cuddled against Jackson. "Everett Reid. For my brother and one of our best friends."

April sniffled and she squeezed her hand. "And we were wondering if April and Derek would be their godparents," Jackson said, Ellie nodding in agreement.

"Really?" she asked, her voice breaking. This might have been the best day in April Kepner's life. "Of course!"

Derek nodded. "Yeah."

Ellie smiled and rested her head on the hand that he was laying on her shoulder. "Welcome to the world, Charlotte and Everett," she said, looking down at their newborn children. She glanced at the empty corner of the room and a soft smile graced her features. "We've been waiting for you."

☀️

━ author's note:

hehe, surprise!

the original chapter was much more dramatic, and you know what, all births on this show are dramatic and/or tragic, so they deserve a normal, calm one.

i like to think that april sent all of her wedding guests home as soon as she found out ellie was in labor--that woman would move heaven & hell for her best friend and vice versa.