"Why do you always order Beijing Beef when you hate broccoli?" Alex laughed as he unpacked the Chinese takeaway boxes onto the coffee table. It was the night before their wedding and they were eating Chinese food on the couch. Neither of them wanted bachelor or bachelorette parties but to spend their last night as single people with each other.

"I like it and you're always here to eat my broccoli for me" she smirked and sat down handing him a glass of wine "It's like a match made in Chinese takeaway heaven"

"Mushy much?" he chuckled "Save it for your vows tomorrow"

"Who says I've got anything mushy in my vows?"

"As long as you don't have the words 'Chinese takeaway' in them I really don't care"

"Now I have to re-write them..." she laughed only to be interrupted by the doorbell. Getting up, she grabbed an egg roll before making her way to the door.

"Hundred bucks it's your Mom...again" Alex chuckled thinking Carolyn was coming to see them for the fifth time that day. She was putting together the final touches for the wedding and needed an opinion on everything even though both Alex and Lauren trusted her decisions. They never wanted anything fancy but Carolyn insisted on something a little bit bigger than they ever expected.

"Pay up buddy" Lauren smirked as she looked through the peephole and saw her sisters and hospital friends at the door carrying bottles of champagne and wearing party hats "Pay up big time, I'm scared what is going to happen" she laughed and opened the door.

"Get out Dr Handsome" Amelia demanded as she pushed her way inside followed by Nancy, Kathleen, Meredith, Cristina, Teddy, Callie, Bailey, Lexie and April all carrying the fixings for a Bachelorette Party.

"Excuse me? You're kicking me out of my own apartment?"

"Yes"

"The boys are on their way up to get rid of him so we can have some fun" Nancy giggled. Lauren looked at Amelia who did the hand actions to explain Nancy had a few champagne's before they got there. Sure enough Derek, Mark, Owen, Avery, Eric and Michael turned up at the door wanting to take Alex away.

Lauren dodged her sister and followed Alex out to the hallway warily. Mark and Owen quickly took him away but Lauren caught her brother's arm roughly "Do not get him drunk tonight. I'd like him standing up straight at the altar please"

"I will look after him"

"That goes for you too. You need to walk in a straight line when you're walking me down the aisle"

"I got it covered" Derek chuckled "Have fun with the girls..."

"I hate you Derek" she yelled out as he walked down the stairs to join the other guys.

"I love you too little sister!" he yelled back with a laugh. Lauren closed the door and turned to the party anxiously. She was worried about what Amelia had planned. Remembering back to Nancy and Kathleen's bachelorette parties, they were hung-over for three days afterward.

XXXXX

Lauren straightened Alex's white tie and fixed his boutonniere with a smile. This whole wedding was actually happening and her Mom was there to see it. Lauren had her hair and makeup done so all she had to do was get dressed. She wanted to see Alex quickly before she did though one last time before they got married.

"Perfect" she smiled and stepped back looking at her fiancé up and down. He looked so handsome all dressed up in his black suit and white shirt and tie.

"I could say the same for you. How's the hangover?"

"I didn't drink anymore than a glass of champagne I'll have you know" Lauren laughed "I did however have to stop by the hospital this morning to give Amelia, Nancy and Callie all banana bags. I just hope there's enough makeup to cover the damage they did"

"Don't worry, we had to put Avery to bed early last night so he would be ok for today. This is why we didn't want parties"

"Yeah try telling that to my brother and sisters"

"Try telling me what?" Derek chuckled leaning on the door frame. He'd been watching Lauren and Alex for a minute with a smile. He was glad to see Lauren so happy after years of her sitting backseat Nancy, Kathleen and his own weddings. "Kathleen has been looking for you Lauren. You have to get dressed not that I object to your current outfit. It's a good look" he laughed.

Lauren looked down at her shorts and the dress shirt of Alex's she'd stolen and rolled the sleeves up on. It was comfortable which was all that mattered before getting into a dress that cut off her circulation and breathing. She kissed Alex softly for the last time before the wedding.

"I'll see you in there" he smiled

"I'll be the one in the white dress" Lauren smiled before leaving the room. Skipping off, she left Derek with Alex while she found her sisters. While Amelia was Lauren's only bridesmaid, Nancy and Kathleen were helping them both get dressed and ready. With her grandmother's diamond earrings as her something old, her engagement as her something new, Kathleen's bracelet from her own wedding as Lauren's something borrowed and the orchids in her hair were her something blue, Lauren was surprisingly calm as she got ready.

"Wow, you look beautiful" Derek smiled as Lauren walked out of the dressing room of the church behind Amelia ready for the ceremony.

"Oh thankyou Derek" Amelia laughed knowing that he was talking about Lauren. She'd take the compliment anyway "Of course you were talking to Lauren" she sighed jokingly

"Thankyou" Lauren smiled and kissed Derek's cheek softly before wiping the lip gloss off his cheek "Sorry"

"Dad would have loved to have been here to walk you down the aisle" he smiled sadly. They all wished their father could have been there for any of their weddings. It was still hard to have all these happy occasions without him.

"If I couldn't have him then I'm glad you're here"

"Can we have the sentimental stuff for the reception please? Let's get this show on the road" Amelia laughed getting excited to actually get this ceremony started. She'd never been a bridesmaid before so this was her big moment.

"Don't worry Amy, it's not like I'm the one getting married" Lauren laughed and made sure her niece Emily and nephew Conner were ready as flower girl and ring bearer before standing beside her brother and taking his hand "I guess this is showtime"

"Are you ready for this?" he asked warily. When Lauren was anxious, it didn't always show obviously on her face and now was no different.

"I'm ready" she smiled as the doors of the church opened revealing the small, intimate gathering of their family and friends. Alex stood at the other side of the church smiling back at her.

XXXXX

Lauren held Alex close as they swayed gently back and forth to the string quartet playing for the reception. Still coming down from the high that was the ceremony, Lauren couldn't tear herself away from the arms of her husband. She was still getting used to that term 'husband'. The night was coming to an end and everything had just been so perfect. Derek gave a beautiful speech at the reception which their Mom cried the entire way through and Amelia limited herself to one glass of champagne to avoid the need for another banana bag.

"Just tell tell her" Meredith insisted to Derek as they pretended to dance just to get closer to Lauren and Alex on the dance floor.

"I don't want to tell her it will just ruin the whole day" he sighed not realising that both Lauren and Alex could hear their conversation. Smiling silently to each other, they were both intrigued as to what was going on.

"You have to tell her..."

"I'm trying to dance with my husband here, spit it out or go sit down" Lauren sung with a laugh as she and Alex spun around to face Meredith and Derek "What's going on?"

"There's been a bus crash" Derek sighed softly wishing that this hadn't happened today of all days "we've all been paged to the hospital"

"That's ok. Go Derek, they need you..."

"It was a bus full of kids..."

"Oh" she nodded weakly. The whole day had been so perfect; something had to happen to bring them all back to reality. She turned to Alex who simply nodded and loosened his tie. If she went then he did too. It wasn't the way he'd imagined they would be spending their first night as husband and wife but saving kids' lives was their life too.

"Give us ten minutes and we'll be there" Alex chuckled and kissed Lauren softly once Meredith and Derek had walked away "Would we have it any other way?"

"No probably not" she laughed "I'm so going to make this up to you tonight again and again and again..."

"I'll hold you to that I hope you know"

"I'm sorry, I really am"

"You didn't crash the bus. Come on, we have some kids to save"

Thoughts? Do you like the first chapter of the sequel? I promise another surprise in the next chapter (you've all been asking for it so I doubt it will be much of a surprise)