Cora sat near the fire, watching her brother and Oliver secretly chit chat, occasionally looking up to glance at her. Sometimes, things never change. There came a time in everyone's life when they realized that in spite of how hard they'd been running from themselves, everywhere they went, there they were: Addictions and compulsions were nothing but marching bands of distraction, masking truths that were unpleasant, but ultimately undeniable. As much as we have free choice, absolute destiny is immutable. What is meant to happen does, through one measure or another.

Honestly, free will was such bullshit.

She was expecting Oliver to change his mind and cancel the whole thing. But no. The added ring on her finger was further proof that Oliver Queen was not kidding.

Not by a long shot.

You don't love someone because of beauty. You love them because they sing a song only you can understand. You love them because they complete you in a way that no one else could. Only love of a good woman will make a man question every choice, every action. Only love makes a warrior hesitate for fear that his lady will find him cruel. Only love makes a man both the best he will ever be, and the weakest. Sometimes all in the same moment.

The little chapel was filled with people, people from her childhood that were excited only because they had put money on Oliver Queen marrying Cora Mercer. There were some that she didn't even recognize, but they knew her. Of course they knew her. She was the talk of the town now. What happened to just quietly coming into town?

The doors to the chapel opened and the whole crowd's dull roar was brought down to a dull whisper as Richard Mercer stepped through the threshold.

Suddenly, Cora's life spiraled downward.

The pit of her stomach dropped, making her feel very light headed. She saw Oliver and Vincent get up from their seats and crossed the room to where she was, blocking Richard's path to her.

"You weren't invited." Oliver threatened dangerously low.

She saw it then. Oliver has something the rest of them don't have. She didn't know what it is, but she felt it all the time, especially when they were standing close. Beneath the expensive clothes, and cultured veneer, there's something that never crawled all the way out of the swamp. It didn't want to. It likes it there.

His hand was held in front of her, like a lion protecting it's cubs. Vincent was standing on the other side of her, glancing at her and her trembling hands.

The power of a glance has been so much abused in love stories, that it has come to be disbelieved in. Few people dare now to say that two beings have fallen in love because they have looked at each other. Yet it is in this way that love begins, and in this way only.

Cora took Oliver's hand and held it tightly in her own - it seemed to be the right thing to do, since she saw that look once before in his eyes, the one that said he wanted to murder the person that was in front of him.

"Get out." Oliver wanted to smack that smirk off her father's face. "Get out, before you leave on a stretcher."

"I'll be sure to remember that Oliver Queen threatened me when I take over your father's company."

"That wasn't a threat, Mercer." Oliver held a smirk of his own. "You can either walk out on your own, or be carried out. Your choice."

"And let me add to the threat my dear friend here gave you," Vincent spoke up for the first time. "You try and take Queen Consolidated and every form of government agencies will at your front door."

Cora was certain that there was a hint of knowing in her brother's eyes. What did he know? Did he knew that Richard killed their mother? Did he know about the abuse Cora suffered through? Did he know that Cora was the reason for their mother's death? If her mother hadn't stood up to Richard and his abuse of her daughter, she'd still be alive.

But even when she would stop crying, even when they would fall asleep and she would be nestled in his arms, this will leave another scar. No one will see it. No one will know. But it will be there. And eventually all of the scars will have scars, and that's all she'll be-one big scar of a love gone wrong.

He was there. Day and night he was there for her, risking his very existence to protect her from a war that claimed her life over and over again. He never faltered, never wavered, never feared for his own safety. He was beaten, stabbed, abused, and tortured again and again, yet he still stuck to her, ignoring the possibility that he would die for her one day. It wasn't right. She didn't deserve everything he sacrificed for her. She wasn't worth so high a price.

She knew he'd say differently.

"I merely came here to give my congratulations to my daughter."

"She's not your daughter. You lost that right a long time ago."

"And who are you to speak to me like that?"

"I'll speak to you however I see fit, Mercer. You aren't worth the dirt under my shoes." Oliver spat. "Now get out."

She caught her father's eye and her stomach twisted painfully. The gleam in his eye was one that she knew all too well. Her father wasn't done with her. She could be married to Oliver Queen and pregnant with his children and still her father wouldn't be done with her. She knew this too.

Richard Mercer turned on his heel and walked out without another word, with Diggle following behind him.

The next thing she knew, two faces were at her level. When had she sat down? She didn't remember sitting down. Oliver looked at her with his secret concern, because he knew her secret and Vincent looked at her with compassion, like he knew her father was a bastard, but didn't know the real reason why she was afraid of him.

"Are you okay?"

She stared at the two most important men in her life, unable to say anything.

Author's Note: SORRY THIS IS LATE! I had a bit of a writer's block the past few days. | You just can't rush something this awesome. Richard Mercer is up to something. Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a few hints for the next few chapters. Someone will get hurt. Someone will learn a disturbing truth. And someone will get some well deserved revenge. As always leave a review and tell me your thoughts! (: