Ripper was at the door when I opened it, a heaviness in my heart linked to all the anger I had been feeling for years on end. He took one look at me, calmed the fury in his gaze and pulled me gently against him, holding me in his arms. I dropped my guns on the ground outside, burying my face into his hard chest as silent tears tracked rivers down my face.

I had wanted them. Wanted them to want me. But no matter what I did, or who I was- they wouldn't have wanted me. It was something I realized now. They only ever wanted what would help them, and would be willing to do anything to get it.

Ripper's hands stroked my back, his lips pressed into my hair as he comforted me- even though I knew he was angrier than I was. Everything in him probably wanted to stalk in there and rip Warwick's throat out, then do the same to my mother.

If anything, this experience had made me realize what I would do anything for- who I would do anything for. And in contrast to my parents, it wasn't myself. It was the love of my life, my son, my father, my best friend, my one-eyed protector...Everyone who had given care to me, I would give my life in return.

"We're not going to beat them Ripper. We're going to leave them alone. Gervais will talk to them later, after they've...recovered."

He grunted, bending down and picking up my guns, then tucking them in his back pockets. "Let's go home, sugar."

And right now, I was more grateful for that than anything in the world.

________

I went and visited dad the day after, knowing he was more than anxious to see how I was. No doubt, he had been filled in on everything that had happened during the night since I had a hidden camera attached to a ring I wore. One that Teddy had made for me.

Ripper pulled up in front of his house, immediately grabbing my hand as we walked inside. I knew it was for both of us- I needed his touch to feel secure, and he needed mine to calm down. Seamus burst open the door and ran down the steps, coming to stop in front of me with a worried look all over his normally icy face.

He exhaled when he found nothing then crushed me into a hug, relief written all over him. I smiled into his hair, hugging him back just as fiercely. I would never leave this boy again, because he was forever in my heart. My son. The door opened behind him again, and Dad walked out, his big strong body tense.

I let go of Seamus after kissing him on the cheek and walked to my father, tears pricking my eyes. He saw them, face softening, before gathering me up in his tree-trunk arms. I held him tight, crying for the loss of my false family, but most of all, crying for all the time I had lost with my dad.

All those years, I had been wandering around, never really knowing what I wanted to do, never really having a plan because I only had one person to care about. I had done a lot of bad things, received a lot of bad things- gone through endless hours of pain and self-loathing because of my sins and past.

But now, I had a real family, a home, a life that I wouldn't give up for anything. I had a dad who loved me and wanted to protect me, I had people in my life who would keep loving me for a long time. I had people who weren't afraid to love me like I was them, I had people who stood with me and trusted in my decisions.

Love was something I didn't want to take for granted, and being around it, being filled with it like this- made me realize that it was something I never would.

"My little girl." Dad murmured into my hair, tears dampening the strands. The proud, scary Biker President was breaking down for his daughter.

"I missed you dad. I love you so much."

He gripped me tighter, fatherly love wrapping around me like a warm blanket. "I love you too Corin."

When we let go of each other, I looked past him and into the lounge, where Bianca, Deadeye, Slater, Teddy, Viper and Hammer sat, all staring at me.

I raised my brows, looking at dad. "What's everyone doing here?"

Bianca scoffed, standing up and coming to give me a hug. "We weren't going to just sit here while you were sent into the Lion's den Cor. We wouldn't be family if we didn't."

Deadeye grunted his agreement, leaning back on the couch as a small expression of relief came over his face. "Waited for you to get back, girl. It's good you're safe."

My heart warmed as they all nodded, and I wrapped an arm around Ripper who came to stand beside me.

I smiled through a new round of tears, vision blurry as I put my head on Ripper's chest.

"I'm home."

_________

The sky was dark but filled with stars when Ripper and I came to the lake. Moonlight shimmered over the water, and only a slight breeze ruffled through my hair as I stood, watching the sky.

Ripper came behind me and slid his hand around my waist, giving me a small smile when I raised a brow at him as he lead me to a small clearing. We were both dressed impeccably at Ripper's insistence, so I didn't want to get my new dress dirty.

It was black and tight, ending around mid calf, and covered in intricate ebony sequin detailing. I had also bought myself a fur coat to cover myself with, since Slater had given me my two weeks off with pay. (Yay!). I had left my hair alone, letting it run down my back like a tumble of waves, and gone with very minimal makeup- only a stroke of mascara and some lip gloss. Ripper had stopped completely when he saw me, eyes raking slowly up and down my form before growling his agreement.

It was the same for me. He wore a completely black suit, minus the blazer and tie, and left the top unbuttoned just enough to see the tattoos snaking out from his pectorals. Everything moulded to his body so well, showing the lines of muscle throughout his body. He had slicked his hair back slightly, just enough so that it didn't fall over his face like it usually did. My beautiful, deadly man.

He pushed me into a clearing, and my breath hitched.

Right by the lake, there was a small table with candles all around it, lit up like our own little restaurant. There was wine and flowers on the table, heads of roses scattered around our chairs with petals leading up to where we stood.

It was beautiful.

I looked at Ripper, hand fluttering up to my heart as I watched him with a question in my eyes. "What's this for?"

He gave me a loving look, honey eyes softened, and took my hand, leading me to my chair. A plate of food was already on the table, a delicious looking chicken parmesan with a Greek salad. I kept looking around, in awe of what he had done for me.- the flickering flames, the shimmering lake, the flowers scattered around us.

Ripper didn't sit down, rather, he crouched on the grass in front of me, seriousness overtaking. "Do you remember this place?"

I nodded immediately, smiling at the nostalgia. "This is where we had our first date."

He nodded, reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear with the gentlest of touches. My breath caught, heart stopping in my chest, and tears pricked my eyes when he got onto one knee.

Cearul reached into his back pants pocket, then pulled out a small, velvet box, opening it with a flourish.

His amber gaze focused on me, and he straightened up, holding the ring in front of me.

"Corin Kane, I remember the moment I saw you. I remember the way my first and only love walked through that door- and I remember thinking, there's the girl who is my other half. A woman so strong, a woman so loving, that I didn't think anyone was worthy of you. And then you chose me. A man who had done so much shit in his life, that he could only dream of a woman like you, loving a man like him." His voice was soft, and he stared at me as if I were an oasis in a desert, a candle in the darkness.

"I love you with every fiber of my being Corin Kane. I love you with every breath I take and I'll continue loving you even when I can't take a breath anymore. I love you when you are perfect and I love you even more when you aren't.

Corin Kane, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

My heart had stopped, and everything had halted in movement. All that existed was Caerul, looking into my eyes with a ring in his hands.

I went on my knees in front of him, nodding through my tears. "Where ever you go, I go. And if it be on our knees, then so be it. Yes!"

Caerul threaded the ring onto my finger, a band of silver that had a line of diamonds encrusted through the middle, around the whole ring. It was beautiful, elegant and everything I didn't know I wanted in a ring.

His hands came to my face, drawing my lips to his, and I knew, from that moment on, everything would be okay.

Because the man I loved was by my side and we could weather any storm that came our way.

In sickness and in health, not even death would make us part.