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babydee1Managed to get this tidied up in record time. Hope you all like it! *points to icon and whistles innocently*
(~Psst! It's got vows!) ;-)
Title: Beauty in the Breakdown VIII: Living Life
Author: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
babydee1
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13)
Warnings: A Re-telling of Chlollie post-Warrior
Timeline: Season 9
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: With Oliver by her side, Chloe learns to let go, find peace, and fall in love.
Story Summary: As with everything else in Chloe and Oliver’s relationship, their next step is as unconventional as ever.
Feedback: …Always. :)
Series inspired by sxymami0909’s Watchtower playlist.
Awesome banner by sanaazzy.
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 4
It was time.
Chloe gazed into Oliver’s smiling eyes, and despite her lack of preparation for the occasion, a serene peace stole over her, easing her spirit. The warm Florida air caressed her cheeks and gently lifted her hair as she took a few seconds to compose herself.
She had no idea what she was going to say. Oliver’s vows had been powerful, moving and sincere, and they would be a hard act to follow, even if she had managed to prepare something beforehand.
But somehow, she knew everything would be fine; all she had to do was listen to her heart. From the beginning of their relationship, she and Oliver had thrived the most when they had planned the least. As long as she focused on the love that united them, the right words would come.
Oliver’s thumb stroked the side of her hand, calming and comforting her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, accessing every emotion he had awoken in her heart since they day they’d first gotten together. Slowly she opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him, his expression serene as he patiently waited for her to speak.
She smiled up at him, and began.
“Oliver Jonas Queen, you are my Mate, and my perfect match,” she said. “You complement me in every way. You steady me, you challenge me, and you encourage me. You are my shoulder and comfort when I need it the most; you believe in me even when I lack the conviction to believe in myself.
“Your faith in me moves me to tears. You are my strength, my rock, and my stability. You truly complete me.”
Oliver’s throat moved as he swallowed hard, and Chloe could see his eyes brightening with tears. She went on.
“I love your fearlessness and your dedication to everything you set your hands to do,” she said with conviction. “I love your resilience, productiveness, and tenacity. I love the way you put a smile on my face and keep it there. I love the way you tickle me and make me laugh until my sides ache. I love how we can lay in each other’s arms and say so much without saying a single word. I love that you are the other side of me, and I am the other side of you. I love you.”
Oliver’s fingers trembled beneath hers, and she heard everyone around them beginning to sniffle. Out of the corner of her eye she could see an elderly couple who had somehow found their way to the private section of the beach, stop and listen quietly to her words.
She focused solely on Oliver, her heart melting as she saw one solitary tear slide down his cheek. A wide smile spread across his face, and he nodded at her to continue.
“You are a leader among men,” she said reverently. “Where you blaze a trail, others follow, and I am honoured to be by your side as you lead. I promise to always respect and support you, and to appreciate you for all that you are and for all that you inspire me to be. I promise to love you and cherish you with all of my heart and soul for as long as I live.”
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and continued. “I…I promise to try to learn how to cook---”
Oliver’s brows went up and he burst out laughing, and everyone else followed suit, momentarily breaking the solemnity of the occasion.
“Hey, I said try!” she protested with a laugh as the chuckles died down. “…and I promise you that everything will always remind me of you. I promise to be the wife that you deserve and, when the time comes, the best mother in the world to the children that we will bear and raise together.
“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Oliver. I am so incredibly proud of the man that you are, and I am truly blessed to be the recipient of your love. I thank you for all of the memories that we have made thus far, and I look forward to ones we’ll be creating from this day forward. Growing old with you will be a wonderful and exciting journey, and I will treasure and remember each and every day that we have together.”
Oliver’s beautiful face was streaked with tears, yet somehow he had never looked more masculine. By now everyone was sniffling openly and dabbing tears away, including the minister. Chloe felt her own tears falling freely as she slipped the ring onto Oliver’s finger and returned her gaze to his.
“In the presence of God and before these witnesses here today, I, Chloe Ann Sullivan, take you, Oliver Jonas Queen, to be my wedded husband,” she said, her voice steady and sincere. “I will stand beside you as your wife and remain true to you and only you for the rest of our days. The world around us will change, and seasons will pass…but our love will remain and strengthen with every day that passes; constant, unwavering, and unshakeable.
“I am grounded in you. My place is and always will be with you. All that I have and all that I am are connected with you; my heart, my mind, my soul, my body, my spirit, my honour and my life. I am complete in you; today, and everyday.”
She glanced down at their hands, and then gazed at him with a shy smile.
“Marry me, Oliver,” she said quietly, squeezing his hands. “I love you.”
***
Oliver was speechless. He stared at his bride-to-be, feeling as if his heart would explode with the love radiating from her.
He had attended weddings over the years; scores of them. From high profile society weddings to small, private low-key ceremonies, he’d seen it all. But every single one of them paled in the intimacy of his and Chloe’s union.
For the first time in his life, the true meaning of the word marriage was revealed to him. Gone was the cynic who’d jokingly referred to it as the ball-and-chain, or mockingly called it a corporate contract with fringe benefits. He had been so wrong. Rather, it was a spiritual fusing of souls in the presence of the Creative Power that forged the universe. Having lived with Chloe for the better part of the last six months, he could confidently say that their relationship was pretty much perfect; but having their union sealed with the sanctity of marriage had taken that perfection to a sacred, divine level.
They were now, legally and spiritually, the same person.
“I will,” he answered solemnly, tightening his fingers around hers. “I love you.”
There was so much more he wanted to say, but words suddenly seemed so inadequate to explain the myriad of emotions pouring through him. But then she beamed up at him, and he could see his thoughts mirrored in his eyes.
He returned her smile with a huge grin of his own. Of course she already knew how he was feeling, because she could feel it, too. They were, after all, now one and the same.
The minister cleared her throat and spoke. “Chloe and Oliver have today joined hands and given themselves to each other by the declaration of solemn vows, and by the giving and receiving of a ring as a symbol of their promises,” she declared in a stately, resonant voice, “By the power vested in me by God and the State of Florida, it gives me great joy and pleasure to pronounce you Man and Wife.” She turned to the small assembly. “Ladies and gentlemen: I give you Mr and Mrs Queen. Oliver, you may now kiss your Bride.”
There was the sound of thunderous applause and jubilant cheering, but the only thing resonating in Oliver’s brain was the pronouncement that had just been made.
His Bride. His Wife.
He and Chloe were married.
“You may kiss the Bride,” the minister repeated.
He ignored her. Slowly he lifted his hand to cup his wife’s cheek, his gaze fixed solely on her radiant face.
“You may kiss your Bride, Oliver,” the minister said again gently.
“In a minute,” he whispered. He stared at Chloe in all her loveliness and committed the moment to his memory for life. She was as beautiful as she had always been, except for one small difference…
“Mrs Chloe Queen,” he breathed reverently. “My wife…” his thumbs brushed her cheeks. “My Queen.”
She nodded, a huge smile on her face as her eyes sparkled with joy. “Yeah,” she finally replied tremulously. “I am.”
“You’re my wife,” he whispered again.
“You’re my husband,” she said in a daze. “We’re married.”
“We’re married.” A huge smile crept across his face as his voice rose. “We’re married! Oh my God, we are fucking married!”
Their witnesses, along with the old couple who had stayed to witness the ceremony, cheered and applauded as Oliver pulled Chloe into his arms and planted a deep, soul-searching kiss on her lips, sealing their union. The kiss went on and on, and by the time he finally lifted his head from hers, she was positively breathless.
But he wasn’t done celebrating; not by a long shot. With a loud whoop of victory, Oliver Queen swept his wife into his arms, ran straight towards the ocean and jumped into the water with a loud splash.
***
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 12:13 am (UTC)I can't control my emotions! I don't know if I cry from those beautiful vows, if I laugh of the "trying to cook" thing or if I do both things at the last scene.
This was so perfect Dee, I can't even tell you how much I loved it!
no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 12:29 am (UTC)I think you just did, babes. Thank you so much, your reaction is exactly what I was hoping for! :-)
I was desperate to get the vows right, since we missed pretty much the entirety of the Chlollie wedding onscreen (and got two recitals of the vows of the Clois wedding that was not!)
Glad you like, and thanks so much for commenting! *hugs again* :-)
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Date: 2012-03-29 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 01:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 01:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 01:27 am (UTC)I could visualize perfectly Chloe saying all this to Ollie, the words spilling out from the heart and Ollie there with eyes full of tears, completely moved and feeling the happiest man in the world.
They are married... Mr and Mrs Queen. Yayyyyyyy!! :)
And Ollie jumped into the water with Chloe in his arms!lol That's so their thing!;):D
Loved it!!!
no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 10:09 am (UTC)Oh, I'm so glad you liked it, Dani! :-D
"I could visualize perfectly Chloe saying all this to Ollie, the words spilling out from the heart and Ollie there with eyes full of tears, completely moved and feeling the happiest man in the world.
They are married... Mr and Mrs Queen. Yayyyyyyy!! :)"
After the brush-over wedding that TPTB threw at our feet, I HAD to make this one special, yet very true to their amazing relationship. Judging by your reactions, I think this worked out quite well! :-)
"And Ollie jumped into the water with Chloe in his arms!lol That's so their thing!;):D"
Exactly!!! :-D
"Loved it!!!"
Thanks for commenting, babes! :-)
no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 05:51 am (UTC)The vows were amazing!!! And no I'm not crying I just have something in my eye!!!
Ok fine I'm bawling!!!!! but can you blame me those vows were AMAZING!!!!!!
“In a minute,” he whispered. He stared at Chloe in all her loveliness and committed the moment to his memory for life. She was as beautiful as she had always been, except for one small difference…
“Mrs Chloe Queen,” he breathed reverently. “My wife…” his thumbs brushed her cheeks. “My Queen.”
Heeeeee Who's gushing like a school girl??? That'd be me!!!!!
She nodded, a huge smile on her face as her eyes sparkled with joy. “Yeah,” she finally replied tremulously. “I am.”
“You’re my wife,” he whispered again.
“You’re my husband,” she said in a daze. “We’re married.”
“We’re married.” A huge smile crept across his face as his voice rose. “We’re married! Oh my God, we are fucking married!”
My babies are married!!!! EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 10:05 am (UTC)Thanks, thanks, thanks!!! :-D
"The vows were amazing!!! And no I'm not crying I just have something in my eye!!!"
Suuurrrrrre you do. ;-)
"Ok fine I'm bawling!!!!!"
I knew it!!! :-D
"...but can you blame me those vows were AMAZING!!!!!!!"
It was very them, wasn't it? *sighs* :-)
"Heeeeee Who's gushing like a school girl??? That'd be me!!!!!"
Oh, you go on ahead and gush, girl. Have fun! :-)
"My babies are married!!!! EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
Yes indeed, they are - and I love it!!! :-D
Glad you liked it, my Sweet! *huggles*
no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 07:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 10:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 07:48 am (UTC)It's a good thing Chloe didn't freak out and go buy some big wedding gown, the way Ollie chose to end the ceremony.
A beautiful chapter. I can't wait for some honeymoon time. Or is it back to Metropolis for the big reveal, first?
no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 10:19 am (UTC)Hee! It's pretty much canon, babes. In the early seasons Chloe made it clear that she was no domestic goddess, and in Season 8 (Stilletto) when clark saw her cooking, he commented that in all the years he's known her he's never seen more than a chocolate chip cookie come out of that oven, and demanded to know what was wrong.
Also in Season 6 (Reunion), when Chloe was having dinner with Clark and Martha, Mrs Kent commented that Chloe needed real food, and couldn't live on coffee 3 times a day, to which she responded that she mixes it up with the occasion blueberry muffin. ;-)
Hope that explains it! As to why she's a gourmet chef in some fics...there, I cannot help you. :-P
"It's a good thing Chloe didn't freak out and go buy some big wedding gown, the way Ollie chose to end the ceremony."
Ack! If she'd been wearing a five-thousand dollar gown and Ollie dunked her in the ocean, she wouldn't have been very pleased! :-P
"A beautiful chapter. I can't wait for some honeymoon time. Or is it back to Metropolis for the big reveal, first?"
Honeymoon first; then back to Metropolis for the big reveal. ;-)
Glad you like, sweetie! :-D
no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 09:41 am (UTC)Another fantastic add to the fic
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Date: 2012-03-31 10:21 am (UTC)Words have always been her speciality. It's no surprise she came up with the goods on her wedding day. :-)
Glad you liked it, babes! *hugs*
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Date: 2012-03-30 06:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-30 09:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 05:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-31 10:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-05-06 11:09 am (UTC)Can't stop now, going to read more, but just *flails*
no subject
Date: 2012-05-06 04:57 pm (UTC)