3rd Person P.O.V

Several weeks passed, and it was a week before the Schuylers' winter ball was due to be held. However, one particular day, John came running up to Theodora with a look of panic on his face, earning looks of concern from Alexander, Hercules and Lafayette, all of whom were also present at the time.

"John, is everything alright?" Theodora asked in concern.

"Not really. There's something I need to tell you. My father wrote to me a couple of weeks ago and told me he had put me in an arranged marriage with a woman named Martha Manning. I wrote back and told him that I was already due to be married to someone else, and he was less than pleased in his response. What's worse, I just saw him riding towards our camp." John answered.

"Alex, Laf, Herc, you three alert General Washington about our approaching visitor. John and I will be there to greet Mr Laurens when he arrives." Theodora said. Alexander, Lafayette and Hercules all looked reluctant, but a look from Theodora got them going. They may be her friends, but she was still their commander. John and Theodora stood side by side at the edge of the camp. Many of the soldiers had noticed the approaching figure, and had their weapons aimed.

"Hold your fire! Stand down! Do not attack unless I say!" Theodora commanded.

"Yes, General Hamilton." The soldiers chorused, lowering their guns. Theodora had taken her ring off the chain around her neck and was now wearing it, holding John's hand in order to give him support. John did his best to stand straight just as his father, Henry Laurens, dismounted his horse and walked over to the two.

"And I don't suppose you were going to inform me of this, had I not sent that letter." Henry stated, looking at his son.

"There was hardly time to send a letter during this war, and I am quite hurt that you did not trust me to find love by myself." John said calmly.

"Hmm. And who is she?" Henry questioned, looking at Theodora, whose gaze darkened a fraction at the man's disrespect.

"I am General Theodora Hamilton, second in command and right-hand woman of General George Washington. I am also the woman John is due to marry." Theodora answered, lifting her hand to show her ring as proof.

"I would've thought your mother would've taught you better about a woman's role in society." Henry said, which only made Theodora dislike him more, though she kept it hidden.

"My mother died when I was eight, sir, and my father died when I was six, so you'll have to forgive me for growing up without any form of guidance of a woman's place in society. It was my mother's dying wish that I become a strong and well-educated young lady who fights for what she believes." Theodora spoke calmly, but John could easily sense she was becoming irritated. Of course, Theodora was lying about her father's death, but it was easier for her to say rather than saying that her father had walked out on her family and abandoned them.

"Then your mother was a fool. Or perhaps she just did not care about the well-being of her daughter. After all, you're nothing but a bastard daughter born to a whore who then died because she didn't want to look after you." Henry said. That really struck a nerve with the brunette. No one disrespected her mother in front of her, lest they unleash her temper. This was what Henry Laurens discovered the hard way when he found himself stumbling back when Theodora's fist connected with his jaw.

"How dare you disrespect my mother! Rachel Faucette was a kind and respectable woman who did everything she could for her children. It is you who is the fool for disrespecting her good name!" Theodora said, her tone calm, but the look in her eyes was one of pure anger. Needing some way to vent, she launched herself at Henry and began punching every inch of him she could reach, though she did get hit several times as well. It was as this was going on that George finally arrived on the scene, accompanied by Alexander, Lafayette and Hercules. Alexander's eyes widened at the sight, as he knew his sister had a temper that was not to be messed with.

"General Hamilton!" George said, which caused Theodora to look over and see her commanding officer, so she pushed Henry away and got to her feet, dusting the dirt off her uniform and standing to attention.

"Apologies that you had to see that, sir." Theodora said, though she didn't look apologetic in the slightest as her eyes showed unhidden amusement.

"Would someone care to explain what happened?" George questioned.

"This is my father, Henry Laurens. He came to visit due to an issue that needed to be resolved. Theodora was with me, and I introduced her as my future wife, to which my father began belittling her because of her gender. When Theodora explained about her mother's death several years ago, my father proceeded to insult the name and honour of Theodora's late mother, Rachel Faucette. This caused Theodora to lose her temper, and you witnessed the rest, sir." John explained.

"How, if I may ask, did he insult your mother?" George questioned.

"He said I was nothing but a bastard daughter born to a whore. He then said my mother died because she didn't want to care for me." Theodora answered, anger still present in her tone.

"That's not true. Our mother died because she contracted yellow fever. My sister and I also caught the disease, but it was because of our mother that we survived while she herself was not so fortunate." Alexander said, moving over to stand next to his sister. Theodora noticed a bleeding cut on Henry's face, and looked down to see blood on her ring, so she discreetly grabbed her brother's coat and used it to clean off the blood.

"Last chance, John. Break off your engagement, or risk being disowned." Henry threatened. John looked angered at the fact his father was forcing him to choose.

"You know what, Father? I choose Theodora. I love her more than anything in this life, and I will not break off my engagement with her just to marry a woman I have never met before, or just because you want me to." John said, his tone making it clear he wasn't going to change his mind. Henry raised his hand as if to strike either his son or Theodora, but Theodora was already aiming her gun at him, her eyes daring him to step closer. Several clicks were heard as the soldiers around them, including Alexander, Lafayette, Hercules, John, and even George, were all aiming their guns at Henry Laurens.

"Last chance, Father. Stand down and leave." John warned the older man. However, it was clear the older man was determined to get his own way as he made one last lunge at his son, before there was several loud bangs, and Henry Laurens fell to the ground with multiple bullet wounds in his chest. Alexander, Lafayette, Hercules and Theodora had all fired their weapons in order to protect John. The aforementioned four all lowered their guns, no emotion on any of their faces. George got two soldiers to take Henry Laurens' body away for burial, as even a man like Henry didn't deserve to be just left to rot. The five friends then headed back to their tents, staying together the entire time. Once they were out of earshot of everyone else, John began to explain his past to the other four, all of whom listened attentively without interrupting. They knew they had to allow John to let everything out in order for him to have closure on the subject. All five had become extremely close in the time they had known each other, and they were never going to let anything break their friendship, no matter what happened to them.