Disclaimer: I own nothing. The title/lyrics are from "Eric's Song" by Vienna Teng.
Author Note: In case you don't already know... there is another part coming, so don't panic at the end.
Fate's Decree
Strange how this journey's hurting
In ways we accept as part of fate's decree
Chloe looked at her watch as she sat on the hood of her car. 11:45. She wanted to make sure that she was early, to see the entire show. But the quiet was also rewarding, a nice change of pace after dealing with Lois trying to host her first Christmas in a "real relationship" as she called it. Lois' cooking honestly scared Chloe, but her cousin meant well after her and Clark essentially ignored her last year during the holidays before Chloe took off to DC.
However, Chloe still couldn't handle spending the holidays with the happy couple, further showing the emptiness her life had. She informed both of them that it was nothing personal after stepping off the plane in DC... she knew it was a lie, but Chloe knew that she had to do this... she had to come back.
After all, this spot was the first and one of the few places Chloe had felt liberated all year, because even though she had started the year in a positive direction, coming back to Kansas only resulted in what Chloe wanted to avoid.
When she wasn't being set up for blind dates, she was being towed like a third wheel; dealing with romantic lives that Clark and Lois led. The few nights spent away from her best friend and cousin were spent alone in front of the television with Chinese take-out, or at work, desperately holding on to the only thing she could rely on this holiday season.
But her editor insisted she took some time off... enjoy yourself, she said. Chloe wasn't sure how...everyone she knew had someone to come home to during the holidays, but since Lois had moved out, the Talon felt too empty. Not too long ago, Chloe used to thrive in solitude, but she had changed... he had changed her.
Chloe was more than aware of the missing element of her journey, but when she discovered that his last name was Queen, her opinion of what happened the previous New Year's had wavered.
Of all the guys in the world, she had found the one person who likely pounced on her insecurities for a night of fun. Worst of all, she had let him.
That was the line she fed herself to justify why she never called him, or why she never saw him again. He knew where she lived and what she did for a living, but he never showed. However, no matter how hard she tried, Chloe didn't hate him. She tried to, but Chloe believed that she got a look past the man depicted in the tabloids, as if for one night only, he was really just Oliver.
She had evidence to back up her beliefs. Oliver never once told Chloe who he was, and it felt like he was ashamed of his identity. More importantly, he did things throughout that night that led her to believe that he sincerely cared about her.
However, even if that night did matter to both of them, that's all it was... one night.
Chloe sighed as she looked down the road to see a car coming. She had seen a couple cars going down the road, and as a result, received some curious looks, but there she sat, waiting for the lights to fill the sky with hope and promise.
But she could feel her eyes narrowing as the car slowed down and pulled to a stop. It can't be, she thought. What was he doing here? Why was he here now?
Oliver looked out at the car in front of him. He could only see the legs of the person sitting on the hood, but he knew exactly who it was.
He had travelled here because he wanted to relive that moment, but he never thought he'd actually see her.
It sounded silly that he had the most appreciation for his life standing on the side of the road watching the fireworks with a stranger, but she had given him something in that moment that he never expected.
Hope.
Hope that his life could get better, hope that he was more than just a pretty face for the papers.
Last year had started with so much potential, but between multiple deals going under and the crisis Queen Industries was currently facing; Oliver wanted to go back to the one place where he thought his life could make sense. But she was the final piece of what made that moment so special, and even though he had spent less than twenty-four hours with her, Oliver wanted to see Chloe again, even if it was for a moment.
There was a connection there, one he spent the entire year denying, wanting nothing more to hop on the jet to Metropolis and confront her. But Chloe was special, and he didn't want to screw this up. So he waited patiently for an opportunity where he figured that she'd be alone. Seeing her there made him realize that he must have meant something to her too.
He pulled the keys out of the ignition and slowly opened his door. Here goes, he thought.
"Chloe."
Without any movement, Chloe stated, "Mr. Queen."
Oliver gritted his teeth; he knew that she'd figure out who he was, but her delivery made him realize that he'd have to work a lot harder for a second chance.
When he didn't reply, Chloe asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
Chloe sighed as she shrugged a shoulder.
Walking towards her car, Oliver looked out over the horizon. "I guess our years didn't quite go as we planned."
Chloe understood the truth of the statement, at least on her part. "Hardly."
"I'm sorry, Chloe." He leaned against the car, waiting as the moments passed by.
She felt uncomfortable with Oliver so close to her, but Chloe tried to hide it with a scoff. "Why? It's not your fault."
"I just am... I wished that I could have done more."
Still refusing to look at him, Chloe tried to remain strong. "Why? Let's face it; I was just another night of fun in your book. You don't have to concern yourself with my life."
"It's wasn't like that."
"That's probably what you say to every girl you meet on New Year's."
Oliver could sense her insecurities and pulled her off the car, forcing Chloe to look at him.
"If you were just anybody, I wouldn't force my pilot to fly me out here, drive out all this way for the fraction of hope that I'd actually see you. I wouldn't reject twenty-three invitations to parties for the slight chance you'd give me a second look, even if you knew my last name."
Oliver had been preparing himself for that excuse, but what came out his mouth was completely unexpected…but it was the truth.
Chloe was thrown off by the outburst, and even though she wanted to believe that was a lie, Oliver's eyes were dead serious. She looked down at her feet embarrassed of how she had reacted. She said the only thing she could, "Why now?"
"This was the one place that has meaning to both of us. Think about it. What would have you done if I walked up to you at the Daily Planet?" He shook his head. "You'd run."
Chloe was shocked by how well he knew her, but nonetheless, she tried to prove him wrong. "You can't say that for sure."
Oliver wasn't buying that, not for a second. "Actually, I can say it without hesitation. You were scared the entire night. It took everything you had to finally let go. But I was just a guy then."
Chloe shook off Oliver's grip and walked a couple steps away. "You're not the problem."
"And you are?"
Chloe shook her head a couple of times; trying to hold back the tears that desperately wanted to fall. "I'm not that girl. You said it yourself that I was scared. I could face controversial stories, stare death in the face and come out a winner."
Finally turning around to face Oliver, Chloe sighed. "But you're right, when it comes to…. this… I cower and run. I can't... I won't do that to you."
"What if I'm willing to take that risk?"
"I can't live your life, Oliver. The galas, the papers, the lifestyle... you need someone who could stand alongside you and I can't guarantee that I'm capable." Letting out a sarcastic chuckle, Chloe stuck her arms out. "Let's face it; I don't exactly look the part either."
Oliver slipped his hand through hers and said, "Stop saying that... from what I've seen, you're better than all of them, Chloe. Inside and out."
She didn't want to let go of his hand, but she pushed him back and continued a couple steps down the road. "How could you possibly know that? You don't even know me."
"You want to prove that you're worse than those people?" Oliver shook his head again. "Why?"
"Oliver... please..."
"Look, you're right... I don't know you, but all I'm asking for is a chance here. I'd be willing to move to Metropolis to make it easier on you."
Chloe looked up at his eyes again, which never wavered in their sincerity. He was serious, and it scared her more than she expected. "You really want to try this out?"
Oliver finally relaxed, shrugging a shoulder and trying a smile. "You were the best part of my year."
"I don't want you to have to completely change your life for me."
He pressed a thumb against her cheek to wipe a tear from her face. "I want to."
Grabbing his other hand, Chloe noticed how naturally their hands intertwined. He was everything that she could ever imagine, and it went against everything she thought of herself. Men like Oliver Queen weren't supposed to be interested in her – she hadn't ever been someone's first choice.
"My past relationships haven't ended well."
"If you take a look into my past, you'll see that I'm just full of success stories."
"This isn't funny."
"No, it's not. I'm being completely serious." Chloe could sense Oliver's patience wavering, as he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "What's stopping you?"
"I... don't want to ruin the moment we shared through a disastrous relationship."
"What's it going to take to change your mind?"
Chloe opened her mouth to say something, but she wasn't sure how to answer the question.
When the silence continued, Oliver finally took the hint and retracted his hand. "Okay...if that's what you want, I'm going to respect that."
Chloe could hear Oliver walking towards her car, but she still didn't know what to say. As she gained the guts to apologize, she raised her head slowly, but before she had the chance to speak, she noticed an orange tulip in her line of sight.
"Happy New Year, Chloe."
Chloe looked up at Oliver standing a few feet from her with a reluctant grin on his face.
"Can you take it now so I don't feel like an idiot?"
Chloe silently took the tulip but her eyes stayed on him as he walked back to his car. After seeing Oliver slam his car door, Chloe quickly turned her gaze to the single flower in her hand.
Hearing the click of the seat belt, Oliver looked out at Chloe one last time before taking down the road. He noticed her eyes on the tulip and waited a few seconds to start the car, but when she didn't react, he turned the key in the ignition and right as he finished the u-turn, the fireworks started. The car stopped momentarily, but Oliver didn't want to watch them, so he soon took off down the road.
Chloe watched him drive away and only looked out once she couldn't see the light from his taillights anymore. She pulled herself back on the hood and leaned against the front window momentarily before sitting back up.
The car was cold and hard... nothing like the shoulder she had leaned on the previous year. Even the night felt cold without his arm around her back.
That's when she realized that the fireworks felt meaningless without him there— there was no colour in her life— the vibrant flower in her hand had more life than she did.
Closing the car door behind her, Chloe tried to hold back the tears as she pressed her key in the ignition. Her head hit the headrest violently as she tried to justify her actions. She had met the man, not the myth she was afraid of, and she turned him away. After tugging her seatbelt over her, Chloe grabbed the wheel while taking one last look at the fireworks.
Eventually, the tears started to fall and Chloe did nothing to stop them as she turned the key. Time to go home, she thought. It couldn't be worse than what she had just done.
