*doesn't own* Oh yeah, so this is complete nonsense. But I felt slightly inspired.
Years ago, when Tess and Oliver had been together, she'd really hoped that they would last, that somehow they would be together, despite the odds.
She had been wrong.
Years later, she had betrayed him-she had betrayed her people, she had chosen Zod and his people over her own. That had been a mistake, she knew now.
She hadn't really understood how much of a mistake she had changed sides. Again. She had paid for all of her mistakes in her death.
But she had come back to life, she had been resurrected. She had been given a second chance at life. Surprisingly, some people had actually given her a second chance.
Even Oliver, but not as a lover. As a friend, and potential ally. And she had earned his trust, as much as was possibly anyway.
She had even become . . . Friends with Chloe, the girlfriend of the man she had once loved more than she had loved any other man. Not enough, of course. But the most.
Eventually, she had become part of the team. It took years, and she never really fit into the family completely, but they made room for her. She had connections to the dark side, she began to seek her own sort of justice. A justice born from the ashes of redemption.
She saw it before Chloe did. She saw Chloe and Oliver falling apart. It wasn't really anyone's fault, she knew. They just couldn't do it anymore. He was gone too often, for business trips, and world-saving purposes.
Chloe couldn't go with him, and she wouldn't leave her home. Clark, Lois, and the team needed her to be there. She was home, for all of them. And home needed to stay in one place, and the Watchtower was like a steady beacon for everyone to find their way back. Chloe was home.
When Chloe and Oliver had finally ended their love story, she had seen it on Chloe's face. She had seen the pain, and the resignation. Chloe was heartbroken, as was Oliver, but there was nothing to be done about that.
She had held Chloe in her arms, rocking her back and forth like a child. She couldn't promise her that she'd ever get over Oliver-after all, at this point that was beyond even her abilities-but she promised that she would be there. She, Tess, would not leave her home. She would not leave Chloe.
They became closer. And when Dinah had come to Chloe, confessing that she was in love with Oliver, and needed a mission far, far away from him she had seen the resolve on Chloe's face.
Chloe had sent Oliver and Dinah away, together, understanding that they needed each other. That Oliver needed to move on, that he had feelings for Dinah just as strong as Dinah did for Oliver.
She set them up.
She gave her blessing.
And when, a year later, Dinah and Oliver were married, Tess watched Chloe get horribly drunk at the reception.
She had taken her home, and instead of leaving her alone, she stayed. Tess Mercer and Chloe Sullivan got completely wasted, and talked for hours. They spoke about their mutual love for Oliver, and how hard it had been to let him go. For both of them.
Then, finally, they had gotten silly. They had turned on some music, and started to dance. When Chloe had bumped into Tess, knocking her over, she'd been drunk enough that she'd fallen too.
The two of them laid there for a moment, then burst out laughing, side by side. Their faces had dipped together, closer and closer, until they could feel each other's breath, and almost hear their heartbeats racing.
Tess, at that moment, realized she was completely over Oliver. She was in love with Chloe.
Chloe had closed the distance between them, and kissed her.
Her senses had been numb before, because of the immeasurable amount of alcohol she had consumed. But now she felt alive.
Chloe had broken contact, and looked into her eyes, and with a look in eyes that was impossible to decipher, she had said, "I'm sorry." She had rolled onto her back, staring up at Watchtower's ceiling.
Tess had done the same. She hadn't really known what to do, so she had reached out her hand, and clasped it together with Chloe's.
At first she had been afraid Chloe would pull away, but she hadn't.
They laid there, holding hands, until they fell asleep.
The next afternoon Tess had awoken to the smell of coffee. Chloe had gotten up before her, and started in on her day's work.
She had smiled at Tess, handed her a cup of coffee, and some aspirin, and had left to have lunch with Lois and Clark.
Tess had never been so confused in her life.
Tess Mercer had made a lot of mistakes in her life, but she was pretty sure that kissing Chloe was not one of them.
For months they had pretended that nothing had happened. They were still friends, and would occasionally get together to whine about life, to watch movies and enjoy each other's company.
Tess had begun to realize that when she was around Chloe, it was getting harder and harder to control how she felt.
On Valentine's Day, Chloe sent her flowers. She'd asked her why. "It's not like anyone else was going to," she'd snarked. That wasn't true, the guys on the team had gotten it into their heads that the single girls in the group deserved flowers. But Chloe's were special. For the first time Tess had wished that she knew how to press flowers. She'd kept them. She still had them, in a box beside her bed, even though she should have thrown them away. But she couldn't.
On Saint Patrick's Day, they refused to wear green, and got drunk together, and had a near-repeat of their last drunken experience. But this time, Tess had pulled away, refusing to become like Oliver had-stuck in Chloe's life, in her bed, but incapable of having her heart.
Sure, eventually Oliver had won Chloe's heart, but Tess hadn't been so sure that she could do the same.
Eventually, she realized that she couldn't keep living this way.
She had pulled away from Chloe, and with every bit of willpower she had told her that she wasn't going to be a booty call.
Chloe had looked shocked at that moment.
Tess hadn't known then what those words meant to Chloe.
Tess had gone home, and tried to sleep. She twisted, and turned. Then she heard a knock at the door.
It had been Chloe. She had handed her a box. Then she had started to speak. "I don't want to be a booty call either. I don't want you to be anything but . . . You. You've been through a lot. Hell, we've all been through a lot. And I don't want to lose you."
Tess wasn't sure what exactly was going on. "I didn't say you would lose me, I just can't keep doing this. I can't keep getting close to you, and having you pull away."
Chloe had smiled, "I know. Open the box."
She had, and inside were two necklaces, each half of a heart.
"Kind of corny, don't you think?" Tess had snarked, partially out of fear, partially out of nervousness.
"I think they get the point across." With that Chloe had kissed her, tenderly.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Oliver had once joked that he was practically responsible for them falling in love, and getting together. After all, Saint Patrick's Day was practically dedicated to him, and all things green. Chloe and Tess had shared a smile, walked up to him, and kissed him on each of his cheeks before linking arms, and thanking him for his help.
After all, if it hadn't been for Oliver, they probably wouldn't have even become friends, or grown closer, or fallen in love. They had vowed never to actually tell him that. They really didn't need his ego getting any larger.
And later, when they had decided to get pregnant, they had done it together. They had been artificially inseminated at the same time. Chloe had gotten pregnant, Tess had not. Which was for the best, really.
Everyone on the team had agreed that a pregnant Chloe was bad enough. But a pregnant Chloe and a pregnant Tess? That would have been torture.
So as she felt her hand practically crack from the pressure Chloe was putting on it, she smiled anyway.
As Chloe Sullivan brought their beautiful little girl into the world, nothing else mattered.
As Chloe screamed obscenities at Tess, about how much she hated her, she merely kissed her lover's brow and said "I love you too."
And later, as Tess climbed into the bed with Chloe, and they held baby Mercy Sullivan in their arms, Chloe turned to Tess and whispered in her ear, "I love you, but next time it's your turn."
Tess fingered the necklace around her neck, and whispered back, "Deal."
Everything was going to be okay. And, in a highly clichéd way, it was because they had each other. And that was enough.