Title: Dearly Beloved
Category: Smallville
Genre: Romance
Ship: Chloe/Oliver
Rating: PG13
Challenge: Defying Mythos – Battle for the Best: Challenge #2
OneShot Challenge: #2 – Wedding
Word Count: 2,086
Summary: In the beginning, she thought she was walking in with her eyes wide-open, but as she stepped out from beneath the wedding arbor, she knew she'd had it all wrong from the word Go.
Dearly Beloved
-Challenge #2-
Chloe stared out the window at the many people milling in the backyard; dressed in their best and waiting for the ceremony to begin. There were security guards speaking into their cufflinks, friends and family chatting over the backs of their chairs, Bart eyeing the buffet table, and a frazzled wedding designer running around looking like a chicken with her head cut off. She smiled. All this for something so… simple.
She heard a knock at her door; once, pause, double-knock, and a tap. She grinned, lifting her dress so it didn't drag when she hurried across the room.
"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding," she said through the door teasingly.
He laughed lowly. "After I used the secret knock and everything, you've gotta gimme something…"
With a roll of her eyes, she drew the door open and stuck her leg out, wiggling it just for him.
He chuckled. "Set for life now, Professor."
Snorting, she peeked her head around to see him. "If Lois sees you, you're dead," she warned, even as she smiled.
He shrugged, not the least bit worried. "Maybe she'll give me a reprieve… I am getting married today," he reminded, wiggling his brows.
Chloe wrinkled her nose. "I know my cousin… She's not big on mercy."
He grinned. "All right, all right, I can take a hint." Lifting his hands, he backed up in surrender. "I guess I'll see you out there." He turned to walk away, tossing over his shoulder. "Nice leg by the way, Sullivan."
She stuck her tongue out at him, laughing.
Closing the door, she leaned back against it, lifting a hand to her cheek when her face physically hurt from smiling so much. Today, she was getting married. She was going to walk down the aisle for a second time, to a different man. A very different man, in fact.
She shook her head thoughtfully.
Years ago, she'd been sure that she and Jimmy would last a lifetime; that they had it in them to go the whole way. Or maybe she just convinced herself they would; hoping she could get that one little bit of normalcy, of forever. Now she knew better; now she knew that the love she'd always longed for took more than just hope. It took trust and forgiveness, understanding and strength. Her groom today knew her better than anybody; better than she knew herself. The heroics were out in the open, the fears, the dreams, the desires; they held nothing back. And maybe they didn't always see eye to eye, but they could discuss it, they could have their own views and opinions and understand each other.
And she loved him; more than anything, more than all her other reasons, she loved him.
The door was suddenly shoved at her back and she stumbled forward, turning around to see Lois coming inside, frowning. "Why were you standing in front of the door?"
"What? Oh, uh…" She glanced away, shrugging. "I didn't want to sit on my dress, you know… in case it wrinkled…" The last thing she needed to do was admit she'd been talking to her husband-to-be; Lois might blow a gasket.
"So you decided leaning on the door was a better idea?" She blinked. "Whatever. Look, if you were planning to escape, you can tell me…" Crossing the room, she took Chloe's shoulders and shook her. "I'm your cousin, Chlo… If you need a way out, I've got it." She looked away conspiratorially before leaning in. "I found some old blueprints on this place a few weeks ago so I know a few exits if you need 'em."
Rolling her eyes, Chloe shook her head. "I'm not getting cold feet, Lo."
"If you're sure…" she muttered, unconvinced. "Just keep it in mind."
"I will… I'll be sure to remember that not only you, but Bart, Victor and Dinah have escape plans on the off-chance I decide to ditch a mutual friend of all of you at the altar."
"Friend or not," she scoffed, "This is your livelihood we're talking about."
Chloe blinked. "While I appreciate the concern and loyalty, I think I'm okay."
"You think or you are?" she asked, thinning her eyes questioningly. "This is a no blame zone, cuz. Let it all out!"
She sighed. "Seriously, I'm happy…" Staring at her, she shook her head. "What do I have to do to get you to stop suggesting I run?"
Lois pursed her lips. "I like those new Louboutin shoes you got the other day…"
Snorting, she lifted a brow. "They're yours, all right? Just find out how much longer until the wedding march… Please!"
"Oh yeah, right, I forgot… That's why I was sent up here. You've got two minutes until they're ready for you…" She glanced at her wrist watch. "Which is like thirty seconds now…"
"Fantastic…" Rolling her eyes, Chloe stepped back to check herself in the mirror one last time, smoothing her dress down. "Okay… I'm ready."
Lois grinned. "Lookin' hot, cuz."
Chuckling, she replied, "Thanks." Turning, she left the mirror to stand next to her. "Flowers?"
She handed over the bouquet and then reached for the handle, taking in a deep breath. "All right… Let's get you married."
…
Standing at the beginning of the aisle, Chloe felt the first tickle in her stomach of anticipation. It wasn't fear, wasn't even nerves, really. She'd fought this in the beginning; the two of them being anything more than partners or friends. But then, he had a way of distracting her from her original ideas. So a spoon wasn't the greatest opening for their relationship and it'd reminded her that things between them weren't supposed to be anything more than a beneficial no-strings attached relationship. If he happened to be more stubborn than she ever imagined, it only turned out to be a bonus later.
In the beginning, she thought she was walking in with her eyes wide-open, but as she stepped out from beneath the wedding arbor, she knew she'd had it all wrong from the word Go. And the man at the front with his dimpled chin, deep brown eyes and knowing grin had known the moment he handed her his bow and told her to listen to her heart just what was meant for them. Step by slow step, she walked toward her future, just like she had all those years ago, under the assumption that he wanted no more than somebody he could trust.
Dressed in his dark tuxedo now, with his best friends standing as best men at his back, he looked like he'd been waiting for this all along. He held a hand out to her when she was close enough to reach him, and passing her flowers back to Lois, she took it, letting herself be drawn up in front of the minister, standing face to face with her own personal knight in green leather. He traded it in today for his suit and emerald silk tie, but the hero lay there in the smile, in the glint of his eyes. It wasn't only Chloe and Oliver marrying today, but Watchtower and Green Arrow as well, even if the majority of guests had no idea.
"Friends, family, we've been brought here today to share with Chloe and Oliver a very momentous occasion in their lives," the minister began. "In all their years, their trials and struggles, their love for each other has only grown and deepened. And now, before us, they will pledge themselves to each other as husband and wife. Matrimony is a bond between two people not to be taken lightly. It's a vow to stay true, to love only each other, to build a life and spend it rejoicing in what they have found together." He paused, looking between the couple. "If Oliver would like to begin with his vows…"
He nodded slightly, squeezing Chloe's hands in his. "Chloe… Half the things I want to vow to you today, I can't… because most of the people gathered here would have no idea what I'm talking about." He grinned slightly. "So instead I give you my promise… I promise that I will love you through every computer meltdown, every coffee stop, and every scrape, bruise or dangerous situation you get yourself into…" He stared down at her sincerely. "I, Oliver Queen, take you, Chloe Sullivan, to be my best friend, my partner, my lover and the voice of reason in my head. I vow to be faithful, to you and our cause, to stand by you in sickness and in health, to share with you my joys and my sorrows, to honor, respect and love you, and to never touch your computers without absolute permission." At her chuckle, he grinned wider. "And most of all, I promise to cherish you, to always appreciate what I've found in you, for as long as I still breathe." Raising her hands, he kissed her knuckles as if to seal his vows there.
Swallowing tightly, Chloe blinked back tears. "Ollie…" She licked her shaking lips to give herself time to find her voice. "I want to thank you…" She stared up at him, eyes still damp. "For every day that I hid myself away and you dragged me out… For every time I questioned myself and you made me laugh, made me find the strength I didn't know I had… For making me love again, more than I ever have or ever thought I could…" She squeezed his hands. "I, Chloe Sullivan, take you, Oliver Queen, to be my confidante, to share with you my secrets, big or small. I take you to be my everything; from friend to lover and back again. I promise that I will stay true to you, that I'll support you in all that you do, whether it's crazy or just plain stupid…" She grinned. "I vow to love you, to listen and understand you. To keep your secrets close to my heart and share with you my mistakes and my triumphs, all the days of my life."
"Rings?" the minister asked.
Victor handed his to Oliver while Chloe took hers from Lois.
Holding her hand up, Oliver slid the platinum band with its four rows of round diamonds encrusting the entire outside of the ring onto her finger. "I give this ring to you as a sign of my love and devotion, as a symbol of all that you mean to me."
Taking his hand in hers, Chloe slid his platinum band on, repeating the same back to him.
"Vows and rings exchanged, together we recognize your love and respect for each other. By the power vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He nodded to them. "You may kiss the bride."
Grinning, Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck as he bent low and scooped her up, his mouth laughingly slanting against hers. She had to remind herself to keep it short, even as the heat of his kiss sent shivers down her spine, warming her from the inside out. Stroking her fingers through her hair and down his neck, she felt the same inner-content that came with any kiss from him.
Putting her back down on her feet, he kissed her lingeringly, drawing away slowly, his warm brown eyes staring into hers with the same affection they had years ago, when she'd been naïve enough to think she couldn't love him even a fraction of what she did now.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… Mr. and Mrs. Queen," the minister announced.
Cheers and applause commenced, loud and shrill, demanding attention and being refused.
Oliver never took his eyes off her, instead leaning down to kiss her once, twice, and then burying a hand around her neck and kneading gently. "It's gonna be great, you know?"
She lifted a brow.
"Growing old with you," he murmured.
She felt her smile right down into her heart.
She was glad, really, that he'd made her fall in love with him back then, as slowly and as sneakily as he had. Because today, standing here with him, she knew it was where she was always meant to be. Chloe Queen; partner in crime, secret fellow hero, and wife to Oliver.
Distracted then by well-wishers, she kept her hand in his even while hugging friends and family. Now that she had him and her happily ever after, she wasn't letting go. Not ever.