Notes: Okay, I'm going to write this little series of one shots dealing with difference new experiences Chloe and Oliver have has they decide to start a serious, public relationship. In my head this is after Season 9. Obviously once all the drama is over with. Not sure how long this will go on for. I'm thinking maybe just like four chapters.

He stopped just at the threshold, halting his advancement towards her when he made note of her company. She was seated on a bar stool, facing away from him, arm propped on top of the bar as she leaned her side against it, legs crossed at her thighs and turned out slightly allowing him even from behind her to see the long expanse of skin revealed by the hem line of her dress. Lois sat across from her, mirroring her cousin's posture. He didn't notice the color of Lois' dress or that it was shorter then Chloe's or that the neckline plunged even deeper. The only thing he was aware of was the lack of Clark's presence and the two men who appeared to be doing their best to charm the two women at the bar.

It took him by surprise, he eventually realized. There was so much wrong with the situation in front of him that he could do little else but stop and stare in confusion.

She didn't see him, after all her back was to him. Lois didn't either, even though she was facing him. The bar was too crowded and Lois was knee deep in conversation, her lips moving a mile a minute, smiling and laughing. If Oliver didn't know any better he would have sword she was flirting. Except Oliver knew Lois, so that wasn't the case. The problem with Lois was that even when she was cutting you down at the knees as the ruthless reporter that she was, the woman still did it with a smile on her face. So no matter the situation, Lois always appeared to be flirting. It was no surprise that she attracted male attention.

No, it was the fact that somehow Chloe was a part of it. Not for a moment did Oliver believe there was anything to be concerned about. Chloe wasn't that type of person.

It wasn't that he didn't trust her. That wasn't what stopped him in his tracks, froze him in his spot. Oliver trusted her completely.

It was something unreasonable, absolutely ridiculous. It had no foundation to stand on. The reasons were shaky at best. Yet there he was, brown eyes glued to her back, narrowing slightly.

It was an emotion he hadn't experiencee with Chloe. It was new, it was unexpected and it was out of his control before he could even try to reason with himself. He was already cursing himself for his demanding lifestyle, the fact that he would always be running late, canceling plans, rescheduling them. Women that he hadn't left in the dust quickly became disillusioned and moved on from him. It never bothered him, it was bound to come to an end sooner or later. It was that inevitable end because of his hectic life that sparked that fear in him suddenly. Because as much as she understood, as much as she knew him, she was still sitting there, waiting. At some point bound to glance down at her phone, look around for him, and eventually, when she knew he wouldn't come, she'd move on too.

Her red nails tapped her wine glass, her legs shifted, thighs rubbing together slightly as she rocked onto her hip. Then she turned her head, allowing him a perfect view of her profile and she laughed at the stranger, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile.

"Hey!"

The hard slap on his back jarred him from his thoughts. Turning his head he spotted Clark.

"What are you doing?" Clark asked with concern. "Did something happen?"

Oliver shook his head, unable to speak just yet, and turned his attention back to Chloe, his heart hammering in his chest as the unknown man leaned over to whisper in her ear. She leaned away slightly, pressing closer to the bar, but he didn't really notice that at the moment.

"Oh Lois..."

Oliver turned his head to Clark. "What?"

"I can't take her anywhere."

Oliver followed Clark's line of sight back to the two women at the bar. Glancing at Clark Oliver couldn't help but be slightly shocked at the good natured smile on the other man's face. He actually seemed amused by Lois' ability to attract the opposite sex.

"Come on, I'm hungry."

Oliver watched Clark head in their direction, but hung back for the briefest second, trying to regain some control over his emotions. No matter how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, he still couldn't shake the feeling that consumed him.

It didn't matter that he'd known Chloe for years, knew her deepest and darkest secrets and that she knew his, that they had experienced life and death situations with one another only to pull through. It didn't matter that she knew he loved her and that he knew she loved him. The fact of the matter was they'd already done everything together except be a real couple, and he was finding that the hardest thing to get used to.

With a shake of his head he followed after Clark. Lois was the first to spot them, face brightening and waving excitedly. She grabbed her clutch from the bar and hoped off the stool. Chloe's head turned and she spotted him. The smile that was on her face slowly fell and he already knew that he hadn't succeeded in hiding his emotions.

"Finally!" Lois exclaimed and smacked Clark on the chest. "Ladies don't like to be kept waiting."

"Ladies?" Clark asked in confusion and looked around. When Lois' elbow hit his gut he made a show of grasping his stomach.

"Watch it Smallville."

Oliver dropped his hand to her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Her green eyes stared up at him, seeming to search his face for some kind of answer. "Ready?"

"Yeah," she said softly and allowed him to lead her through the bar.

Just as they stepped out of the bar, nearing the hostess, she stopped and turned go him. "What's wrong?" Lois and Clark stopped ahead of them, staring back at them in confusion. "You two go ahead, we'll be there in a minute." Grabbing Oliver's arm she pulled him past the hostess and out the doors into the open air. Spinning around she pinned him with a firm stare. "What is going on?"

"Nothing," he said quickly, perhaps too quickly.

"Don't tell me nothing. You can't lie to me Oliver. And the fact that you are makes me concerned."

It wasn't a lie really. He didn't want to lie to her. All he wanted to do was brush the unfounded feelings he had under the rug and forget about it, all of it. "It's nothing. Look," he place his hand over her shoulder and slid it down her arm until he cupped her elbow, "let's just go back inside."

"Oliver..."

He dropped his hand at her warning and rubbed his face with both hands, sighing. Wincing, he kept one hand over his face, rubbing his forehead as he tried to find a graceful way out of the situation he found himself in. "Can we just drop it?" He dropped his hand and hoped she'd take note of his plea and let it go. Except he knew Chloe, and she let nothing go. She was most likely suspecting the worst, when it was really something so trivial and embarrassing.

"No, you're hiding something." She paused and waited. "Oliver what is going on? Why can't you tell me? I mean don't you trust me? I thought -"

He growled angrily. "I was jealous!" he exclaimed and threw his hand out towards the restaurant.

"Jealous?" she asked in confusion, looking back towards the restaurant thoughtfully and then back up at him. "Those guys at the bar? Why? I mean we were just talking."

"I know that!" Oliver sighed and rubbed his face. It wasn't right to take out his frustrations on her.

"You and I, we aren't new Oliver. I mean we've been doing this for a little while," she said gently. "Don't you think it's a little late in the game to become insecure?"

She was right, and he knew that, except it did nothing to ease the negative feelings that had blossomed the first moment he saw those men near her. "I know that."

"And if anyone should be getting jealous shouldn't it be me? I mean you've got women drooling over you left and right."

He sighed, dropping his head back and staring up into the night sky, because she was right again. "I know."

"You know. So then what is it?"

That was an excellent question. Looking down at her again he frowned. "This is new. Even if us as a couple isn't new, being public is. So all of a sudden I walk into a restaurant and realize that when I'm not around other men are looking at you and talking to you."

"Oliver, you're being ridiculous."

"Thanks Chloe," he snapped. "Come on." Just as she turned towards the door her hand was on his arm stopping him.

"Don't get mad at me. You are the one that's jealous. You're being unreasonable. When have I ever given you any reason to doubt me?" she asked expectantly. When he didn't answer she dropped his arm, planted her hand on her hip and coked an eyebrow.

"I never said you did."

"Then what is it?"

It was a question even he couldn't answer. "I don't know." He sighed.

"Ollie..."

The soft gentle tone of her voice broke him and he found himself stepping forward, needing the feel of her body against his own. Slowly he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. To his relief she didn't fight him, coming willingly, wrapping her arms around his neck. When her fingers began to comb through his hair his body slowly began to relax against her. Closing his eyes he buried his face into her neck. "You know I've never really tried to stick it out with anyone." Not even her cousin. If he was honest with himself, Lois was the only other women he had come close to trying with, but even that had only been done half way. "And I've never actually accomplished it." Her fingers slid over his neck sliding beneath his collar. "And I never loved anyone." Her lips were soft against his neck as she pressed a gentle kiss against it. "And even though us being together isn't new, all of this is. And now all of a sudden we're having a public relationship and I'm realizing that other men are going to look at and hit on the woman I love." And it scared the hell out of him. Because it was suddenly becoming very obvious how much power she held over him, how easily she would be able to hurt him, break him. It made him squeeze his arm around her tighter.

"Oh, Ollie..." She cupped the back of his head and held him to her. Pressing another kiss against his neck she sighed. Pulling back just enough so that she could look up into his face she smiled, sliding her hands over his cheeks. "Do you really think I would even give anyone else a second glance?"

"I know." He sighed, already feeling ridiculous. Dropping his forehead against hers he nudged her nose with his own. "Just try to be patient with me."

"You mean while you go all cave man on me?" He frowned at her question, but she only grinned in response and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I love you, you know that right? Even when you are being unreasonable."

"I know." He kissed her lips again, this time allowing his to linger longer. "I love you too."

With a soft smile she pulled away and grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle tug. "Now let's get inside before Lois sends out a search party."

He let her pull him back into the restaurant, keeping his fingers linked with her as she weaved through the crowd of waiting patrons. Of course just because they had talked it out didn't mean everything would be fine. Eyes still strayed to her backside and he resisted the urge to snarl as he grabbed her hip and brought his body closer to hers, shielding her from the most recent ogler. She of course had no clue, turning her head and smiling softly. Pressing a kiss to her lips he let his hand slide over the small of her back and then lower, resting it on the curve of her backside possessively before ushering her through the crowd. In the future he wouldn't be caught off guard. He was Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, how stupid did people have to be to think they could hit on his girlfriend and get away with it?