Disclaimer: I own nothing.
AN: At long last! Here it is you guys. I finally managed to finish the first chapter of the sequel to 'When Ollie met Chloe.' I realize how long the wait was and for that my humblest apologies. I haven't have the time to write fanfiction, I've been trying to focus on writing original fiction. But now it's here. And it's a doozy! It's spoling the episode 'Abyss,' I remember being so angry at Clark at the entire mindwipe. And the excerpt I wrote was the reflection of this anger. When I rewatched the episode for this fic, well I could see that he actually thought he was doing the right thing. In this story the ramifications of his action is more severe, which you'll understand once I let you guys finally read it. BTW, I hope you guys read the second AN, it's going to impact the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy reading. Now, on with the story...
So Close
Chapter 1: Betrayed
"And good morning to you, sunshine." Oliver Queen declared as he brought the tray full of food to his beautiful fiancée.
He watched as Chloe Sullivan rubbed the sleep from her eyes and spared a smile in his direction. Her smile brightened considerably when he handed her a cup of her favorite liquid, she frowned when Oliver promptly pulled the cup away, teasing her mercilessly.
"Now, now future Mrs. Chloe Queen, patience is a virtue." Oliver smirked at her. "I just want you to know how effort I've put into making you this breakfast in bed." He looked at her pointedly.
Chloe rolled her eyes and rose to her knees to meet his lips halfway.
"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Oliver gave her the cup once she expressed her appreciation through a kiss and then scooted on the bed next to her.
She inhaled deeply before taking her first sip. When she was done she looked at him disapprovingly. "Who said I was going to go by Chloe Queen, I was thinking more along the lines of hyphenation."
"Very well then, future Mrs. Sullivan-Queen. By the way the wedding planner has called twice already. Apparently, some of our guests are only sending their RSVP just as we are weeks away from holy matrimony, a tad dramatic but what do I know." He held up a strip of bacon for her, which she accepted gratefully.
"Can I thank you again for convincing me to hire that wedding planner?" Chloe shot him an appreciative beam. "I'm just happy I won't have to deal with the seating chart." She cut a piece of the pancake and held the fork so Oliver could take a bite.
Oliver accepted the proffered food. "By the way, have you heard from Lana?" He looked at her with such interest. He knew that she how hard she tried to contact the other woman, in hopes that she would arrive just in time for the wedding. He had some feelers out to track their friend as well and yet he had no leads.
Chloe's brows furrowed. "Lana?"
A long silence settled between them.
He looked at her worriedly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
She nodded automatically.
"Then who is Lana?" Oliver leaned back and looked at her with such expectation.
A feeling of panic welled up inside her. "Best friend since high school. Clark's unrequited love for the longest time until she finally noticed his existence and the two had an on again, off again relationship." She burst out in relief.
He was still giving her an unsettled look. "This has been happening more often, the wedding planner mentioned that you keep forgetting her name. Are you sure you're feeling well?" He placed the back of his hand on her forehead.
Chloe shrugged him off. "It's not like Anna is such a memorable name." She countered testily.
Oliver chuckled as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "I concur, but try not to forget again…"
It was fascinating. She watched him as he talked but she couldn't hear a word he said.
Chloe looked around her surroundings and her fascination rose significantly when the entire environment faded and was replaced by what looked like the façade of the Daily Planet.
"I had a great time today, Chloe." Oliver said as he helped her out of the car.
"So did I." She replied quietly. She could feel butterflies in her stomach.
"I hope we can do it again?" He posed the question with such optimism.
"I'd like that." She said with a shy smile. Her smile dropped when she saw a flash of electricity.
A look of bewilderment crossed her face. She could feel Oliver place a kiss on the back of her hand. But his face, it was fading. A rush of panic filled her.
"Oliver!" She looked around her; the front of the Planet was fading. "What's going on?" This wasn't how it happened. Green, it was just flashes of something…alien.
A male voice seemed insistent on getting through her. Her name was being uttered repeatedly.
"Chloe!" Oliver said loudly. "I think we should take you to a doctor." His grip on her shoulders felt tight, too tight.
She gasped as she finally snapped out of the trance she was under. "I'm okay." She said reassuringly.
"Do you know who I am?" Oliver allowed his hold on her to slacken a bit.
Chloe let out a choked laugh. "Of course, Oliver Queen. My husband to be."
Oliver looked at her searchingly. "That's it. I'm canceling my trip." He got up from the bed and was determined to find the phone.
She reached out and captured his hand, promptly stopping him. "No, you have to go." Chloe insisted strongly.
He inhaled deeply. His trip was an important one. But Chloe was far more important than any meeting. And lately she had been exhibiting signs of…peculiarity. Well more than peculiar but she was adamant about not seeing any of the doctors he had on retainer, even ones who were experts in the field of the less than normal.
"Oliver, the meeting is a very important on for Queen Industries. You must go." She declared emphatically.
She was clearly uncomfortable the way he was staring at her, he just knew it. She seemed adamant that he leave and at the same time he couldn't help but feel that she was exhibiting some signs of being quite mechanical about everything.
He nodded jerkily. "I'll go. Just…take care okay." He murmured as he dropped a kiss on her forehead.
Chloe beamed brightly. "Always." She got up from the bed and hugged him close. "Thanks for breakfast." She said before she headed for the bathroom.
Oliver watched as she disappeared from his view.
He had observed her as she went about her daily routine. And she seemed to have tight grasp on what she does every morning. Nothing seemed amiss and she was acting the typical way that Chloe acted.
Her lips barely grazed his when he had his phone out and placed a call to the one person he trusted who would watch out for her while he was away. "Clark, we need to talk." He barely finished the words when a burst of wind made a mess of the papers on top of his desk.
"Oliver, I thought you'd be on your way to New York by now." Clark greeted him smilingly.
He shook his head grimly. "I still am. I don't want to but the company needs me there." He said with a high degree of frustration. "But there's something wrong with Chloe."
Clark frowned in concern. "Is she okay?"
He shook his head again. "She's been forgetting little things. But this morning she forgot people who are important to her." He ran a hand through his hair. "I think she almost forgot me, but for some reason…"
Clark's expression dimmed significantly. "She hadn't told me this was happening."
Oliver nodded. "She's keeping it close. I think you and I both know what could be causing this, even if she wouldn't tell us."
"Brainiac." Clark said the word for him.
"I need you to keep an eye on her for me." He uttered the words firmly. "Call me if something happens, I'll turn the plane around myself."
"I'll keep her safe, Oliver." Clark placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'd tell you not to worry but I know you still would."
He nodded and took a deep breath. "I just want her safe."
Chloe gave the doctor a grateful smile as she stepped back from the reception area. She headed for the hospital library with determination. What happened this morning must not happen again. It was a miracle that she managed to convince Ollie to follow through with his travel plans. She had felt his watchful eye on her the entire morning, as though he was waiting to catch her acting weird so he could postpone his trip to the Big Apple.
She had to admit that she refused to acknowledge what was happening to her. All the times she forgot something, she tried to chalk it all up to the stress of the wedding plans. But almost forgetting Oliver, it was unacceptable. She was not going to let her brain forget him.
It actually surprised her that Metropolis General had most of the research on the memory loss. She was resolute in figuring out what was wrong with her once and for all. A voice calling her name broke her reverie.
"Chloe, hey! I was actually thinking about you." Davis greeted her with a slight smile.
She studied his face. He certainly looked like he was having a bad day. "Davis, you look exhausted, have you been pulling night after night shifts?" She asked with concern.
Davis smiled weakly. "These days it's more like Night of the living dead."
Chloe laughed quietly. "Well, careful that zombies don't try to eat your brain for breakfast." She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "It's a too late for me. By the way, sorry for not coming up with anything on your past yet. My mind's not cooperating lately."
He waved off her apology. "I think I have more than I can handle right now." He looked at her with such utter seriousness. "Actually, I have something that I've been thinking about since we met-"
Her gaze landed on the clock on the wall behind Davis. "I'd love to talk more, Davis. But," She gestured to her head.
Davis nodded. "Got it. Is everything okay with you and Oliver?"
The face of her fiancé clicked in her memory and she felt an immense sense of relief. "Yeah, everything's fine." She said with conviction.
He reached out and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "You've been there for me a lot lately. If you ever need anything, I'm right here."
She placed a hand on top of his and squeezed it gratefully. "I appreciate it. See you later?"
"Of course." Davis waved as she disappeared from his view.
Chloe turned a page and then another. She could process every bit of information from the book she managed to check out from the hospital library at such a rapid pace. She heard the door open; unsure of who could've come in, she got up from her seat, hid the book in the drawer by the table, clicked the small remote to the bookcase that housed file after file on every person in her life and she then placed it back on the table.
She heard Clark call her name and she smiled in relief when she saw that everything was in order.
"Hey!" He greeted her with a concerned gaze. "I've been looking all over for you."
She gave him a curious look. "You could have just called."
Clark seemed skeptical with her reply. "I tried to call, you weren't answering."
Chloe searched for her phone but came up empty. "I must have left it back home." She shrugged. "So what's up, Clark?"
He was staring at her and it was making her extremely uncomfortable. "Clark, is there something wrong?" She inquired a little testily.
He folded his arms across his chest. "I think you should be the one to answer that. Why did you close the bookcase when I walked in?"
Chloe mirrored his stance. "Privacy, mine and everyone else' who come here for counseling."
The two of them maintained eye contact for a long moment, each clearly daring the other to capitulate. Chloe finally sighed loudly. "Have you been talking to Oliver? Did he ask you to keep an eye on me?"
Clark lowered his arms to his side. "He may have mentioned something about you forgetting a number of things." He disappeared and then reappeared again, the remote to the bookcase in his hand.
"Clark, no!" There were times when she truly hated his superspeed. Her shoulders slumped in defeat when she saw the hidden room open at his command.
"What's going on, Chloe?" He asked with such worry as he looked at her creation.
"Oliver may have some reason for concern." She admitted with great reluctance. "I have been forgetting some key facts."
"Some?" Clark eyed her skeptically before returning his gaze to the multiple screens that held Oliver's, his and other images of the people in her life.
"Okay, so maybe I use this as Chloe Sullivan's cheat sheet. And whenever I forget someone, I come here to remind myself on the connection. " She crossed her arms again, but this time not in defense, she rubbed her arm self-consciously.
"Chloe, listen to what you're saying." Clark finally faced her and the expression on his face simply exemplified the gravity of the situation. "You had to paste your entire life on a wall. There's something seriously wrong with…you."
"I still remember you and Oliver. I haven't forgotten you two. But you're right. I almost forgot him this morning." She murmured quietly. "Something stopped it, I don't know how or why but I kept him."
Clark crossed the distance between them. He placed comforting hands on her shoulders. "We both know what's happening to you."
"I'm being taken over by Brainiac."
The moment that Oliver's plane landed in JFK he was escorted to a town car and then led to the board room of the New York office of Queen Industries, which guaranteed him a complete lack of downtime.
He placed a number of calls to Clark during his flight. The first resulted in Clark telling him that he couldn't find Chloe at Isis and at their place. The second was pretty much the same; it did occur to him the incongruity of the situation. Clark was the one person he was certain would find Chloe in a blink of an eye. The succeeding calls went unanswered which highly frustrated him.
He made another attempt during the presentation of a PR group, hoping to add his company to their roster. It was rude but at that point he did not care. Once again he was at the receiving end of Clark's voicemail.
The PR pitch was followed by a presentation on how well the New York branch was doing and a 'suggestion' on a possible merger with Wayne Enterprises. He listened with half an ear as he sent a text to Clark and then Chloe.
Oliver was given a temporary reprieve when his back to back meetings were adjourned for a late lunch. He wasted no time placing a call to Chloe, who sent no reply to his text. When he got her cell's voicemail, he tried the Isis office phone; the secretary simply told him that Chloe was gone for the day. He also tried calling home but got nothing. He also tried calling the Kent farm with the same result.
He was very tempted to chuck his phone against the wall. But he didn't. He trusted Clark enough to know that he was probably doing everything in his power to solve whatever is going on with Chloe.
Oliver took a deep breath and placed his phone on the table. Trust was the watchword.
Chloe entered the penthouse and Clark followed after her. Her best friend had somehow convinced her to leave the Isis office. She was a bit reluctant because she needed immediate access to the wall that constituted most of her life. She couldn't afford to forget anyone anymore. She needed to remind herself of her connections. But somehow Clark prevailed.
She paced back and forth when Clark finally spoke since the drive back to her house.
"Brainiac's always got an objective." Clark began as he stepped in front of her, effectively stopping her pace. "Chloe," He placed his hands on her shoulders. "do you remember anything from this morning, when you almost lost your memory about Oliver?" He looked at her searchingly.
Chloe closed her eyes, trying to remember what happened this morning. "Every time I try and think about someone I've forgotten I get a swarm of Kryptonian symbols that I don't understand." When she finally opened her eyes she could remember the symbol with such clarity. "It's like Time Square times a hundred in my head." She moved away from Clark and walked towards Oliver's desk.
"Brainiac is replacing your memories with Kryptonian data." He replied as he watched her draw something.
"Yeah, and this one keeps repeating itself." She held up her drawing to show him.
Clark took the paper from her. "This is the symbol for doom." He said quietly.
Her brows furrowed as she took in his worried look. "Do you think he's sending me a message?"
Clark looked unsure. "Whatever he's doing, we need to stop it. Jor-el created Brainiac. When Kara lost her memory Jor-el restored it." He disappeared and then was back before she could even wonder where he went. He was holding the blue crystal in his hand and she knew what he was about to suggest. "If I take this to the arctic and rebuild the fortress, Jor-el might be able to help you too."
"Or he could strip you of your powers or drop an ice castle on you." She countered.
Clark looked at her with such stubborn determination. "It doesn't matter Chloe. I have to do this."
"And I have to be honest with you, Clark. This is exactly why I didn't tell you about what's happening to me." She shook her head. "I knew you would just fly off without thinking about the consequences." She approached him cautiously. "Clark, the last time you handled this crystal, it zapped you to the Phantom Zone. Now, for all we know, Lex could have sent this to you to try and control you from wherever he is."
"Chloe, none of this would have happened if you hadn't tried to protect me." He said with such self-reproach. "Everyone who knows about me, my secret, I've had to watch them either go away or die, my dad, Pete, Lana, Lionel even Lex. I'm not gonna let my secret ruin your life." Clark concluded firmly.
She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "The night I saw you catch that car with your bare hands, it changed my life Clark, for the better. Clark, thanks to you I've made an impact on the world. Knowing everything there is to know about you, it gave me so much more than you could ever imagine. I wouldn't trade it for the world." She declared emphatically.
As she waited for him to respond she heard a crackle of electricity. She whipped her head towards the direction of the sound. Only to find herself no longer safe at home.
She heard Clark call her name. She looked around but he wasn't there. She heard a car roaring from a distance, the tires screeching loudly. Her eyes landed on a blue car and it was heading directly towards Clark.
"Clark, get out of the way!" She screamed at her friend.
She saw him turn around before he disappeared.
"Chloe! Chloe, snap out of it." She felt someone grab her by the shoulders. "Chloe, Chloe. Hey Chloe."
She grabbed her head. It was pounding painfully. She could see symbols repeating over and over.
"You okay?"
She opened her eyes and saw that Clark was looking at her concernedly. "Yeah, my head just feels like a volleyball at the Summer Olympics." She replied.
"You blacked out again." Clark said as he steered her towards the couch. "Come on, let's sit down. Did you lose another memory?" He asked once she was settled and he crouched down across from her.
Chloe shook her head. "No, I think you managed to snap me out of it before anything completely disappeared. I guess the more I think about someone, the more my memory gives them a complete mental makeover."
"Before you trailed of you were talking about the first time you saw me use my abilities." Clark looked at her searchingly.
She gave him a confused look. "Abilities? As in your ability to look both ways before you cross a street?" She asked hopefully. She saw Clark's face pale at her answer. "Clark, all I remember is hiding behind some construction equipment and watching you stand in the middle of the road.
Clark looked a little hopeless at her statement. "You don't remember an out of control car?"
"Were you hit by a car that night?" His expression was the only answer she needed. "Oh god, I'm starting to lose things about you too."
"Do you remember the name Kal-el?" The question was posed with trepidation.
"Should I?" She tried to mentally remember if the name should ring a bell.
"W-what about Krypton or Brainiac?" Clark asked again.
"Brainiac!" She burst out confidently. "People used to call me that when I was a kid. Right?" She saw Clark's sorrowful face as he got up. "What? I'm forgetting something important now. What don't I remember?" She wringed her hands in agitation. "Look, Clark…this isn't going to stop." She too got up and her eyes landed on a picture of her and Oliver on his desk. "I'm losing everything."
Clark closed the distance between them and he hugged her comfortingly. "Chloe, it's gonna be okay. But I need you to trust me. I know someone who could help us, but you need to stay here and relax while I go to them." He looked at her with utter seriousness when they finally parted.
"No Clark, don't go." She pleaded. "What if I forget you, what if I forget Oliver while you're gone?"
Clark looked around them. His eyes must have caught seen something under the coffee table. He grabbed it, thumbed through it before he handed it to her. "Here, maybe this would help you remember me. And this place," He gestured around them. "It will help you remember Oliver. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, Chloe."
Chloe turned around and her gaze landed back on the photograph. She felt a slight breeze and when she turned to face Clark he was gone.
Oliver managed to get out of the meeting for a few minutes, instructing them to continue while he went to the men's room. Instead he went to his temporary office and he once again went through everything he did during the lunch break.
Clark was still not answering his phone, and the same went for Chloe. His patience was wearing thin. He did not want to contact anyone else but the lack of information was not a good sigh. Oliver dialed Lois' number with great reluctance, only to be greeted with her voicemail telling him that she was off investigating and to leave a message.
He slammed the phone back on its cradle. He was running out of options. He grabbed his cell and scrolled through his contacts. His eyes landed on a name. It was a last resort. But he needed to know if Chloe was okay.
"Hello!"
Oliver was slightly relieved at the cheerful greeting. "Jimmy, its Oliver."
Chloe sighed for what felt like the millionth time. She heard the ding of the elevator. She waited eagerly for who was behind the door. She wanted it to be Oliver, or Clark. When the elevator doors opened it was not someone she recognized.
"Chloe?" A sandy-haired man stepped out and was giving her a concerned look.
Her eyes darted around the room, she didn't know this person. She took a step back, looking for a weapon. She climbed the three steps towards the bedroom and she stopped by the bookcase and saw a picture of her and Oliver, with Clark, another woman and the man currently in the house with her. Jimmy, it was Jimmy.
"Hi, Jimmy." She said tentatively.
Jimmy advanced towards her, seemingly worried. "Oliver asked me to check on you. You and Clark weren't answering any of his calls."
"I must have forgotten mine back at the office." She moved towards him, no longer afraid.
"He seemed really worried." Jimmy smiled slightly.
She nodded in return. It was a little comforting, that she knew who he was. But she really had no idea of how he was connected to her, to Oliver.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jimmy advanced towards her.
Chloe reminded herself to remain still and not to back away as though he was about to attack her. "My head hurts." She said quietly as she tried to work out her connection with this Jimmy.
"Have you tried drinking some aspirin?"
She heard him ask the question. And before she could answer, she felt a piercing pain behind her eyes. The pounding of her started again. "It hurts." She gasped as she grabbed her head.
Chloe felt him close to her. "Hospital. Let's take you to the hospital." She heard him say shakily.
The pain stopped the moment they got to the hospital. The doctor they saw recommended an MRI.
And so there she was. Flat on her back, waiting for the doctor to examine her brain and find out what was wrong with her. She heard the whir of the machine as she was encased inside it.
He told her to think of a place that made her happy.
She heard a crackle of electricity. Before she knew it she was back at the penthouse. A luggage case was in front of her.
"Can't you give me a hint at least?" She asked, from what she could see was no one.
"No." The voice was familiar. It was the teasing voice of her boyfriend, who was on speakerphone.
"Please?" Chloe tried again. "I'll find out anyway."
He laughed. "I know you're smart, but this is one trip you won't see coming."
She pursed her lips into a pout.
"And don't do that, don't pout those beautiful lips. You know that doesn't work." His voice was filled with such mischief.
"It does too." She replied petulantly. Chloe frowned. "How do you even know that?"
The door to the bedroom opened wider and she saw him standing in his suit, holding his phone to his ear, smiling roguishly.
"Oliver, what are you doing here?" She posed the question with such confusion. They were supposed to go on a trip, at least that's what he told her.
"Told you that you wouldn't see this coming at all." He grinned at her as he tossed his cell out of the room. He advanced towards her and grabbed her phone from the bed, tossed it out into the hall as well. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "An entire weekend with no interruptions." Oliver lowered his lips to meet hers.
"You're going to have to replace that." Chloe murmured against his mouth.
"Noted."
She heard the crackle again and when she tried to look where it was coming from she felt Oliver's arms around her disappear. She looked around bewilderedly and the entire room was disappearing. She ran for the door and the moment she grasped the knob it was gone too.
It was happening again. She was losing Oliver.
She made it to the living room. Somehow, Clark and Oliver were there, Clark in his usual blue jacket and Oliver in jeans and shirt, his usual garb when he was off duty as the business mogul.
"Chloe, make up your mind already." Clark said impatiently. "The movies won't wait, not even for Oliver Queen."
She unceremoniously grabbed his hand and then Oliver's. "I can't lose either of you. I have to get you to another memory." The three of them made their way towards the elevator but before they could enter, Clark had disappeared.
"Clark!" She gripped Oliver's hand tightly as she looked up at him. "Oliver, I can't lose you."
Oliver squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Just don't forget Clark. You'll remember me as long as you remember Clark."
The elevator doors opened and she entered it, tugging on his hand. Oliver remained unmoved and the moment she turned to look at him he was gone.
"Oliver!" She screamed and all of a sudden her head was pounding again. She doubled over in pain. The throbbing subsided somewhat and when she could finally stand again she was no longer at the penthouse.
"Dark Thursday." She murmured when she saw that she was back at the Daily Planet.
"Chloe!"
"Clark!" She burst out in relief when she saw him descend the stairs.
"What's happening? The streetlights are out. Come with me." Clark held out his hand to her.
She immediately grabbed his hand and steered them out of the basement. "I can't lose you Clark." She said with conviction. She couldn't remember why she shouldn't but it felt incredibly important that she remember him.
"You won't, Chloe." He heard him say as they stopped in front of the elevators. Her eyes darted from the elevator to the stairs. The elevators seemed dangerous for them. She tugged at Clark's hand so the two of them could head for the stairs.
The ding of the elevator sent chills to her spine. To her horror she watched as Clark was sucked into an endless abyss. She screamed his name as she held out her hand to reach his. But she couldn't.
She burst into tears as darkness shrouded her surroundings. Chloe felt an overwhelming sense of loss but she had no idea why. She looked around her and saw flashes of green. And then her surroundings somehow settled.
The Planet. She was back at the Planet.
The entire place was empty. She looked around her and saw the elevator. She looked at it curiously. She heard something from the other room. Chloe's brows furrowed. She approached the closed doors and wondered if someone was there.
She found herself standing in the middle of the room. The figure from the copy room was advancing towards her; she waited as the person revealed himself, for she knew it was a he. "Davis?"
"Hey Chloe." He gave her a smile as he held out a hand to her.
She could her garbled conversation. She gasped as jerked up from her prone position. "What's going on? Where am I?" She demanded.
"You're in the hospital. You don't remember?" The man asked her, she saw worry in her eyes.
"I don't remember anything." She replied. "Davis, I have to find Davis."
She somehow managed to get dressed and sneak out of the hospital. She clutched her jacket tightly. The moment she saw him standing by the ambulance she felt relief. "Davis."
He turned around and smiled at her. "Hey, Chloe."
Chloe rushed towards her and hugged him tightly. He was her lifeline. "Thank god I found you." She murmured against his chest.
He patted her comfortingly. "You might want to loosen that up. I don't tie tourniquets this tight." He said jokingly.
She moved slightly from him so she could look at him. "I'm in trouble Davis. I need your help."
"Are you okay?" Davis asked her with such concern as he helped her take a seat on the vehicle.
Chloe wrapped her arms around herself as she stared at the ground. "I'm nowhere near okay. I'm completely lost. I don't even know my zip code or who my parents are. I can't remember anything but my own name and you."
Davis took her hands in his. "Okay, just relax and breathe. Were you in an accident?"
She shook her head and held his hands tight in her. "I don't think so. No. Ten fingers, ten toes. I'm not in any pain. But my memory, it's MIA."
"Okay, but how come you remember me?" Davis looked at her searchingly.
She shrugged. "I don't know. I just do. But you're the only one." She said with despair. "It's like you've become my entire world."
"Listen, Chloe. We have to call Oliver, your friends." Davis stated urgently.
"No, no, no!" Chloe got up from her perch and dropped his hands. "I can't remember my friends. I don't know who Oliver is." She ran a hand through her hair in agitation. "Davis, I don't trust anyone but you." She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "I'm so scared. What's happening to me?" She buried her face in her hands.
Davis pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry, Chloe. You're safe now. It's like I said to you this morning, I will always, always be there for you."
"Do you have any idea of who you lost?"
Clark entered the penthouse to be greeted by shouting. He was momentarily stunned at seeing Jimmy screaming into the phone.
"Clearly you don't or you'd be trying harder at finding her." Jimmy replied to whoever was on the phone. "When you hear from Oliver Queen's teams upon teams of lawyers, you wouldn't be able to just say sorry we lost your fiancée." He said before hanging up.
"Jimmy, where's Chloe?" Clark asked the question, even though he already knew the answer.
Jimmy seemed startled at his presence. "Oliver asked me to find you guys." He shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "When I got here she had this intense headache. So I took her to the hospital. They took her in for an MRI. And the hospital lost her." Jimmy said guiltily. "I came back here to check if she was here."
Clark inhaled deeply. "We need to find her."
"I know." Jimmy retorted impatiently. "I called Isis and she wasn't there. I have no idea where she could be. Oliver's going to kill me."
"We'll find her." Clark tried to reassure his well-intentioned friend. He completely forgot that Oliver might check in with him. He was too concerned with what was going on with Chloe. "Look, I need you to call Metropolis PD and ask for John Jones. He'll get the word out. In the meantime, I'm going to try and look around the city for her."
Jimmy nodded and he started to dial, while Clark turned around and headed for the elevator.
The elevator doors opened and revealed Chloe, who was holding onto the arms of Davis Bloome.
"Chloe?" Clark began as Davis and Chloe entered her home. "You don't recognize me, do you?"
Clark watched as Chloe burrowed further into Davis. "Listen, it's okay." He held up a comforting hand. "You live here. This is your place."
"Why did you bring me here?" She shot Davis an accusing glare. "You promised me I could stay with you."
"Chloe, it's okay. Clark is your best friend." Davis murmured reassuringly.
"But I only remember you." She dropped her hold on him.
Clark's gaze darted to Jimmy's and he could see the worry on his face.
"It's okay. You're safe here. Trust me." Davis uttered in his most soothing tone.
Chloe shook her head and tried to make a run for it towards the elevator.
Clark watched as Davis took something out of his pocket and stop Chloe with his free hand. He took steps towards the two and tried to catch Chloe as she was rendered unconscious. It apparently was unnecessary since Davis caught her.
"What did you just do to her?" Jimmy demanded, who seemed to have finally found his voice.
Davis gingerly handed Chloe to Clark, who swept her up in his arms and gently laid her onto the couch.
"She has full-blown amnesia. I thought she was gonna run again." Davis said as he watched Chloe. "I brought a sedative just in case."
Clark brushed Chloe's hair away from her face. "Any idea why she remembers you?" He looked at Davis.
Davis shook his head. "No, but lucky for us she did. When she found me she was scared out of her mind." He nodded towards Clark. "I thought if she saw Oliver or maybe you, it would jumpstart her memory."
"Thank you for bringing her back." Jimmy said in obvious relief.
"It's no problem." Davis gave them a tight smile. "This is where she belongs. Looks like she's in safe hands, call me if you need me." He gave the place a thoughtful look, his gaze landed on a photograph of Chloe and Oliver before he turned around and disappeared into the elevator.
"We have to get her to the hospital." Jimmy's words diverted Clark's attention from the elevator. "I promise to keep an eye on her all throughout so they wouldn't lose her again." Jimmy added with such hurry.
Clark nodded with a small smile. "How about you grab some of her stuff, while I take her to the car?"
Jimmy nodded and headed for the room.
He waited until Jimmy was out of view before he took Chloe in his arms and supersped to the fortress. He was going to make sure that Chloe was okay. He had to make sure that nothing like this ever happened to her again.
Oliver finally got a return call from Clark at midnight, Kansas time. The call came as he was about to board his private plane. He had to delay takeoff just so he could take the call.
Clark updated him with everything. He apparently took Chloe to Met Gen to get her checked out. The doctors gave her a clean bill of health and she was currently safely ensconced in their bed.
He had a feeling that Clark was not telling him everything. His suspicions were confirmed when Clark passed the phone to Jimmy who apologized briefly and handed it back to Clark. Clark simply said he would explain everything later.
Oliver hung up the phone and finally had the luxury of relaxing after the grueling day he just had. After the back to back meetings, peppered with his worry over Chloe, he stayed at the office to go through the contract for the merger with Wayne Corp. His trip was supposed to last two days but he managed to cram it all in one.
The pilot finally had the green light to take off and Oliver couldn't wait until he got home. He stayed awake throughout the five hour flight, still a little worried about his fiancée. He needed to see her for himself before he could rest easy that she was okay.
When he arrived home at five in the morning Clark was standing vigil. He thanked his friend for taking care of Chloe before he sent him home so he too could rest.
He staggered into their bedroom and Oliver was overcome with relief at the visual evidence that Chloe was alright. He mindlessly changed into his pajamas, climbed into bed. It was as though she knew he was right next to her for she turned and settled against him automatically. He held her in his arms and fell asleep.
Oliver woke up slowly. He patted the space next to him and discovered that Chloe was no longer there. He rubbed his eyes and sat up.
Chloe marched into the room, all dressed up for the workday. "Good morning." She chirped brightly.
His gaze landed on the clock on the nightstand. It was already ten in the morning.
"Tired, huh?" Chloe said sympathetically as she sat on his side of the bed and patted his cheek comfortingly. "My gorgeous workaholic." She remarked as she kissed his cheek.
Oliver pulled her towards him, ignoring the fact that he was probably wrinkling her clothes.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Ollie, I have to go to work. You should rest some more. Your assistant called to say that Bruce Wayne already received the contracts; apparently you crammed all your work into one day." She giggled as Oliver ignored her words and turned the both of them over, so he could loom over her.
"We could just stay in." He suggested lightly. "Work is overrated." He murmured as he leaned his forehead against hers.
She laughed. "Says the man who spent the entire day yesterday doing nothing but."
He kissed her chastely. "I wanted to spend the day with my beautiful fiancée. Make sure she's truly recovered."
"I'm truly recovered, fastest spontaneous recovery in history." She said confidently.
Oliver sat back up and pulled her along with him. "How exactly did that happen? Clark said he'd fill me in with the details but I was too tired when I got home last night, so he promised to drop by later and tell me all about it." He looked at her seriously. Clark said that she was okay, he trusted his friend but he still needed something concrete about what was wrong with her in the first place. He and Clark thought it was Brainiac. He wondered if their theory was actually correct.
Chloe's brows furrowed at the change of mood. "I don't know exactly. One minute I was standing out there with Jimmy, Clark and Davis." She jerked her thumb towards the hall. "I couldn't recognize Jimmy or Clark and then suddenly I felt a sharp sting of a needle. The next thing I knew I was at the hospital, happy to see my friends, who I actually know. Longing to see you." She gave him a playful look.
His brows furrowed at what he heard. Details, he definitely needed details. "So Davis was involved?"
Chloe started straightening her clothes. "Now I have to change." She grumbled half-heartedly. "And yeah, somehow I remembered him. Strange huh?" She got up from the bed and headed for the closet.
Oliver also got up and stretched, all the while wondering about the significance of what she just said. Clark definitely had more to do with her recovery and since Chloe was out of commission during the entire thing, he was the only one who could give him the entire story. "Definitely." He muttered under his breath.
"By the way, we have to meet the wedding planner for an early dinner. I think the guests who are still sending in their RSVP are driving her nuts." Chloe gave him a wide grin. "I feel sorry for her but I'm just too happy not to be saddled with that problem."
"Sure." Oliver nodded easily.
"Is that really sure, sure? Or are you going pull another MIA moment on me?" She smiled at him teasingly.
Oliver frowned at her words. "MIA moment?" He asked curiously.
Chloe shrugged. "I'm used to it but the wedding planner is more amenable when you're around."
"Used to what?" Oliver crossed the distance between them and looked at her with confusion.
"Oh, you know, you not being able to make a date, or disappearing in the dead of the night. And it's okay. I understand that I am marrying a very busy man." She placed a hand on his chest and kissed him reassuringly.
He could feel a headache coming on. Chloe was acting like she didn't know that he was the Green Arrow. His eyes narrowed. It seemed like his conversation with Clark about the details was more necessary than he thought.
Chloe walked towards the café. She really needed a caffeine boost. She was just about to enter the shop when she heard someone call her name. She whirled around and saw Davis. "Hey, you!" She greeted him cheerfully. "Are you sneaking up on me? You don't have any hypodermic needles up your sleeves, do you?" She jokingly asked.
Davis held up both hands to show that he was needle-free. "Oh no, no, not a needle in sight. I'm sorry I had to do that to you." He said with an apologetic look.
"Are you kidding me? If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have gone with Clark and Jimmy willingly. So thanks for that." She touched his hand gratefully.
A long silence settled over them. Chloe felt a prickle of discomfort at the way that he was looking at her.
"By the way, I didn't see your name on the RSVP list for the wedding." She said in an overly loud voice.
"I-I can't go." Davis began.
"Does the hospital need you that day?" She bit her lip in disappointment.
"No-"
"Oh, please tell me this isn't because of all the drama if put you through. You know I wasn't in my right mind." She said in what she hoped was a light-hearted tone.
"No, not at all. You're… beautiful." Davis looked at her with such intensity. "I just can't, I can't go to your wedding and watch you marry the wrong man."
Chloe took a step back from him and held up a hand to stop him from saying anything more. "Okay, Davis, you need to… you shouldn't say anymore. I'll admit, when we first met I…I guess what I'm saying is that there was, you know, a little attraction." She couldn't fully meet his eyes. Her gaze landed on her engagement ring and it somehow gave her the strength to tell him what he had to hear. "You're kind, Davis. And you save people's lives and you look good in a uniform. For some reason it makes sense that I like you, in a more than friendly fashion. But I love Oliver." She declared with such conviction.
"Do you? Do you really?' Davis stepped towards her. "I tried to be a bigger man. That's why I brought you back to your place, even though I really wanted to take care of you myself." He took a deep breath. "Oliver, he wasn't even there. You were in your darkest hour and he wasn't there."
Chloe clutched her jacket tightly against her. "He was in New York. Oliver, he doesn't love me less just because he wasn't here yesterday."
"Do you believe that? If I were in his shoes-"
"But you're not." She interrupted him. "He's Oliver Queen and I am well aware of who I am marrying. The man I am about to marry is someone who I must share with the world." A tiny thought was bothering her. Something about her words resonated deeply. It as though she was not merely talking about all the people Oliver employed, it felt…more.
Davis looked at her, his heart clearly on his sleeve. "You remembered me, out of everyone in your life…" He trailed off as he cupped her cheek.
He looked like he was about to kiss her. When his lips were a breath away from hers, she reared back. "No-"
"There's a connection between us Chloe. You feel it too, I know you do." Davis gripped her hands tightly.
She shook her head and stepped away from him. "It was never this." She murmured.
"I'm not ready to let you go." Davis replied. "I will wait for you, for as long as it takes."
Chloe looked at him with sorrow before she started her long walk back to the office.
He sat on the barn steps, patiently waiting.
He eyed the box in his hand and wondered. He hadn't been waiting long when he finally heard footsteps. He tensed at the forthcoming confrontation. Oliver managed to work out a few details on what happened to Chloe after his conversation with her.
Apparently he was such a workaholic that he missed a lot of dates. He was so work-oriented that they had to have a long-distance relationship in order to fulfill his duties as the head of Queen Industries. With his role as an absentee boyfriend turned fiancé, he was actually shocked that she agreed to marry him.
Clark Kent walked into the barn and his gazed landed on Oliver. Oliver could tell that his presence was not the least bit surprising to the younger man. He probably heard him, somehow.
"Clark." Oliver nodded in his direction.
Clark gave him a puzzled look. "Ollie? Is Chloe okay?"
"Chloe's in Metropolis." He answered curtly.
"Okay. So what's up?" Clark looked at him questioningly.
Oliver got up from his perch and walked towards the other man. "You didn't tell me." He muttered lowly.
Clark picked up a bale of hay and started on his chores. "Tell you what?" He looked like he had no care in the world.
Oliver wanted to make him stop, to make him focus on the conversation at hand. He was unable to comprehend how the man in front of him can act like everything was normal. "You didn't tell me what you did to her?" He bit out, barely able to control his anger.
Clark finally stopped and faced him fully. "I had no choice." He said in a hushed tone. "I asked Jor-el to take away her memory of my powers. It was the only way to keep her safe."
He snapped at those words. "You always have a choice, Clark." He looked at him in disbelief. "You just prefer to be the coward that you are."
The younger man's eyes flashed dangerously at his words. "Coward? Do you know how hard it was?" His jaw tensed considerably.
"How hard what was?" Oliver asked derisively. "How hard it was to fuck with your best friend's mind and take away the very essence of who she was?" His clutch on the box tightened.
"I did it to keep her safe." Clark replied insistently.
Oliver could see himself beating the crap out of the man in front of him. He could see himself holding the kryptonite in his fist and landing blow after blow on Clark's face. "Safe," He said the word with such contempt. "So you took away her memory of your secret to keep her safe." He uttered blandly. "How exactly did that work, did Jor-el explain to you the mechanics of things. You know, take one memory, nice and simple." He sneered at the younger man.
"This is for the best Oliver. Without the burden of my secrets my enemies won't come after her." Clark actually believed what he was saying.
"I suppose you also plan on severing all ties with her, just to keep her safe." He muttered the last word with such disgust. "You know, in the interest of her safety, I should probably leave her too." Oliver looked at him pointedly. "I'll cancel the wedding, move back to Star City; make sure she's safe all on her own."
Clark actually looked aghast at his suggestion.
"And since she is also ignorant of my secret…" He let his thought go unfinished and waited for Clark to connect the dots. "Maybe you should also look into wiping away the memories of every person, villain she met while on a mission with you and me. I guess that means we need to look for Lex harder, you know if he's still alive, in case he comes after her for her connection to you and me. Just to be safe." He concluded sarcastically.
"She doesn't remember that you-"
"Ding, ding, ding, give the man a prize." Oliver bit out. "Perhaps, you should have been more specific with your mind-wipe bitch. Because without your secret, well she forgot mine as well, and the entire team actually." He winked at Clark. "And if we wait long enough, she'll probably wonder why she was fired from the Planet."
Clark could no longer meet his gaze.
"Connections, Clark. We were all interconnected. Losing that one key fact." He pointed at him. "Unraveled everything, and you did it without consulting her, or me. You made a unilateral decision that affected everyone." He concluded quietly. He eyed the box in his hand and he truly wanted to use it on Clark. But he knew that he wouldn't. Because Chloe wouldn't want him to. "How am I supposed to be with her now?" He asked quietly, to no one in particular.
A long silence hung heavily in the barn.
TBC
AN2: Now, I remember saying that this fic won't be in order. That still holds true. But the part about letting the first reviewer decide what episode the next chapter would be is not. A thousand apologies to the reviewer. But I will still let the readers decide which to write about. Just pick from the list below, if you guys are inclined to review, please include your choice in it. If you'd rather not, then send me a PM. Any means to tell me what your choice is, go for it. As Oliver said in this chapter, 'You always have a choice.' So, choose wisely?
A. Freak, since a lot you guys seem to want this episde in particular when I fist posted the idea of a sequel.
B. Cure, I just randomly picked an episode from the seventh season, I think this episode holds a lot of promise, since it has quite the connection with Freak.
C. Bride, since this first chapter might feel like a cliffhanger (but I did't really write it as such). And you guys might want to know how it all turns out.
So there, you guys get to pick your favorite and I get to write about it. While I am not sure when I could write up the next one, you guys will have two weeks. So May 21 is the last day to tell me what you guys want. Afterwards, I'm going to get with the writing so you guys could get an update. And I give guys leave to pepper my with as much messages to nudge me into writing and updating.