Disclaimer: Don't own anything, seriously.
Pairing: Chlollie
A/N I know I'm supposed to be working on my other long story, and i am. I don't normally do one shots but I was listening to the soundtrack to Cabaret and when Don't Tell Mama came on I just got inspired. Hope you like it.
Oliver Queen needed a shower, he felt instantly dirty, dirtier than he'd ever felt before and that was saying something. He made his business in dirty, thanks to the meteor freaks. He'd swam through miles of sewage chasing after one and he'd been covered; head to toe, for three hours in something his lab had identified as basically super mucus that had come out of another's nose, and that was just this month. One minute after walking into Burlesque, Star City's newest upscale strip club Oliver felt as if he hadn't showered in years. He wanted nothing more than turn right back around and leave but he couldn't. He knew deep down in his gut, the same place that kept him going after Lex Luther, the same place that knew as soon as he met each member of his team they'd be the right person for the job, he knew that Burlesque was somehow connected to the disappearances that had been happening in town.
The club had been opened for two days when the first girl went missing, three blocks away, and since then, five more had disappeared all had some connection to the club, whether performer or waitress. "Can I get you a drink sir?" A girl wearing a slim negligee, pink with black lace trim and fishnet stockings, was standing in front of him holding a tray that hung around her neck on a silk cord, reminiscent of the old cigarette and candy girls. She looked less than comfortable and Oliver felt a little sorry for her.
"Club soda." He smiled at her. She nodded and walked away, returning in seconds with his drink and he took it with another smile.
"Anything else sir?" She asked.
"Yeah, is Ryan in tonight?" He looked around the room for the club's creator and owner.
"Mr. Miller's always here sir." The girl seemed a little more weary of him, now that he'd shown a personal connection to the club's owner.
"I'd like to see him if it's not too much trouble." Oliver tried to be extra polite this time and she just nodded and walked away.
"I'll see what I can do sir." Oliver stood there for a minute watching similarly dressed girls smile falsely as they delivered drink orders to tables around the room, getting more often than not a smack on the ass for their troubles. He turned to find his waitress talking animatedly to a woman by the bar. She wasn't dressed like the other girls, her attire consisted of a very nice, very expensive suit. He made his way over to the two woman, catching the end of the conversation.
"He didn't give me his name ma'am." The waitress fidgeted with her tray. "Just asked after Mr. Miller."
"Well what does he want to see him for?" The woman glared.
"I didn't ask ma'am." She seemed to shrink more and more with every syllable the woman in the suit uttered and Oliver felt the need to swoop in for the rescue.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to get anyone in any trouble." He butted in politely and the two woman turned to look at him sharply. "I'm just an old friend of Ryan's from school. I've been out of the country, thought I'd come check the place out, congratulate him on his latest venture."
"Of course Mr.…" The suit prodded him for a name.
"Queen." Oliver held out his hand. "Oliver Queen."
Her eyebrows rose in recognition. "Mr. Queen of course, forgive me." She turned to the waitress. "Candy please show Mr. Queen to a seat in the VIP room while I go find Ryan." Oliver could tell the use of Mr. Miller's first name was purposeful and just for him, to show him that she was close enough to the man to be on a first name basis. "Make sure that Mr. Queen has everything he needs."
"Yes ma'am." The girl actually affected a little curtsey at the suit and turned to Oliver, taking his drink from him and setting it on his tray. "If you'll follow me." She nodded her head in the opposite direction and Oliver followed her through the crowd and up a small set of stairs. She waved him past a set of very impressing security guards into a fenced off sort of loft area with plush sofa's and a private bar. "So you're a friend of Mr. Millers?" She asked setting his drink down on the table in front of Oliver as he sat on the couch.
"I wouldn't say that." Oliver said, noticing how the thought of him being Ryan's friend seemed to make the girl like him a little less. "We did go to school together but we don't really hang out much anymore. Our parents were good friends so unfortunately courtesy dictate that I at least make an appearance here." That seemed to make her feel more comfortable around him.
"I'll freshen up your drink then." She smiled and headed off to the bar.
"Mr. Queen." He looked up and saw the suit was back with Ryan a little ways behind her on his cell phone. "I trust everything is satisfactory?"
"Your drink sir." Candy was back, holding out his cup to him.
"Club soda?" Ryan said, suddenly at the suits side. "Come on we can do better than that. Candy champagne, two glasses." Oliver raised his eyebrows as Ryan plopped down next to him on the couch and noticed that the suit had caught the request for only two glasses as well.
Candy came back with an ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses, setting the cups on the table and moving to open the bottle. "I've got it." Ryan smiled at her, taking the bottle and opening it.
"Candy." The suit snapped. "Don't you have tables downstairs?"
"Yes ma'am." She stuttered and made a move to leave when Oliver held out a hand.
He'd seen the look on her face at the prospect of going back down to the ground floor where she was likely to have to fend off roaming hands for very little tips. "Actually, I'd like it if she stayed." Candy sent him an almost thankful glance.
The suit looked like she wanted to protest but Ryan cut in. "Of course she stays." He smiled. "Jenn, get one of the other girls to cover Candy's table."
"We're short staffed tonight as it is." She said pointedly.
"Then you cover Candy's tables." Ryan said to her in a tone that would accept no argument and Jenn's mouth shut almost comically.
"Yes sir." She said through gritted teeth and turned around, her body language angry and stiff.
"Oh, Jenn." Ryan sat up straight, a big smile on his face. "Send Rose up here would you?" Jenn turned around confused for a second. "I want to introduce her to Oliver. Candy another champagne glass." Ryan turned to Oliver completely oblivious t o the annoyed look on Jenn's face. "Oh and run to the kitchen, get a nice assortment of treats for us would you?"
"Right away sir." Candy again did the small bow and headed off to the kitchens Oliver presumed.
"I can't believe you're here." Ryan smiled at him. "I haven't seen you in years, since the reunion."
"Yeah." Oliver sipped his champagne slowly, trying to make the one glass stretch out for the whole of his visit. "I've been away, just got back, heard about your little club, figured I should come check it out."
"Little club." Ryan scoffed. "It's more than just a little club. It's doing great actually, catching on, I'll be opening two more in a few months in Star City alone, and there's talk of taking it Nationwide.
Oliver had to admit the concept was unique. As dirty as he felt walking into the place, it wasn't really all that bad. It wasn't a typical tacky strip club. It was upscale, diner and drinks and a show. The girls who "preformed" actually did perform. They didn't just get on the stage, grind to a bit of dance music and swing around the pole. There were skits, there were songs, there was just enough legitimate entertainment so the stripping seemed like an afterthought almost. The chef was one of the highest rated in the city and it had been reviewed in the New York times and the LA Sun without the word strip club coming up even once.
"Well then." Oliver said raising his glass. "I guess here's to you."
"Here's to me." Ryan smiled and tapped his glass on Oliver's.
"Hey!" A somewhat familiar voice called out. "Jenn said you wanted to see me?"
"Rose!" Ryan stood up from the couch and walked over to a woman, enveloping her in a hug. "I wanted you to meet an old friend of mine." Oliver looked over and Ryan moved out of the way. The woman's smile faltered for a second but it was back before anyone noticed, anyone except Oliver. "This is Oliver Queen, a very good friend of mine. This is Rose Lee, one of our headline acts."
Oliver was tempted to scoff at the "very good" part but smiled instead. "Mr. Queen." Rose held out her hand and Oliver took it. "It's really nice to meet you."
Ryan looped his arm around Rose's shoulder and brought her to the couch. "Ah." He smiled. Candy was back with some appetizers and another champagne glass. "Here we go." He filled the glass up and handed it to Rose. "Rose here is my finest star, a crowd favorite no doubt."
"Is that so?" Oliver raised an eyebrow at the girl.
"He's exaggerating." She seemed to blush into her champagne glass.
"She's modest." He smiled. "She's too good for this place but I don't let that bother me. One day she'll get swept away by some Hollywood director or Broadway producer but for now she's all mine."
"Lucky you." Oliver took a bite of something that resembled shrimp and tasted like chicken.
"For now." Rose smiled setting her glass down. "I've got to go get ready, I'm on stage in five minutes."
"Oh, great." Ryan stood up as Rose did and Oliver followed suit. "Oliver will get to see you in action."
"I can't wait." He said pointedly as Rose left the VIP area in a hurry.
"Come back up after the show and we'll have dinner." Ryan called after her as she took a right turn at the bottom of the stairs.
Oliver turned to Ryan. "Bathroom?"
"Down the stairs on your left. Don't take too long." Ryan sat down and grabbed another appetizer that looked like steak but probably tasted like lobster. Oliver was sure he'd never understand this new food movement to make things taste like other things. He hurried down the steps and went right instead of left, heading for the backstage area. He was looking around for "Rose" when a hand reached out, grabbed his arm, and pulled him behind a curtain. He turned around and glared.
"What are you doing here?" They both asked at the same time.
"I live here." Oliver pointed out. "How about you "Rose"?"
"I'm undercover." She snapped at him.
"Jesus Chloe." Oliver sighed in frustration. "Tell me you aren't looking into the disappearances."
"Of course I am." She snapped at him.
"Star City is my town, let me take care of this." He told her.
"You were taking real good care of it when the past six girls went missing." She pointed out and his face fell. "I'm sorry, that was…you were gone in Russia, I know you couldn't…that's why I'm here."
"Well I'm here now." Oliver said.
"Rose!" A voice called out. "Girls on stage in two minutes hasn't even changed yet." The voice mumbled.
"I've got to go Oliver." Chloe pulled away from him. "I'm here, ok, I've already established my cover, there's nothing that can be done about it now."
"Yes there is, you can go back to Metropolis where your safe." He said.
"I'm safe here." She put her hands on her hips. "I can take care of myself if you didn't know and besides, now you're here. You'd never let anything happen to me, Clark would kill you."
"One minute, she's nowhere to be found." The same annoyed voice passed by them.
"I've really got to go Oliver." She turned away and it was as if something she'd said just caught up with him.
"Clark doesn't know you're here does he?" Oliver sighed.
"No." Chloe said firmly. "Just…I'm on stage in thirty seconds." She pleaded with him.
"Rose Lee?" He raised his eyebrows. "As in Gypsy?"
"Greatest Burlesque dancer of all time." She smiled before walking out of the curtain. "I'm right here Sandy you don't have to yell." She called out.
Oliver took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then made his way back to the table where Ryan was working on polishing off the bottle of champagne. Just as he got himself settled in the lights dimmed and Ryan clapped as the curtain on the stage opened and a voice rang out. "Burlesque is proud to present Miss Rose Lee!" The crowd did cheer as Chloe, or rather Rose, walked out wearing a long black trench coat, a hat and gloves. There was a stool on the stage next to the microphone but she didn't sit. "Mama." She said as she took off her hat and laid it on the stool. "Thinks I'm living in a convent." She pulled off one of her gloves. "A secluded little convent." She smiled. "In the southern part of France." She took off the other glove and laid them on the hat.
"Mama." She undid the belt to the coat. "Doesn't even have an inkling." Chloe said as she worked on the coats buttons. "That I'm working in a night club." She finished the buttons and smiled. "In a pair of lacy pants." She dropped the coat and the crowd went wild as she revealed a rather skimpy bra and panties set in green silk with black lace, complete with fishnet thigh highs held up by a garter belt.
Oliver leaned forward in his seat as the music started and Chloe began to sing, her eyes almost searching him out in the crowd. "So please sir, if you run into my mama, don't reveal my indiscretion, give a working girl a chance." The curtains opened up and her back up dancers came out as the song continued. Oliver got the message, don't tell Clark, let her do what she came to do. He was so enthralled by the show he'd forgotten about Ryan.
"She's great isn't she?" He leaned forward.
"Amazing." Oliver said before he could stop himself. He realized what he'd said a little too late and leaned back in his seat. "I mean…"
"You meant amazing." Ryan smirked at him. "I can put in a good word for you. Shouldn't be too hard, you're worth more than Bill Gates and Steve Jobs combined."
Oliver allowed himself a small smile at that as his eyes stayed on Chloe. "If you had a secret, you bet I would keep it, I would never tell on you." She blew him a kiss and he nodded, letting her know he'd gotten her intention loud and clear as she continued on. The whole thing was a lot more tasteful than he'd previously imagined but seemed to squirm in his seat as her she turned her back on the audience and slipped one bra strap off, then the other. The other girls had divested themselves of their tops long ago, he'd hardly noticed but this was Chloe. He knew as her hands made slow work of the claps that he should look away, again, this was Chloe, but she knew he was there, and she knew he was watching and it didn't seem to phase her as the audience got a good look at her bare back and she twirled the bra around her head tossing it into the audience.
"Sssh! Sssh!" The backup singers intoned as Chloe looked coyly over her shoulder.
"If you see my, Mummy." She winked. "Mum's the word!" She turned around suddenly but instead of the view he thought he'd get the dancers were there in front of her, covering her up with the same trench coat she'd taken off at the beginning. He smiled slightly to himself. Gypsy Rose Lee would be proud. The crowd went wild and Chloe tied the jacket around herself as she took a small bow and then exited the stage.
Candy brought Oliver and Ryan to a proper table and shortly after Chloe showed up, dressed in a tasteful gown. Oliver was up before Ryan, pulling her chair out for her and sitting back down. "Great show." Oliver smiled at her.
"Thanks." She blushed again and Ryan laughed.
"Have you ever seen someone blush so much?" He rubbed her shoulder. "Especially after that performance."
"A girl can't be shy?" Chloe put the napkin in her lap and looked over at Ryan defiantly.
"Not a girl that takes her clothes off on stage for a living." Ryan pointed out. He'd already ordered and Candy brought their plates.
"It's different on stage." Chloe shook her head.
"There's more people looking at you." Oliver told her.
"But I don't know them." She shrugged.
"You know me." Ryan pointed out. "And I never miss a show." She blushed again and Oliver was having a hard time deciding whether or not it was all an act or if she was truly this flattered. She stole a look at him and winked, it was all an act.
"So Jenn's in a particularly foul mood today." Chloe offered as she took a small bite of her salad.
"When isn't Jenn in a foul mood?" Ryan snorted. "There's a reason her nicknames the ice queen." Chloe smiled. "You met her." Ryan said to Oliver.
"The suit?" Oliver asked.
"That's her." Ryan rolled his eyes. "I swear she sleeps in those things. I told her, I run a strip club, a very tasteful strip club but a strip club none the less, suggested maybe something else would be appropriate attire for her, a little more relaxed."
"She didn't take the hint?" Oliver raised his eyebrows.
"She changed from skirts to pants." Chloe laughed.
"Jenn's my manager, she feels she should be professional at all times." Ryan said to Oliver, trying to excuse her a little.
"Still, she could stand to have some fun." Chloe shrugged.
"I try." Ryan shrugged as if writing it off as a lost cause. The rest of the dinner passed with Oliver and Ryan catching up on old times, Ryan seemingly talking Oliver up to Chloe, something she caught onto very early and seemed to find terribly amusing.
"Ryan." Suddenly Jenn materialized at the side of their table as Chloe was in the middle of a story, not bothered that she'd just interrupted them, her full attention was on Ryan. "Greg just arrived."
"Oh fantastic." Ryan jumped up. "Wait until you see this." He kissed Chloe on her cheek. "You're gonna love me."
He took off at a run, jumping down the steps as Jenn spared them both a glare before following. Chloe allowed herself a small laugh. "So I expect next he'll tell me how wonderful you are in bed." She smiled at Oliver as she sipped her drink.
"I'm sorry, he not being very subtle is he?" Oliver chuckled.
"Not very." Chloe shook her head.
"Then again…" Oliver nodded behind Chloe's head as Ryan came back up the stairs carrying a six foot tall cardboard cutout of her. "Subtleties never been his strong suit." He smiled as Chloe practically spit her drink out in surprise.
"Tell me you don't love it." Ryan smiled displaying the cutout in front of them for full inspection. "I had them made up special." She looked over the blow up replica of herself, clad only in the trench coat, her right leg perched on the seat of a chair and her gloved hand holding onto the back. The trench coat had slid up a bit, revealing the top of her thigh highs and showing a peak of the garter belt as she held a finger to her lips.
"It's very big." Chloe said, blushing again.
"You don't like it?" Ryan's face fell and Chloe jumped up quickly.
"No it's great." She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I love it."
"Fantastic." He smiled again. "I've got twenty more just like it."
"Twenty." Chloe turned to Oliver as she sat down. "Isn't that great?" She said a little panicked. "Twenty?"
"You should think about selling them." Oliver smirked and Chloe quickly kicked him under the table. "You'd make a mint."
"That's an idea." Ryan nodded. "Here, take this back to the office." He pawned the six foot Chloe off on Jenn who barely managed to get it through the crowd of people.
"Rose." Candy leaned over the table slightly. "You're on again in ten."
"Excuse me." Chloe said standing up. Ryan and Oliver stood up with her and watched her go.
"It's a nice place you've got here." Oliver said sitting back down.
"You sound surprised." Ryan glanced at him.
"I am." Oliver admitted. "Sorry."
"Don't apologize. Everyone told me I was crazy, that no one would get it, that people just want to see skin." Ryan shrugged. "I guess I wanted to give the people more credit than that and they proved me right."
"That they did." Oliver toasted to him again.
"Jenn was the worst." Ryan sighed. "Fought me every step of the way on this whole thing from the location to the wall color to the hiring process. She's eating her words now though." Ryan smiled.
Oliver was about to comment on Jenn when the lights dimmed again and a spotlight shone on the stage. "Ladies and Gentlemen, for our last show of the evening, please welcome to the stage again, Rose Lee!" Oliver didn't realize he'd been there that long, long enough to close the place down. The curtains opened and Chloe stepped out, in a long evening gown with a wrap around her shoulders, her arms completely encased in gloves.
She was standing stiffly, her nose in the air until the music started and then she looked down at the crowd and winked. They all cheered. "Let me entertain you." She dropped the wrap. "Let me make you smile. Let me do a few tricks." She pulled off the first glove. "Some old and then some new tricks." She pulled off the second glove. "I'm very versatile." She wiggled her eyebrows and the crowd cheered.
"And if you're real good." She dropped one shoulder strap. "I'll make you feel good." She smiled dropping another shoulder strap. "I want your spirits too fine." She reached behind her and pulled off the top to reveal a negligee. "So let me entertain you." She reached behind her skirt. "And we'll have a real good time, yes sir." The skirt dropped. "We'll have a real good time." She stepped out of it; she was only wearing the negligee as she made her way to the edge of the stage. "And if you're real good." She pulled out a large fan from backstage and covered herself with it. "I'll make you feel good." She reached behind her, undoing the negligee. "I want your spirits to climb." She looked down and the negligee dropped to the ground and the crowd cheered again.
She was completely naked now, although her whole body was covered by the fan as she made her way to the middle curtain. "Let me entertain you." She sang, raising the fan up and then stopping, just at the top of her thighs, looked at the crowd and shook her fingers as if scolding them. "And we'll have a real good…." She ducked behind the curtain and threw the fan into the crowd. "Time." She finished, poking her head out and then her leg, opening more and more of the curtain to reveal more and more skin until she finished the last note and closed the curtain.
Oliver joined the crowd down stairs in cheering as she came back out in a robe and took a bow. "Let's head back stage." Ryan nodded at Oliver. "I've got to get out of here early tonight, but I wanted to say goodbye."
"Sure." Oliver reached in his wallet and pulled out a few large bills, making sure to cover the dinner, the drinks and a very substantial tip for Candy before following Ryan. Goodbye's were said and the other entertainers packed up as Chloe wiped off her makeup and Oliver watched her, far more interested than he should have been.
"You're not going to tell on me?" She asked, looking at him in the mirror.
"No." He shook his head. "I get why you didn't tell Clark, he'd just pitch a fit." Oliver walked forward and picked up something off of her table, studying it. "And I know full well that you can take care of yourself. But the next time you do something like this, give me a call, just so someone knows what you're doing, in case you need back up, not that I'm saying you will, but just in case."
"Sure." Chloe nodded standing up. "Now get out, I have to change." She wrapped her robe tighter around her and Oliver suddenly remembered she was sitting there practically naked.
"Right, change, clothes." He almost stuttered. "I'll just…I'll wait for you, give you a ride."
"Thanks." She smiled at him and he walked out of the dressing room and out of the club. He stood by his car, checking his surroundings while he waited for Chloe. At first he'd thought Ryan could be behind the disappearances, he wasn't always so…tactful around girls in school but Oliver had to admit he'd grown up, he just couldn't see Ryan actually abducting them. So now he was on the lookout for maybe an overeager fan. There were a few waiting by the bouncers, watching the girls leave.
Fifteen minutes had gone by and still no Chloe, all the other girls were gone and even the bouncers had packed it in, gone inside to close up. He was heading back inside to see what was taking so long when he heard Chloe's voice at the back of the alley. "This is a little ridiculous." She said, exasperated and Oliver crept over to see what was going on.
He made it to the end of the building and peered around the corner. To his surprise he saw Chloe, still in her robe, standing very annoyed in front of an angry Jenn, who was holding a gun. "Ridiculous?" Jenn asked in a high pitched voice that didn't suit her very composed exterior.
"Yes ridiculous." Chloe scoffed. "I mean you? It was you taking the girls?"
"Yes me." Jenn said shaking the gun angrily. "Me."
"Why?" Chloe asked confused. "At first I thought it might be Ryan, most strip club owners are pretty sleazy you know but then I got to know him and it just didn't fit. Then I thought maybe a bouncer, or even a crazy fan but that would explain the performers not the waitresses. This whole time it was you?"
"Why do you keep asking that?" Jenn said. "Obviously it was me."
"Why?" Chloe asked again. "What did they ever do to you?" She thought about it for a minute and then it was as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. Oliver got it only seconds after her. "You're in love with him."
"Of course I am." Jenn squeaked. "Who wouldn't be?"
"Uh me." Chloe offered but that just seemed to make Jenn angrier.
"You aren't good enough for him, none of them were good enough for him." Jenn was shaking now, breaking down and Oliver realized this could go from ridiculous to dangerous pretty quickly. "I mean a stripper." Jenn said. "You take your clothes off for money and you think you're good enough for him?"
"I don't want him." Chloe said angry now and Oliver winced; don't taunt the crazy lady with a gun. "And he doesn't want me." Chloe was quick to point out. "In fact he was trying, not so subtly to set me up with Oliver Queen during dinner." Chloe tried to reason with her. "Does that sound like a man who wants me?"
Jenn just laughed. "I'm supposed to believe that Oliver Queen would be interested in someone like you? A filthy stripper."
"Hey." Chloe was mad now. "I could get Oliver Queen, I get him anytime I wanted." Oliver raised his eyebrow at her amused. "And I'm not a stripper. I'm a reporter." Oliver winced again, that wasn't better.
"A reporter?" Jenn's eyes went wide. "What? So what were you really doing her? Spying on Ryan? Were you trying to ruin him? Write something bad about him?"
"No!" Chloe had realized her mistake. "I wanted to help him."
"I help him." Jenn screamed. "When that little twit Mary showed up and practically threw herself at him, I helped him, I got rid of her." Oliver sighed. Mary was the first girl to go missing. "And the others. All of them the same, only after his money, strippers and waitresses."
He crept out of the shadow, realizing they had to take control of the situation before it got really out of hand. Chloe saw him and her eyes went wide. Jenn started to turn around and Chloe blurted out. "I get it." Jenn turned back to Chloe and Oliver resumed his movements. "I really do." Chloe said. "I mean look at you." She motioned to the girls clothes. "I walk around all night in my underwear but you, you're classy and sophisticated."
"Exactly." Jenn said, glad someone could see her point of view. "But does he look at me? No, he looks at you, and all the other girls in their skimpy outfits."
"That must be hard." Chloe asked.
"I take care of him you know. Whatever he needs, I get it for him before he even know he needs it. I run the club, I run his life. I pick up his stupid dry cleaning and does he thank me? Does he notice me?"
"No." Chloe shook her head.
"No." Jenn said cocking the gun. "Because he's too busy noticing you." She took a step forward.
"Now come on, you're not angry at me?" Chloe asked. "I mean shouldn't you be angry at him?"
"Why?" Jenn asked confused. "He's a man, he can't help it. There's beautiful half naked woman surrounding him daily, he's not supposed to notice, but he'll get the message, and one day, he'll see me."
"And how many more people have to die before he gets the message?" Chloe asked.
"How ever many it takes." Jenn said, her finger squeezing the trigger as Oliver tackled her from behind, the shot barely missed Chloe, grazing her arm and shoving her to the ground. He watched as Oliver and Jenn struggled for the gun before Oliver finally got the upper hand and pulled it away from her.
"Stay right there." He said holding the gun on Jenn who'd tried to get up and run. "Chloe?" He called over his shoulder.
"I'm fine." She pulled herself up from the ground, her voice more annoyed that scared or hurt. "She shot me." She said indignantly.
"Let me see." Oliver's voice was frantic as Chloe walked over.
"Chloe?" Jenn asked confused.
"What you thought my name was really Rose Lee?" Chloe scoffed as Oliver gently probed her wound with his free hand. "You shot me." Chloe gaped at her.
"It's just a scratch." She said indignantly.
"Call the police and get an ambulance." Oliver told her, assuming she had no phone in her robe and pulling his out of his pocket.
"I'm fine." Chloe said brushing him off as she dialed 911 and informed them what was going on.
"So." Oliver turned to her as they waited for the police to show up. "You could get me whenever you wanted?"
She glared at him. "Shut up." She wrapped the robe tighter around her and wondered how long she'd have to stand out here practically naked until the cops showed up. It didn't take long, a few patrol cars, followed by the ambulance were there within five minutes. The cops took Jenn away as Oliver forced Chloe to be checked out by a paramedic.
"What happened?" Ryan asked running up to them, staring at Jenn handcuffed in the back of the police car and Chloe getting a bandage on her arm.
"Well…" Chloe looked at Oliver then over at Ryan.
"So let me get this straight?" Ryan, Chloe, and Oliver were sitting at the bar. The cops and paramedics had left and Ryan decided he'd needed a big drink after Chloe finished explaining everything. "You're a reporter?" She nodded as he sipped his scotch. "Not a performer?"
"Sorry." Chloe shrugged.
"And Jenn was killing people because…she was in love me?" He looked at the two of them confused.
"Yep." Oliver nodded, sipping his own scotch.
"Damn." Ryan sighed and set the glass down. "That's really…messed up." Oliver looked over at him amused and decided to rethink the opinion that Ryan had grown up since school.
"Yeah pretty messed up." Chloe stood up. "I gotta get dressed, and gather my stuff I guess."
"Wait you're leaving?" Ryan turned to her.
"Well I'm not really a performer." Chloe laughed. "I just came here for the story and I got it, so…"
"But…" Ryan sputtered. "You're my main act, you're the best. What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't know." Chloe sighed kissing his cheek. "You know, Candy's pretty good, I hear her singing sometimes when I rehearse."
"Candy?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah." Chloe nodded. "She hates waitressing, and the people come to see the act, not to see me."
"That's true." Ryan agreed and Chloe felt a little hurt that he didn't even try to disagree with her. "Candy huh?"
"You'll be fine." Chloe said. "Oliver, that offer of a ride still good?"
"Sure, I'll wait here." Oliver nodded as she walked off to get dressed.
"So you guys knew each other already?" Ryan asked.
"We go way back." Oliver nodded.
"So when I was there trying to talk you up to her?" Ryan asked shame faced.
"It was a little amusing." Oliver admitted. "But it was really nice of you."
"So you two ever…" Ryan left the option hanging in the air.
"Oh…uh, no." Oliver sipped his drink. "Not so much, we don't really, we sort of work together, and we're just friends, good friends."
"Right." Ryan nodded. "Good friends who striptease for each other."
"Yes." Oliver said then froze. "No, I mean just tonight, I mean she wasn't doing it for me, she never…" He took another big sip simply to stop himself talking.
"Uh huh." Ryan smiled. "Ok so you're just friends then maybe you wouldn't mind if I…"
"No." Oliver said firmly and Ryan chuckled.
"Right, but your just friends." He nodded. "Crap." He said suddenly. "What am I supposed to do with those cut outs?" He looked at Oliver. "I've got twenty of them."
Oliver saw Chloe walk out of the back. She was dressed in jeans and sweatshirt, the most amount of clothes she'd had on all evening but something about it seemed better to him. "I'll take them." He said before he could stop himself. Ryan made another noise and Oliver turned to him. "You know, so no one else does because she'd be embarrassed…" Ryan wasn't buying it. "Oh screw it, even I'm not buying that." He buried his head on the table.
"It's ok man." Ryan patted his back. "I understand. Women huh? They either tie you up in knots so you don't know which way is up or they kidnap and shoot people to get to you."
"Yeah." Oliver looked at him amused. "It's generally one or the other." He laughed, the full absurdity of the night finally hitting him. Ryan joined in and Chloe walked over confused depositing her bag on the ground.
"What did I miss?" She looked between the two of them and they laughed harder. "Ok, that's enough, I'm obviously driving tonight." She pulled the cup out of Oliver's hand. "Come on, I need a shower." She pulled him off the barstool and Ryan got up, they shook hands and agreed to catch up soon.
"Hey Queen." Ryan called as they walked outside. "I'll have a messenger bring them over to you tomorrow. Free of charge."
"Thanks." Oliver rolled his eyes.
"Bring what over?" Chloe asked confused.
"Nothing." Oliver shook his head and dropped her bag in the trunk, Chloe had given him the keys back when he proved to her that he was ok enough to drive. "Where are you staying?"
"Well." Chloe turned to him when they got in the car. "Actually since you've been out of the country and you weren't supposed to be home for another few weeks…"
"You're staying at my place?" Oliver asked confused.
"Bart gave me the key." She offered as if that made it better.
"Bart knew you were here?" He said astonished.
"He just knew I was in town for a while, not where I was or what I was doing, relax." Chloe laughed at him.
"So." He smiled and turned to her. "You could get me?"
"Not this again." Chloe rolled her eyes. "There was a crazy lady with a gun and there was no way I was about to get shot in an alley behind a strip club wearing nothing but a robe, no way, my mom raised me better than that, never mind dirty underwear, she'd never forgive me for being dead with no underwear on so I was trying to do anything to distract her…" Suddenly Chloe was distracted as Oliver grabbed her face and effectively shut her up with a kiss. "Oh." She smiled at him.
"Yeah, oh." He turned and started the car. "So do you have to be back in Smallville anytime soon?"
"Uh…no." Chloe said trying to find her place in the conversation, the kiss having scrambled her brain a bit. "Why?"
"No reason." Oliver shrugged. "You didn't happen to keep that little green outfit? With the lace and the garter belt?"
Chloe smiled and laid a hand on his leg as she nodded. "I've got the jacket and the gloves too." She whispered in his ear. "Where you thinking of requesting a private performance."
"I don't know." He looked over at her and smiled. "How much would it cost?"
"Well, I did just retire. But, for you?" She smiled. "I think I can do it for free." She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. "Just don't tell mama."
Don't Tell Mama is from Cabaret the musical.
Second performance of Let Me Entertain you was based off of the song and scene from Gypsy, about the life of Gypsy Rose Lee one of the most famous burlesque performers ever to show nothing on stage.