This story is a three parter, and it's been languishing on my computer for months (possibly since last year) because I couldn't think of a title. But I started going through story files last week, and I found it, so I hope you enjoy it. Still not crazy about the title, but oh well. Updates on other stories coming soon. I injured my arm a few weeks ago and ended up with stitches in my elbow. My right arm has been wrapped and immobile up until a few days ago, so I couldn't really write or type well. But I'm back to using two hands for typing and I think my stitches come out tomorrow, so woohoo! lol

Part I

Chloe was seriously considering a moratorium on future birthdays. She was surrounded by people, half of whom she was certain she had never even met before, and yet she still felt utterly alone. Alone and like a total failure at…well, life in general at this point.

Then Lois had to leave, her so-called best friend was a no-show, and out of all her friends and acquaintances, the one she'd had a mostly strained relationship with lately was the only one who bothered to put in a cameo. Not that Oliver planned on staying long apparently, but she appreciated any effort at this point.

Chloe held her lone birthday cupcake and fought to keep a smile on her face as Oliver apologized for having to run out on her. He did, at least, seem genuinely sorry to be leaving her. She sighed and allowed her smile to fade when he turned to go. But as he walked away, a raven haired woman stepped in front of him. Wearing a sexy yet classy version of a tux with fishnets, thigh-high black leather boots, and a top hat perched atop her lustrous black curls, she commanded the sort of attention that generally had men scraping their tongues off the floor. Chloe raised her brows at the woman's attire before remembering that Lois had mentioned hiring a magician for the party.

"Now there's a man who looks like he could use a little magic in his buttoned-up life," the woman murmured, smiling up at Oliver with interest.

Chloe rolled her eyes, wondering if every woman who crossed Oliver's path threw themselves at him in the same way. No wonder he had such an ego.

"Uh, you know what, I wouldn't want to steal the hocus pocus away from the birthday girl. How about a little something special for someone who truly deserves it, ok?" Oliver neatly sidestepped the sexy magician and guided her over to Chloe as he spoke. He smiled at Chloe once more before hurrying away.

The lady magician watched him leave before turning her attention to Chloe. Her expression of disinterest gave way to one of sympathy. "Rough birthday, huh?"

"You know the napalm scene in 'Apocalypse Now?' More fire, less cake." Chloe tried to inject a note of humor, but it was feeble at best.

The mysterious woman smiled at Chloe knowingly. "Well, let's make sure tomorrow's a better day."

Chloe's resigned smile faded as she stared at the other woman. Something about this moment felt different and somehow important.

"Make a wish."

Chloe looked down at the candle on her cupcake, missing the sudden flash of power in the woman's intense blue eyes. She thought about just blowing it out and skipping the wish, but it was almost as if an inner voice was urging her to make a real wish, which was silly. Because no matter what she wished for, she felt certain that her life would be one hundred percent as crappy tomorrow as it was today.

And now I'm totally going to need that dagger for my corset, Chloe mentally chastised herself. She looked up and saw Lois standing near the exit, laughing as she talked on her cell phone. What would it be like to be Lois? But even as the thought crossed her mind, she amended it. After all, she didn't really want to be Lois. It was more that she wondered what it would be like to have the courage to blow through life, taking the bull by the horns and forcing it to do her bidding. What would it be like to feel that sort of confidence for a night, to have that kind of control in her own life?

She looked back down at her cupcake and blew out the candle. A smile crept over her face like the sun emerging from storm clouds as a lighter feeling spread throughout her body. Suddenly she felt like her night was looking up.

Oliver ran his hand over the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders as he stepped into the Ace of Clubs. After a very long day and evening filled with contracts and meetings, he wanted nothing more than to head home and crash. But then he'd remembered the sad look on Chloe's face, alone at her own birthday party, and he knew he had to check on her before he headed home. Glancing around the crowded club, he was surprised to see Lois scowling in the direction of the bar.

"I thought you had a flight to Mexico?" Oliver asked as he walked over to join her.

"Yeah, I traded first class for a later flight and a crappier seat after aliens invaded this birthday party, snatched my favorite cousin, and left a sexed-up clone in her place. I mean, I can't leave while Chloe's channeling 'The Girls Next Door' now, can I?"

Oliver laughed. "Come on, Lois, you're talking about Chloe. Don't you think you're exaggerating?"

Lois raised her brows. "Exaggerating? Take a look at the bar and then tell me I'm blowing this out of proportion. 'Cuz I know my cousin and that girl? That is not Chloe."

Oliver turned his head toward the bar with another laugh, but it died as he took in the scene that had Lois so worried. "What the hell?" He could hardly believe what his eyes were assuring him was real. Chloe Sullivan was seated at the bar surrounded by a crowd of men, all clearly vying for her attention, as she leaned forward and did a body shot off the taut abs of a man lying on the bar. The men cheered as she took the lime in her mouth and sucked hard. Oliver felt a bolt of awareness shoot down his spine like liquid lightning.

"Exactly," Lois replied. "I've been fighting the urge to click my heels together because I feel like I've landed in an AU world where Chloe's the hell raiser and I'm the responsible one. And that's a scary ass world, let me tell you. What happened after I left her with you, anyway, huh?"

Oliver's eyes remained glued to the petite blonde and her crowd of admirers at the bar even as he answered Lois. "I…nothing. Nothing happened. I'd been in meetings all day, but I took a break to come deliver Clark's present and wish Chloe a happy birthday. Then I had to head back to the office. She was fine when I left."

"By 'fine' I assume you mean that she wasn't licking strange men in public, right? She hasn't even had that much to drink, not by Sullivan-Lane standards. And I've seen her far more wasted before – she never acts like this."

"Maybe she wanted to let loose on her birthday?" Even as he spoke, Oliver knew the idea was ridiculous.

Lois snorted in disbelief. "Chloe's idea of letting loose lately is staying up past midnight for a movie and calorie fest instead of working. And the one time she really let loose on her birthday, she was possessed by the spirit of an evil witch. Maybe in our younger, club hopping days she would have done a little bump and grind on the dance floor, but this? Hell to the no, which is why I'm thinking we may need a priest and an exorcism before the night's over. And just where is Clark? Because I could use his help tonight, otherwise I'm going to have to reschedule my flight again."

Oliver turned his head to follow Chloe as she suddenly hopped off her stool and headed for the dance floor, the men chasing after her. She began to sway seductively to the beat of the music, closing her eyes and sliding her hands over her body. The room felt hotter all of a sudden, and he reached up to loosen his tie a little. "Look, there must be a more reasonable explanation than possession. She's had a lot to deal with lately, and she seemed a little sad earlier. She told me birthdays made her reflective. Maybe she just decided to blow off a little steam." Or a lot of steam – possibly an entire flotilla of steamboats. Maybe Lois had a point.

"I don't know," Lois said doubtfully. "All I know is that I can't leave her alone like this. She swore up and down earlier that she was fine, but God knows what will happen if she decides to let one of these douchebags take her home."

That hadn't occurred to Oliver, and he realized he didn't like the idea of Chloe being a one night stand for one of those guys. The irony didn't escape him. "Lois, I can stay with her if you need me to. And I promise I won't let her do anything crazy…or crazier."

Lois tapped her foot as she continued watching Chloe. After a moment she nodded. "If this assignment wasn't such a big deal, I'd blow it off. And I'd blow it off anyway if I had to. But I trust you to take care of her, so… don't make me regret it. And thanks, Ollie."

Oliver watched her walk across the club to talk to her cousin. One of the men stepped up behind Chloe and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist as if afraid she might be leaving, and Lois poked him in the chest hard enough to make him back up as she talked to Chloe.

Lois finally hugged Chloe and turned to leave, lifting a hand to Ollie as she headed toward the exit. Oliver moved over to the bar, keeping Chloe in view as he slid onto a stool. Their eyes met, and a little smile tilted the corners of her mouth as she held Oliver's gaze. She began to dance, leaning back against the man whose arm had snaked around her waist again. His eyes narrowed as the man slid his hands over Chloe's hips. He could already tell that guy was going to be a problem.

Oliver rapped on the bar to get the bartender's attention. "You know the birthday girl, right?"

The bartender, a muscular guy in his mid-twenties, smirked at Oliver as he nodded toward the dance floor. "Hot little blonde? What about her?"

Oliver swallowed his irritation. "How much was she drinking earlier?"

"Not that much, really. She had a couple of mixed drinks, did a couple of body shots – that was just for entertainment I think," he answered with a laugh.

"And you didn't see anyone put anything in her drinks or pass her anything?" If he found out someone had drugged her, he was going to kick some asses. And the douche with his hands all over her was already suspect number one.

The bartender shook his head, more serious now. "No way, man. I keep an eye out for that kind of shit because someone tried that on a friend of mine. It's not happening on my watch, and I was paying more attention to her because of all the dudes hanging around."

Oliver could tell he was being truthful. "Ok, thanks. And I'll have a scotch, neat." He turned his head to check on Chloe, only to find that she was staring at him. She slid her hands slowly up the arms of the guy holding her, her eyes never leaving Oliver's. Heat curled low in his belly, and he took a deep breath. He wasn't sure what it was, but something was definitely different about Chloe. And if she wasn't drunk and it wasn't drugs then he was at a loss as to how to explain what was going on. Suddenly, Lois's possession and alien clone theories seemed a lot less ridiculous to him.

He sipped his drink as he kept his vigil. After a few minutes, Chloe looked away from Oliver and turned to the man she was dancing with. The man's hands slid over the full curves of her ass as she leaned in to whisper something to him. Oliver stood, fully intending to go pull the guy off of her, but he paused and sat down again when she turned and began walking to the bar.

She slid onto the stool beside him and smiled at him as she leaned against the bar. "Thought you had better things to do tonight."

Oliver watched her closely. She seemed ok – not out of control. "It wasn't about having better things to do. I was working. But as you can see, I came back to be sure you were having a good birthday."

"Best birthday I can remember, actually. I found a whole new Chloe ready to come out and play, and she's very popular." She twirled a curl around her finger, and he followed the movement, wondering if her hair was as soft as it looked.

Get a grip, man. "I can see that. Gotta say I'm a little surprised though, Chloe. Body shots, really?"

She smirked. "I've actually always wanted to try that, but I never had the courage to do it. You know, you and I are a lot alike lately, Ollie. Too much with the work, not enough play time."

"You're certainly making up for that tonight," he pointed out. He allowed his gaze to wander down her body, wondering why he hadn't noticed before how the dress she was wearing hugged her petite, curvy figure in all the right places. Something he definitely shouldn't be noticing.

"You know the last time I had great sex?"

Oliver nearly choked on his drink. "Uh… what?"

"Never. I'm pretty sure I've never had great sex. Isn't that sad? I've only had sex with one man, and Jimmy never really revved up my lady parts like I've heard other women describe. Sometimes a woman just needs a hot, sweaty, toe-curling, mind-blowing, multiple-orgasm-producing session between the sheets, right?"

She leaned in closer to him, her delicate, feminine scent clouding his senses. Oliver felt his whole body tense with sexual need as she reached out and ran a finger down his tie. This was not happening. Only it was happening – Chloe Sullivan was trying to seduce him. And oh, was she succeeding. "Chloe…"

"Oh, come on Ollie, I know you've thought about it before. We both have. And I'm willing to satisfy that curiosity for both of us – no strings, just…pleasure."

Oliver swallowed hard, unable to believe the words coming out of Chloe's mouth. She was like the breathing incarnation of one of his sex fantasies, and she wasn't wrong. He had thought about it once or twice. They had been more the passing thoughts variety of fantasy than anything, but it was male nature to go there with most women. "Chloe, I think we both know that would be a bad idea."

She shook her head regretfully before leaning forward and nipping his ear in a move that went straight to his groin. "Party pooper." She leaned back again and raised a thoughtful brow. "But that's ok. I'm pretty sure Dave will have no problem taking me up on that offer." Chloe turned to glance over her shoulder at the man still staring at them intently.

Hell no. "Wait."

Chloe turned back to him, a smug grin on her face. "Tick tock, Ollie. You game?"

Was she playing him? She definitely seemed more like the Chloe he knew as she challenged him. He studied her face. Her eyes were clear – no sign of drugs and though she was tipsy, she was nowhere near falling-down drunk. Maybe he'd been right earlier when he'd told Lois she was just blowing off steam. The question was if he was willing to cross that line with a woman he considered a friend, someone who knew more about him than any woman, including Lois.

Oliver made his decision quickly. He stood up and held out his hand to Chloe. "Let's go."