Never More Beautiful
Oliver caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eye. He had been deep in conversation with a fellow LutherCorp board member, but at the sight of her entering the ballroom, his mind went completely blank of everything else. He abruptly excused himself to the surprised man, and made his way across the room towards her.
He knew she was going to look great tonight, after all he had asked his secretary, whom he knew to have good taste, to pick out a new dress and shoes and whatever else she might think Chloe would need; but he wasn't prepared for this at all. Chloe looked absolutely stunning. She was dressed in a low-cut, emerald green gown, his favorite color, and which also brought out the green in her eyes. With long slits up the side and high heels, her legs looked like they went on forever. He almost choked up at the vision of her. The dress gathered up in the middle just below her breasts and flowed downward which succeeded in hiding the small bump of a baby, their baby, growing inside of her. She also caught notice of all those around her, who gazed admiringly at the beautiful woman, almost as if she were Cinderella making her grand entrance at the ball.
She had come into the crowded room glancing quickly around for Oliver. Chloe really had not wanted to be there at this shareholder's reception party, feeling it was a bit out of her comfort zone. Knowing she couldn't drink any alcohol in her condition, while not as bad as having to cut way down on her beloved coffee, in these awkward social situations, it was bad enough. She tried different excuses to get out of it, including saying she had nothing to wear, but in the end she knew it had meant a lot to him, and after he had bought her this incredible outfit, there was no way she could not go. Because he had to attend a board meeting before the reception, he had sent his car to pick her up. Now she was scanning the room upon her arrival, and caught sight of Oliver just a moment after he had noticed her. He looked so incredibly handsome in his tux, she thought. She was sure her heart skipped a beat and couldn't help but smile as he headed in her direction. She too, made her way towards him and it was if everyone else around them disappeared and they were the only two there.
They met up in the middle of the room. Staring at each other for a moment, both still in awe that they had found such a deep love together, Oliver then placed his hands on her cheeks and drew her into a kiss. Chloe felt a tingle go down her entire body.
"You have never looked more beautiful than you do right now," he told her lovingly.
"Oh, you say that all the time," she replied, amazed at how incredibly special he always made her feel. "Besides, you clean up pretty well yourself, Romeo."
"I keep saying it because it's true," he said.
"Yeah, well I think you're just hoping to get lucky tonight," Chloe teased.
"Oh, I'm counting on it," Oliver said, as he grinned at her self-assuredly.
Just at that moment the band began playing a slow song and Oliver led Chloe onto the dance floor, where she rested her head on his shoulder and enjoyed being in his arms as they danced together to the beautiful love song that seemed to be playing only for them.
He still couldn't believe how incredibly blessed he was at that moment. Chloe and the team had rescued him after he had been ambushed at the earth station hooking up a satellite. Chloe had eventually been able to trace a weak signal from a GPS tracking device she had at one time implanted in Green Arrow's leather vest. This had been a precautionary measure she had put there a long time ago, back when she sometimes invaded her team's privacy, feeling the need be in control of everything and everyone. While oftentimes, it would backfire in her face because they felt she had crossed into "Big Brother" territory, in this instance it ended up working in their favor. When they had located him in a deserted Metropolis warehouse several days later, he had no memory of who took him or what had happened. The last he remembered was being in the ventilation ducts. Afterwards, he lay in a hospital bed recovering from dehydration, Chloe never leaving his side, both so grateful to be back with each other again. He had decided right then and there, that he was done with the playboy image he used to try to cover his secret identity as the Green Arrow. Just the thought of even pretending to be with another woman made him sick to his stomach. He would just have to be more careful to cover his tracks. So they started appearing together in public more, not hiding their relationship. Still on edge though, and always on alert for anymore signs of his mysterious captors, he pushed thoughts of that out of his mind for right now and decided instead to focus on this gorgeous woman in his arms and the little baby she carried inside her.
When he had returned from captivity, it was as if they couldn't get enough of one another. If they weren't physically together, they were either on the phone, texting back and forth, or video conferencing. They especially could not say "I love you" enough. Though she still considered her Talon apartment her home, she was spending every night at his penthouse, keeping most of her clothes and toiletries there. Then one night, while they were lying in bed, arms and legs wrapped together in a comfortable embrace, her head resting on his chest, she softly spoke the most unexpected yet amazing words, "Ollie, I need to tell you something important. …. I'm pregnant." Having kept this information to herself for awhile, Chloe knew she just had to blurt it out; there was no easy way to say it.
He turned her face towards his, and saw a bit of hesitation, a bit of uncertainty in her expression as to how she thought he would react to her surprise announcement. All he could do was to kiss her fervently and assure her this was the most incredible and wonderful news he could possibly hear. And it was. He asked her all kinds of questions, about when the baby was due and how she felt. Then he started speaking excitedly about plans they needed to make: a wedding, permanently moving her in with him, and thinking of names for the baby. . .
"Whoa, slow down there, Arrow," she said. "A lot has happened lately. Let's just take a deep breath right now and slow things down a bit."
So, while he reluctantly agreed with her, inwardly, he knew that he was going to ask her to marry him as soon as he found the ideal moment. Even before he knew of the pregnancy, he had already been planning on proposing to her. This news just made him want to seal the deal. He had safely hidden away in his penthouse, a ring he had bought on a brief business trip to Europe taken before his kidnapping, before he had even told her he loved her. He didn't know at the time what drew him into that jewelry store or what even made him buy that ring. He just knew with Chloe, he felt he had a real purpose in life. She had at one time told him she wanted somebody who "got" her, understood her. Well, he did, he really did, and they were more alike than either could imagine. He knew things were going to work with her; he just had to get her to open her eyes to that fact too. So feeling just a little surprised at his boldness, he purchased a large oval-shaped emerald stone engagement ring with diamonds surrounding it. It was perfect for her, incredibly beautiful, but not too pretentious. Now, if she would just say yes.
Therefore, after that night, determined more than ever to marry her, he began regularly carrying the ring around with him, prepared for when the right time to propose would come along.
Now the music had ended and they reluctantly stopped dancing. He thought his heart was going to burst if he had to wait any longer to ask her to be his wife. So, not caring where he was, right moment or not, he let go of her for a second, got down on one knee, and having retrieved the ring out of his pocket held it out to her and said, "Chloe Anne Sullivan, would you please, please, make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
Absolutely stunned, Chloe, in one of the few times in her life that she could remember, found herself completely speechless. Tears running down her cheeks, she could only nod her head, till she finally found her voice and whispered, "Yes, I will marry you."
This event did not go unnoticed by the crowd of people surrounding them, who had all along been staring in awe at the striking-looking couple looking so very much in love; him tall, blond, and extremely fit, and her petite, also blond, with big, expressive eyes and a dazzling smile. Many in the room had been reading the tabloid reports that spoke all about Star City's most eligible bachelor and the unknown attractive blond woman he was exclusively dating. Now they were witnessing in person as Oliver Queen officially took himself "off the market." They erupted in applause, surprising the couple as they kissed and hugged, who had forgotten that anyone else was there.
Now just two weeks later they found themselves at the Star City Justice of the Peace ready to make it official. Oliver had been willing to let Chloe plan the most elaborate of weddings, either before or after the baby was born, anything her heart desired. In the end, she decided she wanted things simple and uncomplicated, and Oliver just wanted to be married, the sooner the better and he didn't care how they did it. They both knew all too well the dangers they faced in their fight against crime and the underworld especially with their recent scare of Oliver's kidnapping, so they both made up their minds that they didn't want to waste any more time apart. Besides, neither of them had parents around, his being gone in body, hers gone in spirit, and they were both only children, so it wasn't like there was family to consider. Oliver also thought that maybe because of the way things turned out for Chloe's wedding and brief marriage to Jimmy, with the appearance of Doomsday and everything, she didn't want to be reminded of all those bad memories.
So they asked her cousin, Lois and their friend Clark to stand up with them – it would be just the four of them, and somehow that seemed fitting after all they had been through together. He thought it might be awkward to have his former girlfriend at his wedding, but since being with Chloe, he never even thought of Lois in any sort of romantic way anymore. He only had eyes for Chloe. Lois too, has long ago put everything concerning Oliver in the past, and thought that he and Chloe were absolutely perfect for each other. Besides, she could not wait for their baby, who she knew was going to be "beyond gorgeous" to arrive so she could spoil this second cousin of hers. "Just don't ask me to change diapers", she had said. "That is so not my thing." Clark in the meantime had mended his relationship with Chloe after his battle with Zod made him realize just how much she meant to him, and how often he took her for granted. While at first he had reservations about her and Oliver, he could see they really loved each other, and he only wanted for her to be happy. If anyone on this planet deserved happiness, he thought, it was Chloe. Sometimes he wondered what would have happened had the two of them given romance a try. She certainly had wanted that at one time, and he remembered the days when he had to fight his confusing feelings for her. In the end, however, he knew her friendship had been far too important for him to mess with. She had been by his side from the very beginning of his superhero journey, the most loyal and selfless person he knew, and the thought of anything coming between their unique relationship would have been almost more than he could bear. Now happily involved with Lois, and seeing Chloe so much in love with Oliver, he really felt things had worked out for the best for everyone.
Oliver and Clark were standing in the small room with the clerk, both looking very handsome in their dark suits, when Chloe and Lois walked in. Lois looked very pretty in a blue print dress, but it was Chloe, in an elegant, beaded, cream-colored dress, carrying a bouquet of yellow tulips, that completely took Oliver's breath away. He thought she had never looked more beautiful. Her face absolutely glowed, whether it was from the pregnancy, or being in love, but probably both. They smiled nervously at each other as they stood before the officiant to recite their vows which each had written. They made declarations of love for each other, he, sharing how fortunate he was to have found his true love, when she had been in front of him all along, how she literally saved his life, and she shared how he had been a part of her life, yet found his way into all of it including her heart when she thought it closed off, how he truly saved her as well. Both had promised to love each other forever, be there for one another no matter what challenges they faced, sharing and building a life together, till they both breathed their last breaths.
"Do you, Oliver Jonas Queen take Chloe Anne Sullivan, to be your wife?"
"I absolutely do," said Oliver as Chloe laughed.
"And do you Chloe Anne Sullivan; take Oliver Jonas Queen to be your husband?"
"I absolutely do too", she lovingly replied.
And after the exchange of rings, the clerk pronounced them husband and wife, and Oliver leaned down and kissed her deeply, not believing this moment had finally arrived – Chloe, his friend, his lover, his sidekick, was now his wife! He whispered in her ear, "I love you so much, Mrs. Queen." Looking up at him through her tears of joy, Chloe smiled and replied, "Back at you, Mr. Queen, back at you."
While crime never takes a break, the new Mr. and Mrs. Queen did, by taking off in their jet after the ceremony for a ten day honeymoon to a beachside resort he recently purchased from a close business associate. Chloe was very impressed, maybe not as much as when he bought her the satellite for Watchtower, but this was pretty amazing too. It was remote and private with beautiful white, sandy beaches, perfect for them to get away from everything. Their Justice League team promised that they would keep things in check while they were away. While maybe initially surprised by the sudden union of Green Arrow and Watchtower, it made sense to them as they had been an audience to the flirting and chemistry that had developed between the two over these last many months. They were thrilled for the joining together of this couple who had led and organized, almost like parent figures, their unique "family" of heroes.
With just a handful of crew at the resort to cook and clean and tend to the needs of the newly married couple, it was truly a paradise for them to enjoy time alone. They spent their days leisurely lying around, each telling stories of their childhoods, he relating the pain of losing his parents at a young age, she of the hurt and confusion of her mother's absence and later discovering she was in an institution, and having her father come in, but more often, out of her life. He spoke about his days in boarding school and the two long years he was stranded on the island, she told of her days in Smallville and her relentless pursuit to find and expose meteor "freaks" only to later discover with horror that she too, had been meteor-rock infected. Sharing these intimate parts of their lives only drew them closer together and caused a stronger bond. It made them both committed to being there, no matter what it took, for their own baby, who was growing bigger inside Chloe. At first she was a little self-conscious about it around Oliver, feeling so huge, but he always had a way of making her feel beautiful. Besides, now that she was past the morning sickness stage, she felt healthy and actually very feminine. Her breasts had grown larger, a definite benefit, she thought, and one she was sure Oliver would agree with too, and basically the added weight was only in her stomach from the baby.
Each night they would enjoy a wonderfully prepared romantic dinner by candlelight, then they would spend evenings strolling hand-in-hand along the beach, talking about everything, as they had always enjoyed an easy banter, but they especially spoke with excitement about the baby and their future together. They would stand wrapped in each other's arms and watch the breathtaking sunsets and Chloe couldn't help but think as she saw the brilliant colors of the sky, how much Oliver had brightened her world when at one time all had seemed gray and dark. Their nights never lacked passion and afterwards as they would lie there together in the dark, Oliver would patiently place his hands on Chloe's stomach trying to feel the baby kick. Sometimes he would be rewarded for his persistence, and it never ceased to amaze him. Sometimes they wished they could freeze time in those moments, but they also could not wait to meet this child of theirs. Most of the time, Chloe would fall asleep before he would, exhausted from their long walks and days spent in the sun, not to mention their "indoor games" as she liked to call their intimate activities. As she would lie there sleeping in his arms, he was so amazed that he was able to break down the walls she had once put up and now she was his wife, and he thought she never looked more beautiful. And in the mornings, Chloe would often wake before Oliver, and as she lay there watching him sleep, she couldn't help believe this gorgeous man whom she met so long ago in Clark's barn, the one who "wowed" her back then, and still did today, was her husband. Then she would snuggle in closer to him, and breathe a silent prayer of gratitude.
Life returned to a familiar rhythm of things when the rested and tanned couple got back to the city from their honeymoon. Luckily things had been rather quiet for the team, but unfortunately, given the added time, they still hadn't made any headway in finding out who had taken Oliver. That was a constant concern for the couple, but they tried not to dwell on it too much. Oliver had to catch up with things back at the office as CEO of Queen Industries and Chloe was looking forward to getting back online at Watchtower. She wanted to see if she could trace their mysterious invaders herself. It was amazing though, because she would have guessed being away from all this technology for so long, she would have missed it more. But she hadn't, as she found the real world was far more wonderful and fulfilling than the virtual one in which she used to retreat into. Oliver returned to making his regular rounds as Green Arrow, with more fervor, determined to make the world a safer place to raise a child, but he was also more cautious than before, now that he had that child to think about, the fact which still astounded him. He could not wait to be a father.
While Chloe had been away, Lois had helped to have all the rest of her things moved from the apartment to Oliver's. She was a little sad to be permanently leaving her cousin and their place above the Talon. She had a lot of great memories there, but in reality neither girl had spent much time there in a long time; Lois was always at the Daily Planet or Clark's and of course, Chloe at Watchtower or Oliver's. Plus, she loved her new life as Chloe Queen, so much more. Chloe also had to get back to regular visits to her doctor, an obstetrician that their friend Dr. Emil Hamilton had highly recommended. Everything was going smoothly and the baby was growing right as it should be. Chloe hated referring to their baby as "it," but she and Oliver wanted to be surprised as to the sex of their baby.
So this is how things went for the next few months. Their due date was fast approaching, so when Oliver went out on patrol, he stayed in contact more often with Chloe back at Watchtower, who was occasionally experiencing false labor pains. For the most part she still looked and felt great, but she tired easily and was more than ready to deliver this baby. Whenever anyone from the team was around, they would hover around her trying to do things for her and get her to rest, but she could be stubborn and because she was a bit of a control freak that didn't work very often. Clark was put on alert just in case they needed his superpower help, an advantage of being friends with The Blur. Then one night after Oliver had prevented a mugging, a large and sudden storm occurred that seemed to cause a blackout to the entire city. He tried to call Chloe on his cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail. He thought maybe the cell tower was also down because of the storm. He knew Lois was going to stop by and check in on Chloe after she left the Daily Planet for the evening, but feeling uneasy, he made his way back to Watchtower as quickly as he could. Thankfully the tower still had power due to the back-up systems he had installed for just such an occasion. Starting to panic as he went from room to room in search of her, calling out her name and hearing no response, he was startled when Clark breezed into the room.
"Come on," he said nervously. "Chloe couldn't reach you by phone. She is at Met Gen Hospital, her water broke, contractions are coming fast, and she needs you there now!"
Knowing he couldn't show up there as Green Arrow, Clark reminded him to change first, a fact that Oliver would have completely forgotten had Clark not said something. Throwing clothes on faster than he even thought possible, he was soon by Chloe's side in an instant, thanks to The Blur. Fortunately the hospital was using back up generator power, so they had electricity. "Glad you could make it, Mr. Queen. Wouldn't want you to miss out on all the fun," she managed to say through a contraction, gripping tightly the hand of a very pale looking Lois, who thankfully had been with Chloe this entire time. Lois looked very relieved at the arrival of Oliver, and muttered under her breath, "I never want this kind of "fun" in my life, ever!" Oliver had never seen her look so nervous, but it was the sight of Chloe in obvious pain and discomfort that almost made his heart stop. He grabbed her other hand and lovingly rubbed her back, trying to soothe her, telling her how much he loved her and how proud he was of her. His brain went completely blank of all he had learned in the prenatal classes they had attended, and he almost began to panic. She, however, was focused and very much in control and insisted she did not want any pain medication. She had told him on one of their evening walks along the beach on their honeymoon that she survived beatings, kidnappings, and even death, she could handle giving birth without drugs, although she later admitted this was the hardest thing she had done. When the doctor and nurse came in, Clark went out into the hallway, because Chloe had remained embarrassed by their "encounter" at the bed and breakfast when she surprised him in the shower. While it seemed like ages ago to her now, it still managed to make her blush. Even if she couldn't remember anything about the incident, she felt he had seen enough of her that night, and wanted to leave it that way, and this was perfectly fine by him. Clark found he didn't need his super hearing powers to know what was going on in that room, because, he could hear her screams of pain out in the hall, no problem. He couldn't remember feeling so helpless.
Finally after what seemed like to Oliver, and he was sure Chloe, an eternity of contractions and breathing and pushing, the doctor delivered their baby with the words, "Congratulations. You have a baby boy!" Overcome with emotion, Oliver and Chloe both said, "I love you," to one another, cried, hugged, and kissed, completely overjoyed at the thought of having a son. As their baby was placed in her arms, she kissed his tiny face, looked up at Oliver, and together they both said, "Connor." It was a name they talked about many times. Chloe handed the baby to Oliver who couldn't stop staring at this precious miracle, the product of his and Chloe's love. Clark came in to meet their new son and he and Lois were so amazed by this tiny infant and proud and excited that they would get to be a part of his life. They soon left to give the new family privacy, but not before he sped back to the penthouse to retrieve the new camera Oliver had purchased for this occasion, but was forgotten in the rush to the hospital, so they could capture this amazing moment forever. With the blackout going on, Clark had to go restore order in the city, from the rash of crime that descended upon it, and Lois, still a little pale and overwhelmed at witnessing the "miracle of birth," decided she was going back to the Talon to lie down.
Oliver began taking lots of pictures of her and the baby. Chloe, her hair matted against her face from perspiration and cheeks still flushed from all her labor, told Oliver she was sure she looked a mess. Oliver, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looked at her incredulously as she lay there holding their son in her arms and said with all sincerity, "You have never looked more beautiful than you do right now." Chloe gazed down at her perfect newborn son, then up at her handsome husband. In that moment, with tears of joy in her eyes she gave him a big smile and thought to herself, that if she looked on the outside, anything like the complete and utter joy she felt on the inside, then maybe, just maybe he was right.