Breakable

Chapter One

Summary: Chloe and Oliver are friends. When certain unforeseen events unravel in both their lives, the two make a pact that can either prove that theirs is a friendship that could break and remain broken or break into something more. Chlollie.

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville, Superman or Batman

Billionaires have never been Chloe's favorite kind of people. In her opinion, a shocking percentage of those she had an opportunity to observe up close and personal are eccentric, obsessive, homicidal maniacs while the rest of the population who are not, unfortunately are too shallow and trite. A sweeping generalization which Chloe loathes to have; given that passing judgment on the other members of this economic stratum was not how she was raised at all. Berating herself for her unkindness and prejudice, Chloe stepped out into the sun after a grueling 3-hour interview with one of the more popular heiress of a well-known hotelier and squinted up at the sky, seeming to ask for some answer. Skimming her notes for anything intelligible or intelligent that can be incorporated in the article she was tasked to write, Chloe blew an air of exasperation. Her latest encounter with the first class set further reinforcing her opinion The response seemed to come from an over-the-top caricature and reads like a line from one of those coming-of-age films. If it weren't for the fact that she was there to witness first-hand, she would have thought that the response was from a badly-written sketch. Re-reading the response to her last question regarding the said socialite's upcoming 3-day stint in rehab and what she intends to do as soon as she gets out. She looked in dismay at the hastily scrawled short-hand translating almost exactly as "It's like … uhm totally going to be hard so I'm going to be planning a fund-raiser for these uhm women in there with me at the Vine, which will be so to-tal-ly hot." Apparently this was as much response she could get from the scandalously inebriated society's darling for the month, London Hayworth. Scandalously inebriated because it was only 2 p.m. in the afternoon.

Indeed, billionaires were never her favorite kind of people. Her run-ins with Lex in the past were never good for her health or her life for that matter and having to interview one of the less murderous sample of the specie for a column in the Daily Planet apparently turned out not to be good for her sanity. Chloe utters out a strangled, "WHY?" which attracted curious glances from the people passing by. At a loss as to whether to go to the Daily Planet or drown her sorrow in a venti latte, she was about to head off in the opposite direction of the Planet when a lilting voice calling out her name stopped her in her tracks. It was the socialite's publicist pelting out of the office in the way polished personal assistants wearing their boss's hand-me-down Pradas would be rushing after someone if they did condescend to "pelt". Waving a paper in her direction, "Oh Ms. Sullivan, I'm glad I caught you."

Groaning inwardly for not having disappeared fast enough and cursing her heels for this, Chloe grimaces and mutters a silent prayer , "Please God, it may seem funny to you sitting where you are now but I guarantee to stay away from caffeine for 1 week so long as I don't have to go back in there." Schooling her face into an attempt to be solicitous but also of sangfroid, Chloe turns to face the socialite's publicist, Vanessa who did not even break a sweat as she jogged and glided gracefully to where she was, if that were at all possible.

A sheaf of paper was handed to her and Vanessa smiled, "Here, please take this copy. Ms. Hayworth wanted to make sure that you got everything she said during your interview and so she asked me to type up the notes and hand them to you."

Confused and bewildered at this, Chloe smiles tentatively "No, I'm sure I'm okay. I have everything I need for the column." Or pretty much what would be more or less a couple of paragraphs composed of ten sentences in total after having edited all the "That's hot" and trolling for other derivations of the said phrase.

"No take it. I'm sure that you want to be thorough and these are the compiled opinion that London has about all the issues that you've raised in your question."

Chloe looks down at the paper and reads through a few of her subject's alleged response to the questions she just asked which were concise, coherent and actually intelligent except that they were not London Hayworth's words at all. Chloe raises an eyebrow at this and gives back the copy to Vanessa, "I can't run this. This is not what she said during our interview."

"I assure you that these are all what Ms. Hayworth wants to convey."

Chloe looks incredulous at this exchange, "Oh I don't think I would've forgotten so quickly nor misunderstood what she said. On the issue that she has been buying off jewelry from a shop with a known history of supporting the supply of blood diamond, Ms Hayworth said and I quote," At this Chloe whips opens her notebook and reads off her notes verbatim "'Diamonds are my favorite. I'm not too keen on rubies because they are dowdy and matronly.' which is definitely not the same as 'I descry the exploitation of the consumerist diamond market and will not knowingly support this by purchasing diamonds that I know are illegally obtained.'" Narrowing her eyes at Vanessa, Chloe hands her back the copy. "What are you getting at?"

As if explaining something to a child, Vanessa smiles, "You're new. So you may have misunderstood Ms. Hayworth's meaning. This copy that I'm giving is what London wants to convey. As a person responsible for her public relations, anything outside this is a willful, intentional and malicious misinterpretation and as such is subject to legal action. I'm sure that the Daily Planet does not misunderstand that." Vanessa deeming this exchange over smiled benignly at Chloe and proceeded to sashay back into the building as quickly and decisively as her Pravda shoes could take her.

Fuming, Chloe looks at the paper that was handed to her and uttered a few choice words at the retreating form of Vanessa which would never see print in the Daily Planet in any context or form. As she was about to stomp off in anger, she turned around and ran into a brick wall which curiously enough sprouted a pair of arms that caught her before her rear end hit the pavement but unfortunately was not quick enough to save her belongings.

"Are you blind?!" Snapping ungraciously at her savior, Chloe proceeds to start picking up the now muddied copy of London Hayworth's "interview notes" while the stranger started helping pick up a few of her scattered belongings.

Straightening up and shoving her belongings in her bag, an amused male voice says closely in her ear, "Haven't had your morning coffee yet Watchtower?"

Whirling in pleasant surprise, Chloe almost drops her things and blurts out, "Ollie! What are you doing here aside from running over innocent pedestrians?" At this, Chloe throws her arm impulsively like a child to Oliver. If a couple of years ago someone said that she would be friends with someone of the jet-set Excelsior crowd, she would've scoffed at the idea. But Oliver was definitely different.

"Aside from doing this saving side job for cantankerous journalists, I'm off to see your cousin Lois, who I have not seen nor heard from in 4 months."

"Well if you weren't too preoccupied by hanging out suspiciously with other men in tights, you may have had the decency to call her now and then." Suddenly remembering her cousin's heartbreak at this recent separation, Chloe swings her bag at Oliver's arm.

"Ow, what was that for?!" Surprised by this antic, Oliver rubs his arm where Chloe's well-filled tote made contact with a barely healed wound that he had been nursing since the last JL mission.

Bristling with anger on behalf of her cousin, Chloe launches into a tirade, "As if you didn't know. That was for my cousin. Do you know how much Clark and I had to endure the first couple of weeks you were gone? Clark was kind enough to keep her entertained and you know how much they get on each other's nerves. I had to apologize to Clark for a week by helping him with farm chores for foisting a grieving Lois on him while I'm doing a fluff piece in Acapulco and you know how fun she is when she's in that state?! So when I got back, Clark had me elbow deep in cow shit so it must have been really bad. I had most of the men in basement avoid me like the plague because I must have reeked even after risking emptying Reeves Dam as I took more than one bath every time I had to do doodoo duty plus, I had to spend every weekend picking out hay from my hair for a couple of days after." Pausing for breath, Chloe barreled on "What's the big idea?! You did not even say goodbye. Just as she was starting to be secure about your relationship, you go and run off with the blonde dominatrix with the ear-splitting vocals. Does she know you're here? Or that you plan to visit her? Because heaven help me Oliver, if you so much as hurt my cousin again, don't be deceived by my size but I swear that I know of secret ways to hurt you."

Stifling a chuckle, Oliver rests his hands on both her shoulders and peers down to be on eye level with Chloe, "Relax! I have no intention of hurting your cousin again since I'm very very much in love with her. That and the combined wrath of the Sullivan-Lane women are too scary to contemplate. I'm never leaving her again…"

Waves of angry energy emanated from Chloe's tiny frame, as she saw it fit to interrupt him, "And what's your brilliant plan Oliver? Are you hanging up your tights or do you plan to drag my cousin into your elaborate shenanigans as the token damsel-in-distress?"

"Nope on both counts. The Justice league is too important for me to give up and I can't live without your cousin. And Clark's right it does not have to be a choice between one and the other. I'm done choosing between the Green Arrow and Oliver Queen. I AM both." Emboldened by a confidence that Oliver seemed to lack before as he struggled to balance these two sides of his life, he continues, "So as I was saying, I'm never leaving her again without her knowing that she'll be the one I am coming home to. Therefore, as I was telling you before you interrupted me, Cous'. Can I call you that huh Chloe? I came back to ask Lois to marry me."

Chloe's eyes nearly popped out of her head. For the first time in her life, she had no words. Not realizing she has been holding her breath in, Chloe swayed and for the second time that day, Oliver stretched out to catch her, concerned and suddenly now less sure of whether this was a good idea or not, tentatively spoke, "Chloe? That bad huh? You think Lois wouldn't take too kindly to that offer?"

Shaking herself out of her stupor, Chloe's face lit up, "Are you kidding?! You just need to work on the delivery. You may start with something simple like, "Hi Lo, I'm back. I'm sorry. I love you and oh by the way, will you marry me?'" Beaming even more, Chloe squeezes his hand attempting to convey the happiness she feels for both of the people she loves that words couldn't sufficiently capture, "I couldn't be happier for you."

Giddy with this disclosure, Chloe knew that her cousin Lois deserved to be happy with Oliver and vice versa. Unable to contain her happiness, Chloe walks away from Oliver and comes back to hug him, "Cousin Ollie. I like the sound of that. You're my friend too and I'm so glad that you get your chance at happiness because you deserve it. Lois and you and…and Clark…" at this Chloe's voice trails off and her eyes fleetingly reflected a pain that has not subsided yet which she wonders if it ever will as her thoughts stray toward her childhood friend.

Noticing this, Oliver softly says, "…and you. Chloe, you of all people deserve to be happy." Cracking his hands, trying to lighten the moment by doing a poor imitation of a gangster, Oliver attempts to make a joke, "Is Boy Scout still as dense as ever? That must have been a pretty hard fall he suffered when he landed here as a baby because you know as your future cousin, I am obliged to set him right and beat him up until he comes to his senses." Oliver pulls Chloe's arm through his as he says this.

Laughing at this gesture, Chloe shakes her head as if she could chase away the demons that threatened to darken her day, "No, no. Let's not ruin the moment Ollie. Besides, he'll kick your ass unless you have kryptonite and last time I checked Lex wouldn't let me play with his rock collection. Why don't we practice on that delivery, huh? It does need some work and I sure could use a double shot espresso and biscotti."