Title: Stepping Stone
Category: Smallville
Rating: T
Genre: Angst/Romance
Pairing: Chloe/Oliver, mentioned Chloe/Jimmy, Jimmy/OC
Prompt: #007 - Hardest Truth
Word Count: 3,576
Summary: Jimmy wasn't blind or stupid and while it took a lot of convincing, he finally gave her up to the better man.

Stepping Stone
-1/1-

Contrary to popular belief, Jimmy Olsen really did love Chloe. It didn't always show in his actions and he was sorry for that, but in the end, he'd found something in her that he never imagined he'd find. And he believed that behind all of the drama that transpired during their relationship, she really did love him too. He'd always be the quirky and charismatic photographer that somehow won her heart and came so close to possessing it for a lifetime, but he knew better than to make a mistake that would only hurt the both of them in the long run. Some part of him occasionally regretted calling off the wedding, while a much larger part knew it was for the best. Seeing her later, he knew that. It didn't make it hurt any less.

He wasn't stupid; he knew she had a whole other life that he wasn't privy to. Everybody has their secrets and he'd hoped that one day she would look at him and trust in him enough that she could share them with him. But that day would never come and it took him a long time to learn that. He was only glad he figured it out before their wedding day. He could accept that she knew things about people that she could never really share with him. That she was out in the world, doing something that he assumed was for the betterment of everyone, and he simply couldn't be included in that. He could even accept that she'd be gone for weeks on end, with no explanations for where she'd been or what she was doing. He could see the bruises and the scrapes and the unexplainable bandages or casts that graced her body. He'd just give her that half-smile, as if to say "It's okay. I understand." And her face would light up as if she was thanking him to the depths of herself for getting it. But of all that had happened and all that he knew, there was one thing he could never accept. The fact that while she loved him, she was in love with another, and much more deeply than she'd ever be with Jimmy.

He wasn't blind; he saw how they were together. He was introduced to Oliver Queen, Bart Allen, Arthur Curry, and Victor Stone as simple friends of hers, a mismatched group obviously. He didn't ask the questions waiting at the tip of his tongue, however, because he knew no honest answers would be forthcoming. So he chalked them up to just another Chloe Mystery and let it go. But it became obvious quickly that things weren't simply friendly. He wrote it off at first, Chloe was a natural flirt and her verbal judo came out with anybody worthy. But his eyes didn't betray him and he could only shrug off so many hints.

If it wasn't the touching, which he had a hard time ignoring...

A brush of his fingers against her neck, a squeeze of her shoulder, a kiss to her cheek or temple, and the hugs that seemed to last too long.

...Then it was just how they interacted.

"Hey Olsen," he heard as he entered the apartment. His brows lifted as he spotted Oliver Queen sitting on the edge of Chloe's desk. He was surprised the man was still alive seeing as Chloe had an epileptic fit when people sat on her desk, reminding them of just how important all of her papers were and how having their butts on top of them obviously did nothing for her. But as his fiancée walked into the room, she simply slapped Oliver playfully on the arm with the folder in her hands.

"Cute as your butt is, Ollie, I'd prefer it not on my work."

With a grin, he stood up and rounded the desk to stand close behind her as she took her seat.

Now would be the time that she'd whirl around and uncomfortably remind Jimmy that he was hovering, making him apologize before he slunk away to see what was on TV. But as Oliver put his hands on the armrests of her chair and leaned over her shoulder, face so close his chin brushed her each time he spoke, she didn't get frustrated or lean away from him. She spoke quietly, only loud enough so that he could hear whatever it was they were going over.

Putting his camera bag down, Jimmy sighed before walking toward the kitchen to get something to snack on. For the next two hours, he tried his best to focus on cleaning his camera but all he kept doing was glancing over to see what Oliver and Chloe were doing now. She'd say something and he'd smile mysteriously, his eyes flicking from the computer screen toward her, always missing how she was doing the same. And as she turned, he didn't draw away but instead kept his face close enough that any sharp movements would have the two of them kissing. Jimmy couldn't help but stare as they gazed into each other's eyes, lips moving slightly as they whispered to each other, their noses bumping.

Clearing his throat, he stood up and made his way to the bedroom. He couldn't watch anymore.

For awhile, he convinced himself that he was just seeing things. That cold feet had him looking at her differently; had him criticizing their situation and what they might mean to each other. He told himself that in a few months, she'd be his wife and he'd have nothing to worry about. But every time he saw them together, there was something niggling at the back of his mind, begging him to see what was right in front of him.

After readjusting his tie and smiling at him like she always did, he grinned back at her, reaching out to take her hand. But just as their fingers brushed, he heard her name being called and she turned away, letting his hand fall away from hers carelessly.

"Chloe?"

She turned abruptly, a grin splitting her face. "Oliver," she said, walking a few unnecessary steps toward him. Reaching up, she fiddled with his already perfect tie, tucking it beneath his coat before she let her fingers play with the small, green silk handkerchief in his breast pocket. "Where are the guys?"

He motioned with his head and a moment later, she was surrounded by the other three, none of whom appeared to notice Jimmy standing behind her. Once more, he felt left out of the loop.

Looking muy fuerte, Chloelicious," Bart commented, winking.

"Why thank you, Bart, you clean up pretty nice yourself."

"That wouldn't be his choice," Victor said, brow lifting. "We had to fight with him to get him to change out of his regular jeans and hoodie."

"Hey, if it works, it works," Bart said, popping his collar for emphasis.

AC rolled his eyes. "Clark here with you?"

"Yeah, I think he's bickering with Lois around here somewhere," she replied, obviously unaware of how her fingers still stroked back and forth over the green cloth stuffed in Oliver's coat. Oliver's hand had fallen, laying comfortably over the small of her back, thumb stroking along the bare curve of her spine. All the while, Jimmy stood in the background, an outsider watching in.

"And they left you here on your lonesome, gorgeous?" Bart asked, smirking.

She shook her head, eyes widening. "Oh! Sorry," She turned suddenly. "Jimmy, I- I'm so sorry. I just..." She lifted her shoulders. "Um, you know the guys." She laughed awkwardly.

Glancing at each other for a moment and then back at him, AC, Bart, and Victor all nodded hello.

"Hey Olsen," Oliver greeted. "You get any shocking pictures of the rich and boring yet?"

He managed a stiff smile. "Other than Senator Roberts drinking too much wine and groping his secretary in plain sight, no."

Chloe's nose wrinkled. "More of an Inquisitor shot, don't you think?"

"I doubt the DP would want it. But the camera was going and he got in the way." He shrugged.

"So you're on duty tonight?" Oliver wondered.

Jimmy stuffed his hands in his pockets, staring up at the older man. "Well I'm not wearing my camera to a start a new kind of bling."

Oliver's brow lifted in amusement.

"Play nice, you two," Chloe chastised, eyes roaming around the room. "Any particular reason why you four are here? I didn't miss a memo, did I?"

"We can't come to admire your beauty?" Oliver replied easily, staring down at her as she grinned up at him.

"How sweet of all of you to get all dressed up for little ol' me," she replied, lifting a brow before her hand found her waist. "Now spill the beans, boys. I wanna know what's going down."

As if on cue, the three other men opened their mouths to explain but one lifted hand from Oliver shut them up. He glanced at Jimmy purposely and Chloe turned her head, a familiar expression of apology crossing her face.

"I'm going to go see what they have to drink," he said knowingly, accepting her thankful smile before he turned and walked away. He spent the next half hour by the beverage table, glaring at the back of Oliver's head as he continued to stroke Chloe's back lightly while the five of them talked business on whatever it was they were up to now.

"Kicked out of the club, huh?" Lois Lane's voice interrupted his glaring.

He looked over to her as she stood next to him, brow lifted. "I left willingly."

She snorted. "Yeah, whatever makes you feel better."

He sighed. "They'll never let me in, will they?"

Lois looked sympathetic for a moment. "Hate to be the one to clue you in, but that club's especially exclusive." She frowned. "Chloe's got a prime seat and she's always going to be a part of it. So I guess you have to figure out if you're okay with playing Mr. Cleaver for her on the side." She put a hand on her hip. "I love my cousin and I know that you think marrying her is going to be great for the both of you, but..." She shook her head. "Sometimes, the truth is staring us in the face." Without saying anything more, she left him there. From a distance, he could hear her calling after Clark. "Smallville! What do I have to do to get a dance around here?"

Downing his champagne, Jimmy stared once more at the group. Maybe if it was just Oliver making all the moves, he might be able to accept it and move on. But there Chloe stood, leaning into his touch, her head tipped toward his shoulder, her laugh so much deeper and her smile larger. She was in love with him and it wouldn't be changing any time soon.

Now that he'd been slapped awake, he couldn't avoid the obvious. Just comparing her friendship with the other three in contrast to her and Oliver was enough. She flirted and bantered with Bart, Victor and AC, but it was all in friendly jest. Bart was more like a little brother, AC a good friend she enjoyed debating with over politics, and Victor was her computer-tech wizard that she could talk hacking with until all hours of the day. She relied on them heavily; they were like her family. She loved each and every one of them, and even they stood higher up on the rungs than he did. She would turn to any one of them before she turned to him and he understood that to some extent. But before them came another and on a whole other level.

Oliver was her rock; he was the one she leaned on when she was upset, the one she talked to honestly and about whatever was bothering her, no matter the subject. She didn't watch her words around him or tread lightly on certain topics. She put it all out there and never bothered with hiding her true feelings. He was the man she'd call at three in the morning just to check in while he was out of town on business. He was number one on her speed dial, right above Clark and Lois. He was the guy who brought her favorite ice cream over on nights that Jimmy couldn't get a word out of her about why she was moping. He was who cheered her up out of her most foul moods and knew what she was saying even when she wasn't talking. He was irreplaceable, while Jimmy was just standing in the way.

And Oliver knew it. They all knew it. He could see it in their faces, as if they were just waiting for Chloe to clue in. He saw the looks AC, Bart, and Victor exchanged whenever they saw him, as if they were wondering why he was still around. They were nice to him, they never went out of their way to make him feel left out, but it was obvious they knew what was coming, what was bound to happen. And better than the rest, Oliver knew too. What was worse was that he didn't even really consider Jimmy to be competition. He knew how strong his relationship with Chloe was, he knew he'd get her in the end. It was just a matter of time. And Jimmy understood that now. He understood that his place in her life was just another stepping stone to the big picture. He may be the cameraman, but he wasn't standing next to her for this portrait. He was the one clicking the button and telling her to smile big.

One week later, he realized he was done. Six days were spent talking himself out of it, convincing himself they could still work, but by the seventh, he had his bags packed and he was waiting for her as he sat in the living room of their apartment. She came walking inside, her arm looped around none other than Oliver Queen's. They stopped mid-laugh and Oliver looked down at the bags knowingly. He didn't look surprised or upset, instead he appeared rather relieved. He turned to Chloe, squeezed her hand and whispered something against her ear before he kissed her temple and left.

Standing slack-jawed before him, Chloe was completely silent. She glanced from the bags to him, her brow furrowed as if she really didn't get it. She was a genius, he knew, but matters of love always seemed to stump her.

"I'm going to make this incredibly easy," Jimmy told her, standing up. "I was right before; when I said I jumped the gun. We aren't ready to get married, in fact, we never will be." He walked toward her, feeling his heart pang as he saw her eyes fill with tears. But he wouldn't let it sway him.

Her mouth opened, eyes wide, and he could already hear the words she was going to say.

He shook his head and she stopped, waited for him to explain. "Right now, you're trying to figure out how to change my mind, how to tell me that we are ready... But you're really trying to convince yourself." He sighed sadly, hoping his voice wouldn't crack. "I love you and I know you love me, but that's not enough for a lifetime. It's... not enough for me." He reached up, cupped her cheek and wiped away the tears that fell.

She bit her lip as it shook and her eyes fell, no protests escaping her.

Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead lingeringly, closing his eyes tight against the onslaught of tears that had been waiting to fall for too long. He pulled away, took a shuddering breath and then gathered up his bags before he left their apartment for good.

They stayed friends; more acquaintances really. She moved out of Metropolis shortly after, but she came back off and on. She got her Pulitzer, four times over, and she got the love of her life just like she always wanted. The hero that deserved her and would take care of her for all that she was worth. Thinking there was no hard feelings, she invited him to the wedding, and he went more because he wanted to be absolutely sure that he'd made the right choice and he hadn't given her up to someone undeserving. But as he sat in the crowd and watched her stand next to Oliver Queen, their hands wound tight, the look on both of their faces said it all.

"I now pronounce you, Mr. and Mrs. Queen," the priest exclaimed.

Oliver kissed the breath right out of her, their arms wrapped so tight around each other Jimmy was surprised either could breathe. Everybody cheered loudly and he heard people murmuring, "Finally!" and "It's about time. Those two have been in love for years. It was so obvious." He clapped but he could barely muster a smile.

He was happy for her, he really was. He'd never forget the way she grinned at him or fixed his ties or how she made him feel all those years ago. She'd made an impact on his life that he'd never be able to ignore. But the hardest truth was that as much as he loved her and as much as he often still wished he'd been selfish enough to keep her, she was never really his. She never belonged with him; she was meant for more. He still didn't know the whole story behind what she did or what she knew, but he was smart enough to see that it involved Oliver.

Over the years, it'd become clear even from an outsider's view that the two of them kept no secrets from each other. There was no way their relationship could be so strong unless they were entirely honest with each other. It was that which told Jimmy that he really wasn't supposed to be with her. She couldn't share her burdens with him, but Oliver could help her carry the load and he did. She never had to give Oliver one of her patented "Sorry Jimmy," smiles or hope he understood when she silently shooed him away from her secret business. Because Oliver was always a part of it, he was there to make sure she knew all that she had to. They worked together in ways that he and Chloe never could have.

Jimmy would marry another and he'd love her more than he ever loved Chloe. He'd know that breaking up with her all those years ago was right for both of them. He'd know that she never really suffered from the abrupt end. She and Oliver had a long marriage that only ended when Oliver passed away in his early-sixties, and she followed barely a year later. They had two sons and a daughter to carry on their name and legacy, all three he was sure took up the secret business their parents had spent their lives creating.

He went to see her once; the Queen graves lay side by side in Star City. He wasn't sure what to say, so instead he laid a bouquet of tulips down in front of the marble gravestone, a bowtie tied around the stems in his own little tribute to her. He didn't see her much throughout the years, but he read her work in the papers and he heard through Clark and Lois that she was happy. He saw pictures of them in the newspaper and he'd spotted them at benefits, connected at the hip, arms around each other lovingly as they championed for charities and the welfare of those less fortunate. He chose not to get close to them after they finally got together. It didn't take long, but he appreciated that they didn't jump right into a relationship. It was at least eight months before he heard they were together and while it hurt at the time, he breathed a small sigh of relief. They never parted after that and as the years went on, Jimmy noticed that her smile never dimmed around Oliver, her laughter never dulled, and she still leaned into him naturally while he held onto her protectively.

It hurt, to let her go all those years ago, but he found the right one for him in a bright and smart mouthed brunette that worked at a print shop down the street from The Daily Planet. She had a sweet smile and mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes. After a cup of coffee and a three hour conversation about cameras and photography, he was done for. They married three years later, had two daughters, and he never regretted that she was the one wearing his ring, that she was the one he said I Do to.

Even if he'd only been a stepping stone in her life, he was still happy he'd been a part of it all. While he wasn't the one for her, he was happy she'd found one deserving of her. She may have broken his heart, but he couldn't deny that Chloe Sullivan had been worth the pain. All these years later, he'd still give up his best camera for one of her infamous grins. He'd just have to comfort himself with the memory, not as bright or as warm, but soothing enough.