Title: No Regrets
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: T
Pairing: Chloe/Dean; Chloe/Oliver
Summary: (Sequel to Hero) Five years later, Chloe and Dean meet again. Two Versions!
No Regrets
1/1
Five years after leaving a charming former reporter in a bar, for her own safety, Dean Winchester never expected to see her again. Their paths were unlikely to cross; sure they fought for the same things but they ran in different circles. He and Sammy were working yet another case; a real bad sonuvabitch that had a liking for human flesh. With a shot-gun filled with rock salt in one hand and a flashlight in the other, he was making his way through halls stealthily; eyes open for any signs, human or demon alike. His heavy boots seemed loud in the silence, but it'd never hindered him before.
As he came around a corner, he ran right into a small, curvy little thing, dressed in red and black leather and wearing it damn well. His gun lifted automatically, but with a quick kick of her leg, it was forced away from her and the shot exploded against the wall. He lifted his flashlight, blinding her for a millisecond and getting the upper hand. But as he reached for her, she said something that made him stop. "Dean?"
His brow furrowed; there'd been a lot of women in his lifetime, but she wasn't someone he figured he could forget. The black hair confused him. "Chloe?"
She lifted her sunglasses back, and stared at him with a frown. "This is one of your missions?" she asked, brows furrowed.
He nodded, letting his guard down. "Uh yeah. Demon or something." He shrugged, feeling a weird fluttering in his stomach.
Her hand fell to her hip, posture showing no discomfort. "Huh. Didn't know. There's a 33.1 lab in this town; missing people, you know... Usually connects like that."
"No, no, I get it." Dean stood before her awkwardly, not sure what to say or how to react. It wasn't often he ran into one of the few great loves of his life. And this one left more of an impact than he liked to admit. He could already hear his brother getting sappy. "So you're uh, in the field?"
"Yeah." She smiled; that brilliant Sullivan grin of hers that always made his chest do back flips. And damn if his reaction wasn't still the same. "Got my own leather suit and everything."
"Noticed," he replied with a smirk as he scanned her from head to toe. It certainly wasn't easy to overlook. He'd always known she had the body, but the leather just enhanced it that little bit more. She pulled off the killer suit with a certain kick ass hero thrown in.
She smiled slightly, lifting a brow. "Got out of that one year thing, huh?" It was casual enough to make him think she never doubted he would.
"Yeah, yeah... Eventually." He lifted a shoulder, nonchalant. "You know me though..." A half smile crossed his mouth. "Unkillable."
She nodded, chuckling under her breath. As her eyes met his he was reminded of a time when she could look at him and he felt right in the world. All that depressing bullshit that just never went away wasn't so stifling. Ah hell, he was getting sentimental.
"Yeah, you had your charms," she admitted.
Dean stared at her a moment, with his heart speeding up and his palms beginning to sweat he realized that the situation was fast turning against him. He opened his mouth to say something; anything. Hopefully witty and charming, sweep her off her feet or something.
"Come in Watchtower," a deep voice could be heard from the ear piece he noticed hidden slightly beneath the black hair. He really hoped that was a wig.
"This is Watchtower," she replied, back to professional.
"What's your status?"
Her mouth quirked in a smirk. "Currently standing with one of the good guys." She shook her head. "This isn't one of our missions guy. Bit of a supernatural twist." Looking over to him, she lifted a brow.
"Repeat?"
She sighed, "Meet up in ten by the bikes."
"Affirmative."
She turned back to Dean, back to her casual self. "Are you currently in the middle of this or just doing a little recon?"
"Why? Want Sammy and me to meet your band of Leaguers?" he wondered with a tone of teasing. Was it his fault that his mind automatically brought up tights and bad one-liners?
She shrugged. "If you've got the time."
He nodded. "We can do that."
He found Sam on the other side of the building and watched with rolling eyes as his little brother hugged their former partner in hunting. They were back to their usual geek selves, comparing stories and investigative skills. "Hah! I knew the one in Virginia was a werewolf! Did I tell you, or what?" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, yeah," Sam replied with a shake of his head. "Well you got the one in San Fran completely wrong!"
She snorted, throwing her arms up as they made their way out of the building, no longer afraid of what might be inside. They could handle it if it attacked. "Hey, I had very few facts and most of them were distorted. Had I been there, I would've figured it out two days flat," she boasted.
He laughed, wrapping an arm around her. "So what are you and the League doing down here? Don't tell me you thought this one was a Luthor special too?"
"Hey, there's a lab around here somewhere, we just don't have an exact location. And this one had all the right cues, thanks!" She nudged his shoulder, stepping away. She turned to see her group of superheroes over by two bikes and a van and separated from them to run over.
Dean glanced at Sam who looked over with a shrug. As they walked closer, they could see the suspicious looks of the men she was standing with. "Right, so, Dean, Sam, this is Impulse, Cyborg, Aquaman and Green Arrow," she introduced, smiling proudly at the men behind her. "And guys, this is Dean and Sam, they're the demon hunters I told you about."
"Wicked! I heard you guys killed that speed demon over in Cali!" Bart exclaimed, grinning. "Thank you! Dude was seriously arrogant! I beat him five times in a race and he still thinks he can kick my ass! Yeah right!"
"Hear that Sammy, we've done the world a service," Dean said, half-smiling.
Chloe reached up and pulled back her wig to reveal her naturally blonde hair, shaking her head as Fish Boy offered to put it away for her and then moving to the van to pull off her belt and gloves, putting her gear away in a trunk. She made her way back over to them and smiled, looking much more like the Chloe he'd known, leather aside.
"So what've you two got here?" she wondered.
"We're thinking-" His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened slightly. It was as she lifted her hand to brush her bangs away that he noticed the gold band on her finger and his chest clenched tightly. "You're married," he said abruptly.
"Wow, is that an awkward moment? I think I'll step over here," the short dude muttered, turning and walking over to the van with Microchip and Fish Boy.
Chloe smiled stiffly up at him for a moment, clearing her throat. "Yes." She nodded, licking her lips uncomfortably. "Almost two years now."
His brows lifted while his mouth tightened with a frown. "Wow, that didn't take long."
"Dean," his brother said warningly. He ignored him.
She thinned her eyes, her head tipping in defense. "I'm sorry, was I supposed to mourn you the rest of my life?"
He sighed, turning his eyes away.
She shook her head, expression softening. "I loved you once. I was willing to stay and live that life with you and you told me to go, so I did." She paused, biting her lip. "I went back, I faced the problem and I solved it. And now I fight crime instead of demons and it's fulfilling. So maybe I should thank you, I don't know. I know that what we had never really had a chance to start and you asked me to leave before it could." She shook her head. "I couldn't wait for the day when the world would be demon free or you would accept the idea that maybe instead of watching my back, we could've watched each others. So I found somebody who could accept me as I am and not try and hide me from the darkness. And I fell in love enough to know that a lifetime with this man - a man that I know will love me unconditionally and never ask me to go to save himself from that fear - was what was right for me." She nodded; still just as stubborn as she always had been. "So I won't apologize for moving on, for falling in love, for marrying him. I won't apologize at all. You told me to go. You gave me no choice in the matter. And I lived the life you thought I should have; white picket fence and all. Except mine is equipped with one helluva security system."
He lifted his eyes to hers, seeing the hurt and the confusion there. "I only wanted you to be happy and safe," he managed to say, despite how his throat closed up.
She smiled up at him, slow and rather sad. "I am happy. And I'm the safest woman on this planet." She laughed, motioning to the guys by the van with her thumb. "They've got my back."
"And your husband? He knows about... all this?" he wondered, lifting a brow.
She tipped her head, glancing at the guy in green leather behind her. "I think he has a little insight to the life, yeah."
The Green Arrow smirked down at her. He lifted a hand out to Dean. "Oliver Queen," he introduced.
Dean shook it; quick and abrupt. "Modern day Robin Hood," he said, nodding. "You always did have a thing for heroes."
She winked. "And meteor freaks."
He chuckled, nodding. He paused a moment before cocking a brow, looking at her honestly. "You ever need anything..."
"I know who to call," she said, smiling up at him. She stepped forward, lifted up to her tip toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Don't regret this," she murmured to him.
He closed his eyes, sighing as he squeezed his arms around her waist. He couldn't promise her he wouldn't.
"You made the right choice," she assured.
"Did I?" He thought about that night a million times and all he could think was that he never should've left her. He never should've told her to go. He could've handled it; the extra work and fear involved with having her there. It would've been hard, but they could've done it.
He felt her hand run down the back of his hair soothingly. "Of course." She fell back to her feet, stepping away just enough for him to remember that they weren't who they were then. There was no chance for him to make it right and get her back. She reached up, her palm cupping his cheek. "You were looking out for me. It's what you do; you take care of the world." She shook her head, smiling. "You were right. I didn't belong there. I belong here." She looked over her shoulder at Oliver, her eyes softening. "I belong with him."
That one hurt like hell. "Yeah, well, you ever get sick of him, you know how to find me." He winked at her.
"You forget I know the Dean behind all that bravado," she reminded with a frown.
"I never forget. I choose to ignore," he replied, shaking his head. "Easier that way."
"You should listen to that geek brother of yours. He's right when he tells you not to bottle it up."
He shrugged, frowning. "Ah, what does he know?"
She chuckled, shaking her head. "It was good seeing you."
"Yeah, you're not too hard on the eyes either."
"Take care of yourself," she murmured stepping back toward her hero husband.
"Too busy taking care of everybody else." He stared at her honestly. "You know that."
"Yeah." She sighed. "I know." She turned toward Sam and smiled sadly before she leaned up and hugged him once more. "I know there's no point in saying this, but... Watch his back, huh?"
"Always," Sam promised, hugging her tight.
As she let go, she reached for Oliver's hand, who took hers knowingly. He hated having to admit it, but they did look right together. He glanced up at the man who managed to catch her in the end and nodded. "Take care of her."
"I will," he assured.
Dean watched as they made their way over to their bikes. The rest of the League waved their goodbye before the short dude sped off in a red blur and Microchip jumped in the van with Fish Boy. He couldn't hear them, but he could tell through their body language as Chloe and Green Leather stood together that their relationship was deeper than he wanted to believe. She leaned into him when she walked, instead of standing on her own two feet, without showing any need for anybody else. She smiled up at him, free and honest. And her eyes glittered just like they used to when she'd just solved the big mystery.
Dean might've only had a little time with her, but he knew her. Knew those little Sullivan quirks of hers and he could see the way her eyes softened, fell to half-mass as her husband smiled. He could read the sway of her hips and the lift of her hands, pushing her blonde hair behind her ears. The tip of her head and the flush of her cheeks. He'd seen it all before. Seen how her hips seemed to jut out just a bit, as if reaching for his own. But now they were directed at Green Leather's, her billionaire husband that apparently had no qualms with saving her ass from death. A partnership; something he wasn't sure he could really offer her. But she got it now, she had her husband and her death-defying job, all rolled up into one.
And Dean wanted to hate him, wanted to find him unworthy, but he couldn't. Because she was content; she was alive and safe and from one hero to another, Dean could tell that Oliver Queen, with or without the leather persona, would keep Chloe from any danger. Risk his own life, fight to the death, against all odds - that was what was expected of a man who loved her. Dean had it and Oliver must, because there was no way anybody could've lasted this long without getting into some seriously effed up shit. Some part of him wished he could've stuck it out with her, maybe been that guy that she was grinning up at now, hands on his front, head tipped back, eyes lit with fire and love. But he wasn't. He'd given that up. And maybe the better guy got her, he didn't know. But in the end, all there were was regrets and acceptance and he didn't know which one he had.
She smiled at him over her shoulder, climbing onto her metallic crotch rocket, the leather of her suit tight on her curves. She winked at him in farewell and he heard the rev of the engine, nodded his head in goodbye and hoped she didn't know how hard it was to see her go. He felt Sam's hand at his shoulder, trying to be reassuring and crap, but instead of accepting it, he turned away, walked back toward where they parked the Impala and pretended that his chest wasn't hurting like hell and his eyes weren't stinging something fierce.
The drive back to the motel was quiet, with Sam sitting uncomfortably in the passenger seat, knee jumping anxiously, and his need to say something comforting filling the air. Dean didn't look at him or open the line of questioning, instead he listened to his car purr and growl and he hit the accelerator with his heavy boot, trying to race away from all the what if's all wrapped up in her and her separate future.
An hour later he was sitting in another hotel in the same city, wishing things were different.
"Could'a been me, Sammy," he finally said, tipping his beer to his mouth once more, staring mournfully at the floor. He shook his head. "I messed it up, didn't I?"
"You were looking out for her." Sam sighed. "You just wanted her to be happy."
"She is... Right?" He glanced at him, rather self conscious about the whole 'share your feelings' shit. "She looked happy."
"She's happy," he agreed, lifting a shoulder.
"And alive." Dean laughed sadly. "Thought I was saving her from this life, but apparently she didn't want out of it. She just found it with another guy." He turned to his brother with a smirk. "Hell, and I thought I was one-of-a-kind."
"You are." Sam nodded. "Just because he does something similar doesn't make him you." He grinned. "You wouldn't marry her."
Dean laughed deeply, shaking his head. "Yeah... I guess." Maybe in another life... He frowned. "I'm alone though... I guess I kinda thought she would be too."
His brother turned to him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. "You got me."
Dean lifted a brow, glancing at him. "That's it? No happily ever after or uplifting promise?"
He lifted a shoulder, his brow wrinkling. "You want a hug?"
He shook his head before standing up and walking to his bed. "Shut up," he sighed.
Maybe she was right. He shouldn't regret it. Maybe he wasn't meant for that life, but she was and it looked good on her. He'd never seen her glow like that; with pride and happiness and... love. Whatever Green Leather was doing, it was what she needed. And if she was his biggest regret in life, then he guessed it was just how it was supposed to be. As long as she was happy, that was all that mattered. It was what he'd been trying to do in the first place. While she might be alive and well in the life she was living now, the one he lived was too jaded for her. She was saveable, he supposed. Able to live that life still and he... He was broken. Always was and always would be. He'd just have to accept that.
He crossed his arms beneath his head and laid back on the bed, stretching out.
"You gonna be okay?" Sam wondered.
He sighed. "Yeah... Always am, aren't I?"
The light turned off and he heard Sam climb into the bed across from him. "Yeah... I guess."
So "okay" might not be the best word. But he'd survive. It was what he'd been raised to do and hell if he didn't do it well. And if worse came to worst, maybe she had a sister.
Author's Note: This is Version 1, where even after a time, Chloe and Dean just don't work out. Version 2, however, might just have a different ending. Lemme know if you're interested in part 2. Reviews are sustenance, readers! Luv yas - Fina!
