Spoilers: Some season 8 & 9 Smallville. Possible Season 5 for Supernatural.
Summary: AU. Sequel to 'The Problem With Family'.
Author Note: This story will evolve over a series of one shots. I have no Betas so all mistakes are entirely my own. If there are any betas out there interested in looking over my fics for grammar, etc, please give me a shout. All comments and reviews are appreciated - they are like crack to me! Do not deprive an addict!
Waking up next to Dean the following morning had been pleasantly strange. After weeks of becoming acclimatised to having her bed to herself again, it was bizarre to have a warm presence lying next to her. The most surprising thing of all had been how she felt completely at ease. There was a relatively strange man lying in her bed and she was okay with that.
Chloe carefully slid herself out from under the arm covering her and got up from the bed. Grabbing her satin bathrobe she put it on and made her way to the kitchen, intent on getting that first cup of coffee in her system before Dean woke.
As she turned on the coffee machine she began to replay last nights events in her mind. It wasn't that she regretted spending the night with Dean, because she had enjoyed every pleasure inducing minute with him, it was just that she didn't know where it left them.
Once it had been about the idea of a one night stand with a stranger, but Dean was slowly becoming entrenched in her life, and them having sex would be hard to push under the rug and ignore. She knew she couldn't become involved in another friends with benefits situation - she just had to look at how well that had turned out last time. It just didn't help that she didn't feel awkward about the night before. It was comfortable having him there with her. Maybe she was more messed up than she realised.
"Hey, is that coffee?" Came a mumble over her shoulder.
Chloe felt as if she had jumped five feet in the air. "Didn't anyone tell you not to sneak up on people like that!"
"The opposite actually." He sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar before rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Chloe was only half glad that he had managed to find his underwear, she wasn't sure Lois would appreciate the bare ass of a stranger sitting on her hand picked chairs.
The coffee had begun to brew so she pulled two mugs from the cupboard and set them down on the top. Maybe now was the time to clear the air. "About last night. Are we just going to chalk it down to one night of sex? Because if you're hanging around I don't want this to become awkward."
Dean raised his eyebrows as she began to pour out the coffee. "A bit early for that kind of talk ain't it?"
"There's a good chance you'll meet friends of mine while demon proofing my workplace. I just want us to both know where we stand."
"This about the ex?" He asked as she pushed his black coffee towards him.
Chloe began mixing in her cream and sugar. "No, not completely. My life is a bit like a battlefield lately, the people I know tend to like labels and definitions. If my friends meet you there could be questions."
"This thing?" He said indicating the two of them with his hand "It just is what it is."
Chloe smiled, she couldn't help it. He couldn't have given a better answer. "Good." she said and grabbed the box of bagels from the cupboard, setting them down in front of Dean. "So just sex with no regrets, and not even a friends with benefits label, right?"
"Sounds good to me." He said, picking up a bagel.
"Me too" Chloe picked out her own break and began to pick it apart. "So, you going to give me the story on this demon bitch Meg?"
"Long or short version?"
"I can cope with the short version for now. I just want to know how much trouble I'm in here."
"Meg's a lower level demon we think, but she likes to play with the big boys, including the Devil himself. She's been turning up like a bad smell for five years trying to kill me, Sam and our dad. We could have ganked her a couple of times but she's smart. Bitch knows some fancy rituals and when to run most of the time. You caught her by surprise."
"So that was luck?"
"I think that she could have found a way out of here while you were waiting for us."
"Why would she risk being exorcised just to hang around here for another day?"
"To hell if I know, but I'd bet good money it's something to do with your buddies."
Chloe set her mug down on the counter. The thought of that thing trying to possess one of her boys…the results would be frightening. "She's coming back isn't she."
"Meg will claw her way back out as always."
They would never really be safe. Charms and talismans could be taken away, and if demons were only waiting in the wings for the slightest opportunity it may only be a matter of time. She needed permanent solutions. "Is there…Can a demon be killed? I mean for real. No clawing their way out, never coming back again."
"There's a couple of ways, but they often kill the demon's host. Could you have that blood on your hands?" Dean studied her body language, she was calm and looking him directly in the eye. She never even hesitated when giving him her response.
"I could. If a demon was to possess any of my friends then we would be looking at a large casualty list. That is something I couldn't have on my conscience." Feeling a sudden chill she pulled her gown tighter around her body. "So what would I need to do?"
"Only three things have ever killed a demon that I've seen. One is an angel."
Chloe snorted over her coffee. "Yeah, because I have one of those on my speed dial."
"I have." Dean said through a mouthful of bagel.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Second is a colt that yours truly has in his possession. Shoot any demon with it and they're dead."
"And third?"
"Sammy has a knife, works pretty much the same as the Colt."
Chloe sighed and sat on the stool next to Dean. "So without you guys around we're vulnerable." She couldn't ask them to hang around on the chance that demons might show up one day. Even if she managed to convince herself that was a good idea the Winchesters would never agree to it.
Chloe had almost resigned herself to the thought of just holding onto those charms and praying, when an idea struck her. "Think there's a chance I could get a tracing of your tattoo?"
Dean raised his eyebrows. "You want to get a tattoo?"
"Maybe, I don't know. I would like to give my team the option though." She drained the last of her coffee from her mug. "You're not going to be around all day, everyday. I'd like to be prepared for when Meg comes back."
Maybe she could try to persuade the guys about getting a tattoo when she gave them their charms? She should really consider getting one herself and lead by example. If Meg managed to possess her and gain control of Watchtower the results could be just as devastating. The team almost always followed her instructions.
Dean watched as Chloe slipped deep into thought. Her brow furrowed slightly and she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. He'd bet that she had no idea how attractive that small action was. If she carried on he was going to have to break her concentration. "Okay if I take a shower?"
Chloe briefly snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah, sure." She admired the view as he walked towards the bathroom.
Taking the opportunity of a few minutes quiet she grabbed her phone. There was a chance Bart was up this early, she could arrange to meet and have him drop off the charms to the rest of the team before lunch.
She had just managed to write the first line of her message before being swept up into the air. "Dean!" She squealed before he slung her over his shoulder.
"You're dirty so you're coming with me." Dean couldn't resist the opportunity to slap her ass lightly as she lightly struggled against his hold.
"Winchester! Put me down! I can't believe you just did that!"
Dean laughed all the way to the bathroom.
Oliver was sat at Chloe's workstation, his feet up on her desk. She would be pissed when she saw him but he didn't care, he had been waiting impatiently at Watchtower for the past hour for her to arrive. Normally she was there just before nine in the morning, but it was now approaching ten without a sign from her. Of course, Oliver had already guessed the reason.
"Dean." He muttered under his breath before flicking a pen across the room. Oliver was sure that was who spent the night with her at the Talon, Chloe's very own 'preternatural expert'. She had said she trusted him, Oliver just hadn't realised that much.
He could feel the resentment and bitterness well up in him, and he tried to repress it. If only he had the guy's last name he could have run a quick search through Watchtower without Chloe ever needing to know.
Pulling out his phone he scrolled down to Victor's number. Maybe he could help find out the real story behind 'Dean'.
"Morning!" Oliver looked up to see Chloe cheerfully enter through Watchtower's doors. At least he didn't have to guess what had put that smile on her face.
"Hi Chloe." She walked up to him and quickly pushed his legs from her workstation before sitting on the desk herself. "Someone's in a good mood."
"I am, and better then that I come bearing gifts." From her bag she produced a little velvet pouch and threw it onto his lap.
"You got me a necklace?" He asked in confusion as he pulled the chain from the pouch.
"Remember I told you a while back about getting my hands on some protective charms? Well, voila." She pulled her own from underneath her shirt to show him. "I had Bart collect the rest. He's delivering one to each of the guys as we speak."
"Are these from your friend Dean?" He tried not to grit the name out from between clenched teeth. Chloe would have a fit if she realised he had been watching over her at night.
"Yes. And I need to you to wear this all times from now on."
Oliver frowned before slipping the chain over his head and tucking it under his shirt, and watched her shoulders sag with relief as he did so. "Why's it so important Chloe? What am I missing here?"
"Lois was missing a couple of days ago, she was out on assignment. I had tracked her down and was about to bring her home when she walked in all by herself."
"Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped!" There would have been a time when he would have been the first to know, the first person to help her through the panic.
Chloe looked into his angry face and tried not to look surprised by his small outburst. She hadn't called Oliver because she genuinely hadn't thought of him, Dean had been at the front of her mind. It didn't take long to convince herself that it was because of his expertise. She thought quickly "There's more to the story. I didn't want to risk you too Oliver."
"What do you mean?" It sounded like bullshit to him.
"When Lois returned…she wasn't normal. She was possessed by a demon, a nasty one. Thanks to Dean I had some protective drawings already placed around my apartment trapping her. I had to call Dean and his brother to Smallville to perform an exorcism."
"Is Lois okay?"
"Yeah, she's fine. We had to take her to the hospital, they diagnosed her with exhaustion, Lois thinks that the past few days were caused by delirium. She's being discharged today, Clark is picking her up and giving her a little 'Get Well Soon' gift."
"I really hope you mean one of these charms, because I don't think I can stand the imagery of…" He shuddered at the thought. There were some ways he just didn't want to think of Clark.
"Yes. One of the charms. And that's another problem. I only had seven charms, Dinah doesn't have one."
Oliver bit back the remark at that possibly being a deliberate oversight. "What can we do?"
"I'm looking into more permanent solutions, but I don't think they will be to everyone's liking. I'm calling a meeting later on tonight between the league. There is more to this demon possession and it concerns all of us."
"Sounds serious."
"It is." Chloe looked up into his eyes. "This will make the Kandorians seem like kindergartens."
"You going to give me a preview?" He asked.
"Probably best until the team arrive." She said jumping from the desk and began to boot up Watchtower's systems.
"So…when am I going to get to meet this Dean?" Oliver tried for casual, hoping that Chloe wouldn't pick up on his feelings.
"I'm hoping to bring him to Watchtower this afternoon to help me secure this place further. After what happened with Lois I don't think we can be too prepared."
Oliver's jaw set. She was bringing him here, to their sanctuary. "I'm not happy with that Chloe. Not without knowing anything about this guy." He was talking birth certificate, financial statements, criminal record and third grade spelling bee results. Oliver needed to know everything. It was bad enough that this guy had become so close to Chloe.
"My cousin could have died last night. Dean and Sam saved her. In my eyes that earns him my trust." She spoke softly. Chloe hadn't realised just how close until Dean told her about some of his previous experiences with demons. They were lucky.
Oliver had jumped up from his seat and begun to pace back and forth. He couldn't believe this guy had fit into her life so easily. "It's not just your trust you are giving him when you invite him here. This involves the team too."
"I'm not a fool, Ollie. I will be locking down the tower's systems and activating the additional scans in the elevator to pick up hidden devices. The team will be asked to stay away until I give the all clear." She sighed heavily. "Our secrets will be safe."
If she thought he would be staying away from watchtower. "I'm still not happy with you being alone here with this guy. I mean, what do you really know about him?" He was waving his hand around like he normally did when he started to get on a roll.
Chloe couldn't believe that he was questioning her skills. She had figured out Oliver's secret before he could even recall her name, and he dared to insinuate she hadn't thoroughly checked Dean's background?
"I'll tell you what I'm not happy with Oliver. The jealousy act." She said giving him a hard look. "There was a time when you trusted my judgement and had faith in me. What did I do to change that?"
"You've done nothing, Chloe." He came to stand beside her and took a calming breath. He never meant for her to question his faith in her. "It's just this thing with Lois has me freaking out."
He was lying and she knew it. Chloe had come to know Oliver too well over the years and his poker face just didn't work with her anymore.
When Chloe left earlier that morning Dean had stuck around the Talon and waited for Sam to show. He hadn't anticipated waiting for two hours for his brother to show. "So, while you were 'distracted' this morning I've been trying to find a job nearby." Sam said as he sat down at their table with two coffees in his hands.
"You have?"
"I figured you'd be looking for a legitimate reason to stick around." Sam said with a knowing smile.
"You mean Meg isn't enough of a reason?"
"She's long gone, and you gave Chloe the charms, right?" Sam tried to keep the small smile forming at the edge of his lips from growing. He rarely had enough opportunities to tease his older brother.
"Yeah, she has them. Doesn't mean that hell-bitch has gone for good." Dean caught his brother's smirk before he could hide it behind his coffee cup. "What?"
"Nothing, just seeing a whole new side to you, Dean." Sam released the smirk, unable to contain it any longer.
"And what the hell kinda crack is that meant to be?"
"Just wondering if my brother, the eternal bachelor, is considering becoming serious about a girl."
Dean almost choked on his coffee. "You're talking five kinds of crazy, you know that?"
"It's not like you to stick around 'til morning with a girl, and now? Now you're gonna meet up with Chloe again later today? I'm considering getting out the holy water."
"The girl has demon issues." Dean began forcibly prodding the table with his index finger. "Last time I checked demon's were our business. I just want to make sure she's safe."
"Christo."
"Dammit, Sam!" Dean said throwing his paper napkin at his annoying brother. "Fine, I like her. I mean, what's not to like, right? But you know that getting serious is not an option for me, and I'm sure it's not for her either." He said in a harsh whisper, ignoring the looks from nearby patrons.
"Wow. Never thought I'd see the day..."
"God, you are such a bitch."
"Just be careful, Dean. If her friends are as 'special' as you've said, I don't think you want to get on the wrong side of her."
"Are you kidding? She'd probably kill me in my sleep." Dean took another swig of his hot coffee "So you gonna tell me about this job you found or not?"
Sam slid a copy of the Daily Planet across the table to Dean. On page six Sam had circled a small article with red pen.
"A guy played chicken with a train and lost. Where's the job?"
"If you read the article he's the fourth guy this year to jump at the same spot, saying the same thing just before he stepping off the platform."
"It's a big city, suicides aren't that strange." Dean said flipping the paper back to his brother.
"All these guys jumped on the thirty-first of the month; so I did some more digging. For every month that ends on the thirty-first there has been a suicide over the past five years."
"Sounds like it could be something. Witch, pissed off ghost maybe?"
"That's what I'm gonna find out." Sam stuffed the paper back into his laptop bag.
"Woah, you cutting me out?"
"Research has never been your thing, Dean. Besides, you're meeting Chloe. All I'm going to be doing is sitting in a large public library looking through old newspapers. Which sounds more fun to you?"
"Chloe or library. Those are my choices?" Dean finished off his coffee before standing up, smiling. "Yeah, have fun with that dude." He smirked before leaving the shop.
"Dean! Wait up!" Sam didn't even have time to collect his things from the table before Dean drove off in the Impala. "My ride?" Sam sighed and returned to his table, resigned to catching the bus. Some days he hated his brother.
Chloe was sat in her favourite spot outside the Metro coffee stop, and was currently enjoying her second caramel non-fat latte. She appeared to be engrossed in the newspaper in front of her, and Dean smirked at the thought of catching her unawares.
"You're late."
'Damn!' Dean thought inwardly. He had no idea how she did that. Chick must have eyes in the back of her head. "I'm not late, you're early."
Chloe looked up at him with a smile. "Now, with an attitude like that I might not let you into my little clubhouse."
Chloe got up from her seat, grabbing her coffee as she did. "Come on, I need to get this done before tonight." Chloe led him away from the shop and towards the watchtower.
The walked in silence to the short distance to the building. Chloe guided him to the elevator dedicated solely to watchtower. "Now, you've got to promise me you won't freak out."
"Freak out? It's an elevator Chlo."
Chloe never replied, she merely smiled as she led the way inside. By the panel was a small pad for fingerprint recognition, and as the door closed Chloe pressed her thumb to it. She stood back and smiled faintly.
Dean jumped as the lights in the elevator dimmed, only a faint blue light emitting from somewhere in front of them. The light proceeded to scan both Chloe and Dean before details of the body scan appeared on a display in front of them.
"Unauthorised weapon. Possession will initiate security protocol zero one four." Came the computerised voice.
Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at Dean.
"What?" He said in response to her glare. "I'm not giving up my gun."
A panel slid open in the wall of the elevator revealing a hidden compartment. "You need to put the gun in there, Dean. Don't worry, you'll get it back when you leave."
"I'm not giving it up."
"Dean, if the computer commences lockdown then we will be stuck in here indefinitely with a limited oxygen supply. I don't know about you, but suffocation is not the way I want to go."
Dean paused, trying desperately to think of a way to get out of it. "Fine!" He threw the gun into the compartment which automatically sealed. "Happy ya Red Queen bitch?" He yelled at the computer.
"Weapon contained. Verify"
"Chloe Sullivan and guest. Password, zero five one four zero nine."
"Vocal and bio analysis confirmed."
The lights returned to normal and Chloe looked over at Dean. "You know that's a pretty good impression of a fish you've got going there." As the elevator 'dinged', the doors opened and she led the way out.
"So are you going to cave and tell me what you actually do?" Dean asked as he caught up with her.
"Nope."
"Doesn't matter. I've got it figured."
"Oh really?" Chloe pushed open the double doors to watchtower and strode into the large room.
"Welcome to Watchtower Miss Sullivan." The lights in the room flickered on, and the monitors sprang to life.
Dean took in the large space and let out a whistle. "For a 'non-profit organisation' you've sure got some serious gadgets."
Chloe walked to her workstation and typed furiously at her keyboard. Within seconds all monitors shut down and settled into stand by mode.
"So no hints at all then?" Dean asked, quirking his eyebrow.
Chloe took off her jacket and threw it over the back of her chair. "I thought you already knew what I did for a living, hot shot."
"Last time I was in town I saw you with that friend of yours. I think he's called Bart. I thought I could run fast, but that kid has me licked."
"You saw him run?"
"I wouldn't say I saw him. I don't think many people can say they have, right? Guy's too quick."
"You know, I have no idea what you're talking about." She said with a smile. She walked over to the staircase and dragged a large box out from under it.
"Right." Sam had been the one to suggest Chloe worked with a league of heroes, and looking around this place he was sure his brother was right. Super powered vigilantes had been appearing in the media for years, they needed a base somewhere, right?
Chloe began pulling pots of paint and brushes from the box. "You just going to stand there looking pretty all day, or are you going to help me?"
Dean smirked and put his leather jacket with hers. Rolling up his sleeves he brought a tin to the kitchen counter before popping the lid. He looked over towards the doorway and spotted the devils trap painted on the floor. "You might want to throw a rug on that."
Chloe followed his line of sight to see the markings. "Cover them up? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?"
"It'll work, but no demon will step into that. It's staring them right in the face."
"I suppose I can get a rug large enough to cover that." She placed her own tin of paint next to his. "Now, show me those symbols you were telling me about. The demon repellents."
"I think we should start in that fancy elevator of yours. Think you can shut it up for five minutes?"
"I can do more then that, but I would rather work on these first." She turned towards the window and pulled a remote from her pocket. An iris of steel clamped shut over the stained glass, plunging the room into darkness. A second later the overhead lights brightened.
"Now that is just awesome."
"I aim to please." She joked "Now show me those other designs you have."
Dean pulled out the drawings from his jeans pocket and handed them to her. "These aren't as complicated as the other ones you gave me." She noted
Dean agreed with her. "They're smaller. I have one just like this in the trunk of my car."
"You made your car Demon proof?"
"Yeah."
Chloe studied the drawings carefully. "You think these would work virtually? If I put this in my computer it could act as a kind of demon password protection?"
"Not sure. Can't hurt though, right?"
"Maybe that's a project for later then. In the meantime, I'm going to need those long legs of yours. Care to give a girl a boost up there?" She said pointing to the window.
"Really not a problem."
Two hours later, Chloe and Dean found themselves lounging on the couch admiring their handiwork. Dean grabbed a cold beer from the table in front of him before relaxing back into the soft cushions.
"This has got to be the closest you can get to a demon proof panic room. I think we've done okay Winchester." Chloe sipped her own beer, literally watching the paint dry.
"You know, my friend Bobby has one of those."
"A panic room? For demons?" Chloe really had heard everything now.
"Sure. Built it himself."
"How'd he do that?"
"He had a couple of months spare and got bored."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" She poked him in the side causing him to flinch. His reaction had her pause and give him a mischievous look. She set her drink on the table, never taking her eyes from him.
"I swear if you try to tickle me woman, I will not be responsible for my actions."
Chloe raised her eyebrow. "Woman?"
"Hey, you started this." He pointed at her in warning.
"I could always finish it." She leant forward and began to crawl her way up his body.
"Finishing this sounds like a really good idea."
"I'm a team player. I always follow through on the best ideas." Chloe briefly brushed her lips along his, just teasing him before pulling away.
"I think you're going to need to be more of a team player than that." Dean cupped the back of her head and drew her closer to him. "I can show you how."
"By all means." She whispered. Dean inched closer to her lips, his fingers threading through her soft, blonde waves.
"Welcome to Watchtower Mister Queen."
"Damn it!" Chloe jumped back so fast from Dean's lap he swore she would have whiplash.
Seconds later Oliver walked through the double doors, his eyes automatically darting around the room, searching.
"Oliver! What are you doing here?"
"Chloe!" His eyes shifted towards her, taking in the other man's presence. He strode quickly over towards the couch, eager to look this stranger in the eyes. "Power cut at the penthouse, and I really need to look over that file on Boy Scout's friends. I knew you had a hard copy, so here I am." He smiled.
Chloe scowled at him and got up from her seat. She opened her mouth to say something but Oliver cut her off.
"You're not going to introduce me to your friend? Where have those famous Sullivan manners gone?" Oliver stepped toward Dean, who also stood from the couch. "Oliver Queen." Oliver offered his hand to shake, and Dean accepted it.
Dean smiled as the blonde man unnecessarily tightened his grip. "Dean Winchester." The smile widened as Oliver applied even more pressure. Dean couldn't resist and responded in kind.
"I'll go get it for you." Chloe said, tight lipped. She should have known he wouldn't be able to resist coming to Watchtower, no matter what she asked of him. She quickly began her ascent of the staircase, not wanting to leave the two men on their own for long.
Hands were quickly dropped once Chloe was out of sight, and their welcoming smiles departed just as quickly, leaving them in a tense silence.
"Got what you were hunting for?" Oliver's voice was calm, but the insinuation was clear.
Dean had no problem deciphering Oliver's meaning behind the thinly veiled contempt. "Last night or this morning?" He saw the blonde man's jaw tighten and smirked.
"Don't get too comfortable in her bed. You're just a distraction, and once you're gone you'll just be a fleeting memory."
"But what great memories!" Dean's own thoughts briefly slipped to images of a naked Chloe writhing beneath him, calling out his name. "Will her memories be as fond when she thinks of you?"
"You know nothing about me and Chloe." Oliver spat out, stepping closer to Dean.
Dean stood his ground and stared straight back at Oliver, just waiting for him to make his move. He'd lose no sleep putting this guy on his ass. "I know that she's hidden every picture of you she owns, and I know she was willing to fuck me in a run down motel, just to put you behind her."
"I'm not just going to stand here and listen to some one night stand judge me and my past. I've done wrong, but Chloe will forgive me. So I suggest you keep the hell out of our lives." Oliver inched closer, so close their bodies were almost touching. Dean's hands clenched into fists. One touch. He prayed for this guy just to touch him once, and he would know him flying into next week.
"Oh, I'm going nowhere pretty boy."
"I can change that."
"Bring it."
"Fine!" Oliver smirked and it wasn't pleasant.
Chloe felt the tension rise in the room as she descended the stairs. The two men were clearly facing off and paying little attention to what else was happening in the room. As she stepped closer she recognised Oliver's body language; he was ready to attack Dean. What the hell was going on?
Inserting two fingers into her mouth she whistled loudly, grabbing their attention. "Put the rulers away now!"
"Hey, Sidekick. Didn't see you there. Dean and I were just having a little chat." The man's eyes never left Dean.
"Well, it sure looks like a pissing contest to me." She stepped from the last stair on the staircase and approached the two men.
Slapping a large file at Oliver's chest she looked up at her former lover "Oliver, a word?" She didn't wait for a response, instead she led him by his arm towards the doors.
Before he could open his mouth she rounded on him. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You were two were about to rip into each other and I want to know why!" She asked in angry, but hushed voice.
"That guy is bad news. He's not good enough for you."
"And who are you to decide what's good enough for me?" She demanded.
"A concerned friend." He retorted.
"A jealous ex, if that display was anything to go by." She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "I just need you to go now Ollie, I can't handle this right now. You know that there was more than one reason I wanted you and the guys away from Watchtower this afternoon."
"I know, I shouldn't have come. But before you kick me out, I just need to know; you have some good memories of us, right? You're not always going to think of me as a bad guy?"
"You're not a bad guy, Oliver. You're just the wrong one for me."
"You know I don't believe that. I just thought you wouldn't jump straight into another relationship so soon."
He was deliberately not meeting her eyes. She couldn't believe that he was so upset. It was a side she rarely saw of him and it made her heart clench. "I'm not in a relationship with him."
Oliver laughed sharply, sounding bitter even to himself. "Friends with benefits? We both know how well that works out, Chloe."
"I'm not repeating my mistakes. Whatever it is between me and Dean, it's just… it is what it is I suppose."
"I just hope you know what you're doing. You're great at looking out for others, but when it comes to you, you're oblivious to even what your own heart is telling you." He should know, he'd lived through months of her own denial. Pulling open Watchtower's doors he left the room and headed to the elevator.
Chloe stood there in silence and watched him go. "So that was the ex, huh?" Dean had quietly walked up beside her, taking her by surprise.
"Yeah. How'd you guess?"
"I knew you were kinda rebounding on me. I heard a conversation I shouldn't have when you met up with your speedy friend, he called him Oliver."
"Well that's all kinds of embarrassing." Chloe rubbed her hands over her face. "Any chance we can repress the last twenty minutes? Pretend none of this ever happened?"
"Sure thing, Sweetheart. I can repress with the best of them." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close for a kiss. "Some things aren't worth forgetting though."
She smiled and leant into his touch. "I completely agree. You'll just have to refresh my memory."