Make You Smile

A Chlollie fic.

Set straight after Persuasion with spoilers from, Persuasion (dah) Warrior and Pandora.

This is the scene (or something along these lines) I wished had happened right after Clark leaves to blow up the towers.

Declaimer- I own nothing nothing nothing!!

"Right now I want you to focus on watching my back, leave the rest of the planet to me."

She did what she was told; right down to saving him from himself and what did she get for it? No thank-you, just a why? Why did you do it? She thought it was obvious by now, she did it because once upon a time they used to be friends, he used to ask her how her day was, used to be there to pick her up when she fell but now she was just his source of information, she'd become a computer.

"You're someone we all have to believe in, nothing can compromise that."

She told him what she once believed. It wasn't that she didn't believe he wouldn't save the world, she did. She just knew she wasn't included in being one of the saved. He'd made her pick up the pieces by herself a long time ago. If she wanted saving she'd have to look somewhere else.

Because he wasn't there for her after Jimmy, he wasn't there when she needed a friend the most. She got that he had to complete his training, that there were more important things then her, but she was all alone. All alone in the Watchtower; staring at the place where her husband died, at the stain on the now cleaned floor. No Lois, no Lana, no Clark, not even Oliver. Everyone was gone, too preoccupied, missing or guilty.

What about her?

Clark didn't say anything after she told him what he wanted to hear, instead he told her about Alia, about his father, what Zod did, and she made some comments about that subject all while thinking about the painkiller in her purse. She was glad that Alia wasn't around to kill her in the future but right now the gash in her back, the twelve stiches from being thrown through a glass table by Tess was taking precedence. She'd spent a good two hours with Emil getting the glass shards out, there were dark nasty black bruises all down one side of her back and her cheek, cut and bruised was aching so badly she just wanted to lay down, taker her pain relief and drift off into a long overdue sleep.

But she couldn't, Clark still wanted one last favour. He was going to blow the towers up. He wanted her to make sure everyone was out, that the people in the buildings below were well out of harm's way when the building fell.

She told him she'd do it with a smile on her face that was so fake that it would make Pamela Anderson's boobs look real. Yet he hadn't said a word. Watchtower was still in repair from her freak out earlier this evening and she'd had to hack through about twenty firewalls that she put up but she still hadn't got through them all yet. There were still a few screens crackling with black and white snow but she could work something out because hey, she was Chloe, the reliable one.

So she did what he wanted, she stood for a good three hours, her back throbbing and her eyes drooping as he stood over her shoulder, staring at the computer screen. She made sure everyone evacuated the area within a good half a mile radius under false pretences of a gas leak. It wasn't an easy feat, there was a lot of ground work and organisation but she'd done it. She checked for heat signatures using Queen Industry's satellites just to make sure and then she hoped her work was done, that all she had to do was wake up in the morning and see the imagines of the destruction flash on her television screen.

"Check again." Clark ordered and she let out a weary sigh.

"They're all out Clark, I made sure."

"Just check it again Chloe." Her jaw clenched so tight that she was sure her teeth would shatter and that just hurt her aching cheek all the more. But she did what he said, she checked again and just like last time, nothing.

"There, you happy now?"

He gave her a nod, turned then began to march away. That's when she'd just about had it. No thank-you, no goodbye, nothing. She knew she was prone to outbursts, but this was the first time that she actually thought this outburst was deemed necessary. "Damn it Clark would it hurt to say thank-you?"

He stopped mid stride, his body stiffening and he turned back to her, that blank, expressionless look on his face that always reminded her that he wasn't in fact human. "What?"

"A thank-you or maybe a please, I mean come on, is it so hard?"

"Chloe honestly, do you think now is the right time?"

"Right time?" she laughed, it was more like a hysterical cackle then an actual laugh. She was stressed, tired and not to mention dealing with a great deal of physical and emotional pain. "There will never be a right time, because you never actually make time to see me."

He frowned as if he was generally surprised by what she said. "You're the one that told me to embrace my destiny, that's what I'm doing. I'm saving people."

He just didn't get it. "Yeah, you're saving people," she said trying to keep her voice even but there was a twinge of bitterness in there. "What about the people close to you?"

"What are you talking about?" There was that frown again, "Lois is fine."

She smiled her sarcastic smile full of hurt, bitterness and a tiny bit of disbelief that he could really be that blind. Clark Kent with the x-ray vision couldn't see what was right in front of his face. "Yeah," she laughed sullenly, "She's fine. Your right, what was I thinking?" she gave him another laugh and the corner of his lips turned up into a half hearted smile as if he actually believed her.

"Go save the world." She said defeated and he gave her another nod. Once again as he turned to leave he didn't say goodbye. He walked out the Watchtower doors and she glared at his retreating figure wishing she had her own heat vision.

***

Oliver Queen had been talking to Emil for the last leg of his plane trip back into Metropolis. He's been out trying to smooth things over with one of his share holders and apparently he'd missed all the action. Emil told him everything, the blue kryptonite, the effects it had on Clark, Lois and Chloe. Then he told him how Chloe went round for round with Tess (a very notable warrior that had even put him on his ass a few times) and how he'd spent the last couple of hours patching his Sidekick back up. As soon as he heard that and the jet doors opened he'd grabbed his bike and boy was he going to get a few speeding tickets on his way over to the Watchtower tonight.

He'd arrived just in time to hear what he presumed was the last of a conversation between Chloe and Clark. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him and he'd walk right on in announcing his presence, but not tonight. Something seemed off. Chloe actually sounded upset and Clark, well Clark just didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, you're saving people." He heard her say, the sourness clear in her voice, "What about the people close to you?"

His chest tightened a bit at that. She never said anything to him but he could tell her friendship with Clark was wavering. Actually tittering of a cliff was more like it, she was holding onto a shrivel of hope that Clark would wake up and realised that she was an actual person, that once upon a time they'd been friends.

"What are you talking about? Lois is fine."

Really? Was he really that stupid? Oliver knew that Clark had a tendency to be naive but come on! Couldn't he see the girl breaking in front of him, the girl that he guessed right about now had the sarcastic smile on her face, trying to hold it together?

"Yeah," he heard her laugh, but that wasn't her normal laugh that she'd show him that rare evening he took her and MM out, there would be no spark in her eye or rosy red colouring in her cheeks, no, this wasn't really even a laugh at all. "She's fine. Your right, what was I thinking?"

He didn't hear anyone say anything for a moment but he hoped, no he actually prayed that Clark would see Chloe again, and he meant actually see her.

But he didn't.

"Go save the world." He heard the defeat in her voice and something inside of him just snapped. Clark walked out the door without the slightest clue in the world and Oliver slugged him in the face.

As soon as he did it he pulled his hand back in utter agony and cursed his stupidity. Man of Steel x Human Fist = Pain.

"OW!"

"Oliver?

"Damn it! I bet that hurt me more then it hurt you but the implication is just the same!" he cursed again, gripping what he assumed was he now sprained hand.

Clark just stared at him, "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" he laughed disbelievingly, "I'll tell you what's going on, there's a women inside of there that risked life and limb for you tonight," he pointed to the stained glass doors behind him, "She's stuck by you all your life, protected you, lost loved ones, hell, almost lost herself along the way and you look at her as if she's a piece of machinery built for your bidding."

Clark's brows furrowed and his jaw clenched, completely on the defensive. "I know what she's done Oliver, I know her better than anyone. She's my best friend."

He scoffed. "Best friends don't leave when their needed most Clark."

"From what I recall you didn't stick around after Jimmy funeral either."

"I know," he said guilty, "But I'm here now, I'm trying to make up for that."

"Chloe is doing fine," Clark argued, "If she wasn't she would have told me." he walked past Oliver and he had the sudden urge to reach out and slug him again, injured hand and all.

"Do you really believe that?" he asked Clark's back. "Or is that what you keep telling yourself?"

Clark shook head, turning back around to face him. "Chloe understands my life, she understands that I can't always be around but that doesn't mean we're not friends."

"Did you ever stop to think why Chloe didn't want to trust you in the future? Why you abandoned us?"

"The future can change; I would never abandon any of you."

"Yeah well start making some adjustments big guy, because I have a feeling this is how it starts." He yelled that last bit and the doors behind him swung open and reverberated of the walls with a SLAM.

"Oliver!"

He tensed a little at the sound of Chloe's voice not daring to turn around. The pain in his hand didn't feel so bad now that the wrath of Chloe was upon him.

Clark on the other hand was still oblivious, he looked between the two of them, gave them that emotionless alien stare and said, quiet calmly, "I have work to do," Before blurring out of the building.

Oliver, still tense, turned around to face Chloe's wrath but was greeted with a rather calm, slightly dishevelled and worse for wear Chloe instead. "I don't need you to fight my battles." She growled, but he could tell she was tired, not just physically but emotionally too.

"I think you've fought enough battles for one evening." He said looking her over and trying not to grimace. He reached out to take a better look at her bruised cheek but he reached out with the wrong hand. He hissed, staring down at his now darkly bruised hand and told himself that it served him right.

Chloe frowned, and judging by the hiss that left her lips it hurt to do that too. "What did you do?"

He shrugged, "Something that was long overdue." He said with a half smile and she gave him that quizzical look that he was beginning to find rather adorable.

"I'm not even going to ask." She smiled slightly and Oliver promised himself that by the end of his visit he was going to turn it into one of her full blown smiles that he couldn't seem to get enough of. "So what are you doing here, other than ripping Clark a new one?"

"Well I just got off the phone to Emil."

"Don't worry," she said, changing her tone, "Watchtower should be up and running in no time. I kind of had a bad dose of lunacy, but I assure you I'll have it fixed by the morning."

"I'm not worried about Watchtower." He said honestly, this time he reached for her cheek with his good hand and he lightly turned her head to the right to get a better look at the damage, "I'm worried about the Watchtower."

She looked up at him with uncertainty for a moment and he was suddenly worried that he went too far. The other night when he'd somehow, by some miracle convinced her to shoot a few of his arrows he knew that it had been a big step for her. She was finally beginning to let go, to let someone in and he was grateful that she'd choose him.

The only problem was that he hadn't been able to gauge her reaction to their 'moment' the next day because he had to fly to London to talk to those shareholders. He'd sent her those flowers on Valentine's Day though, three dozen in a vase that he hoped would suit Watchtowers decor.

He sent a note to, nothing too over the top or lovey dovey either it was very simple –

I hope these brighten up your day

G.N

He knew she liked tulips better but he didn't want to seem like he was making a big deal out of it even though three dozen roses is a lot...That's not too over the top, or too forward... right? At least he hoped it wasn't because she was staring up at him now with a slightly hesitant look on her face that was making his stomach clench nervously, and Oliver Queen did not get nervous around women.

"Do you want to come in?"

Oh thank goodness! He dropped his hand and she smiled a little bigger as she walked back through the stained glass doors, Oliver not far behind her.

"Coffee?" she asked, walking over to the makeshift kitchen and Oliver began to nod before he stopped himself.

"If you ahh... want to get some rest I can always leave?" he said pointing to the door behind him awkwardly and that's when he noticed it, perched right in plain sight for everyone, the vase of flowers.

"No." Her answer was rather abrupt and he tore his gave away from his gift and back to her right in time to catch the alarm flash across her eyes. "I mean, if you have somewhere else to go..."

"It's almost four in the morning; where else would I have to be?"

"Out patrolling the streets of Metropolis for one."

He smiled slightly, "Right, well not tonight."

"I think its best you aren't anyway, Clark's blowing up the towers tonight and if they see Green Arrow skulking around they might pin it on him."

"First of all," he said raising a finger into the air while sitting down on the couch at the same time, "I do not skulk and secondly...Clark's what?"

So Chloe told him about what she and Clark had discussed before about Alia and all the preparation she did tonight to make sure no one got injured in the destruction whilst she made their coffees. She only told him brief snippets of information and as much as he should be concerned about this abrupt decision he couldn't help but be a little relieved. They'd wanted to do something about those towers for months but Clark had that whole 'befriending Zod' thing getting in their way.

He wanted to ask if she was sure that everyone was out of harm's way but he stopped himself. He trusted her; she wasn't going to make a mistake about this. "Are you worried?" he asked as she handed him a mug and sat down beside him.

She bit her bottom lip which he found to be a bit of a turn on but at the same time knew she only did it whenever she was nervous. "A little, I mean I checked and checked and checked but there's always a chance someone might have gone back to get something." She said honestly.

His injured hand forgotten, he reached out and clasped hers, giving it a squeeze. "The destruction of those towers will save billions of lives Chloe."

She nodded, "I know, it just doesn't make it any easier."

"I trust you." He told her and she gave him a slightly bigger smile then the one before.

***

He held her hand until Watchtower shook from the after effects of the towers, and when everything around them stopped shaking he gave her hand another squeeze. She looked up at him and a reassuring smile was on his lips, telling her everything was going to be okay. She wasn't sure why, but it put her nerves slightly more at ease.

***

They'd stayed up all night, talking about nothing and everything. Chloe couldn't sleep so Oliver was determined to stay awake as well. She needed him, she would never admit it and Oliver didn't mind that one bit because she wasn't letting go of his hand and he was more than happy to keep on holding it.

At 5.52 am the first reports of the towers destructions aired on the morning news and both Chloe and Oliver listened on intently for the casualty rate.

"...The Towers collapsed this morning as an unknown explosion erupted from inside the building. Fire fighters are still trying to figure out the cause of the explosion but they are relieved to say that no one was harmed in the fall. The casualty rate stands at zero and they assure us that it's likely to stay that way..."

The smile on her face was real, her eyes lit up in relief, her lips broadened into a simply breathtaking grin and she turned to him, her expression taking his breath away.

"Everyone's alright," she breathed excitedly, the pain in her cheek and back forgotten as she was filled with so much incredible relief. If it hadn't been for Oliver she would have paced a hole in Watchtowers floor as she waited urgently for the news. But he'd been here, all night, reassuring her that he trusted her, that she'd done the right thing; that everyone was going to be okay.

She didn't think, she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight, silently thanking him for being here for her when no one else was, when everyone else thought she was okay.

"I told you," he said with his cocky smirk, they pulled away and Chloe's smile wasn't fading. It stayed there, long after the news report changed to the weather and long after he took her out to breakfast that morning to celebrate. In fact it stayed there so long that he thought if the wind changed she'd probably stay that way, but he'd done it. Somehow he made that smile come back and he was determined to make it say there for as long as he could.

He would never know this, but there was only one reason she was smiling so brilliantly, and that reason was currently linking arms with her and scolding her for already having her third cup of coffee before it was even 7 a.m.

A/N Okay so the ending is cheesy and lame, but I still hoped you enjoyed it cause I sure did!

Peace – Taraandherpetbatsparky aka Vampout!