Chloe shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other as she waited with the other passengers at the departure gate for news of available flights. It was Christmas Eve morning and after her plane was diverted to La Guardia in New York, she learned that snowstorms across the eastern seaboard and the South had grounded a lot of planes.
For the first time in several years, she'd made a plan to visit her father, Gabe, for the holidays. He was living in Raleigh now, and he'd remarried. Chloe had kept her distance for a reason since her life was anything but safe. However, when Gabe called and asked her to come and get to know his new family, she'd been unable to say no. Truthfully, she missed her dad and she hated that their relationship had become so strained.
There were just so many things she couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell him that her mother was still alive and living in a long term care facility in Star City, thanks to Oliver's generosity. Gabe thought Moira had disappeared long ago, and it was better for everyone if he continued to believe that. He'd obtained a divorce in absentia and moved on with his life.
He knew Chloe had graduated from Metropolis University, though she'd chosen not to walk at the ceremony in order to have an excuse for why she didn't ask him to come. He knew she had been hired as a junior reporter for The Daily Planet, and he knew that she had a boyfriend named Jimmy.
The longer list was what he didn't know – that after discovering she was meteor infected, she'd begun counseling other meteor infected people at the center that Lana opened before moving to Europe. He had no idea that her childhood friend was an alien or that she moonlighted for the Green Arrow and his merry band of heroes. He wasn't aware that she'd said yes when Jimmy asked her to marry him, or that their engagement had self-destructed months ago due to all of the secrets she had to keep.
He didn't know that her relationship with Clark had become distant since she and Jimmy broke up, mostly because Jimmy was spending a lot of time with Clark's cousin, Kara. She wasn't asking Clark to choose sides exactly, but she also didn't think it was too much to ask that she get equal support in the situation.
Chloe had been feeling emotionally worn down for months, and her father's invitation had been a little light in an otherwise bleak holiday season. Now it looked like she was going to be stranded alone in New York for the holiday.
When the attendant came back, the look on her face confirmed Chloe's suspicions before she made her announcement. The crowd pushed forward. Some people asked questions while others complained bitterly about their canceled holiday plans. With a sigh, Chloe took her place in the line. Vouchers were being passed out, which caused another round of complaints when people saw which economy motel was being offered.
"I'm sorry, but it's one of the few motels with vacancies," the attendant said, her eyes never leaving her computer screen.
"Oh no. They have that noisy factory next door, and the bedding is gross," one woman said as she juggled her bag and a whimpering baby. She looked at her husband. "You remember, right? The springs were poking through the mattress, there were holes in the sheets, and that blood stain…"
Grimacing, Chloe pulled out her phone and started searching vacancies in hostels, hotels and motels within a ten mile radius of the airport.
"Chloe?"
She glanced up in surprise at the familiar voice. "Oliver? What are you doing here?" Based on the suit he was wearing, she assumed he was there on business.
"I had a few meetings in New York this week," he answered. "What about you?"
"I was covering the Wayne Enterprises conference in Boston. After it was over I stayed to run down a couple of story leads," she said. "I was supposed to visit my dad in Raleigh, but my flight was rerouted. Now it looks like no one's having a holly jolly Christmas."
"They're saying this is going to be quite a storm. My guess is we'll be snowed in for a few days," Oliver said. His gaze shifted to the people in the line, who were still arguing with the attendant over available accommodations. "Hotels are booked up, huh?"
"Travelers are getting off the roads, too. There's a hostel near here that might be a little better than what the airline has left."
"Or you could just stay with me," he offered. "My assistant booked the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf a few minutes ago."
Of course Oliver could get the Presidential Suite on such short notice on a major holiday. She wondered if it had been empty or if they'd moved someone to another suite in order to accommodate one of the world's wealthiest CEOs.
Chloe looked at the photos on her phone again. The hostel would be fine though probably very lacking in Christmas cheer. "I'll be okay at the hostel. I don't want to put you out."
"Chloe, you'd be keeping me company, not putting me out. It's Christmas Eve – I'm not leaving you alone at the airport or dropping you off at some crappy hostel." When she still hesitated, he added, "I guarantee that the suite will be decorated for Christmas. You'll have your own bedroom and bathroom, and the restaurant has some of the best food in the city."
Well, that settled it. Chloe smiled and shook her head. "Okay, okay. I admit it sounds better than sharing a room with a stranger or fighting over bathroom privileges." She noticed the two women ahead of her had been listening in and were now looking at her with envious expressions. Even if they didn't recognize Oliver, he was still a handsome man saving her from economy motel hell and whisking her off to the Waldorf with promises of Christmas decorations, private suites and gourmet dining. In this situation, the only thing missing was his white horse.
She allowed him to take her carryon bag, and they began walking towards the exit.
"Any other luggage?" he asked.
"No. You?"
"My crew already took my luggage to the car," he said, confirming he was traveling on his private jet.
The car turned out to be an SUV that would withstand the weather conditions much better than a limo. Oliver greeted his personal driver as Chloe slid into the back. She nearly moaned out loud at the plush, heated leather seats. There was also a blanket, and she wasted no time wrapping herself up like a burrito.
Oliver followed a couple of minutes later. He grinned when he saw her. "Warm enough there, Sidekick?"
"The rich really do live different lives, and I'm one hundred percent okay with that right now," she told him. "I'd offer to share the blanket, but I dread unwrapping."
"I don't really feel the cold as much as you do, anyway. Muscle mass," he reminded her. "I'm more than happy to share body heat if it comes to that."
Chloe bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at his flirtatious tone. "Down, Romeo."
Oliver had been flirting with her for months. Their banter had become such an intrinsic part of their relationship that she wasn't even sure when it had started. She felt another surge of heat when he reached out and tucked her blanket a bit more snugly around her legs, squeezing her knee briefly.
When he pulled out his phone and called the hotel, she was surprised to hear him requesting that the suite be decorated for Christmas.
"Any color preferences?" he asked her. When she shook her head, he asked that they use a complementary color scheme before disconnecting the call.
She raised a brow. "I thought you said the rooms are already decorated for Christmas."
"No, I said I could guarantee the suite would be decorated for Christmas," he corrected her. "With this traffic, it will take us more than an hour to get there. It'll be done by then."
"I mean, you aren't just doing it for me, right? You don't have to go to any extra trouble, Oliver. I'm happy enough just not being alone."
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. The last thing she wanted was to sound like she was indulging in a pity party. When she looked over at Oliver, he was staring at her thoughtfully.
"No Clark Express to get you home in time for eggnog and carols around the tree?" He kept his voice low so that the driver couldn't hear.
Chloe shrugged and looked away. "He and Kara are visiting Martha in Washington, and Lois and Lucy are there with Uncle Sam. I can't just arrive in Raleigh now that the flights are grounded, so…"
She waited for him to state the obvious – that she could join her family in Washington if she really wanted to. It wouldn't take Clark long to come for her, after all, and she doubted her uncle would question how she'd arrived since the D.C. airports had just closed that morning. But last she heard, Jimmy was going to stay there with Kara for a few days before going to see his family. Chloe had a feeling that her presence would just make things uncomfortable, and now that Lois and Clark were dating, there'd be no way to avoid the group gathering.
"To answer your question, I don't usually bother with decorating just for me," he admitted. "I go to mass and I light a candle for my parents, and then I jet off somewhere warm until New Year's."
"Where to this year?" she asked curiously. She wondered if he'd planned to invite someone to join him.
"Hawaii," he said. "Ever been?"
"Yeah, I've barely left Kansas," she replied, laughing. "Maybe one day."
"Feel free to tag along," he said.
His offer surprised her. "I'm sure you're meeting people, though, right?"
He shrugged. "Not really. There will be people there that I know, and I've received a few party invites, but I feel like keeping it low key this year."
Low key wasn't how she'd describe Oliver under most circumstances, but she kept that thought to herself as she wondered what had been going on with him lately. Between moving out of the dorms after graduating in June and settling into her tiny new apartment, not to mention ending things with Jimmy, she'd had less time to spend on JL related projects.
She'd hit the ground running on assignments given to her by her editor, Perry White, and she scored her first front page article in September. Oliver sent flowers and a congratulatory note, and she helped out with a mission in October, but she hadn't seen or spoken to him since then.
"I haven't heard much from you lately. All quiet or is business just keeping you busy?"
"A little of both. Victor is keeping an eye on a couple of things, but I've been knee deep in paperwork lately. These meetings in New York were to finalize my purchase of Cooperton Electronics."
"I read about that," she said. "So, Cooperton is officially under the Queen umbrella now?"
"All done," he confirmed. "Old Cooperton drove a hard bargain, and I admit I let him have a little fun with it since it was his last negotiation. It's really a shame his son wasn't interested in the family business."
That sounded like Oliver. She knew he had a lot of respect for self-made men like Cooperton, and she bet they both had a little fun with the negotiation. When she heard a beeping noise coming from her bag, she reluctantly pulled one of her hands free from the blanket and pulled her phone out. She smiled when she saw the message from Lois.
Lois: Merry Christmas! Wish you were here! Tell Uncle Gabe I said hello.
She tapped out a holiday greeting of her own and slipped the phone back into her bag. Her fingers brushed against Oliver's hand as she moved her bag over.
"Wow, you weren't kidding about being cold." He grasped her hand before she could move it back under the blankets and held it between his much larger ones. "You need some of those hand warmers I use in the field."
She watched as he rubbed her hand briskly. She definitely felt a lot warmer now. When he let go and motioned for her other one, she switched hands without even a token protest. "People who don't feel the cold aren't normal."
"It's all about body mass and blood circulation. Better?"
She nodded and pulled away from him, pausing when he ran his thumb over her bare ring finger. But he released her without comment, and she wrapped her hands back in the blanket. She wasn't even sure if he'd heard about her engagement, so she'd never mentioned it being called off. She wondered how he found out.
"I saw Lois the last time I was in Metropolis," he said. "She said that you and Jimmy were engaged but called it off."
Chloe shrugged and looked out the window. They were moving at a slow crawl, bumper to bumper on the slick roads leading back into the city. "It's for the best. There's a lot I can't tell him, and we argued a lot about my work at ISIS. The real irony is that he's sort of dating Kara now. I'm not sure that has a better shot all things considered."
"Realistically I'd say no. But I guess that explains why you don't want to go to D.C."
"He's there with her," she confirmed. "I don't think it's too serious yet, but I'm not looking to be the awkward tagalong since Lucy brought her new boyfriend."
"I can understand that."
She thought about the headlines she often saw – Oliver at parties and business functions, usually with a different woman on his arm each time. "Yeah, I'm sure you'd know all about being the awkward tagalong," she muttered, unable to hide the sarcastic edge to her tone.
"I know a little something about being alone. You more than anyone know how deceiving the tabloids can be."
It wasn't a self-pitying statement, but she felt a pang of guilt over her snarky tone. She turned towards him and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just… out of sorts lately. I don't even begrudge Kara and Jimmy spending time together because it was my decision to call off our engagement. I still care about him. I always will. But not enough, if that makes sense." She had to admit Lois was right about that.
"I get it."
He didn't elaborate, but she guessed he was thinking of how he and Lois had called it quits. He'd been the one to walk away the first time, and it was Lois' decision after she found out he was the Green Arrow. Later, Lois said that they were better as friends and there didn't seem to be any bitter feelings between them now. Since Chloe knew they sometimes met for lunch when Oliver was in Metropolis, she assumed Oliver felt the same way.
Rather than going through the main lobby when they arrived at the Towers, they were met by hotel staff in the private garage. Chloe held onto her laptop and handbag but left her suitcase with Oliver's luggage as she followed him to the private elevator. There was no check-in, meaning his assistant had likely handled that as well.
"Is your assistant here?" she asked curiously. Chloe had met the woman once a few months ago, when she stopped at his office to pick up a flash drive.
He shook his head. "My business meetings were finished three days ago. I wanted to go over a few things with my VPs here at the New York office before I left, but I sent her back yesterday so she could be with her family today. She's been handling things by phone this morning."
The Presidential Suite was on the 35th floor of the Towers, and Chloe tried not to stare in awe as they entered the suite. The foyer alone was half the size of her apartment. Just as Oliver promised, the suite was tastefully decorated for the holidays, with one tree in the foyer and another in the main living room.
The manager was there to personally greet Oliver and assure them that they were fully prepared for the storm. The porter arrived with their luggage and disappeared down the hall, where she assumed the bedrooms were located. Within minutes he was back and Oliver walked with them to the door.
Chloe wandered around the living room. She was almost afraid to touch anything because it all looked expensive, from the artwork to the Georgian style furnishings. A small plaque on the blue upholstered rocking chair near the fireplace caught her attention – it had once belonged to John F. Kennedy. She ran a tentative finger across the fabric.
"You can sit in it. It won't break."
She turned to look at Oliver. "Have you stayed here before?"
He nodded as he joined her. "A couple of times. It's not really my first choice. It's too big for one person, and I prefer a more modern design. But I like the history of this place – presidents have stayed here, and they've all donated items, from this rocking chair to the wall sconces and some of the books."
She'd noticed the photos of presidents lining the walls in the foyer. She could probably spend a few hours just looking at everything in the large suite. "Don't you have an apartment in New York?"
"I do. It's being renovated, so I stayed in an executive suite near the Queen Industries offices this week. But if I'm going to be snowed in, I'd rather have access to hotel amenities, and St. Patrick's is close by."
Chloe followed Oliver through the suite as he gave her the tour. The living room was formal but the sofas looked comfortable. There were plenty of books to choose from, many of which seemed to be first editions, and there was a flat screen television. The dining room was painfully formal, as were the bedrooms with their crystal chandeliers. Still, she'd be weathering the storm in comfort, and she wouldn't be facing the next few days alone.
Oliver left her in her private suite to freshen up. Since she'd probably be there for a couple of days, she unpacked her small suitcase and put away her clothes before placing her toiletries in the bathroom. She eyed the tub appreciatively, grateful that she'd be able to have a hot bath later. There were plenty of soft towels, and the marble countertops held candles and Guerlain spa products.
In the bedroom she sat on the bed and then fell back with a moan of pleasure. She hadn't slept well this week due to a lumpy hotel room mattress. That wasn't going to be a problem here - the mattress felt like a dream, and the linens were of the highest thread count. There were fresh orchids on each nightstand, and she lay quietly for a few minutes until the tension began to drain away.
When she went in search of Oliver, she found him in the kitchen. He was peering into the refrigerator, which looked like it had been fully stocked. He'd also changed out of his suit and was now dressed much more casually in jeans, a white button down shirt, and a brown leather jacket.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, looking up as she entered. "They stocked the kitchen for us but I was thinking we could go downstairs for brunch and stay in tonight."
"That's fine," she replied. She'd also changed clothes, opting for a nicer pair of jeans and her favorite plum colored sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. It wasn't designer but she thought she'd blend in well enough.
They had brunch in the Peacock Alley Restaurant downstairs off the main lobby. Under ordinary circumstances she'd insist on paying, but there was no way her budget could withstand the hit of Waldorf restaurant prices, and she didn't want to be weird about something she knew was no big deal for Oliver. While she started with mini bagels and cream cheese, she couldn't help being tempted by the delicious aroma of Oliver's lobster bisque.
Noticing her interest, he smiled. "Tell you what – you hand over a couple of those mini bagels and I'll share my soup."
They sat closely together in the private booth, sharing food and talking. It was surprisingly intimate but not awkward. After finishing her eggs benedict and a small portion of the famed Waldorf salad, she refilled her coffee cup and eyed the dark chocolate fountain that had been calling her name since she walked in.
What the hell – it's not like she'd ever pretended to be like any of the delicate, willowy women that hung off Oliver's arm in the society pages. Chloe put a small selection of fruit on a plate and added a small dish of the chocolate before rejoining Oliver at the table.
Using the small fork to spear a strawberry slice, she dipped it in the chocolate and held it out to Oliver. When he shook his head, she shrugged and popped the bite into her mouth. She felt a bit of the chocolate on her upper lip and licked it off.
Oliver was staring at her, a strange expression on his face.
Thinking she had more chocolate on her mouth, she licked her lips again. "Are you sure you don't want any?"
"No, I'm good," he said.
He signaled the waiter and requested more coffee and a newspaper, which he read while Chloe finished her fruit. They lingered over coffee and shared sections of the newspaper, discussing everything from current events to business.
When they got back to the room, Oliver walked over to the window. It had begun to snow, and the wind whistled and howled through the alleys below, but the full force of the storm wasn't expected to hit until later that night.
"I think it's better if I go the church now, before the weather gets worse," Oliver said.
"Okay."
He went to his room and returned with a heavy coat and gloves.
"Do you…" she paused, wondering if she was overstepping. "I could come with you."
He smiled at her. "I'd like that."
Chloe walked quietly around the chapel, admiring the architecture and the beautiful stained glass windows that filtered the winter sunlight. Oliver was still at the front. He'd lit his candle and had been standing there for the past ten minutes with a photo of his parents. He didn't speak, but she felt certain he was talking to them.
She sat in one of the pews and waited. A few minutes later, he joined her.
"I know the holidays must be hard for you," she said gently. "I don't want to pry but if you need to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks," he said. "It's better than it used to be, but yeah – it's always been hard without them. Sometimes I just wonder what they would think of what I've done. Of what my life is like now."
"You're a good man, Oliver, one who's done a lot for people. I'm sure that they'd be really proud of you."
Oliver reached out and took her hand. Her stomach squirmed when he laced their fingers together.
"They would have liked you," he told her. "Thanks for coming with me."
Chloe smiled at him. "You're welcome."
They stopped at St. Bartholomew's on the way back to the hotel. The church ran a women's shelter and a soup kitchen, and Chloe realized it wasn't Oliver's first visit as she listened to him speaking with the director.
"We really appreciate the donations, Mr. Queen." Mrs. Nelson was a no nonsense woman in her fifties, but like most women, she seemed to soften around Oliver, and she was smiling at him fondly.
"Do you have everything you need?" Oliver asked. "We'll probably all be snowed in for a couple of days, at least. I'm happy to send a driver to pick up additional supplies while the roads are still passable."
"I would really appreciate that," Mrs. Nelson told him. "I was making a list before you arrived so I could figure out how to ration everything. We're completely full – we don't even have enough cots for everyone."
When Oliver raised a brow in her direction, Chloe nodded to let him know she was fine on her own for a few minutes. She walked down the hall to a large, open room that had been filled with cots. Several volunteers were passing out blankets and helping those who had just arrived to settle in.
"We usually deal more with women who are escaping abusive situations, but because of the storm, we're taking overflow from some of the other shelters," one of the women explained when Chloe asked how she could help. "We're still trying to separate them as best we can, grouping women with children together. If you could just walk around and make sure they've all signed my list and that we have their dependents listed, that would be great. It's going to be a tight fit and we'll have to ration supplies pretty carefully."
Chloe did as she asked, walking around the room and speaking with each woman, noting dependents and any medical issues as they talked. One woman named Meg looked on the verge of a panic attack, and Chloe sat with her the longest. She was only a couple of years older than Chloe. She had a baby that couldn't have been more than a month old, and her other two children, Ben and Anna, were two and six.
Chloe was finished listing the new arrivals, so she sat in the floor and played a game with the two older children while Meg breast fed the fussy infant, who finally calmed down. Ben was now sitting in Chloe's lap while she braided Anna's hair.
"There," Chloe told the little girl. Pulling a small mirror from her bag, she handed it over. "Better?"
"Thanks, Miss Chloe," she said, her expression a little shy.
"You're welcome," Chloe replied softly. When she looked up, she saw Oliver leaning against the door frame, smiling at her.
The kids moved back a little warily when they noticed who she was looking at. "That's my friend, Oliver. Don't worry. He's really nice."
Oliver approached slowly, careful to keep a healthy distance. She also noticed that he'd relaxed his posture – she supposed it was a way of making himself seem as unthreatening as possible. "We should probably get going, Chloe. The roads are getting worse."
"Okay," she said. Turning back to Meg, she hesitated. Then she pulled one of her cards from her bag. "Metropolis is a long way from New York, Meg. If you decide you really want a fresh start, I'll do what I can to help."
Meg pressed her lips together uncertainly, her eyes darting between Chloe and Oliver. After a moment she took the card. "Thank you."
When Anna held out the mirror, Chloe shook her head. "You can keep it."
"Will you come back when it stops snowing?" Anna asked.
"Anna…" Meg began, looking embarrassed.
"No, it's okay," Chloe assured her. "I'm not sure how long I'll be in New York, but I promise to come see you again, at least once, when the storm is over." She patted Ben's head and smiled at them again before walking over to join Oliver.
Once they were outside in the car, she said, "Please tell me that they're going to have enough supplies to get through the storm because I'm suddenly feeling really guilty about my king size bed and marble tub."
"They'll have what they need and then some," he confirmed. "The drivers are already on their way back – food, blankets, and a few Christmas surprises for the kids."
She sighed in relief.
"Do you think she'll actually contact you?" Oliver asked curiously.
"I don't know. She's only two years older than me – no education, no job, an ex-con husband who just got of jail a year ago and is probably headed back soon. I felt like I needed to try, if that makes sense."
"Chloe Sullivan, out to save the world," Oliver said. He reached for her hand and squeezed it.
"Look who's talking," she told him with a laugh.
Back in their suite, Chloe finally got through to Gabe and explained that she was stuck in New York but that he shouldn't worry since she was with a friend. Then they prepared dinner together – pan seared salmon fillets with jasmine rice and fresh salad. Chloe was surprised to see a fruit plate and some of the chocolate from the fondue fountain when she went to get the wine from the fridge.
"I could tell you liked it," Oliver said when she asked him about it.
After dinner they cleaned up and Chloe went to take a bath. The marble tub was a slice of heaven, and she soaked until her fingers started pruning up. Wishing she'd brought the new satin pajama and robe set Lois gave her as an early Christmas gift, she eyed the fresh pajamas the staff had laundered and delivered back to her room while they were away.
Oliver was on the sofa, flipping channels in search of a movie when Chloe came back out wearing her Star Wars pajamas. The matching pants, camisole and hoodie were light purple and featured a dark Sith lord wearing a sleeping cap and carrying a cup of coffee. Paired with her bunny slippers, she felt confident it was a first for the Presidential Suite.
Not bothering to hide his grin when he saw her, Oliver read the words on her hoodie. "I woke up on the dark side of the bed, huh? I think you're onto something with Star Wars and bunny slippers though."
"You're just jealous that your pajamas aren't as cool as mine," she replied with a raised brow. She walked over to the window and stared out at the lights of the city piercing the darkness. The street lamps illuminated the swirling snow that now blanketed the streets and sidewalks outside. When she felt Oliver walk up behind her, she said, "Hey, Ollie? Thanks. I'm glad I'm not alone."
He squeezed her shoulder. "I should be thanking you because this day has been a lot more enjoyable with you here, trust me. Ready for that movie? I found a Christmas marathon if you're interested."
She nodded and followed him back to the sofa.
A/N – I found this fic when I was looking for my flashback files for Into the Dark, which I plan to update later this week. I'm not sure exactly when I wrote it, but I think it must have been a while ago since it's a Christmas fic and I really don't remember it. Based on the word count, I think it'll be 3 chapters, so it's a short one. And it's finished, so I'll post the next part in a couple of days after I read over it. Hope you enjoy it!