Title: Life as We Know It
Pairing: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois
Summary: Somethings in life can never be planned for.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: This fic is loosely based on the Katherine Heigl/Josh Duhamel movie "Life as We Know It".

:::

Preface
Lois Lane's POV

This story is about two of my closest friends. Well one of them is more like a sister to me. I grew up with her, she's my baby cousin. Well my only cousin. My Mom was an only child and Dad and his sister, my aunt Moira were raised army brats. Their dad was a three-star General too.

Aunt Moira left home as soon as she was legal and never looked back. She and Dad didn't really keep in touch, but when Mom died, they got close again. I think Dad wouldn't have known what do to with us if it weren't for Uncle Gabe and Aunt Moira. Dad was able to return the favor when Aunt Moira got sick and left. Chloe didn't understand, and neither did I really at the time. She hadn't looked sick to us. She just, well disappeared.

So we got each other through our elementary and high school years, survived puberty, cruel clicks and stupid boys. We both went to MetU and that's where I met Clark, who I'd already heard a lot about from Chloe when she stayed for summers with us.

We couldn't be more opposite but there was something about him, his old school charm, those baby blues that I find terribly hard to resist and that cute farm-boy grin. He couldn't be more hick if he tried, but he just fit right in and our awesome pair, became a trio of trouble.

It wasn't till we started dating that I learned my country boy, wasn't your average man. It wasn't the curious disappearances or Chloe's plausible, yet too frequent excuses covering for him either that peaked my reporter's instincts, no, it was when he kissed me after one of his many saves as Superman, probably lost in the moment, relieved I was safe, forgetting that he wasn't Clark to me, the Clark that he'd always shown me anyway. After all, a kiss is like a fingerprint. Everyone has their own distinct way and Clark, well let me tell you, Clark can literally sweep a girl of her feet and make her tingle from head to toe.

If I'd waited for him to come out and tell me, I might still be waiting. Instead I called him on it the second he was back as his mild-manner-alter-ego and the rest is history. So my guy is both Superman, World's Greatest Superhero, and Clark Kent, regular-joe city reporter. I love them both. Married them both and I'm probably the happiest, luckiest woman alive. And I want that for my cousin. I want that for Chloe. I know she let Clark go a long time ago, but even though she gave us her blessing before we officially started dating in college, I know she still wishes, sometimes, that it could have been them instead of us instead. Not that she still loves him that way, but I know she wants what we have.

So I see these two blond heads in my living room, sitting on the floor playing with my six-month-old daughter the idea comes together all on its own. Clark and I still haven't gotten around to making our Will but looking at Elara, I know it's on the top of my to-do list.

My first attempt at getting these two stubborn, workaholics, jaded by past love and family tragedy to notice each other failed miserably. The second was even worse. If only they could see themselves through my eyes. They're so alike it's scary. So they might not have exactly the same goals or even like the same things, but inside, what makes them tick; I haven't seen two people that fit so well, oh well there's Clark and I but even our Yin and Yang needed help meeting in the beginning.

I nod to myself right then and there, that this is the answer. They don't know it yet, but they have just become Elara Martha Kent's godparents. Like it or not, they're stuck with each other. Once we get it in writing and I present them with the legal document, as godparents they'll be obligated to be present for every birthday, developmental milestone and graduation. Not that I wouldn't have expected them to be anyway. Even though Oliver lives in Star City, he visits the Metropolis branch of his company frequently and always makes time to stop by. They'll come around eventually. My two best friends who are destined to be each others soul-mates.

Guess I didn't know then just how soon they'd have to raise to the challenge, and just how much that one little decision would change all our lives forever.

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Chapter 1

Chloe watched her cousin in the large dresser mirror. Jimmy was pulling double duty. He was the official camera man and a groomsman. He took pictures of the guys getting ready earlier, then drove over to the chapel bridal suite to take pictures of Lois and the girls getting ready. Lois was a ball of nervous energy, she was even more unsettled than she normally was. It wasn't that she had any doubts that she was marrying the man of her dreams, no, Chloe knew the real reason that Lois was fixing her veil and tiara for the fifth time. Lois wanted everything to be perfect, and she was so worried something was going to happen to ruin the day. Something along the lines of Superman having to deal with a critical crisis, having to pull out in the middle of their vows.

"Lois, breathe." Chloe walked over took the veil from her cousin's hands, and took both of them in her own. She meet Lois' eyes in the mirror. "Today is as important to Clark as it is to you. Nothing short of the world ending or this chapel falling down around us is going to keep him away from you. And I have a feeling that he might have even called in a favor with some of his superfriends to cover for him today. Now if I have to tie you down, so I don't have to do your hair for a second time, I will. You keep re arranging the combs and you're going to mess up your half up-do again. So please, take a deep breathe and let it out slowly. You look beautiful, the chapel looks like the foyer of the Bellagio and you're marrying your soul mate today."

At the last part, Lois beamed and Chloe smiled along with her. Lois squeezed her hands excitedly and let out a little happy squeal. She pulled Chloe down and hugged her tightly. Chloe chuckled at her bubbly enthusiasm and Lois reluctantly released her.

Lois tabbed her eyes with a tissue and looked at Chloe seriously. "I know when we were kids we promised we'd get married together and we'd only get married when we met our soul mates, but Chloe, if I waited for you, I think I'd be old and gray. The last semi-serious boyfriend you had we were in our freshmen year of college. All of your other guys haven't lasted more than three weeks.

"Can we please not discuss my non-existent love life today," Chloe said, rolling her eyes.

Lois squeezed her hand again. "What I'm trying to say is that he is out there, Chloe. Borrowing some wise words from a special lady I'm soon to call my Mom, sometimes you're just going around with your eyes closed. Stop looking for Mr. Perfect and let him find you."

"I haven't been looking, you know my work is important to me. Like I have the time to go man hunting."

Lois gave her a pointed look. "You know that's not what I meant. You have a list."

"I do not have a list," Chloe said incredulous.

"A mental list. Who said it was written down, Miss I-Have-A-Photographic-Memory. Has to be tall, cause you don't want your short genes to survive another generation."

Chloe stuck her tongue out at that. "It puts you in good stead to be taller than average and not shorter than average," Chloe pointed out.

"Has to have a college degree from one of the top ten universities in the country?" Lois continued, as though she hadn't spoke at all.

"So I have standards. It shows a level of commitment, both from the parents to have saved enough to send them to a good college, in which case they'll learn that trait by example, or they're just that self motivated and smart to have gotten there all there and worked through it all on their own."

"Must be passionate about a humanitarian charity..."

"That one is only because I met Dustin, who was passionate about abolishing GM foods. People are dying of starvation or AIDs every three seconds and he's worried about seeds that were tweaked in a lab. The FDA wouldn't allow it to hit markets if it was dangerous for human consumption. These people need food, and clean water, I'm sure they wouldn't care at all that it started out in less than natural circumstances."

Lois waved her hands in surrender. "I'm just saying, that you have criteria and you write guys off in the first five minutes of getting to know them if there's even just one little thing you don't think fits this mental image you have."

"I know no one's perfect, Lo. I just want someone who's not going to try to change me or who'll drive me crazy after a year." Like Clark, she added silently. She'd reconciled to the truth that they'd never be together, that her best friend just didn't see her that way, but it didn't make it hurt any less that he'd found his perfect match in her cousin. It would have been a lot easier to swallow if it had been some stranger she didn't know at all, and maybe if that relationship had meant they slowly grew apart, but he was marrying her cousin and she saw them everyday. They all worked in the same building, on the same floor and she even saw them sometimes on weekends. Love sucked. But she couldn't wish happiness for two more deserving people, and they really did compliment each other. Clark finally found someone who accepted every facet of him, not that she didn't, just someone he was interested in romantically.

Lois gave her a sympathetic look, as though reading her thoughts and Chloe felt more pitiful than before. She mustered up her brightest sincere smile. "I'm so happy you have each other, really. We've been over this so many times, it's getting old."

"I know, it'd just be easier if I knew you were happy too."

Chloe sighed. "Oh Lo, I am happy. I have my dream job. For as long as I can remember I always wanted to work under that gold spinning globe and become a Pulitzer winning journalist."

"And you got both," Lois said with a proud smile.

"Yeah I did," Chloe said straightening.

Lois stood and hugged her impulsively, blinking back more tears. Despite her bravado Lois knew that Chloe was lonely, although she'd never admit it to another living soul. "He'll show up, cuz. He'll show up and he'll sweep you off your feet. You won't know what hit you."

:::

Walking up the aisle to piano styling of Johann Sebastian Bach, Chloe suddenly felt completely unprepared to have every eye on her, and again found strength and confidence in the eyes of Clark Kent. He smiled at her warmly and she smiled back, finding she could make her feet move. Letting the music flow over her and ignoring the see of faces staring, she looked over the groomsmen. Lois had told her that Clark was handling everything to do with the guys, and she'd only picked the color of the ties to match the girls dresses; antique gold.

So Chloe almost missed a step when she saw the handsome face of one Oliver Queen.

He really was every bit as stunning as the gossip rags made him out to be. She made a point never to read trashy mags unless it was in the vein of necessary research. And usually she preferred to just go over the picture-less archive copies from online instead. So while she knew what he looked like and had seen his face in various business journals she'd read, it hadn't really prepared her at all to see him in the flesh. But one wink when they made eye contact sealed his fate in her book. One criteria Lois missed off Chloe's mental checklist, was humility, and Oliver Queen certainly didn't have that. He was a playboy and a charmer, who thought he could schmooze his way into a girl's pants or into a guy's bank account.

How on earth had he met Clark? During an interview? And not only were they more than passing acquaintances, the position Oliver had up there near Clark implied that they were probably very good friends as well. Personally, Chloe couldn't see what the two of them could have in common - but then the same could probably have been said about Lois and Clark as well. It was something she'd have to remember to ask him about later on.

All during the ceremony she tried not to keep her gaze drifting in his direction, but it's as though she could feel his eyes on her, so she couldn't help herself. Sure enough he was watching and she shifted, uneasy under his confident smile.

Later, at the while they took photos in the church gardens while they mingled before the wedding coordinator announced it was time for the wedding party to make their entrance into the marquee, he came over and introduced himself.

"So I hear you're the cousin of the bride, a very close cousin." He smiled that unnervingly charming grin. "Oliver Queen."

Chloe took his extended hand and shook it in courtesy. "I know," she said quickly. "Chloe Sullivan, I'm a reporter. I know anyone who's anyone - it's my job to know."

Oliver grinned and nodded again. "I know, and I won't hold it against you."

Chloe wrinkled her nose at him. "Got a thing against reporters? Kinda ironic considering you seem to be besties with two of Metropolis' finest."

Oliver followed her gaze to were Clark was dipping Lois and planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek for the cameras. "I was raised to never judge a book by its cover."

Before she could think of a retort to stop his attempt at schmoozing her in its tracks, Lois turned then and waved Chloe over. Saved by a Lane, she grinned. Not that Oliver wasn't very easy on the eyes and relatively pleasant to talk to, she knew his reputation with the ladies and the thought of become another notch on his belt as one of his many conquests didn't even blip on her wishlist.

If he was interested in talking with her, it certainly wasn't to offer the kind of exclusive that she wanted. She put her half empty champagne glass on a passing waiter's tray and hiked up her flowing long skirt. "Duty calls."

Bart watched Chloe head for Lois and Clark and chuckled. "I don't think she could get away from you fast enough. Losing your edge there, Ollie?"

Oliver glared at the younger man. How Clark suffered the man's impulsive nature escaped his understanding. "You know her?"

"Chloe? We're great! Met her in high school we've been friends ever since."

"Friends?" Oliver scoffed. He didn't think Bart was capable of having female friends. He was a serial flirt and it was almost impossible to take him seriously with how quickly his interest switched from one thing to another, whether it be jobs, places or even people.

"She's the love of my life, not that she believes me. If she did, I think we would have beaten Lois and Clark down the aisle."

Oliver who'd been taking a sip of his glass, choked, a little bit of the bubbly liquid entering his nose. Not his most charming moment. He dabbed at it with his sleeve and stared at Bart as if he'd truly lost his mind and watched him staring after Chloe fondly. The woman seemed oblivious to them both watching her, efficiently arranging Lois' train for a new pose and fixing her veil. Oliver had to admit, she was very pretty with one deliciously proportioned body, all womanly curves in this petite figure. He imagined his hands would almost span her waist. An image of her straddling his waist while his hands gripped her hips as she rode him hard flashed in his mind's eye and he swallowed uncomfortably. As though she'd sensed his thoughts, she looked in his direction, frowning. She probably noticed Bart's drooling too. That was at least his assumption until he saw her smile and offer a small wave in Bart's direction. It was Oliver's turn to scowl. When Chloe turned her attention back to the couple, Bart elbowed him.

"See, isn't she gorgeous."

Oliver snorted and went in search of a waiter for another drink. So Bart she did like, it was him she couldn't stand.

It came time for the bridal waltz and after the first number the rest of the wedding party were asked to join them. As Maid of Honor and Best Man, Chloe and Oliver were obligated to pair up. Considering the less than welcoming glance she spared him when he collected her from her chair, Oliver thought he'd have better luck dancing with one of the flower girls. And he was right. She was stiff in his arms, and she had kept a good half a foot between them. They might as well have been attempting a jive than a waltz.

"For someone who's never actually met me before, you seem to have developed an instant dislike for me."

Chloe sighed. "It's not... I'm not... Just usually I can figure people out right off the bat. Clark sees the good in everyone, he was friends with Luthor of all people once, so I can see why he might have befriended you."

"Gee, thanks," Oliver snorted. Being compared to Lex Luthor was close to a insult as you could get in his book.

"But Lois, Lois calls bullshit from a mile off, so there has to be something redeeming about you other than the many charities your company donates to and the ones your parents started."

"Wow, are you always this charming? But I guess I can see that blunt tact and the ability to cut a guy off at the knees is a family trait."

Chloe gave him a genuine smile. "The Lane gene comes pretty standard. My Dad's the goofiest, sweetest guy you'll ever meet. It sucks a little, because people tend to walk all over him a lot. You need a tough backbone to make it in any industry I guess. But what he lacks in confidence, he more than makes up for with hard-work and loyalty," she added, immediately feeling the need to defend him to a successful business man like Oliver Queen.

"If we were all cut throat there wouldn't be a lot of productivity, too many people would be trying to undermine each other to be the alpha dog."

Chloe nodded. "You're probably right."

Oliver flashed her his charming grin, and Chloe felt her stomach turn in knots again. The song ended and before he could thank her for the dance, a slender arm encircled his waist, surprising him.

"Oliver, babe, I'm stealing the next dance." A tall, vixen-like woman with model good looks, hooked her other hand around Oliver's neck and planted a sizzling kiss on his lips.

Chloe felt her stomach roll and she fought the urge to gag as it looked like the raven haired beauty stuck her tongue down his throat. She released his hand that still held hers loosely and fled back to the table with a muttered excuse. This was a wedding, not a teen prom, neither of them had any decency at least that was obvious. They were standing in the middle of the dance floor and she was practically plastered to his side, with their faces glued together. At least Oliver hadn't put his hands anywhere inappropriate, which couldn't be said for his PDA partner, she currently had both hands firmly groping his ass, which she rubbed up against him.

Chloe wrenched her gaze away and promptly downed a drink to rid the taste of acid in her mouth. So much for changing her opinion of him. The tabloids were right about one thing, he was a man-whore.

Lois looked over Clark's shoulder at the spot where Oliver and Chloe had been dancing hoping to spot them again. Watching them briefly she'd felt a twinge of nostalgia. They made such a good looking pair, they'd make adorably cute blonde babies. And honestly, she couldn't think of a better match for either of them, they were both determined, opinionated, hardworking, passionate people who both cared about revealing truth and bettering the world. Granted they did that in very different ways but their souls were perfectly mirrored. She was about to hint to Clark to take a look at them when she noticed that Chloe was no longer with him.

"Urgh, remind me again why Miss I-Walk-The-Runway-In-Milan scored an invite?"

"She's Bruce's date."

Lois rolled her eyes. "And where is Tall-Dark-And-Broody with a savior complex that rivals yours?"

Clark shrugged and smiled at his wife, before leaning close and nuzzling her neck. "Probably off saving the world."

"Well that's just fantastic, I can't even get angry at him for leaving his arm candy of the day to poach Chloe's man."

Clark straightened and raised an eyebrow at her, finally turning to see what she was nodding at.

"Looks like I have my work cut out for me," Lois sighed.

"Lo..."

"Seriously, Chloe and Oliver looked fantastic together."

Clark looked a bit uncomfortable with where this was going. "I don't think Oliver is Chloe's type."

"Nonsense! If anything, they're too alike."

Clark could sense this is one of those things where Lois is going to live up to her nickname Lois "Mad Dog" Lane - she's not going to give up until everyone else comes around to her way of thinking. He'll wave the white flag now and save himself any pain or undue stress, and just go along with her hair-brained schemes in which he's sure both Oliver and Chloe will turn on him for at some point in the near future.

Still, the wrath of one stubborn blonde, he's learned over the years can be pretty near as brutal as his new wife's. Maybe more so, because Chloe knows his weakness and has never been afraid to use it if necessary, whereas to Lois the mere mention of any form of meteor rock from his home planet will send her into a panic. "Maybe you should just talk to her first Lois, you know how well trying to set her up with anyone has worked for us in the past."

Lois scoffed. "Please, you tried to set her up with Pete in High School because you were too dense to notice that she was actually head over heels for you. But okay, I'll admit that I made a mistake trying to set her up with Todd, the jerk quarterback in college, that actually already had a girlfriend and was actually trying for a second on the side. I'm usually better at reading people, I think those baby blues and smooth talk did a number on my brain. Ollie's different, we know him. He's not perfect but my baby cousin is no angel either."

Clark arched an eyebrow at that.

"Oh please don't make me have to spell it out for you, Clark. Chloe's not pure as driven snow as you seem to think, after Jimmy there was Frank, and then Jameson, Denis the Asian Aid pilot and..."

"Okay, I get it," Clark scowled, not enjoying hearing how many men had been with his best friend, who he felt was more like a sister, whom he was also very protective of. He only knew these men in passing but he was sure they weren't worth enough to have been that serious with Chloe.

"And stop frowning. Chloe's a grown woman. With the life she lives, you can hardly expect her to sit at home waiting for Mr. Right to come knocking before she has any fun. Which is where Oliver comes into the picture." Lois smiled confidently. "Trust me, they'll be hitting it off in no time."

Which was why Chloe seemed to be making a concentrated effort to the avoid the vicinity where Oliver was, thought Clark dryly. "I hope you're right," was all he said though.