Title: The Other Side
Author: cara410 (therealcaramel) and kachica (yotb0ka)
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: PG-13 (subject might change)
Disclaimer: We don't own anything. Everything belongs to their respective owners.
Summary: When hope was gone in a world with no Superman, they decided to take justice in their own hands. CHLOLLIE. AU inspired by Luthor episode.

Chapter 1

It had been two months since Lois and him had broken off their engagement. Now that he thought about it, he realized that they probably would have gone on with their wedding plans hadn't Ultraman started his terror show in Metropolis.

Ultraman, like the tyrant he was, had made them realize that they'd first have to fight for their city if they really wanted a future together.

Lois and him were a great team, had always been. That was one thing he had loved about them.

Indeed, after spending much time researching together, they had discovered his weakness. Paperwork in one of the Luthor facilities had made them learn about a green rock Lionel Luthor had been stacking in mass in a small town called Smallville. He had thought about it being some kind of weapon of mass destruction. Only God knew what the Luthors were really capable of.

But when he had gotten one of the rocks tested, his scientists had assured him that it wasn't toxic, not a threat as far as they knew. Surprisingly, they had also told him that the rocks weren't from Earth. And that the green rock had somewhat reacted with Ultraman's blood sample he had once provided them.

He hadn't been sure of what it really meant, or if Clark Luthor even knew about the rocks' existence… But he knew what Lionel was capable of against his own blood. Lex Luthor had been an unfortunate victim of his ties to that despicable man.

He had no doubt that Lionel would want some kind of defense against his son, if ever Clark decided to start thinking for himself. The green rocks had only been a lucky guess. He had only recently tested that theory, which had proven itself to be right.

Still, while he had been busy focusing on their fight against Ultraman, Lois had been faster to catch up on another realization. Lois and him made a terrific team, had been working fantastically as snoops, there was no denying that. They also got along terribly well as friends, were sexually compatible, but there had always been that something lacking in their relationship.

Yeah, they weren't in love with each other. Had never been. Sure, they did love each other, but not in the way it mattered.

They were just settling for each other.

He had wanted to deny it, but had soon realized that it was useless. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit that the decision to ask her to marry him had been more of a logical step in the progression of their relationship than a matter of heart. Lois was right.

He had asked for some time away from her. She had understood, like always. They had agreed on continuing their research separately, exchanging notes with each new piece of information they'd collect. It had been working out pretty well, so far.

Becoming one of the city's less liked citizens had admittedly been a little bump in his pride, though. He had been forced to close down two facilities, laying off thousands of workers, in order to get the money he needed for his plan. After all, those green rocks seemed to only be available where Lionel had been stacking them up, and he needed them badly, even if he had had to use less than legal methods to obtain them. Lois wouldn't agree with his methods if he told her how he had acquired the rocks, and that knowledge made him thankful that they had agree to put some distance between each other.

The less she knew about how he had fallen into the grey - how he had had to, in order to deceive the Luthors - the better.

He liked to think that maybe, at the end of all this, when they had taken care of Ultraman, people would recognize all he had done for them, and he'd be able to face his reflection in the mirror. But he had to remind himself that, in any case, he wasn't doing it for recognition, no, he was doing it for his city, for his planet.

Thanks to Lois's contacts, they had recently succeeded, anonymously, getting the news about Ultraman's Achilles' heel out. And had been able to provide the inhabitants with green rocks to protect themselves from Ultraman. That had slowed him down a bit, while they were still trying to look for a way to get rid of him permanently.

What he hadn't expected was Lionel learning about how he had acquired the rocks. Though he had had no direct contact with him, he had instantly connected the dots when he became the victim of too many unfortunate and almost fatal accidents for them to really be coincidental. He knew that it could only have been the oldest Luthor; Ultraman would have been less subtle.

It was actually at one of Luthor's several attempts at his life that he first saw her. A petite and seemingly fragile blonde who had more in her little self than met the eye. He hadn't seen her face, thanks to her black sunglasses that she was wearing at night, but he could have bet that a body as gorgeous as hers had to hold a pretty face. Dressed in tight black jeans and an equally tight black shirt, he hadn't been able to ignore her body; she had curves in the all right places, though admittedly, in his situation he should have been more interested in saving his own life than checking her out.

He had been as perplexed as he had been amazed by her. She had singlehandedly taken out the two guys who had cornered him. And then, she had left without a word.

Who was she? Why was she doing this? Didn't she know that being a vigilante was against the law?

Then again, who was he to talk? What he was doing with Lois wasn't exactly 100% lawful either… He had to do something, though.

He hadn't expected to see her again. He had wanted to though, and had began hoping, since he knew that she was also fighting the good fight, that they'd cross paths again.

If anything, for him to give her his thanks. She had saved his life, after all.

He hadn't expected her to come knocking at his door two days later. With no black outfit and no sunglasses this time, he had almost not recognized her. He probably wouldn't have, if not for his mind, which had been replaying his encounter with her in loop. He'd now recognize that body anywhere.

He felt himself smiling as he saw her face, through the security camera, as he buzzed her in. She had the kind of smile that could light up a whole room, had the most amazing green eyes he had ever seen. He'd been right. She had a pretty face. Pretty being an understatement, naturally.

He wanted to laugh at his own thoughts. He was smitten and he didn't even know her name. He didn't even know what she was doing there, at his place.

The smile faded when she entered the room though. Before he had the time to ask, she had already introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Lois's cousin. I came to pick up a pair of shoes she swears she's forgotten here. She'd have come herself, but her job is keeping her busy."

His gaze dropped. He tried to compose himself, taking in what she had just said.

Lois's cousin. Yeah, so, she was definitely off-limits.

He tried to ignore that sudden hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach and extended his arm, offering his hand.

"Oliver Queen," he said stiffly.

"Chloe Sullivan," she replied, with a small smile, shaking his hand.

He led her to his room, to the box where he kept Lois's stuff, in silence, not really knowing what to tell her. Hadn't she recognized him from the other night? Was she pretending she hadn't?

She was kneeling at the box, checking if it was the right shoe, when he finally figured that was his only chance of thanking her.

"You saved me the other night. I never had the opportunity to thank you… So, thanks."

She froze at his words with the shoe in her hands falling back into the box with a small thud.

He smiled at her reaction. So, she probably hadn't realized who she had saved on that night.

"How did you…?" she asked, as she turned her head around and looked up at him.

She didn't have to complete her sentence for him to understand what she meant.

He shrugged.

"Well, let's just say that I have a good eye…" he started, not being able to admit that in fact, she had caught his eye. "And, no offense intended, but your disguise is not exactly the best out there. A little more color wouldn't hurt. I'd bet green would fit you alright."

"Oh," she replied, dropping her gaze. "I really hadn't…" she started saying as he also started speaking.

"How come I've never met you when I was with Lois?"

She stopped and answered his question.

"Long story, short… I've been abroad working a lot, in a lot of different countries."

He nodded at her explanation.

"What do you do exactly besides saving damsels in distress like me?"

She laughed at this and answered, "This is pretty much what I do for a living…"

Oliver looked at her, amused.

"I'm just kidding!" she added quickly, giving him one of her warm smiles.

"OK."

"I'm a journalist…"she continued, more seriously. Her eyes had become guarded, seemingly fixed on something far away. "I've…I've had to come back here after hearing about Ultraman and what happened to the Luthors…"

She didn't offer more and he didn't push for it. He didn't want to pry but he suspected she must have wanted to return after learning about Lex's death.

"Why do you…?" he trailed, not knowing whether he should really ask her about her nightly activities.

"I'm just trying to do something for this city," she still replied, knowing he would have asked her about her reasons.

"We are more alike than I thought."

She looked up at him, but said nothing for a long time.

"I guess so," she eventually replied. "I've heard about what you're doing against Ultraman."

He didn't ask her how. He knew Lois hadn't said a word about what they were doing to anyone. He also knew that the woman in front of him was resourceful enough to learn about it on her own.

"I have friends…" she continued. "We'd like to help."

TBC