Overprotective
Rated: PG -13
Pairing: Oliver/Chloe
Disclaimer: I don't own Smallville
AN: I think I just have a thing for writing future married Chlollie. You can read this separately or you can read, "Happily Ever After" before this, since this fic happens 4 months after that one. Enjoy! I don't have a beta so the mistakes are all my own.
…..
They had been married for 4 months and Chloe was now 7 months pregnant. Currently, her feet were swollen to the size of grapefruits, she was so hormonal that one moment she was crying her eyes out and the next she was screaming at Ollie for something stupid. She felt horrible, looked like a whale and to top it all off she felt like her lower back was going to snap in half.
Instead of her usual stance at Watchtower, she had to be sitting with her feet up and a heat pack resting on her aching back. She couldn't work the long hours any more causing the rest of the JLA to take turns at Watchtowers post, which didn't please Chloe in the slightest. Not to mention she was limited to 8oz of Coffee a day and recently her heartburn had been so bad, she had to settle for a diet of water and non-stomach upsetting foods.
Secretly she knew Oliver was highly enjoying her current state of duress. He said it was strengthening her character and building her stamina. Chloe personally thought it would also be funny to shove one of his arrows up his cute little butt, but then thought better of it…he was her husband after all.
In the past few months, Oliver had become an overprotective and annoying pest. She could hardly move an inch without him finding something wrong with what she was doing, or trying to help her in any way possible. At first she thought it was cute, but it was getting to the point where she was going to cut his hands off and store them in a jar for when he really needed them. She loved him to pieces but he was hovering and she hated hovering.
"Chloe, you need to alternate the ice and the heat to prevent the swelling," Oliver said coming up behind her and removing her current heat pack to replace it with a cold one.
Chloe rolled her eyes and continued to type at the computer, helping Dinah locate something in an abandoned warehouse in Russia.
"Do you need anything, babe?"
"No," Chloe clipped.
"It's almost 10, you need to get home and into bed."
"Yes, father,' Chloe snarked.
"What's with the attitude?" Oliver asked, hurt evident in his voice.
Chloe stopped typing, looking at Oliver square in the eye, annoyance clear on her face.
"You're hovering."
"I'm not hovering."
"Yes…yes you are."
"I'm just looking out for you."
"And I'm trying to look out for you, because if you touch me one more goddamn time, I'm possibly going to hurt you very, very badly."
Oliver's jaw tightened, "Fine…if you don't want me here, I'm leaving."
"Good," She said turning back to her computer.
Not the answer Oliver was looking for, he faltered, his face almost looking at her in anguish. They rarely ever fought and as much as Oliver knew Chloe's hormones had been on overdrive lately he couldn't help but feel hurt by Chloe's current reactions.
Oliver grabbed his coat and as much as he wanted to drag Chloe home with him, he knew they both needed time to cool off. He would just have to confront her later, when they were both less on edge. He knew she was taking the pregnancy pretty hard, not that fact that she was pregnant, just that it changed the dynamic of the group.
Nobody wanted to see Chloe get involved in anything dangerous to her or the babies health, so they had been constantly watching her, making sure there was always someone with her if she wasn't at Watchtower. He also knew she was often sick in the mornings and she had to change her diet and sleeping habits completely to make sure their baby and she stayed healthy. He hated watching her suffer, but he also knew she was both enjoying her pregnancy and looking forward to the impending new Queen edition just like he was. There were ups and downs to this new experience, on top of that they were freshly married and living and working together full time. Everything was new and he knew Chloe was freaking out on the inside. He knew he was hovering but he was just looking out of her and he thought she understood that. However, Oliver knew he was just overreacting and things would be fine later when they lay in bed and talked things through, like they always did. Or so he thought.
…
Chloe sat at the computer rubbing her eyes tiredly. She was upset with Oliver and the team for being so overprotective but also upset with herself for being so rude to her husband. She knew he meant well and that he loved her and she truly hadn't meant to snap, but it was all becoming to much. She was going to have to tell Oliver that she was going to have to relinquish Watchtower duties until after the baby was born, she just wasn't feeling up to it anymore. The further she got along in her pregnancy she was beginning to realize she had been so absorbed in her work they weren't prepared for the baby and she was spending less and less time with Oliver.
Ever since they'd figured out Lex Luthor really wasn't dead, things in Metropolis had changed and Oliver was beside himself.
With Lex back on the radar and Chloe's past with Lex, she knew Ollie was afraid for her and the baby's safety. Oliver also didn't like how he and Chloe had become the local tabloid fodder in Star City. They were constantly being hounded by paparazzi and if he wasn't at her side when photographers were present it made him anxious.
The more Chloe thought about it, the more it upset her. She hadn't been fair to Ollie, he loved her and was worried about the baby and deep down everything he said and did was always right and in their best interest, she was just annoyed and stubborn.
Chloe helped finish Dinah's mission and logged off, leaving Victor to help Bart through another possible 33.1 location.
She smiled thinking about how she was going to try and make it up to Ollie for snapping at him earlier. Chloe walked to her car, opening the door, getting in and locking the doors. She reached for her cell phone and dialed Oliver's number, wanting to let him know she would be home soon.
"Hey," she heard him say sleepily into the phone.
"Hey," she said back.
However, before Chloe could get another word in, a white cloth covered her mouth, she tried to struggle and call out for Oliver but the person behind her was too strong. As she slipped into darkness, Chloe could hear Oliver's worried voice coming through her cell phone.
…..
Oliver was lying in bed, half-asleep and thinking about Chloe and hoping she would come home soon, when his phone rang her familiar ring.
"Hey," he said into the phone.
"Hey," she said back.
Suddenly he heard her struggling and a thud, which he assumed was her phone falling to the ground. His heart dropped into his chest and his breath stopped.
"CHLOE! CHLOE CAN YOU HEAR ME? CHLOE ANSWER ME!" Olive yelled into the phone.
He heard some more rustling before a male voice came over the line.
"If you ever want to see you're wife and your unborn child again, Mr. Queen, you'll listen very, very carefully."
"Let my wife go you sick fuck."
"You'll bring a copy of all your files on Lex Luthor as well as $10 million dollars to the Queen Industry docks, in exactly two hours. If you don't, Chloe Queen dies."
"You'll never get away with this."
"If you ever want your wife to give birth, you'll do as I say Mr. Queen."
"Why are you doing this?"
"I'm doing what I have to…two hours Mr. Queen. I'm only giving you two hours, and no cops, or this will all end very badly."
"I'll be there," Oliver choked.
As soon as the phone was down Oliver was on his way to Watchtower. When he arrived, the whole team including Clark and Lois were there.
Lois rushed to a grief stricken Oliver, enveloping him in a strong hug.
"Well get them back Ollie, you know we will."
All he could do was nod numbly, thinking about how he left things with Chloe, how the last thing she told him to do was leave. Things couldn't end like this, not now, not when there was a child involved…one he hadn't even met yet.
"Tell us everything Oliver," Clark encouraged.
"He didn't say he knew about the Justice League, he won't even know what hit him!" Bart said, squeezing his shoulder.
"Bart's right, Oliver, we'll get them back in no time."
Oliver nodded, but was numb. All he wanted was to have Chloe back, until then nothing would be right.
…..
Chloe woke up in some sort of warehouse that smelled strongly of fish and ocean. She was tied to a chair, her head was pounding and her back was throbbing.
"Good to see you're finally awake Mrs. Queen," A man said from in front of her.
Chloe let her eyes adjust to the dim light.
"What do you want from me?" Chloe asked, her throat dry. She looked at the man he didn't look in any way familiar to her. He was older, haggard and scared looking, not the way an evil man should look. He looked out of place in the captor position.
"It's simple really…I need information and money…You and Queen can supply me with what I need."
"And you had to capture a pregnant woman to make your point?" Chloe bit back at him.
"You were the perfect reason to get Queen rattled enough to give me what I want. You mean more to him than anything in this world and the information I want means everything to me. It was the perfect way to achieve my goal."
"What did you demand?"
"I'm going to expose Lex Luthor for the monster that he really is. And after I do, I'm going to find my wife and have what I should have had all along," the man said, the last part almost said dreamily.
"And what would that be?"
"Everything that you have right in front of you Mrs. Queen, a life…a child"
Chloe laughed, "So you would take away what someone else has…what you want, just to have it all for yourself? Twisted don't you think?"
"If he lost you, he could easily replace you! My wife is different, she was everything to me. We were going to have a family. Then Lex found out she was different, that she could transform into things other than herself and he took her away from me. HE TOOK EVERYTHING!"
"You didn't have to do this," Chloe told him. "I'm one of the good guys, we fight for people like you, we SAVE people like your wife, if you came to us we could have helped you."
"No….no…nobody ever wants to just help. You would have ignored me like every other reporter out there. I tried to expose Lex, I tired to find my wife but people think I'm crazy, he's erased her existence; I know she's out here. I know it and I won't rest until Luthor is exposed and I have my wife back."
"But why me? I don't even work for the Daily Planet anymore!" Chloe cried, a sharp pain pierced through her stomach, causing her to grown.
"I know everything about you Chloe Sullvian," he said calling her by her maiden name, "I know all the work you did for meteor freaks, how on more than one occasion you found yourself at the hands of Lex Luthor. I've read your old work and I know you know more about him than anyone. You were the only logical choice. The fact that you're the billionaire's wife is just a bonus."
"Please…I'm begging you. I'm not feeling well…my baby, I need you to let me go."
"I can't do that."
"Please, I'll help you find your wife. I promise you."
"No…I can't. Mr. Queen should be here soon and if he brings me what I want, you'll get to go. But not until he delivers."
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, her body pain spreading from head to toe because of her current position on the hard wooden chair. She was doing everything she could not to let her heightened sense of smell cause her to vomit all over herself.
…..
It didn't take long for the team to formulate the plan. They knew this man was acting alone and out of sheer stupidity so it didn't take a genius to know this mission would be a piece of cake. This man had no idea who he was dealing with when he messed with Chloe and Oliver Queen.
Oliver knew they'd get to Chloe but was worried about her and the baby. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and feel their baby kick against her stomach.
"You ready?" Clark asked.
Olive nodded.
"Let's get her back," Clark said.
At exactly 2AM, Oliver made his way with a briefcase containing money in it, to the unknown mans location.
When he entered the warehouse and saw his pregnant wife tied to a chair, her face riddled with pain and what he could only guess was annoyance, Oliver's blood boiled.
"Mr. Queen," the man said, coming to stand in front of him, "I knew you would come."
"Chloe –" Oliver said, taking a step towards her.
"Not so fast Queen," the man said withdrawing a gun from his breast pocket and pointing it at Oliver.
"I'm fine, Ollie," Chloe said, trying her best to smile.
"Here's your money and the files, take it and leave," Oliver spat.
"Not so fast there, speedy. I need to make sure its all here."
"You can't be serious!" Oliver cried, his feet itching to move towards Chloe.
The man cocked the gun towards Chloe, shooting it just to the side of her, causing Chloe to scream and Oliver to cry out.
Before anyone could blink Clark ran through, knocking the man out and tying him up.
Oliver ran to Chloe, untying her hands. She immediately pressed her body into Oliver's letting his warm embrace take her over.
She sobbed into his chest, the feeling of relief and happiness rushing through her.
"God Chloe, I was so scared he shot you."
"I'm fine, I'm fine…I'm so sorry, so sorry, Ollie," she kept chanting into his neck, "I didn't mean what I said, I'm so sorry."
"I know baby, I know, I'm sorry too, never again, I love you, god I love you," Oliver cried into her, rocking her back and forth.
Soon Clark deposited the man called John Matthew's off at the police station and Bart brought Chloe and Oliver to the hospital so Chloe could get checked out.
"Well…you're blood pressure's a bit high and you seem to have pulled a back muscle which is probably the sharp pain you felt earlier. I'm putting you on strict bed rest for the next two weeks, and I'm giving you a few supplements to take," Emil said, handing Oliver a few bottles.
"Two weeks?" Chloe asked.
"You're lucky it isn't for the rest of your pregnancy, Chloe."
She nodded, as Oliver squeezed her hand tightly.
"Go home, get some rest," Emil said, leaving them alone.
…
Later Oliver drew a bath for Chloe so she could stop smelling fish everywhere. She ordered Victor to burn their clothes and take out all fish smelling products within a 5 mile radius of them for the rest of her pregnancy. AC tried to act like he took offense but he knew she didn't mean any ill thoughts towards him or his fish friends.
Oliver helped Chloe in the large tub and quickly followed her, letting her tired body rest between his legs. He rested his head atop hers, placing his hands over her swollen stomach.
They were quiet for awhile, just enjoying being together. Oliver helped wash her hair and massaged her back and neck. When the water got cold, Oliver helped her dress and they were wrapped up in bed, not long after.
They sat looking into each others eyes, not an inch of space between them as Oliver held her.
"When you called," Oliver finally said his voice breaking, "When you called and dropped the phone like that, I've never been so terrified in all my life."
Chloe reached up, brushing the tear away from his cheek, "He was never planning on killing me Oliver."
"I would love to kill that sick bastard," Oliver's jaw clenched.
"He was crazy, that I know and he went about things the wrong way, but all he wanted was his wife back. Lex took his life from him."
"And that same man almost took two lives away," Oliver said, his hand rubbing protectively over Chloe's stomach.
"But he didn't, that's all that matters. We're safe now," She said kissing him softly.
"I don't know, I don't what I would do if I lost you, Chloe, it hurts too much to think about it."
Chloe looked at her husband, the most broken she had ever seen him and her heart clenched.
"You're not going to lose me, Ollie."
"What if that had been one of Lex's men? I mean what if…"
"Shhhh," Chloe said sealing her lips over his, "No more, okay. I'm fine, we're fine."
Oliver nodded his head, running his hands through her blond hair.
"I'm sorry, Oliver. I'm sorry I snapped earlier, I was just tired and frustrated and you were the one to push me over the edge. I'm not used to being so helpless."
"Your not helpless, you're just pregnant."
"You were right to be so protective, I mean the hovering was a little excessive but if I hadn't told you to leave, none of this would have happened."
"Hey," Oliver smiled at her, "I can't be there every second, I realized after I got home that we've been watching your every move like a hawk. It's not fair to you to treat you like your incapable, because I know you're not. Me and the team, we just want what's best for you and the baby."
"I know, Ollie. I'm so sorry I treated you the way I did, you were just being an amazing husband and I didn't want to accept it. I just went from being so independent to having a husband and a kid on the way in less than two seconds and I guess I didn't know how to handle it."
"Why didn't tell me you felt this way?"
"I just didn't know how to tell you. I just, I feel like me, but our lives, they've changed so much over the past few months."
A flash of hurt crossed Oliver's face, "Do you wish you could go back to the way it was before?"
"No…no Ollie I don't, I'm so happy, I just, I lost sight for a bit. But I love you, Oliver. And my life with you is more than I ever could have imagined. This baby…our baby, is going to be amazing, and I can't wait to share the rest of my life with you and him or her."
"Good, you had me worried there, Sidekick."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Oliver nuzzled her neck, breathing her scent in.
"I have another thing to confess," she whispered against his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to give my Watchtower duties up to the team until after the baby is born."
"You're what?" Oliver asked shocked.
"Right before I called you I realized that I'm doing too much. I mean I don't even have anything for the baby yet and I'm seven months pregnant! It's too much stress and I feel like I see you all the time but I never actually see you, you know?"
"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to say that, however, I'm glad you're actually telling me the truth instead of overworking yourself even further. You and the baby are the most important things to me, and I don't want our work jeopardizing either of you."
"Its time to take responsibility, I'm in charge of more than just my own life now. Not to mention, I miss you, Ollie."
"I'm right here," he smiled at her, "I've always been right here."
Chloe kissed him softly on the lips.
"Thank you for saving us, Ollie."
"Clark saved you."
"No Ollie…you always save me…from myself and from others."
"I love you."
"I love you more," Chloe smirked.
Suddenly Oliver felt a kick against his stomach.
"Baby wants some love too," Chloe laughed lightly.
Oliver placed his hand over where the kick had been.
"Hey baby, daddy here. I love you too."
The baby responded to his voice by kicking again, Oliver's eyes widened with joy.
"Its so amazing…you're amazing."
He kissed her lips and then her stomach.
"Now its time for bed, I think we've had a long enough day."
Chloe nodded, spooning against Oliver and closing her eyes. Both of them safe, happy and together, and that was all that mattered.