Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to their respective owners.
Warning: This is essentially a look into (most of) the final scene of "Masquerade." If you haven't seen up to the episode, there are subtle spoilers.
Remnants and Definitions
Chloe Sullivan.
She had lost count how many times she had read her name on the screen, the name she had erased, deleted all traces of so that no one could find her.
She had to disappear for the sake of saving the team, no matter how long her days became, or how sleepless her nights were. But seeing her name and the clear scan of her brain after her confrontation with Desaad brought all of her decisions she had made, the necessary things she was willing to sacrifice, to the surface.
As pictures of her past and her high school yearbook covered the top of her desk, Chloe was also reminded of who she was back then, the naive girl who just wanted to print the truth, no matter what it took. Now, she knew the most of the truth, with access to figure out any detail or truth she didn't, but everything had a price. Hers was her identity.
She had long lost her job at the Daily Planet, not that she felt a need to go back since living a day in Lois' shoes, but between Isis, Watchtower, Checkmate, and a virtual avatar, she wondered if she could ever go back to just being Chloe.
Sitting down again at her desk, she filtered through photos during the days of Clark, Pete, Lana, and her, reminding her of simpler days in comparison to the ones she was living now. Further proof of that was seeing the 'most likely to succeed' picture in her yearbook. Back then, she had this vision of who Chloe Sullivan was, and it was a little bittersweet to look back and realize that all remained of the name Chloe Sullivan was a fragmented identity.
Still lost in her thoughts, she was startled by the familiar voice that called out to her.
"You alright?"
Head popping up, she smiled as she watched Oliver approach her. She shrugs off a response, trying to hide what troubling her, but her poker face dies the moment she glances down at her past, and within seconds, she tells him everything because she knows Oliver would listen.
That, and he deserves the truth from her. All that time, he waited for her, even though she had essentially told him goodbye and left his life extended period of time. She could still remember the look on his face when he asked if she was sticking around, and the disappointment in his expression as Chloe refused to define what they are in the trunk. In the end, he deserves more than just the truth from her, but for now, it was all she could give.
So she begins explaining how she hid behind her various identities, and how she's afraid of any further definitions because she doesn't want to lose what she has left of herself. Chloe stops talking and hopes he understands, and gets her answer quickly as Oliver simply replies:
"No matter what happens, I know who you are."
In a way, those words and the sincerity behind them is all that she needs. Even though they don't surprise her, they give her the safety that he will always see her, no matter where life takes her, or persona she requires next. Chloe tilts her head to the side grinning as she replies, "I know... and that's why I have never questioned the love I feel for you."
Every word she says is true, because despite her insecurities, Oliver always kept the Chloe part of herself alive. While she detached herself from reality, he was the one person forcing her to come out of the shadows and live, and as she stares back at him, she knows that will never change as long as she lets him.
Grinning again, Chloe gets up from her chair and approached her green leather jacket which she had left draped over the railing, realizing that unlike before, she is ready for that next step. As much as she can mull over her past decisions or sacrifices, the truth is, she might not have Oliver if she chose differently. Sure there had been mistakes made along the way, pain suffered as a consequence of what they do, but they were still standing, and for now, that was all that mattered.
He turns her to him and says that he's done hiding, that it's time to face what he has done. Chloe takes this as a subtle test, as to her, he's saying that he's made up his mind, and now he wants to know if she's going to be there with him.
After a short pause, Chloe states easily, "Well, you don't have to do it alone."
A larger pause this time, a result of Oliver analyzing exactly what she's saying, and she can't really blame him. Not long ago, she wasn't even willing to discuss the idea of what they were. After a short nod, he replies, "Really?" grinning as he slips his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
She walks with him towards the staircases of Watchtower, her expression changing throughout Oliver's statement about them being 'adorable blondes' when he turns to her again, asking her the final part of their test. What do they call you?
Chloe had been expecting this, after all, this was the whole start of the dilemma, as Chloe playfully denied that Oliver was her boyfriend at the restaurant, only for him to realize hours later that she was serious.
But being tempted by sins, weaknesses and yes, temptations, brought a whole new perspective to Chloe, and going through her past allowed her to be appreciative for what she has now.
"Let's start from girlfriend, and go from there." It sounds more like a question than a statement, but Oliver's smug expression at her admission all but confirms how he felt about her response.
In the end, it really wasn't that bad, defining their relationship, being honest with him. A couple jokes aside, a kiss later, and they were still them. In the end, all it did was confirm everything they had already said to each other, gave a word to describe what they were to each other, and even if it did sound a little high school, Chloe didn't feel any different. She was still happy, an emotion that didn't come easy in her life, and she planned on holding onto it as long as she could.
~End~
Sera's Scribbles: I'm not entirely sure on this one... but hopefully you liked it.