The Other Side of Grey
Chapter Two: Four Words…
By the time she came downstairs he was already waiting in the dining room seemingly engrossed in the paper. There was a cup of coffee set in front of the seat adjacent to him. She sat down and grabbed the sugar bowl. Dumping a few tablespoons into the cup she listened as the metal of her spoon clinked against the china. Brining the cup to her lips she took a sip and waited. But he continued his silence waiting on her to speak first.
"Are you going to give me the silent treatment all morning?" She asked.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Tell you what?" She asked.
He took a moment before putting the paper down on the table and staring at her. Placing his elbows onto the table he rested his chin on the backs of his hands. "You said that Clark Kent was dead."
"He is." She replied.
"Then who brought me back to the Bat Cave last night?" He asked.
She exhaled a deep breath leaning back in her chair. "The Clark Kent I knew is dead."
"I didn't realize that you were speaking figuratively."
"What does it matter?"
"I don't know… the fact that your best friend is Super Stealth might have been helpful."
"Was; he was my best friend. And it wasn't my secret to tell Bruce! You of all people should understand the importance of keeping a secret identity a secret!" She pointed out.
"Even from me?" He asked. "I thought we trusted one another."
She looked over at him hearing the anguish in his voice. "I do trust you. I also trusted Jimmy and Lois but I couldn't tell them about Clark back then. I made a promise to him, the same way that I made a promise to you. I would no more reveal your secret to the Green Arrow than I would reveal Clark's secret to you." She remarked. He remained silent conceding her point had been made. "This isn't about trust and you know that. I would protect your secret even in death." She whispered softly. She sighed. "Now; are you going to tell me what happened last night? I thought you were training." She remarked.
He sighed and then slid the newspaper in her direction. On the front was a picture of what looked to be a man dressed in a suit with a top hat. He was short, pudgy, and had quite the distinction of what looked to be the face of a penguin. A monocle on one eye and a cigar between his teeth he was fleeing the scene in front of the Gotham Zoo leaving a blaze of fire behind him. The caption beneath simply read 'The Penguin'. She raised her eyebrow waiting for an explanation. "Should I be concerned or buy a ticket for the circus?" She asked with a slight smirk.
"Definitely concerned, he's the reason your ex-best friend with the super speed had to come to my rescue. That umbrella he's carrying is not for protection against the rain… I found that out the hard way last night." He stated. "I'll have to have Lucius make some alterations to the suit."
"It must be packing one hell of a punch if it's able to get through that material." She looked down at his chest.
"I feel fine… what you about you?"
"I'm good." She answered reaching out to grab a piece of toast when his hand grabbed her wrist. She looked up at him and their eyes locked.
"Let me see them."
"They're almost gone Bruce."
"But they're still there… let me see them." He stated again not willing to argue on the matter.
She sighed pulling back opening the first few buttons of her black blouse. Beneath the burgundy camisole there were four fading puncture wounds across the upper part of her chest. He reached out running his fingertips across the damaged flesh. Had it been anyone else this scene may have resembled something romantic but both knew it was anything but. Both had established what their relationship was many moons ago and there was no crossing that line. What they shared went deeper than any romantic involvement.
"They're taking longer to heal than the last time." He needlessly pointed out as he pressed two fingers against one of the wounds and saw her flinch slightly. He frowned. "It still hurts?" He asked.
Pulling away from him she buttoned her blouse. "Not really."
"Chloe the serum that was created to help with the healing process… you're slowly becoming immune to it…" He pointed out.
"Bruce I just took on 4 bullet wounds to the chest and this morning all I have is a slight tingle and some fading bruises… I think I'm doing okay." She bit out sarcastically.
"That's not the point! When it first started you healed instantly… now here we are hours later…"
"I'm not dead Bruce! I'm fine." She snapped.
"Chloe you can't keep…" He began when she cut in.
"Don't! Don't try and tell me that I'm not allowed to take risks. You take them all the time. It is your choice just like it's mine. You live to protect the world… I live to protect you." She remarked. "My body was altered to do this by the green meteors. It took a while to develop and then it was zapped into a dormant state by Lex… now that it's come back I'm not going to take it for granted. I can help people. I can help you. My body is programmed to heal itself. The Serum simply speeds up the process… and if it's slowing down a bit then perhaps I need to up the dosage." She remarked.
"Which could put strain on your heart." He pointed out gravely.
"I won't stop healing people." He nodded realizing that she was set on this. She sighed taking a stand. "I have to get back to Metropolis this morning." Once again he nodded picking up the newspaper once again. She shook her head hating to leave this way but unable to come to a mutual understanding. She began walking towards the door when he called out to her.
"What time should I send a car to pick you up for the Christmas party?" He asked.
She smiled. "Six will be fine."
"Six it is… oh and Alfred thanks you for not putting Mistletoe above his door...and mine." He remarked.
She could hear the smile in his voice. "Just be careful… every other archway in Wayne Manor I took liberty with." She smirked.
"Chloe…" He called out once again… his tone had changed and she could tell what he was asking.
"We'll talk about it… just… not now… not yet." She stated softly.
"Fair enough." He replied and then she was out the door and heading home.
A few hours later…
Sitting behind her desk at Watchtower she could hear Oliver's voice vibrating in her ear as she led him through what she had found on one of Lex's old blueprints. It seemed that the young Luthor had a lot more dealings than even Tess Mercer knew about. "So… you'll probably have to go in tonight or tomorrow… I'm sending you over the blueprints now. You may have to call in Impulse for this one… I can see some of the security but knowing Lex nothing is what it seems." She stated.
"Yeah… well that's why I have you. You see all… you watch all." He smiled. "Do you really think that whatever is in here will help us with Project RL?" He asked after a moment.
"There's only one way to find out. If there is a chance that anything in that building could pertain to Project RL then I want to know about it." She remarked. "Keep me posted once you have a team pulled together." She remarked and then ended the transmission.
She sat there for a moment before going to the great window staring out over the city of Metropolis. She could see the city moving below her, people living their lives day to day with no care but what they were doing for dinner. She envied that sometimes… some days when she found herself feeling extremely lonely she envied those that never had to worry about the darkness that existed in the shadows of the night. She wondered if a normal life would have been better… one where she wasn't known as 'Watchtower' but simply Chloe Sullivan… Olsen. She smiled sadly knowing that that life would have never been for her. She was meant to do more…to be more. Running a hand through her blond tresses she wrapped the other arm around her midsection.
"I really needed you… why didn't you come to me?"
"Clark Kent is dead."
How many times had she replayed that conversation in her head? How many times had she heard his words, watched him walk out of her life? Too many! It was funny how words could change your life… simple sounds uttered by another could just turn your whole world upside down.
"I know you're secret…"
"I'm the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend…"
"You mean a lot more to me than you know…"
"I'm still in love with Lana…"
"I love you Chloe..."
"…but I never left you."
She exhaled deeply turning away from the city and jumped slightly finding herself eye to eye with Clark.
"We need to talk." He stated and she realized that whatever lay on the other side of the conversation was once again about to change her life.