Thanks again to all of you who have alerted and favorited this story, it means a lot. Special thanks to those who took the time to review - I like knowing what you think, good or bad. This chapter was pretty emotional for the characters so it was tricky to write; I hope I did it justice. I don't have a Beta, so any mistakes are my own. I'm still looking for someone who has a good knowledge of the Smallville universe who wouldn't mind me asking occasional questions or bouncing some ideas their way - I spend a lot of time thinking about character motivation in my stories, so having someone to discuss it with always helps. If you're interested please let me know. :)

Disclaimer: Definitely don't own the characters of Smallville - I really wish I owned Green Arrow/Oliver Queen, for purely recreational reasons :P

Chloe entered the Talon apartment and went back to her bedroom, collapsing on her bed. She stared at the ceiling and tried to make her brain connect the dots of the events of the day. It seemed unlikely that so much could go wrong in such a short time, even by Smallville standards. What the hell do I do now, she wondered. She didn't have a job and she felt sure that Lex would blackball her with any other paper in the area she might want to write for. Of course, Oliver paid her well for the work that she did for him and her savings would get her by for a while, but then what? Should she take Oliver up on his offer to join the team permanently? If she did that, she knew it would mean turning her back on a career in journalism and she wasn't so sure she was ready to say goodbye to her childhood dreams just yet. She was no closer to an answer when she heard the front door open and Lois call her name.

Chloe sighed. "In here," she called, not bothering to get up. A moment later Lois opened the door and walked into the bedroom, moving across the room to sit on the bed beside Chloe. Neither spoke for a few moments and then Lois reached over and took Chloe's hand, squeezing it.

"I'm sorry," Lois said, sympathy apparent on her features.

Chloe felt tears stinging her eyes again as she forced a smile. "It was bound to happen at some point. We both know that Lex only kept me around at the Planet so he could keep an eye on me, not to mention that he enjoyed having some power over me. From the moment he took the helm my career there was over anyway."

"Doesn't mean it doesn't suck," Lois said. "Lex will get his, and if I can help with that then so much the better."

"Lois, I'd rather you didn't tangle with Lex on my behalf, not over this anyway," Chloe replied. She took a deep breath and then asked, "So, how was the interview?"

Lois hesitated. "They offered me a junior reporter position but I'm going to turn it down."

Chloe sat up and looked at Lois, shaking her head. "You can't do that, Lois. This is your dream too and just because my byline won't be gracing the pages of the Planet anymore doesn't mean that yours can't. You've worked hard for this - take it."

Lois looked at her steadily for a moment. "What are you going to do now?"

Chloe shrugged. "I have some time to figure it out before my financial situation becomes desperate, and I do have one or two options to consider."

Lois reached into her bag and pulled out the card Oliver had sent with the flowers. "Is Oliver one of your options?"

"Lois, I promise it's not what you think..."

"You mean you're not helping Ollie out with his crusade to save the world, one arrow at a time?" Lois interrupted with a knowing look.

Chloe's brows snapped together. "Ok, it's exactly what you think. How long have you known?"

"Since I saw the flowers, coffee and card - I mean, what else would you be helping him with that would require a key to the penthouse? I'm curious though, how long have you known about his green leather fetish?"

"A while," Chloe admitted. "He didn't tell me Lois, it was something I figured out on my own and I didn't even tell him I knew for a long time. It was only when I ran across information that I thought he needed that I let him know I was aware of his extracurricular activities. After that he started paying me to help with research, file decryption, hacking - stuff he can't exactly ask someone at QI for, you know?"

Lois tilted her head and pursed her lips. "You realize I'm kind of upset that you didn't tell me about this once I was in on his little green secret, right? But you've had a really crappy day, so I forgive you and we're moving on now. What about Jimmy? I'm guessing he was in the dark about everything and that was what prompted his little meltdown?"

Chloe sighed. "Jimmy was already jealous of my friendship with Clark and when he realized I was hiding a "friendship" with Oliver Queen he kind of lost it, as you and half the newsroom witnessed."

"Well, not that I don't think think you're better off without him, but was he right to be jealous?"

"Of me and Oliver? You cannot be serious."

Lois waved her hand dismissively. "Not Oliver, although I can see why he didn't like it much. Ollie could make any guy feel inadequate, so of course Jimmy felt jealous. I was talking about your friendship with Clark."

Chloe stared at Lois. She opened her mouth to deny it and then closed it again, leaning back against her pillows. Finally she shook her head. "Believe me, I know it's hopeless and I'm slowly but surely coming to terms with it, but I guess there's a part of me that still can't completely let go of the idea of me and Clark."

Lois leaned back on the pillows with her. "Chloe I get it - he's your best friend and when it comes to your relationship, you two practically have your own code. God knows I have no idea what you two are talking about sometimes and that had to make Jimmy feel insecure. And if I were a betting woman, I'd say Lana doesn't like it much either."

"Clark and Lana are not exactly living in domestic bliss lately, but it has nothing to do with me and Clark," Chloe replied. "They have their own issues they're trying to work out."

"And do you think they're going to be able to do that if you're the one Clark has on speed dial? Chloe... I know you care about him but I'm not sure you're doing either one of you any favors at this point. None of your relationships are going to work if Clark is always waiting in the wings, and Clark should learn to trust Lana if he's going to make that work out."

"Lois, it's more complicated than that."

Lois shook her head. "No, baby cuz, it's really not. If you're going to reclaim your life then you need to take a step back and make some changes - and it just so happens that I have some ideas on how you can do that." She proceeded to outline her plan to an incredulous Chloe.

"Ok Lois, I have no problem with living life by the seat of my pants sometimes, especially since it's practically a prerequisite for life in Smallville, but this seems unnecessarily drastic."

"No, I think it's exactly the right level of drastic. You need a change, a BIG one. You need to take charge of your life again and live it on your terms. With a few phone calls we can make this happen and if you're miserable, you can always make another change. You're still young and nothing in life is fixed except death, taxes, and the implacable will of the Lane-Sullivan women."

Chloe wanted to tell her it was crazy and she couldn't possibly consider it; after all, Clark needed her and so did Oliver. And what about what you need, the little voice in her head whispered.

As if sensing that her resolve was wavering, Lois pressed her advantage. "Chloe, you know I would never suggest something that I thought would hurt you. Just think about it, ok? Now, I'm going to go brew some of that ridiculously expensive coffee that Ollie bought you and make dinner."

Chloe raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You're going to cook? Not that I don't appreciate the thought, but the way my day is going that will probably end with the local fire department being called."

Lois rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll order in." She walked out of the bedroom, leaving Chloe to her internal debate. There were more than a few problems with Lois' suggestion but as much as she wanted to dismiss the idea as one of her cousin's harebrained schemes, she just couldn't do it. Because as drastic as it was, she knew it might be exactly the sort of change that she needed.

An hour later she heard Lois call from the front room. "Food's here!" Chloe got up and walked out of her bedroom to find Lois unloading Chinese food from various bags. Lois looked up at her. "I ordered all of our favorites, so what are you in the mood for?"

Chloe took a deep breath and released it slowly. "I think I'm in the mood for a change." She watched as a delighted smile lit up Lois' face and she raised a cautioning finger. "But, I have some conditions."

They spent the rest of the evening nailing down the details and making plans. The following morning found both Lois and Chloe making a flurry of calls and by noon, Lois's plan to overhaul Chloe's life was officially underway. Chloe waffled between excitement and a growing sense of dread as she realized that she would need to talk to Clark immediately. Rather than put it off, she asked him to come by the next morning.

Chloe was carrying some empty boxes up the stairs to her apartment when Clark arrived the following morning. He took the boxes from her as they entered the apartment and set them down, looking around in confusion. "Are you and Lois moving?"

Chloe shook her head and braced herself for the following conversation. "Not me and Lois, Clark. Just me."

Clark stared at her. "I heard about what happened with Lex, Chloe. Did you find another job in Metropolis?"

"I do have a new job but it's not in Metropolis. In fact, it's not even in Kansas."

Clark's expression changed from one of confusion to disbelief. "You're joining Oliver's team, aren't you? Chloe..."

"No Clark, this has nothing to do with Oliver. Come sit down with me." They walked over to the sofa and sat down. "Clark, what do you see me doing now that my career path has been derailed?"

"There are other papers here you can work for," he pointed out.

"Like what? The Inquisitor? Clark, we both know that The Daily Planet is the best paper - nothing else here compares. And odds are that Lex has blackballed me throughout the entire region anyway, so even if I wanted to try my hand at tabloid trash they probably wouldn't hire me."

"Chloe, you don't have to leave the state. Lana and I can help you. In fact, Lana mentioned that she could use your help with the Isis Foundation. That would be the perfect use of your knowledge and skills, and she can afford to pay you more than you were making at the paper." Clark looked very pleased with this suggestion.

"And how is that any different than me going to work for Oliver?" she asked softly. "The only difference is that I'd be using my skills to help you instead. You've pointed out how dangerous working for Oliver would be, but Clark... I'm in just as much danger here sometimes."

He was silent for a moment. "This is all because of me, isn't it? Chloe... I wish I could say that I regretted you learning about my secret but you're the only person in my life that I feel like I can completely trust. If you leave then I'm alone."

She reached out and took his hands. "Clark, I don't regret learning about your secret and I will always try to help you whenever I can, but you have Lana now too. Don't you think it's time to trust her as much as you trust me?"

"Chloe, you know I want to do that but I just ... I just don't know if I can trust her that much."

Chloe met his gaze. "Clark, you saw what happened with Jimmy. That was a result of secrets and lies and that's what will happen to you and Lana eventually if you can't trust her with everything in your life. You have no future together without trust." She pulled away from him and sat back quietly, wondering if she should even broach the next conversation. What the hell, she thought. "Clark, I need to ask you something. You love Lana but you don't feel that you can completely trust her. Why is it that you trusted me to protect your secret and yet you could never love me?" Her heart pounded furiously and her stomach twisted; part of her wished it were possible to snatch the words from the air between them, but she knew this conversation was necessary if she was going to make Clark understand how serious she was about this decision.

Clark looked upset as he answered her. "I do love you, Chloe. You're one of the most important people in my life."

"But you'll never be in love with me and we both know that's true. I can't blame my relationship problems with Jimmy entirely on the secrets and lies. The truth is that I was holding back with him because a little piece of me still has feelings for you. I have to let that go Clark, and that's not something you can help me with. Chloe the reporter has been smothered by the Chloe who plays Sidekick to superheroes. I need space to figure out what I want out of my life and you need space to figure out if you can trust Lana to be everything to you that I've tried to be."

They sat together in silence for several minutes and Chloe stared at the partially packed boxes surrounding them. More than the words, the physical evidence of her decision made it real and somehow final. Eventually Clark spoke. "Where are you going, and when?"

Any hope she'd had of a different outcome to this conversation died; she felt the sorrow of that moment bloom, filling the spaces in her being she'd always reserved for him. She swallowed hard as she answered, "I honestly think it's best if I don't tell you that right now, Clark. We both know you'd never be able to resist checking up on me. I'll keep my cell phone though, so any time you need my hacking skills I'm only a phone call away. As for when... I'm leaving this weekend." She saw his hands clench on his knees and she said, "Please understand why I'm doing this. I don't want you to be angry with me."

He kept his eyes on the floor. "I feel like you're abandoning me, Chloe. It's all happening so fast and I don't know what to say to you right now."

Chloe reached out and put one hand over his. "I'm not abandoning you; if you ever need me I will be right back here helping you in any way that I can. I will always try to protect you, Clark. But I need to do this for me." He nodded and with a rush of wind he was gone, leaving her sitting alone on the sofa. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. She had honestly wondered if she would have the strength to get through that conversation. Now that she was alone she let the tears fall freely; she had let go of the last of her ties to Smallville. She only hoped she was making the right choices.

So next up we have the return of Oliver, we find out where Chloe is and what she's doing, and we'll have some Chlollie. Reviews are love, people :)