Title: Baby Proofing
Fandom: Smallville
Genre: Romance
Pairing: Chloe/Oliver
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Smallville, through season 9 up to Checkmate
Summary: An unexpected pregnancy has Chloe questioning her priorities.
Author Note: I have no Betas so all mistakes are entirely my own. All comments and reviews are appreciated, including the "you suck" variety. I also know similar stories have been written with this theme, but this is my take on the situation. This is my first multi chapter fic ever so here's hoping the plot bunny doesn't just up and leave!
Author Note 2: Sill sticking with the idea that Lois believes she is the only one who knows about Oliver's 'green leather fetish'.
Chapter Four
The previous evening Chloe and Oliver had laid everything on the table and he had convinced her that running away was not the answer. Witnessing this new protective streak of his, Chloe was starting to wonder what she had let herself in for.
Chloe stood with her hands on her hips, her back to the large monitors of watchtower. She looked every inch an imposing figure despite her short stature. "I've already told you once, I am not moving in with you!"
"Will you just hear me out on this?" Oliver threw his hands up in exasperation. They had been circling around the same problem for the past half hour.
"I'm still trying to get my head around the fact we are in a relationship. Moving in together is jumping the gun don't you think?"
'So says the woman pregnant with my child' he added to himself mentally.
"I promised you that I would do everything I can to keep you and the baby safe. This is me keeping trying to keep that promise. " Oliver moved to stand in front of her, his arms crossed at his chest. "There aren't many who can boast that they have the Green Arrow as their own personal security system."
"The clocktower is hardly baby proof."
"And neither is your apartment at the Talon. You live with Lois and he knack for running into trouble runs in the family. Besides, can you really imagine your cousin around a baby? " He failed to bite back the small laugh.
Chloe glared back "Do you really want me to respond to that? Because the words will not be pretty." Oliver wrapped his arms around the glowering blonde and smiled at her. "Don't think about trying to charm me Queen. This is a charm free zone."
"Well how about a compromise?" He kissed her softly on the lips
"A compromise?"
He nodded and kissed her again. "We both know that staying where you are is not an option. Its not just about safety, in the long term there won't be enough room for you and the baby. We agree on that right?"
"Yeah, I can agree with that." She quirked her eyebrows, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Oh don't give me that look." He laughed "Now what I suggest is you move in with me temporarily until we find you a place here in Metropolis that we can both agree on. "
"Is this some underhanded attempt of getting what you want? Why do I have the feeling that if I move in there will suddenly be a distinct lack of appropriate apartments in the listings? "
"Should I be offended by that?!" He couldn't deny that the thought hadn't crossed his mind "Okay I promise you, no tricks. We'll find you somewhere great, get Victor in to help you make the place secure, and I will personally move you in." He kissed her again, this time on the side of her neck. He felt her shiver slightly as his hot breath trailed across her skin
"If we do this, we agree that it's only temporary?"
"Mmm hmm" he continued to kiss her neck making his way to her jaw line.
"And this is your way of getting me to agree to it?" Her voice sounded breathy, even to her.
"Is it working?" He lightly bit her earlobe. She could feel the goosebumps break out across her skin.
"You fight dirty, Queen."
"Give me an hour and I'll show you just how dirty I can be."
She couldn't help laughing "Hold that thought Romeo, I have to meet Lois in fifteen minutes."
"She's always late, we have the time." He dove in for a kiss trying to distract her from a response. Chloe could feel his hands start to slip under the hem of her shirt and caress the skin of her lower back.
"If I recall its because of these wandering hands I have to see Lois today." She smoothly tried to detach herself from his embrace before her resolve disappeared completely. She knew she would only be able to resist him for so long.
He sighed and reluctantly let her go. "You're telling her about the baby ? You sure you don't want to leave it a couple of days? Give me time to jet to a country far, far way?"
"The sooner the better. Like you said, I share a small apartment with her. If she even suspects that something is different she'll be like a pitbull on a pant leg. Do you really want Mad Dog Lane charging to your penthouse because she worked things out before we could tell her?"
The thought of Lois storming into his home threatening to relocated his arrows into potentially painful places didn't really appeal to him. And that was only if she didn't have the time to have the General mobilise half the US Army.
"If Lois knows it will only be a matter of time before it gets back to Clark. Are you ready for that?" He picked up her jacket and held it up for her to slip her arms through.
Chloe's shoulders slumped at the thought. "Not really, but it doesn't seem like I have a choice. We all know that the chances of Lois keeping this a secret are as likely that I'm not going through caffeine withdrawal."
"You want me to go with you to tell him?"
"To be honest I would rather you lock yourself away somewhere underground surrounded by meteor rocks."
"You really think it will be that bad?" Oliver couldn't help but smirk.
"I'm expecting a non-violent overreaction, but the kryptonite might shut him up long enough for you to get a word in edgeways. I'm not sure which one of us will get the longer lecture, I might have to keep some with me just in case." She swung her bag onto her shoulder and picked up her mobile phone. "I'll call him after I've seen Lois. She might be able to act as a buffer, keep him from blowing things out of proportion."
"You want me to drop you off?"
"I can do with the walk."
"You sure?"
She saw concern on his face and gave him a swift peck on the lips "I'll be fine. Nothing is going to happen to me in broad daylight in the middle of the city."
"Just be careful."
"I will." She kissed him again before leaving.
Oliver sighed as he took a bottled water from the fridge. As eventful as the last twenty-four hours had been, he had a feeling life was not going to be normal around here for a some time to come.
"Let me get this straight, not only are you having his baby but you're moving in with him?" Lois could hardly believe what she was hearing.
"I'll only be living there until I find somewhere to live in Metropolis."
"For friends just having a little horizontal fun you guys seem to be leaping through some fairly major relationship milestones here!"
"Lois, it's fine, really. Ollie and I have decided to make a go of things; and before you say anything this is not just because of the baby. We've been dancing around this for a little while." She smiled at her cousin reassuringly.
"Are you sure this is what you really want? Because if its not I have no problem going over there and kicking his ass!" A few of the fellow bistro patrons looked over their way at her outburst.
"Lois!" She whispered harshly, trying to ignore the dirty looks they were currently receiving. "You said yourself this relationship could be one for the win column, so let's just leave the threats of physical violence for now?"
"But moving in with him? Are you sure? Was this your idea or his?"
"It was his idea, but I've told him this is only temporary." Chloe picked up her decaf and winced as she took a sip.
"Are you sure you want to? I mean, I don't want you to think you have to move out. It would take a bit of juggling but we could find a way to make it work. You could take my room, give you more space, more privacy?"
"Not that I don't appreciate the offer Lo, but I think it's for the best. Besides, do you realise the torture its going to be for me to live above a coffee shop for eight months while on a caffeine ban? "
"Maybe for that reason alone I should be happy about you moving out. I'll send Oliver my condolences." Lois smirked as she helped herself to a spoonful of Chloe's tiramisu. "Do you think Hallmark have a card for that?"
Chloe started to eat her dessert wanting to at least try it before Lois would decide to snag the rest. "I just need to ask one favour of you."
"Sure. What do you need?"
"Don't mention any of this to Clark, at least until I have told him about the baby."
"You think he's going to freak out." It was more of a statement than a question.
"Look at his reaction when he found out about me and Oliver in the first place. He's hardly been supportive and he hasn't exactly kept his disapproval a secret."
"If Smallville gives you any trouble just let me know and I'll give him a few words of wisdom from the 'Lois Lane Guide to Not Being an Ass'. "
Chloe smirked. She knew that Lois' words of wisdom would probably include a well timed slap. She just hoped her cousin didn't break the bones in her hand.