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Chloe looked miserably out the window past Bart. "Paris, we're in Paris and I can't even go outside because I'm a fugitive..."
"Relax, Chlo. Ollie's working on it as fast as he can. You'll be a free woman before you know it," A.C. said, ruffling her hair.
"That's comforting." Her eyes shifted to the profile of the blond billionaire in the driver's seat. "Since he hasn't gotten anywhere in two weeks. I'm sure the breakthrough is going to be any day now..." She was snapping, she knew it, but she couldn't help it. She was stuck in the middle of the backseat of a rented SUV surrounded by the Justice League. She had wanted the window seat but Oliver had deemed it too dangerous. So she was stuck between A.C. and Bart.
Oliver's eyes met hers briefly in the rear-view mirror. "I'm doing the best I can, Chloe. Right now we have to focus on getting your powers under control and 33.1. After that, we'll clear the charges. I've told you this already."
She turned back to look out the window, chastened. "I know," she mumbled. "I just wish it were over now." She felt like a little kid, sounded like it to, she bet. But it sucked. It just plain old sucked. Why was she always dragged into these things?
The black SUV whispered through the streets of Paris. Chloe watched the streets pass by, watched the people moving around through the light mist. They didn't seem too concerned about the rain. She sighed. They were Parisians after all. They didn't worry about anything except where they'd get their next croissant or Prada purse. Suddenly, she caught sight of a raven haired girl coming out of a boutique, laughing at something her aunt said. "Wait, Oliver, stop the car! It's Lana!"
He turned his head but didn't slow down. "Forget it, Chloe. You can't be seen, especially not by the fiancée of Lex Luthor." At his words, a bodyguard stood up from a bench and followed the two women. "I'm sorry but it's not possible."
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He knocked softly, not wanting to wake the others. It was a smaller apartment – the only thing he could get on such short notice – and the team were light sleepers. But she would be awake. He'd noticed her sleeping patterns. She didn't sleep much anymore. Too much energy built up. "Chloe? You still awake?"
There was movement in the room then the door opened to show a fully awake Chloe. "What is it Oliver? You need help with something?" She pretended to rub her eyes but he wasn't buying it. She looked down and to the side. It had become habit to her – to not make eye contact with anyone despite the fact that she was now mostly in control of her powers.
"You want to go for a walk?"
Her eyes jumped to his, startled hazel locking with calm brown. "What? I thought I was under house arrest..."
He smiled slowly. "You're getting out on good behaviour. C'mon Sullivan. Offer expires in three, two-"
"No, I'll go!" she said sharply. "Let me get a jacket."
He waited then they left the apartment soundlessly. They walked down the quiet streets, not talking for a few minutes.
Chloe revelled in the fact that she was outside, that she was free. She breathed in the air deeply, relishing the cool damp smell. "I thought Paris had a huge night life. What's the deal? Where is everyone?" She turned to grin at Oliver. "Don't tell me you paid off the whole city to stay out of the streets between the hours of one and two in the morning?"
He smiled back. "No, Paris operates on preconceived notions that people have in their heads. There's really nothing special about it."
She opened her arms and spun around. "You kidding me? Paris is amazing! Don't be so cynical Oliver, this is great. It's the city of loooove. Where people come to find true love and happiness. How could you be mopey in this city?"
He stopped on a bride over the Seine and stared down into its depths. "I guess I'm just not a romantic like you."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I find that hard to believe. I mean, all those times with Lois..."
He turned, leaning against the rail. "That stuff is easy, Chloe. Find out what a girl likes and get it to her. I'm not sincere about it though because I've never meant it."
She tilted her head. "And you're telling me this because..."
He shrugged. "Because it's you. Because despite all the fighting and the yelling that has gone on between us in the past month, I want to be around you. I want to romance you. I just don't know how. And you don't make it easy either, Sullivan."
She couldn't help but smile. She turned away to hide it. "Oh. Well, now I feel like a real jerk. Thanks Oliver. You're well on your way to being the romantic one and I'm the brat..."
He came up behind her. "Yeah, you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes but I think that just makes you all the more interesting."
"Well, you may not think you're romantic but you've reached cheesy clichés, which is half the battle."
He sighed. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"
"No. Because now I don't know if I can trust anything anyone says to me anymore. I don't know whether it's because you said it or whether it's because I made you say it."
He turned her to look at him. "Are you kidding me? Chloe, I'm not that weak."
She closed her eyes. "Oliver, I could ask you to drown yourself in this river and you wouldn't even blink." She shook her head. "I can't do that, Oliver. I can't be with you because I'm too much of a liability. It's too dangerous for you."
"That's not your choice to make. I put my life in danger all the time. I know the risks, Chloe. I'm not just some idiot in a cape running around to take on things I don't understand."
She blinked hard, pushing back the tears as an image of Oliver's still form lying in a pool of blood floated into her mind. "And that's supposed to make me feel better? The idea that you could die at any minute. Not exactly the best pick up line, Queen."
"Fine. Then ask me. Ask me anything. Ask me if I love you? If I feel awful because I chose the wrong girl? If I wish this weren't happening and we were normal so I could treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Because they're all true. And you don't have to force me. I'll tell you all of it and more. Whatever you want to know." He'd clasped her face, forcing her to look at him, to look him in the eye. "C'mon. Use your powers on me."
She closed her eyes. "I don't want to."
He shook her slightly. "Don't close your eyes."
But she kept them shut tightly, tears leaking out of the edges. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to have to say things you don't want to say."
"I'm not afraid." His grip loosened until his hands were just resting on her biceps.
"But I am."
"Chloe, you don't have to be. I don't have any secrets from you. You know about my green leather fetish, remember?"
She choked out a half laugh half sob. "Trying to lighten the mood, huh?"
"Yeah, now open your eyes, Sullivan. Let me see your hazel beauties."
She opened her eyes, swimming in unshed tears.
"Come here." He slid his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. And you have to stop shutting me out. You're a part of the team now, Chlo. The guys would do anything for you. And you're more than that to me. I just want you to know that... I'm not going to scare you by saying I love you but I care about you a lot and when you're ready, I'm here waiting..."
"Yeah, no pressure..." She giggled into his chest.
"Okay, fine. Here. You and I-" He disentangled them, and, taking her hand, started walking. "-are going for a walk. No pressure about the end of it. Mostly because there are three other guys in the place we're staying and the walls are paper-thin. And," he rushed on, "I'm not expecting anything at all..."
She laughed again. "Nice save, Green Arrow."
"Thank you. I'm not without my talents..."
"So it would seem..."
He stopped them. "There's just one thing..."
"More questions?"
He pulled her to him and kissed her thoroughly. "That's it." Then he let her go and started walking, a smirk playing on his lips.
She tagged after him. "What the hell was that?"
He slid an arm around her waist and steered them back towards the hotel. "Just wanted you to know what you were missing."
"Thanks. That's real fair, Oliver."
"Hey, I've had to deal with your temptation for awhile now. Do you know how hard it was to rescue Bart and Clark with your voice in my ear?"
She snorted. "C'mon, that was nothing, Oliver."
He stopped and turned to her again, pulling her to him. "That was hot Chloe. Don't undersell yourself. You giving me commands, as cool and calm as can be. God, you drove me nuts. But you were with Jimmy. I couldn't. And I was with Lois. And then I had to leave."
She licked her dry lips. "And now?"
He looked down at her, his intense gaze burning into her own. "Now I want you. And I usually get what I want, Chloe."
She lifted her chin. "That a fact?"
His lips curled into a smirk. "Yes, it is."
"Well, you're going to have to catch me first." She tore off towards the hotel.
Laughing, he took off after her. "C'mon, Chloe. Don't insult me. I do this for a living." He managed to catch up with her just before she made it to the apartment building. Grabbing her arm, he spun them into an alley next to the building and pinned her against the wall. They were so close, they were breathing the same air, both a little out of breath.
"See?"
She lowered her eyelashes and looked up through them at him. "Kiss me."
He could feel her tug of power and smiled. "Now, Chloe, no cheating." His lips came down on hers.
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Chloe woke with a smile on her face. After their impromptu make-out session last night, she and Oliver had snuck back into the apartment. They could hear A.C. and Bart snoring from the room they shared with Victor as they slipped into her room, stifling teenage snickers and giggles. Lying next to each other, they talked and kissed late into the night. He left just before dawn to do his training and she'd fallen back asleep. Now she reached out and caressed the side of the bed he'd occupied. Sure there were still complications and hardships they'd still have to face but now at least they both knew where they stood. And there was hope for the future.
She slid out of bed and ambled toward the kitchen. "Morning guys."
The four men looked up, faces tense.
"What?"
They said nothing as she moved toward the table. Strewn on it were papers from around the world they got everyday to keep them up to date. On the very top was the Daily Planet. The headline read, "Man Found Dead Below Reeves Dam" Below it the subtitle added, "Foul Play Suspected..." A split picture of Jimmy's smiling face and the scene where he was found with a black bodybag being wheeled away was below that.
Tears spilled from her eyes and she looked up to meet Oliver's.
He gazed back guiltily. "I'm sorry Chloe."
She backed up until she was against the kitchen wall then slid down, tears spilling from her eyes.
Four men rushed to her side but she ignored them, drawing her knees up to her chest and sobbing into them.
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"Yes Darling, it was amazing."
"Did you find a dress?"
"Oh, yes, it's beautiful..." Lana's voice filtered out of the speaker but Lex tuned her out. He was still brooding over the fact that the questioning of Jimmy Olson had proven useless. The boy didn't know anything. And Karl, the 'questioner' hadn't believed him. It had gotten pretty messy near the end. Disposing of the body would have been easy except information had leaked out. The body had been found, despite their best efforts. It would be all over the papers. Luckily, Karl had been made willing to take the fall. Lex swallowed bitterly. It didn't bother him that the boy was dead but that his subordinates had been sloppy.
"... Chloe. Isn't that the funniest thing?"
He snapped back to the conversation. "What was that, Lana? Sorry, the connection is fuzzy."
"I thought I saw Chloe the other night. I was out walking with Aunt Nell and I could have sworn I saw a girl who looked just like her. And you want to hear the most ridiculous part about it, Lex?" She paused and when he didn't reply, added, "I could have sworn the guy with her was Oliver Queen. What a funny pair!"
Lex froze then said smoothly, "Yes, isn't that... funny... I've got to go, darling. I've a conference call with someone in Beijing in a few minutes. Say hello to Nell and I love you."
"I love you too Lex. Good night."
"Night." He hung up the phone as his mind worked in overdrive. Oliver Queen was the one protecting Chloe. Oliver Queen was the blond she'd been with on those surveillance photos. Oliver Queen had the resources and the contacts to find out what he was doing with 33.1. Lex stood up to pour himself a drink. How could he have been so stupid? Oliver Queen was one controlling the Green Arrow and his merry band of terrorists. Shaking his head, he went back to the desk. Pressing redial, he waited for Lana to pick up the phone. "Lana, I've some great news. I just had a few cancellations in my schedule and I am able to come to Paris after all."
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Sorry for the delay! Let me know what you think!
