It had been twelve hours.

Chloe was still in a coma, still on life support. Watching the machines breathe for her and monitor all of her vitals was surreal because someone like Chloe, who was so full of life, should never be like this. She looked terrifyingly frail in the hospital bed – pale, with shadowy bruises on her face and body, and various cuts and scrapes marring her smooth skin.

Oliver thought she would be awake by now – that there would be some kind of change in her condition. Seeing her like this, and feeling that he was at least partially responsible for her condition, was far worse than if he'd been laid up with a bullet wound.

"How long was she…" he couldn't bring himself to say dead. "How long was she out before?"

Lois sighed, reaching for the coffee on the nightstand. "As far as we could figure out based on her time of death and when she showed up at the hotel, almost twenty-four hours. When you were shot, was it a fatal shot?"

Oliver shrugged. "I don't know. I was still mobile, but it could have been the adrenaline. One of my team members said there was a lot of my blood they had to clean up, so maybe it was worse than I thought."

"Dr. Hamilton said it was hard to tell because the wound was already healing by the time he examined her," Lois mused. "But the fact that she's just in a coma and not – you know – is probably a good sign. We just have to wait."

Waiting had never been Oliver's strong suit. He was impatient by nature, wanting exactly what he wanted when he wanted it. He'd learned to temper this trait in business, though a certain level of aggressiveness had served him well in the corporate world. But his stubborn nature and pride had done nothing but ruin things with Chloe. While he knew he probably didn't deserve a second chance, he wanted one. Badly.

"It makes a perfect kind of sense though, what Dr. Hamilton said," Lois continued. At Oliver's questioning look, she added, "About the meteor rock being concentrated in her heart. It made me so angry when this happened before because that kind of power is too big and dangerous, and I was so scared that a time would come when Chloe would use it again. And maybe she would never wake up. But somehow, knowing that that power grew out of her empathy and her ability to love? It makes it easier to see why the universe chose her."

Her words were a reminder of just how badly he'd misjudged Chloe, and he felt a wave of guilt rush through him once again. Everyone who knew her, right down to her ex-boyfriend, had nothing but good things to say about her. How could he not have realized things didn't add up when it came to his own ideas about Chloe?

The door behind him opened, and he turned to see Lucy, Chloe's dad and the General had returned. They joined Lois on the other side of the bed.

"Any changes?" Gabe Sullivan asked.

Lois shook her head.

Gabe and General Lane both glanced his way, nodding without speaking. Between the news reports, his offer of a hefty reward for Chloe's safe return, and him footing the bill for her private suite and specialized care, they seemed to be under the impression that he and Chloe were dating. Oliver assumed that Clark, Lucy and Lois hadn't told them anything different. Whatever else they thought about that development, they seemed to credit his offer of the reward money with Chloe's quick rescue and had subsequently accepted his right to be with her as they all waited for her to wake up.

Around noon, Oliver excused himself to make some phone calls. He'd turned over most of the running of Queen Industries to Tess and a couple of his most trusted vice-presidents, but there were still a few things he needed to handle directly. His assistant continued to bring him paperwork for his review and required signatures. She was back and forth from the office to the hospital several times a day. He reminded himself to give her a bonus and a few days off as a thank you since he knew it was hell to man the phones and run interference when he was out of the office.

He was on an overseas call when he saw Emil and a couple of nurses rush into Chloe's room. His heart dropped, and he disconnected the call without warning as he followed them into her room.

Chloe appeared to be struggling to breathe, her arms waving wildly. Was she having a seizure? "What the hell is going on?" When he realized they were removing the breathing tube, he stepped forward in protest only to have Lois stop him.

"No, it's okay. I think she's waking up. She was trying to breathe on her own, and she was struggling with the tube. They need to take it out," Lois explained.

Oliver stood by anxiously as Emil and the nurses finished removing the tube. Chloe was definitely awake, her eyes wide and her expression a bit frightened. He couldn't even imagine what it must be like to wake up after one of her incidents, though at least she was waking up in a hospital room this time as opposed to the morgue.

Once they had the tube out, Chloe tried to speak but instead made gasping noises. Lois rushed to bring her a cup of water with a straw, and Chloe took a few cautious sips.

"Slowly," Emil cautioned her gently.

She nodded in understanding, taking small sips. She tried to speak, but she was clearly having trouble.

"How long were you out?" Lois guessed. When Chloe nodded, she said, "Around sixteen hours. Never, ever do this to me again, do you understand?"

Lois and Chloe both had tears in their eyes, and Oliver thought Chloe mouthed the word sorry before looking around at the others in the room. Lucy came forward and took her hand, and suddenly Oliver felt like he didn't quite belong here.

But then Chloe's eyes shifted to him, and they stared at one another. Oliver walked towards her bedside and reached out to brush her hair away from her cheek. "Kidnapping, comas – Chloe Sullivan doesn't lead a boring life, huh?"

She cracked a smile at that, again trying to speak before sighing in frustration.

"Your throat should feel better soon," Emil advised her. "But right now you need to rest, Chloe. You may not need the breathing tube anymore, but you're still injured and weak. You shouldn't be forcing yourself to stay awake and talk. There will be time for that later."

Chloe nodded but before Oliver stepped back, her small hand reached out to touch his side and stomach. He nodded at the silent question in her eyes, taking her hand and squeezing it.

Chloe looked resigned when Emil said he was going to sedate her in order to help her rest, but she didn't argue with him. Ten minutes later she was having difficulty keeping her eyes open, and it wasn't long before she was asleep again, this time resting peacefully.

A week later, Chloe was feeling much better and more alert. She was able to stay awake for most of the day without Dr. Hamilton coming in to chide her about resting more. Her appetite had also increased due to the excellent meals she was being served. This morning she had an omelet with cheese, tomatoes and chives, perfectly browned slices of toast with cream cheese and marmalade, a side dish of strawberries and blueberries, and freshly cut avocado. She also had a delicious latte, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a pitcher of water infused with cucumbers, mint and slices of lemon.

There was no way in hell that any of it had come out of the hospital cafeteria, but the fact that everyone believed she would buy that was slightly amusing.

"Wow, hospital food is way better in the private wing," Chloe commented as she took a sip of her juice. She suppressed a smile when Oliver shrugged. "Come on, Oliver, I know that this is not standard hospital food. Did you hire a private chef to prepare my meals or did you order from a restaurant?"

"Private chef," he admitted. "But honestly, I don't see how anyone can be expected to get well on the food they usually serve. If it makes you feel any better, I've donated the chef's services for the next six months, and I've made a donation to the food budget, so you're not the only one benefitting from this. I figured that might appease your egalitarian views."

She smiled at that, and they sat in a companionable silence as she ate and Oliver caught up on business emails. Chloe knew that he must have taken some time off from work since he'd been at the hospital so much. She'd seen his assistant bringing him paperwork, and he seemed to be handling most business by phone or email.

She wondered why, fearing that it was out of guilt because she'd healed him. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was for Oliver to soften his attitude towards her out of guilt. Chloe kept trying to find the right time to bring it up – that and the ten million dollars he'd offered for her return.

She'd seen the news and read the newspapers. She was plugged into the online world again. So she knew that the entire world thought that she and Oliver were a couple, and Oliver hadn't issued any statements either confirming or denying this conjecture. However, she was going to be leaving the hospital soon and she knew it would have to be addressed.

Keeping her tone casual, she said, "Dr. Hamilton says I can go home soon – probably the day after tomorrow."

"I know," he answered, looking up from his laptop. "But you're still going to need to take it easy because of your injuries, Chloe. I've hired a companion with a nursing license who can help out around the house with cleaning and cooking. My delivery service will deliver whatever you need, including groceries."

"Since I live with Clark, I'm not sure it's such a good idea to have someone else there all the time," she pointed out. "He has to hide who he is in the outside world. His home should be a place where he doesn't have to hide."

"You could come to the penthouse," Oliver offered. "I have a spare room."

Chloe looked at him thoughtfully before placing her utensils on the tray. "Oliver, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"All of this – the reward money, the private suite, the chef – all of it. I don't want you to think I don't appreciate it because I do. I really appreciate the fact that you and your team came for me, and I'm grateful that you've made my recovery so easy. But if you're feeling guilty, you shouldn't. I made a choice to heal you because I wanted to. I knew what I was doing, and I knew the potential consequences. None of this is on you."

Oliver set his laptop aside and reached for her hand, his thumb stroking gently across her knuckles. "Chloe, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little guilty, but it's not because you healed me. Not exactly."

"Then why?" she asked, genuinely perplexed by his complete one hundred and eighty degree turn since that night at the club.

"Because I let my pride and hurt feelings trump my common sense," he answered quietly. "I felt something for you and when you left after our night together, I was hurt. And then later when I saw you here in Metropolis, it all came back. The thing is, I never really stopped thinking about you. Every time I saw a woman with a similar build and hairstyle, I checked to see if it was you even though I knew it was ridiculous."

"I never meant to hurt you, Oliver. It was just supposed to be fun – something I never really do, to be honest," she admitted ruefully. "It never even occurred to me that anyone would be hurt except maybe me. It wasn't easy leaving that night, you know. I was so tempted to stay, but I was afraid that if I spent the weekend with you, it would hurt more."

"I get that," he said. "I know my reputation with women is a nightmare. Some of that reputation is earned. A lot of it is for show, but it's not like you could have known that."

"So where does that leave us?" she asked. "I know the whole world thinks we're in a relationship. And yes, we both feel something but the truth is, we barely know each other outside the bedroom."

"We could change that," he told her. "I want to get to know you, Chloe. I want you to get to know me – the real me. I want to make this up to you. I'd like to give us another chance."

Chloe could see that he was being both serious and sincere. Still, that niggling doubt wouldn't quite go away, and she knew she was going to need some time before she could open herself back up. Allowing herself to be vulnerable had never come easily, and that morning at his penthouse had left emotional scars.

His brown eyes were searching her face, and they were hopeful. She looked down at their joined hands for a moment before she spoke. "I don't think it's a good idea to rush into anything. The Kents offered to take me back to the farm while I finish recovering. Personally, I think Martha is looking forward to having someone else to fuss over and cook for, but she'll take good care of me."

When she looked back up at him, the clear disappointment on his face made her feel terrible. "But you could visit, and we could talk. I'd like to get to know you, Oliver."

He nodded. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiled at him. "I know it's a long drive though, and I'm sure you're busy…"

"Not too busy for this," he interrupted her. "So you can expect to see me every couple of days at least."

Chloe felt lighter after their talk, and she was lost in her own thoughts for the rest of the morning after Oliver left and other visitors arrived. It was unexpected, but it seemed like she and Oliver had turned a corner, and she was curious about what might lie on the other side.

Oliver parked his car in a spot near the hospital entrance later that evening, feeling better than he had in weeks – months, even. He'd finally managed to work things out to a degree with Chloe. He hoped it was enough for her to give him a second chance, and it seemed she wasn't completely opposed to the idea. If she was cautious, he couldn't blame her. He had no one to blame but himself for that after behaving like such an asshole.

He'd never had to work this hard for a relationship. Women came easily, and he let them go just as easily. But he'd be damned if he let Chloe go without a fight. If she needed time, he'd give her time. He was just grateful that she wasn't demanding space as well.

When he heard his name as he walked towards the hospital entrance, he turned, expecting to see one of the bothersome reporters who were now following him relentlessly in hopes of getting him to issue a statement about the nature of his relationship with Chloe.

Instead he saw Helena Bertinelli. Her long black hair was pulled back away from her face, and she looked different somehow than the last time he'd seen her.

He stopped, waiting for her to walk across the parking lot towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how she's doing," Helena replied.

He saw the tiniest flash of guilt in her eyes, and he swallowed hard to bite back the angry words threatening to spill forth. "I hope like hell that you working with thugs and putting innocent people's lives at risk was worth it, Helena. Because from where I sit, you crossed a line you can't uncross."

She didn't look away, accepting the harsh criticism as she said, "I needed the gang to get to Mandragora's money man – the man who helped him disappear. If I went at him directly, I knew that Mandragora would be in the wind before I could get to him. But if it was a gang staging home invasions and stealing valuables, and the money man was hit, it would look like random violence. Even better, the homes were all covered by the same security system and they might suspect an inside source. Either way, they'd never see me coming."

"The news reported the gang hit one more home before the arrest. The owner was shot and killed during the robbery. That was you?"

"I couldn't let him talk," she replied simply. "Mandragora is dead now, too."

"Your actions nearly got someone I care about killed," Oliver said flatly. "I know you tried to help in the end, but you're the one who told the gang about Chloe to begin with, aren't you?"

"I just needed them to move locations. I never expected Waites to grab her," she answered. "I did what I could to protect her."

"Except that your agenda still came first," he shot back. He took a deep breath before he continued. "If you've managed to find some peace, then I'm glad, Helena. But I don't want to see you again. We're done. If you want to go back to Gotham, work with Bruce and Dinah, that's fine. But I want you to stay out of Star City and Metropolis."

She looked regretful but nodded in understanding and Oliver turned and walked away without a backward glance.

"Chloe, there's a delivery for you."

Chloe looked up from her book when Martha called out to her. "I'm coming."

She walked out of the living room and met Martha at the front door, smiling when she saw the large, colorful bouquet of tulips and wildflowers. She looked curiously at the box that accompanied the arrangement as she signed her name. As usual, when she tried to offer a tip she was told it had been taken care of.

"Oliver Queen is not a subtle man," Martha remarked with humor as she passed the smaller box to Chloe and carried the flowers into the kitchen.

Chloe smiled at that. "No, he's really not."

Oliver had been sending flowers and small gifts on a near daily basis since she'd been ensconced at the farm with the Kents. He'd also visited as promised, making the drive out to Smallville every couple of days. This had been going on for the past month, and his solicitous behavior showed no signs of tapering off.

She was feeling much better, her injuries healing well under Martha Kent's watchful eye and care. Her father and Uncle Sam had stayed on for another week after she was released from the hospital but had since returned to Colorado and Washington, respectively. Lucy was still in Metropolis and came with Lois every weekend to stay at the farm and spend time with her. Clark also popped in and out a few times a day. Chloe thought he might be feeling a little lonely in the apartment by himself.

While Martha added some water to the lovely, crystal vase in which the flowers were arranged, Chloe opened the box to discover yet another of Oliver's care packages. This one featured premium coffee that looked expensive, though it was a brand she'd never heard of before, and a book that she'd mentioned wanting to read.

Opening the small card, she smiled at the note.

Hope you're having a good day. I'm stuck in meetings all day – definitely not good. Enjoy the coffee and when you've finished reading the book, we can have lunch and discuss it. I have my own copy and should be finished by the weekend. Talk to you soon! Ollie

When she looked up, Martha was regarding her thoughtfully. "He seems to care a lot about you. And I know you said that the tabloids have it wrong, but I noticed he still hasn't issued a statement about your relationship."

Chloe had noticed that too, though she had yet to ask him about it. She had kept the details to herself, but she found herself wanting to confide in Martha. "The truth is that we met in Star City last year, when I was there for my internship. It's kind of complicated."

"The relationships worth having usually are," Martha told her.

"I know but… I guess I'm afraid of getting hurt again," Chloe admitted. "We got off to a really rocky start when he arrived in Metropolis. I just wonder if any of this would be happening if I hadn't been kidnapped, which clearly scared him."

"Well, that should tell you something," the older woman said. "To love is to know fear. If he didn't already have feelings for you, it wouldn't have scared him as much as it did. Will he be visiting again this week?"

She nodded. "He said the weekend, so probably Saturday. He wants to have lunch."

"Well, how about I make you a picnic and you take him down to Crater Lake?" Martha suggested. "I think it's about time the two of you had an honest conversation about your feelings because it looks to me like he's not going anywhere."

Chloe looked down at the book and the note, feeling something with wings flutter awake in her heart. Hope.

A/N – One more chapter left!

Up Next: Chloe and Oliver have a picnic and a very real talk, Chloe and Clark graduate from Met U, and Oliver finally addresses all those rumors about his relationship with Chloe. I'll get it up soon! Thanks for reading!