The Wager

Chapter 10

Oliver knocked on the door for the second time this time a little harder then the first. But when the door opened it wasn't Chloe he was looking at but her cousin.

"Lois? I thought you were out of town."

"I just got back. Wait a minute, weren't you with my little coz all afternoon? What's the matter, miss her already?"

"Something like that. I really need to talk to her."

"She's not here, but she'll be back soon. You wanna come in and wait?"

"Um… sure." he said hesitantly. He really hoped that when it came time to come clean with Chloe he would be able to do it in private.

She opened the door and stepped to the side gesturing for him to come in. He stepped past her and she closed the door behind him.

She walked toward the living room and sat down on the couch.

"So, how did she do today?"

"What do you mean?" he asked following her into the room.

"You know the carnival. The fact that she wanted you there must mean she really likes you."

"Lois what are you talking about?"

"Well it's a special day to her so the fact that she wanted you there is kind of a big deal." she said leaning back and crossing her arms.

"Okay, you've totally lost me. What's the big deal about a traveling carnival?"

"Oh man she didn't tell you." She paused and rubbed her hands over her face, "I don't suppose you could just forget I said anything could you?"

"It's really not likely."

"All right fine but please keep this between the two of us, all right?"

"Yeah okay," he said walking farther into the living room and sitting on the couch opposite Lois. "I won't say anything."

"Well, I'm sure she told you that Clark and I go with her every year."

"Yeah she mentioned that."

"Well it's kind of this thing we started doing, our own little tradition. See, Chlo's mom left when she was eight but before that every year she would take Chloe and they would spend the whole day there. After she was gone Chloe decided that she didn't want to go there again without her mom." She paused for a moment, "So a few years back Clark and I asked her to come with us and when she told us she couldn't and why, we all came up with this idea that every year we would all go together. A way to help her move on. I felt so bad when we had to leave town, but she said it was fine because she still had you to go with."

"I had no idea. She didn't say anything."

"Yeah well don't take it personally she doesn't like to talk about her mom much. Chloe's not one to mope and whine about her issues. "

"Yeah I can see that in her."

They sat in silence for several minutes. He felt even worse now. She liked him enough to want him with her on a day that was so special to her.

How was he supposed to tell her that he had been playing her. Now matter how he felt now it didn't erase the way it had started.

Chloe shut off her computer and left the Daily Planet heading to her car. She'd gotten a text from Lois telling her she was back and waiting for her at their apartment.

She was dying to talk to her cousin about her day with Oliver Queen. She would have gone home as soon as she heard from her cousin, having ice cream and girl talk, if it wasn't for the fact that she needed to finish proof reading her latest article, and no offense to Lois but trying to do that with her right there asking a million questions about the man she was now calling The Sexy Billionaire was not a way to get work done. She laughed remembering her conversation with Lois the day before about Oliver's new moniker…

"So your really taking The Sexy Billionaire with you to the carnival?" Lois asked placing a stack of clothes in her suitcase.

"Yes, and since when is he The Sexy Billionaire. What happened to Sexy Billionaire Playboy?" she asked laughing loudly.

"Simple. I have do doubt that after spending a whole day with you he's going to want to curb his playboy ways." she said wiggling her eyebrows and laughing along.

"Lois that's just not even…"

"Don't you dare tell me it's not a possibility because you, little coz, are awesome and I guarantee you by the end of the day he will be totally smitten with you. That is if he isn't already" Lois said picking up her bag and heading toward the door.

"Have fun Chlo, and don't do anything I wouldn't do." she called out not bothering to turn back.

"What is there that you wouldn't do?" Chloe teased.

Lois quickly whipped around and stuck out her tongue and smiled before walking out the door…

Chloe was so lost in thought that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her until it was too late. She felt a hand fall over her mouth and the man lifted her against his body pulling her toward the street, "Chloe Sullivan. An old friend really wants to see you." he ground out in her ear.

Her mind was going a mile a minute trying to remember the self defense moves Lois had taught her back in high school. After a second she gave up and instinct took over. She threw her head back into his face sending a searing pain through her but also through her attacker. He dropped her to the ground and shot his hands up to his nose, "You Bitch." he spit out glaring down at her. Wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand he leaned down to pick her up again.

Suddenly Chloe saw a blur of black swoop in from overhead and knock the man to the ground. A man dressed in a black suit stood over her attacker, "I think you should apologize to the lady." he growled before sending a strong kick to the mans stomach.

The man in black turned toward Chloe, "Are you all right Miss Sullivan?" he asked reaching out his hand and helping her from the ground.

They both turned their heads quickly when they heard a car peel out and saw that the man on the ground was gone.

She ran her hand over her pants trying wipe away any dirt and scowled when she realized it was useless, they were ruined. "Yes, I'm fine, just a little… wait how do you know my name?" she asked her eyes wide.

He smirked slightly, "I know a lot of things." he told her simply. "Chloe Sullivan, reporter for the Daily Planet, magnet for trouble. I could go on."

"No that's plenty." she said crossing her arms over her chest, and smiling shyly.

"Good. Let's get you to your car."

When they reached her vehicle she turned to the man next to her, "Since you know so much about me care to tell me who you are?"

"Batman."

"From Gotham." she said turning to her car and unlocking the door. She turned back to thank the masked man but he was already gone.

Lex glared at the man in front of him, "You let her get away?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry, but someone must have been watching because he came out of nowhere and helped her. I think it was that freak Batman." he said trying to defend himself.

"I don't allow those who work for me to be incompetent. You're fired! Now get out."

He watched the man leave his office then picked up his phone and dialed quickly, "Take care of him. I don't want him to be able to tell anyone what he knows." he said then slammed down the phone back down.

He couldn't believe this. He already had Clark Kent and the Green Arrow running around town causing him problems and now it seemed there was another one of these so called heroes lurking around. This wouldn't do. No one was going to get in the way of what he had planned.

Oliver stiffened when he heard the door of Chloe's apartment open. This was it. He had to tell her everything. He turned to look at her and his eyebrows shot up when he saw her dirt covered clothes "Oh my God Chloe," he said rushing over to her, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Someone tried to grab me outside the Daily Planet when I was walking to my car."

"Are you okay?" he asked deciding right then that while he needed to tell her the truth right now might not be the best time for it.

"Yeah, this guy came out of nowhere and helped me." she told him walking toward her kitchen.

"Guy? What Guy?"

"Batman."

"The guy from Gotham?"

She nodded, "He was amazing. He came out of nowhere and took the guy down."

"Amazing huh?" he asked feeling a pang of jealousy but pushing it away quickly. This wasn't about him and he knew it. He was just grateful Bruce was there to help her, no matter the reason.

"Yeah, but I'm still trying to figure out how he knew so much about me."

"He knew a lot about you?"

"Yeah, weird huh? I'm gonna go get cleaned up." she said heading toward her bedroom, "I'll be right back."

He watched her walk away and realized he really needed to have a conversation with Bruce.

A/N Thanks for reading! I hope it was all right, this chapter made me very nervous. I've never written Batman before just Bruce so I hope it read well.

I'm probably going to be posting an update to The Announcement later today as well so keep an eye out. J