Chloe made it to the restaurant at 7:55am. She was seated at Mr. Queen's table and given free reign to order what ever. Thinking it was rude to eat before the man of the hour arrived she only ordered coffee, the house blend which was in fact from Cuba and decadent. She pulled out her notepad and began reviewing her questions, she glanced over the menu and sighed, she looked at her watch he would be here any minute and just the thought made her heart race.

Chloe looked at her watch for the hundredth time and growled, it was nearly a quarter to nine and she was pissed. 'Don't be late' she growled to her self. No interview was worth being treated like crap for. She gathered all her things and stood in a huff. She tossed a twenty on the table and turned and came face to chest with Oliver Queen.

He looked down at the indignation on her face and gave her his best and most arrogant smile, "Leaving so soon?" Chloe only gaped at him. A million thoughts went through her head and he put his hands on her shoulders, "I do apologize for being late, I got tied up with something and was irrevocably detained. I hope it didn't cause you too much stress?" he smiled and in a smooth maneuver had her moving back to the table her arm in the crook of his and then directed her to sit which she did reluctantly. She noticed that he was dressed down in jeans and muted green pull over sweater. He seemed very relaxed, "Have you eaten?" he purred. All Chloe could do was shake her head. He spied the twenty on the table and looked at her. He slid it towards her and a waiter came right out to take the drink order. Oliver spoke in fluent Spanish. "I ordered some more coffee, I hope you don't mind." He smiled. Chloe just shook her head. 'Who is this guy?' she thought.

"Mr. Queen," she spoke pulling out her notepad.

"Please haven't we established that you can call me Oliver?" he smiled. She blushed.

"Look, I know you are of the jet set and can come and go as you please, but I have deadlines and…."

"Are you going to be in trouble for me being late?"

"I well, with Perry out, I need to pull my weight for the team."

"You didn't answer my question," he spoke putting his napkin in his lap and opening the menu. Chloe just glared at him as if he were from another planet.

"I,"

Oliver reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, "Is Jerry still the acting Editor?" he asked while dialing a number.

"Yeah but,"

Oliver hit a button and then put the phone to his ear, "Jerry, Oliver Queen. ……Good good, how are the digs over at….glad to hear that. Sir the reason I'm calling is well, I need to apologize. I seem to have manipulated the time of Chloe Sullivan. We had an early appointment and I was dreadfully late. I have detained her and really don't want her to get in any trouble…ok sure…" he handed his phone to Chloe. She took it and avoided the contact with her skin. Hopefully he wouldn't know how much his presence affected her.

"Good Morning Sir, yeah, ok…..yeah I can send it in… ok, um thanks," she handed him back his phone.

"With that being settled, lets have breakfast!" he smiled and handed his opened menu to Chloe. She glared at him then hid behind the menu and would occasionally peak over at him with utter suspicion.

He only smiled. "Are you going to interview me from behind that menu?" he teased. Chloe set the menu down and looked at him with a very serious face. He stared her down until she cracked and smiled at him.

"So why were you late?" she grilled. Tao wanted to say it was because of her, his arousal was nearly insatiable, but it was Oliver Queen she was interviewing and he shrugged blandly.

"I just got caught up in a private meeting." He smiled. "Is that the only question you have?" he spoke seeing her note pad on the table, he reached for it but she was faster.

"Uh,uh,uh Mr. Queen." She grinned.

The waiter approached the table. "Senor Queen, what would you be ordering today?"

"Javier, my guest will be ordering first," he spoke smiling at Chloe.

"What do you recommend?" She asked and that broke the dam for the rest of the meal. The interview was just a pleasant conversation. It was nearly 11 when Oliver paid the check and escorted Chloe out of the restaurant.

"So…" Chloe asked seeing the very expensive SUV parked in front of the building.

"I assume you have enough for your article but would you like to go and see the office and the list of charities that I actually do more than contribute money too?" he smiled walking toward his ride.

"But, I,"

"Your choice," he smiled as he opened the passenger door. He needed to put the distance between them; her scent was intoxicating and the symphony of her body was driving him slowly insane. Chloe made haste to climb into the vehicle. She was putting her seat belt on while he hopped into the driver's seat.

"What, gave your driver the day off?" she teased.

"I'm not the spoiled brat that most people think I am. My Nana made sure of that, to her dying breath, she made sure of that." He spoke nostalgically.

"Sorry, I didn't mean,"

"No its fine, how were you to know? I'm more than what most people see." He spoke giving her a side long glance before pulling out into traffic.

"You sound like a mystery," Chloe grinned.

"Maybe, maybe not. Are you all in to try and solve what may or may not be there?" he spoke. His phone rang and he hit a button on the steering wheel to answer it.

"Mr. Queen?"

"Yes Victor, I am on the way to the office." Chloe chuckled he sounded like a petulant child being punished by his dad for missing curfew.

"I assume that you have a guest?"

"Be careful with this line of questioning." Ollie snarked.

"Message received. There is some information on your desk you've been waiting for. The tri county Emergency Services group will be here at noon. Good Morning Miss Sullivan."

"Mr. Stone." She smiled looking over at Oliver strangely.

"Is there anything else Victor?" Oliver spoke annoyed.

"No, sir, see you in a few." And the call was disconnected.

Chloe just smiled over at Oliver who was looking at the road ahead of him. She just shook her head.

"What?" he grinned. She was silent and in few more minutes, after dodging all the barricades from the ruined down town area, he pulled into the QI underground parking garage. Ollie parked in his space, exited, and then went around the back of his vehicle to open the door for Chloe.

"Aren't we a gentleman?" She teased.

"Shhh, don't let it get around, I do have a reputation to uphold." He led her to the elevator and hit the button for the executive offices.

--

"So," Lex spoke to the nervous doctor standing in front of him. "You say that my father won't ever talk again?"

"There is a possibility, sir that he still might. The brain is an amazing…"

"I don't care," Lex interrupted. "I know that you have a son who's wanting to go to Yale, and a wife who really loves her position on the hospital fundraising committee. It would really be a shame for her to be caught embezzling money from the childrens wing wouldn't it? And Yale? That's such an expensive school, you make sure my father doesn't talk again and your family will be set for life." Lex spoke. "He regains his ability to communicate and you won't even be able to be a greeter at that SuperMart," Lex spoke. The doctor paled dramatically. "Now, there is a nursing home in Granville, I would like him sent there, do what you must, make it happen." Lex spoke and his phone began to chime. He looked to see Lana was calling. "Don't disappointment me, Doctor, I don't take disappointment well." He hissed spun on his heal and left to answer his phone.

"Hey baby, how'd it go?" he asked sweetly.

"Good, good," she chirped. "I like the place, so if you're sure you want to do this right away, well, let's do it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Lex there is nothing that could possibly make me happier than to be your wife."

"If you're sure, I mean I did think a lot about what you said about the media thinking this was too close to the disaster."

"Oh, Lex, I'm not marrying the media, I'm marrying you and honestly the disasters made me realize how precious life really is."

"Oh Lana, that's…wow." He spoke reading over the list of people she actually made contact with, he had another phone that was strictly for monitoring her. "Look, I have a full day of appointments, go ahead and make what ever arrangements you want and we'll catch up tonight at R'obert."

"Really?"

"For you pet? I would give you the world."

"Ohhh, I love you Lex," she squealed.

"I love you too," he spoke and hung up the phone. 'God this is too easy,' he thought of the manipulations of the human woman. He then sent a text message, 'forget the video. I know who he is and who he loves, plan 2, kill kalel." Lex left the hall he was in to head to the elevator of the hospital. He had another errand he needed to attend to. He slid his leather gloves on his hands and hit the button to leave the floor and the hospital.

--

Chloe had been given a whirl wind tour of the Queen Industries building. She had gotten better access than some of Oliver's employees. She found herself totally enamored with the man. He was smart, had a quick wit, and seemed to be so very approachable to those around him. She had seen the list of charities he gave money to and the lists and lists of ones he gave his time to. She wasn't sure how he did it all.

After nearly 2 hours of interviewing people and just watching him work Chloe felt she had enough for her article. She needed to get back to her hotel room to type up her story. She had been chatting with one of Oliver's interns and sharing stories of Smallville. Oliver had gone to his Emergency Services meeting and came back to find the two women laughing so hard they were nearly in tears. He listened with interest to the story and couldn't help but chuckle. He caught Chloe looking at her watch.

"Have a hot date?" he teased.

"No, I just need to get to my lap top; you know to file my story." She smiled.

"Alright," he sent a text. He stared at the phone waiting for a response. It happened quickly. "Let's go." He smiled.

"What did you just do?" she spoke curiously as she followed him back to the elevators.

"I took the rest of the day off." He hit the down button and Chloe just stared at his back side as he waited for the elevator. She had been distracted up to this point with all the research. It was getting harder and harder to deny her lust for this man, and she wasn't sure that spending the rest of the day with him was going to help.

--

He stood at the foot of the bed, the room was a mess. He had looked everywhere. Lionel was just crazy enough to send Chloe Sullivan a copy of his journal. The girl was trouble with a capital T. He had trashed her laptop flipped the mattress and nothing; the room search was a bust. He rolled his eyes; he would have to figure out another way. There was a page missing in the one he took from Lionel before his unfortunate accident with a bullet. In order to call the beast to help him rule the earth, he needed that symbol.

Lex heard voices coming and smirked, he super sped out of the room before anyone would know he was ever there.

--

"You didn't have to walk me to my door, Oliver." Chloe blushed.

"Well," he smiled, but his smile faded as he saw Chloe look at her door and frown.

"What?" he asked.

She had a worried expression on her face, "I left the do not disturb sign on my door." Oliver immediately stepped in front of her and tilted his head ever so slightly to listen for any intruders.

"Do you have your key?" he asked. Chloe noticed his tone was totally different. As if in a second he became someone else. Chloe absently slid the key into his extended hand. She had managed to avoid touching him all day and with one simple caress of skin, she gasped as lightning zipped down her spine, leaving a trail of undeniable arousal in its wake.

He slid the key in the door and the green light didn't come on. As he was trying to get the key to work he was also scanning the room. What he saw made Tao surface faster than the speed he possessed and he wanted his presence known, the room was destroyed. Finally the door clicked open and Tao pulled his sleeve over his hand and opened the door slowly. "Call the police Chloe." He clipped.

"What?" she spoke pushing past him and gasped at the destruction of the room. Tao grabbed her by the waist and lifted her out of the room. Tears were sliding down her cheeks, her stuff was trashed, and someone ransacked her room. She turned and tried to run, needed to get away. She then ran into something solid and unbending. She gasped to look up into the deep chocolate eyes of Oliver Queen. He cupped her face in his hands.

"No, Chloe," he whispered. "Never run,"………..