Disclaimer: Clearly not mine. I barely even know anything about Smallville so it couldn't have come from me.
Warning: Lots of changes to the timeline. Consider all the seasons spoiled, but the story begins in an altered Season 8. Some violence and swearing, eventually some smut.
Epiphanies
Recap: Chloe figures out she is in love with Oliver the day before her wedding to Jimmy and runs out on her nuptials. Determined to change her life for the better she returns to Metropolis ready to do the deep introspection needed to accomplish that. She keeps her love for Oliver a secret from everyone and pushes him away. Slowly Oliver manages to figure the new Chloe out, finding out about her healing ability and everything that comes with it, leading him to figure out he loves her after she "dies" healing him from the gunshot. Davis is following Chloe, absolutely convinced that they should be together, but Chloe is focused on Oliver, especially after he starts waging a campaign to make her notice him as more than a friend. Lana is back in town and reconnects with Clark who still has feelings for Lois. Chloe struggles to keep Oliver at bay after their first kiss, thinking that his actions don't mean anything, and Tess (who's working with Oliver against Lex) tries to scare Chloe off. Oliver lays his cards on the table (minus the info that he loves Chloe) leaving her to decide if they have a future. Agreeing to go slow, Chloe embarks on a relationship with Oliver, while holding back, waiting for the inevitable end. Lois, Clark, Oliver and Chloe go for a night out as the killer returns to Metropolis and the team reassembles. Clark gets a glimpse of the future and it's not pretty for any of them.
Chapter 25CO-CO-CO
Chloe is sitting at an indoor table in the back corner of her favorite café, drinking a cup of coffee and she doesn't look pleased. She checks her phone and sees messages from Oliver, Lois, Clark, Bart and her dad. Each of them echo a similar message. Be careful, pay attention, don't take any unnecessary risks. Chloe frowns and makes a snide face. "Use the buddy system, observe your surroundings, never leave the house, hide in the back of your closet…"
She finishes her coffee and sighs deeply. Between Davis, her various jobs and all her well intentioned loved ones Chloe felt harassed, stressed, and no safer. She sets a cookie on the edge of the table and suddenly Bart appears before her, her hair blowing back with the breeze created by his arrival. He snatches the cookie up and stuffs it in his mouth. "How do you feel about Mexican food for lunch today? I can have us in Baja in ten minutes, tops."
Chloe spares him a sad smile. "I'll think about it." She pauses and tilts her head at him, a bright smile suddenly appearing. "Actually, that sounds great, why don't you go get us the best street tacos you ever had and I'll meet you…"
"No can do, Liscious. Boss man gave me strict orders." He sees her face fall and tries to compromise. "But maybe Stretch can watch you for me and I can go."
Chloe signs again. "You realize that if this goes on for another day or so I'm seriously going to consider killing one or all of you. And since you're the closest…"
"Hey!" he says with alarm. "Don't shoot the messenger. You want to not be watched 24/7, Boss man offered you the solution. Get out of town."
"I have a job Bart…"
"And so do I," he says stubbornly.
She rolls her eyes and they walk back to the DP together with Chloe arguing with him the whole way. "Nothing is going to happen while I'm inside, you don't have to wait for me, and before you even say it, Oliver will never know."
Bart looks as serious as Chloe has ever seen him. "I'll know. Some psycho is stalking you, I'm not going to be the one to let him get to you. I don't want that on me."
Chloe arrives at the DP and sees Clark in the lobby. He comes over to open the door for her and Bart passes her off to him. Chloe marches past Clark, temper evident in her every movement. Clark looks puzzled and Bart forms his fingers into the shape of a gun and holds it to his head, pulling the trigger to indicate his feelings on Chloe's attitude. Clark huffs out a laugh, then takes off after Chloe.
"You know we're only trying to keep you safe, Chloe. You could just appreciate that we all care about you."
"That's real swell Clark," she replies, sarcasm thick in her tone. "Come talk to me after you're treated like the helpless and hapless victim and bullied into a situation you don't want. Talk to me then."
Chloe's phone rings and she sees Oliver's name on the screen, hitting ignore she sits at her desk and opens her latest story. The call goes to voicemail. Another call comes in, this one from Victor. Chloe ignores it too. Lois comes careening into the bullpen and grabs Chloe's arm, wrenching her up out of her chair. "Chloe!" she says breathlessly.
"What!" Chloe replies with barely contained annoyance.
"Look." Lois points to a TV in the back corner of the newsroom, turned to a 24 hour news network. The banner at the bottom announces that an explosion at a Queen Industries facility in Star City had occurred just minutes prior. The news anchor is talking as she receives information, trying to get the latest on air as quickly as possible. Something comes over her ear piece and she pauses. "We have reports that Oliver Queen was in the building where the explosion occurred. These are unconfirmed reports, but we have multiple accounts from the workers exiting the building that the CEO of Queen Industries, Oliver Queen, was scheduled to be here today."
Chloe's heart drops, her eyes still glued to the screen she reaches blindly for her phone. Snatching it up she dials Oliver and tries to keep her breathing even. "He's OK, he has to be OK," she says to herself. The call goes directly to voicemail and fear overwhelms her. She dials again, but another call comes through from Victor. She hits talk. "Vic…"
"He's in the hospital, I haven't been able to get anymore information yet, but he was alive when they took him out of the building."
"Where?"
"Star City Medical Center."
She hangs up and looks around, not sure what to do. She grabs her purse, her brain not able to process a clear plan of action beyond that she had to get to him. "I have to… go. I have to go." She stumbles towards the stairs and Lois follows with her.
"Do you want me to come? I'll call the airlines now." Lois grabs her own purse and puts a supporting arm around Chloe.
Clark stops them, "Uh, Chloe…"
Chloe looks up at him blankly, then her eyes widen. "Lois, no, you stay here. Call me with any information that you can get."
"But…" Lois protests, then nods, "OK, I'll have your ticket waiting by the time you get to the airport."
"I think Oliver's jet is here. I'm sure we can use it," Clark offers.
"Why would Oliver's jet be here, he's in Star City. Use your head Smallville."
"No, Clark is right. Ollie…caught a ride with Hal. I don't need a plane ticket, Lo." Lois's annoyed expression clears as she realizes that the speedy kid, Bart, was watching Chloe and could easily run her to Star City. Chloe darts back to hug Lois tightly. "I'll call as soon as I know anything."
Clarks helps her up the stairs, half afraid that she'll just crumble and fall over at any second. Outside he leads her into an alley and scoops her up in his arms, racing towards Star City.
CO-CO-CO
Chloe approaches the entrance to Star City Medical Center's emergency room, pushing past a herd of reporters who have been corralled on a section of lawn. At the door she finds the entrance barred by two large security guards. "I need to get in."
"I'm sorry ma'am. The emergency room is closed." The guard eyes Clark's large form carefully. "There is another…"
"Ms. Sullivan?" an unfamiliar voice calls from inside.
"Yes."
"Let her pass." The voice, which belongs to a black suited man, commands. "I work for Oliver, Ms. Sullivan."
Chloe nods distractedly, taking Clark's hand to pull him through security with her. She keeps pace beside the man, who she assumes is leading her to Oliver. "How is he?"
"I don't know," the man says with a shake of his head. "They won't release that info to anyone but family."
They enter an elevator and Chloe looks at him with bewildered dissatisfaction, "But…"
"You're listed as next of kin along with a Hal Jordan."
Chloe blinks rapidly as she processes that bit of information, Clark also shows his surprise. "Hal…" She says with distracted acknowledgement. "Did someone call Hal?"
"I did, his voice mail said he would be out of communication for a few days."
Chloe nods, assuming Hal was busy with Green Lantern business, either on Earth or some other planet. "I'm sorry, and you are?"
"Oh, right. Sorry. Denis O'Neil. I'm Oliver's personal counsel and business manager. I handle all his personal properties and assets, as well as his will and various trusts. I'm…aware of some of Oliver's… less well known pursuits."
Chloe nods and Clark studies the man who apparently held Oliver's secrets and trust. "Do they know what happened yet? The explosion, I mean." Clark asks.
"No. The police are still gathering statements while the fire department clears the building." He pauses, then slants a look at Chloe. "There are at least two confirmed causalities so far."
Chloe draws in a noisy breath knowing how close she came to losing Oliver, and exhales as she realizes that Oliver will blame himself. As much as he made fun of Clark for his over blown sense of responsibility, Oliver behaved similarly on occasion. The elevator opens and Chloe rushes out onto what is obviously a private floor. A nurse comes towards her immediately. "Can I help you?"
"Oliver Queen?"
The nurse smiles, but neatly blocks Chloe's path. Denis O'Neil steps up behind Chloe, "It's OK." The nurse steps aside and Denis leads Chloe to a closed door. She takes a deep breath and pushes it open, immediately assaulted by several loud voices, the beeping of machinery, and the strong smell of antiseptic.
"Mr. Queen, I need you to stay seated. You have internal bleeding, you need to stay still and let us run the proper tests."
"Pressure is high, but steady," one of the nurses states.
Chloe's eyes race over Oliver, inspecting each bruise, cut and abrasion visible on his face and torso. He has one arm wrapped around his chest to hold his ribs steady as he tries to climb out of the hospital bed.
"His O2 stats are a bit low," another nurse says with a disapproving tone.
"Likely from the smoke inhalation," the doctor says as he tries to hold Oliver in bed with a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm fine, a few bruises aren't enough to require hospitalization," Oliver says commandingly, causing the doctor to release him and step back.
"Internal bleeding can be quite serious and you have a concussion. The bruises are the least of our worries. We need to do an ultrasound on your abdomen and possibly a CT on your brain."
"I'm fine-" Oliver begins, but Chloe's clear and calm voice cuts through the room like a knife.
"He'll take your tests Doctor."
Oliver grins as he sees her standing there, but then his lips turn down in a frown when he notes how pale and shaken she looks. "Chloe." His heart monitor begins to beep faster.
Her lips tremble, but curve upwards in a smile of acknowledgement. "Sit back down and let the doctor do his job Oliver."
Oliver holds out his hand to her and she comes closer, her eyes shutting in intense relief as he folds her into a hug. The fear and tension that had wrapped around her as soon as she'd heard the news finally loosens. Her hands race over his back, sliding down to feel the tight bandages over his ribs, careful not to hurt him. She tips her face up to press a brief kiss to his lips, before withdrawing. Her hands brace his ribs as she presses him back into the bed.
The doctor and nurses watch with amused disbelief as he acquiesces easily to the small blonde, residing back on the bed and easing his legs back up so he is supported and still. Rewarding him with a smile she lets him take her hand in his, but turns her attention to the medical staff. "Schedule whatever tests you need. Oliver will be happy to take them."
"Thank you."
"I don't know about happy…" Oliver offers, still smiling at Chloe.
She ignores him. "How is he?" she asks the doctor.
Oliver bends his head regally at the doctor's questioning look, allowing the man to tell Chloe whatever she wanted to know about his medical status. "Overall he's doing amazingly well. A few cuts and bruises, hairline fractures in his ribs, some minor burns. But the percussive force of the blast did cause some damage we need to monitor."
"You said he had a concussion and internal bleeding?"
"Yes. The concussion is mild, but we need to keep him here to monitor him for the next 24 hours."
Oliver opens his mouth to protest, but Chloe cuts him off with a killing look. He shuts his mouth without uttering a word. "Please continue doctor."
"The internal bleeding is a concern. Mr. Queen was buried under some heavy rubble and the blast itself could have caused internal damage."
"And the tests?"
"We need to do an ultrasound on his torso and internal organs as soon as possible," the doctor says to Chloe, not even bothering to glance at Oliver.
"We're ready when you are Doctor."
"Thank you…"
"Chloe Sullivan," she says as she shakes his hand.
"Ms. Sullivan."
"Please, call me Chloe."
"Chloe." The doctor acknowledges as he leaves the room the nurses following him out.
Oliver finally notices Denis O'Neil and Clark are there, standing just inside the door. "Denny, Clark. Thanks for getting her here," Oliver offers his gratitude.
Denis smiles in relieved amusement. "I can see that things here are well under control, if you're OK with me going Oliver, I'd like to head over to the plant." Oliver nods and Denis exits the room.
"Oliver, glad you're OK," Clark says seriously.
"Thanks Clark."
"Yeah, thanks Clark," Chloe echoes, her eyes on Oliver.
Clark stands there awkwardly for a moment, noticing once again how tuned in to each other that they were. More like a set than two individuals. Oliver's hand cups her cheek and Chloe tilts her face into his palm, her expression worried and relieved at the same time. Clark studied them, trying to figure out how those two had come together. It just didn't make sense to Clark, but it was undeniable. There was something in the way he looked at her, held her, spoke to her. Tender. Proud. Possessive. Needy. When they had arrived Oliver had been wound up like Clark hadn't seen since Oliver was hopped up on RL-65. But as soon as he'd seen Chloe he'd been calm, almost zen-like.
"I guess I'll take off, unless you need something…" Clark offers, not expecting much in response, and receiving only absent head shakes as Chloe begins inspecting Oliver's various injuries. Oliver watches her carefully, his eyes warning her not to use her ability to heal him.
CO-CO-CO
Chloe doesn't leave Oliver's side through the tests and various treatments over the next few hours. It's clear his ribs are hurting him and he has an intense headache, but the tests determine that his internal injuries were minimal, the slight bleeding having stopped on its own. The doctor prescribes a light muscle relaxant, but says he can't give Oliver pain meds until 24 hours have past because of his head injury.
Alone in his private room again, Chloe orders some food for Oliver, picking off his plate when it arrives. They talk about simple easy things until Oliver falls asleep. Chloe tucks him under the blankets, and turns on the TV in the room, muting the sound. The images that fill the screen are frightening. The blast had torn the whole front of the building off, collapsing the corner of the fourth floor where the conference room had been down onto the floors below. The news showed pictures of the two employees that had lost their lives.
Chloe feels a ball of emotion work its way up her throat, ending in a sob that she tries to stifle. She glances at Oliver, to make sure he is still sleeping as tears begin to pour silently down her face. She forces herself to remain silent, not wanting to wake him.
Lois keeps a steam of email's coming in with any new info on the investigation, which Chloe ignores in favor for what Victor is sending, his info coming directly from the first responders.
Eventually she turns the TV off in favor of just watching Oliver. Her eyes glued to his still form, she jolts at each small movement he makes, each small groan or expression of pain that crosses his face. Outside the room she can hear the police talking to Oliver's doctor, trying to ascertain when they'd be able to question him. The doctor looks in through the open blinds on the door's window and sees that Oliver is asleep and asks the investigators to return later.
A nurse comes in to check on Oliver's vitals, and when she touches him to take his pulse, he wakes up with a start. He groans at the sudden movement, and his arm bands around his ribs to provide support. Turning his head to find Chloe, he sees her standing at his side, her face ravaged by her earlier tears.
The nurse leaves and Oliver takes Chloe's hand. "I'm fine, I swear."
"You look fine," she chokes on a laugh that nearly becomes a sob.
He watches her struggle for control. "I've looked worse."
"Yeah, not really helping," she replies with a sad smile.
"Come here," he attempts to tug her up onto the bed with him. Chloe shakes her head vigorously and pulls her hand free of his, backing away. "Chloe come here, or I'll come to you." She freezes, looking at him with fear. He maneuvers so he can lower the rail on the side of the bed closest to her and swings his legs out slowly.
"No…" she cries as she rushes back towards him. Oliver wraps his arm around her waist, anchoring her to him and pulling her into his body. "You have to get back in bed, you could hurt yourself."
"I will if you join me," he murmurs into her hair as he breaths in her clean fresh scent, stroking her back, offering comfort at the same time as he took it.
"I could hurt you, your ribs…"
"I'm tougher than that. Give me some credit."
"Ollie…" her hand strokes his ribs lightly, seeing the discoloration of bruising above the bandages.
He buries his face in her neck and speaks very softly, careful that no one should hear them, and no recording device would be able to pick up what he said. "I don't want you to heal me, Chloe."
She looks stricken, "I wasn't, but I could…"
"No. It would raise to many questions, and I'm fine, Chloe. I really am. In a few days, all I'll have to show of this are a few bruises. All I need from you, is you. Beside me."
She looks hesitant and he kisses her mouth gently before shifting back on the bed. Chloe reluctantly crawls in beside him, careful to take up as little space as possible and to keep away from his bruised and broken ribs. Oliver lets her get settled then pulls her to lie against his side.
"Ollie, no…"
"You're not hurting me Chloe. In fact, holding you is the only thing that feels good right now." He keeps his arm firm around her, holding her in place until she stops trying to push away from him. She carefully relaxes her weight against him, her hand resting below his bandages, over his abs. "Much better," he says with satisfaction.
Within minutes both are asleep. When the nurse comes back in with the doctor she is flustered and disapproving of their positioning, clucking her tongue and taking a step towards the sleeping lovers.
"No, let them be," the doctor says softly, checking the chart with Oliver's latest vitals. "A happy patient is a healthy patient," he says, smiling softly as he notes the relaxed look on Oliver's face, his lips turned upwards slightly even in sleep.
CO-CO-CO
Chloe spends the night with Oliver in the hospital, both being woken up every few hours as nurses come in to check his vitals as well as make sure his concussion is not affecting him.
When breakfast is delivered the next morning Chloe crawls awkwardly out of the too small hospital bed, bleary eyed, hair sticking up and creases in her face from the sheets. Oliver smiles softly as she stumbles towards the bathroom.
When she returns a few minutes later she looks slightly more awake, but still exhausted. She stops short when she sees Denis O'Neil in the room talking to Oliver. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, it had to be…"
Oliver trails off when he sees Chloe, smiling easily. She levels an unimpressed look at him. "Don't even think about hiding anything from me Ollie. Not now."
Denis looks from Chloe to Oliver and nods, a small knowing smile on his face. "I'm going to check on…something, outside."
Oliver nods in acknowledgement and adjusts to sit up in the bed, raising the back to make it easier for him to sit upright. "I want you to go with Denis."
"No."
"Just to my penthouse here. I need you to access our database and look up as much as you can on Winslow Schott."
Chloe frowns, a V forming between her eyebrows. "You know who did this, you have to tell the police…"
"He's too dangerous Chloe."
"It's their job," she says stubbornly.
"It's my responsibility," he says gravely, and she closes her eyes in resignation.
"Fine, but you will not be the one going after this Winslow character. You're hurt. We can get Clark or AC to do it."
"We'll talk about it later. Vic will meet you at the penthouse. I've had my assistant drop off a change of clothes for you as well."
"Tell me about him. Why would he do this?"
"He's an engineer. I fired him six years ago."
Chloe draws in a shaky breath. "You think the bomb was meant for you?"
Oliver nods and takes her hand, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on her palm. "I hired him right out of MIT, he was a child progeny. He developed explosives, anything from blowing out tunnels in mountains to breaking up kidney stones. He thought of things no one had ever considered, and made it work."
"That's pretty high praise for someone you handed a pink slip to?"
"It was a high pressure job. He snapped. Started bringing toys to work. Whatever, right?" Oliver shrugs off the eccentricity. "But then he started hiding explosives in the toys. And that's when I realized he was thinking too far outside the toy box."
"Fine, I'll find this guy and Clark can nab him and deliver him to the police," she says with resolution as she turns towards the door.
"No, Chloe, don't tell Clark."
She turns to stare at him. "Why not? And your reason had better not be something stupid."
"Winslow could have come after me anytime in the last six years. He didn't. He waited until now. Right when I've brought LuthorCorp to its knees. The Toy Boy may have pulled the trigger, but I have no doubt that Lex is the one pulling the strings."
"You don't know that for sure."
"Denis just told me that the detectives on the case are baffled by the presence of a strange green mineral found in the blast radious."
"Kryptonite," she whispers.
"And who do we know that experiments with Kryptonite? Not many people or companies are even aware of the properties of Kryptonite. And Winslow wasn't one to research, all his ideas came straight out of his head."
"You're going after Lex," she says with trepidation.
"Clark can't do it. Lex knows about his weakness. And you know Clark would never do what needs to be done, he won't do what it takes to get rid of Lex forever."
Chloe's mouth trembles open. "You're talking about killing a man."
"I'm going to stop Winslow. If the opportunity to end Lex's reign of terror presents itself…I'm going to take it." He watches her face slowly, not sure if her grey area of morality allowed for what Oliver was proposing. "The world will be a better place without Lex Luthor in it. We'll all be safer. Think about Clark, think about all the meteor infected that Lex has tortured, and all the people he will torture if nobody stops him."
His argument is working on her, the logic sinks in and is accepted, but he can still see the instinctive rejection of the idea that killing was ever justified. "Chloe." She raises her head to meet his eyes. "I'm not asking you to condone it. But I need to know if you can live with it…with me, if I…"
"I…want there to be another way. I know that there may not be. Just don't do anything rash. It's not just about Lex, Oliver. You'll have to live with this. But if you're asking if I can live with it…if it will change how I feel about you, then the answer is no. I almost lost you yesterday Ollie. I'm not going anywhere."
CO-CO-CO
When Chloe returns to the hospital she finds a new nurse checking Oliver's vitals. She also takes an inordinate amount of time to check his ribs, her hands sliding over his muscled chest. Chloe stops in the door way and arches one unimpressed eyebrow at Oliver and his new friend.
Oliver looks up as soon as she enters, grinning at the jealousy he can see in her expression.
"Your heart rate is a little higher than normal Mr. Queen," she twitters.
"I'm sure it's just the view," he replies, eyes locked on Chloe as she continues to regard him with amusement.
The nurse laughs and tosses her hair, sticking out her chest but then frowns when she finally notices that Oliver's eyes are not on her. Her head swivels to the door and she sees Chloe standing there dressed in a short white shirt dress, a wide green leather belt with two buckles, and dark green suede boots that came up to her knees. The nurse's expression freezes and she raises her chin. "I see." She finishes her work under Chloe's baleful glare and Oliver's pompous grin.
When they are alone again, Oliver runs his eyes up and down her body again, smirking at her indignation. "Something wrong, Sidekick?"
"Hmm, what could be bothering me. My boyfriend almost being blown up, Nurse Flirt fawning all over you, or this outfit?"
Oliver grins outright. "Well as your boyfriend, I think that outfit is perfect."
"Yes you should give your assistant a raise. She knows you so well." Chloe sets her purse down and Oliver smirks as she gets close enough for him to snake an arm around her waist.
"I should."
She shakes her head at him and slaps his hand away from her thigh when he tries to slip it under the dress's skirt. "A shirt dress, with tuxedo details and a green leather belt with green boots? She must practically be psychic."
"I told her what I wanted. Do the shoes fit?" he asks courteously.
"Yes, they're very comfortable. And green."
"You like green. And I was told that kind of heel…"
"Wedges," she supplies him with the fashion term.
"Right, that they're more stable."
"So I'm supposed to believe that you bought me green boots to improve my stability?"
"You do end up running from bad guys with alarming regularity, Sidekick."
She rolls her eyes but lets him tug her towards him until she is lying half across his body. Oliver kisses her, one hand slipping into her hair to hold her captive while the other drifts down her body, tracing her curves until he reaches her knee. He then slides it back up her thigh, under the fabric of her dress. When his hand closes over her butt, squeezing it tightly and trying to pull her over his body more fully she resists, squirming to get away from him. Oliver easily counters pulling her completely onto the bed with him and twisting so she is on her back with him hovering over her.
Chloe presses both her hands to his shoulders, tilting her head away from him as he tries to capture her mouth in another kiss. "Looks like somebody is making a speedy recovery," she teases, trying to keep the mood light and not let the heat between them get too intense. Undeterred, Oliver's lips go to her neck, nipping lightly at her soft skin. "Ollie…" Whatever she was going to say is lost to a gasp as his hand takes possession of her breast, kneading the plump flesh through her layers of clothing. Her face turns pink and her gaze goes soft around the edges as she gives herself over to the pleasure of his touch.
She snaps back to awareness when she feels the unnaturally cold hospital air hit her exposed breasts, Oliver having managed to unbutton her dress and tug her bra out of his way. She pushes him back and scrambles to get out of the bed, not stopping until she is across the room.
Oliver looks disoriented and disappointed.
"I am not having sex with you in the hospital while you are hurt."
"It hardly hurts at all," he tries to persuade her to change her mind.
Chloe busies herself with straightening her clothes, ignoring his beseeching looks. When he makes a move to get out of the bed to pursue her, she glares at him. "Take one step and you won't be having sex for a long time."
Oliver pauses to read her face to see how serious she was. She stares back at him. "Fine," he says with a pout that causes her to smile. "But if I think I deserve something."
"What?" she asks, both eyebrows high in question.
"You get your way on this, and I get your promise on something I want."
"What do you want?" she asks suspiciously.
"You don't…" his eyes go warily to the door, "attempt to play Florence Nightingale."
They lock eyes, both wary and stubborn.
"Fine," she says with no intention of keeping her word if he suddenly take a turn for the worse.
"Good," he replies, then pauses, looking at her pleadingly. "But that doesn't mean no touching at all right?"
She laughs and walks back closer to him, allowing him to draw her into his arms.
CO-CO-CO
The doctor reluctantly releases Oliver that afternoon, giving Chloe the instructions for what to watch for in the next few days. He was finally prescribed pain pills and Oliver swallowed one without protest, much to Chloe's relief. Seeing him in pain was not something she wanted to continue doing.
CO-CO-CO
Ready to leave, Oliver's security team arrives to escort them from the hospital. They inform Oliver that they'll be going out the front since the egress is easier and media are covering both the front and the back exits.
The security guards surround Chloe and Oliver tightly as they walk the short distance from the hospital doors to the waiting limo with flash blubs going crazy around them and questions being shouted from all sides.
Oliver hands Chloe into the limo first then turns to face the media. They immediately quiet down. "I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in the explosion." He doesn't shy away from it, or call it an accident. It was an attack, on him, his company and his employees. None of them would be safe until Winslow Schott was caught. "Marian Williams and Brian Masters were both good employees and good people. Marian had been with Queen Industries for nearly ten years, and Brian was just beginning his career. The perpetrator of this tragedy must be brought to justice."
As soon as he turns back to duck into the limo the media begin shouting questions at him again. He ignores all of them. As soon as he is inside, a guard closes the door and jogs back to get into a black SUV. A second SUV leads the three car procession away from the hospital.
"You didn't have to do that," he says softly, taking her hand in his as they sit in the back of the limo, as flashbulbs continue to explode all around the car. She glances at him questioningly. "Brave the media gauntlet."
"I'm a member of the media, Oliver."
"You know what I mean. We could have found another way, Sidekick," Oliver offers
"It doesn't matter," she says calmly.
"I thought it mattered to you." Despite the fact that she had referred to him as her boyfriend, a little high school, Ollie thought, he was still unsure of where their relationship stood.
She smiles in acknowledgement. "It did. Or… it seemed like it did at the time."
"And now?" he asks.
"Not so much," she says softly. She continues to smile at him, her expression soft. Oliver nods and pulls her closer, careful of his broken ribs, pressing a lingering kiss to her full mouth. She kisses him back and wonders at her own sense of calm in the face of losing her anonymity. She tilts her head and presses a few soft kisses to his newly shaven cheek. "I thought I had a good reason. Several good reasons. I didn't want to lose my anonymity. I do worry about this affecting my job." She pauses and leans her head against his shoulder, tilting her face up to meet his eyes. In the face of almost losing him, her fears suddenly didn't seem so large or so important. "But I think I was worried about losing part of my identity. I've worked so hard this year to figure out who I am and what I want, I thought that if I was with you…in public, that all people would see is Oliver Queen's girlfriend."
Oliver nods, accepting that some of her fears were justified. "We won't let that happen," he says resolutely. "They'll get tired of us soon enough."
They sit silently for a few minutes as the limo navigates the city streets.
"Are you really worried about that? About losing your identity?" Oliver asks after he mulls it over. That could be a longer term issue for them, and since Oliver intended to keep Chloe at his side for the rest of his life, he needed to know where the potential landmines were.
"I was, it just doesn't seem as important today." She nods thoughtfully. "But yeah. You're a public figure, and I saw how the press treated Lois. I just don't want… After…" she pauses to gather her thoughts. This was new territory for her, being open with Oliver about her feelings. "After I didn't marry Jimmy, I really took the time to look at my life. I saw some things I wanted to change and I set out to do exactly that."
"I know you did. I wasn't sure why you were doing it, but it was clear you were cleaning house."
"Yeah." She smiles at him. "I needed to take control back, and I was afraid, when this started between us that I'd lose that. The control, and…me. All people would see is the girl on Oliver Queen's arm." Until I'm replaced with the next girl, a little voice in the back of her head whispers, but Chloe ignores it. If she has today with Oliver, it's enough. More than enough. Tomorrow would come regardless, and Chloe no longer wanted to waste today worrying about the future she couldn't control. "I can't…I won't do that again. Lose myself. I know who I am now, I can't lose sight of that again."
"I'm not asking you to. I don't want to take over your life Chloe. I'm asking you to let me be a part of it." His words are earnest, honest, and compelling.
Her smile is bright but a bit wobbly around the edges. He smiles back and kisses her lightly.
"I think I knew that. I was just afraid."
"Anytime you're worried about something, something about us, you can talk to me Chloe. We're together, and together I think we can handle anything."
CO-CO-CO
That night Chloe watches Oliver long after he has fallen asleep.
She tried to not think about the explosion, or the fact that Winslow Schott was out there or that Lex might be behind it all. She didn't want to focus on the negative. All of her fears about their relationship seemed so small and inconsequential when faced with the real possibility of losing Oliver from her life entirely.
Her expression is soft and her eyes shine with the love she felt for him. Oliver accepted her, her strengths and her faults. He didn't blame her for her shortcomings, didn't hold himself above her, and didn't look at her like a liability. She was his equal. He was so different than Clark her best friend growing up, her first major crush, her first heartbreak. Clark saw the world in absolutes, right and wrong, black and white. Chloe and Oliver shared a different sensibility. Shades of grey. A world where the ends sometimes did justify the means. A world where a hero could have faults, be riddled with darkness, and still be a hero.
She still wasn't comfortable with the thought of killing Lex, but she understood Oliver's point of view.
CO-CO-CO
The next morning Chloe is helping Oliver rewrap his ribs after his shower. Her hands busily wrap the bandage around him while he runs his hands over her body just to amuse himself. Her cheeks are flushed when she finishes and she glares at him. He grins back unrepentantly and she rolls her eyes. "I think we should ask the doctor about your libido. Clearly it is out of sync with reality."
"Not at all, let me prove it to you," he flirts. She backs away as he reaches for her, sticking a bottle of antiseptic in his hand to occupy it.
She opens an alcohol swipe and rubs it over the abrasion on his cheek, her eyes pained that he was hurting. Opening a new swipe she sets it down and reaches out with just her hand to tilt his face down to her.
"Don't."
"What? I'm just trying to clean you up," she says in exasperation.
She reaches for him again.
"Don't. I mean it."
She rolls her eyes and dabs the alcohol wipe over another of his cuts. "I said I wouldn't, Oliver, and anyway, it hardly matters."
"I said no. No healing me. I'm fine. A few scratches."
"Why are you being so…"
"Why? Seriously? Uh, let's see, maybe because I don't want to hurt you."
"I heal quickly," she agrues.
"So will I."
"You're the one always trying to get Clark to use his powers for…umph."
She is cut off as his lips slant over hers, making speech impossible. Her mouth opens in surprise. The kiss is not light and playful, it is desperate and intense, and goes on long enough that Chloe begins to feel light headed. When Oliver finally pulls back, Chloe blinks up at him stupefied.
"What…"
His mouth curves into a smirk. "That wasn't clear? OK then."
He kisses her again and she blinks a few times then her eyes flutter shut and his arms close around her pulling her in close to his body, his injuries forgotten. Her arms rise up to wrap around his neck as their mouths mesh and their tongues duel for dominance. His hands drift down her body, pulling at the tie of his robe the was currently swamping her small figure. His hands slip inside the lapels, gliding around her waist, tugging her closer to his body. Chloe moans as her breasts rub against the coarse fabric of his bandages.
Neither notice when Chloe's skin begins to glow, the light becoming brighter, then growing beyond her body to encompass Oliver.
When they break the kiss all his cuts are healed, no mark left on him. Oliver frowns realizing that the pain that had been his constant companion was suddenly gone. Chloe blinks stupidly at him again, still fuzzy from the kiss even as she realizes that he's healed.
One of her hands slides from his neck around to his cheek, tracing over the area that was no longer pink and angry with abrasion. Oliver feels that the mark is gone and his eyes blaze at her with anger, but the fire slowly dies out as her bewildered stare registers. His eyes follow her hand to his arm, and more missing cuts.
"Chloe, I said not to," he states even as his eyes search her body for his injuries, and don't find them.
"I didn't," she replies with obvious disorientation. He looks at her disbelieving. "I swear. I didn't…or I didn't know I was." She looks at her own body, knowing from the lack of pain that she had not absorbed his injuries.
He frowns, "Then what?"
"I don't know," she says in a small voice.
Oliver hugs her to him tightly, feeling more fear at what her power meant than at the fact that Winslow Schott was out there.
CO-CO-CO
This chapter got away from me, in that I meant to get farther in the plot before I posted, but it seems like a good chapter to me so…here it is.
I don't think I'll get to Doomsday in the next chapter but it is coming soon, I really REALLY mean it this time. When I started this story I thought it would be 15 chapters…(looks sheepish). Anyway, the big little words are coming, very, very soon. There was enough relationship growth in this chapter without them.
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