Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville or any of these characters
AN: Sorry it took so long to update promise the next one won't take so long R&R…
Chapter 27: A Fading Flame
He cradled the fragile new life in his arms and gazed in hope at the sight of Moira Sullivan trying to save the woman he loved. There were others in the room, Clark was there so was John Jones, a few nurses and Emil Hamilton, their trusted doctor. He was in the company of some of the most powerful and ingenious men on the planet, but even with these resources at his disposal Oliver Queen felt more powerless then he ever had in his life.
Chloe the woman of his dreams, everything in the world he never knew he wanted or needed lay dying after giving birth to their child. She was early, which meant the delivery was already high risk, but everything seemed to be fine up to this point. From the moment her water broke to having to push the bundle of joy out, Chloe seem to be in good health. There was no reason for any of this to be happening.
Silence filled the medical bay of the military plane. None of them knew what to say or what to do. Chloe wasn't making a sound the only evidence of what was happening to her was the flat lining of the medical monitors Emil was about to rush in and do what he didn't know yet, but John put a hand out to stop him saying that Moira knew what she was doing.
The older Sullivan had lost consciousness only seconds after she had taken Chloe's hand in her own. Moira would have fallen if she hadn't been already sitting in a chair next to the medical bed. So here she laid her hand in Chloe's and her head resting on the younger woman's abdomen. Oliver couldn't take his eyes off them. These two women had an understanding that he thought he could never understand, one that only came with family. Family, as soon as the word entered his mind Oliver's eyes fell back to the baby in his arms.
"Don't worry your mommy's a fighter, she's going to make it."His tone was almost inaudible as he leaned in close so only her small ears could hear him. This child was his…theirs...only she could understand the pain Oliver felt in his heart.
"What's happening?" Clark's voice caused Oliver to return his worried eyes back to Chloe and Moira and everyone's eyes except for the Martian's eyes widened in astonishment as a glowing light started to engulf the two women.
The light was so radiant and gave off an aura so bright it was blinding; Oliver quickly followed everyone elses actions and turned away putting his arm up shielding his eyes and the newborn from the light. As fast as it was there the blinding light was gone.
Chloe could hear her heart beat in her chest as life entered her body. With a sharp intake of breathe she all but shot up from her horizontal position.
"Chloe..." She heard her name and looked all around her as if not sure where she was.
Then within seconds it all came flooding back to her. The baby, that was right she had just had the baby, but it was too early they had another month to go. Maybe that was why she had…the toll on her body must have been too much for her system she had died. Dead, Chloe could feel the certainty in this fact in the depths of her being.
"Are you okay?" It was his voice again, the one she had heard in her dreams.
"Ollie..." She said faintly and then reached her arms out wanting nothing more than to hold her child, but the effort was hindered by a weight on her midsection. Chloe's hand flew to her mother's cheek. "Mom...she's so cold…Ollie? Emil what happened, is she okay?"
"Is she okay?"Oliver let out a frustrated sigh. "The question is, are you alright?"
"Don't worry Watchtower she's alive and she's going to be just fine. Using her abilities like that takes a lot out of her." John took Moira from her resting place on Chloe's abdomen and held her close.
"But I can't feel her presence, why can't I feel it, John?" Her response was frantic with worry. "What do you mean using her abilities that way, what way?"
"Your mother can control other meteor infected making them use their powers when she wants them to." He looked lovingly at the older Sullivan and then back to Chloe. "Even on themselves, she willed you to use your powers to save yourself."
"Oh." Was her only reply. Chloe wanted to know more, but was suddenly overcome with the overwhelming urge to hold her child. Her mother was in good hands for now.
"Ollie, let me hold our daughter." It was a simple request and Oliver was happy to oblige but Emil seem to want to intervene.
"I think I should examine you before you get up." Emil said at the sight of Chloe swinging her legs over the side of the medical bed. "You just gave birth and almost died, you're in no condition to..."
"I did die, but she saved me." She turned to gaze at her mother's still form on the bed John had laid her on. "I'm okay now, the power she used…I'm completely healed, my entire body, everything."
"Chloe are you sure?" Clark made his best friend aware that he was there putting a hand on her shoulder holding Chloe in her sitting position knowing Oliver wanted to but couldn't because he was holding the newborn in his arms.
"Hey Clark didn't see you there, Don't worry everything is fine now."Chloe placed a palm over Clark's hand and turned her attention back to the man holding her child. "Oliver,please let me hold her."
Without another word the emerald archer handed his watchtower the precious life she had brought into the world. Tears stung her eyes falling freely down her cheeks and Chloe leaned into Oliver's hand as he wiped one away. He put his arms around them careful not to crush the small bundle of joy.
"She's beautiful, Ollie." Chloe whispered a smile curving on her lips. "She looks just like her father."
"Yes she is, and I would say she has more of her mother's beauty than mine." He returned the smile proudly, this was a family and they were all his and he was going to protect them from anything.
"What are you guys going to name her?" Clark's small inquiry yet big question brought them out of their small moment and back to the reality of things.
"That's a good question, Boyscout?" The proud new parents stared into the face of their daughter. "So sidekick, any ideas?"
Chloe didn't reply biting her bottom lip trying to think of the perfect name. She looked at her mother's still unmoving form. Maybe, it was only right after what the older woman had sacrificed for her and saved her. Of course any mother would have done the same thing and Chloe was sure she felt the same kind of love for her own daughter that her mother had shown her.
"Moira," Chloe voiced the thought in her head and by the expression forming on Oliver's face he agreed. "Moira Olivia Queen?"
"I like it, but how about Moira Joni Queen? I think there are enough Ollie Queens in the world. Jonas is my middle name, it comes from my mother's father's name." He went on explaining why he wasn't completely agreeing with her. "Oliver was my father's middle name that's why it's my name. The Queen name comes from him. Moira is from your mother, I want her to have something from my mom as well."
"Okay Oliver, if that's what you want archer. Moira Joni Queen it is." Chloe cuddled her daughter to her a little closer.
"Welcome to the world Moira Joni Queen." Oliver echoed the name they had settled on letting his smile grow wider.
"Okay is that what's going on the birth certificate then?" Emil said getting the paperwork ready giving up on even trying examining Chloe at the moment. He would give them a few more minutes to welcome the new life they had created before insisting on a full work up for the new mother.
"Yeah." Oliver quickly replied and went back to holding his family.
"Well, we'll give you guys some privacy now, come on Kal-El I have to talk to you about something, and I think we should fill the boys in on the great news." John led the farmboy out of the room but not before Clark hugged Chloe and tickled the baby. Emil followed suit but checked the older Sullivan's vital signs before exiting.
Oliver moved Chloe back to the bed taking baby Moira from her so the new mother could get comfortable . He handed their daughter to Chloe and sat on the edge of the bed. She happily took the whimpering child from her father.
"Oh no, baby's unhappy."Oliver voiced his concern trying to be humorous, but his smile faded as she started to cry a little louder. "What do you think is wrong with her? Do you think we should get Emil back in here, I'll go get h..."
"Oliver calm down everything is going to be okay. Joni is just hungry." Chloe placed a comforting hand on his arm stopping him from going to get the cavalry.
"Joni? I thought we decided on Moira? And you're awfully calm for a woman that just gave birth and then d…your just to calm." He was already on the edge from the day's events and her calm demeanor wasn't helping like it normally would have.
"Well I like the name we chose, but it'd be weird calling her by my mother's name just yet. Besides I think Joni is a sweet nickname don't you?" She didn't even acknowledge his statement about giving birth or dying. Chloe just rolled the top of the sarong she was still wearing down enough to expose her breast. Oliver watched in curiosity as she offered Joni the exposed flesh and the child instinctively latched on suckling and eating for the first time.
"You sure know what you're doing. Is there anything you can't do professor?" He felt the need to compliment her, Chloe was falling into the mother role quite well.
"I think my mother transferred some advice while we were connected." Her eyes fell to her the older Sullivan who still lay unconscious a few feet away.
"Oh."Oliver didn't know what else to say and ran a hand through his spiked hair.
"You look tired," Chloe noted his disheveled appearance. "Why don't you go get some air and check on how long until Emil thinks its okay for us to leave or how long John thinks my mother is gonna be out."
"I don't want to leave you. I promised to be by your side through this." He motioned around them and back to Joni.
"And you have, but we're through it, mostly. And we're safe. But you look like a zombie, go get some air and tell Bart he owes me fifty bucks." She smirked at the thought of winning the bet with their impulsive friend.
"Fifty bucks? What was the bet?" Oliver got his answer to the question when Chloe mentioned something about a Sullivan girl always being a sure thing.
"You have got to be kidding me. It was really a girl? There goes my last fifty." Bart Allen frowned at the thought of losing. "I should never have bet against Chlolious she's always right."
"I told you never to take on Watchtower she always wins, just as bossman." Victor Stone chimed in thankful to be on solid ground.
"What has she done to you guys?" Clark quirked an eyebrow wondering what kind of things Chloe had put his fellow heroes through.
"Ask me what?" Oliver asked making his way down the ramp of the aircraft to join the circle of heroes at the bottom. It was a comforting sight, seeing most of his buddies there. Victor and Bart were standing next to each other across from Clark and the Martian Manhunter. But then he noticed Emil talking to their mysterious pilot sunglasses still covering the soldier's face.
"Nothing, just a congratulation ." The mysterious pilot out stretched a hand.
"Thank you." Oliver shook the military man's hand looking him in the eye questioningly. "and you are?"
"Hal Jordan." John cut in knowing Oliver was worried about the whole secret thing and their identities.. "Don't worry Arrow he can be trusted."
"Really. How do you know, John?" Oliver was still on edge this pilot had flew them to safety without question. But it still felt like he was missing something.
"Well for one he didn't ask questions when Moira and I sent him after you and Watchtower." The martian looked between the two heroes who seem in the middle of a staring contest. "And the fact he knows just about as many alien's as I do."
At that Oliver and the rest of the league's heads filled with questions but they never got a chance to ask any more, because John changed the subject.
"So how does it feel to be a father?" The martian asked causing everyone to smile and then pulled out several cigars from the inside of his blue coat, handing them to each one of the men.
"Hey are you even old enough to smoke one of these?" Victor questioned Impulse even though they all knew he was already over 18. Bart didn't reply he just glared at the cybernetic hero as he snipped off the end of the Cuban Cigar.
"Cuban cigars, aren't these illegal to import? What you steal these from the evidence locker Detective Jones." Oliver playfully accused John of being a thief.
"No stealing from the precinct is wrong. I got these strait from the source." John proudly lit up the cigar knowing it was human tradition to smoke the deadly sticks of tobacco when a newborn arrived in some human families. He wasn't Chloe's father or anything but he felt close enough to her to join in on the celebration.
"When were you in Cuba?" Clark put in his opinion of the cigars. "What were you doing there?"
"Last month we took down a phantom and went shopping." He took a puff and blew out a cloud of smoke.
"Shopping?" Bart asked in curiosity as he tried to take a puff, but coughed as the smoke filled his throat.
"Yes, Human woman are fascinating creatures. Tell me, do they collect clothing they're never going to wear?" None of them answered him, they all just laughed and smirked knowing how crazy a human woman could be.
"How about bossman answer the first question." Victor changed the topic back to Oliver. "Tell us, how it feels to know there's a little you in this world."
"Life altering." Were the only words he could think of to say, he took another puff of the cigar.
"I think you hit the mark with that one, Oliver." Clark said not joining them in smoking the cigar in celebration of a new life, but instead just placing it in his pocket of his flannel shirt. "So where you guys heading next?"
That was a great question, where did there go from here. Properly back to Metropolis, or to Star City. It really depended on what Chloe wanted. He would follow her to the ends of the earth if that's where she wanted to go. And what about Joni, they had hidden quite well from the press, but how long could they hide her? And what about Lex?
1 MONTH LATER
She entered the old castle just as she had before; she let her gaze fall over the old decor. This place was still as empty and hollow as it ever had, Lana Lang couldn't believe she had lived here with that monster. How she could have let herself be tricked into thinking she loved such a man she didn't know. But she thanked goodness that now she was stronger, and most of all smarter. Lana had found more than just herself in Paris. She had found out about Chloe and more about 33.1. That's what she was doing back here now, and why she felt strong enough to enter the viper's lair. She was going to put Lex in his place, not that she hadn't caused him pain, but he needed to know she was back and that there would never be anything between them ever again besides maybe bitter words.
"Lana, I didn't know you were back." Lex stood up the moment she entered his office. "Please sit down. When did you get… "
"Cut the pretense Lex, there's no need for it anymore. I know everything." Lana stood with her arms crossed over her chest in a defiant manner which confused the bald billionaire.
"I don't know what your talking about. What exactly is it you think you know? But it's all slander you can't believe…" He cocked an eyebrow in confusion and let the list of things he had done to her cascade through his mind.
"I know exactly who and what I can believe," She rounded him and pulled out folder from her bag handing it to him.
"What is this?" It was a stupid question because she knew he knew the answer.
"You know exactly what it is." Lana crossed her arms over her chest again and smirked, "It's the truth about my supposed pregnancy. It's all there, how you injected massive amounts hormones into my veins to make me believe I was pregnant. What kind of a monster are you?"
"What in god's name are you talking about?" Denying it seemed to make him feel better about it but she wasn't going to let him forget this. "I don't know where you're getting your information, but none of this is true."
"I got the information from the doctor when he accused me of faking a pregnancy to force marriage to a billionaire. I've known for months." She smirked again seeing realization dawn over his features.
"I guess I taught you well in the ways of manipulation then, didn't I? That last month of pretending must have been a gauntlet for you." He dropped the folder on the desk putting his hands in his pockets resisting the urge to lay his hands on his use to be lover.
"Oh they were tough; don't worry though leaving was the best part." It was mean, but she was still spiteful toward him. "And you taught me a lot of things, but don't think for a second I'm like you. I didn't come here to just confront you about this."
"Then do tell why you've graced such a lowly creature such as myself with your godly presence." It was uncharacteristic of Lex to bow to anyone's insults so willingly but he was still in love with Lana somewhere in his heart.
"To give you a warning." This shouldn't be too surprising, he'd been getting a lot of those lately from people he had once called his friends. "I don't just know what you did to me. I also know what you did to many others including Chloe and her mother."
"That little thorn in my side, I was wondering when she'd manipulate you into her little games too. You know she's always been jealous of your importance to Clark. You can't believe anything she says." Lex took a sip of liquor after pouring himself a glass, he was a beaten man everyone knew it.
"Her games are the only thing stopping me from telling the world what kind of man you are Lex. But enough of this I have places to be." Lana tapped her heal like she had better things to do. "I know your a man are used to doing what you want and getting away with it. But your little war with Chloe Sullivan is over, you're going to stay away from her and her family. She is now under my protection."
"And what if I don't? You know she has a way of getting in over her head. Plus she's really good at getting into trouble." It was Lex's turn to smirk, he was tired of being talked down to even if it was by someone he had once and possibly still held dear.
"The world will know just what kind of monster Lex Luthor is when it comes to relationships. No woman will ever want to touch you again." She had him where she wanted him and without another word Lana knew that they had a deal. Chloe, Oliver and the baby would be safe and things would be okay. Her friend would not have anything to worry about, when it came to Lex Luthor. Now she would just have to tell her favorite blond about said deal with the viper and then start that foundation that they had talked about.
~Metropolis~
"Ollie, what is this place?" The young new mother asked as she walked into the large open room, the first thing she noticed was the stain-glass window and the loft looking up space of the round room. The place looked beautiful in architecture and seemed to be renovated quite recently.
"This is yours well, ours actually. Do you like it?" Oliver stood in the middle of the room hands in his jean pockets waiting for her reply, Chloe's impression of the building he had affectingly dubbed watchtower was very important. This was where they were going to raise their daughter. It was safe and out of the way. No one in the press and especially Lex would ever think to look for them here.
The first month of fatherhood had been a real education for him and the most important lesson the archer had learned was keep the baby happy. Keep the baby happy and you kept the mommy happy and that was what lead to this. They hadn't really left Europe after the birth they still had things to do. They shut down a 33.1 off the coast of Ireland and caused some major damage to the Luthor Corpe. Offices in London. All in the days work of a hero, but now was a time to slow down in their heroic pursuits.
Or more rather that was Oliver's opinion, he knew Chloe would still react to something if Lex made a move towards them or towards someone she loved. She had told the Green Arrow that she would always need that part of herself, and he understood more than anyone. But now it wasn't just them, it was them and their daughter, which was why he had sneaked off to Metropolis a few days early to oversee the final renovations of what he hoped would become their home. They still hadn't defined this, even after so long of being together and now having a child. But Oliver would bring that up later, the only thing that mattered right now was getting Chloe and Joni settled in.
"Ours?" She quirked an eyebrow at his use of the word and took a moment to study the place. Chloe took a look out the large stain glass window. "You can see the entire city from here."
"Well you know me, I love a good view." He didn't mean for it come out that way, but it did anyway.
"Mind out of the gutter Mr. Queen there are young ears present." Chloe replied and cuddled the still small child in her arms giving her an eskimo kiss on the nose. "I love it, I really do. But what about the clock tower?"
"That's more of how do I put this?" He paused for a second trying to think of the words he wanted to use. "I know it's not Queen Tower, but that place is more in the public eye. The world knows Oliver Queen lives there. I want you to be safe, the both of here you can come and go as you please. We can be happy here without worrying about the press plus you're in the heart of the city. I know how long you've wanted to live in Metropolis, wasn't it part of your dream at one point."
"So what is this then, my ivory tower?" She smirked at the thought of him trying to cage her but knew that's not the way he meant it. "Don't worry I know you're not trying to hide us like a dirty little secret you just want us to be safe and that's good. I'm glad you only want the best for us…"
"But?" He came closer embracing them both, lifting her chin to make her look him in the eye. Oliver could see the apprehension in her expression, this wasn't good.
"Smallville, it's my home it's where I spent most of my teenage years and what about Lois how am I going to explain this to her? She doesn't even know I'm in town or about…" Chloe fell silent as she looked at their child, she had barely let the baby go from the moment Oliver handed Joni to her.
Being a mother was easier then she thought it would be, Chloe had never thought herself the motherly type. Thanks to her own mother she had some talents when it came to diapering and feeding time and it helped, her and Oliver was somewhat of a night owl. The both of them were so use to their sleep being interrupted or not getting really any sleep at all, that the 3 am feedings weren't a problem. Hopefully Joni wouldn't have a life like theirs, never getting sleep and always feeling nothing was ever done. No, she wouldn't Chloe was going to do everything in her power to make it so that her daughter wouldn't have a worry in the world.
"You're going to have to tell her sooner or later. Where does she think you are right now anyway?" Oliver held her a little tighter moving them to a couch that sat in front of the large colorful window.
"I know, but I'm not ready yet. Maybe in a few weeks there's just only so long I can hide from her." Chloe leaned into his shoulder taking comfort in their closeness, this was the good life. Chloe was well aware that Oliver wanted things to be quiet for a while. But they were back in the heart of Lex's playground. They had taken most of his 33.1's down if there were any left she wasn't aware of it. But the viper was still a threat to herself and everything she loved. "Did you set up the room at Met Gen for…"
"Yes your mother will be safe. Emil admitted her this morning under an alias. She has a private room no one will know she's there." Oliver automatically knew who she was talking about before Chloe stopped herself not being able to say it. "Don't worry Chloe, she'll wake up soon. I'm sure of it."
AN: Yeah Moira is back to being in a coma don't worry it won't last too long, everything will work out. The only question is how? LOL…You're just going to have to wait and see or read. As always Thank you for reading this far and Review, they help the creative process a lot…
