Story: A Hero by Any Other Name: The Chloe Collins Chronicles
Rating: T for language and adult themes.
Main Characters: Chloe Sullivan (Smallville), Bruce Wayne/Batman (JL Animated Series/Dark Knight Trilogy), Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Smallville), Clark Kent/Superman (Smallville/JL Animated Series)
Note: This story is AU of Smallville. Will try my best to stick to Smallville Canon until Season 10 Episode 1, Lazarus and will throw in references to the wider DCU. The story line follows Justice League the Animated Series: Secret Origins and is my alternate take on how the Justice League forms.
Chapter 1-Chloe Collins, Nice to Meet You
-4 Years, 6 Months, 1 week, 4 Days-
The morning started like every other morning in Gotham for the last three years. Chloe rose right before her alarm sounded. She checked her phone to make sure the world wasn't on fire and grabbed coffee from the programmed brewer on her way to the bathroom.
She turned on her sink, and splashed water on her face. Grabbing soap next to her, keeping her head down to avoid dripping onto her pajama top she scrubbed her face, closed her eyes and did not look up until she was toweling herself dry.
She looked at her reflection then. Green eyes stared back at her, bright and scrutinizing taking in everything. Her eyes had always been her favorite feature, however, it was rare that they saw the light of day anymore. She reached for the small box on the counter and proceeded to put in her brown contacts. She pulled her long brown hair out of the braid she had slept in and brushed it out before securing it in a low bun at the nape of her neck.
She couldn't help but recognize the irony in her appearance. Always overlooked for brunettes when she was younger, now it was her long brown hair, and brown eyes that kept her average, unnoticed. She felt a pang to her heart looking at her reflection and remembering a certain brunette that she missed dearly. Crazy that people were always shocked when they discovered Chloe and Lois were cousins. If they were to stand side-by-side now, people might guess sisters.
Oh well, she may remind herself of her cousin, but at least she did not remind herself of Chloe Sullivan and that was the point. Because despite Fate's Helmet telling her it would be okay, despite taking down the organization that threatened to undo her and her friends, and despite having found a home and purpose in Gotham City. Choe Sullivan was still dead, and she wouldn't be coming back.
Chloe sighed. No point in dwelling on the past. It was time to get to work.
She got dressed, did her make-up, took her second cup of coffee to-go and proceeded back down the hall to the elevator the same way she came in last night.
Instead of pressing the button for the garage she selected the star for the lobby. She smiled at fellow tenants as they came into the elevator, nodded to the young man working the front desk and gave a good morning to her doorman as she walked out into the hustle and bustle of Gotham City.
Despite the reports of Gotham being a crime ridden cesspool of the lowest forms of humanity, Chloe liked Gotham. Yes, it was darker than Metropolis and nowhere near as fashionable as Star City, but it was her home now.
She walked the four city blocks to the tallest two towers of the city, with Wayne written down the side of the nearest. Yup, this was where she belonged.
~Flashback: 3 Years, 2 Months, 1 week, 2 Days~
"Mr. Wayne, I want to introduce you to Chloe Collins. I just hired her in R&D. Very impressive work and I'm looking forward to her future contributions to Wayne Enterprises." Lucius Fox was talking but Bruce barely heard him as Ms. Collins gave him a small smile, giving away absolutely nothing.
Bruce was very good at maintaining a facade but she glimpsed the slight surprise to see her standing in his company's building as a new employee.
He reviewed her appearance, her hair was tied back, her eyes were brown? He guessed she was wearing contacts and they were hidden behind thin rimmed glasses. She wore a nondescript grey dress that fell to her knees and heels that did not seem like a high stilettos, but when she stood, she was a more average height. In fact, everything about this look was average. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty, her hair was nice, her face pleasant, her clothing in style, but she blended in with every other young professional woman on the street.
He was quite impressed with the transformation. He was used to the pixie who had appeared on his doorstep with loud opinions, hyper focus, and knocked him completely off kilter, but Ms. Collins had a way of seeming safe (what a lie that was).
"Ms. Collins." Bruce said with a raised eyebrow, shaking her hand. "Are you new to Gotham?"
"I have been visiting for a few months, but I have decided to make it my permanent home if the city will have me."
"Well, I think Gotham and Wayne Enterprises will be happy to have you."
~End Flashback~
Collins was a research and development analyst for Wayne Enterprises specializing in AI and Machine Learning. She worked in the basement in a solitary office that was far removed from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the company.
She mostly stayed to herself, except when she ventured out for her weekly meeting with Lucius Fox and her almost hourly coffee run. She was pleasant to everyone, participated in employee birthday parties and was happy to help IT if they were overloaded. She was also a workaholic. She didn't seem to do anything outside of work, did not hang out with co-workers and no one was aware of any family she might have.
Mostly though, people did not give Collins a lot of thought until she was brought up and then people said they liked her. That's how Chloe liked it. She flew under the radar and people didn't ask questions. The only time she ran into issues was when the CEO decided to be a pain in the ass and hangout in her office.
"What are you doing here?" Was her first question as she entered. She shrugged out of her trench coat and hung it on the rack behind her door before turning back to survey the unwelcome guest.
Bruce Wayne was sitting in her chair with his feet up on her desk and looking just like the billionaire rogue that the tabloids made him out to be. He had a tablet on his lap, her tablet as a matter-of-fact and was scrolling through something.
"Well, Ms. Collins my name is on the building so occasionally I make an appearance to check on things. Make sure I'm still making money, you know how it is."
"And your office for counting all your money is about 20 floors above here. Do you mind?" She rounded the desk and shooed his feet off of it. Crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow in a silent request for him to get the hell out of her chair.
He dropped his feet but made no move to get up. These moments were some of the highlights of his day. Chloe was one of the few people who could go toe-to-toe with Bruce, Batman and Wayne and understood the nuances with dealing with his different personas, the same way he knew hers. However, one of his favorites was Wayne v. Collins. It gave him the opportunity to be his most obnoxious and Chloe spent most of her time pursing her lips and plotting revenge for later.
He gave her little attention, continuing to review the tablet.
"You're behind schedule on the Atlas project."
"No I'm not." Chloe leaned against her desk since he clearly was going to ignore her and stay seated in her chair.
"The lab guys are getting anxious. They're concerned about testing before showcasing the product at the conference next month."
"They don't have the infrastructure setup to test the algorithm yet, and Nial has already asked me to review the specs and see if I can anticipate any snags while we wait for his boys to finish."
"What about the 10.9 updates for…"
"They're with Diaz for implementation."
"The reports on digitizing medical records?"
"That's done as well. Mr. Wayne, are you concerned about my work performance? Have you realized I'm overworked and are here to offer me a raise?" Chloe questioned, waiting for Bruce to get to the point.
"Your calendar is fully booked until May so just wondering what it is you do with your time."
Chloe rolled her eyes completely breaking from her usual agreeable persona of Chloe Collins. "You know exactly what I do with my time." She grumbled taking a sip of coffee and realizing she was out.
Bruce seemed to have noticed as well. "You know, I've been told that the coffee shop around the corner is excellent and has cherry croissants. I might be willing to spring for a latte if you'd like to join me."
"Don't you have things to do?" Bruce grinned. Here he was being polite and charming and Chloe was very annoyed.
"Not particularly, no. It seems that my employees are working at peak efficiency. You in fact are ahead of schedule so why don't you take some time and get a coffee with me and then we can go out to dinner seeing as you're dressed for a night out on the town anyway."
"We're going to the art gallery tonight." Chloe reminded him and then it clicked. He knew that.
"You're right! We're both going to the gallery and we're both going right from here and you are ahead of your work schedule so I'll meet you in the lobby at 5:00 and we'll eat before we go."
He gracefully stood from the chair momentarily stepping into Chloe's personal space towering over her despite the heels she wore. She was remarkable. She was a pain in his ass a lot of the time, and in the early days she was the cause of many headaches and sleepless nights with her coming into his life like a hurricane and causing complete chaos, but now he couldn't imagine his life without her.
So Bruce might have a crush on Chloe, I mean no one could blame him. Well, actually most people wouldn't understand his feelings, but that's because most people only got to see a fraction of who Chloe really was.
Bruce admired her as a whole and on individual levels as well. From Chloe Collins, who was more efficient than most of his 5 man teams. Lucius loved her, entrusting her with many projects outside of her general scope which allowed him to focus on his Executive Chairman duties, which allowed Bruce to focus more on his nightly activities. Speaking of night time activities, Chloe made his life easier there too. Automating research, organizing a database of knowledge on the criminal underworld, and creating a network of eyes in the sky and on the streets that allowed her to guide him through every situation. She pretty much had the entire city of Gotham wired.
It was more than what she did for him though, which was a lot. It was her personality. Light and sweet most of the time, fiery and passionate when she cared about something, and she was just as serious and paranoid as he was, always keeping him on his toes when he was being an ass, but understanding when he was guarded and giving him space to figure things out.
Looking down at her now, despite her eyes hidden under contacts and glasses, he could still see the fire there. The one that first told him she could be trusted.
~2 Years, 5 Months, 0 week, 4 Days~
She was completely insane. Breaking into the Tumbler, which had a self-destruct defense if tampered with in the wrong way. It was a little impressive that she was able to break into the car to begin with, but it was also foolish.
Didn't she know who he was? He struck fear into the toughest, hardest, craziest criminals out there.
So what was this girl thinking?
He had told her to back off. Had told her to go home already but at this point he didn't know what else to say so he said it again.
"Go home." He growled taking in the green eyes, staring at him defiantly.
"No. You're going to hear me out. You're going to take my research and check it out for yourself, validate my story, do what you gotta do in between your fancy parties and taking down drug kingpins."
He inwardly grimaced. She had to remind him that she knew who he was. She was dangerous, despite her innocent enough appearance this woman had discovered far too much about him and really, he probably shouldn't let her go home until he knew as much or more about her.
"Once you validate everything for yourself, you're going to agree to help me and in return I'll help you. And when all of this is over and the bad guys are taken out I will go home, and at that point you're going to miss me and want me back." she said cheekily, giving him a grin that was far less innocent than her usual looks.
A slight twitch was the only visible response from him. A flicker. Of a shadow. Of a smile. "Why are you so sure I'll help you?"
"Because you're fighting for justice the same way I am." Simple answer, something other heroes had said to Batman when they tried to recruit him to a cause. It wasn't what she said that gripped him. It was the eyes. Bright, shining, but unlike her outward appearance of young and innocent, her eyes held wisdom, like they'd seen too much for one life, a pain that he recognized in his own gaze when he looked in the mirror. A determination to do what needed to be done.
He jumped into the tumbler's driver seat and closed the roof starting the engine. Before she could say anything though he moved and pinched a nerve behind her neck immediately causing her to blackout.
Sure, he'd decided to hear her case, but he wasn't about to let her know that.
~End Flashback~
"Some might find you charming Mr. Wayne." Chloe said snapping Bruce from his thoughts as she gave him a once over before stepping around him with a similar grace to what he displayed earlier. In a fluid motion she had claimed her seat and was booting up her computer.
"I however, do not." She wasn't looking at him, already focused on the work ahead of her.
Bruce shook his head. "Now see that, Ms. Collins is a lie." He leaned down over her shoulder placing her tablet on her desk and speaking directly in her ear. "Everyone finds me charming."
He stood up rounding the desk, "I'll see you in the lobby at 5:00, don't be late." she glared at his back as he walked out of her office whistling to himself.
Bruce was in a good mood today, which meant she was going to need more coffee. She grabbed her tablet off her desk and checked to make sure Bruce didn't do anything to her calendar. Sometimes she preferred the serious downer he used to be.
Only sometimes, because she was glad that he was happy and living his life again. According to Alfred, before Chloe Collins had shown up, Bruce had been damn miserable, now he was mildly broody.
"Well that's what you do Chloe, you fix heroes and make them better."
Oliver had said that to her or a variation of that. But she didn't want to fix Bruce. She was very happy with keeping Bruce at a distance, separate from her past life as much as possible and though he was her closest confidante and a pillar in her new life, she had vowed a long time ago that she wouldn't allow another hero to be the sole focus of her life. Especially a dashing billionaire playboy who fought for justice in his spare time. After all, Chloe could be called a lot of things but predictable was not one of them.
She opened the screen to find that it was not her calendar but an article that Bruce had been reading. It seems there was a fire at a biotech lab in Missouri. There was one death, a medical assistant had been in the labs late and the organic samples they were testing for stem cell research were completely destroyed.
The police ruled it as an accident but members of the community were claiming that a right wing political group had been protesting the lab and sending threats for weeks.
Why this was of interest to Bruce, Chloe did not know. She'd make a point to look into it later. Right now, she had work to do involving a stubborn computer program that refused to cooperate with her.
At 5 o'clock Chloe got a call from one of Bruce's secretaries, Bridget.
Bridget was number two on Chloe's list of secretaries. Number 1 being Alice who was Lucius' secretary and was a lovely older woman with 2 grandchildren who she loved dearly and she gave Chloe coffee and cookies whenever Chloe ventured up there.
Bridget was number 2 because she was always very nice, and she taught Chloe how to use the executive espresso machine which frankly, was way better than the coffee on the lower floors. Bridget was married to a Gotham City Fireman and was expecting her second child in the next couple months.
After Bridget was Chrislyn who mainly managed Bruce's public affairs as well as his private life announcements if they had to be spun for the media. She was smart, sharp tongued and had a take no prisoners attitude that Chloe appreciated.
She was Chloe's second favorite for a long time until she got called into Chrislyn's office.
"I'll be frank with you Ms. Collins. If you're going to screw the boss, be more discreet than ordering a cab from Wayne Manor."
Chloe was impressed, but also offended. She got over it though, knowing Chrislyn was doing her job. She remained second until Bridget gave her coffee, immediately securing her position on the Chloe power rankings.
Last was Lianne. Lianne was a very pretty ex-model who was definitely only working for Bruce to keep up his playboy appearances and she annoyed Chloe to no end. Not because she was pretty, Chloe was not that petty (anymore), but because she had tattled on Chloe one time for using the executive espresso machine.
Not that it mattered, but it gave Bruce an excuse to call Chloe into the office and lecture her about her coffee addiction. A battle that he had finally admitted defeat in after the decaf fiasco of Christmas 2014.
"Hey Bridget, how you doing?" Chloe asked, checking the time and recognizing that this was either Bruce calling to make sure she showed up or he was canceling because of (insert lame excuse), which meant Batman was needed.
"Hey Chloe, things are good. We're painting the nursery next week. It's coming quickly!"
"I know! I cannot believe how soon it is and how's the name debate going?"
She could practically hear the eye roll. "Gerry's mother is insisting on Eugene after her father. I like Dylan or Carter and Gerry likes John but won't say anything to his mother so his opinion is invalid right now. Mr. Wayne told me today I should name the kid Bruce and make everyone happy."
"I beg of you. If you name that child Bruce we will never hear the end of it. Please don't. Speaking of, what does Mr. Wayne want."
Bridget sighed. "Mr. Wayne regrets that he will not be able to attend the gallery show as an urgent matter has come up that he had to attend to immediately. He sends his apologies and says that the car will still be available to you at 5:30 and asks that you apologize to Mr. Fox on his behalf."
"Thanks Bridget. I'll take the ride. Get out of here, I'll let Mr. Fox know."
"Thanks Chloe, have a goodnight." Bridget hung up the phone.
Bridget didn't know about Bruce's activities, but she had been around long enough to no longer question what he was doing and certainly lost all patience for comforting his potential dates. She had told Chloe long ago, Mr. Wayne's reputation is public knowledge.
"If you choose to fall into his charms you swim at your own risk."
It also helped that Bridget ignored any rumors that Chloe was involved with Bruce, stating that Chloe was too smart to be charmed easily. In fact Bridget had been the first to squash any comments made regarding Bruce and Chloe in the early days of her time at Wayne Enterprises.
Another reason to like Bridget better than Chrislyn.
Chloe sighed. "So, coffee for dinner I guess." She said to herself.
Looking at the clock and deciding she was done with her projects for the day. She sent a quick note to Bruce letting him know she got the message and would be at base after the art show, she made her way to the kitchen in R&D.
Maybe someone brought in doughnuts or bagels this morning that she could snag on her way out.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, please let me know your thoughts. I have no one to review this for me, so please let me know if there are any mistakes, or things that need to be clarified. As always, I appreciate feedback and suggestions to improve. Thanks!