And as per usual, Lois was running late. Her cousin meeting Carter promised to be eventful, if the man decided to actually join them. Chloe considered the menu, teeth nibbling at the corner of her mouth. They'd secured a table in a quiet corner, or as quiet at the lively café could be on a Sunday morning and waited for their "guests" to arrive.

Oliver freed her lip gently from her teeth before he kissed the tips of her fingers. Unbidden, her thoughts returned to the previous night. His reaction to the nightmares last night frightened her. Oliver was always so collected in the chaos. Solid. Down-to-earth. He looked at life with his two feet firmly planted on the ground even if his goals sometimes erred on the side of wishful thinking. His practicality was what made him a successful businessman and an amazing leader. Even now that they swam in lore and magic, he was the rational one.

His reaction frightened her even more considering her own dreams. If they were that. What if he was right? What if her power had triggered something they couldn't control at all? She felt she was climbing a slippery slope and pushing on a boulder at the same time. What if they both dreamed of past lives? What if she was pregnant? What if—

"I think I'm going to buy Lois a watch."

Chloe smiled at him over her menu. "She has one. She just doesn't use it to be on time."

Oliver was once again looking out the window from her with a small frown, his expression more guarded than she'd seen it in days. If she didn't know better, she would swear he was in full Arrow mode. "Oliver?"

His head wiped in her direction at once. "Sorry." Oliver raised their laced fingers to his mouth. "I was hoping to be able to talk to Lois before Carter shows up."

He pressed a kiss on her knuckles. "I'm all yours, Sidekick…"

Her cheeks warmed at the gallant gesture. Chloe hesitated only a second before she leaned toward him to kiss him quickly on the lips. Oliver's hand shot to the back of her head, keeping her in place as he returned the pressure, teasing her lips to part for a deeper, much less chaste kiss.

"Keep that up and you'll make the front page of the Inquisitor two days in a row."

Chloe jerked away from Oliver who let out a small groan of displeasure.

"You're late, Lo."

"Yeah, yeah. It's your fault. Had to bring the evidence." The brunette slammed a paper on the table next to her cup, making Chloe jump a second time.

Oliver picked up the journal with a frown. "Since when do you buy that trash?"

"Since you make the cover with my cousin, Golden Boy."

Chloe peered above his shoulder at the article above the fold. The photo was grainy, typical of the poor quality of telescopic zoom. Oliver was clearly recognizable as he held a blonde woman close and murmured something in her hair, while her face was hidden in his shoulder. The street was unfamiliar, but the lacy dress was not. The photo had been taken in London, when they were leaving the restaurant on her birthday. Chloe stared at Oliver who was reading the article, his scowl darkening by the minute.

Oblivious to the young billionaire's reaction, Lois flopped on the banket next to her.

"It's just the usual crap. Their grammar is atrocious and they couldn't even get the month right. It's May."

"What?"

"Oliver Queen's last pinup girl goes by April," Oliver read as he met her stare. Dread dripped like melted ice in the pit of her stomach.

Lois shrugged, unaware of their exchange. "They called Ariane the Bride of the Month last weekend. Lex was less than thrilled. They probably went for something different to avoid a second lawsuit in the same week."

"Did the Inquisitor run the story on us first, Lois?"

"Hell if I know. I don't keep track. It caught my eye because of the dress. You look really nice, Cuz."

Oliver continued staring at her. "You pretended your name was April when he cornered us in Turkey."

Lois barked out a laugh. "TNT to the rescue!"

Oliver's grip around her fingers hardened. Chloe shook her head at her cousin. "I am not sure it's a good thing, Lo. It means Savage tipped the press, not that they dubbed me the flavor of the Month. That photo was taken in London three days ago."

"Who's Savage?"

"Someone who's been causing problems for way too long. Chloe. Oliver. You're Lois Lane."

"And you are Carter Hall," the brunette snapped back.

Chloe sighed. The bite in her cousin's tone made her vaguely ill-at-ease. She knew how Lois was going to react to the man and she'd arranged for it to happen, but she still felt a little guilty over it now that her anger had somewhat abated.

Carter missed neither the jab, nor the critical once-over which he returned with a smirk of his one. She almost groaned while Oliver looked thoroughly amused.

"Thank you for joining us, Big Bird."

Carter bared his teeth in something that could pass for a smile in return to Oliver's cheeky welcome, then he swallowed whatever scathing comment was on the tip of his tongue and took the last free seat at their table. Her cousin was still apprizing the man. Chloe swore that if she licked her lips, she was going to kick her under the table. Even if Oliver' long legs were in the way. It would serve him right for going along with her setting up the confrontation.

Chloe snatched her cup of coffee to drain it. Oliver signaled the waiter they were ready to order. The man sauntered toward them with such an enamored beam directed at Ollie Chloe bit back a laugh, distracted from the disaster in the making at their table. Carter covered her free hand with his.

"I apologize, Nedjem. I wasn't myself yesterday."

The endearment brought Lois' nose up from her menu. "Nedjem. What does that mean?"

"It means "sweet" in Ancient Egyptian."

"Cute. I'll have the bananas and Nutella crêpe, once you're done ogling my cousin's boyfriend."

Oliver dislodged Chloe's hand from Carter's to lock it in his. The waiter grinned, positively giddy when he spotted the gesture. "One crêpe with extra chocolate coming up. And for you Gorgeous?"

Four pair of eyes weighed on her. Chloe pinked, realizing he was addressing her. "Oh, huh, I'll have… a bagel with cream cheese please."

"Sure thing. Mr. Queen?"

"The Brocollis and Swiss Cheese omelet, please."

Carter ordered an omelet as well and My-name-is-Tony-don't-hesitate-if-you-need-anything-at-all sashayed away with the promise the food would be there shortly.

"Is that coffee? Gimme."

"Lois…" Chloe groaned at her cousin's poor manners.

"Hey! You're not the one who got up before 8 a.m. on a Sunday to be on time."

"You were late." Oliver pointed out.

"Because your people cannot do their job properly! They stopped just short of calling Chloe a—"

"Lois. There's nothing Oliver can do about tabloids. You used to work for the Inquisitor, you know how it works. I don't care what they say. I'm more concerned about the fact that Savage is trying to keep track of us through the press. Now the cat is out of the bag, they are going to stalk us."

Lois polished her coffee and refilled her cup a second time. "Right. Savage. New big baddie. Who is he and why is he so interested in you?"

"Hath-Seth is an immortal sorcerer who vowed to destroy my family. He killed me and my wife in each one of our lives, and enslaved and tortured our daughter in half of them."

Bile rose up in her throat so fast her head spun. She gripped Oliver's hand hard. His cup clang on its saucer. "You forgot to mention that detail before, Tweetie!"

Lois gawked. "Wait. You're serious?"

"One crêpe, one Bagel, and two omelets. Enjoy!"

Chloe's stomach churned some more when the strong smell of swiss cheese from Oliver's plate hit her nostrils. She wanted to close her eyes and wake up curled in bed with Oliver in the safety of his penthouse. Far away from Savage, Carter, and the blanket of doom which threatened to suffocate her.

Oliver pulled her roughly into his side with one arm. One hand gripped his cutlery like one of Dinah's throwing knives. The other found the mark on her hip and pressed against it. Its weight anchored her in the here and now, heavy and reassuring. Chloe reached for her water, surprised she could do that without shaking. She no longer felt hungry.

"I'm telling the truth, Miss Lane. Those two are destined to find each other, life after life. Shayera is waiting for me to join her in another circle, but this time, I have a way to break the curse."

"How?" Lois asked.

"We found a weapon," Chloe answered. "Savage cannot survive a mortal blow from it."

Her blood-thirsty cousin approved. "Good. What are we waiting for then?"

Sensing her calmer, or maybe because he was himself, Oliver allowed her an inch from his body. "We need to find a way to nullify his powers, so we can approach him with the dagger without him noticing and blasting us to pieces."

Lois gave a noncommittal nod. She speared a piece of chocolaty banana and contemplated it for a moment before she put it in her mouth and chew. Chloe tried to smile at Carter and fell short. Oliver nudged her elbow, encouraging her to eat, but nerves continued to run havoc in her stomach so the bagel is her plate was the less appealing thing she had seen in a while. He brushed his thumb on the back of her hand gently.

"While Lois hashed whatever brilliant idea she's having" Chloe just realized Oliver knew that look on her cousin too, "I'd like to clarify a few things."

Carter nodded silently.

"It seems that Chloe is healing me through the marks. You said they repel magic so how is that possible?"

Because genetic mutations aren't magic, she wanted to say. Chloe kept quiet, waiting for Carter's answer.

"She never had powers like that before, so I don't know."

"Can we mask or alter that part of our bond? What I do earns me more than paper-cuts."

Hawkman glowered but shook his head again. "I don't know."

"Do we remember our past lives?" Oliver pressed on.

"I do. But you? Not that I know of."

"How come you never realize the dagger was in Metropolis all this time?"

A muscle ticked in Carter's jaw.

"I don't know."

"How come it ended in a building that I own?"

"I don't know!"

The dead-ends Oliver's questions brought, the more agitated Lois became, until she blurted out. "That's a lot of not knowing, Grandpa."

"Lois!" Chloe hissed.

"What? The guy claims to have been around for centuries and he can't answer one single question." She rubbed her hands together. "It doesn't matter, I have a plan."

Chloe couldn't help but groan. Oliver squinted at the brunette. "I'm listening."

"First, we need to make sure that your marks really make you impervious to spells. We need Miss Fishnets."

"I suppose you mean Zatanna. I'll call her. Then what?"

The wicked grin on Lois sent a chill down Chloe' spine. "Then we'll open negotiations."