Trouble Magnet didn't even start to describe her, Oliver thought as he listened darkly to her asking the Duma's front desk clerk to connect her to Nabokov.

Trouble magnets had the misfortune to attract problems. Chloe ran after danger yelling "hit me" with her arms twirling faster than windmill sails caught in a typhoon.

"Yes, I'll wait. Thank you."

He opened his mouth to say something but she silenced him with one arched eyebrow. Oliver briefly wondered if that was what she looked like when he did or said something foolish during his patrols. In full Watchtower mode, his petite sidekick was a force to recon with.

His lips twitched to contain a fond smile. Her eyebrow shot even higher, escorted by a warning glare. Before she could make any good of the coming threat, the speaker crackled.

"Evgeni Nabokov speaking."

"I wanted to thank you for the flowers, Mr. Nabokov. The roses are truly beautiful."

"It was the least I could do, since my men's tardiness caused you harm, Miss Gale."

"I am not sure I understand what you mean."

Oliver held his breath.

"Any good Russian loves his flowers, but I particularly enjoy rose bushes. They need a good pruning of course."

Chloe looked nonplus. "I am not much of a gardener I'm afraid, Mr. Nabokov."

The man's chuckle made his teeth arch. Reading between the words of the gangster was worse than bantering with Lex. The young Luthor was difficult. Nabokov was lethal.

"Pruning means that you have to severe unhealthy branches to allow the bush to thrive. Same as business, really. From time to time you have to walk away from unhealthy ventures. I am glad you enjoy the flowers, Miss Gale. S prazdnikom. Please extend my best wishes to Oliver, as well."

"I will, Mr. Nabokov. Happy holidays to you too."

The line went dead. Chloe let out a long exhalation. Oliver watched as she shut down the system entirely. "So the body, the bounty over Zlythe's head… He chose to cut his losses, and wanted you to know."

"It looks like it."

"Let's avoid those people in the future, all right?"

"I'll stick to petty thefts and street rats for a while."

"I'll appreciate it."

He took her hand in his. His thumb caressed the jumping pulse at her bare wrist. "Your heart is beating too fast."

Her arm trembled, as if she'd wanted to snatch her hand back and chose not to. "Why do you think I took off that stupid watch before I placed the call? Can you imagine playing word games with that snake with a blaring siren attached to your person?"

Oliver used the hold he had on her hand to pull her into a hug. "Remind me never to play poker with you, Sidekick. You would just walk off with half my fortune before I know it."

"Only half? Give me some credit, Hero, you'll be lucky to walk off with your shirt still on your back."

He brushed his mouth on the side of her neck before he murmured, "We both know that if I take off my shirt, I'll win."

"Cocky, much—" She paled suddenly and grasped his hands tight, nails digging into his skin. "Oh God."

"Sidekick?"

"I think I'm going to be sick."

She escaped to the small washroom before he could react. Oliver followed, worry a heavy weight on his stomach. The banter and her poise had fooled him so that he'd forgotten for a moment she was fragile.

Chloe waved when he knelt near her on the floor. Her eyes were closed. "I'm all right… False alarm…"

"You look ready to give Casper the Friendly Phantom a run for his money. If that's being all right, I'm afraid to see what "not fine" will look like." She moved to swat at his hands but he'd expected the move and hauled her up to her feet and into his arms before she could. "I'm taking you upstairs."

Chloe pushed into his shoulder, the best she could do with the hold he had on her. "Put me down, Oliver, I can walk. And I am not going to bed. It's two in the afternoon."

"As you wish."

She must have caught the dark edge in his tone because she stopped struggling and huddled her face in his neck. He refused to fall for the same ruse twice. Her moods naturally mimicked ones of a cat : preening one minute, and ready to bite the next. Pregnancy hormones made the swing even worse.

Oliver put her on her feet when they reached the landing. "I'll make some tea. Do you want a cup?"

Her petit hand refused to release his arm. "Come seat with me…"

Her soft smile tugged at his annoyance as she guided him toward the couch. Oliver rolled his eyes. "You're amazingly stubborn, you know that, right?"

She cuddled into his side, her head on his chest. "I don't do it on purpose… At first I didn't want Lois to think I was weak and leave me behind when she went on her adventures… Then I wanted to prove myself to Clark. And after that… After that I didn't have a choice to go on, no matter how bad I felt."

He secured one arm more tightly around her, brushing the tips of his fingers on her side. "I understand. I learnt to survive too." Chloe sighed under the caress. He continued, the soothing as much for her as for himself. "But seeing you in pain… I can't stand it. I just can't."

She shifted so she could straddle him. Oliver reached for her waist to secure her on his lap, but she didn't need the help. Chloe cupped his face in both hands so she could tilt his head back and look at him in the eye. "I promise I'm not in a lot of pain, Oliver. I am uncomfortable yes, but I'm not hurting, not much."

"If you do, will you tell me?"

"Yes."

"All right."

The gentle touch of her palms against his skin worked wonders to alleviate his fear. Chloe must have read the change of mood in his gaze, as the corner of her mouth turned up. She drifted closer to rest her forearms on his shoulders. His eyes narrowed. Her lips brushed his, once, twice, inviting him to take the lead. He ignored the bait, settling for a firmer grasp on her hips. His fingers toyed with the folds of her shirt until the fabric drew out of his way.

Chloe gasped when he found the warm skin underneath. She arched forward an inch then settled back on his lap. The grind tore a groan out of him. She swallowed it. Despite his intend to let her control the kiss, Oliver lowered one hand to her bottom to pull her more firmly against him. The other journeyed along her back.

Her pulse jumped madly under his fingertips. She stopped ravaging his mouth to catch her breath. Oliver pressed his forehead against hers, gulping oxygen to try and keep arousal at bay. "Pretty sure Emil banned those kinds of activities from the list…"

"I don't care."

Her hands left his neck to travel down his chest, pulling at his sweatshirt until he straightened up, one arm or the other hooked around her waist to keep her stable while she got rid of the thing. Her teeth bit in her bottom lip when she caught sight of his naked chest. She ran her palms down his torso, her eyes clouded. Oliver lost his battle against lust. He bent forward to capture her lips but she pushed him back, determined to enjoy the play of muscles under her fingertips.

He growled. The hell with Emil's recommendations. It'd been days since he touched her. Since he had her. She would rest after. He'd make sure of it.

Chloe laughed. Taking off her shirt became a play of tug of war, her aiming for the button of his jeans, him determined to level the field, each stealing kisses from the other in between. She had the high ground but he was stronger, so he managed to bare her shoulders first. Her bra was a miracle of satin half-cups and lace. He ran his tongue along the alluring white strap, then nibbled at the sensitive spot under her jaw. She tasted like almonds and honeysuckle, smelled like Orange Blossom, and the combination made his head spin and his heart race so bad it hurt not to be inside her.

"Not… playing… fair…" Chloe gasped, for her hips boring down hard on his groin. If she didn't stop that, their little make-out session was going to end way too soon.

"All's fair in Love… and War… Sidekick…"

How he managed to articulate was a mystery. Oliver continued his ministrations at the same time he lifted her off his lap to lean her down under him on the couch. The momentary loss of contact pierced through him like a white-hot blade. Half aware he might crush her, he balanced himself on his forearms and assaulted her mouth, no prisoners. Her lips parted immediately under his.

Oliver busied himself with the hook of her bra while their tongues battled. Still clad hips met and rolled into each other, her body adjusted to his weight so well he almost whimpered. "Chloe…"

"Hello ther— Ah, shit, not again… Can't you stick to the bedroom or something?"

Oliver rolled off to put himself between the brunette and Chloe. Hal smirked. "I'm glad to see you're feeling okay, Blondie."

"Was feeling better before you showed up," she grumbled under her breath. Oliver bit back a laugh while he tugged at the lapels of her blouse to help her redress.

"Think of it as training. Kids tend to cockblock you, I've heard." Hal stepped forward to hand her a gift bag. "For my future godson. Or goddaughter."

"Thanks."

Her cheeks flushed a bewitching shade of peach. She looked so beautiful with her hair mussed and her lips swollen, Oliver had to make a herculean effort not to grab his best friend by the collar to escort him out.

"Hey, you got a tree! Sweet…"

Oliver fished his sweater on the floor and pulled it over his head. "Since you're here and not on the East Coast as advertise, you might as well help decorate it."

Whatever Hal on his face made him change tact without missing a beat. "Depends. Do you have cookies?"

"You're not Santa."

"I brought a gift."

Chloe cocked her head to the side to eye Hal's muscular frame. "I can see the beginning of a beer belly, Oliver, maybe he's preparing to challenge Saint Nick."

Oliver considered. "Hum… You're not wrong."

"You two are hilarious."

Oliver pressed a kiss on her temple. "I think you struck a nerve. Better keep those cookies hidden. I'll make tea."

"Coffee for me, please."

Chloe stuck her tongue at Hal who grimaced back.

"Children, behave. I'll be right back."

"He had the Dad thing going for him already."

"I heard that!" Oliver called from the hallway.