Looking into Oliver & Alex

Collaborated with: Jenn (not a fanfiction user)

After cooking haddock with poutine, spending time watching a movie, it's the early afternoon and they're pulling up the driveway to the farm. The part they are pulling up to has a large set of stables and many acres of woods behind the place. Wide fenced training areas for people new to the horses and in the one has 3 horses with Charles standing on the outside feeding them an apple each. Charles turns around and opens his arms wide, "Heeeeyy! You made it!" He claps his hands together as Oliver climbs out of the passenger seat. "We've been looking forward to this since yesterday, it's nice to get out of the city," Oliver comments. He's wearing beige cargo shorts and a plaid blue, short sleeves, button up shirt. He looks at Alex as Charles walks over to greet them.

Wearing jeans that molded to her and some old tennis shoes,a pale pink tank top hair pulled up in a ponytail " I also made sure to save you some lasagna. Thank you so much for having us." Smiling brightly she would meet him for a handshake

Charles takes her hand in both of his, beaming at her, "no! Thank you!" He chuckles and looks at Oliver who walks up next to her. "What's the plan Charles?" Oliver asks and puts his right hand onto Alex's far shoulder. Charles looks from one to the other, "what changed between you two?" He holds his hands up, "something happened!"

Unable to help herself she would lean into Oliver and at Charles excitement a blush would form and world hurry back to the car to get the covered dish to let them talk -

"Oooh! This is such big news! Your finally dating? Or what?" Charles asks and Oliver smiles from cheek to cheek. "I moved into the master bedroom... and she revealed interest in me and yes."

Coming back with the left overs she would hold them out a light tint to her cheeks "I even snuck in a bit extra for you Charles."

Charles looks like a little kid is about to burst out of him, "I was wondering!" He takes it from her, "I thought maybe a few more days... a week? But not overnight! Wow! You are a strapping young man!" He points at Oliver before looking at Alex, "and you are a flower," he lightly touches her chin, "a flower with thorns, in a good way," he winks. "You are not delicate is what I mean child," he looks at the two and brings them to the fence. "These two are yours for the evening, dark brown is Thunder...Alex's, the caramel is Scotch... Oliver's. I will take this into the house and then we'll get you both saddled up!"

Blushes at the compliment and watched him walk off before looking up at Oliver and smiles "Sweet old man."

"Yes... that he is," Oliver grins at her before reaching up to pet Scotch. "I know he's going to pull you aside, don't give him too much ammunition on me," he winks at her.

Laughing she would stroke the horses velvet nose and looked up at him again "But it fun to watch him tease you."

Grinning, "it was worth a shot," he rubs the lips of Scotch, "we're going to show them a few tricks, eh?" He whispers to the horse. Charles comes back out with a helmet for them each, "alright, who here has rode a horse?"

Shakes her head laughing softly as hand traveled to scratch between the ears of Thunder and when Charles joined them again she smile some "It's been years ages even sense I have ridden."

Oliver shrugs, "honestly I haven't but I admire and respect horses very much," he smiles as Scotch nips at him, "ha-ha... so that's how it's going to be?" Laughing, "you should see when I play Santa for the kids," he holds his stomach. "I'm not worried but I'll work with the lady first so she can have fun and once your all set we'll go for a walk." He opens the gate and walls in with the two. He holds his hand out to Alex to offer in case.

Taking his hand she would laugh "You mean once I find my seat and Oliver searches for his?"

Charles waves her off, "you'll do fine," he watches her get up onto the horse. "You've got our tamest horse, had her since she was a baby."

Snickering as she moved thunder in slow circles before stopping him to watch them "He beautiful." Her eyes never left Oliver

Oliver had to be nudged by Scotch to stop looking at her. He lifted himself onto the horse with ease, "okay... now I'm a little intimidated," he chuckles as Charles gets onto his horse. "Alright, test Scotch out, have him walk around a bit and then we'll go got a nice stroll," Charles moved up next to Alex. "So," he whispers, "how long had you been ogling him?" He winks.

Looks to Charles and smiles a bit "A while now but it never seemed right and he never showed interest." Looks back to Oliver "His wife bwas still in the picture."

Charles looks at her sadly, "I know... he told me about your sister. It's tragic she was never found, but I'm happy he has you. I could tell the man was like a lost puppy... three or so months ago he started talking about you and then about a month ago his view of you changed." Oliver finally approaches, "okay, Scotch and I are acquainted," he smiles proudly.

Gets a sad look but quickly hides it and smiles at Oliver as she pats thunder neck "That's good ready to lead the way Charles?"

"Yes!" He pats the horse on the back of the neck and starts off. "Are you okay?" Oliver asks her quietly as he starts to follow.

Nods as she kicked thunder hard enough to send him after Charles "just fine!"

Charles watches Alex pull up next to him, "everything okay?" He ducks under a branch.

Nods as she looked back at Oliver on butter scotch before looking to Charles and offers a smile "Everything is fine, just enjoying the scenery."

"I overstepped, I'm sorry," Charles frowns, rubbing the neck of his horse.

No dear Charles you did no such thing, so tell us about your land here.

He looks around, "the farm was my Grandpa's actually, and I had zero interest in being a farmer," he says honestly. "My father had a developer banging on his door for months but he wouldn't allow it. And can you blame him?" He looks at the maple trees and oak trees around them. "You can't build this... this is nature and when man tries to do it... it's obvious!" He says and shakes his head. "I wanted to be a lawyer... but you know what?" He looks at her.

Looks around at all the trees but when she felt his eyes she would look at him "Hmm?"

"I couldn't handle the city... this was ultimately my home so I took it," he smiles and reaches over to pat her leg. "What's really on your mind?"

Shakes her head "It's beautiful here, your own piece of paradise." Twisting in the saddle and would look back at Oliver "As long as he happy, I'm only on Vacation because him and the boss conspired for me to be on it."

Charles nods, "I know, he was worried about you after you were shot. Seeing how much you started working right after, he cares for you a lot," they go up a bridge and down to pass a wide creek.

Looks forward again "I was doing my job, and I enjoy my job, I care about him to." Leaning forward she would pat thunder neck "So how they get their names?"

They would hear some chatter from Oliver followed by, "no-no-No-NO!" and a splash. He sits there in the water with Scotch snickering behind him. Charles claps, "oh he likes you... he does it to the riders he likes. Those he doesn't he goes really slow!"

Looking back to see Oliver sitting in the water and scotch behind him she would bust out laughing and had to grab a handful of mane so she didn't fall out of the saddle-

Oliver pats at the surface of the water, "yeah... happy there's no rock's," he stands up soaking wet. Scotch walks over the bridge and over to the other side, "oh yeah... now you go over."

Leaning forward in the saddle she would be hugging thunders neck as she continues to laugh she was finding it funnier by the moment-

Chuckling himself, "oh gosh no, some of the horses prefer the water and for incidents like this, we protect the riders." His eye brows raising. Oliver looks up at Alex and smiles, "just you wait," he points at her, his clothes sticking to his body and dripping. He looks at his sleeve and drops his arm, walking over to Scotch. "Come here buddy-" the horse takes two steps away from him and he raises his index finger. "Hey, come on, we've got some bonding to do," he catches the horse and slides up into the saddle. Continuing with his horse, a look on his face acting as though it never happened.

Gasping for breath as she held on for dear life from laughing so hard sh would finally sit up wiping tears from her eyes as lips never lost their smile "oh that was priceless I wish I had video of it all."

Charles comes up next to her, "there is," he points up into the nearby tree. "For insurance purposes we have cameras set up in certain area's. I'll give it to you on a disk," he winks and follows up next to Oliver.

I'm sick... which means taking it easy more... sitting and trying to do little work... GRR))

Seeing what he was pointing at she would only bust out laughing again before nudging thunder to follow "So not going to live this one down Oliver."

Oliver wipes his face of the remaining water, looking over his shoulder. "Well... if the end result is seeing you smile, I can live with that," he smirks.

Touching his chest, Charles looks at her and pats it, smiling.

Smiling at Oliver she would get a pink tint from Charles actions and shakes her head and pats thunder neck "Showing off are you?"

Shaking his head, "not at-" Scotch jumps a bit causing him to hold onto the reigns. "Hey- hey... no cameras here buddy," the horse snorts and he looks over at Thunder. "Swap?" He asks with his most endearing smile.

Controlling her laughter this time she would stand up in the stirrups to get a better look at butter scotch then between the two "afraid he throw you again my love?"

Aug 16th, 9:33am

Tilting his head to the side, "...yes," he can feel his cheeks so rosy at the pet name she gave him. Giving a hearty laugh, "oh no... Scotch likes you my boy! Don't worry, there's a beautiful view coming up in a few minutes that he always settles down for," he rubs his own horses neck.

Easing back in the saddle she would wonder why he blushed and shook her head as she kept pace with them looking in the scenery "It is beautiful here."

Nodding, "yes... away from the noise, a place to think," Charles smiles at her. "My daughter would come out here to get her wedding planning done." Soon they'd come out to a clearing, a massive field that looked to go up to the sky and there at the end is the setting sun. All three horses stopped to look and graze.

The thought of a wedding shit something through her that wasn't understood and gasped at the view as she swung a leg over the saddle to drop to the ground, landing on shaking legs she would lean against thunder as she pulled the reins over his head "Charles you have a hidden treasures cove."

"Yes... yes I do and the land is protected from all land developers now," he smiles fondly at the view. Oliver climbs off Scotch and walks over to her, running his hand down her back. He looks at her as the glow of the sun is on her face and he smiles before looking back at the view ahead.

Doesn't look away from the view and didn't know what to say as she watched the light dance across the meadow and wanting to blink she just wouldn't bdare thinking she might miss something

Charles watches the two and smirks, thinking to himself that Oliver had been right, Alex did need a break from work. And now he's extra happy he invited them out here away from the city. Looking up at the setting sun he pets his horses neck as it gazes some more.

Leaning back against Oliver a satisfied sigh would escape her"I think Oliver should cook for us sense you shared this lovely view and I should help..."

Chuckling, "what should I cook?" He kisses the side of her head while rubbing her shoulder on the opposite side of him. "Oooh no, I've got that prepped already, Peaches and Cream corn! It'll be ready by the time we get back," Charles says with a grin.

"Horse back riding, beautiful sights and feeding us, what do you have up your sleeves?" She was joking as more of her weight went into Oliver

Wrapping his arms around her, he's happy the shirt is mostly dry and it's a short sleeve or she'd be feeling it more. "Nothing at all Ma'am, just showing a cute couple a good time. Something to remember," he smiles sweetly as the sun has nearly vanished the other horses step up to their riders.

She didn't mind the dampness as she straighten up and patted the velvety nose of thunder not sure what to really call the relationship between her and Oliver and looked up to him and smiled before moving to get back in the saddle "Thank you Charles for everything so far."

He bows his head, "not at all... Oliver came to the market while you were in the hospital... it was very therapeutic for him as I could tell he was having a lot of trouble emotionally," he catches Oliver cast him a glance. "You were dealing with a lot my friend, and I was the shoulder you leaned on. From then, till now he has grown so much!" He smiles and points at Alex. "It couldn't have been done without you." Oliver pats Scotch on the neck, "nice and easy, right?" He whispers to the horse as it starts up. Looking up, "your right..."

Frowning a bit she was a bit lost but would smile "Thank you I think but I didn't do anything, I worked and went home." Feeling a bit emotional she would nudge thunder into a trot to follow the path back to the stables a bit ahead of the guys

Oliver gives Scotch a nudge, thankfully the horse cooperated and caught up with her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Glancing over at him as she didn't need to really lead thunder woul relax back in the saddle "Nothing I have had a lovely day, even if you had enall sweaty at the gym."

"Do you want to know how you helped me?" He asks her knowing she was obviously upset about something.

Watching a spot between the ears in front of her she would take a deep breath "Sure, how did I help you?"

He pulls up next to her, ducking from a branch. "Even though you were gone a lot, arguing that you were fine and could go to work. You provided me with a distraction. Instead of focusing on what I couldn't control, e.g. finding your twin, finding either of the Kara's, I was able to focus on you," he looks at her. "Doing that I was able to put my efforts into someone other than myself, cooking for your meals, sitting down with you for breakfast and having you talk about your days. I know it didn't seem like much to you, but for me to hear about what was going on in someone else's world... someone not on tv, someone in my life that mattered to me. It gave me something new, I learned some things about the medical field through you, and with this I learned about why you like your job, what pushes you to get better at your job... I began to really admire the person you are. Through this, I grew fond of you and every time I came back from the DEO I wanted to know 'what happened with this family'? Being you didn't give any names, just generalized stories, it was an escape and I started to really get excited about coming back to your apartment after working. Planning the next meal I'd get to earn that familar smile from you for. I worked to achieve that smile, it became a goal, but with you working so much I got concerned again, I spoke with your supervisor and we agreed... you needed 'me' time." He looks ahead at the stables, "you showed me that through spending time getting to know you, getting excited about seeing you... that I could be happy again. That I could stop dwelling on Kara and focus again on... life," he smiles, "because of you."

Tearing up she would blink them away just as fast as she leaned a bit and grabbed hold of his reins to stop him and herself and the other hand moved reaching for his cheek "That was beautiful, and I do love my job and maybe you and my boss are right maybe I do need time away, and you made coming home attractive for me." Leaning in the saddle she would give him a quick kiss and hoped Charles didn't get upset with her as she straighten and kicked thunder into a gallop tossing over her shoulder "Maybe should watch over me for the rest of our old age."

Oliver smiled at her reaction, happy to put some comfort into her and happily kissed her back. He could feel his ears burning from the blush crossing his face as Charles pulls up next to him. "I told you... be open and honest... now, what're you going to do about it?" He places his hands onto his hips. Taking a deep breath, "we'll see... but from what she just said, I get the vibe she wants me around for a while," Oliver smiles and pats Scotch on the side. They would pull up behind Alex into the stables and hop off to close up the gates. Giving each horse a treat, before going into the house. A very country kitchen, obviously been upgraded over the years. Granite counter top, large kitchen table, dual oven. "Want to eat these inside or out? We've got a dining tent attached to the side of the house to keep the bugs out but enjoy the atmosphere," Charles offers with a massive pot of freshly cooked corn.

When they arrived she had thunder settled she was always quick on her feet and having washed up she would follow trying to get the guys to let her help in some fashion "That would be lovely, and thank you all over again and I'm washing the dishes."

He barks out a joyous laugh, "nonsense, this is my treat to you both!" He sets the pot down and takes out a butter buddy and a plate to butter the corn onto. "Bon appetite!" Oliver pulls out her chair and smiles at her.

Cheeks where definitely hurting from all the laughing and smiling they had her doing so far as she sat and dug in-

Sitting down next to her Oliver would go through five cobs of corn before patting his stomach in satisfaction. "That was delicious!" He grins as he gets up and washes his face and hands in the sink.

She hadn't eaten nearly as many but definitely showed her appreciation for the food as she gathered up hers and Oliver's dishes "I would say that's better then Oliver's cooking."

Oliver's jaw drops, "what?" He starts laughing, "okay I'll admit I haven't cooked corn yet."

Clapping his hand onto Oliver's back, "don't worry about it. It's the simplest thing to cook and your used to chopping up many things... intricate recipes. You bring the pot to a boil, put the cobs in and cook for 10 minutes. Done!" He laughs and sees that it is growing dark out and a set of headlights are coming down the driveway. "Here comes my wife!"

After cleaning up the best she could with getting fussed at she would sit back down giggling almost like a school girl as her muscles finally started to relax and make themselves know "I couldn't help that one yes I live his cooking."

The wife comes into the door, a tall, muscled lady with hair bushy and red. She has on a baby blue blouse and dark denim jeans, "oh Charles! Did you find another couple at the market?" She teases him as she kisses his cheek and he wraps his arm around her. "My hair hates this humidity," she tells them both, "but after living here with this guy, you learn to accept it!" She laughs.

She enjoyed seeing the openness between them as she stood up and moved around the table to shake her hand "Alex. A pleasure to meet you and you have a lovely home."

"Betsy, and thank you very much!" The wife shakes her hand firmly but is careful. "Sorry, farmers grip!"

Oliver walks around and takes her hand, "I'm Oliver, Charles took us out to see the view," he grins.

She glances at the young man, "he gave you Scotch didn't he?" Betsy gives him a patronising look to which he blushed.

This was a fun chapter to write and I hope you enjoyed it too! Please review!

-SLITH/Jenn