oOo
She didn't stop until she was back in her car. What was she thinking? She had a boyfriend for God's sakes... How could she have been so weak? She started the car and started the long trek back to Smallville, her only companion being the guilt starting to eat from the inside.
Halfway back, she changed her mind. Pulling out her cellphone, she dialled a familiar number. "Hey, where are you and what're you doing right now? ... Want some company? ... I'm halfway back. See you in an hour."
The rest of the drive passed uneventfully and as she pulled up to the Luthor mansion, she sighed, now completely sunk in depression and guilt.
Lana met her at the door. "Are you okay?"
"No..."
"Come in. I'll have Missy bring up some ice cream." She put an arm around Chloe's shoulders and led her upstairs. They collapsed onto Lana's bed and she studied her friend before finally asking, "Chloe, what's wrong? Did something happen with Jimmy?"
Chloe shook her head. "No, nothing. He's gone home for Thanksgiving."
Lana swallowed hard. "Clark? Is something wrong with Clark?"
"No. It's me, Lana... me and... Oliver."
"Oliver? As in Oliver Queen?"
"Yeah." She turned her eyes to meet Lana's dark ones, wide with shock. "We, um, kissed."
"But..."
"I know. I know. He's with Lois. It's just... I went to see him... to confront him about something. He was hurting Lois. And it just... happened." She looked away, feeling sick as the guilt bubbled up in her.
"That's kind of oxymoronic, don't you think?"
Chloe cringed at the harsh tone in Lana's voice.
"I mean, you went over there because you were worried about Lois and him hurting her and then you're adding to it! Chloe, you're smarter than that!"
"I know, okay? I know." Chloe looked up briefly to meet Lana's accusing glare then away. "I didn't think. It just happened. And I want to blame him but it was just as much me... I don't know," she said finally, tiredly.
Lana softened. This was not the time to come down hard on Chloe. She had obviously chosen to come to Lana because she was in search of comfort. "I'm sorry Chloe. I haven't been feeling very well lately and I'm a stresshead." She squeezed Chloe's hand. "Tell me what happened." A mischievous smile crept onto her face. "And I know this is probably out of taste but how is Oliver Queen as a kisser?"
oOo
Oliver sat staring into space. It had been a full twenty-four hours since he'd destroyed the last of the syringes, the last of the drugs, their effects, and withdrawal symptoms were gone. He clicked a pen absentmindedly, staring at his phone. He hadn't talked to Lois in four days, he hadn't talked to Chloe since that memorable night. He felt guilt yet justified. Not that it was okay to be cheating on his girlfriend but that he'd finally made a good decision. Chloe was a good decision. Made from the wrong reasons but good none-the-less. He glanced down at his cellphone, toying with the idea of calling her but then what would he say? Hi, you really don't know me and I'm dating your cousin and tried to kill you then seduce you a few days ago but I really need to see you. I'm a changed man, really. Or better yet, I'm the alter ego of Metropolis' most notorious crime fighter and I just went cold turkey from superhuman enhancing drugs that I only took because I was jealous of your best friend who happens to be from another planet. Would you like to go to dinner with me? Dating your cousin who's closer than a sister? Nah, she means nothing to me, which has no reflection on who I am as a person and how I treat women. Yeah, right. She'd laugh in his face. After calling the cops. And getting a restraining order.
He knew what he had to do but couldn't bring himself to do it. Not on Thanksgiving. Not after Lois had told him that Thanksgiving was the worst time of year because she was alone. So what was he supposed to do? Pretend everything was okay?
Just call her, you wimp, the voice whispered into his mind. Don't be so weak. After the drugs had left him, the voice had remained, like a perverted devil sitting on his shoulder. She wants to be with you. You know that. He shook his head to clear it. He would work. He would work and forget about Chloe Sullivan.
For now... the voice cackled.
oOo
She heard the window creaking and rolled over to face the wall, willing herself to sleep with a sigh. She wished they could do something about that. She wished she could close it but it was too warm out despite winter just around the corner. It didn't really matter anyway. After the bomb Lana had dropped, there was no way she was going to sleep tonight. Lana pregnant? With Lex's child? She shuddered to think what was going to happen when Lex found out. If Lex found out.
The floor creaked and she pulled her thoughts back to reality. God, the Talon was falling apart. Too bad she couldn't talk to the landlord. Lex Luthor wasn't exactly accommodating these days.
Then her sixth sense kicked in. Someone was in her bedroom. Her eyes darted across the wall, straining to hear. Were they here to steal something? Her mind catalogued things. She didn't have any of Clark's stuff here, nothing that was damning. And she hadn't done any sort of illegal hacking... So what did they want? Money? Things? Her hands tightened on the sheets. Were they here to-? No. That was ridiculous.
The bed compressed beside her and her whole body tensed. Oh god.
"Chloe?"
She swallowed hard, willing her heart to travel back down her throat. "Oliver?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to see you."
She reached over the turn on the light but he caught her hand.
"Don't." The leather of his glove was cool against her skin as it slid up her arm.
"Oliver." She sat up, pulling the sheets up to her chest. "This is wrong."
"I know." His sunglasses were off, dangling in his fingers and even in the dim moonlight filtering in through the curtains his eyes burned into hers. "But I can't stop thinking about you. I know that's clichéd but for once maybe the movies got it right..." His eyes dropped to follow his hand's progress up her arm to cup her face.
She met his gaze squarely, guilt gripping her stomach at the thought of Lois snoring peacefully just twenty feet away. "Oliver." Then she closed her eyes, feeling emotions wash over her. She wanted this. Stupidly, blindly, she did.
He studied her, eyes closed, lips slightly parted, his name a whisper on her breath. He had to hold himself back from taking her in a bruising kiss. "Say it again," he replied through clenched teeth.
Her eyes opened, focusing on him. "Oliver." Unconsciously, she moved closer to him, leaned into his hand, her face towards his own. Their lips were centimetres apart when she remembered. She flinched, bucking his hand from her face. "We can't. Oliver, what are you doing?"
He blinked, cocking his head to the side. "I told you. I needed to see you. If you prefer I went out there and broke up with Lois to give you a clear conscience... Although we're pretty close to being history anyway..." He moved as if to exit her room and go to her slumbering roommate.
"No!" Her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. "You're in full Green Arrow gear!" she hissed at him. "Are you trying to ruin your life?" It unnerved her as he turned to look at her. He was essentially Oliver, his body stood before her. But subtly, it wasn't him. Oliver was a confident guy, granted, but there was something darker, something a bit more predatory in him.
"I told you, I needed to see you. You're all I think about all day and all night. You're driving me crazy, Chloe Sullivan. Your soft skin, your beautiful blue eyes, silky hair..."
"Think compliments can get you anywhere, huh?" she replied faintly.
Just as he reached her and was leaning forward to catch her lips, they heard a voice at the door, a distinctly female voice, distinctly Lois-sounding voice.
"Chloe? You okay?"
Her eyes widened in horror and she shoved Oliver sideways, making him lose his balance and fall between the bed and the wall with a thump.
Just in time too because Lois pushed open the door to survey through half-lidded eyes a sleepy-looking Chloe peering up at her from the depths of her blankets.
Chloe faked a yawn. "Sorry, Lo, must have been a nightmare. Sorry for waking you up."
Lois shook her head slowly. "S'okay, cuz. I just thought I heard you talking to someone. But it's just my brain fogging again. G'night."
"Night Lois," she managed around the guilty lump in her throat. Lois looked so vulnerable, so young. She felt like she'd just kicked her puppy. Or was about to. Or whatever. "You have to leave," she whispered to him, who was climbing back onto the bed and looking decidedly rumpled and thoroughly irritated. "Oliver, Green Arrow, whatever. You have to go."
"Come with me."
"What?"
"Come for a ride." He held up his hands. "No tricks, I promise. Just a ride. I can't sleep and it would be nice to have the company." He held his breath.
For a moment, it looked like she was going to say no but then she nodded. "Alright, let me get some clothes on. But-" she fixed him with a glare. "- no funny business and no kissing."
"Scout's honour." But he couldn't help smiling. "I'll wait outside."
oOo
She met him in the alleyway and he handed her a helmet. "Safety first." The voice distorter was back on – for his safety, she assumed wryly – and it somehow made it easier to pretend that she wasn't just about to get on a motorcycle in the middle of the night with her cousin's boyfriend.
He grinned when she wrapped her arms around his waist, gripping tightly as he took off. He wove through the little traffic there was and headed towards the country. He wove through the fields and onto the asphalt leading up towards the bluffs above Smallville. He cut the engine and helped her off before getting off and unpacking a blanket for them to sit on. Pulling down his hood and his glasses off, he dropped down onto the blanket beside her. Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked out over the bluffs.
"Looks pretty normal from up here, huh?"
She gazed down at the sleeping town. "Hard to believe it's the land of the freaks." She went quiet, thoughts turning inward.
He studied her for a few minutes. Her eyes grew gloomy and a frown clouded her fine features. "You okay? Something bothering you in the middle of the night other than your cousin's philandering boyfriend?" He said it lightly, hoping to get a smile out of her.
He got one, a faint one. "Sorry Oliver, this little drama is nothing, really. We could be a lot worse off."
"What's on your mind?"
She shook her head. "I can't tell you. Someone else's secret."
His eyes narrowed, intrigued. "Gotta be a big one if it's keeping you up at night. What could be bigger than a couple of double identities?"
"Not going to bite."
He rolled onto his back. "C'mon. Who'm I gonna tell?"
"Oliver," she said warningly. "I can't tell you."
He turned his head towards her. "Not even if it'll allow you to sleep at night?" He sat up and scooted towards her, putting his hood and sunglasses back on. "Alright, alright, fine. Then say, maybe you'd tell the Green Arrow? He's a pretty trustworthy guy."
She cocked her head to the side. "You really think that's the way to get me to talk?"
"Well, I do have other means..." He grinned. "But you set the rules, remember?"
She stared into the darkness of his shades. "Alright, if you think it'll help. But-" she held up a finger. "If I hear you've told any of your superhero buddies, I know where you live and I will hunt you down, crossbow or not."
He held up a hand. "Swear to God."
She took a deep breath, staring at him for a few moments. Finally, "Lana's pregnant."
He reached out, putting an arm around her and hugging her to his side. The look on her face was shocking. She looked as if she were the one pregnant, not Lana. "One of the reasons that she's marrying Lex?"
She shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm afraid she might be. Lana is one of the few friends I have left. I'm just scared that she's going to get caught in whatever Lex is doing and he's going to ruin her life. She's going down a path and I'm afraid she's not going to be able to come back."
"At least she has someone looking out for her. Not everyone has a great friend like you. She's lucky."
She nudged him with her shoulder. "Well, good thing I'm a humble person. My head would explode." She turned to look up at him. "And you were right. It does feel better having told someone. It's a big weight off my shoulders. Thanks."
"Anytime, Sidekick." Unable to resist the urge, he kissed her temple quickly, lightly. "Now, we should get you home before sunrise."
She nodded, pulling herself away. "Right. Of course. You probably have meetings and important stuff tomorrow. Workers to exploit and dirty dealings to be had..."
"Oh, I'm sure being a reporter for the Daily Planet isn't any easier. Empires to topple, reputations to ruin..." He matched her smirk with one of his own.
The drive back was quick, quicker than she would have thought? Expected? Hoped? She got off the bike a few blocks from the Talon for fear of anyone seeing her with the Green Arrow.
"Thanks for the ride. And the talk."
"Well, if ever you need a listener..."
"First on my speed dial." She patted him on the shoulder. She wanted to ask if he was coming to Thanksgiving dinner that night but couldn't bring herself to. "I'll see you around, Archer." She all but bolted for the Talon.
He sat on his bike, watching her go. She wouldn't call you if you were the last person on earth... She still doesn't trust you and she's not going to while you're sneaking around with her behind her cousin's back. Ditch the brunette. He shook his head. I have to get out of here before someone sees me.
Wimp.
He got on his bike and sped off.
oOo
