AN: Oliver is shorter than normal but Chloe is longer. So it should balance out. I think.

Thanks for all the feedback. 

Chapter 7

Chloe

Bruce was neither Oliver or Lex, he was something unique and a law to himself. That was a good thing, she could see where the playboy reputation came from but there was something else underneath. He had a depth that he kept hidden from most but with Ollie he seemed relaxed enough to let it show a little around her, tomorrow night would probably be a different matter.

Looking over at Oliver she saw a thoughtful expression on his face and she wondered what was going on behind his dark eyes but she didn't ask instead sitting in silence watching the darkened roads pass them by.

The hotel was welcoming and warm and she headed towards the elevator while Oliver arranged a car for the following day. By the time it was done it had arrived and they headed to the Penthouse. Her mind was already working wondering a) how quickly she could escape outside tonight to get a real flavour of the city and b) what on earth she was going to do tomorrow while Oliver was taking care of business. Art Galleries and museums could entertain her for so only so long.

The room was lit gently, almost romantic in its glow and it brought a little smile to her face. Slipping her shoes off she headed to the bedroom pulling out Olivers shirt that she had worn the previous evening. The suite only had one bedroom but the bed was huge with space enough for about six people Chloe was sure so they had agreed to share, just to stop tongues from wagging.

She showered, changed and finished all her bits coming out to find Oliver stripped down to a pair of boxer shorts waiting for his turn in the bathroom. "What if I told you that was my favourite shirt" he said with a grin. Chloe looked up at him flashing a grin, "It's mine now."

Clambering into the soft sheets she could a scent on the shirt and inhaled, it smelt distinctly of him. Leather, musk, masculine and comforting. She rubbed at the collar bringing it to her nose to inhale deeper, all Oliver Queen. Suddenly aware of what she was doing she dropped it and looked around the room as if she had suddenly been caught with her hand in the cookie jar although she was still alone.

When he emerged she could still see beads of water on his torso, they only seemed to add to the enjoyable sight. She knew he had caught her looking by the amused look on his face, "I can't help looking so good," his voice was tinged with laughter as he flicked on the tv and switched off the lights.

It felt odd to be sharing a bed with someone who wasn't Lois or Lana but she didn't feel the need to talk and they just laid watching whatever shows Ollie randomly flicked onto for a while.

Chloe waited patiently for the sound of his breathing to slow and deepen until she was certain he was sound asleep. She didn't want him to worry. Slipping from the bed she grabbed her clothes and dressed before picking up her bag and carefully leaving the room.

The air was cold as she stepped outside and she lifted the collar up on her jacket as if that would provide her with some kind of protection. "Okay then, pick a direction," she muttered to herself before heading left out into the dark Gotham night.

It smelt different, she wasn't quite sure how that worked but it did, maybe it was the architecture? As she walked Chloe listened to the voices of the people passing her by, hushed whispers, mummers of love and devotion, typical talk especially in the well lit neighbourhood she was currently in.

The atmosphere changed as she moved into less well lit areas, and she could see the changes in the buildings and the people. The buildings were less well kept, had crumbling edges, the people scurried quickly from place to place afraid of what the streets might have in store for them.

Clutching her bag in front of her Chloe decided now was the time to turn back and head for the hotel, too late as it turned out. As she turned she walked into a group of 3 men who started laughing and herding her towards an alleyway. "We'll take that," one grabbed her bag while the others shoved her towards the wall.

Oliver

His dreams were plagued by figures without faces. They crowded round him moaning, pushing against him, picking at his skin. Then they were gone leaving him in a darkened room strapped to a table, wrists and ankles bound, feeling as if something pressing down on his chest making it difficult to breath.

Someone was laughing, it was manic, madness tinged. A spotlight came on illuminating his face, making him blink and try to cover his eyes but the straps meant his hand couldn't move. 'You're dreaming Oliver, snap out of it.' He knew he was asleep but he couldn't wake up.

Footsteps echoed through the room as a figure made its way towards him, "Ah Oliver," he recognised the voice, Lex! He panicked pulling at his restraints but he could do nothing being held tight within them. "You thought you could keep your secret from me, that I'd never find out. How wrong you were." He laughed and Oliver recognised it as the laughter he'd heard before.

"You're mad Lex, completely insane." He countered watching Lex's face twist into a sneer, "maybe but I'm not the one tied up am I." Oliver knew he was asleep, knew it wasn't real, that he was dreaming but he couldn't stop the spasm of fear that passed through him, this was possible, it had happened to Bart, it could happen to him.

"You aren't real." Lex moved back, "Maybe I am just a dark part of you delighting in torturing you, but they are real and you hurt or killed every one of them." A screen lowered from the ceiling faces flashing in front of him, all of them imprinted in his memory. "I'm so sorry," he whispered to each of them, "but we have to stop him."

Outside his dream Oliver's body was twisting, throwing the sheets around the bed. His whimpers begged to be heard but there was no one there to hear them. Sweat dripped from his brow and his breathing was heavy.

At last he managed to pull himself free of the nightmare, his eyes opening slowly while he commanded his body to relax. Not moving for a few moments he listened for other noises in the room but there were none. It took those moments for him to register the fact there should be noises in the room, someone else should be breathing. Turning his head he saw Chloe was gone.

Maybe she was in the bathroom, "Chloe?" he called out before getting out of bed when no one replied. He stepped inside and flicked on the light squinted against the brightness. Satisfied she wasn't there he checked the rest of the penthouse. "Chloe?" he called again before dialling downstairs to reception.

His worst fears were confirmed, Chloe had gone out into the Gotham night, alone, and she'd been gone a couple of hours. He tried dialling her cell and when he got no response he began to worry. "Chloe, what have you gotten yourself into now?"