Chapter 18
Clark paced in front of Oliver's desk. "I really messed up Oliver."
"Proposing was probably a mistake." Oliver nodded, not being helpful. He broke out into a smile and Clark glared at him. "I'm sorry – it's just the thought of you and Tess. Together." He shook his head. "It's a little weird man. That'll be three women that we've both dated."
"Chloe and I never dated." Clark replied quickly. "But that's beside the point." He slumped into a comfortable chair opposite the desk. "What am I going to do?"
"Give her space?" Oliver offered weakly, then raised his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. "I don't know, man. Don't take my relationship advice. Especially for Tess. I'm probably part of the reason she's like this."
"Thank you for that." Clark rolled his eyes. "Very helpful."
"I try." Oliver smiled. "Have you tried flowers?"
"A dozen sunflowers. They're her favourite." Clark nodded, frowning slightly at the memory.
"Didn't go well?" Oliver guessed from his expression.
"Nope. Gave them to Jonathan to play with." And he'd come home to find the carpet littered with the large yellow petals.
"Chocolate?" Oliver asked, trying to cover the basics.
"She's making brownies 24/7. Anything I buy her goes into them." Clark answered, getting more frustrated.
"Cook her dinner?"
"She's got dibs on the kitchen and dinner is awkward at the moment."
"Why?" Oliver leant forward, curious.
"We don't talk. We sit there in silence until Jonathan starts babbling then we play along with him. I don't know what to say to her."
"You could propose again. Couldn't be any worst than the first time." Oliver smirked at him.
"Funny." Clark pulled a face at him. "What do I do? Propose until she says yes?"
"Pretty much. She'll either say yes to shut you up or shove green k where the sun don't shine." Oliver replied with a smile. He was enjoying teasing Clark.
"What's her fixation with the proposal anyway?" Clark stood and started pacing again. "I don't think she cares about the other stuff so much as the proposal. And the I love you."
"Well," Oliver started. "You know her love of fairy tales?" Clark nodded. "How do they normally end?"
"The prince and princess marry and live happily ever after." Clark's eyes widen in realisation. "So she thinks that marriage is a step towards happily ever after."
"Which she thinks she doesn't deserve." Oliver nodded. "Now you're starting to get it. She's mostly content with what she's got. I'm pretty sure this is the happiest she's ever been. I can sorta see why she doesn't want to risk it."
"Not helping Oliver." Clark continued pacing. "What can I do?"
"I don't think there's much you can do Clark." Oliver answered honestly. "She may come round eventually."
"May come round isn't enough. I think I love her."
Oliver nearly fell of his chair. "What? I think I'm hearing things. Did Clark Kent just admit to being in love with Tess Mercer? That's one for the record books."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
Oliver looked at him. "Just that, well, you're notorious for being late to the table romantically speaking. Look how long it took you to realise that you loved Lois."
"I know! I know." Clark stopped pacing. "That's what makes it frustrating. I know what I want. I know she wants it. She just won't take a chance."
"Maybe she can't." Oliver stood up and walked out from behind his desk. "Look, I've known Tess a long time. Every single person in her life has betrayed her in some way. Including us. Trust isn't something she's used to. Neither's love. Maybe she can't reciprocate because she doesn't know how."
"Then what can I do?" Clark was desperate to do something. He'd never been one to let things go or go with the flow. He wanted to fix everything.
"I don't know." Oliver put a hand on his shoulder. "That's something you've got to work out on your own."
Tess beat the brownie mix into a gooey mess, taking out her frustration on it. The silence was killing her. Jonathan was upstairs, taking his mid-afternoon nap that normally she was relieved when he went done for it. But not today, not this week. This week there had been too much silence. She and Clark had barely exchanged a dozen words since her birthday. They were walking on eggshells on a tightrope, neither knowing what to say to the other.
She sighed. This was not what she had wanted. She didn't want anything to change. She'd been happy before. They were almost a family. There were times that she could pretend they were. She didn't know how many times she wished Clark was her husband and Jonathan was their son. But that was a dream. Clark may love her now but that would change. It always changed. She could be happy with what she had. It was more than she ever had before.
"Knock. Knock." Oliver opened up the door and walked in. "Anyone home?"
Tess ignored him. She was still mad at him for talking about her to Clark. He needed to learn how to keep his mouth shut.
Oliver ambled into the kitchen. "Hey Tess." He opened a drawer and fished out a spoon. "Care to share?" He gestured to the brownie mix.
Tess set it down out of his reach, still not saying a word. Maybe he'll get the hint and leave.
"So you missed our appointment this morning. I wanted your opinion on a minor takeover I'm planing." He sat down on a stool, fiddling with the spoon.
Who am I kidding? This is Oliver. He flunked getting the hint. Tess rolled her eyes and walked away from him.
"So I'm getting the silent treatment too?"
Whatever gave it away? Tess thought sarcastically. The fact that I'm not speaking to you. Wait, what did he mean by too?
"Yeah, Clark took your appointment. Hope you don't mind. Did you know that one of his abilities was super pace? Cos he wore a trail the depth of the Atlantic in my carpet."
"I'm sure you can afford to fix it." Tess replied tightly.
"That's not what I'm here about."
"Pity."
"We talked about you, you know."
"Actually I do know. Why the hell would you tell Clark what my favourite restraunt was?" Tess whirled on him. "Among other things."
"What things?" Oliver was clueless. Tess gave him a pointed look. "oh those things. I was drunk and Clark was whatever he is after drinking a keg by himself."
"Because that makes it all alright." Tess retorted sarcastically.
"I'm sorry Tess. I didn't think it would ever come up." Oliver apologised then smiled. "I didn't think that Clark Kent would love you either."
"Gee thanks." Tess rolled her eyes. "You really know how to make a girl feel special."
"You didn't expect it either Tess. Or you wouldn't have agreed to Lois' asking you to raise Jonathan when she died." Oliver told her seriously. "I know you."
"No you don't."
"Fine, I knew who you were and I know some of you who've become." Oliver corrected himself. "Any man would be a fool to not see what's in front of him."
"Then I guess the royal fool is sitting in front of me."
"Yeah, I deserve that but you're missing the point. You deserve this chance for happiness."
Tess laughed humourlessly. "You think that I think I don't deserve to be happy?"
"Well, yeah." Oliver answered honestly. "Don't you?"
"I know that I should have my prince charming and marry him too. I just can't. I'm too scared." Tess admitted, surprising both of them at her candour. "I'm happy now. I know I could be happier but what if it doesn't work out?"
"Love is worth the risk, Tess. You and Clark could work."
"Could. It's not a certainty."
"Nothing in life is certain." Oliver told her gently. "You have to take what you can get."
"I have to?" Tess raised an eyebrow. "What gives you the right to tell me what I have to do?"
"Tess… I care about you." Oliver looked her in the eye. "I want you to be happy. You're my family."
"We're a screwed up family, Oliver. And I am taking what I can get." She gestured around the kitchen. "This is what I can get. I'm happy with this."
"No, you're content. But I'm betting since the 'talk' with Clark, you haven't been so happy."
"Wow you're a genius." Suspicion rose in her mind. "Did Clark send you to talk to me?"
"No. I came of my own free will." Oliver took a calming breath then continued. "look, I know it's not easy being you."
"Not easy?" Tess scoffed at him.
"But it could be worse." He continued as though she didn't but it. "You could've been raised a Luthor, could still be working for Lex. Hell you could be with Zod right now."
"You're right. It could be worse. And it could be better." Tess said and Oliver's face lit up. He was getting through to her. "Which is why it stays the same. Not perfect and not terrible."
His face fell. "That's not what I wanted to hear."
"Well contrary to your beliefs – it's not all about you." Tess retorted.
Oliver tried a different track. "What about Jonathan – you and Clark are ruining his Christmas." Tess glared at him and he realised that it was a mistake to say that. "Low blow?"
"Yeah." Tess nodded then she froze.
"What's wrong?"
"I forgot to pick up Jonathan's Christmas present." She looked at the clock in horror. "I was supposed to get it two hours ago." Tess untied the apron around her waist. "I'll just run there now. Do you mind letting yourself out? I have to go. And somehow distract Jonathan from the big red box that will be in the boot when we come back. Great." She was talking more to herself than to him by the end of it.
"Why don't I just stay here with Jonathan?" Oliver offered, surprising himself. "I can manage."
Tess eyed him suspiciously before desperation made her relent. It would be impossible for Jonathan not to see the present if he came. "Oh alright." She sighed. "I should be back in two hours. Dinner's already in the oven. Just put some vegetables on in an hour."
"Go, I can manage one kid." Oliver gently pushed her out the door.
"Don't let him eat anything sugary." Tess warned him as he closed the door behind her.
"I won't," Oliver called back absently, reaching for the cookie jar. I'll eat it myself.
An hour later, Tess pulled up in the alleyway next to a giant toyshop. She practically ran inside, still berating herself for forgetting the appointment. "Hi, I'm here to pick up the order for Kent." She smiled at the college student assistant behind the counter. "The custom made bike?" She added to make things easier.
"Oh that one." The girl remembered the bike Tess was talking about. "It's right here." She patted a box that reached her hip. "I'm guessing someone was good this year?"
Tess smiled proudly. "Very good. Is there anything I need to sign?"
The girl checked the papers attached to the box. "No, you're all good to go. Wanna trolley to get it to your car?"
"Please." It looked to heavy for her to pick up herself. The girl handed her a trolley and helped her load the box onto it.
"Hope he likes it." The girl smiled at her. "And don't forget to bring the trolley back."
"I won't." Tess said as she pulled the trolley out the sliding doors. She made it to the car and dropped the trolley with a satisfactory thump. "I need to go to the gym." She sighed before bending down and picking up the box. "I really need to go to the gym." She grumbled as her muscles burned. She quickly closed the boot and returned the trolley with a thank you. Tess stretched as she walked back to the car. Maybe I'll let Clark hide it. Scratch that. He'll put it in an obvious spot. She thought as she turned the corner. I thought I closed the boot.
A hand holding a cloth covered her mouth. Tess struck out blindly, her elbow connecting with something hard. She heard a male grunt in pain and someone pulled her hair. She blinked rapidly as the sweet smell from the cloth made her eyes water. She tried to kick but her legs gave way.
"Nighty Night Lutessa." A familiar voice whispered as her world went black.
"Tess, I'm home!" Clark yelled as he walked through the door. He wasn't really expecting an answer but a small part of him wished she'd launch herself at him and kiss him silly in greeting. Clark sighed; he was such a dreamer sometimes.
"In here." A voice that was not Tess' replied from the kitchen.
"Oliver?" Clark asked confused. "What are you doing here?" He walked in to find Oliver standing covered in mash potato and Jonathan gleefully throwing it at him and the walls. "What are you doing here? What happened and Where's Tess?" He looked around for the beautiful red head.
"In order?" Oliver asked and Clark nodded. "I came to talk some sense into Tess. Didn't work," He added at Clark's momentarily hopeful expression. "She left to pick up someone's p-r-e-s-e-n-t and she hasn't been back since." Oliver looked at the clock and frowned. "She said she'd be two hours. She's been gone four."
"Maybe she just needed to clear her head." Clark sat at the table and took the plate of mash potato away from Jonathan. "No, we don't play with our food. We eat our food."
Jonathan reached for the plate. "Mine!"
Clark held it out of reach. "In a minute. Do you promise not to throw your food again?"
"Crap!"
Clark stared at his son. "What did you just say?"
"Crap." Jonathan repeated a bit softer. He didn't like the angry look in his father's eyes. "Unca Ollie."
Clark turned to Oliver, who held up his hands. "I'm sorry. Was I supposed to say nothing while your son pelted me with the mash potato I made for him?"
"You don't cuss in front of a two year old, Oliver." Clark chastised him, half angry, half amused. "Tess is going to kill you for teaching him that."
"Not if she kills you first," Oliver quipped, grabbing a paper towel to clean himself up with.
Clark blanched. "She's mad?"
"No. Scared. People do stupid things when they're scared so don't push her." Oliver warned him. "Even though I just did."
Clark stood up. "Maybe I should go check on her."
"And how do you think that's going to go down?"
"Not well." Clark sat back down. "If she's not home in ten minutes. I'll check the gps of the car and go find her."
"All hail the invention of the gps. Friend of paranoid wives and Clark Kent." Oliver said wittily. "Some might call that stalking you know."
"I call it protection." Clark replied sternly. "And you do the same."
"I know, just saying."
The next ten minutes passed in silence. Clark fed Jonathan, who remained silent. He'd picked up on the tense atmosphere in the room. Clark stood up as the clock struck half passed 6. "That does it. I'm going to find her. She shouldn't have taken this long."
"I'll stay with Jonathan." Oliver offered. " Just give me a warning when you bring her home. I'll be sure to duck the missiles."
Clark rolled his eyes as he logged onto the computer. "I'll do that." The page came up quicker than he'd expected. "She's still at the toy shop." He left without saying goodbye, arriving at the alleyway the next second. "Tess?" He looked around, seeing only the car with the open boot. She wouldn't leave the car like that, he thought; panic building. His foot caught on something as he started to walk. Bending down, he picked it up and the saccharine smell made his eyes water. Chloroform. "Tess!" He screamed, praying for an answer. "Tess!"
Back at the Kent farm, Oliver started to clean up after himself. "You know buddy if you're Essa comes back now, we'd both be dead."
"Essa!" Jonathan cheered looking around for her. "Where Essa?"
"Essa's not here. She's probably clearing her head." Oliver replied, drying and stacking the dishes. "Your daddy is a bit tackless sometimes." Jonathan looked at him, confused. "It means your daddy is an idiot sometimes."
"Dada dio?" Jonathan asked.
"Something like that," Oliver said as the phone's shrill ring started. He decided to let it go to the answering machine. It wasn't his house.
A chilling, digitally altered voice spoke after the beep. "This message is for the Green Arrow, who ever you are. I have your friend, Tess Mercer. If you want her to live go to Good Morning Metropolis studios tomorrow morning and unmask yourself. If you don't, then she dies. Oh and here's proof of life."
There was the sound of tape being pulled off skin. "Don't do it." Tess cried before her voice was muffled.
"Well I wouldn't do what she says if you want a little boy to ever see his Essa again. See you on tv tomorrow morning." The message stopped and the dish fell out of Oliver's hands.