Chloe opened her eyes and looked around, a smile dawning on her face. Oliver's bedroom, and not the single bed in the dorm. The night before had definitely NOT been a dream, and Chloe stretched languidly, turning to look out the window. The sun was just rising, and she sat up, holding sheets against her chest. Their lovemaking was still fresh in her mind, and Chloe brought a hand to her face, feeling her cheeks blaze pleasantly, a sleepy sort of need for Oliver to be with her, the urge to just feel his skin under her hands so strong she could almost imagine him there. She could hear Oliver downstairs talking on the phone, and she lay back against the pillows, happy. He appeared in the doorway moments later, dressed in a pair of black sweatpants, a grey t-shirt thrown over his shoulder, carrying his cell phone. He was thinking about something, frowning slightly, until he looked up and saw Chloe awake.
"Morning, Miss Christmas." Oliver grinned at her, the pensive expression vanishing immediately. He dropped the t-shirt and cell phone on the foot of the bed and slid in beside her under the covers, resting on his side so he could look down into her face. "Sleep well?" With an almost hesitant hand, Oliver brushed hair from Chloe's eyes and then, as if made comfortable that she didn't push him away, kissed her quickly on the lips.
"Yes." Chloe nodded, grinning at him. "Why didn't you wake me earlier?"
"Wake you earlier?" He flopped down, and then snuggled in close. "You were so peaceful. I couldn't stand to wake you. Besides, I had things to deal with this morning…" He said, his face pressed into her neck, her arms around him. "I'm taking the rest of the week off…I just called Celeste and told her to stay home, too. What is your schedule like for the day?" He asked, pushing himself up on an arm to look at the alarm clock over Chloe's shoulder. "It's 6:30."
"Well, I need to go down to the Planet for awhile, and then over to the dorm to officially clear out for the Christmas break." Chloe replied, biting her thumb as she thought. "Then, I have bring my stuff out to Smallville…I'm supposed to be staying with Lois…"
Oliver shook his head. "Do you have to stay with Lois?'
"I could stay at my dad's apartment, I guess. He's gone a lot with work, so I didn't even think about doing that. And, my plans with Lois were made before we happened, so I may not even be welcome there anymore once I tell her what's going on."
"Well, Smallville is a two and half hour drive." Oliver sat up, realizing how stupid he sounded. The natural reaction, the one he really wanted to give into, was to invite Chloe to stay with him – even after school started again. But doing that would mean telling her about being the Green Arrow. Oliver decided against it for the moment. He'd already left himself very open to her, and yet, the thought of how empty this place would feel without Chloe overrode good sense. "You'd be here most of the time anyway…you could.."
Chloe frowned, also sitting up, modestly holding the sheet up to keep herself covered. "Are you suggesting I stay here? Because that would be rushing things, even though it would be fun." She kissed his shoulder softly. "I never imagined how much fun…" She grinned at him wickedly. "But I couldn't. Not yet."
"So, your dad's then?" Oliver asked, brushing hair from her eyes again using the opportunity to caress her cheek gently. "And I know what you mean about staying here, but the door is always open."
"My poor father won't know what hit him…all my stuff and then you into the bargain…" Chloe laughed, a thrill racing through her at his touch. "But, for now, I have absolutely no where to be until ten."
"Ten, huh?" Oliver gathered her in his arms, and Chloe curled up next to him, brushing his ear and the place behind it with her lips. "Whatever shall we do with the time?"
His cell phone rang and he answered, still holding Chloe in his arms.
"Oliver Queen." He held his breath, and then a familiar voice made him feel awkward, as if he had been caught red handed at doing something wrong. Since that night he dropped her into a coffee table while affected by that experimental drug, Lois could make Oliver feel guilty, even if she didn't mean to.
"Oliver." Lois' voice was full of panic. "You need to do me a favor, and I feel like a complete ass even asking…it's Chloe..."
"Chloe?" Oliver asked, as Chloe's eyes widened and she shook her head. "What's wrong?"
"I've been trying to get in touch with her and I can't. I've tried the Daily Planet, the dorm…and all I'm getting is her voicemail. I'm afraid something is wrong."
"Lois, you've said that she's a capable girl…I'm sure nothing is wrong." Oliver said, grinning as Chloe ducked under the blanket. "She's probably at a friends house or..." A sharp kick connected with his shin from under the covers. OW, he mouthed at the hazel eyes that peeked at him. The eyes narrowed threateningly, and Oliver smiled indulgently. "Look, I'll stop at the Daily Planet today to see how she is, okay?" The eyes under the sheet smiled, and Oliver winked.
"Ollie, that would be so great, thanks." Lois sighed, relieved. "How are you?"
"I'm good." Oliver replied casually, leaning back against the pillows, and pulling the covers away from where Chloe hid, eyeing her body appreciatively. "Keeping busy. Nothing all that exciting." Chloe stuck her tongue out at him and pulled the covers back, obscuring the view of her naked backside and everything else until just her eyes were visible again. Oliver choked back a laugh, deflecting a pillow that nearly knocked the phone from his hand.
"Good. I'm glad, Oliver, really." Lois said, completely unaware of the activity on the other end of the call. "I hope no hard feelings?"
"Not at all, Lois. You were right. Things are definitely better this way." Oliver grabbed the pillow and dropped it behind his head, daring Chloe to come out and get it. The eyes vanished entirely under the bedspread, as if needing to somehow regroup. Again, Oliver smothered the laugh, and Lois, thinking he was coughing, changed her tone from polite conversation to concern.
"I hope you're feeling okay, Oliver. You sound terrible. Well, good, I'm glad you aren't going to hold any grudges. You'll still come out to the Kents on Christmas Day, too, right? It might be awkward, but they are great people…and I'd hate for you to be alone on Christmas…." Lois told him. "Well, there's Clark." She huffed. "He's so slow…I've been waiting for him for an hour."
"Clark's there?" Oliver asked, hoping the tone was plausible enough for Chloe to believe he didn't know about Clark going to Gotham City. She poked her head out and stared at him, slightly surprised. "Why?"
"He came out to the coast to check out a school. Between you and me, I can't see him five minutes from his farm, but oh well. Anyway, Oliver, I'd better go. I have some leads to follow and then I'm going to talk to the new police commissioner here about this Man-Bat."
"Take care, Lois. Bye." Oliver hung up and set the phone on the nightstand as Chloe emerged from under the covers, pulling Oliver's grey t-shirt over her head.
"Why do you know Clark is in Gotham City?" Chloe asked, her hair wild around her head. Oliver swallowed, totally taken by how beautiful she was. He had left her in the earlier part of the morning when Clark called. Now, in his t-shirt, with her hair disarranged and her face fresh from sleep, Chloe was irresistible.
"What makes you think I know, beyond what I just heard right now?" Oliver countered unconvincingly, his mind on kissing her. Chloe thought for a minute and then climbed astride him to look into his face. Sitting in his lap, facing him, Chloe asked him again, wiggling just enough to be settled in his lap. The motion, however, nearly made Oliver groan aloud, and Chloe grinned, realizing she had gained an advantage in the conversation.
"Oliver. Why did Clark tell you he was going to Gotham City. I know he spoke to you before he left…he told me he bumped into you. But he didn't decide to go until he talked to me about Lois' 'man-bat' pictures." Chloe's face was serious, and Oliver ignored the pleasant warmth that generated from between her legs to him, stirring the almost overwhelming desire to strip that t-shirt off her and make love to her again. He set his hands on her hips and looked into her eyes.
"The night I saw Clark was the night we had dinner at Publican House. I had dropped you off at the dorm and then decided to go for a run, to clear my head."
"It was after midnight when you dropped me off." Chloe said skeptically, and Oliver nodded.
"I know." He said, moving his hands to her arms. "I couldn't sleep, though, was busy thinking about you. Anyway, I was out running and I saw Clark. He was coming from the Daily Planet, he said, looking for you with those pictures Lois had e-mailed. We got to talking and he asked me about me and Lois, and since he's your friend, I told him about us."
Chloe smiled briefly, leaning in to kiss Oliver, her lips on his a bribe, a reward for disclosure. Sitting back, her face grew serious again and she poked him. "Then what?"
"Then he told me Lois was in Gotham and what she was doing. Out of concern for her, after all the trouble she got into with Green Arrow this fall, Clark said he'd go check it out, to keep an eye on her." Oliver hated how easy it was to not tell her the truth; that he himself had been out on patrol, not running. How could he tell her that the conversation with Clark hadn't happened on the street like normal people but on the rooftop of the Metropolis Museum of Art, after returning two sculptures that had been spirited away by a less than honest curator? Simple enough to not say that he'd almost killed himself in the process of returning the sculptures because he'd been thinking about her scent, like honeysuckle and fresh air. Someday he might tell her that the thought that might have been his very last was that he had kissed her goodnight in the snow or how Clark had saved his life. Soon he'd tell Chloe that the first thought Oliver had realized he was going to live was that he would get to kiss her again the next night. It was too easy to leave out the part about how Clark had asked him to not lie to Chloe, assuring Oliver that she of all people could be trusted with secrets. Oliver had too many secrets to tell, and he would tell her eventually, tell her all of them. But right now, it was too soon.
Chloe seemed satisfied, though, because she nodded. "Sounds like Clark. The way he'd talked to me about it, I thought he'd just decided to go when he was up at the Planet the next day." Chloe shrugged, moving against him softly, purposefully, and unable to take it anymore, Oliver grabbed her, making Chloe squeal with giggles as he pushed her off his lap and back onto the bed. His hands moved over her, under the shirt, smiling as her giggles would pause for a sigh, and then erupt into giggles again when she would make eye contact with him.
"We have 'til ten, Goldilocks, and I so want to know more about who's been sleeping in my bed…" Oliver growled as Chloe laughed harder. He silenced her with kisses that grew more complicated, and more intense, until the last thing either Oliver or Chloe were concerned about was the time, and Oliver's grey t-shirt was forgotten on the floor.
Same Day – Gotham City – 2:00 p.m.Clark Kent sat on the steps of Gotham City Hall, waiting for Lois to emerge after her interview with the Police Commissioner. The day was bright and cold, no sign of snow at all. Gotham City was very different than Smallville this time of year, and Clark wondered how the people here dealt with all the cold rain and grey skies. A quick blast of heat vision had not only warmed but dried this particular piece of marble step, and Clark watched Gotham City as it went about it's day, thinking about his call to Oliver this morning. Once he and Lois had found a movie to agree on, a revival of "Nosferatu", Clark noticed a young man, about Oliver's age, who had come into the theater just behind them. The guy was about Clark's height, sandy brown hair, and built bigger than Oliver, broader through the shoulders. He smiled pleasantly at them again at the concession stand, followed them into the theater and sat four rows behind them, on the opposite side of the theater. There was nothing suspicious about being up at midnight and needing to be doing something, but Clark got the definite impression that the guy was watching them. Lois, typically, seemed oblivious, but Clark soon realized that she was completely aware of the only other person in the theater with them, because she had moved closer to Clark in her seat, casting a dark glance behind her at the young man before she leaned closer to Clark.
In all fairness, Clark couldn't be upset about Lois sitting so close to him, or that in spite of her initial disappointment in seeing him, there was some relief in her face too. Since the night she'd kissed him, sure that the Green Arrow was Oliver, Clark had, very much against his will, wanted to kiss her again, as himself. He knew it would lead her to think he was the Green Arrow, but Clark didn't care much about that. It was an conceit on his part, one he actually wasn't quite willing to let go of. Oliver had said that he wasn't in the same league as Clark, but Clark had felt outclassed by Oliver from almost day one. Having spent so much time with Lex, Clark wasn't overly impressed with the wealth aspect, but the fact that Oliver did put his life on the line to act on his principles was worthy of respect. A sleek black car pulled up to the curb in front of the City Hall Building and Clark was surprised to see the guy from the movies get out, dressed for business in a suit that screamed money. It was the kind of thing that Clark had noticed Oliver wearing, but it belonged on this guy, who was going up the steps, talking on his cell-phone. Seeing Clark on the step, he paused, trying to figure out where he'd seen Clark before.
"Hey, it's you." The man in the suit said to Clark, spotting him on the steps. "You and your friend were at the midnight show of Nosferatu last night."
Clark nodded, getting to his feet. "Yeah. I thought you looked familiar."
The man closed his phone and eyed Clark warily. "Since we seem to be crossing paths, I might as well introduce myself. I'm Bruce Wayne." He didn't offer a hand to shake or a smile.
Clark thought of the Oliver's Excelsior yearbook and in his mind, found the picture of Bruce young, scowling, dark eyes glaring out of the frame intently. "Clark Kent. I think we have acquaintances in common, Bruce. I'm a friend of Oliver Queen."
"Really." Bruce nodded. "How's Ollie liking Metropolis? Come on, Clark, you don't need to be sitting out here in the rain."
"Well, I'm waiting for someone." Clark said, and Bruce's even expression shifted into something that resembled a smile. "Besides, I'm a farmer. The rain doesn't bother me."
"Your girlfriend. Well, I have a meeting, but, when you talk to Oliver again, tell him to give me a call. I want to talk to him about his satellite network. The fact that his stayed going back in September when mine were… Well, no matter." Bruce shook his head. "A farmer, huh? Oliver's keeping some interesting company." He looked at his watch, a stainless steel one that Clark was sure cost more than the new truck his mother had just bought for the farm, and nodded toward the building. "Well, have some sense to get out of the rain, girl or no girl, Clark." Bruce nodded and began to go up the stairs. "It's only going to get worse. December in Gotham City is the pits."
"Thanks, I will." Clark smiled and waved. "Nice meeting you, Bruce."
"Thanks, Clark. You too."
Lois came bursting out of the City Hall building, and walked right into Bruce Wayne, who barely acknowledged her assault. Clark watched Lois apologize profusely, and Bruce deflected them gracefully. They must teach these rich guys this effortless good grace with strangers from birth, Clark thought, remembering how many times Lex had done the same thing. Bruce continued toward his meeting, and Lois came down the steps, opening her umbrella, her pretty face bent into a frustrated scowl.
"Nothing?" Clark asked, and Lois rolled her eyes.
"Duh, Smallville." She held the umbrella over his head too and walked down the rest of the steps, their steps falling in unison. "The police chief, Gordon wouldn't tell me anything. So much for the power of the press." She sighed. "I need a cheeseburger and lots and lots of fries. How about you?"
Clark grinned. "I can always eat. I think there's a place over there." He nodded toward a row of storefronts that were brightly lit with Christmas lights.
"Well, let's get some lunch." Lois wrapped her arm through his, still holding the umbrella. She looked up into his face and smiled, studying Clark for a minute. "You have such a nice mouth, Clark. Did Lana ever tell you that?" He smiled, and Lois felt the bottom of her stomach drop. When did Clark Kent become cute? She shook her head, and looked at him again. Still cute and his ridiculously perfect blue eyes were amused. Lois felt her cheeks flush.
"Thanks, Lois. Let's get you food. Your blood sugar must be dropping. You're being nice." Clark teased, and Lois pushed him gently, dropping her eyes from his face to the familiar red jacket he wore.
"I'm so buying you a new jacket this year for Christmas. I hate that red thing, you need something blue to bring out your eyes. Or black leather" She picked at his sleeve, while she considered options. "What, do you have ten of these? Ugh."
"Hey. I like my jacket..." Clark laughed, and he and Lois made their way across a small park that buffered City Hall from the main avenue. Pigeons flew away as Clark and Lois advanced, their gentle remonstrance at being disturbed sounding more like music than protest.
"What did you get me?" Lois asked, and Clark shook his head. "You DID get me something, right, Smallville?"
"It's a secret." He led her toward the diner. "And there is nothing you can do to get me to talk."
"Right." Lois scoffed. "You just wait."
Three Days Before Christmas – Metropolis – 12:00 noonLater, Chloe sipped a large latte, and worked on her article about the St. Anastasia's concert, smiling as she thought of her morning with Oliver. They had lingered in his bed until eight, were showered and out the door by nine-thirty. Oliver was on his way to St. Anastasia's to talk to Father Frank about the programs they sponsored and how Queen Industries could help, and Chloe went off to the Daily Planet for her last day of work before she was off on winter break. Her car was parked outside, ready to go to the Met U dorm and repack her belongings and go to her father's house. After she dropped her stuff off there, she and Oliver had plans to finish whatever Christmas shopping was left to do and then watch "Love, Actually" while wrapping all the presents. Chloe hadn't bought Oliver a present yet, and even though he told her he didn't want anything she really wanted to give him something on Christmas morning.
"Chloe!" Peggy, the basement switchboard operator called out. "I have a call for you."
"Hmm. Thanks, Peggy." The phone rang, and Chloe picked up. "Sullivan."
"Ms. Sullivan. Loved your dress last night. Just my color." The voice was strange, and Chloe frowned.
"Who is this?" She asked, looking around. "Oliver? Is that you? You sound so odd."
"Ha, that's funny." The voice, a man's laughed. "No, I'm not your boyfriend, Ms. Sullivan. I'm the guy your cousin has been slandering all over town."
"Oh my God." Chloe sat down. "Green.."
"Sssh. Don't want to cause a riot, do you?" The Green Arrow purred into the phone and Chloe rolled her eyes at his attitude. But something about his voice seemed familiar and Chloe felt butterflies in her stomach. "Aren't you curious about what I was doing at the Metropolis Hall when you were there, all tasty in your oh so green strapless dress with your spoiled rich boy boyfriend and his school enemy?"
"The thought occurred to me, yes." Chloe sassed as took out a pad and pencil. "What were you there to steal last night?"
"Oh, maybe I just like good music, Ms. Sullivan." He said, taunting. "I also like taking stuff that's been stolen and returning it to the rightful owners. Helps me sleep nights." He laughed. "How did you sleep last night, Ms. Sullivan?"
"Why are you calling me? What do you want from me?" She asked, and again, The Green Arrow laughed, a mocking laugh that made Chloe want to smack his face. "Call my cousin. She's interested in you, not me."
"Oh, Ms. Sullivan, I'm hurt. No…this is about fixing the damage she did. Today was just to open the lines of communication. I'll be in touch again." The phone line went dead, and Chloe called out to Peggy at the switchboard.
"Peggy, did you catch where that call came from? We got disconnected." Chloe asked and Peggy searched.
"Sorry, hon." The operator said, "The system didn't capture the number."
"Thanks, Peggy." Chloe hung up and stared at her computer monitor, thinking of her collection of clippings about the Green Arrow. He was contacting her. The idea she'd first had of Oliver being the Green Arrow came to mind, but Chloe pushed the idea aside. Oliver was too busy to have a secret double life, and Chloe could attest to being with him every night this week and all night last night. All the same, she told herself as she finished her article on the children's concert, when the time came, she was pretty sure she'd be getting the exclusive from the Green Arrow, and then, after that, she'd know for sure who he was.
Oliver hung up his cell phone and looked at the Daily Planet building. He had made up his mind to tell Chloe everything, but needed to do it his way. It wasn't something he wanted to blurt out when they were at dinner, or later, after he'd made love to her. He grinned. The revelation needed to be perfect. Scanning the building, Oliver began to plan how The Green Arrow would 'reveal' himself to the Daily Planet's up and coming Chloe Sullivan. It might be an unfair way to to do it, Oliver said to himself, but it would certainly be guaranteed that Chloe would never forget it. He chuckled under his breath as he thought her voice, curious and yet still sassy as she'd answered him before. Chloe Sullivan was the best thing that ever happened to him, and Oliver guessed he'd have to get Lois something, if not for Christmas then as a thank you gift.
"And that's all he said?" Oliver asked that evening, wrapping gifts while Chloe baked cookies. The kitchen seemed very homey and Oliver loved seeing Chloe as she quickly dropped chocolate kisses into the center of each freshly baked puff of peanut butter cookie. The cd player had been loaded with Christmas music and the songs played softly in the background. Oliver looked down at the long, flat box he was wrapping. "Who is this one for, again?"
"Yeah." Chloe said, looking up at him, her eyes excited. "That he'd be in touch. Oliver, he was at that charity concert. I wonder who he is? He didn't steal anything because it would have been in the papers today. That one is for Lana. It's a shawl I found in that vintage store the other night." She looked down at the row of cookies on the cooling rack. "That's it for the peanut butter ones. Martha Kent emailed me her sugar cookie recipe. I have to try that next."
Oliver wrote the tag and taped it on the box. "You bought Lana a shawl. What did you get Lex?"
"Nothing." Chloe answered, "I'll see Lana tomorrow and give her the gift then. She was reading Martha's recipe, her brow furrowed. "Well, I'll have to make dough tonight and bake them tomorrow. Then I'm done."
"Good. It's snowing again." Oliver rose and went to the balcony. "We can go for a walk and then come back and watch that movie."
"You're fidgety tonight." Chloe observed, wiping her hands. "You feeling okay?" She followed him out to the balcony. "Hey, Oliver."
"Hey, Chloe." He pulled her into a hug. "I'm fine. You're here, my apartment smells like cookies, there are presents under the tree. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was Christmas."
"It's not yet." Chloe laughed, and made to move away. "Come on…the chocolate chip ones you wanted should be cool enough now to eat."
"Wait." Oliver caught her hand. "I want to tell you something."
"What is it?" Chloe asked, and Oliver brushed the hair from her face, trying to remember what it was like to not have her with him.
"I want to say thank you. For everything. I know I've said it before." Oliver looked down into her eyes. "I told you the other night that you gave me something back I didn't know I'd lost, and it's true. I don't want you to go buying me anything for Christmas, because you have been a gift to me that nothing that could be wrapped and put under the tree could come close to matching. Does that make sense?" He said softly and saw the tears in her eyes. "Don't cry, Chloe."
"Oh, Oliver." She sighed, as he wiped her eyes with a gentle touch. "I feel the same way."
He smiled. "I'm glad, Chloe." He pulled her close, holding her while the snow fell around them and the music inside played. Telling her he loved her would probably be anti-climactic, so Oliver decided to wait, just a little longer. There were still two days until Christmas, and he could tell her then.
"And all I want is to hold you forever.
All I need is you more everyday.
You saved my heart from being broken apart.
You gave your love away,
and I'm thankful everyday for the gift."
The Gift – Jim Brickman (Music) – vocals and lyrics by Colin Raye