One Day Before Christmas….
"Tell me something I don't know about you." Chloe said, grinning at Oliver from the passenger side of his SUV. They were on their way to Granville for the Days and Nights of Lights Festival, with plans to meet Clark at the farm. The afternoon sun was bright, the sky crystal clear and the inside of the SUV warm in spite of the chill in the air outside.
"Something you don't know…" He thought for a minute and then nodded. "Okay. When I graduated from Harvard, the first thing I did when I got full control of my parents estate was to buy a sailboat."
"A sailboat." Chloe rolled her eyes with a giggle "Riveting…"
"I'm not done, Miss Christmas...sheesh." Oliver laughed. "I planned to sail it around the world, take some time off before picking up my life. Well, I got caught in a storm and wrecked the damn thing."
"Oliver." Chloe's smile vanished. "That's terrible."
"I was missing for over a year. I had been competing in archery forever, and I'd brought my bow and all with me, so I did a lot of hunting." He grinned. "I can shoot 25 arrows a minute now. My goal is 30." Oliver shrugged, as if slightly embarrassed. "So, something you didn't know about me. Your turn."
Chloe looked out the window. "Oh, there isn't anything…"
"I'm sure there is." Oliver nodded. "You aren't getting out of this. Besides, you started it."
"That was stupid of me." Chloe laughed ruefully. "Well, my mother left when I was young, you know that."
"Right." Oliver nodded. "Your father raised you by himself."
"Uh-huh. Well, in high school, I found her." Chloe took a deep breath in. "In a mental institution."
"Wow." Oliver took her hand in his. "And?"
"I didn't go see her until last year for the first time, Oliver. I was scared." Chloe looked down at his hand in hers. "I've gone a few times since, but what you don't know is that I'm afraid I'm going to end up that way, too."
Oliver pulled the SUV over to the side of the country road and hugged Chloe tight. "Listen. You don't know that what's wrong with your mother is hereditary, do you?"
"No, I don't." Chloe's voice was small against Oliver's chest. "Grandmother Lane was perfectly fine, and Uncle Sam isn't insane."
"There you go." Oliver said, pulling her hat from her hair and kissing the top of her head. "Worst case scenario, Chloe, I'll be there, fighting it right along with you. I won't lose you like that." She looked up at him, a small smile on her lips.
"My own hero, huh?" She wiped her eyes, and kissed him. "Well, now you know something about me that you didn't before."
"I think we can safely not ask that question again." Oliver laughed. "But I promise if I think of anything about me you don't know already, I'll fill you in."
Chloe nodded. "Same here. Oliver, we'd better go. We still have to pick Clark up at the farm."
Kent Farm – Same Day…"That tree is perfect, honey." Martha kissed Clark on the cheek. "So glad you found it."
"It was that or a fake one and I couldn't see that." Clark put his arm around his mother's shoulders. "Dad never would have stood for a plastic tree."
"I know it." Martha sighed, and then hearing the tinkle of her baking timer, she went to the kitchen. "Cookies are done."
"Mom, you sure this isn't too much?" Clark followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the counter while Martha pulled the cookie trays from the oven. "I think everyone would understand if you decided to not have everyone here for Christmas Day."
"Clark, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I couldn't just turn around now and expect people to find their own plans. Besides, where would Gabe and Chloe spend Christmas?"
"I know where Chloe will be spending Christmas if not here." Clark took a cookie from the cooling rack and grinned. "She and Oliver Queen are pretty serious."
"How funny." Martha smiled. "I thought there might have been something Thanksgiving…"
"Really?" Clark asked around a mouthful of cookie. "He and Lois were pretty cozy."
"Yeah." Martha smiled. "It was how he'd look at Chloe when she wasn't paying attention. I don't know how to explain it, Clark. But I've seen that look before and it's usually the real thing. No matter who else is in the picture."
"Hmm." Clark nodded thoughtfully. "Must have missed that." He helped himself to another cookie. "Well, they're together now."
"I'm happy for them." Martha slapped his hand. "Enough! Those aren't all for you, Clark." Clark laughed, still holding the cookie and Martha frowned. The sound of a car in the driveway made him pause. "Chloe and Oliver are here, I guess."
"Hello, Kents!" Lois called, pushing through the door and Clark dropped the cookie, wiping his hands on his pants. She was carrying bags of wrapped gifts and smiling. "They've been playing Christmas carols on K-Crow all day. Nothing like "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" to get you in the Christmas mood."
"Hi, Lois." Martha took one of the bags. "We haven't decorated the tree yet but I'll help you put these under it. How was Gotham City?"
"Pointless and stupid. I'm thinking of leaving the Inquisitor. The Metropolis Journal has an internship program and they pay for college for their employees. I might apply there after the first of the year."
"Actual journalism, Lois?" Clark asked from the doorway as she slid her presents under the tree. "You sure you're ready?"
"I'll have you know, Smallville, that I can do anything." Lois' reply was lofty. "I'm tired of being the butt of the jokes you and Chloe come up with."
"Clark." Martha frowned at him, and Clark shrugged casually, chewing on his stolen cookie with no remorse at all.
"Well, our jokes prompted you to do something different, so I'm glad." He said, as Lois took out a long box from her bag. "Who is that for?"
"You." Lois stuck her tongue out at Clark. "Not that you deserve it."
"Aw, gee." Clark grinned. "I bought you Skittles and everything."
Martha smiled. "So, Lois are you going to Granville today with Clark and…" She caught Clark's warning head shake too late. "Or will you stay and help me with the tree? It's such a lonely job without…"
"Granville? For the Days and Nights of Lights?" Lois looked at Clark as she stood. "I wasn't invited, Mrs. Kent. So I guess I'm yours for the day. Who are you going with, Smallville? Some bimbo from the Talon?"
"Um, no." Clark rubbed the back of his neck. "It's Chloe and this new guy she's been seeing." Martha smiled at her son's discomfort and quietly disappeared out to the hen house for more eggs.
"New guy?" Lois folded her arms over her chest. "She hasn't told me about a new guy. I just talked to her yesterday, too."
"Well, Lois…" Clark began, and just then, Chloe and Oliver appeared on the front porch. "Stay right there." Clark went to the door and opened it. "Chloe, Lois is here and she still doesn't know…"
"I know." Chloe replied, and then looked up at Oliver. "Could you give me a minute?"
"Sure. Take all the time you need. Come on, Clark." Clark stood aside to let Chloe in and then moved off with Oliver to walk the farm while the girls talked. Chloe took off her hat and with a deep breath, walked into the living room. Lois was facing the fireplace, hands behind her back.
"You and Oliver, huh?" Lois said, before Chloe could speak. "Before I broke up with him or after?"
"Oh, Lois." Chloe sighed. "I'd never do…"
"Just answer." Lois turned around, tears in her eyes. "If it's after, we are totally cool and I couldn't be happier. If before, we have a problem."
"Definitely after." Chloe said quietly. "I don't think either of us could have planned this. It just so happened that Oliver and I bumped into each other the night you broke up with him. It escalated from there, and I'm sorry if you're hurt…"
"And it went from there." Lois nodded, relieved. She opened her arms and wrapped Chloe in a hug. "I should take back your Christmas present, since I gave you a boyfriend."
"Only if you got me slippers like last year's. Otherwise, I want Oliver AND my present, thank you." Chloe smiled, and Lois gasped, laughing.
"You creep! You said you liked them." Lois hugged Chloe again. "I'm happy for you, coz."
"We're going to Granville. Clark was coming, too. If you want, you can go with us."
"Oh, no." Lois shook her head. "I'm okay with this, and it's fine, but I'll wait to be around you and Oliver until Christmas Day. Besides, the whole double date thing with me and Smallville? No way. I'll just stay here with Mrs. Kent."
"Lois, are you sure?" Chloe frowned and then nodded. "It's up to you."
"Chloe, Oliver's waiting outside..." Clark came back in, and looked at the cousins. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah." Lois nodded. She looked at Chloe. "Can I have a minute to talk to your boyfriend?" Her eyebrows raised and a teasing gleam sparkled in Lois' eye. "I'll be right back."
"Sure." Chloe laughed. Lois grinned and walked out the door, and Clark and Chloe went to the window. Lois seemed to at first be angry and then both she and Oliver were laughing.
"That's going well." She looked up at Clark. "Better than I would have thought."
"Well, she did break up with him." Clark nodded. "She's probably even feeling sorry for you…"
Chloe turned, a predatory and mocking smile on her face. "Yeah, why is that? Hmm." Chloe tapped her chin as a smug grin bloomed on Clark's face. "I wonder?"
"I have no idea." Clark said looking away innocently, and Chloe bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"Clark Kent, you are the worst liar. Oliver told me everything. I know about standing in for Oliver as the Green Arrow…and Lois kissing YOU…instead of him. For which I owe you, I guess, but" Chloe poked him in the chest. "for the record, you are so NOT a better kisser than Oliver."
Clark cleared his throat and laughed. "Well, that's not what the rumor is now, is it?" He replied, his grin wide and mischievous and Chloe laughed out loud. "And I guess Lois would know."
"Lois would know what?" Lois asked, Oliver just behind her. Chloe grinned at Clark and patted him on the arm. "What do I know?"
"Yeah, Clark, what does Lois know?" She said, teasing as she went to Oliver, who put his arm around Chloe shoulder and looked down at her with a smile.
"That dinner is here, at 2:00 on Christmas Day." Clark said awkwardly, nodding at Lois, and Chloe hid her face on Oliver's jacket to stifle the giggle that she could not control. Lois looked at her and backed away.
"Oh no, not you too. I swear, everyone's been coughing and sneezing…I have no intention of being next." Lois raised a hand as if warding Chloe off. "Keep your germs over there."
"Well, we'd better get going." Oliver said. "Lois, you're welcome to come with us..."
"No, no. Mrs. Kent asked me to help her decorate around here. Besides, I thought I'd go there tomorrow…since it's Christmas Eve and all." Lois said, slightly uncomfortable. "You guys go ahead and have a great time."
"Okay." Oliver replied. "Clark? You ready?"
"No, you know what, Oliver? I think I'll pass." Clark said, folding his arms as casually as possible and ignoring the raised eyebrows on Oliver and Chloe's faces. "I mean, if LOIS is staying to help my mom, I probably should too."
"Your call, Clark." Oliver looked at Chloe. "Just you and me, Chloe."
Chloe smiled at him. "Well, let's go then. Don't want to miss the lantern skaters on the lake."
"No, definitely not." Oliver laughed. "Okay, we'll see you guys Christmas Day. It's 2:00, right Clark?" A sly tone had crept into Oliver's words. "Just so I know."
"Right." Clark lobbed a pine cone from a basket on the table at Oliver, who caught it easily but winced at the power behind the throw as the pinecone landed in his hands. "You better go." Clark grinned and Oliver nodded, a knowledgeable smirk on his face.
"Yeah…." Oliver tossed the pine cone back to Clark lightly as he and Chloe left, waiting until Lois' back was turned to flex his fingers, and point to the welt on his hand from the impact. "If you change your mind, call." Chloe said before door closed, leaving Clark and Lois alone.
"You didn't have to stay." Lois said, half mumbling. She kicked at the carpet and then sat down on the couch. "You know, Smallville, I thought I was okay with this, but I think I was pretty stupid to let Oliver go now..."
"Don't say that, Lois." Clark sat down beside her on the couch. "You followed your instincts and did the right thing. It's hard seeing someone you cared about with someone new, but in this case, the someone new is someone you really care about. So what matters is that they're happy. This is a big switch from the airport yesterday, too. You said you'd be okay about it."
She rested her head on his shoulder briefly, more of a bump than a rest and sighed. "They did look happy, huh? I am okay about it really. Chloe deserves someone great."
"Yes. They do look happy. You'll find someone that's right for you someday." Clark told her, his voice gentle. "He's probably wondering how to find you right now."
Lois
frowned. "So, should I go to Metropolis and try to catch the Green
Arrow.." She smiled.
"No, my freak chasing days are over.
Serious journalism, serious guys." Lois nodded, and then turned to
look at Clark. "What about you? Not still mourning the loss of
Lana, I hope."
"No." Clark replied. "Not really looking to be involved right now. You know, take some time, figure out what I'm trying to do with my life."
"Probably smart." Lois sighed and stood up, slapping her legs. "Okay, Smallville, let's get those decorations. As your dad would have said, the tree isn't going to decorate itself."
"Yes, ma'am!" Clark rose and smiled at Lois. "They're in the attic." Lois looked up to the ceiling and then at Clark.
"I'll wait here." She patted his arm. "Go for it." Turning on a heel, Lois walked into the kitchen and picked up a cookie. "Have fun, Smallville."
One Day Before Christmas – Granville Nights of Lights Celebration
Chloe and Oliver got to Granville while it was still light, and meandered through the shops in the downtown area, waiting for the sun to go down. As much as Chloe had loved Smallville, especially the town itself with it's Queen Anne houses and wide streets, something about Granville always appealed to her too. It was built of grey stone, quarried between the town itself and Smallville, slightly Tudoresque and romantic. It was clear that the citizens of the town took their celebration seriously, each block that radiated out from the town center was ablaze with light, moving figures and music. They had already visited the four bed and breakfasts in town, exploring the holiday décor in each, and ending finally with carolers in the last. They also went on a tour of the more important homes in the area, the most gorgeous being a beautiful fieldstone mansion that used to belong to Horatio Granville, the railroad tycoon who used the house as his residence until the Depression. Oliver wandered with Chloe quietly at the end of the line, pulling her into a deep doorway every so often to kiss her into a froth of giggles before ejecting them both from the doorway to rejoin the group. The tour guide smiled indulgently at them, and even managed to look surprised when Oliver identified his great grandfather in one of the hunting pictures, much to Chloe's amazement.
"Was that really?" Chloe whispered, and Oliver nodded solemnly.
"Oh, yeah. The Jonas that I have my middle name from." His hand felt good around Chloe's and she leaned against him, smiling. "He was buddies with Theodore Roosevelt. Helped map out Yosemite National Park."
"My all-American boy." Chloe laughed. The guide turned down a hallway, and Oliver stopped, and turned around. "What's wrong?" Chloe asked.
"Let's get out of here." Oliver shuddered. "It reminds me of the Hall back home. I think I just need to be outside. Let's go out to the boat house or something…that's probably decorated and on the tour."
"Okay." Chloe rubbed his arm consolingly and Oliver hugged her. She smiled and they left the house and walked out onto the gravel drive. "Does your house in Star City really look like this?"
"It's not that it looks like that." Oliver shrugged. "It's the feels like that. A crypt. A memorial to dead relatives. Everything so perfect and cold, not a soul to mess it up. They make a museum out of places like this when there could be ten families living in it." He scowled at the house. "Ten families. A house like this could be split into a place where people who need a home could have one…"
"Whoa." Chloe stopped him. "Where's this coming from?"
Oliver looked away from the house. "It's just such a waste."
"A pretty waste." Chloe smiled gently and touched his face. "I understand what you're saying, but not everyone has that urge to help people like you do. The proceeds from the tours are going to the Granville school system. That has to count for something." Chloe took his hand and led him to the lake. "Come on…the flyer says there's skating."
Oliver smiled and let Chloe tow him to the lake's edge, where by the boathouse, there was skating, but they bought hot chocolate and watched rather than skate. As it was, the trolley tour of town was scheduled to start as soon as it was dark, and Oliver and Chloe had charmed themselves onto the first one, hoping to make the trip back to Metropolis before it got too late. Around the lake, homes began to spring to life through the bare trees, the snow around them glowing in the starlike twinkle of the lights. The sky had darkened to just the perfect shade of lavender blue, stars sprinkling themselves through the deepest part of the blue sky. The lights over the lake came on, old fashioned strings fat bulbs in white and then red, blue, green and yellow glowed, softening the air around them even more. The skaters suddenly were all beautiful, and the music soft and sweet.
"So," Chloe asked, after a sip of hot chocolate. "When you're in Star City, where do you live? Shack, housing project, what? Because the apartment in Metropolis is not exactly a tiny, rent controlled walk up." Her hazel eyes twinkled at him, full of mischief.
Oliver hung his head. "At the Hall." He laughed a little and looked out at the frozen lake. "I feel badly for being such a hypocrite, Chloe."
"Aha." Chloe nodded. She smiled and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "In your way, you're doing something to stand up for your values, Oliver. That means a lot. It also makes you not a hypocrite."
"Maybe." Oliver took a long drink from his hot chocolate. "I'm not struggling with people through their daily lives. I've got it pretty easy."
"Oh, I know." Chloe put out her bottom lip. "All day, you run a multi-national, billion dollar company, at night," she dropped her voice for dramatic effect and Oliver wanted to devour her right there. "cowled crime fighter, defender of the downtrodden…"
"Who has his way with blonde reporters on rooftops." Oliver chuckled, tossing his empty cup in to the trash. "I'm a prince among men."
"Yes, you are." Chloe smiled, putting her arms around him. "Don't talk about the man I love that way."
"Yeah, well." Oliver grinned, clearly pleased. "Anyone ever tell you your taste in men might be questionable?"
"Lois." Chloe replied quickly, and Oliver laughed, hugging her tightly to him. "All the time."
Later, Chloe woke up in Oliver's bed alone. It was after three, and she pulled on her pajamas and went down stairs, rubbing her eyes. Oliver wasn't down here, either, and Chloe realized he must have gone out on patrol for awhile. The main part of the living room was dark, except for the Christmas tree. Smiling, she walked to it and examined the ornaments, until a new one caught her eye. An arrow, set with diamonds and emeralds, hung on a piece of clear fishing line, catching the light more brilliantly than any of the other ornaments. She gently removed it from the tree and walked to the couch, snapping on a lamp to examine it closely. There was engraving on the back of the pin, and Chloe read it softly.
"E.C.S , Flagler Hotel Archery Champion, 12.24.1899, St. Augustine, Fla." Chloe ran her fingers across the pin and smiled. His great grandmother's pin. And he was giving it to Chloe. She gasped a little, tears springing to her eyes.
"My great grandfather supplied the prize for the archery tournament. It was a tradition for all the young, eligible bachelors to do that. Good way to meet the ladies, I guess." Oliver said from the dark. "That's how they met. Winter holiday in Florida. He had just finished his term as a Naval Officer, she was fresh from Radcliffe, friends with Henry Flagler's oldest daughter."
"Jonas? The hunting picture guy?" Chloe asked, and Oliver stepped out of the dark, in his full Green Arrow gear. Chloe got up and hugged him. "Did you just get home? You're freezing."
"Yeah. It sounds so great to hear you call my house home, Miss Christmas. I can't think of anything I'd like to hear more." Oliver smiled, dropping his dark glasses on the table. "And I won't be cold for long. You weren't supposed to find that pin 'til morning." He put down his bow and hugged her back. "Elizabeth Christine Staunton. Of the Richmond Stauntons." Oliver grinned. "I heard she could pull a bow back as far as a man and still serve tea to the First Lady without breaking a sweat." He rubbed his cold nose on her cheek. "Probably a lot like you," His cold hands reached under her pajama top and Chloe squeaked. "Only she wore a corset. Poor Great Grandfather. All that hardware between him and his girl."
"Oliver, your hands are freezing…" Chloe laughed as he slid them under the waist of her pajamas, making her squeal louder, only to silence her with a passionate and hungry kiss. I'm the Green Arrow's woman now. Chloe laughed to herself, giving herself over to Oliver completely.
"Why don't we go upstairs and you can warm me up?" Oliver said, his words almost just breath against her lips. Chloe gasped a little, and smiled as he moved his lips down her neck, his hands, still cold, emerged from her pajama bottoms and traveled up her back again. "I'm soo cold, and you are so warm, Chloe." He teased her lips with his, coming back to her mouth from the curve of her neck.
"Do you want a bath?" Chloe's voice was a whisper, and Oliver chuckled against her neck. "I can get the tub filled and let you have as long as you want in there...I'm not pushy like some people."
"No. But I'm sure we can think of something else to do the trick…" He said, first returning the heirloom to it's place on their Christmas tree, and then sweeping Chloe up in his arms and carrying her up the stairs. "I'm giving you to three to be in bed…"
A window breaks down on long, dark street,
And a siren wails in the night
But I'm all right cause I have you here with me,
And I can almost see through the dark there is light
Well if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touchAnd if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much…"
"Feels Like Home" by Randy Newman, sung by Bonnie Raitt