"That's a simply elegant choice, Mr. Queen. The lady will love it." Oliver looked at the bracelet in his hand and then up at the salesclerk at Tiffany & Co. again. He and Chloe had decided to part ways for a little while, to meet in the middle at the Plaza Center to skate and have lunch at the Plaza Center Café before going back to the apartment to get ready for the Christmas mass at St. Anastasia's Church.
"It's not her. Don't you have any estate pieces?" Oliver frowned, handing the bracelet back. "It's all so new."
"Mr. Queen." The sales clerk fawned. "Jewelry always starts out new."
"Right. Look, the woman this is for is unique. I can't give her something that looks like everything else." Oliver shook his head, and then spotted what he was looking for. "There, that."
"Oh, that is part of special collection, sir. I'll have to get the manager." The salesclerk sighed. "Are you sure…."
"I'm positive." Oliver looked at the necklace and smiled. "It's perfect." It wasn't an antique, but it was subtle and that's especially what Oliver wanted. Chloe wasn't the kind of girl that needed to be awash in expensive jewelry. But, he really wanted to give her something that was theirs, special but…not a family heirloom. He waited for the manager, drumming his fingers on the glass case and humming the music that Tiffany & Co. had playing softly. When he got out of here, he was done and on his way to Chloe.
Chloe was in the gift shop at Plaza Center, investigating snow globes. Oliver had expressly forbade Chloe from buying him a Christmas gift at all, but Chloe couldn't imagine tomorrow morning and not see Oliver opening a gift from her. After everything, that idea was just horribly wrong to her, and Chloe would not let him stop her. She selected a snow globe that featured just the ice rink at the center, Christmas Tree and all, complete with tiny skaters and walked to the cashier. Her eye fell on the photo booth, and there, miraculously, was a picture of Chloe and Oliver, sitting on the ice, that first night, their first kiss captured forever. She set the snow globe down and picked up the picture. It was impossible, improbable, but here it was, and Chloe smiled, thinking of that first moment. Oliver had to have this picture.
"Isn't that something?" The photographer said. "My son was working the booth that night and that was the last picture he snapped, taking candids. I had no idea it was…hey, it's you!" He smiled. "That's one of my favorite moments here, and you and your guy were really perfect…."
"Please," Chloe felt her breath catch. "Can I buy it?"
"Buy?" The photographer nodded in understanding. "You want it for a gift. For the boyfriend?"
"It's just perfect. He will absolutely love it." Chloe smiled. "Yes."
"I'll do you one better, Miss. I'll make you a large one and charge you for just a small. I can't tell you how many people have decided on buying pictures seeing that one." He winked. "I'll give you the big one for free. Save your money for a nice frame for that picture. Okay? And you take the little one…for yourself."
"Oh, thank you." Chloe smiled, picking up the snowglobe again. "When will it be ready?"
"Fifteen minutes. Less, maybe." The photographer looked at his watch. "Go finish shopping. Just pass this way when you are done."
Chloe paid for her things and then went out into the mezzanine shopping area. The shops here were busy, but not ridiculously so, and Chloe quickly found the other things she wanted and was back at the photo counter when Oliver called.
"Hey, Miss Christmas." His voice sent a thrill through her and Chloe smiled.
"Hi, yourself. Where are you?" Chloe looked around.
"Walking down Seventh toward the Center. I should be there in ten minutes. Not soon enough for me, either." Oliver paused, grinning. "I'm hungry."
"Oh, well, I'll go get a table for us then…" Chloe replied helpfully, looking across the ice at the café. "You didn't eat much breakfast."
"I meant for you, Chloe." Oliver laughed, and Chloe giggled into her hand. "But, I can meet you at the restaurant and we can eat before we skate."
"Okay." Chloe quietly took the folder with the pictures in it from the photographer and smiled. Oliver would be so surprised. "I'm going to the café now."
"Good, because I'm just here…" Oliver rounded the corner into the Plaza Center, walking past all the trumpeting angels, and he looked down onto the ice rink. "Where are you?"
"Ooh! I see you!" Chloe laughed, moving quickly through the crowd of people getting on and off the ice, grateful she'd gotten out of the store before Oliver got there. She stopped and looked up. "Look to your right."
"I'll be right there." Oliver grinned and hung up, spotting her. In no time, Oliver had Chloe in his arms. "Here you are."
Chloe smiled up at him. "Here I am." He leaned in and kissed her. "Hello."
"Hello." Oliver took her hand and the bags she had been carrying and they walked to the café. "Finished with your shopping now?"
"Yes." Chloe breathed, shaking her head. "Found exactly the right thing. Absolutely perfect. How about you?"
"Oh yeah." Oliver squeezed her hand. "I sure did." He kissed her cheek. "But I found that last week."
Christmas Eve – Granville Days and Nights of Lights – 2:00 p.m."You grew up two towns over, Clark. How could you not have come to Granville to see this?" Lois asked, walking down the street with Clark. Martha Kent lagged behind, looking for last minute things for the stockings she was filling for her young guests. "It's fantastic."
Clark shook his head. "I don't know, Lois. We just never did. Always plenty to do in Smallville, I guess."
"Well, I'm glad you decided to be here today. You spend too much time in your barn, Smallville." Lois informed him, and Clark rolled his eyes.
"I'm a farmer, Lois." Clark replied, "That's what farmers do." Lois shook her head.
"So was your father and he had a life other than the loft. What are you hiding from up there?" She turned and looked at him, hands in the pockets of her jacket. The breeze blew her hair into her face, but Lois seemed to not notice. Her eyes, the same color as Chloe's, were curious and Clark could detect a trace of concern in them as well.
"Not hiding from anything." Clark said simply. "I can think out there, is all."
"Oh, so your brain needs the smell of cow poop to work?" Lois stopped at a store window and looked in. "That's just weird."
"No." Clark laughed. "It's not like that. It's quiet out there. In the house…well, when Dad was alive, there was always something going on, he and Mom talking about something…" Clark shrugged, the smile dying. "Sometimes it was just easier. My room wasn't far enough away."
Lois nodded. "There was this house we had at one of The General's postings, Virginia I think. It had the best playhouse in the back yard." Lois was still taking inventory of the things in the window, but her voice had softened, grown dreamy and quiet. "Mom was sick then, and I could go out to that playhouse and forget that. Lucy would come too and we'd play out there for hours." She turned around and looked at Clark somberly. "But I was hiding."
"Lois, you were what, ten?" Clark smiled. "That's understandable."
"Exactly. Which is why I wonder when a twenty year old does it." Lois shook her head and started walking again, pulling on Clark's sleeve. They walked to the small bridge that spanned part of the lake, and Lois stopped again, looking toward the Granville mansion and the skaters. The sky had been threatening snow all morning and now, in late afternoon, it kept it's promise. Clark rested against the bridge railing next to Lois, both of them watching the skaters.
"It's so pretty here." Lois sighed. "Like nothing bad could ever happen." She watched the skaters at the far end of the lake. "It's almost not real."
"Well, it's Christmas." Clark smiled. "Bad things aren't supposed to happen."
"Yeah, I guess not." Lois nodded. "I'm resigning from the Inquisitor on Tuesday. I made up my mind. It's not really the kind of journalism I want to stick with. I'm applying to Met U again, too. Maybe I can be Chloe's roommate."
"I think that's a good idea." Clark nodded. "Met U is a good school, Lois. I hope you'll give it a chance this time."
"Yeah." Lois looked up at Clark. "What about you? It's not too early for New Year's resolutions, you know."
Clark's brows knit together as he considered that. "I'm not sure yet."
"What are you sure of, Clark?" Lois asked intently. "I've always wondered. When I see everyone else struggling with their lives and you are so calmly plodding along in yours."
"I struggle, Lois." Clark shook his head. "I'm just as unsure as everyone else." Clark pushed away from the railing. "I know you think my life is so simple, but it really isn't."
Lois gave his statement some thought. "It's not that I think your life is simple, Smallville. It's that you never seem to struggle with making decisions. It's always so clear for you." She was still looking at the skaters. "That's all."
Clark leaned against the railing again. "I'd like to say it was easy. It's not. And it's never clear cut, either." He smiled. "This isn't a very Christmas conversation, Lois."
"I know." Lois looked up at him. "I'm getting bummed out."
"Come on, there's a…" Clark took her by the hand, and Lois frowned at him.
"Hey, hey…" She pulled her hand away, and Clark laughed. "No touching, Smallville…"
"All the town organizations have sponsored Christmas trees in the town square. They're having a judging today, and we can vote." Clark put his hands in his pockets. "No hand holding. You have my word."
Lois nodded as Martha approached them, laden with last minute gifts. "Good, because it looks like your mom is going to need BOTH of yours."
Christmas Eve – Metropolis – 6:30 p.m.
Chloe settled her few gifts under the tree. The picture for Oliver was there, along with the snowglobe and other small things she'd found for him. Her dad's gifts were there, too. The gifts meant to go out to the Kent Farm tomorrow were in a shopping bag near the door, ready to go. Chloe looked around. Everything here was beautiful, the Nativity scene that had been among the decorations from Oliver's home in Star City, arranged just so and Chloe smiled. Oliver had been determined to have that be perfect. She stood, smoothing the skirt she was wearing as she did, glad that long skirts were in. The diamond and emerald pin Oliver had given her was pinned to the collar of her velvet jacket, and Chloe quickly evaluated her reflection and nodded approvingly. She looked at the pin again, and thought of her lunch with Lana the other day. Along with her gift to Chloe, Lana had offered advice about life with a rich man. But Oliver was no Lex. In many ways, Oliver was no different from Jimmy or Clark. He was a guy. He liked boxing, playing video games, dogs (even though he didn't have one), drank milk from the carton unrepentantly enough that when the next batch of groceries appeared, there were two containers of milk, so that Chloe didn't have to share his. Chloe had laughed at that, but the gesture was sincere and she loved Oliver for it. Like Lex, Oliver was well read, but he didn't let everyone know that. He didn't pretend to enjoy opera, appreciated what social and cultural events he wanted and Chloe knew how he really felt about those fancy soirees he'd taken Lois to. He hated them.
With her gift to Lana, Chloe had given some heartfelt ideas about being happy. Lana had smiled, her pale face drawing color from the vivid shawl Chloe had found for her, but her eyes were hollow. Their friendship had taken a fairly large hit this year after the discovery of 33.1, and Lana's subsequent championing of Lex's lies had hurt Chloe deeply, though she was trying to overlook things. Partly, that was to keep an eye on Lana for Clark, who was still concerned about his former girlfriend, but mostly it was because Chloe had a hard time giving up on Lana, after years of friendship. Chloe thought of the gifts they had exchanged. The nightgown and robe Lana had given her were absolutely beautiful, and it was clear that Lana had no doubts about where she expected Chloe's relationship with Oliver to go. Deep green silk, edged with cream lace, it reminded Chloe of mistletoe, and she loved it. But it was also not something Chloe would have chosen for herself, even now.
"You're a million miles away." Oliver's voice drew Chloe out of her thoughts. She smiled up at him and then as her eyes focused, she smiled. "Hi." Oliver sat down beside her, smelling deliciously of soap. He was dressed, as she was, for their Christmas Eve out.
"Hi." She sighed, taking his hand in hers. "I was just thinking about Lana."
Oliver kissed her hand. "What about Lana?"
"Just how really unhappy she is. When Lex was kidnapped last month, I thought that maybe, just maybe they had a chance…as much as Lex gets on my nerves, too." Chloe told him. "I remember Lana when she was happy. She was gorgeous and she smiled all the time. It's sad to see her this way."
"I can imagine." Oliver nodded. "You can't save people from their choices, Chloe. She decided to be with Lex. Whatever happens now is up to them." He looked at his watch. "And it's up to us to get to St. Anastasia's." Oliver rose, and then held Chloe's hand while she stood. "You still look upset. You okay?"
"That's not going to be us, is it?" Chloe asked, turning to Oliver and playing with the lapels of his jacket. "She was all full of warnings about getting involved with a wealthy man."
"Hey." Oliver pulled Chloe close. "You really think that's possible? Chloe, look at us. I've been thinking about this, so hear me out. The way I see it, we're the lucky ones. We've had crap handed to us already. What's left is the good stuff, and we're together for that." Oliver kissed her. "The hard things will happen, they always do, but I'm not worried. As far as my money, is that why you're with me?"
"Oh, god, Oliver." Chloe looked up at him. "No."
"I didn't think so. So? Lana's concerns? If her life with Lex isn't what she wants it to be, that's her problem. We're not them. You have goals and plans for your life and I don't want to stop you from having them. I want to be there while you're working on toward your goals, and then after. When you get your Pulitzer, I want to be there to see it. " Oliver told her, touching her cheek gently and then looking at his watch. "Come on, we're going to miss church…I promised Father Frank when I saw him that we'd be there."
They made it to St. Anastasia's just in time to slide into seats in the back of the church, given candles to hold on to until the candlelight part of the Mass. Chloe remembered being a child in this congregation at Christmas, squirming in her seat next to Gabe, while her mother's soaring voice would ring through the sanctuary from the choir loft. She smiled, seeing several little girls with similar fidgets and Chloe leaned against Oliver's arm.
The Christmas mass moved along, including an abridged and slightly more reverent presentation of the Nativity play by the children, and finally, the strains of Silent Night could be heard, the congregation picking up the tune from the Choir as the candles of each and every person in the church were lit. Chloe sang the hymn too, knowing it by heart and thrilling at the tenuous connection to her mother it allowed her.
"Silent Night, Holy Night
All is Calm, All is Bright….
Round yon Virgin mother and child,
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in Heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace…"
Oliver looked down at Chloe in the golden candlelight. When they had first started on this project, Chloe had told him that she and Jimmy lacked magic. It was her reason for ending it with the guy, and Oliver had laughed at the time, thinking it was a bit impractical. But now, after a week that couldn't be considered anything other than magical, Oliver understood what she had meant. She looked up at him, questioningly and stopped singing. A gentle smile curved her lips as their eyes met and Oliver felt his heart flip in his chest. Maybe that department store Santa had been the real one after all. Oliver would have never thought to ask for such a girl, or for the beautiful days that had begun their relationship, but Oliver was struck by the idea that there was no where else to go but up from here. Because here she was, and it seemed like angels were definitely singing around them.
"Silent Night, Holy Night
Shepherds quake at the sight…
Glory streams from Heaven Above
Heavenly Hosts sing Alleluia….
Christ the Savior is Born, Christ the Savior is Born…."
"Are you okay?" Chloe whispered. "You look stunned."
"I am." Oliver whispered back. "I just realized something." He pointed to the hymnal she was holding. "You're going to be late for the next verse." She frowned but began singing again with the congregation just in time.
"Silent Night, Holy Night
Son of God, loves pure light
Radiance beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming Grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth…."
The choir immediately launched into "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" and Oliver remembered his own parents singing that, usually on their way back from picking the Christmas tree for the family room, but one time in particular, a Christmas Eve hike in the mountains. It was after dark, and the stars had all come out. He had been scared, but his mother had told him that on Christmas, nothing truly terrible could happen and if they sang, the angels would watch over them. Terrified, Oliver had nodded, and his mother began to sing, her voice soft and tender, consoling. His father had urged her to really sing it, and she did, laughing as Oliver's father did too. The pace of the song picked up, and soon enough they were home and safe. But what Oliver most remembered was his mother standing in the moonlight, her voice carrying over the hills, while his father stood near by, holding Oliver's hand and singing with her. He looked at Chloe again, who had indeed turned her attention back to the hymnal. Oliver had not understood the look on Dad's face as they watched Mom sing back then. But he did now.
After dinner at a small restaurant Oliver had found near the apartment, Chloe and Oliver walked back home, hand in hand. Gabe had called, promising to be at the Kents tomorrow afternoon, and Oliver was glad to see Chloe's smile brighten a little more.
"Are you going out tonight?" Chloe asked, and Oliver nodded.
"I probably should." They went into the lobby of the building, and opened the elevator. "At least for a little while."
"Okay." Chloe nodded, smiling. "I'll wait up."
"You don't have to, Chloe." Oliver kissed the top of her head, resting his cheek for a second on her hair. "It's not like I have any reservations at all about waking you up." He laughed and Chloe did too.
"Yes, I do have to wait up." Chloe looked up at him. "I'll have hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows waiting for you, too."
"I can't argue with that." Oliver laughed. "Fine." The elevator opened and they walked out and into the apartment. "I'd better go suit up, if I'm going to be back early. No peeking at your presents, either." He grinned, and then kissed her. "It's not too late for Santa to bring coal."
"Oh, I know." Chloe nodded. "You remember that too."
He hadn't been out long at all, and Oliver realized that it was probably safe to go home when he saw it. A long black shadow on a rooftop that for a split second looked like a bat.
"What are YOU doing here, manbat?" Oliver said aloud, pulling his motorcycle into an alley and then firing an arrow to propel himself up to the rooftop. The shadow was there, waiting. It was very definitely the man bat, and Oliver felt himself more than a little daunted by him. Clark was right, this guy was outfitted for heavy duty action.
"Aren't you a little far from Gotham City?" Oliver asked, and the shadow resolved itself into a human shape.
"Not quite so far as Star City is." The manbat's voice was a deep grumble. "Consider it a present. A gesture of good will that I expect you to remember."
"Oh?" Oliver took a step closer. "Why is that?"
"Like minded people should work together if they expect to accomplish anything. We'll meet again and talk about it some more." The shape said. "But for tonight, go home. I'm sure there's someone waiting for you. "
"And there's no one waiting for you?" Oliver asked, and the black shape launched itself away with a leathery swoop.
"Not anymore." The man bat laughed bitterly. "Don't miss a minute with her."
"I won't." Oliver watched the man bat vanish into the deeper shadows of a taller building. "Thanks."
Chloe had changed into the nightgown and robe Lana had given her, trying hard to feel like the kind of woman who wore this sort of thing… like Lana. Oliver had been gone about an hour. Chloe looked at the clock and sighed, setting up a pot of milk to warm for her father's famous hot chocolate. She measured out the chocolate and stirred that in, listening to George and Mary sing 'Buffalo Girls' on the television, wishing Oliver would come home.
"Hey, Goldilocks...where are you?" Oliver's voice was like a dream. Chloe left the hot chocolate and she saw him coming down the stairs, the Green Arrow leathers gone and very much like the frat boy he'd once been, in green flannel pajama pants and a navy blue t-shirt. His eyes widened appreciatively when he saw her, and then he grinned. "You going to put down the spoon?"
Chloe
set the spoon down on the table and ran to him, letting him snatch
her into his arms.
"I just now wished you'd come home,
Oliver."
"See, you must have been very, very good this year." Oliver kissed her gently. "I think so, anyway."
"Oliver." Chloe sighed as he kissed her again. "What happened? Why are you back so soon?"
"Someone else is looking out for things tonight." Oliver let his hands travel over Chloe's silk clad body. "This is the nightgown Lana gave you?"
"Yes." Chloe blushed a little and Oliver opened the robe and pushed it off Chloe's shoulders. "I feel kind of silly in it."
"You look incredible in it." Oliver said, softly. "Beautiful. Remind me to send Lana a very nice thank you note."
I'll make sure." Chloe retorted, and then gasped as his lips touched her collarbone. "I'm so glad you're home." Her robe fell to the floor like feathers, and she slid her hands under his t-shirt, the feeling of him under her hands powerful and electric. He grinned at her and pulled the shirt off, dropping it beside her robe.
"Me too." Oliver whispered, slipping one of he straps from the nightgown off Chloe's shoulder. He leaned into kiss her and then distracted, sniffed the air. "Do you smell that? Something is burning."
"Oh!' Chloe turned and hurried to the kitchen, Oliver behind her, and shut the hot chocolate that had started to boil over. "What a mess. I'll have to start over."
"Later." Oliver said, putting his arms around her. He kissed her and laughed. "There were fires getting started all over this place, huh?"
"Looks that way." Chloe ran her hands over his shoulders and back. "The one in the kitchen is taken care of."
"Is it?" Oliver asked, pushing the other strap of her nightgown down slowly. "I'm all about being thorough."
"Hmmm." Chloe smiled, feeling the silk slip away from her. "I've noticed." Taking him by the hand, Chloe led Oliver from the kitchen and into the living room. "Let's not be thorough in there…the floor is too cold." She let the nightgown completely fall away, watching the effect that action had on Oliver. He blinked and then smiled, his eyes full of her.
"Yes, ma'am." Oliver saluted her smartly before taking her in his arms. "Whatever you say."
He swept her up in his arms, kissing her hungrily, and then put her down, grabbing a fairly expensive wool throw and spread it out on the floor near the Christmas tree. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the blanket and fell to his knees before her. "Come down here."
Chloe sank down beside him, her mouth on his, her hands pushing his pajama pants down, trailing her fingers over him and grinning at his sigh as she did it.
"Look at me, Chloe." Oliver's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Please." She opened her eyes and he brushed the hair from her eyes and kissed her. "You need to hear this, before we go any further. I'm in love with you." Oliver said, and Chloe sighed, kissing his nose, his cheeks. "I mean it, Chloe. It's crazy, and it's soon, but it's the truth. I needed you to know that."
She blinked and then smiled, tears pooling in her eyes. "Oh, Oliver. I know. I'm in love with you, too." He closed his arms around her, her face against his shoulder. "I love you."
Oliver felt her heart racing against his chest and he moved a little to look into her face again. Smiling, he moved her gently, until she was on her back on the floor and slid inside her, watching the lights of the Christmas tree make her look more like an angel than she already was. Chloe moved her legs wider, wiggling as close to him as possible, reaching up to touch Oliver as much as she could. He was going very slowly, tenderly, and Chloe smiled up at him, thinking of other moments like this, where they had been still laughing, still teasing and realized that this moment was different, for both of them. There was no going back now, no dismissing their relationship as just a good time. She slid her hand down his arm, and pulled him closer, not caring about his weight on her, and he took her hand in his, kissing her hungrily. Feeling him on her, in her, his hand in hers and his mouth on hers was enough, the connection between them too great to resist anymore, Chloe came with a soft gasping sob, and Oliver soon did too, also quietly, and he smiled into her face after, kissing her sweetly.
"I love you. That's all that matters right this minute." Oliver said finally, after looking down into her face. "Merry Christmas, love."
"Merry Christmas," Chloe reached up and kissed him. "I'm all yours…"
"That's all I wanted for Christmas anyway." Oliver kissed her nose. "Just you."