Title: Penance 11/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, Thanks for staying with me and reading this fic. :)

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He just couldn't get the energy to move himself from the chair in which he sat. He knew that he had a lot to do, but he just couldn't motivate himself. He didn't want to save the world anymore, not if she weren't by his side anymore. He had no idea when she had become that important to him, but she had managed to wiggle her way past his defenses and grabbed his heart with both hands. And he managed to destroy in a single morning what they had just started to build because of his insecurities. He was still angry with her for hiding and going off with Davis Bloome, but she was right; his anger had very little to do with her leaving. He was more angry with himself than with her but he took it out on her, in a way that he was positive she would never forgive. And he was sorry to for the way he behaved towards her. But he knew that being sorry for something didn't always wipe the slate clean.

He heaved a heavy sign and lowered his head back into his hands. To the guys, Oliver was the picture of abject misery and exhaustion. They could all tell that the fight he just had with Chloe took more out of him than he was trying to let on. The guys all looked at each other, concern for their friend written all over their faces. They knew that they had to save Oliver before they could save the world.

AC was the first to take initiative. He left the table with all the papers on it and walked cautiously over to Oliver. He placed a comforting hand on Ollie's shoulder before he hunched down so that he could talk face to face with the man. Oliver never looked up from his hands, something that everyone noticed. It was almost as if he were trying to hide himself until the emotions he was feeling passed. But AC didn't take offence, he understood what Oliver was feeling, they all did. Though AC had a sneaking suspicion that this was the first time that someone has managed to break through all of Oliver's defenses and grab hold of his heart. He had a feeling that Chloe was so much more than just Oliver's friend and unofficial Sidekick.

"Dude, go after her." AC tilted his head towards the window indicating the outside world but never stopped looking at the miserable man sitting in front of him. "Tell her you're sorry for whatever you said. This is Chloe, she'll forgive you. She'll forgive you anything. Don't tell Speedy over there," He lowered his voice a notch and indicated that he was talking about Bart by sticking his thumb in the others direction, "but I think our little Tower has a thing for you." AC smiled as he stood up, hoping that he was cheering Ollie up. Oliver did smile a little bit at that…even the guys had managed to pick up on his feelings for Chloe. And here he thought he was doing a good job at hiding his love for her.

"Thanks man," Oliver said a bit muffled by his hands because he needed to keep his face hidden from them until he managed to get control over his emotions. He just couldn't let them see just how vulnerable he was at this moment. "But now is not the time for this kind of drama. We need to figure out away to destroy this beast before it can destroy Clark. He may not be worried about what it can do to him, but I know that I am. Like it or not Chloe was right about one thing…the world needs Clark. Just hang on a minute guys, I just need a moment to get myself together." He kept his head bent and wiped a tired hand across face hoping that he managed to fool the guys into thinking that he was wiping away his tiredness instead of the tears that had begun to form again in his eyes. His heart hurt…more than he ever thought possible. He was having difficulty breathing the weight of not having her by his side weighed on his chest like a truck load of bricks.

Oliver stood up and walked over to the window where he looked down to the street below. He watched as Clark easily caught up to Chloe. He watched as Clark wrapped her in a hug, comforting her and watched Chloe break free from his embrace. He wondered if she were experiencing as much pain as he was. He was also wondering if pushing her away was the right thing to do. Was she right? Would this be another decision to regret in the future?

He watched from a safe distance shrouded behind the tinted glass of the window as they walked away together. He knew that there was nothing to be jealous of when it came to Clark and Chloe. He knew that she loved Clark as only a friend. Well, maybe more than a friend…she loved him more like a brother. She would do anything for him and he would do anything for her. He just couldn't stand the thought that he, Oliver, would never come before the well being of Clark Kent with her. He longed for her to just once choose what was best for him over what was best for Clark. He knew that it was selfish of him to want that but he wanted it none the less. He stood stoically at the window and watched them walk out of sight towards the Isis building, his once united team now divided into two. How was he supposed to fix this? How was he supposed to mend the rift that had managed to grow between him and Chloe? He had already begun to regret the words that he screamed at her moments before. The hurt in her eyes as she looked at him would forever haunt him. She was right again; he letting her go was going to be his greatest regret.

"You know," he said with his back to the guys as he remained looking out the window, "I said some pretty harsh things to her. I felt so angry and betrayed by what she did; I never stopped to think about why she did them. I am such an idiot. I just let the best thing to ever happen to me walk out of my life forever." His head bent of its own accord; tears fell freely from his eyes. He placed his palm onto the window to steady himself as his breath caught in his chest and his shoulders shook with silent sobs. The guys watched the man they most admire unwillingly grieve over the loss of his love in front of them.

"It's not too late, Ollie." Victor spoke up; he just couldn't remain silent any longer. His friends were in pain, both him and Chloe. "Go after her. Hell Bart can speed over to Isis and get her before you can blink. Don't just stand there, do something about this before it becomes too late. OH, for Christ Sakes man, cowboy up and go over there and apologize. There is no need for you to be standing here suffering. She will forgive you if you just tell her that you are sorry."

"I don't think Clark will let me anywhere near her." He said as he got his breathing and his tears under control but still kept his back to them. It was not at all like him to show this much emotion in front of anyone. He was definitely exhausted.

"Clark won't bar you from her so long as you apologize to her. Damn it APOLOGIZE! We need her. Not just for this mission, but she is a vital member of this team, Ollie. And it's not just us who need her, man. You need her, like the air you breathe. Don't think that we are stupid, we've watched what's been going on between you two for the past couple of months." Victor said causing Oliver to turn to face them in surprise evidence of his pain still wet on his face. Victor and Bart had joined AC in front of the chair that Oliver had just vacated.

"Yeah, that's right…we can put two and two together, there Boss man." Bart piped up. "I will say that I am not too thrilled over the fact that you stole my girl or for the way that you've been treating her today, but I agree with Tin man here, cowboy up Ollie, go over there and apologize to her. The quicker you get this over with the quicker we can get this Beastman out of our lives. We need you here, Dude, at 100 percent and you won't be at 100 percent without Chloelious. So go get your girl and that red and blue body guard of hers and bring them home. How difficult is it to say two words…'I'm sorry.' I guarantee that if you show up there and say those two words to her, she will wrap her arms around you and forgive you. That is who she is, Ollie. Clark will forgive you too, because that is who he is. They are two of the most forgiving people that I know and respect."

"Maybe…" Oliver began.

"No maybes about it, Dude. I am sure by they way you are acting right now that you are sorry, so do everyone a favor and just swallow your pride and go over there and at least talk to them…to her more specifically." AC didn't even care that he cut Oliver off. He could be as stubborn as Oliver. Oliver needed to get both Chloe and Clark to come back. There was no way that the team was going to survive without them especially if they went after this Beast.

"You know," Oliver said as he made his way towards the guys, "you guys are the best. I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends…for a better family. You're right, I love her and I have to go get her. I have to go show her how sorry I am for acting like an ass. Thanks." He slapped AC on the back and smiled at Victor and Bart. Bart not one for being left out and felt it was a good time to inject a bit of fun into this highly emotional scene that they were experiencing ran over to Oliver and jumped into his arms, "GROUP HUG!"

They guys all laughed as Oliver dropped Bart and he landed on the floor on his butt. "Sorry there Bart, I'm just not one to participate in group hugs." Bart looked up at Oliver, AC, and Victor from his seat on the floor, "If Chloe were here you all would have joined in the group hug." He pouted as he stood up and dusted off his butt.

"Yeah dude, that's because it's not unmanly to hug a girl, but if just four guys hugged that would look just wrong." AC laughed as he put his arm around Bart's shoulders in a brotherly gesture. "See, when Chloe is here a group hug is ok, but without her here then we'll just stay with slaps on the backs and arms over the shoulders. Got it?"

"Sure sure…so Ollie, are you gonna go get Chloelious or not? Because I could use a nice hug from the mamacita, seeing that hugs from her are now all I've got to look forward to."

"Dude, hugs from her were always what you had to look forward to. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you never stood a chance with Chloe." AC said as they followed Oliver to the room that housed his Green Arrow gear.

"Hey, that's not true, I was just biding my time until she was ripe for the picking but the Boss man over here just beat me to it." Oliver just smiled, his turmoil over loosing Chloe passed when he had decided to go to Isis to grovel for her forgiveness if need be. He was going to take his friends' advice…he was going to 'Cowboy up' and go get his girl. He grabbed the Green Arrow uniform and closed the door behind him, shutting out his friends' brotherly banter as he prepared for one of the most important missions of his life…Operation Grovel for Watchtower's Forgiveness.

Oliver had gotten his green leather pants on when the door to the green arrow room opened up to reveal Bart with his hand covering his eyes.

"Ollie, are you decent, man?" He asked and when Oliver turned to look at him he saw Bart standing by the door with his hands over his eyes.

"Ya Bart, I have my pants on, you can open your eyes and come in. What's on your mind?" Oliver waited patiently for Bart to take his hands from his eyes and look at him.

"Dude, hurry up and put a shirt on." Bart joked. Oliver chuckled as he began to dress the top half of himself. Once he was fully geared up in his Green Arrow uniform he turned back to Bart, "Ok, now what's on your mind? Changed it already? Don't want me to go grovel to Chloe and beg her to come back?"

"Nah Dude, that is exactly what I want you to do. She didn't deserve what you did to her today. You NEED to apologize for that. I am in here because I wanted to talk to you about Chloe. Look it's no secret that I have a crush on her all of you guys tease me about it but you need to know that I really do care about her, man. There is not anyone out there that I have ever met, besides Mrs. K who has treated me the way that Chloe has. Ollie, she deserves the best…and I know that you are the best. But I swear, if you ever hurt her again the way you did today, Ollie, I am not at all going to be happy with you, man. Chloelious deserves to be treated better than you treated her today. This was your one and only redo, man. She's special and you better start treating her like she is."

"I know she is, and you are right; she deserves to be treated with more respect than I showed her today. Thanks Bart, I promise you, I will treat her the way you would want her to be treated. You have my word." He slapped the younger man on the shoulder and pulled his green leather hood over his head. He grabbed his bow and quiver and headed for the elevator that lead to the garage where he housed his bike. This was a rare occurrence, he using his Green Arrow guise during the daylight hours. But like Bart said, she was a special woman.

Just as Oliver started for the elevator that would bring him to his bike his cell phone rang.

"Queen." Oliver answered a bit aggravated that he was being delayed in going over to Chloe's to apologize.

"Oliver, it's Emil. There's something that I think you need to know about." The doctor said cryptically over the phone. Oliver just didn't have a good feeling about whatever it was that Emil wanted to tell him.

"Okay." He said slowly, not sure if he really wanted to know what it was the doc was calling for.

"It's about Chloe Sullivan." He said into the cell phone as he held up the clear plastic evidence bag with her torn night gown in it.

"What about Chloe?" He couldn't keep the concern for her out of his voice.

"I can't do this over the phone, Oliver. Can you meet me at my lab?" The urgency in his voice worried Oliver even more.

"Emil, is Chloe ok? What happened?" His grip tightened on the phone.

"Oliver, calm down, as far as I can tell Chloe is just fine. But I believe that something terrible happened to her that you should be made aware of. I need to speak to you, but this is not a matter to be discussed over the phone. Can you please meet me at my lab? And if it is at all possible could you please bring Chloe with you. I believe it's vital that she seek medical treatment."

"Treatment, Emil? What the hell is going on?" His voice was laced with anxiety and fear.

"Oliver, please calm down, I won't know what really happened until I speak with Chloe, herself. Until then I have only suspicion and conjecture."

"Fine. I have an important appointment that I have to go to and then we will meet you at your lab. We should be there in an hour."

"I'll see you then."

Oliver no sooner hung up with Doctor Emil and the buzzer at the elevator buzzed. He was extremely surprised to see Clark standing in the elevator waiting to be allowed in.

"Jesus! NOW What!" Oliver said as he buzzed Clark up and walked out to the living area elevator to meet him. He really was in no mood to converse with the over protective Boy Scout. Time was ticking away and all he wanted to do was get to Chloe and apologize for the bastard that he had been to her earlier, but it seemed that fate had other plans for him.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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