--6--

Oliver was...confused. Relieved, but confused.

He was relieved because the JL had brought Chloe back in one piece, and they seemed to have had a good time of it.

He was confused because Chloe was carefully and determinedly avoiding eye contact with him. She also appeared to be in a permanent state of embarrassment, her face flushed bright pink. It was really cute but very disconcerting because he didn't know the cause, only that it was clearly directly related to him. She was fine around the others.

He was disappointed to hear that she hadn't recognized anyone else. Yesterday it had seemed that memories were coming back to her steadily. Today, from what she said, nothing had returned to her. He was worried that perhaps after her nightmare the previous night she was afraid to recall anything else, that she might be repressing things now.

With these thoughts flitting through his head, Oliver watched Chloe from across the room. She was laughing animatedly at something Bart had just whispered in her ear. He looked pleased with himself.

He was jealous of Bart. That was evident even to him. How could he not be? She might not remember everything about Bart, but at least she knew him. There was nothing more maddening than the lack of recognition in her eyes when she looked at Oliver.

When she does look at me, he reminded himself, his mind going full circle to the fact that she now refused to do so. He was so immersed in trying to solve this conundrum that he jumped when Dinah addressed him.

"So when do the intrepid reporters return?" she asked casually, following his line of sight to Chloe.

"Couple more days."

"I assume Chloe will go stay with Lois or Clark when they do get back?"

"Probably. If she isn't back to herself by then," he added without much conviction.

"How did it go last night?" she asked, turning to him in concern.

Oliver shut his eyes in weariness.

"That bad?" she asked sympathetically.

"Did you know Chloe was once buried alive?"

Dinah's hand flew to her mouth and her horrified eyes turned to Chloe. "Oh my God."

"Yeah," Oliver said through gritted teeth. "She had a nightmare about it last night. Shook her up pretty badly."

"I would think so," Dinah said. "When was it?"

"Back in high school. Clark rescued her but she doesn't remember how."

Dinah nodded. "Life certainly likes to pick on that woman, doesn't it?"

"Apparently." Then he looked at Dinah sharply, something occurring to him. "Did she remember anything about me today?"

"Not that she told me. Why?"

"Are you sure?"

"Fairly."

"She's acting strangely. Won't look at me." His eyes returned to Chloe, who was now deep in conversation with Victor.

"Oh?" Dinah asked, amusement in her tone.

"Yeah."

"Well, she does have the mindset of a fifteen-year-old right now, essentially," Dinah smiled, rationalizing Chloe's behavior.

"Meaning?"

"Think, Ollie. What did it mean in high school when a girl wouldn't look you in the eye?"

Oliver gave her a confused look.

"Wow, you are dense," Dinah laughed, heading to pour herself a drink. "Or maybe you just never noticed the shy ones. I guess that's pretty likely, too."

Chloe glanced up in time to see Oliver watching Dinah with a confused look. His eyes then turned to lock on hers before she could look away. Chloe's face grew hot and she immediately wrenched her eyes back to Victor, who was updating her on the latest technology. She was starting to wonder what anyone needed her theoretical computer skills for with Victor around. She smiled at his enthusiasm.

As she realized that the others would be leaving soon, Chloe feigned sleepiness and excused herself to bed early. It was a way to avoid being left alone with Oliver. She knew it was irrational and that she would have to face him in the morning, but for the moment she needed to be alone to figure out how she felt about what Dinah had told her.

Before she had an opportunity to do so, however, her cell phone rang. She smiled when the screen revealed Lois's name.

"Hey, Lois! How's Mexico?"

"Hot. And the water is gross. But otherwise Clark and I are enjoying ourselves. I'm calling about you, though. How are you? Memory back yet? Oliver treating you right?"

"I'm fine. My memory isn't fully returned, but I got a few things back yesterday, not so much today."

Lois didn't fail to noticed how Chloe avoided the last question. "What about Oliver? Are you all right staying with him?"

"He's fine. It's fine. I don't know. It's just weird."

"I'm sorry, cuz. I promise I'll come rescue you when we get back. I know he can be a bit of a twit sometimes. Tell him I told him to be on his best behavior for you."

"He's been fine, Lo," Chloe tried to assure her cousin.

"Yeah, yeah. Did he at least make you blueberry pancakes like I told him to?"

"Y--yeah," Chloe replied, startled.

"Good. Aren't they the best? I swear you wouldn't expect that man to have any useful cooking skills whatsoever, would you?"

"No, I guess not," Chloe said, thinking of the pancakes she'd barely touched that morning with dismay. She hoped she hadn't hurt his feelings.

"Well, don't worry too much, Chloe. Your memory will come back all right, and you and Oliver can have a good laugh about this later."

"Lois?"

"Yeah?"

"What do I do for Oliver?"

"How the hell would I know? You never talk about it. You just claim that you do a lot of research and run interference for him with the press."

Chloe's heart fell at the realization that apparently she kept her job a secret from Lois. Great. Why would I hide it from her of all people? And what on earth is there to hide?

"Well, listen, Chloe. I have to go. Roaming charges and all, but I wanted to make sure you were all right. Call me if you need anything. Clark said he'll talk to you tomorrow. He's caught up at the moment."

"O--okay."

"Love you, cuz."

"Love you, too, Lo. Take care."

She hung up with a sigh of exhaustion. What in the world was going on here? She wanted to march outside and demand to know what all the secrecy was about. It was maddening.

Chloe tried to sleep. She honestly did, but sleep simply would not come. She tossed and turned, thoughts of Oliver plaguing her along with her confusion over Clark. It didn't help that she was subconsciously afraid to fall asleep again.

Finally, unable to stay in the room any longer without losing her mind, Chloe crept out of bed. She put on her clothes and quietly left the room. The apartment was dark and Oliver was evidently asleep. She grabbed her coat and left, wishing the lift made less noise. She wasn't running away, per se. She just needed to get out, to get some fresh air to clear her head. She felt trapped.

Chloe made a point of staying on the same street as Oliver's apartment, under the safety of bright street lamps. She wasn't trying to be reckless or fool-hearty, she just had to get away from that apartment. Everything in there screamed that she should recognize it even though she didn't.

At the end of the street she sat down on a bench under a lamp and look up at the night sky. She couldn't see any stars, but there was a moon out. She gazed at it, thinking how old the moon had gotten since the last time she remembered looking at it. There was no one around, but in the distance she heard the sound of an oncoming motorcycle.

Then, all at once, without realizing it was what she needed, Chloe started to cry.

"Why me?" she demanded of no one, her sobs growing more and more self-pitying. She hugged her sides, willing herself to remember, but nothing came. It was like having the mute-button hit on her brain. A giant void seemed to be settling in on her and she was terrified that it would never go away entirely.

"A little late to watch the sun set, isn't it?" Chloe nearly shrieked in surprise when she heard the deep voice behind her. She turned around frantically to see the man she had been studying in the police sketch just that morning. He sounded angry. Instinctively she stood and backed away from him. "Care to explain what you're doing out here?"

Her heart thudding in her chest, Chloe glanced nervously around. "I don't see why I have to explain myself to you."

Oliver stopped advancing on her, realizing that she was poised for flight. His relief at finding her out there was immense. When he'd realized she was gone, he'd immediately assumed the worst and the GA gear had been donned without a second thought. He thanked God she'd taken her cell phone with her so he could follow the tracking device in it.

I guess those things were a good idea, after all, Chloe.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked, working up her nerve.

"I was going to take you home." Oliver thought seriously about just telling her who he was, but he wasn't sure how she'd handle it. Now was definitely not the time to overwhelm her with information, certainly not when he had just found her crying alone on a street corner in the middle of the night. She might make a run for it.

"I can get there on my own just fine, thanks."

"You don't trust me."

Chloe disliked the smirk on his face, as though he'd been expecting it. "I don't know you."

The smirk vanished for a brief moment. "I heard you had some memory loss."

Her eyes widened. "How would you know that?"

"How do you think you got to the hospital after the car hit you?" he asked her. "I'm a friend, Chloe." He took a step closer to her.

Chloe couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew him? How was that possible? She wasn't sure she believed it. But he knew her name somehow. She shook herself. It didn't make any sense. How would she know someone like him? She looked up and jumped at the realization that he was right in front of her now.

"It's okay, Chloe. I'd never hurt you. You can trust me."

"Why does everyone keep telling me that? Like it's going to make a difference!" Chloe exclaimed, losing her temper. His smirk only grew, as though he'd expected that, too, and was only testing her.

"You're the one who ran away. I'm just here to help," he pointed out. Chloe had to resist a shiver. He was wearing some device that distorted his voice, his face was hidden in shadow, and she didn't like how close he was to her. He clearly felt completely assured of himself around her.

"I don't need help and I don't want help. I don't want to go back."

"Why not?" she heard the tone of his voice change dramatically, but she couldn't decipher what the difference meant.

"I just don't. Not now. So leave me alone." She took a step back but his hand shot out, automatically taking her arm. "Let go," she glared.

"You know, if you remembered me, we wouldn't be having this problem."

She glared at him. "If I remembered anything I wouldn't be out here right now."

"I figured as much. Let me take you home, Chloe."

"I don't even know where I live."

"I meant to Queen's place."

"I told you--"

"I know you don't want to go back," he said roughly, "but you're safe there. You shouldn't be out here alone."

"What do you care?" she challenged. She let out a small gasp of surprise when he pulled her closer to him, both his hands holding her arms now.

"A lot," he ground out, clearly reigning in his emotions. Seeing the frightened look on her face he loosened his grip and released her with one hand, moving it to wipe the tear stains from her face. "I don't like seeing you like this."

Chloe couldn't explain it but for some reason she melted. With an inexplicable conviction that she was safe with him, she dropped her head to his chest in weariness. "That makes two of us," she muttered sadly. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the smell of leather, and her head suddenly started spinning with familiarity. "Who are you?" She was asking herself more than him, but he still answered.

"I'm a friend, Chloe. I told you. It's okay." His arms wrapped around her protectively, and Chloe shuddered. Her heart started beating faster again, but for a reason very different from fear. His hands rubbed her back soothingly, trying to ease the tension there. "I know you don't want to, but you can trust me."

Chloe started to cry again. "I wish people would stop saying that. It just makes me feel guilty. How do I know you?" she asked, determined to solve this puzzle before she lost the opportunity.

"You work with me."

"What?"

"How do you think I knew how to find you just now? We look out for each other."

Chloe started to pull away from him, but he didn't release her.

"You can't know how much it hurts me to have you look at me like you've never seen me before," he told her, leaning forward so that his face was close to hers. Chloe cursed the streetlamp that blinded her view of his face, casting a shadow on him and not allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. "Let me take you home, Chloe."

After a long moment's hesitation, Chloe nodded, giving in to the warmth and safety he seemed to provide, giving in to him. He drew her closer to him and the next thing she knew she was being swept into his arms and carried over to a motorcycle. She vaguely recalled hearing one in the distance. She hadn't realized how close he'd been. She was beyond caring, though. She breathed in the smell of the leather he wore again. She knew it was familiar, like a name on the tip of her tongue, but still nothing came. He brought her back to Oliver's building and got off with her.

She stood before him expectantly, waiting for him to say something, anything that might reveal who he was or how she really knew him.

He stepped close to her, too close for her own comfort, but she refused to give ground.

"Don't run away again," he told her sternly.

"Do I always let you boss me around?" she fired back.

To her surprise, he chuckled, a deep, sensual sound that vibrated through her body. "No, I guess you don't, but--"

"Trust you?" she asked exasperatedly.

"Yes. It isn't safe out here for you. There are people who know about us and would use you to get to me. I don't want you wandering alone until you remember us."

"Us?"

He nodded.

"What are we?"

"We're friends."

"Why does that sound absurd to me?"

"Because it is."

"Then what are we really?"

His mouth opened and closed in confusion, and in this light, Chloe was able to see just a portion of his jaw. It was strong and well defined, and she thought she saw a small cleft in his chin, but it was difficult to tell. She realized that she barely came up to his jaw. He was tall, very tall. "The truth? I have no idea. I just know I'm lucky to have you, and that I need you to get your memory back as soon as possible."

Chloe found her breath catching in her throat, but he let go of her.

"Go inside, Chloe. And please, don't run away again. Be careful."

She searched his face, trying to see beneath the hood only to discover there were sunglasses there to further impede her view, but finally she nodded, and, keeping her eyes on him, she walked back into the building and took the lift up to Oliver's apartment.