Previously; Arrow saw Chloe at her father's grave. Arrow had stolen her phone and returned it to her. Chloe went to see Lex's facility, only to be met by her green giant in the middle of his hobby. Chloe 're-connected' to old friend Bart. Lex is mad and creating a plan to trap the fiends blowing up his 'innocent' facilities. Lionel was thinking of dropping by for a chat and mug of tea, Chloe freaked. Lex saw Chloe's doubts and manufactured her some of Arrow's more vulgar crimes to disgust her.

And then I left you for a long period of time and made you all cry :( Forgive me?
I apologise, but life is god damn annoying some times. Hopefully, i'm back and updates should happen. :D

Please enjoy and review if the mood grips you. No pressure. (But i'll love you more if you do).

Chapter Ten; Friends and Family

"Friendship's a fairy-tale. Respect and fear are the best you can hope for" –Lex Luthor (Season 1, Episode Hug)

She knew he'd be visiting, but she had no idea when.

Did he know she was with Lex?

Of course; of course he did. If Arrow hadn't said something, he would have naturally assumed.

But, with Lex's security… she stopped that thought as it came, she knew Bart well enough and she trusted his skills. The only sight of Bart was the doors closing at their own speed after him.

She sat slowly onto the bed, knowing in her bones the day could not finish until he had seen her. Half of her looked forward to it, the other half was nervous as virgin in a cat house.

Would he see her the same?

Would he even come?

Was she overthinking the entire thing?

Chloe dropped her head to her hands, her eyes spying the dead phone lying in her bag next to her feet. With a sigh, she agreed that she would have to turn it back on at some point and decipher what exactly Arrow had tampered with. Before she could start flicking through her past messages to see what Arrow could have gathered about her the phone, she was assaulted by the vicious vibrations of multiple texts flying through. Once the infernal vibrations ended she opened the most recent text, seeing the word 'Senorita' and hitting the call button to the strange number, knowing it was Bart.

With a true smile, she walked towards the full sized window, looking out on the grounds below while it rang. Clearly he'd stolen her number when his gang of thieves had turned the device inside out. It occurred he may not be the only member she would be taking a call from, her smile grew a little, her blood warming at the thought of that gravelled voice speaking to her late at night.

"Chloe-licious, about time. I'm feeling the spirit of a little Italian Bistro." he began, his happiness infectious even over the phone, causing her to smile out to the roses in the garden, her fingers slipping softly down the wallpaper. "Open late on the south side of town. I highly recommend the food." The tease was high in the air; he knew her mouth would be watering at the thought. She had few weaknesses, but her cravings for food were too demanding for her to ignore.

Chloe's fingers paused their happy trailing and her smile faded in the reflection. As much as the flavours promised taste beyond her imagination, she didn't dare cross Lex's orders. Neither could she take the guards. She would have to meet him in the Luthor gardens, away from the cameras.

"I'm not really that hungry actually." she lied with apology in her tone. "How about we just take our usual spot in the Luthor Garden this time?" The plea was not lost to him, neither were the good memories both associated with their 'secret spot'.

"What's up? Scared you'll eat too much, because you know I love you at any size senorita." Bart charmed, already changing his plans in his head.

"I wish." she laughed. She couldn't tell Bart she was under intense guard again, not only would he go mad, but she was too embarrassed, too ashamed to admit Lex had her tied in the backyard like his lapdog. "I'm just tired." Bart didn't care she was lying, he knew she just wanted someone to be with her, and he would be it.

"Five minutes and I'll be waiting my lady." he flirted and the phone cut off.

Chloe smiled to herself, pulling her dressing-gown over her short pyjamas and making her way out. On her exit, the phone kicked up another fuss on the bed. She dithered on her action, but went back to it. The name was listed as 'XXX', whoever that was would have to wait. She vaguely scanned her memory for inputting xxx as a contact in her phone… maybe it was an old client. Still, they'd wait until tomorrow. She declined and turned off the phone.

As expected, she rounded the shrubs to find Bart ready and waiting, spread out a blanket under the old oak tree.

"I don't recall saying dress to impress, but I'd wish I'd made as much as an effort as you have." Bart wolf-whistled to her appearance and she pulled the sash tighter out of habit.

"Cool it Kid, you've seen me in worse." she replied with a smirk, settling herself down on the blanket. The burning memory didn't stay away as she had hoped. The last time she'd planned to meet Bart all those years ago, it was beneath this very tree, for a picnic none the less. And sure enough, Bart pulled pizza boxes from behind his back and cheap wine too. Guilt slammed into her. "You didn't have to do all this Bart."

"Considering you never turned up for our last date, I think you owe it to me to sit down and enjoy yourself." He wasn't sour, just hinting at the hurt he had felt.

"I'm sorry, Lione-"

"Yeah, figured as much." he conceded and put a glass of white wine in her hand. "Don't sweat it, seriously Chloe." He smiled and she couldn't help but follow with her own, Bart's happiness was infectious in the best of ways. "So, how's life?"

She knew what he was asking.

"Still tied to the Luthor chain, but I have the recipe for freedom." She forced a smile.

"Which is?" She tilted her head and he instantly groaned, knowing her next words. "I know, I know. No work talk."

She grinned at his memory and distaste. What had started as being an unappealing topic for them to discuss was now what was keeping him safe and secrets buried. It was hardly possible she could state she planned to unveil his boss, and he could hardly discuss the work he did with the group of misfits. She wouldn't ask, neither would he. Fair.

"You've come a long way from the streets." she admired, taking the slice of offered pizza.

"I could say the same. But we're not here to talk about that." Bart watched as her bite became smaller, her worry flooding back. Her smile turned false, her eyes cast darkness and the lack of sleep shone clear as day to him. "You've been having nightmares again." he accused, rubbing a finger under her eyes, but she jolted back at his touch before stopping herself. She was scared again. Bart's features turned to worry and instantly she changed her mind from the silence she had adopted.

"Lionel's thinking of visiting." she admitted, the first time in years she could be honest about her feelings.

"Hate to break the bad news, but you are living with his son you know." He pushed the pizza box towards her again. It was the special request he'd made for her, the meat and veg combo, with double cheese and extra herb, garlic stuffed crust and a red wine tomato sauce for dipping. It had been her favourite when he knew her before, and from her eagerness to grab a slice, he could presume her tastes hadn't changed.

"Lex isn't that bad." she defended, hiding behind another large bite of pizza.

"Yeah. I often review hell and consider it to be an average experience." he replied, heavy with sarcasm. She scowled, but it was teasing too.

"You have him wrong; Lex saved me." she edged in.

"No." Bart started, swallowing the huge chunk he was chewing. "Lex took you from one prison to another."

"He saved my life." she reiterated, her voice hinting at a harsh tone.

"He has you running around after him like his little chewtoy, while letting you live in the illusion he's saving you from something much worse."

"Don't Bart." she sternly warned, blinking the anger from her eyes. "I don't want to get into this with you. Not now. Lex is a good man."

"Then we need a new definition of good." he snapped back. "He's killing people, you saw the labs!"

"No, what I saw was drugs tested on humans, I saw a heavy security door. Nothing more."

"Jesus Chlo, whaddya want? Photos?! The man is as bad as his father, if not worse. It's only a matter of time before he does the same thin-"

"Bart." His name came as a plea, soft and shut down from her fallen lips. He knelt before her wishes.

"Topic closed." He reached out, taking her hand and smoothing the soft skin. She was cold, not just emotionally shut off, but physically cold. He shuffled around, pulling her into his side. "Sorry Chloe-licious." Chloe smiled, knowing what they shared was a solid friendship now. The scattered embers of their love still glowed, but there was no spark. They loved each other, but they weren't in love with each other. She smiled and relaxed against him, she'd wanted someone like Bart for so long since she was parted from him.

Their conversation took its journey, but as the nights chill was calling an end to the night Bart spoke up out of the silence.

"Leave him."

"You kno-"

"No, that's not what I mean." He shook his head out, trying to word himself right. "As great as that would be, I know the limits. I'm saying leave him for a week, leave him for a day at least. Stop all the lies coming into your head every hour of the day and really think about Lex. When he's not spinning you a tale, who is he?"

"I know who Lex is." she replied.

"The Lex you think you know is your childish memory running wild, putting a label on your saviour and being unwilling to scrub it clean. You have no idea about the true extent of his demons."

"I know they're worth fighting off." she retorted, sitting up straight, fully intending to defend her life with Lex.

"Why bother?" Bart hissed. "Are you going to marry the man?! It's not your job to redeem the irredeemable."

"Just like it's not your job to stop crimes. But you do." Her eyes burned with the passion of the fight.

"And HE is the sources of the crimes I'm working to stop!"

"You are seeing black in the grey." she accused, trying to finish the horrible topic. Bart didn't follow her lead.

"Grey?! That's not grey! That's darker than the shadow of the devil himself."

"You're over exaggerating."

"And you're under exaggerating!" Bart breathed heavy and sharp.

"Lex is good… underneath the bad."

"Exactly! There is bad there, you can even see it yourself, but yet you still defend the man!"

"He defended me!"

"And one right makes all the other wrongs invisible?!"

"No. Not at all. The end justifies the means." Chloe wrapped her arms tighter around her, trying to hold down her anger.

"He's slaughtering meteor folk for his sick experiments. Justify that!"

"I don't need this. This was not meant to be like this Bart." She stood to leave, but he was in front of her before she could turn.

"No. No dodging the question! I'm serious Chloe, how are you justifying that?!"

"I don't even know if it's true."

"You do. In your heart of hearts, you know."

"If it is, then it's to help those with abilities-"

"Is that what I'm telling the mothers of kidnapped children? Is that what I'm using to justify meteor powered people being abducted and experimented on?! Being tortured. Being used for his own sick pleasure." Barts eyes snapped at her meaningfully. "Sound like something you'd like?"

"Don't you dare talk about that with me! You know I would never justify that for anyone!"

"Then what's so different about Lex?!"

"Lex is… Lex…" Why was she finding it so difficult?

"Yeah," he smirked, but it was without victory. "Take some time away from the web of lies he keeps spinning for you and find me an answer."

"Bart, wait." Her anger fled with his turning back.

"For what? You need to see straight. Take your head out of the Luthor haze for a few days."

"Bart."

"I'll see you around Chlo'." And with that, she was alone again. More alone than she'd been for a while. Before, she could pretend Bart was still a friend for her… now, she had never felt more alone than she did at that moment.

Her heels clicked dangerously sharp and precise down the 3rd floor, left wing of Met Gen, her assigned guard four steps behind her. She could tell which room she wanted before she even arrived at its number. A scrawny man sat slouched in a chair with a PDA in his hand. Opposite, a brute stood blocking the door to the room. Bryan's lackeys doing his bidding while he lies and plays checkers with himself. The brute turned as she got closer and instantly she saw the recognition in his eyes.

"Leave. Now." he warned. The words drew up the head of the scraggy little man and he instantly jumped to alert.

"Eh. Didn't we kill you the first time? Little brat aren't you. Fit little brat, but still dead annoying. Piss off before you take your last breath, eh?" There wasn't a thought in his head he could bar from speaking when he was emotional.

"I need to see Bryan." she announced with a flare of drama and dominance. It drifted past the boys like she said nothing.

"And I need a good lay that I'll remember the name of. Right? So run back to your keeper little one."

"Kyle." she addressed him head on. "I need to see Bryan. You're more than welcome to come with me and listen in, but I need to speak with him." The words seemed to have more effect the second time round, though she knew not why. Her compulsory guard remained behind, relaxed, but ready to spring into action at any point.

"Sit baby doll. We'll see what Bryan wants to do with you. Knives or bullet's. Right? Eh?" He wasn't the most articulate person in the world, but he was efficient in his work and had a magical way of managing a thousand tasks at once. Chloe sat with a smile and the brute let the skinny twig slither through the door before standing before it again.

"WHAT?!" She heard through the door. "Bitch owes me a car." Internally Chloe winced, she was hoping he wouldn't remember that small fact. Then more words. This time more muffled and quiet. It took 5 minutes of her time, but the pale white face of Kyle as he stepped out was worth it.

"Go. Little bitch." Kyle nodded and she slipped through the gap in the door alone with the man who ran half of downtown metropolis. Thankfully, a few words in the car had an agreement that Lex's hired hand would only enter if he heard suspicious noises. So, she was ultimately… alone.

His eyes were instantly on her.

"I heard you were killed." he spoke gruff and irritated.

"You were told wrong."

"Clearly." His eyes narrowed. "You're insanely stupid walking in here alone." he growled. "There's a chance you won't leave. You do owe me a car, and your life."

"I understand, however, I'd like to trade. A clean slate and piece of information for something you've always wanted."

"I prefer my woman with a little more on them whore." Chloe resisted the need to roll her eyes and stepped closer to the bed. He was sat up, a shoulder covered in a cream bandaging and fingers wrapped around a security alarm that would signal his guard to the room. A gun was poking from the corner of his pillow as well. Never can be too careful when you're a powerful position in weak circumstances.

"I'm not offering myself. I'm offering this." Slowly, with a show of hands she reached into her pocket and took out an envelope. She set it on the bed. "Something you've always wanted." she repeated.

His hand reached out and with a cautious glimpse back to her he opened it. There was a list of names 24 long. His eyes flashed back to hers.

"These names mean nothing to me." he lied and threw the paper back to her. She caught it neatly.

"Maybe not. But if I perhaps had another envelope with their new names and addresses and schedules in. That would definitely mean something wouldn't it."

"How do you know of this?"

"Word travels in the world of witness protection." she simply spoke.

Bryan was a powerful man with a lot of peons below him he'd hired for dirty work, then fired for incompetence. Most peons accepted and moved on… but a good percentage didn't see his system as fair and sold information they'd learned about him to others who also carried power. No doubt one of these leaks had led to the bullet hole decorating his body at present. Chloe felt guilt handing it over, of course… but there were two rules she could apply here. One, be prepared for consequences if you cross powerful men. Two, if you willingly do the tasks of a bad man, you are not a good man. All those men on that list were bad in one way or another.
She lifted her eyes daringly, watching as Bryan read the lists of names again before finally speaking again.

"It's not worth what you're proposing. You took a lot from me if you don't remember. You owe me blood. I will reap."

"Then I'll leave if you don't want this." But her step to the door was suddenly barred by the brute pushing his way in. Her heart beat throbbed loud and unsteady in her chest. No doubt her guard would be getting twitchy, but Kyle would keep him off her back.

"You won't be leaving until our debt is settled." Something hit the back of her legs and she was forced to her knees, a large hand around her throat. "Now. We'll try again like civilized people. Where's the other envelope?" Her pulse throbbed, panic rose like fire, her throat ached with the need to scream for help. But she needed this; a guard rushing in to drag her out would not be helpful right now.

"Bag." she spoke while she was still able to breathe around his fingers.

"Get it out and pass it to me." When the guard didn't move she realised the order was to her and she reached out her fingers into the bag taking out the same shaped envelope. Slowly she passed it to his bedding. For the next agonising seconds she watched his eyes read the material. Finally his tongue rolled around in his mouth and he looked up at her. "This won't get you a clean slate."

"I'll owe you the car." she bargained.

"I heard you were passed down to Lex now. Is this one of his fancy whims?"

"No." she simply answered, no hesitation in her voice at all, if she said yes she'd either be killed or never spoken to.

"What information do you want?" Chloe looked down at the muscular hand wrapping her throat in a pleading gesture. He took the good faith bargain and let her free but kept her on her knees.

"I need to find dealers who specialize in custom made arrows." He rose an eyebrow.

"Lex has you hunting the green arrow. Doesn't he?"

"Not Lex. Another client."

"Then what does Lex require of you?"

"He wants Queen Industries." Bryan laughed with derision.

"Alright. You can walk out of here. But you owe me a car. Understood? Three days before you start receiving reminders. I know where you are now bitch. Understood?" Chloe nodded and was hauled to her feet sharply.

"The dealers?" she prompted.

"One. Tell Tara I sent you and she'll take you." With a nod she was escorted out. A haunting reminder of her three days was sent with her through the door. She met worried eyes of the hired hand, but she just nodded, told him things were sorted and tried to remember how to walk when hers legs felt like vibrating jelly.

On her way out of the cold, pristine, chemical walls of the hospital she had to throw herself into a wall to avoid someone she never thought she'd see. Taller; older; possibly smarter, but most definitely Lois.

Her cousin was in the hospital, pacing the doorway of a room while as doctor tried to explain to her.

"Miss Lane, he needs to understand that without his meds, this will keep happening." Like always, her cousin had a witty remark on her tongue, lashing venom and ruining the morning of the poor young doctor. On any other day Lois would have been all over this guy, he was tall, dark haired and held an ounce of danger. Enough to excite the taste buds, spark the nerves, but leave you feeling safely handled too. But as Chloe looked on from her distance, she saw no look of lust in her cousin, no flirtatious behaviour. It must be serious.

"What am I supposed to do?!" Lois huffed, and raked her fingers through her hair. It was bad; Chloe couldn't help but conclude. "Those 'med's' aren't doing anything more than creating some false sense of aid."

"We can only alleviat-"

"Don't give me some half cooked apology and tell me about how you're doing all you can, this is my father lying in tha-" Chloe felt a cold wash over her shoulders… General Sam Lane was in the hospital, and from the sound of the doctor, it would only be for a short stay in the worst possible way.

"Miss, please. I'll do my best to explain the situation." Chloe watched her cousin be guided away in a wreck for a ten minute cry and coffee. Chloe knew she should just leave, but here she was, with a guard by her side and the opportune moment. The guard said nothing as she walked to the room and took the chart from the wall. It broke her heart to read her uncle's name. Lois's pain was easy to understand. A brain tumour… concluded as being inoperable. With no more than reading a symptom of hallucinations she left the guard outside the room and stepped in.

Uncle Sam was asleep, peaceful… well, until he heard the door close and he peeled back his deeply set eyes to behold the sight. Being a General had given him focussed instincts, a visitor in his room had given trigger to a basic survival one.

"Christ." No doubt the roll of anger in his tone was directed to the over worried daughter that wouldn't leave his side, but he was quick on the double take and every emotion inside of her dropped as she heard his broken tone "Chloe, is that you?" Tears welled up.

"How are you feeling?" Miraculously, her voice remained strong

"Me? Where have you been?!" He seemed to be building a temper which she was sure was not good for him. Chloe quickly crossed over to stop him from sitting up and sat down beside him, her eyes flashing to the doors in a quick beat.

"I've been busy." she answered, unwilling to burden a dying man.

"Bullshit." he accused. And she saw nothing wrong with him at all, he wasn't ill, he was back at the family dinners boasting about his daughters while stabbing another roast potato onto his loaded plate. He'd fire the attention around, finding the weak link.

But this time, he was the weakest link. "You think you can just waltz in here, its bad enough your mother does it!" he grumbled with anger, and reality sunk back into her thick skin. The reality was the only reason she had come into the room and that was simply because there was no distinction between memories, hallucinations and the real world for Uncle Sam. He was weak.

Chloe hated seeing him like this, it hurt her deep down inside. Her uncle was the one to pick her up from the floor and sit her back on her bike, telling her she'd never learn unless she had the strength to take some pain. It was that day he'd smiled with pride as she'd flown past him on her little peddle bike after no more than 10 minutes of trying.

She smiled, but the memory dissolved and his angry confused face returned. The smell of the hospital invaded her nose and stunned the last part of happiness she had.

"I miss her too." she simple answered. She could say little more as a harsh tap hit the window and she spun to find the significant stress on the face of her guard.

Lois must be returning.

She turned back to the patient. It wasn't long, nothing really; no purpose to her visit. But she missed seeing a face she knew, a face that loved her unconditionally. "I love you Uncle Sam" She threw herself to hug him, careful of his monitoring equipment. He returned the hug, as awkward as ever. On the outside he could still pass as the general who made wild fully grown men tremble with a sentence in his booming voice.

Another rap on the window and she was pulling back, pretending the tears in her eyes were nothing to see. His blank look of anger was a mask of the pain he'd been feeling from her loss.

"They think you're dead." He grumbled out as she made her exit. Chloe thought of stopping, thought of spending the time with him and her cousin. But no, she knew her place in this event. Her eyes closed and a fast tear ran in a stream down her cheek, she said nothing, just took her exit and was shuffled in front of a large man as he guided her out and into the elevator. Her cousin's voice was echoing down the corridor, louder and louder until finally the doors closed and the lift descended. Without a word, the guard moved closer and handed her a tissue, the ride down she let him wrap an arm around her shoulder and offer her the comfort she needed.

Lex was out when she returned, but it didn't bother her, she moved around silently, reading into archery, accessing new sources and constructing a few suspects from eyewitnesses. When Lex had returned all she could update him with was that Green Arrow was clever, had an income for his 'sport' and physically fit. Lex supplied her with more of an update regarding his side of the plan though; schematics for the trap to catch a green rat. The non-humane way. She played her role nodding and agreeing, but inside she was bubbling herself a new plan to meet with the green fiend as soon as possible.

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Much much love. So much love. Imaginary kittens for reviewers, imaginary cookies for readers and imaginary hugs for those who stuck around long enough to even scan this page.
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