Oh my, oh my. You guys really liked that last chapter huh? But yes... sadly, in the world of fanfiction when things get good, there will be a fall. Actually... isn't that just life? Haha.

Loving the reviews, you guys are awesome!

Previously; Ollie cooked for Chloe, hitting the almighty third date with great success ;)

Chapter Thirty; Poker Face

'I believe we make our own destiny'- Lex Luthor (Season One, Episode Hourglass)

Chloe wasn't much of a morning person, she was a mid-afternoon person, once coffee had kicked in and she'd eaten something. But Chloe woke much earlier than usual to the smell of coffee invading her senses and the sound of a door opening. She pried open just the one eye to find the source of the sensory invasion.

Oliver.

She hoped he wasn't a morning person.

But she found the smell of coffee increase as he neared and like charming a cobra she sat up from the warm bedding, following her nose.

A coffee mug came to her hands and she was changing her mind about this whole morning person thing. Sure they were annoying, but morning people could bring her coffee without her leaving the bed.

"Hmmm." she breathed, taking the first sip.

"Figured you'd need a fix first thing." he admitted with a smile and climbed back into the bed next to her, the newspaper dumped on his lap… sweatpants covering his nakedness.

"I like the way you think." she purred, accepting the offered place curled into him again. "But, you really don't need to read the newspaper."

"Don't I?" Yet he still opened the paper. The main headline was obsessed with the 'blur' saving someone else again.

"I can summarise if you like." she offered.

"Go ahead." he chuckled turning the pages.

"Someone died, someone lived, someone won something. Stocks went up, others went down. One football team won, another lost. It's going to have a light breeze and a mild shower of rain during the day." she predicted. He laughed.

"Or…" he started, actually reading from the paper as he page skipped through it. "Someone's dog saved a child's life." He read then flipped on. "Someone started a fire at an old couple's house." Chloe read with her own eyes as he kept on. "Horoscopes say I'm going to get lucky again." His grin flashed at her. "And… heavy rain all day tomorrow." he concluded, folding the paper and throwing it from the bed, instead choosing the woman wrapped into his side.

"Horoscope reader huh?" she teased

"Only when they say good things." he chuckled, taking her coffee to the bedside table -although she complained- and tackling her back to the bed, caging her beneath him again.

"And here I thought you'd let me on top this time." she purred to him.

"You'd have to fight for it." he teased, dropping a kiss to her neck again.

"I have a better idea." she announced. "There's a perfectly good shower that's feeling very empty right now, and well… I need a shower."

"You're right, we should christen the bathroom." he laughed, pulling her into his arms, and dancing with her to the bathroom.

At 1pm, Chloe was sat next to him, legs over his thighs with a bowl of tiramisu in her lap as they watched Crank together. He'd blissfully stayed shirtless, turning the heating up to compensate for the cold weather.

"How the hunt for Arrow going?" he asked as they watched Statham chase down some bad guys, as he usually did.

"Hm, so-so." she answered, the spoon back to her mouth.

"Any suspects?"

"Met a man at the archery range uptown yesterday… He had the talent, but not the looks."

"The looks?" Oliver questioned, playing along with her. "Should I be worried?" she laughed as she realised the situation. The man had a jealousy issue.

"You've met him, judge for yourself." She grinned. Would he admit he was working with Arrow? No, she doubted that. Every man was entitled to his secrets.

"You're right." He grinned. "He is a handsome man, perhaps I should just lock you in my bedroom instead of letting you out into the world again."

"As amazing as that sounds. I have a job to do, and so do you."

"Oh don't worry, keeping you satisfied is a full time job, I know that."

"Except you don't get paid, and some of us –who didn't grow up on a trust fund- need to work to live." He chuckled, stealing the spoon from her and taking her prepared bite.

"So, this guy you met yesterday?" he prompted, curios.

"Amazing, but too little of a jaw." Her eyes went to Oliver's jaw. It was… so similar to Arrow…

"Jaw huh…"

"Hmm." Then she considered something… should she tell him about Dinah approaching her? Surely he should be warned… but, then he'd want to know what she'd said and… Chloe wanted to keep that she knew about him and Arrow until necessary. She turned back to Ollie, reclaiming the spoon.

"A good jaw?" he pressed.

"Why do you care? You don't have any desire to caress it do you?" she teased, stroking a finger down his own jaw as she did.

"I'm just thinking about my girl out there chasing some smooth talking, good jawed archer."

"One; your girl? Two; smooth talking? You getting a crush on the Green Arrow?"

"One; yes, deal with it. Two; I'm just guessing." He didn't approach the third, just gave her that smirk she loved.

Chloe laughed.

"Alright, I'll deal with it, if you fetch me a second helping while I freshen up."

Ollie rolled his eyes but complied while she padded barefoot to the bathroom.

Chloe studied her reflection as she washed her hands, she looked as happy as she felt. Lionel would tear her apart if he saw her. She sighed, but her mood wasn't dampened. Lionel was behind her, she had a future lined up now. A good future.

She smiled at her reflection, curling the loose strand of hair around her finger. A few more hours, then she'd have to go back to the apartment.

And she needed to contact Arrow, she had the Nexus plans he needed to see. She pulled out her phone, sending a quick text.

'Apartment. 8pm. I have the revised plans.'

Chloe slipped from the bathroom noiselessly, the bowl of tiramisu on the counter in the kitchen. Where was Ollie?
Upstairs?

She turned around and spotted the door to his study ajar. Warning bells rang- the last time she went in there she didn't like the outcome. Still, curiosity drove her feet closer and she heard Oliver's voice. He was on the phone to someone.

"Well yeah, before was the plan." he was agreeing with a hint of sarcasm. "Things just got carried away. How am I meant to tell her now Mercy?"

Tess Mercer? What was he talking about with her? And why did she get the feeling the conversation was about her…

There was a natural pause, then his voice again. "Are you kidding? She'd probably slap me and be out of the door before I could say another word."

This was not good. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Look, I appreciate the advice… but I'll tell her later. Not today."

Chloe felt her smile droop. Her heart had vines creeping around it again, poisoning her good mood. He wanted to tell her something that would make her slap him… her mind instantly had ideas, none good. He was done with her. He was sleeping with Tess. The condom split and now she was carrying his child. He's secretly married. He dosed her with a drug that would kill her in 24 hours.
Okay, it was just going to get worse the more she thought.

"Yeah. I'll let you know, and I'll see you tomorrow."

Great, and now she was gossip between them. She padded just as silently back to the living room and lifted her phone, her running excuse already prepared.

"Oliver?" she called, smothering the need to pre-emptively slap him with a smile. A faked smile she'd injected with regret. "Where are you?"

"Hey, here." He stepped from the study, shutting the door behind him. "Business call." he explained with a lie. Again, if she hadn't known it was a lie, she would have believed the ease of how he answered to be truth. His eyes met hers and her mask must have been slipping because he asked, "What's wrong?"

She lifted the coat from the back of the couch where it had been all night.

"Got a text, Lex's had problems with the computer again. Malware and stuff." she lied.

"You have to go now?" He seemed in despair at the idea. What game was he playing?!

"Sorry." she simply answered, sticking to as little words as possible.

"Alright, I'll drive you there."

"He's sending a car to my apartment."

"Then I'll drive you there." he corrected, picking up the keys. She just nodded, lifting the phone again, pretending to be involved in a texting conversation, thus… not having to talk to him.

She refused his hand the ride down, she answered dismissingly to his conversation and as she stepped from the car into the apartment he was shoving the Bluetooth in his ear and calling Tess.

"So soon? She must be special. How's your face?" she greeted with a laugh.

"I didn't tell her."

"And you sound like you want to murder someone because…?" she questioned.

"She still ran off."

"Alright, tell me what happened." He heard the roller wheels of her office chair skate across the wood. She was at home in her office.

"Nothing. She got a text from Lex, he needed her, he got a virus or something and then she bolted." He finished his words with a curse and slam to the wheel. The girl was impossible to figure out.

"She spent the majority of a day sat at a computer for him installing protecting software and he's got a virus the day after?" She challenged. "Either that text wasn't about a virus or you did something."

"He probably wants her for his next pet project or something." Oliver agreed.

"In other news, we didn't finish our conversation. When are you going to tell her how you feel?" Her voice spoke of tease, but he knew she cared, she just didn't know how to express it.

"Soon."

"Christmas comes 'soon'. Make a plan." she instructed.

"Fine. Next time I see her I'll tell her."

"Take her to Claros, I'll get the back room for you if you give me a date. At least then if she beats the living daylights out of you, no-one will see." Tess laughed.

"I'll get back to you."

"Be good." she spoke and the line cut dead. Oliver cursed again, why couldn't he figure her out?

4pm rolled over and Oliver sat in his living room with Victor, beers in hand and sport highlights on the widescreen.

"That still doesn't explain why it smells like perfume on the damn couch. Limits man." Vic chastised.

"You're lucky we managed to get to the bedroom, otherwise you'd have an entire new complaint about that couch." Oliver grinned.

"I remain standing on my view that your entire apartment should be burned considering your past conquests."

"I've been thinking of a new place." Oliver admitted. "Bigger."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Just have." Oliver drank from the bottle, hiding the real reason, Victor saw it anyway.

"Damn, you're serious about this chic." But his words weren't followed with what Oliver expected. "Good for you."

Victor met Oliver's curious gaze. "What? She's damn fine, and there ain't nothing wrong with wanting to be with the right person."

Since his last girlfriend, Victor had been pro-love, but… now he was approving of Chloe? "Yeah, she's over the line, but you'll change that." Oliver grinned at the confidence. "Besides, she aint half bad to look at." And with a laugh the boys turned back to sport.

Relaxed silence passed as the highlights continued, the appropriate cheers and boos occurred and the advert break took the gap.

"Hey Ol." Vic spoke up. "Wanna come scout tonight?"

"Where?"

"Nexus labs. Just a run around, see what it looks like. See what our best cover comes from, if there's any obvious problems." Vic shrugged, it was usual protocol.

"Nah man, I gotta go through the adapted plans… and, you should probably wait until we get them."

"I'll be fine. I'll take D." Dinah hated being called D, so they only used it when she wasn't in ear shot.

"She'll probably be up for it." Oliver confirmed. Dinah usually wanted a run out after any argument. It was her way to burn off stress or latent anger. Plus, it was a chance to note any problems and keep the team safe. Dinah hated that she was forced into a mother hen position, but since none of the other boys were taking care of each other, she had to.

By 6pm, Oliver had a niggle on his mind. He hadn't set a next date with Chloe. Plus, he would need a cover for taking care of Nexus. If he got injured in any way, she'd be onto his identity faster than he could say 'Arrow'. And the chances of escaping unscathed was low, even a scratch could compromise him. So, he needed Oliver Queen to take a small 'business trip' away from her. A week should suffice.

Vic had agreed they should move on the plans as soon as they got them. The day after they received them. Which meant… he'd need his fourth date with Chloe tomorrow, before he went away on business for a week.

The niggle turned into activity and he dialled Tess's number as he lounged back in the chair. Whatever strings she had, she got him a private room for tomorrow at 8pm within the next 5 minutes, calling him back immediately.

He grinned and hooked up the Bluetooth to his ear as he paced, dialling Chloe.

Chloe sat up and looked at the phone that vibrated. No, she thought. She'd pretend she was busy. She laid back to the sofa, magazine in hand, but she couldn't read the words until that damn ringtone stopped. Fine, she'd answer it, she agreed.

"Hey." she greeted him, trying to fix her smile for the break-up phone call.

Oliver couldn't pin why she sounded unenthused. Was she still with Lex?

"Let me take you out tomorrow." he started.

"What?"

"Let me take you out." he repeated with a smile, pacing the length of the sofa and back again. "Tomorrow. 8pm. Claros."

"You serious?" Why did she sound so surprised?

"I did tell you I wanted a fourth date right?" he joked.

"Sorry. Yeah. Tomorrow, sure."

"Good. That's what I like." And now she was back to her usual self. Had she doubted his interest? Was this what this was? Was Tess right… was it his fault? "I'll meet you there?"

"Sure, sounds good. Fantastic even." He could almost hear her smile. "Wait, how did you get a table at Claros so quickly?"

"It's all about who you know." He smirked and reminded himself to buy Tess something in return. She was always complaining about her back ache, maybe a spa day would thank her properly.

"Amazing." she laughed.

"Quite. However, I've got to go to Tokyo for a week the day after tomorrow. Business and such."

"The day after tomorrow? Do things always move this fast in your job? When did you find out?" she fired the questions at him with remarkable speed.

"Only got the word today. Rush packing is not my skill." he lied. "But, I'll have you all day tomorrow, and I'll call you every night I'm away."

"I think I can survive a week without you." she teased, her laugh twinkling down the line to follow.

"We'll see."

Chloe leaned back on the sofa, she'd been worried about nothing. He still wanted her, he was still taking her out, still interested in the beautiful dates he'd painted in her head. She smiled.

Now she just needed to figure out Arrow and things would be plain sailing from there on out. With a grin, she flipped the page in the magazine, reading an article on teasing your man. She scoffed, she had that down, but as she flipped she caught the image of a poker table in the bottom corner and wheel started turning. Even before she read the tagline, her mind was turning.

She wouldn't be using this to tease her man though.

No. She'd uncover herself a vigilante with a classic game of strip poker.

It just so happens she was quite skilled at poker. Skilled enough to beat a cocky asshole like Arrow down to his tighty-whiteys. And, as a man of his word, he'd have no choice but to give up the game.

She'd trap him with his own cocky ego.

Her mind went to another cocky ego she wouldn't mind playing a few rounds of strip poker with. Oliver. He was everything she needed and more. He was a shooting star across pitch black. He was calm, happiness and laughter.

No man had held her like he did, no man made her feel like she was precious. Men brought her trouble, sadness and emptiness. Oliver touched her hand and captured her heart.

He made her feel safe for the first time in a very very long time. How had she doubted him? He wouldn't drop her.

But… why was she going to slap him? She thought in the back of her brain, and that thought grew larger and larger. He was going on business… that wouldn't make her slap him. What would make her run? What wasn't he telling her still?

At 8pm, Chloe was sat at the round table in the lounge, her feet up on the wood, laptop across her thighs as she added the finishing touches to her work.

Arrow didn't disappoint.

"You called?" The voice distorter broke the sound of her typing. She smiled brightly.

"And you came." she pointed out. "What a wonderful result." she teased.

"You have the files?"

"I do. And, I even went one better." She rose, lifting the laptop with her as she walked to the pale green sofa. "Take a seat big guy." He walked across, but stood behind her. He missed how she rolled her eyes and re-adjusted so he could see the screen. "Nexus labs blueprint." She waved her hand before the screen then pressed for the document to take the full screen. "The improved version." she added to her narration. "Complete with traps and now refined meteor rocks, for lord know what reason."

"Meteor rocks?" Lex must know Clarks weakness. They were in trouble.

"Shush, let the guide finish." she berated. "Not a lot has changed, so your original plan still stands. However, I'd like to offer an alternative." Oliver rose an eyebrow under the shadow of the shades. "I'm sure I know your team enough by now to plan so listen and look Green Bean." She tapped the left button and a green and purple dotted line came ontop of the blueprint. "Lex has designed specific areas of weakness for each one of you, but he hasn't quite mastered the whole 'separation' thing. He's working on typical approach."

"Typical approach?" What did Lex know of his typical approach?

"Cocky bullheaded leader enters first, argumentative female can't keep attention due to her new violent conversation with whatever member of the week pissed her off." Arrow had to give her that. "You'll send your amphibian with tech man from another entrance and speed demons one and two will provide back up, follow in through a third entrance if there is one, of split with the teams."

Yeah… right so far. Just how much did she know about them? He hadn't even presumed this much… "So, flip it. You; the green, and cyber space; the purple, enter through the back doors. Cyber taking down the electric system before hand and you disabling the backup generated at the back door." Arrow narrowed his eyes to the lines. "You storm the fort, take down the trap intended for your fish man and cyber resists touching the computers at all. And I mean at all." She clicked again and a huge red X came over the block of computers on the blue print. "In the meantime, fishy and birdy take the blur with them through the front doors. Blur stops the bullets meant for you, Birdy shatters the glass and sharkboy douses the electrical circuit with the water. Which, by the by, needs to be done before you and cyborg start toying with your end, otherwise it will just all shut down and they'll be locked out." Arrow noted the new blue and black dotted line as it progressed into the room. "I should have probably laid their design on first." she muttered to herself, then continued. "Okay, so you meet in the middle room and they'll be some kind of trap happening there. Lex's blueprint just has a big skull. I'm presuming noxious gas; there were gas canisters on the shipping log. So take a deep breath before you walk in or press anything." A red line came from a third point and across the top shading of the blueprint. "Speedy comes into play now, which is why he had to remain outside." she began again. "In the case that the blur can't get out of the situation or you can't free yourself. You need the hit the ground. There's a vent above the room, it used to be a medical research lab, so everything is inbuilt and he didn't spent the time to check these. So, you'll just have speedy on the roof, take a deep breath and rip open the vent, turn on the fans and get down before taking a breath. Shouldn't be too hard." she summed.

"Right."

"Just ensure you avoid anything marked with your own colour." she added. "The blur should stay away from the big green crosses. And that's quite a few, so ensure you stick to the plan." Then she turned to him. "That's unless you have a better idea."

Arrow looked down at her half stunned half impressed.

"Why don't you work for me?" he asked, the gruff distorter making the words seem like a threat.

"Oh, I don't think we'd get along at all." she laughed. "I made a copy and everything I got from Lex is on the flashdrive."

"Thanks blondie."

"Well, I'd feel bad if you were killed. But, make sure you kill the camera before you go in the back. Otherwise, they'll be questions."

"Nothing will be pinned back to you. You're safe." And she believed him wholeheartedly.

"Good. Now, another issue to address."

Arrow chuckled, leaning against the table she'd just left. "Who taught you archery?"

"Personal question."

"I met a nice man the other day." she began. "He said that archers usually take the fletching of their trainers… in tribute."

"He's not lying."

"So you didn't train with Vordigan."

"How do you know that name?"

"Oh please, 'the dark archer terrorises metropolis', any good journalist knows that story. But… he wasn't your trainer…"

"He's nothing good to be looking into." he warned. "Even dead."

Chloe narrowed her eyes.

"He wasn't your ally at all… was he?"

"He's dead now." Arrow just spoke.

"So he is."

"What else did this 'nice man' tell you?" he jabbed, moving around the sofa to her.

"His name was David Fox." But the name gave no reaction from him. "Extremely talented archer. Bull's-eye every shot."

"I'll tell you something for free sunshine." His mood lifted in those words. "My name's not David Fox." She grinned at him, sliding off the laptop she'd hit hibernate on and stood to her smaller height before him.

"I'm meant to believe you why?" she countered, barely centimetres from him. If she didn't know better, she'd swear Queen had a brother. Maybe long lost… The jaw was just so… similar.

"I'm not stupid enough to train at a local range to my area of hunting." The way he spoke, the danger in the word hunting he used to describe his vigilante behaviour, it stirred something in her. How could she want him after last night with Oliver? She still felt the dull ache between her legs when she walked for god's sake.

"Still not proof." She couldn't be sure, but she felt like his eyes were right on hers, staring into her soul. The shiver ran her with an ounce of fear.

"What more do you need? It's logic, rather than visiting some upstate country club under the guise of press."

"Stalking me?" But the thought didn't bother her, in fact it was quite the opposite, she felt safer.

"You're fun to watch." He grinned, then stepped back. "It's hilariously cute how easily you switch on the charm and have men on their knees before you."

"Shame it doesn't work on all men."

"Not really." he disagreed, stepped away from her and around to the table again. "You wouldn't want a man who caved to your every wish. You'd get bored too easily." Chloe flashed her gaze to him. True… but how did he read that from her?

"Maybe. But at least they wouldn't be dressed in leather pacing my apartment." she teased. "Seriously, you couldn't have lost the suit for one night?"

"You just want to see me naked." he summed. "Besides, I don't see you stripping off for me either. Why should I?" Chloe grinned wickedly, it was like he was playing straight into her hand. And from the tilt of his head, his gaze was playing straight into her cleavage. Her eyes lifted to him, burning alight with the spirit of her dare.

"Alright Green Bean." She lifted the pack of cards from the side table and walked past him to take a seat. "How'd you fancy your luck at poker?" she announced, sitting. "Strip." Was added a second later, her beautiful smile matching fierce eyes. "Your outfit, my clothes." she continued, her foot kicking out the chair he was closest to. "Unless, you're scared…" And she knew he couldn't refuse now. The male ego, especially one as big as Arrow's, couldn't say no to a challenge to their manliness.

"How many pieces you wearing Blondie?" He took the seat, entirely sold to her offer. She rewarded him with a bright beam, something that held an air of evil to it.

"Less than you, but I figured I'd give you a fighting chance."

"I'll get you naked fair and square. Even it off blondie, then we play."

"Cocky." she complimented. "How many you got on archer?"

Clothes were added and numbers evened. All items were just worth one bet, that was it was more fair. In humour, Chloe had come back out from her clothing scavenge with a pair of dark sunglasses. If he was hiding his eyes, so was she. Sure, she could bluff along with the best of them, but she had clear advantage. He thought her weak and that was how she would win.

"What are we playing?" she asked as she threw him the pack of plain playing cards for his inspection and shuffle. "Blackjack? Five card draw? Seven card stud? Personally I have a preference to Texas hold 'em, but I'll play anything."

"Let's keep it simple goldilocks. Five card draw." Chloe rolled her eyes as he passed the pack back unshuffled. She guessed shuffling with leather all over your fingers wasn't easy.

"Suits me. We can swap dealer once I've shed you of those gloves leather fetish."

"These names are ridiculous…" he chuckled darkly.

"Do you want to give me your real name?" she challenged.

"Do you?"

"Fine. We'll be strangers today. My name will be Candy-"

"Why? Because you'll let me taste you?" he laughed.

"No. Because I may look sweet, but you know I'm not good for you." She smiled sweetly innocent and continued before his next smart comment. "I think I'll call you David today."

"I'm not David. We've covered this point."

"No. I just agreed to drop it for arguments sake, but this isn't cleared up. Besides, you can't prove you aren't."

"Can you prove I am?" he challenged.

"Maybe not. But until then I'll name you David."

"David Fox has a tattoo of a Celtic cross on his left bicep."

"Wow. Maybe you weren't stalking me after all." she joked.

"It's called observation, you were tracing your fingers along it the majority of the day. So tell me now, am I David Fox?" He turned to the right, showing her the clean skin of his left bicep. 100% tattoo free. No airbrush effects, no plastic cover. Just real clean skin.

"Alright. So you're not a David. I think I'll call you Billy bob." He leant back in the seat, a smile tugging his lips at her childish behaviour. "This being because no matter how many tomatoes you sell, you'll never accomplish the dream of fucking that sister-cousin you've had your eyes on. She has no interest in you at all." He laughed and tapped the desk.

"Deal Candy. Before someone gets impatient and takes a bite at you." Chloe breathed a laugh under her sigh and added a last minute shuffle before dealing him 5 cards, then her own and stacking the pile in the middle freely. Chloe set her polished nails on the cards, lifting them close to her chest and playfully stealing a glance. A thinking face slapped purposefully all over her features.

"Hmmmm. I see." she announced, stirring another laughter from her melodramatic performance.

"You sure you've played poker before Blondie?"

"Keep laughing Green Bean. Keep laughing while your clothes just flee your body and then we'll see who has the last giggle."

"Alright. I take it I'm going first." Chloe smiled and nodded, letting him discard two and pick up two fresh ones from atop the pile. It would be fast, fun and with her luck at cards it should be the easiest uncovering she'd ever done.

"So dear Billybob darling." she slithered a dance of his made up name across her tongue. "You want to up us from just the one item? Or are you stuck with a lack of faith in your hand."

"Candy sweetie," he purred right back "I've played long enough not to get baited by women playing on my ego." Chloe smiled, and it was real, but her brain was telling her it might not be as easy as she planned. "I'm not raising, and I'm not folding. Take your turn." So he was evaluating her first round it seemed. To get a sense on what style she played with. If she'd blast it all, or play slow and steady. Chloe did it all and more, always keeping them on their toes, chasing their tails.

She struck her thinking pose again, dropping 4 cards and collecting four fresh. It was reckless and risky, but she knew how to play against cocky men. She'd kept her ace, and much to her love she had collected another one and a pair of four's. What luck? Nothing that good had happened before. She muffled a forced sigh and rested her hands on the smooth table, almost missing the feel of felt to accompany the sensation of stealing people's winnings.

"Alrighty Bobby. We'll start things off slow and I'll just raise you up the one item."

"I'll see that bet." He grinned and cards turned over.

She took great joy in his reaction, watching with a smile as he sighed and took off both gloves on his hands. They sat limp and lifeless on one of the spare chairs aside them. No re-dressing, as a rule. Only betting your own clothes and once it's gone. It's gone. Unable to stop herself she lifted one of her winnings and tossed it in her hands before slipping her significantly smaller hand inside. Her own trophy.

"I like it. When you run out of here naked I think I'll keep them. Maybe stuff them and mount them on my wall." she laughed.

The tables turned back and forward. His boots, arm bands, weapons, belt and socks were sitting aside to join both of her ear-rings, sunglasses, necklace, slippers, sun hat, cardigan and t-shirt. Chloe brushed her hand in her hair again, not bothering to hide the lilac lace of her bra covering her naked chest. Her shorts, matching underwear and chunky bracelet the only things on her person to keep her company and she didn't care. They were both down to four items each. Her opponent had skilfully left sunglasses, voice distorter, hooded top and leather bottoms for last, still keeping his identity 100% covered. He'd discarded clothes with care for his anonymity. She'd lost the top to keep his attention wavering, keeping herself covered and yet also having the bracelet to play with around her wrist. He would try and work out if her fingers toying meant she was bluffing or not, when really it just meant she was playing with her bracelet and driving him insane. Nothing more. He was an odd character though, as soon as he got his cards he'd look and lay them flat on the table, not touching unless to look again.

"Alright my old goat Billybob. Deal me." she instructed, cutting off a yawn.

"In a hurry to get to bed? Am I boring you Candy?"

"You deal like a 99 year old with Alzheimer's." she insulted freely with a grin on her face. "If you at least gave me some eye candy I could overlook that… but your Amish tendencies are just getting annoying."

"How about this next one goes all or nothing then?" he laughed.

"I thought you didn't cave to the pressure of blondes like me playing you ego." Her hand went to the half finished glass of wine by her elbow. He refused anymore after the one glass. Something about past drunken adventures which, despite her many protests and bargains, he would not divulge upon. He had decided to raid Lex's cds player and choose one of the rare albums which showed good taste. It was pitch black outside, but warm and light where she sat cross legged on her chair, bouncing her knees in anticipation of his deal.

"I don't give in to your pressures. But my carriage may turn back to a pumpkin soon. Besides, some of us have to work."

"I hope it's not early or you'll be yelled at by your boss for falling asleep on the job."

"Relax blondie. My boss accepts bribes. I'll buy him a hooker named Candy, or something else sweet and all will be forgiven."

"Your boss is nicer than mine." She laughed. "Alright. All or nothing. Last hand. Loser strips."

"Sure you want this?" he asked. "Don't want you to feel pressured." he joked and was met by her laugh as she waved the cards forward. Before he could deal his own hand he was met by a buzzing against his leg. Damn. His mobile. He slipped the lock free and was met by a text from Bart.

911 Cyb. Where R U?

He sighed.

"You don't even have your hand and you're giving in." she tried to lighten his dark mood. "Doesn't look good."

"911. I really have to go." Chloe's heart fluttered. He was leaving? No… Her eyes stared wide as he pulled back on the socks and boots with impressive speed. But what was she meant to say? What could she say? "I'm sorry. We will finish this." he swore and she pulled him a half hearted smile. Chloe brushed her hand to her hair again.

"You really have to go?" her voice asked him to stay. Just a few minutes more, and it was that need that had him stopping his speed re-dressing. Bart had the worst timing, but they needed him and he wouldn't leave them. No matter how much he wanted to stay. With the belt hanging unfastened around his waist, the arm bands hanging off his index finger and crossbow on the floor he crossed the small distance to take her to his body, his lips swooping down to hers injecting as much need and regret into her as he had.

"Tomorrow. You'll still be here won't you?" She nodded and rested her head against his chest glumly. "Then I'll be here. Before midnight. Promise" With another quick kiss he forced himself to step back, pick up the bow and he was to the balcony, leaving the same way he came in.

Tomorrow, she repeated to herself, her fingers tracing the tingles across her lips. It was definitely a different kiss to Oliver's… but, she felt the same pull. What was it about those men that sparked every live wire in her and put all others to shame? Maybe it was time for her to start believing in soul mates. But two? No-one was that lucky. Then again, how much soul can you share with a masked man you could never be with. He was the job, her ticket to freedom and apparently, he was making her heart protest against her head for the first time since she stood over her father's grave. Oliver, she repeated to herself. She was better off with Oliver. Slowly she closed the balcony doors, flipping the latch to lock them and stumbling miserably to an empty bed.

She knew the feeling all too well by now. It was the one night stand trashy feel. But somehow she knew her heart wouldn't let her put this man behind her. He'd already obliterated her rule of not seeing the same man twice unless for a relationship. God, her life got so much more complex since she got to Smallville. She sighed and flopped back against the bed, scrambling through the darkness of her closed eyes to find the comfort of the duvet against the cold pounding of her heart.

"What happened?" he hissed down the phone to Bart.

"He's trapped."

"How the hell?!" Oliver snapped. Victor was scouting the perimeter, how had he got trapped?

"Dinah said there was a crying noise from inside. He rushed in and it sealed him in. Dinah says he told her he'd found a room of computers. But, she hasn't heard anything since."

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:O

... I'm guessing by now you've all realised just how much I love writing cliffhangers...

Hehehehehe. I just love them!