A/N – This part rated R – nothing too explicit though. Also, I want to apologize for not responding to reviews as I usually do. I don't have the greatest Internet right now, and posting anything (even a reply here or a comment at LJ) takes a while. I do want to thank everyone who is reading though, and a special thanks for reviews. Part VIII will be up this week. I'm editing it (again) but I want to post the final three parts as soon as I can. Based on editing I think it will be 10 parts - if something's too long to post, it might go to 12, but right now I'm going with 10. Hope you enjoy the update!

Part VII

Chloe leaned against the counter of her Lois' small kitchen and raised a dubious brow at the lumpy crepe batter her cousin was stirring. "I really don't think it's supposed to look like that, Lo. And besides, it's Clark. I'm not sure he even knows what a crepe is." Lois had apparently wheedled Clark into fixing her leaky sink with the promise of food, but Chloe knew Clark wasn't expecting anything fancy. It was, after all, Lois.

Lois pouted, raising the spoon and watching as a couple of the doughy-looking lumps fell back into the bowl. "This was for me, not Clark. My friend Jenny made these fantastic dessert crepes at a dinner party last weekend, and this is her recipe. It looked so easy – I don't know what happened."

Chloe figured Lois was what happened but refrained from reminding her cousin that of the many things she was good at, cooking was not among them. "Look, why don't we just run down to that bakery around the corner and grab something? We've ordered pizza and wings – it's not like it has to be gourmet."

"I'll go – you wait here in case the food or Clark arrives before I get back. I might stop at the video store too," Lois said as she turned the bowl upside down over the trash can. When nothing came out, she shook it until globs of the thick batter fell out. She made a face. "Stupid recipe. Oh, and I dropped my car off this afternoon for some maintenance, so I'll need your keys."

"In my bag," Chloe replied as she poked through the refrigerator. "And get some root beer while you're out. You have nothing to drink in here except water and juice that expired two months ago." When Lois didn't answer, she turned to see her cousin holding up two brightly colored condom packages. Crap – she'd forgotten those were in there.

Lois raised a brow. "Something you want to tell me?"

Poker face, Chloe. "Nope."

"Really?" Lois examined the small, plastic squares in her hand. "Red raspberry and tropical fruit flavors. I'm calling bullshit on the 'I was working' excuse you've been giving me and Clark for blowing us off the last few weeks. Maybe because you've been too busy bl-"

"Lois, do not finish that sentence," Chloe interrupted, fighting to keep the guilty flush from her cheeks, a tell that would be like blood in the water to her scarily intuitive cousin.

Lois crossed her arms. "You're definitely sleeping with… I have no idea who, but you're totally doing it with someone. Who is he?" When Chloe remained silent, Lois frowned. "God, please tell me you didn't backslide. I know celibacy is a bitch, but Jimmy is so not worth it."

"There was no backsliding," Chloe confirmed, rolling her eyes. "And if you don't leave now, both the food and Clark will arrive before you're back."

Lois held up the condoms. "Fine, I'm going. But we are not done with this topic. I just figured you might want to talk about it before Clark arrives so he doesn't have an aneurism. You know what sex talk does to him. I swear even his eyes get red sometimes."

Chloe threw up her hands in exasperation. "It's not a big deal, it's just… kind of a casual thing."

Eyes narrowing, her cousin regarded her. "Chloe, you don't do casual. You've never done casual hookups. The closest you came was Jimmy when you were sixteen, and you dated afterward. And you still said later that you wished you'd waited to cash in your v-card."

"Okay, well, I'm not a virgin now. I'm an adult, and I know what I'm doing. I can handle this." Chloe wondered who she was trying to convince – Lois or herself.

"Who is this guy, anyway?"

"No one, just… a friend. Sort of. We've been… seeing each other for about a month. And it'll probably be over soon, anyway. He's not into long term commitments, and you know I swore off serious relationships after breaking things off with Jimmy, at least for the time being. It's nice to be having fun for a change."

Lois opened her mouth but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She sighed before dropping the condoms back in Chloe's bag. "We are not done with this conversation, just so you know," she commented as she left to answer the door.

Chloe closed her eyes and mentally cursed her forgetfulness even as she recalled the circumstances that had led her to carry the protection in the first place.

Chloe checked her watch for the third time in as many minutes. Her contact was late, and the alley was both deserted and creepy, making her aware that it was not the ideal spot for a meeting. A short block up she could hear the busy sounds of people and traffic, but it seemed much further away than it had when she had checked out the location earlier that morning. She tightened her grip on the Taser in her bag as a precaution, keeping a wary eye on her surroundings. Just as she was getting ready to leave, she heard footsteps approaching.

Tiny Tim Turansky was anything but tiny as he emerged from the shifting shadows of the alley's dead end. Chloe wondered if there was another entrance she was unaware of or if he had been there all along watching her. Before her imagination could run too wild, she reminded herself that this meeting had been his idea and he had as much to gain from it as she did.

"Evening, Miss Chloe," he said. "Thank you for this meeting." His voice betrayed a faint Eastern European accent, though not one Chloe could immediately place; probably second generation, she thought.

"Well, it's not every day a girl gets a call about a story this big," she replied, forcing a note of confidence into her voice that she wasn't quite feeling.

"As I said before, I help you and you help me. It is win-win for everyone."

"Unless you're Vinnie Marcos," she pointed out, referring to the head of one of Metropolis' biggest crime syndicates. "And one might question why you're so eager to take down a man you've called friend for twenty years. Some of your businesses are still tied together."

"See, this is why I chose you – even here, alone, defenseless, you are not one to back away from a challenge. Bravery and tenacity are qualities I admire very much." His tone was faintly mocking, and it set Chloe's nerves on edge.

"There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity, so you'd be wrong to assume I'm as defenseless as I might appear to be." Chloe knew Clark was patrolling in the area that night – one good scream would bring him speeding to her aid. Or at least, she hoped it would.

He smiled, white teeth gleaming in the scant light. "You are in no danger from me. And you're correct. Vinnie has been a good friend to me over the years, but he has always been emotionally unstable and given to a certain amount of brutality. He has a temper and it leads him to make rash decisions. Left unchecked, I believe he will bring down everything we have all worked to build. And I am not getting any younger. I have two children at Boston University now. I want to legitimize my businesses, secure their future, and retire comfortably with my wife. Vinnie is proving himself to be an obstacle, and I've never liked obstacles."

"And you're not afraid he'll turn on you?" Chloe questioned curiously.

"I haven't been active in his organization in a number of years. He has no reason to suspect me. Most of my businesses and investments are now legitimate, and I am willing to cut ties to the ones still connected to his organization. I will not lie to you and say that my hands were never dirtied by my dealings with him or others. I've gained my fortune through illegal means. But I am no longer a threat to this city or anyone in it, and the same cannot be said about Vinnie. Even if he were to learn that I gave you this information, the Feds would gain little by coming after me, and he knows that."

"But there are other ways to retaliate against you through your family and friends."

"That will not happen," he replied, voice hard. "I still have a lot of influence here, and many people are more loyal to me than to him. It is the price he pays for employing the tactics he does. When he has been brought down, I will step in and quietly deal with the organization. This is the reason I sought you out, Miss Chloe. Vinnie would never believe that I leaked this information to a reporter."

Chloe considered this for a moment. "Of course, that makes me the one with the big red target on her back."

"Yes, there's that," he agreed. "But this kind of story launches careers. I will do what I can to protect you. I'll make it known, quietly, that should any harm come to you there will be consequences."

"You're right - there will be consequences," a hard, distorted voice said from above, startling both Chloe and Turansky.

Chloe looked up to see Oliver as he leapt from a fire escape where he had apparently been observing the meeting. He moved to stand at her left side, bow in hand.

Turansky raised his brows. "The vigilante Green Arrow. Rather impressive backup, Miss Chloe. Perhaps I won't need to worry about you after all."

Chloe fought to keep the surprise from her face at Oliver's sudden appearance. "We all have our little secrets. Now, I believe you said you had some information for me?"

Turansky handed over a thick folder and a flash drive. "As promised, there is enough information here to put Vinnie away for a very long time."

Chloe took the file and flash. "And if I need to contact you?"

"You will find a protocol for that on the flash drive. Miss Chloe, it has been a pleasure." Turansky turned but paused when Oliver spoke, his distorted voice echoing eerily in the alley.

"One more thing. If Miss Sullivan receives so much as a threatening note or phone call, you're the first person I'm coming for. If you have as much power in Marcos' organization as you say you do, you'll make sure it doesn't come to that."

"Is that a threat?" For the first time, Turansky seemed slightly uneasy.

"Yes." The brief reply held a note of menace, and the fine hairs on the back of Chloe's neck stood up. She didn't doubt that Oliver would go after Turansky, and the seriousness of the situation began to sink in.

Turansky regarded the hooded vigilante with a sort of grudging respect. "Understood. I'll take care of it."

He walked away, and the heavy silence that he left in his wake made Chloe uncomfortable. She tried to gauge Oliver's mood – was he angry with her? She slipped the file and flash drive into her bag and cleared her throat. "Thanks for the backup. How did you know I was here?"

Oliver just looked at her for a moment, his face completely unreadable. He turned away and shot an arrow into the ledge behind them. For a moment she thought he was going to leave without answering her, but then he turned back, pulled her to him, and released the zip line switch, sending them soaring upward.

Chloe didn't even have time to gasp as she suddenly found herself on the rooftop with Oliver. She clung to him as he took them from one rooftop to another at dizzying speeds. When they finally stopped, she saw that they were on the roof of The Daily Planet.

He released her, and she stumbled back a few steps, using the ledge to steady herself. "A little warning before you do that kind of thing would be great, you know."

"I was patrolling and I saw you go into the alley, so I waited to see what you were up to." Oliver switched off his voice distorter before removing his dark glasses. "Meeting alone with a man like Turansky, Chloe, really? I know you take your career seriously, but it's not worth dying for, is it?"

"But taking down a crime syndicate like Marcos' is, Oliver. Isn't that why all of us do what we do? Clark has his strength and speed, and you have your arrows. And maybe I'm not a hero, but I have my words and a way to reach people. If I can use that to make a difference, I will."

"And I'm not saying you shouldn't," Oliver shot back. "But you could have told me what you were doing. Or hell, Clark even. At least then we'd be able to ensure your safety."

"We may be sleeping together, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. After he approached me, I checked Turansky out thoroughly before agreeing to meet with him. I also knew that Clark was patrolling in that general area, and I was standing near the open end of the alley only a short distance away from a busy street."

"Because no one ever dies on a busy street," he retorted sarcastically. "Jesus, Chloe, the last two muggings I stopped happened on a busy street. A guy like Turansky could sink a knife into you and be gone before you even hit the ground. You'd probably never even get a chance to use your Taser."

All things she had considered while standing in that dimly lit alley. She sighed and rubbed her temple. She had already half admitted to herself she'd made a mistake going to the meeting solo – why was it so hard to admit that to Oliver? "I don't want to fight about this, Ollie. Maybe the circumstances weren't ideal, but I got the information I wanted, and this story is going to blow the roof off organized crime in Metropolis. Something to be happy about, right? A win for the good guys for a change."

Oliver stepped forward and ran his fingers through her hair before cupping the back of her neck. "It's only a win if you come out of it in one piece – try to remember that next time. I will always have your back if you need me, and it has nothing to do with us sleeping together, so no throwing that in my face like an accusation. I'm your friend, and I'm allowed to worry. And if I ever do something stupid, I know you'll probably be the first one to tell me. Well, Clark would probably be the first, but you'd likely be a close second."

Chloe laughed as he grinned down at her. "You're right, Clark probably would be the first one in line to lecture you – which is why when I break this story, I'm going to tell him you were my backup. His lectures are kind of long winded, you know – it might cut into our fun time."

Oliver shook his head at the way she was finessing the situation to her advantage, but he didn't argue with her. "Well, we can't have that. I haven't seen you nearly enough in the last two weeks."

"I've been at your place for the last two weekends and two nights out of each of those weeks," she protested. "Lois and Clark have both been complaining about my lack of availability."

He pulled her backward until they were hidden in the shadows of the building, turning her until her back was against the wall. He leaned down to kiss her neck. "Poor baby – all this lying and sneaking. Guess I'll have to make that up to you."

Chloe tilted her head back, shuddering as his hands slid down to cup her ass. "It is a lot of lying and sneaking, and Lois is a hard woman to lie to."

"Not the only thing that's hard," he murmured with a smirk, pushing his hips against hers. He lifted her suddenly, pulling her legs around his waist and pushing her skirt up all in one motion.

She gasped at the sudden movement and then moaned as he rocked between her legs. She clutched at his hood, feeling strangely aroused by the feel of his leather uniform beneath her fingers. "Is it weird that I'm really turned on by the fact that Green Arrow is seducing me on a roof?"

"You know if you wanted to be ravished on a rooftop by a vigilante, all you had to do was ask," he said as his lips descended on hers.

And then neither of them spoke, too busy kissing and sliding hands beneath clothes. Chloe pulled down the zipper of his vest as he unbuttoned her blouse and ran his tongue across her cleavage. He yanked the strap of her bra down and pushed the lacy cup out of his way, suckling the hard tip of her breast. Chloe widened her thighs and used the wall as leverage to thrust against him.

Oliver pulled back and his lips devoured hers again, his tongue sliding against hers as his fingers moved up her thigh and ran across her damp panties. "You're already so wet," he whispered. He pushed the damp material to the side and Chloe gasped as the smooth leather of his uniform made contact with her sensitive flesh.

Suddenly, he stilled. "Dammit. Do you have a condom in your bag?"

Chloe felt like beating her head on the wall behind her. "No." Not for the first time since she and Oliver had begun their arrangement, she cursed the fact that she'd allowed her birth control to lapse after her breakup with Jimmy. And though she and Oliver had both been tested recently and had nothing to worry about on that front, the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy put a definite damper on things.

She swallowed her disappointment. "We should stop." She dropped her legs from around his waist and allowed him to set her on her feet. With a shaky breath, she straightened her clothes and watched him slide the zip of his uniform back up.

"Well… that was anticlimactic," Chloe commented drily, biting her lip. "Sorry. We'll be good on the birth control front in a couple of weeks. I mean, we've agreed on exclusivity, so if you wanted…"

Oliver kissed her suddenly, cutting off her words. "Oh, I want. Badly. Until then, though, maybe you could keep something in your bag? You never know when Green Arrow might surprise you. I hear he's a horny bastard." He punctuated this statement with another kiss.

"Deal. Now I need to go get some work done if I have any hope of leaving before midnight. Still want me to come over later?"

"As if you had to ask," he said before slipping his dark glasses back on. He shot an arrow over to the next building and grinned at her as he stepped onto the ledge. "I have plans for you later, Sullivan." With that he was gone, leaving Chloe with a silly grin on her face as she headed back to the basement.

Before that night, Chloe hadn't realized it was possible for a woman to suffer from blue balls, and she had made sure to keep protection with her since then on the off chance that Green Arrow decided to ravish her on a rooftop again. And she was really, really hoping he would. Clark's voice calling for her interrupted her thoughts, and she walked into the living room. "Hey Clark."

Clark hugged her. "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Don't be dramatic like Lois. I had lunch with you last week, but I've been busy with the Marcos story."

"Kahn has been in the best mood lately because of that story," he replied. "I think you have a lock on a position when you graduate. People are speculating that she might even offer it to you early."

"And I wouldn't turn it down. How have you been?"

He shrugged. "Same as usual. So, what did Lois order? I'm starving."

The door buzzed again and Clark smiled. "I can smell the pizza and … wings, right?" He grinned happily and went to answer the door.

"It's weird how you do that," Chloe called after him. "Just don't slip up in front of Lois. Normal people can't smell food outside a door from a room away, Clark." She shook her head in exasperation.

Lois returned soon after, and Chloe busied herself with plating the food and pouring drinks so Lois wouldn't have a chance to corner her again. Dinner was fun, and she realized she had missed spending time with Lois and Clark. Still, she wasn't sure she'd trade her time with Oliver for it, and that was beginning to worry her. Regardless of what she'd told Lois, she knew she was getting attached.

She pondered this as she cleaned off the table while Lois supervised Clark under the sink. Being with Oliver was addicting. She'd told herself repeatedly to rein in her feelings, to have fun in the moment but not to let it go farther than that. It was becoming clear to her that it wasn't possible for her to give her body to him without engaging her emotional side too. They were just so… compatible. Compatible physically, yes, but compatible in other ways too – ways that had been a complete surprise to her.

They had fun together, and not just in the bedroom. They prepared meals together and read the paper on weekend mornings while lazing about in his very comfortable bed. They enjoyed the same books and movies. He wasn't the music geek she was, but he liked a lot of the new bands she'd introduced him to. They were actually learning about each other, and everything Chloe learned made her want him just a little bit more. And that was scary because Oliver hadn't said anything that made her believe the casual nature of their relationship had changed.

As if Lois could sense her thoughts, she moved across the room to where Chloe stood. "You have to tell me something about this new guy, Chloe," she said quietly.

Chloe glanced warily at Clark, knowing he'd be able to hear if he wanted to even from across the room. But he appeared to be completely focused on his work, so Chloe whispered, "He's a good guy, Lois. What happened between us wasn't planned, it just sort of happened. And I figured it was a one-time deal, but he wanted us to keep seeing each other and… I wanted to, so I agreed."

"So it's like a friends with benefits sort of thing?" Lois whispered back.

"Exactly like that – and yes, I know that's not something I usually do, but with him it's just different. I trust him."

"Huh. I've never really heard you talk about anyone like this, Chlo. He must have some serious moves – speaking of, how's the sex? What with the fruit flavored condoms in your bag, I'm guessing really good, right?"

There was a loud thump followed by the sound of cracking wood, and Chloe looked over to see a wide eyed Clark staring at her. So much for him not listening to their conversation.

"Oh my God, Clark, what the hell happened? Are you alright?" Lois bent down to examine the wooden cabinet beneath the sink, the top of which now sported a dent roughly the shape of Clark's head.

"I'm fine," he answered, rubbing his head in a gesture Chloe knew was for show.

"You can't possibly be fine – you broke the cabinet with your head," Lois retorted. "You probably have a concussion."

"No, uhm… that wood was rotting," Clark stammered a bit. "I noticed it when I was checking the sink."

"Oh – I guess the water leak softened the wood. That makes sense. And you're sure you're ok?"

Clark stood up and allowed Lois to check his head with her fingers. "I'm fine really."

Lois put her hands on her hips. "I'm just going to call the super to come take a look. This never would have happened if he'd gotten his ass up here to fix it in the first place."

"I should be going," Chloe spoke up. The last thing she wanted was to be left alone with Clark now – she could practically see the questions churning through his brain. "I still have some studying to do."

"Studying. Right." Lois winked at her with a knowing grin. "Don't want to interfere with that. Have fun studying."

Chloe wanted to throttle her cousin. Subtlety was definitely not her thing, and now Clark's ears were turning red the way they always did when he was either embarrassed or getting upset about something. She figured it might be some combination of the two – definitely time to make a quick exit.

She grabbed her bag and hugged first Lois and then Clark. "I'll see you tomorrow – we'll have lunch." Maybe if she saw them more often they'd quit questioning her about what she was doing in her free time.

"I'll walk you out," Clark said suddenly.

"Really not necessary." Chloe was walking so fast she was practically running now.

"Oh, I insist," Clark replied firmly.

She sighed, resigned to the lecture she knew was coming. She'd have to hear it at some point - might as well get it over with. She and Clark were both silent in the elevator on the way down to the lobby. It wasn't until they stepped outside that Clark finally spoke.

"Is what Lois said true, Chloe? That you're…" he hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

Oh for crying out loud, Clark. "That I'm having sex? Yes, Dad. And we've been tested, and we're using protection and everything – hence the condoms in my bag. There's nothing wrong with what we're doing."

"But you're obviously not dating or you wouldn't be sneaking around and hiding it," Clark said. "You deserve more than some guy using you like that. Who is he?"

"None of your business, Clark. And we're not sneaking around. We're being private, and you know I don't talk about my private life. I dated Jimmy for two years, and you've never asked me about my sex life before. Why start now?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt, Chloe. I'm worried."

She reached for his hand. "And I appreciate that – you're my best friend, and I love you, but I'm still not going to talk to you about this. I'm an adult, and I'm being safe, and that's all you need to know."

"It's not George, I guess. His dating history was made up of long term relationships. He didn't seem like a player. Someone at school or the Planet?"

Chloe held up her hand. "Whoa, wait a minute. How do you know more about George's dating history than I do?"

Clark looked a bit sheepish as he replied, "I might have asked Victor to run a background check on him before your second date." When Chloe crossed her arms and glared at him, he hastened to add, "And so did Oliver – Victor said that Oliver asks for background checks on anyone that a member of the team is dating."

What a load of crap. "Clark, last time I'm going to say it – mind your own business. I appreciate the concern, but it's both unwelcome and unwarranted. I'm a big girl and I can handle myself. No one is taking advantage of me. Are we clear?"

She stared him down for a minute before he finally relented. "I'm sorry. I don't you to be mad about it. Just be careful, alright? You're not the type for casual hookups Chloe, and you know it. I know it. Don't bury your head in the sand and ignore your feelings until they can't be ignored anymore – and don't say you don't do that because you do, Chloe. You bury your feelings and you put other people ahead of yourself – promise me you'll try not to do that with this guy, ok?"

Chloe swallowed hard against the anxious feelings his words were stirring within her. Clark knew her really well, and she knew he had a point. "I promise I'll be careful."

Clark stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Good." He released her and moved back. "See you at work tomorrow."

Chloe got into her car and drove away, mindful of Clark's watchful gaze on her. She turned the corner and drove one more block before pulling over. She was supposed to go to Oliver's that night, and now she was questioning the wisdom of seeing him as often as she'd been doing. The thing was, Clark wasn't totally wrong. She knew her feelings were more engaged than she wanted to admit to Lois, Clark, or even herself.

But the last thing she wanted to do was end things before they had to end. Being with Oliver had opened her eyes to so many things. For one thing, the sex was absolutely amazing in a way she hadn't even thought possible. And they hadn't even really used any of the sex toys she'd bought. She had been thinking about it, though, and she'd had a plan for that evening involving the sexy cop costume Oliver had admitted to having sex dreams about.

Maybe on some level Clark was right and the smart thing to do was walk away before the possibility of getting hurt arose. But she was tired of always trying to do the smart thing. She'd been hung up on Clark for so long that her high school years had passed her by without even a casual boyfriend. Her university years had begun the same way until Jimmy reappeared in her life. She'd sort of drifted into a relationship with him because it had been nice to be the chosen one for a change. And though she had cared for Jimmy, she was beginning to realize that it hadn't been love – not the forever kind anyway.

And now Oliver had chosen her, and it was thrilling and heady. Maybe it wasn't love, but she had feelings for him. She wasn't burying her head in the sand about that. And as long as she was aware of her feelings, she wouldn't let them get out of control – she'd end it before that happened. Though she knew he cared for her as a friend, he shied away from any deeply personal topics. They had been spending a lot of time together, but Oliver kept it light, and she felt pretty sure he didn't intend for that to change. As long as she kept that in mind, she wouldn't get hurt.

Feeling better, Chloe pulled onto the road again and drove toward Oliver's penthouse. She had the cop costume in her trunk as well as a few other things. Oliver would be out on patrol for at least another hour, and she planned to be waiting for him when he got home.

Up Next – Officer Chloe makes an appearance, things get a little too real for Oliver, and the bachelorette party is a turning point when Chloe has a run-in with playboy Ollie out on the town.