Oh-oh, Chloe blacked out. Too much Brainiac is bad for our little heroine. Someone needs to teach her just when to say no.
Chapter 12; Didn't Mean Anything
"Chloe." A voice called. Not Oliver's; her brain first thought. "Chloe! Oh god damn it. Wake up!" It wasn't as light and caressing as Oliver's voice. "Jesus. Oliver's going to kill me." It muttered. Oliver? Oliver. Oliver! She opened her eyes to Victor shadowing over her. "Thank god." he breathed in relief. She pushed up and took the water he thrust in front of her, taking small sips.
"Oliver's not back yet?"
"Would I be alive if he was?" he questioned. True, Oliver would be grilling him for information any way possible if he was here. He'd probably blame this all on Victor as well for starting it.
"Good. You didn't call him or anything" she checked. He shook his head.
"Not insane. I was on my way though. You gave me one hell of a scare Chloe."
"Sorry. But, can we keep this between us two?" she asked. "I don't want Oliver finding out or he'll lock me in a room for the rest of my life." The rest of the team, bar Dinah, figured Oliver was soft on Chloe because she was female and not a fighter, nobody else seemed to see the spark between them thankfully.
"Yeah. If I tell him I'd probably end up in there with you." he admitted.
"So you won't tell him"
"I should… but if you don't want me to, I won't. As long as you tell me what happened." he bargained
"I don't know that much. Just that Brainiac is dying off inside my body. It can't live without the electric charges Milton Fine used to have and now when I use it I can have some pretty bad side effects. It's never been this bad before though." she confessed.
"Does Emil know?" Chloe shook her head.
"I promise I'll tell him. But please don't tell Oliver or anyone else."
"Of course. But you need to be careful Chloe. You don't know what could happen with those bugs inside you."
She nodded then glanced to the clock. 2:38. She'd only been out a few minutes.
"I think I should lie down for a bit." she declared quietly, feeling the world start to spin again as she moved.
"Bed or couch?"
"I'm good here I think. And you can keep an eye on me while you finish beating up zombies or whatever." She waved her hand at the games console dismissively.
"I don't think I should."
"As long as I'm not playing I should be fine. I promise."
He declined the room she made on the sofa, instead sitting on the floor by her feet and picking back up the games console as per her instructions. Chloe closed her eyes, and let herself drift, the black wiggles calming in her head as she rested.
Chloe didn't manage to fall asleep for more than 20 minutes at a time, thinking Ollie would be home at any moment and she didn't want to miss him. Victor kept her company when she wanted it. He was trying out dating again, after finally getting over his ex-girlfriend Katherine. He had dating stories… of course he, unlike Dinah, thankfully had a censor over how much he shared.
Finally the elevator clunked to life. Victor stood protectively in front of her, ready in case it wasn't Oliver on the other side. Chloe was leaning over the top of the sofa, grinning like a maniac. Not only was it Ollie on the other side. But Ollie with her coffee order… and was that a bag from Nora's bakery? A large sized bag? Oh she could kiss him. Well that went without saying really.
He stepped out and met her eyes smiling back.
"Did she behave?" he asked Victor as he relaxed his stance.
"Like an angel." he replied and Chloe grinned further.
"I take it Dinah and Ac are gone." Victor nodded. "Well, I may have brought too much food then." he confessed and wandered into the kitchen to drop off the food. Victor followed. Chloe wasn't far behind, her taste buds begging for her coffee order.
"Mocha whip with extra cream?" she asked from the door and Ollie rolled his eyes handing her the order along with a cream cheese bagel and a bag of white chocolate chip cookies. Her favourite. Most people think chocolate chips are the way to a girl's heart, but Chloe's sweet tooth would accept no alternatives to white. It simply melted all her worries and walls around her heart. She could swear that the bakers from Nora's bakery had super powers; it was an orgasm for your mouth with every lick. She devoured every last bite and sip listening to Victor and Oliver talk business then moved onto gaming as they ate. Soon, she was full and sleep was pulling at her. Part of her wanted to stay close to Ollie for the comfort, and to make sure Victor didn't say anything, not that she expected him too. But the other part was drooping on its feet, finally allowing her to relax now she knew Ollie was home and safe. Yawning, she dropped the empty coffee cup into the trash along with the paper bag of goodies holding nothing but crumbs.
"I think I'm going to go to bed. Thanks for staying Victor." She stifled another yawn.
"It was my pleasure. I had fun. But I think I should be going too." Chloe waited, un-sure if she should leave as Ollie walked Victor to the elevator and bid him the goodbyes. Finally she was alone. Just her and Ollie.
"You need help with the stairs?" he asked turning back, but she knew there was another question behind that. Clothing wise. She shook her head remembering Ollie didn't know yet.
"Actually I need to show you something." She lifted up the material and showed him the skin, which was…skin colour.
"Wow. That was fast." he commented and made his way over. "May I?" He extended his hand but stopped short of touching her. She nodded and he gently laid his fingers across her skin as he had that morning. "It doesn't hurt?" he asked in awe. She had been black all over when he last saw her, and now she was peaches and cream shimmering under the lights.
"Brainiac works fast. But I'm dead on my feet." she spoke and let the material fall as he took his touch away.
"I won't be long. Work treats me like a slave." he laughed. He watched her ascend and disappear into the bedroom while he stood there. All he could think about all day was her. She was a goddess to him yet it felt so strange to come back to her and act the same. He wanted to make his move, but also, he wanted her to make it too. He wouldn't push himself onto her if she didn't want it. He sighed, moving around ordering work things. He'd managed to juggle some papers and meetings so he could stay at home for the rest of the week. He'd still have to work… but it wouldn't be as long, and he could still keep an eye on Chloe. Speaking of… what was he going to do? Surely it was the female thing to analyse every action but here he was trying to figure out her mind, a task he already knew was impossible. Instead, he should just man up and ask her straight out. Besides, subtle wasn't his strong suit. He locked up the apartment, flipped the lights and went upstairs. It was only 6ish, but he was about to fall down asleep after the hectic day he had. Waking up at 4 for a conference call only to find he was needed at work hours later. He'd never signed quite so many papers or answered so many calls since he started. It seemed they all just stocked up. Then there were employee issues; movings, promotions, firings, all which needed his approval. Board meetings after board meetings. And yet all he wanted to do was get back to his woman. She wasn't even his woman yet and she dominated his entire thoughts. He needed to know if it was the same for her.
"Chloe, about this morning when we-" he stopped short spying the curled up form, eyes closed, hugging his pillow, her breathing was even; a telltale sign she was lost to dreams. "Never mind." he finished in a whisper and after a quick change slid into bed along side her. Like routine, her mind sensed him being close and she reached out letting him pull her into his body shape. He doubted he would be able to sleep any other way again.
Chloe came out of her comatose state to find the time at 1:49. Pm. She threw herself up from the bed, how had this happened? She'd never slept so late. That was… she added up mental math… 19 hours! That's almost an entire day spent in bed! She dressed, though really there was very little point and ran to the stairs to check the time. 1:55 pm. She blinked rapidly. 19 whole hours of sleep!
"I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever wake up." She heard the teasing tone from beneath her. She draped over the stairs and found Ollie leaning in the doorway to his office.
"You let me sleep for 19 hours!" she accused. "Why didn't you wake me?"
"I don't think 'let' is the right word. You were pretty much gone. If it wasn't for the breathing I'd swear you were dead." She flopped down onto the stairs. Brainiac had never done that before. Usually she got the bleeds, the headaches, maybe a little sickness. But the last time she had ever needed sleep like that was when she had healed someone who was dead or dying, and those powers were long gone. "Relax Chlo you needed the sleep. You did a lot of healing last night, your mind needed to catch up." he qualified meeting her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well can't it catch up while I'm awake?" she complained. "And I'm starving." she added. Ollie just laughed and pulled her by the hand into the kitchen.
"I've got some shareholder on hold, but I'll wrap it up in a few. Help yourself." He nodded at the pastries left over and cookies on the side. She gravitated toward them as he left chuckling back to his lair.
He didn't even give her time to read a page of a book before he was back out grinning. His smile could melt her heart. It was adorable.
"Did your shareholders find happiness?" she asked, though business speak just went over her head.
"They found a few thousand in spare change down the back of their sofa's too." he replied and settled in next to her, picking the book from her hand and reading the title. "Oh. You don't want to read this." he informed her, serious face on.
"I don't?"
"Nope. Not a good book for you."
"I don't see why not. It's not perverse or got anything pornographic in it." she argued, taking the book back.
"Exactly why you shouldn't be reading it. You should return back to those other books we both know you like." He wiggled his eyebrows and she slapped him with said book.
"Okay then Mr Queen. Since you're such an expert. Choose me a book I will like." she challenged. He smirked but accepted and stood, wandering his shelves of books.
"Well," he began, thinking aloud. "You're not little miss history, so you won't want any of these books." He sidestepped left, away from the shelf he had filled with historical novels and recounts of war. "You don't need anything that's romantic or lovey-dovey, so we'll skip that shelf." He knelt to a crouch his finger skimming over the titles. He paused and turned back to face her. "Did you finish Seducing Eleanor X yet?" She shook her head. "Will you?"
"We made a deal, even if you did go back on your word. I'll finish it before the week is out."
"Good good. Till then…" he turned back to his searching of titles. "Too much horror. Too much gore. Too much blood. You don't strike me as the weak women type either. You'd rather be the one doing the sweeping than the one being swept." he continued to muse. "Maybe this one." He pulled out an old brown spine then put it back. "Definitely not that one."
"Why not that one?" Her curiosity was peaking up.
"It wouldn't be very educative." he replied in code. She furrowed her brow trying to work out whatever he meant. He prattled on about each book while she thought. She only caught the end of his trail. "Not for a first time. Little too vague. Maybe later. Ah-ha!" He pulled a book from the shelf and made his way over, placing a white cover in her hands. She read the title sceptically.
"Hurricane?" He rotated his finger and she turned to the blurb. "Kane wanted out of the lifestyle. His last hit was a final blow to the secret mafia. Once and for all they could be gone. But when he learns about this mission, can he see it through?"
"Don't dismiss it yet." he warned her.
"I'm not dismissing. I'm simply wondering if they'll be a mafia princess he's ordered to kill who he falls for and ends up having sex with on multiple occasions."
"You've read too many of my books." he reprimanded and extended his hand expecting her to throw it back to him in rejection.
"No. I'll read it." She smiled and settled against him as he pulled out his own book. Slowly she leaned across reading the words from his page instead.
Ollie lowered the book for her, noticing her eyes wandering. She leaned further across his lap, resting on her elbows strategically placed on either side of one of his legs. He passed her the book and held up his hands in surrender. It's not like he needed them very much, not with the feel of her breasts pushed against his thigh. Instead he watched as she continued flicking the pages of his own book while his fingers played with her hair.
"You can't read this!" she gasped and turned to lie back against him, staring face up.
"And why not?" he asked though he knew very well why she had taken offence.
"Why not? It's disrespectful for starters and completely degrading for females. He keeps women as slaves then passes them along like they mean nothing!"
"For him, they do." he countered, pushing her further purposefully. She had this adorable tug on her top lip when she got angry which accompanied a sweet wrinkle between her eyebrows.
"Well he's a psychopath. If you keep women for sex and entertainment it's going to have some sort of effect on you."
"Sex doesn't always have to mean something." he contradicted "It doesn't for him." She huffed and sat up, never loosing eyes contact with him. But maybe she thought she'd have a better chance of winning her argument if she wasn't lying across his knee.
"Like I said. Psychopath. For normal people, sex changes things. Hell, even kisses change things."
"Now that's where I draw the line. You can kiss without it meaning anything." She scoffed. "You can."
"So you wouldn't mind going around kissing guys then?" Chloe challenged, watching Ollie react.
"What? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well if it doesn't mean anything it shouldn't matter who you kiss." she assured.
"Woah. No, we were talking about feelings mixing with kisses."
"So you could find a girl, kiss her and not feel anything?" He nodded. "I don't believe that."
"Come on then." He pulled her legs and she landed straddled over him.
"What…Ollie?" She settled against him, hands on his chest for support as she felt herself move.
"Relax Chloe" he purred "It doesn't mean anything" he repeated in a soft lull. Her heart was pounding, her blood bouncing. Ollie was going to kiss her. Oh god she was acting like a school girl with a crush. Like he said… it didn't mean anything. Just a kiss… A kiss from her own personal sex demon, but a kiss none the less. It's not going to lead to anything else. She was perfectly in control. His hand brushed her hair from her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. His cocky smile was back, the winning face of Oliver Queen who was getting what he wanted. His way. The hand slipped back from her electric skin to the back of her neck and slowly, ever so slowly, he leaned in. His eyes drinking in her expression. There was no trepidation, just… eagerness? Her pink tongue darted out, wetting her lips and his grin just grew. She wanted this, he could feel it in ever bone of his body and even the ones in hers, vibrating in anticipation. "It's just a kiss." he whispered and lowered his lips to hers. The spark hit her eyes and he knew she had no fear. Her lips parted immediately, his tongue welcome to thrust against hers. At that first touch it was like passion exploded in a huge lust bomb and wiped out all pretences of innocence. Chloe lifted up, her arms locked to Ollie frame as she took control. Ollie willingly submitted, his fingers finding their own place at the bare flesh her shirt didn't cover, travelling upwards along the smooth flawless skin of her back. Pulling her rough against him she gasped and only attacked him further. Where her lips were dancing with his, her hands were tangled in his short spikes leaning his head further back. He tasted like warm cinnamon, her tongue wildly lapping at his own, tangled in a fierce battle of white hot desire. Cologne was stoking the fire, each breath another hit of the drug she so desperately craved. Even when they broke off for air they never left each others skin. She nibbled pecks of her lips down his jaw line, assaulting his neck. She kissed lower, the shirt he was wearing suddenly becoming an obstacle. Fingers, a mix of both his and hers, attacked the offending shirt's buttons till she could lay her cool fingertips on his ropes of muscles and loose herself back in his lips.
Suddenly they catapulted apart, the shrill of the phone breaking in the air. Chloe had a hand over her heart, breathing rapidly in pants. Ollie wasn't much better himself but finally after a few rings composed himself enough to just sound worn out as he answered.
"Yeah?" he breathed and sucked in more oxygen, scrubbing a hand down his face. He passed the phone over to Chloe who looked at him wide eyed. Deer in the headlights style. "It's Emil" Ollie breathed and she took the phone to her ear as she watched his ass walk away to the kitchen, or maybe study.
"Hey." she breathed.
"You two sound puffed out. You're not back training are you?"
"No… just… nothing, what's up?" she asked, feeling her blood race around her body demanding back into Ollie's arms. Why did they always get disturbed before the good stuff started?
"Exactly my question. Victor said you had another Brainiac episode." Chloe paused.
"2 seconds." She took the phone upstairs and sat with it in the bathroom. Ollie didn't need to be worrying. "Right, sorry." she apologised and leant back against the shower door, sitting on the floor tiles.
"Ollie was listening huh?" How was he so perceptive? Maybe it was just the doctor part of him.
"Yeah. I just don't want to worry him."
"So worry me. Com'on, Vic says you blacked out on him." he probed. Chloe gave him the run down of what happened. Answering all his doctor questions. It went on for a while. When did she last feel Brainiac negative effects? What happened? Are there any other problems? Does she always heal when it happens? Blah blah blah… all doctor stuff she either answered with a yes or no. Finally she got her diagnosis. "Brainiac works feeding on electrical impulses. I'm guessing if you overuse it, like with the strain Vic's arm put on it, it starts to feed on the neurons firing in your brain, causing the bleeds, and occasionally the blackouts. But as you don't seem to have memory effects I'm guessing Brainiac heals all the damage it does as soon as it occurs. But it can be quite demanding on you Chloe. You really shouldn't be using any Brainiac till I can find a way to either fix it, or hopefully remove it."
"Not an option." she simply stated.
"Chloe-"
"No. Not an option" she repeated "Brainiac stays in me."
"Chloe it could kill you." he argued, not at all understanding any reasons she had. He was always doctor first, fighter, maybe… at a pinch, last.
"So could life. I'm doing more good with this inside me than I ever have done. It stays." Her tone was firm. Emil didn't care.
"Chloe. You will still be an important asset to the team even without Brainiac inside you. It doesn't make you special, it makes you dangerous." He rightly assumed loosing Brainiac would feel like loosing all her power. She couldn't fight, and she didn't have any super powers except for what Brainiac she had left. If she lost them, she would just be back to Chloe 'best friend to the superheroes'.
"I know not everybody likes me being super computer girl but how many times had it saved their lives? How many more times will it save their lives? If it means I occasionally get a few nosebleeds. That's something I can deal with. It's for the greater good."
"Chloe-"
"I know, and I'm sorry I worry you. But I've made my mind up."
"I'll let you be for now, but if things get worse you must promise you come straight to me." He didn't like her idea at all, but Chloe was stubborn and if he kept arguing she might just block him off completely and eventually wind up dead. It was better if he let it lie and offered her his help instead.
"Of course."
"Stay well Chloe."
"You too." She ended the call and slumped back, breathing deep.
She'd be lying if she said she didn't worry herself. Sometimes she thought she'd gotten in over her head.
"Chloe you up here?" Ollie's voice filled the halls. She called back and trudged down, half expecting him to sweep her up, kiss the life out of her and insist they pick up where they left off. Instead he was talking to some woman dressed in a blue pencil skirt to her knees and matching blue blazer. Her blonde hair turned up in a bun and glasses atop her head. Chloe swept into the room, trying to remain elegant though she had no idea how to react. Pulling out her smile she sauntered over and warmed up to Oliver. The other woman picked up on her silent claim and smiled back.
"You must be Miss Sullivan. Mr Queen said he had a gorgeous darling living with him. And must I say how right he was." She was English naturally, that was clearly evident, yet America seemed to have been swamped around her for a while and the accent was dying off.
"Chloe this is Georgina, from Brighter Blues." The name clicked in her head and Oliver's grin made her choke on a laugh. It was the grin which said 'remember when you tried to kill her with a kitchen knife.'
"Hey." Chloe extended her hand and the blonde took it, holding on for just a little while longer than she felt a handshake needed.
"Beautiful. Just darling." Chloe felt her face warm, was this woman hitting on her?
"Hands off Gina." Ollie laughed with a cheeky smirk that clearly answered yes to her silent question. "She's here to deliver my suit for tomorrow." Ah yes, the charity ball thing she promised him. Shame Brainiac healed her so soon, she thought off-handed. "I just wondered if you wanted any touch ups on your dress while she's here."
"I umm, hadn't really thought to try it on…" she admitted blushing. Ollie just laughed and nodded his head at the upstairs and she left to try on the different dresses. Ollie turned back to find Gina biting her lip and her eyes on Chloe's legs. He just shook his head slowly and stopped the impulse to make his claim in big red letters.
"Gina. She's off limits." Gina came back from her musing and nodded.
"Sorry Mr. Queen. I should have known; she is living with you. And may I congratulate you on your marriage."
"My what?"
"Oh my apologies, I saw the ring and I just assumed. It's none of my business I apologise." She bowed her head gracefully.
"Woah no. Nothing like that. She's not married, and I'm not sleeping with her. It's strictly friends."
"Yes. Of course sir. Though may I say that the connection between you two, and the clear marking she made when she saw me, it didn't exactly say 'just friends'. But like I said Sir, it's not my business. I didn't mean to pry. My apologies."
"How many times have I told you not to call me sir, or Mr. Queen or anything? It's getting ridiculous."
"131 if I recall correctly si- I mean Oliver." Her face was awkward, the words not fitting properly in her mouth. She shrugged in apology. "I'll go see how your 'friend' is doing shall I?" She smiled and before Oliver could stop her she was clicking her heels on the stairs and knocking on the bedroom door.
40 minutes later, give or take, Chloe emerged wide eyed with Georgina behind her, shamelessly eyes trained on her ass. Ollie covered up a laugh with a cough at Chloe's expression.
"All finished girls?"
"Oh yes Mr Queen. A few small alterations on the longer of the two. A small nip around her waist and a raising of the hem. She does have lovely legs." Chloe blushed and tried to find something to do to keep her busy. She smiled in thanks and sat herself on the sofa, picking up the book which had led to a lovely argument about kissing and then a demonstration.
"I trust you have done excellent work. Send me the bill."
"Of course. It's always a pleasure working for you. Though… if I'm not out of place, may I recommend next time you special order for her. She's so petite I just don't think it would be worth spending your hard earned money on something that doesn't fit. But that's just my opinion sir." She strutted past Oliver then paused at the elevator "Oh and Tiffany sends her regards and thanks" She bowed her head and waved as she went from view. Oliver breathed out and flopped onto the sofa next to Chloe.
"Tiffany sends her regards?" Chloe asked questionably. Ollie grinned and laid back.
"Tiffany's her life partner I introduced her to."
"Huh." Chloe closed the book she was pretending to read and turned to face him square on. "If she's married, why was she hitting on me?" Ollie didn't bother to hold back the laugher and Chloe joined him, happy to hear the free sound.
"I hope it wasn't anything too inappropriate." he stated when he finally clamed down. "She can be a little flitty and flirty with the girls she meets. I can barely get her to shut up either. But she does good work and she's been making my suits whenever I'm in metropolis." Chloe supposed it made sense, the only people Ollie could keep around for a long time would be either guys, or gay women he wouldn't sleep with. "Ready for some dancing tomorrow?" he teased, drawing patterns on her arms as she wriggled in her seat.
"I'm wishing I had a broken rib actually." she confessed.
"You'll be perfect." He smiled. "You always are."
Ahhh, how sweet. Chloe's going dancing with our lovely billionaire. And she got hit on by a lovely lesbian, what more could you possibly ask for?
Reviews maybe? (*hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink*)
Seriously though, I would like to know your opinions, if you think I'm missing out some huge chunk of a plot or if you want a good rant. Leave a review and that way I won't make the same mistake again. You're all so adorable when you review and I love you all so much, you can't possibly know.
Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms. Always.