Okay... so... there may be the slightest chance all publishing drops suddenly for a few days. It's due to some anti-virus changes and yadda yadda. May not happen, but possibly could. Nobody panic: I'm covering that aspect entirely myself. Your job is to enjoy. Xx

Chapter Thirty Three; Dreams

Crap! Oliver scrubbed a hand through his hair, over his features disrupting a few peaceful scars and bruises he got battered into him yesterday. He had fallen asleep. He didn't mean to fall asleep. Chloe? He turned only to find the bed empty. The aches were proof enough he hadn't dreamt the whole thing. But where was she? Throwing off the duvet he dipped his head into the bathroom. Empty. His bare feet slapped against the wood as he thundered down the stair, three at a time before skidding to a halt to meet Chloe's accusing eyes from the sofa. They came with the expression that asked if his actions were really necessary.

"Good morning to you too." She smiled like she had before, the perfectly happy smile that had no worries. He followed her direction to the kitchen to find the evidence of a few thousand coffee cups having been made, and another fresh for herself and also him. At least he knew she couldn't fake everything. He supposed if she had truly bounced back to normal it would have scared him ever more so. Taking the cup of coffee with a smile he noticed the extent of her false fresh look, the eyes were still bloodshot. More crying? Or was this the result of bad dreams?

"Did you sleep?"

"An hour. Maybe two." she admitted.

"You'll be getting more. Right?" Chloe tilted her head questioning just how awake he actually was. "I can always drug you if you'd prefer." Of course she wouldn't, but her body needed the restart only sleep could provide.

"I'll try later." she allowed. "Get dressed Ollie." She drank the coffee like it was a vodka shot.

"No pyjama day?"

She flashed him a grin warming his frozen heart.

"Sorry sweetie. You agreed to teach me to fight. No excuses."

"Now? Don't you want to wait till you feel better?"

"I feel fine." The tone was clipped, restrained even.

"At least till your hand is better and you can punch."

"Because people will always wait for me to feel better before they pound on me." she replied, the sarcasm lethal in the tone. "10 minutes." She slithered from the room, a re-fill fresh in her cup. Possibly the last thing he wanted was to force her to relive any pain and regress back to what she was yesterday, but as much as it pained him, he did understand where she was coming from. The sparring gave her strength, both physical and mental. The strength gave her hope, gave her courage. It gave her something in her life that was a purpose. With Brainiac gone, she needed that ever more so now.

She was already on the mats when he came down, pacing, waiting for him. 15 minutes later and she was reprimanding him for going easy on her, for not taking opportunities he would have three days ago. Another 10 minutes and another reprimand. She didn't want him playing it safe, making sure she didn't get a single graze on her, she wanted him throwing all he had at her. If he wouldn't do it voluntarily, she would force him to start taking her seriously.

Discounting the injuries she already had, she kicked out and almost took him clean off his feet.

"Chloe I'm not going to fight you this soon." he argued as he re-caught his balance and blocked another punch. A few minutes later, his mind had changed completely. She didn't listen to him, not showing any kindness to his wishes, just attack after attack. If she wanted a fight, if that would give her something she needed, then he'd oblige.

He stopped blocking and started his own movements, his own punches landing to her. And lord bless her, she smiled. He was taking her seriously again, she wasn't the frail little kid anymore. After a good few hits she was on her ass again, then again. But she got back up every time, she got back up with a vengeance and a new found strength battling on like the warrior women of his heart. The one that didn't give up, that didn't take no as an answer. She saw what she wanted and she took it.

They found a pause in the natural fighting rhythm and she took a step back, throwing her top off to the side. Oliver gulped. Black lace bra and tiny denim shorts. Holy hell.

"It's warm." she qualified, feeling the buzz of lust again. She knew the effect she had on him. It was practically a planned out map of attack. He got her hot with all the flashing muscle and fancy footwork. It was only fair to pay him back in kind.

"Yeah." In agreement he took off his own top. Just khaki combats covering his body. "Again?" She nodded and the mats were crossed again.

She was as light as she usually was, her feet mere kisses of fairies across the floor, her smile back, her moves calm, concentrated, ordered and precise. The same as she fought before. Somehow, it had calmed her, settled her and he saw the Chloe that dangled her feet off the edge of the sofa, swinging as she hummed along. The one who would shoot him a glance to chance his entire world. The Chloe that no-one would dare to hurt. The hopeful angel of his dreams who could get him hard with a lick across her lusciously plumped lips.

"Getting distracted Ollie?" she teased as she made contact in a hit he should have easily seen coming. He grinned. This was the Chloe who had no objection to a good tease. He took her hand as she made to block his palm and pulled her sharp to his chest.

"I think it's the bra. It's going to have to come off." he noted aloud. She ran her tongue deathly slow over her top lip, his eyes followed.

"I don't think it's the bra." she disagreed. "Maybe the shorts." She slipped her hand free and popped the button, sliding them down her legs and throwing them aside. "Wanna meet my level here?" she invited, her fingers on the ties of the combat trousers.

"It would only be fair." She unzipped him and her hand found him through the boxers, stimulating him in a few barely there touches then taking the trousers over his gorgeous butt and stepping back again.

Like the tease she was she swivelled on one foot, letting him see the matching black underwear before waving him forward to take her again.

Minx.

He kicked his trousers aside and stalked toward her.

Before she could even register his movement had hold of her hand and pulled her once again to his chest, letting himself drop and her with him to the floor. Her eyes sparkled, framed by long lashes radiating innocence and an incomprehensible form of purity. All for him. He put that glitter into her darkened world. His hands ran soft through her loosely tied hair, tugging out the bobble.

"I won't ever let you go again." he swore aloud.

The words flooded her memory with what she was trying to forget and her smile became a façade. Her glow faded, her high dropping. "Chloe. I promise. Nothing will happen to you. You're safe." He misread her dropped happiness. "Hey. Stay with me Chloe."

Warm fingers ran down her cheek, a change to the expected tears. But really she was all cried out. There's only so much moping one can do before it turns into a deathly anger and a need for violence. Violent revenge; it was quite possibly the only thing that kept her going. Her eyes met his, she saw the worry, the fear, the same look she had seen since she got back. Then there was Ollie. Sweet loving Ollie. They didn't just destroy her; they took pieces of him too. Her favourite cheeky grin hadn't seen her yet. His teasing tongue had yet to grace the air with its words. They broke Oliver as well. "Chlo. Com'on talk to me sweetheart. Where's you head at?" Where was her head? It had definitely flown out of the mood and gone back to terrorville. But she wasn't feeling as lost as she had before and she had no intention of staying there when she wasn't trapped. She shook her head and slipped off Ollie, crashing on the floor, curled into his side. He held her close, an arm around her as she breathed deep. "Chloe baby. You still with me?"

"Yeah." She tilted her head back, meeting his desperate eyes. "Just… I… ummm…" she didn't know what to say. "I'm good." She decided upon and pushed up onto her elbows letting her eyes roam the room, re-familiarising herself with it. Despite the amount of strenuous exercise that went on in here it never smelled off-putting nor like sweat. The walls were a mix of a soft cream and pale blue. Calming colours. Maybe that was why she always felt so strong and capable when she was in here. Then again, it was more likely it was because in here she had control over her actions, she could feel tougher with every second she fought. Her head tilted to the side, catching a glimpse of white fur. Was that the tiger Oliver won her at the carnival?

Captivated by her investigating instincts she scrambled to her feet and padded across the room. There, lounging on his weight bench was a stretched out white tiger looking… well, looking as content as a cat. She turned back to Oliver who was looking a bit sheepish and embarrassed.

"Is there any reason why there's a tiger in your training room?"

"Ummm… well. He likes to do weights every morning?" he offered. Chloe rose an eyebrow.

"And the real reason?" Last time she saw it it was at the end of the bed guarding their sanctuary.

"You know what…I don't think there's anything wrong with a tiger being in a training room. Tigers are powerful, they're strong beings. They're top cat of their environment. Not to mention vicious predators. There the best thing to aspire to combat wise." Oliver was on his feet, the height offering him more defence.

"So the tiger's here for inspiration?" she asked doubtful.

"Yeah. I'm sticking with that story."

She laughed. Bless her, she actually laughed.

"I think you missed me a little."

"A little? I missed you a fuck load Chlo. You scared a good few years clean off my life when Dinah came back to tell me you were gone."

"I missed you too." She closed the gap between them, her arms sliding around his naked waist. The warmth offering a comfort on par with coffee. "I hope you apologised to Dinah." she stated, her cheek against his shoulder.

"What for?"

"Dinah comes to tell you I've been stolen and you didn't say anything to her that needed apologising for?" He chuckled, she knew him well.

"Dinah understands."

"Right."

"I'll send her a fruit basket."

"So she takes the wrath of Ollie and a knife in her gut and all she gets is a fruit basket? Hardly seems fair."

"Flowers as well then?" he laughed. "In my defence, she did deserve the yelling. She shouldn't have let you out of her sights to save that dog."

"Dog?" When was there a dog?

"The dog she saved from the car. Which was why she couldn't…." he trailed off, sensing he didn't have the real story.

"She told you she was saving a dog?" Chloe giggled.

"What was she actually doing?"

"Oh no. I'm sticking with this version now. She was saving a dog."

"Jesus. She was flirting with some guy wa-" Chloe put a hand over his mouth.

"Ollie. Let it go. Please. She doesn't need round two with Oliver because she told a tiny inconsequential lie." It made sense Dinah would rather go down for loosing Chloe with a dog save, rather than tell a pissed off Ollie she was collecting numbers. "Besides, I told her I'd be fine. And they were going to shoot her, if I didn't go with them, we'd be burying Dinah and quite possibly myself as well. It was for the greater good." Sensing an accomplishment in her explanation she settled her hand on his shoulder again.

"I told her not to let you out of her sights. Even if you insisted upon it."

"You mean the gps in my shoes wasn't enough?" she hinted.

"I won't apologise for wanting to keep you safe. Besides, without that we may never have found you." he admitted.

"How exactly did you find me?" He tensed. "Oh, relax. I'm not going to snap. Just tell me before I beat it out of you." He grinned.

"Vic got into the surveillance cameras from the parking areas. Saw you look up to the roof of one of the other buildings. While I was finding the snipers nest he was fiddling over some gps techno-geek thing. But the signal kept getting bounced around. We matched it up with places the sniper and his gang had made calls from in the last few days. We got a few possible matches to the signal. Long story short; we found you."

"Bart?" she asked, remembering some fiasco with him when they found her.

"Bart will probably want to have a chat with you later. Make sure you're not planning on have 6 children with me and buying a mansion in the country where our 17 dogs can run around gleefully."

"6 children and 17 dogs?"

"Dinah's words. Not mine." She exhaled slowly. Looks like she'd need another chat with Dinah as well. "I'd be happy with a small cottage beside the sea. Maybe two boys, a girl on the way. Of course we'd need a huge bookcase for all your smutty reading needs."

"Ollie you can shut up now, I thin-" A hand wrapped around her mouth, silencing her.

"A nice big four poster bed which we'd have sex on every night. Of course, by then we'd have completed the sex guide cover to cover a good few times so you'd get free choice of position. Maybe a dog… I'm still not warmed up to the idea. But the kids might want something fluffy to play with. And naturally you'd tell me every morning how much you loved the pants off me then kiss me senseless before continuing your affair with our coffeemaker. I'd manage the business from home, just a few hours a day. Lois and Clark would come over some weekends and bring their kids along. We'd have to make sure they behaved and a clear 'no super speeding in the house' rule for when they come over, because with a cross between Lois and Clark genes you know they're going to be trouble makers of the highest level. Ac and Mera would-"

"Are you quite finished?" she asked, pulling his hand back.

"No. Silence woman." he laughed and twirled her around, walking with her up the stairs. "Now where was I?"

"Ac and Mera."

"Ah yes. Ac and Mera would bring the little flippers over as well. Maybe Bart will have found some lucky senorita, Vic back with his girl as well, and Dinah and Batman could make little birdies for a big play group session. Eventually we'll get old. The kids will go off to take over the business, become slaves to caffeine, play part time vigilantes and save the world. You'll still love me, and I'll still love you and we'll grow old and wrinkly before we finally flop and then we'll find a nice cloud in heaven and make all the angels blush when you scream chorus's of my name."

"I'm gone two days and you've already planned out my entire life."

"Oh, that was all on the spot thinking. But give me a few hours and I'll have it all ironed out and on paper ready for you to sign."

"You're intolerable."

"Oh my god. I forgot about our wedding. It'll be amazing and-"

"It'll be kept locked inside your own mind if you want me to talk to you for the next week."

"We don't need talking to get by. Body language baby." He ground his hips against hers.

"One day you'll trip over that ego of yours and I'll just sit and laugh. Unfeelingly for your anguish."

"Mean." he hissed, his tongue flicking against her neck suggestively. "On a completely different, and in no way related, topic; have you decided if you're in love with me yet?"

"Go. Shower. Get. Now." she ordered, slowly shaking her head as he wiggled his eyebrows and beckoned with his finger as he danced into the bathroom.

He didn't know whether to expect her to join him. She'd been apprehensive before during their fight, but at the same time she'd been confident and certain. It didn't surprise him that he finished his shower alone; she'd been through a lot. He wouldn't force her into anything till she was ready, and he knew she was far from it. He padded back out with just a towel around his waist and he smiled proudly spotting her form. Either she'd sweated all the caffeine out of her, or her body just ignored its presence after all these years. She lay quiet atop the duvet in her underwear, her eyes closed and breathing shallow. He pulled the comforter over her, gentle as to not jostle or wake her, and dressed, settling into a chair, fully intending to stay with her while she slept.

Plans didn't work out.

An hour or so later while he browsed her multiple playlists on her iPod Dinah's voice broke through the downstairs. Chloe shot bolt awake, her eyes wide in fear.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be back up as soon as she's gone." he instructed. Chloe gripped his arm as he walked past.

"No." she simply said and scanned around for her clothes, forgetting they were on the mats in the gym. In an unexplainable rush she took the clean, dry bathrobe from behind the door and raced ahead of Ollie, slipping it on and tying as she went.

"Chloe baby. Sweet God almighty I missed you." Dinah had one arm thrown over Victor's shoulder while Victor just shook his head disapproving of her use of the lord's name in her words. "12 stitches. They gave me 12 stitches!" Chloe's feet tap-danced down the steps.

"They let you out of the hospital already?" she asked surprised as she slowed her pace and gently gave Dinah a one-armed hug.

"Not entirely. Batty-boy got involved."

"No. Bat-boy stole you from the hospital because you bat your eyelashes for him." Victor corrected and set her on the couch. "Now I'm stuck with chauffer duty."

"Viccy baby, don't act like you don't love me." Dinah argued.

"He's giving me some software upgrade for my eye if I help Dinah around." Vic explained. "I suppose we should let the girls' girl talk right?" Oliver nodded, throwing Chloe a careful glance, assessing the safety of the situation.

"Go. Be men. I'll be fine." Chloe insisted and settled in next to Dinah. As they left the room she turned back to Dinah. "You saved a dog?" she asked instantly. It took a few seconds before Dinah twigged.

"Sorry. I just thought Oliver would mutilate me less if I was saving a life. I am so sorry Chlo. I swear I checked around the parking, there was no-one there."

"I'm fine. Besides, we're both alive. A little worse for wear, but alive none-the-less. How's the stab wound?"

"It hurts my pride more. I tried to explain it to Batty and it just came out that I stabbed myself. It took me half an hour to re-establish the fact I wasn't suicidal to him." Chloe laughed. "How you doing? You look pretty badly bandaged."

"Oliver's handiwork explains the bad wrapping. It's not actually that bad though. They don't hurt too much. Just tiny grazes."

"I heard Brainiac got the big kiss goodbye too. Sucks. Sorry Chloe." Dinah had been amongst those who actually remained neutral on the Brainiac front. She saw things from a fighter perspective. Brainiac was a useful weapon to have, which put her in the plus column. But from the friend view it could potentially kill Chloe and that dragged her back to a neutral outlook.

"Sucks less than death, which was my alternative."

"A toast to Brainiac then." Dinah scanned for drinks. "Where's alcohol when you need it most?" Dinah cursed. "I can't drink it anyway. Bloody pain pills doc gave me."

"Speaking of doctors. Why did you get Batman to steal you…and what was he even doing in the hospital?"

"There was this bitch of a nurse telling me I have to stay in observation for at least the next 24 hours, and she refused to give me any more drugs, though clearly the ones I had taken had zero effect. So I may have kicked up a little bit of a racket."

"How many people got injured?" Chloe asked comically, knowing Dinah's temper.

"Physically: none. Mentally and emotionally: I'd prefer not the answer." Dinah shot her a smile. "They deserved it though. They had terrible bedside manner. Eventually Emil came and went all doctor style with me. He actually had me sedated for god's sake. Then I wake back up its about 3 hours later, I sober up to see this hunk of a man silhouetted in the window."

"You're awake." he stated and floated forward. There before her was her Batman.

"Couldn't change out of your work clothes to come pay me a visit, honey?" He chuckled. "I'd offer you something to eat, but all I got is a rainbow of pills"

"I hear things got a little rough. You could have called me in. I would have helped."

"Sweetie it's your fault we got into the mess."

"My fault? Oh really. Would you care to elaborate on this accusation?"

"Well you sent me those man texts with your big ego loaded into them. I was hardly going to bend over and let you fuck me." He chewed his lip, holding back laughter at her choice of words. "So I was out collecting numbers to get you back when the bastards took her."

"I see. Did you get any?"

"Any what?"

"Numbers?"

"Not yet. But send me in the next guy you see and give me 5 minutes."

"And I have a big ego…"

"You do. It's this vigilante thing going to your head."

"I see. It seems I need to make this up to you."

"Yeah, you could say that. But whatever you've got in mind will have to wait till I've wasted what's left of my 24 hours."

"How about if I spring you?" He wandered over, taking her chart from the wall in her room and letting his eyes run over it.

"Oh. Don't tempt me." After scanning her medically he turned back.

"And how exactly did you get assaulted in an alley and stabbed with a knife?" That was the story for the police explaining the incident. Bart had made it up for her and she could expect a visit from some police any time soon asking for a description of the man in the ski mask all dressed in black.

"I took out a knife and stabbed at her."

"At who?"

"At me. Well, not the real me. The fake grey me. Which by the way, so not my colour."

"You stabbed yourself?"

"Well she was trying to kill me." Dinah spoke defensively.

"I'm confused. What meds you on?"

"I'm not high, trust me; I can still feel my insides complaining, so I know I'm not high. And don't look at me like that, you weren't there, you don't know. This bitch pulled out a copy of me, I stabbed her and ended up with the wound myself. Saved the guys from decapitating themselves really, so they should be thanking me. They're lucky I don't always go for the kill shots."

"So ultimately you did stab yourself." he concluded.

"Ultimately I was taking a short cut down an alley when some guy dressed head to toe in black wanted to steal my purse, I pissed him off, he stabbed and ran. That's the truth and I won't tell it any other way."

"Maybe they should keep you here. Observation for the mentally insane."

"Sure. Maybe they'll find you a spare cell too. Seriously, you come to visit me without any chocolates or even prissy little flowers. Not even a fruit basket for your dying woman. And you come dressed in your work uniform. You're probably violating all sorts of health code with the blood and germs dripping from your outfit." He smirked. "How did you even get in? I'm pretty sure security would have picked you up."

"I'm pretty handy with windows."

"Really. You planning on stealing me out of a window too? Or does your tiny brain stop after that much thinking?"

"You've got a vicious attitude on you." he complimented. She scoffed at his ignorance. "And I was already in the neighbourhood to come find you when I found out. I could hardly go home and change. Besides… I don't want to rush our relationship out of uniforms that fast."

"Relationship? You can stick your relationship up your ass. You're not the one with 12 stitches in their side because they wanted to save their best friend. Who, by the way, they haven't even seen yet. For all I know she's chained in a dungeon somewhere because Ollie decides to go all over protective. –Hey, where the hell you going? Spring me or at least offer me some company!" she hissed, seeing him slide up the window.

"I'll be back. Try not to wake up too many people with your ranting. Some are sick you know."

"Oh fuck you Bat-" He was gone from sight before she could finish her insults. "Bastard." she muttered and wriggled on her pillows. The man got her so hot and flustered. All he had to do was square that solid jaw line of his and she wanted nothing but a good roll in the dirt with him. "Bastard." she repeated.

"So Emil and Victor burst through the doors, just as I'm thinking about sleeping, and start busying around with charts and equipment. Next thing I know Batty-boy's striking a pose atop some rooftops watching while I'm being wheeled out of the hospital in the pitch black by a gleeful Victor promised a new eye, and a terrified Emil."

"Wow…"

"Yeah. Then I finally get home, wanting to sleep and there's this collection of flowers, chocolates, fruit and alcohol across my kitchen counters. There's this huge card on my bed as well, next to some deep red roses. Only word inside it is 'Sorry'. No signature. No kisses. Just an apology. No sooner than I'm in bed, finally looking for some shut eye, my phone kicks up a fuss. Batty wants some text loving, so we kick off again. It's very hard to convey an appropriate level of anger through text. But I think he understood."

"Since you're so good at clearing thing up. Would you mind telling me why Oliver thinks I'm going to have 6 children and 17 dogs in a country mansion?"

"Ummm… yeah. About that… It's not really that important. Bart was getting twitchy about Oliver's extreme panic mode. So I decided to tell him, before he found out the hard way."

"What exactly did you tell him?"

"That you and Ollie were doing the horizontal mambo and we completely smitten with each other."

"Dinah!" she groaned and dropped her head back.

"What? It was better than him hearing about it from Ollie, or watching you two with a make-out marathon. Besides, all the other guys were getting clued in as well. Don't look at me like that. It was Ollie that gave it away. He barely slept while you were gone, every second he was conscious he was either on the streets or poured over a computer screen. He was practically radiating need. Like when you watch them wildlife programmes on the species that mate for life and their woman gets hit on. They go mental, they don't stop till they've either got her back or died trying. He was half of a whole, sweetie. I'm surprised I didn't find you two naked and sweaty when I came over. Though, the robe holds promise." Chloe just smiled.

"Things are going good with Batman then?" Chloe deflected, re-routing Dinah's conversational electrics.

"I wish. There's still a Kevlar breastplate between me and my man. That and a mask… but, it kinda turns me on not knowing who he is. I know it's not practical in the long term, but when's the last time I went looking for long term and actually found it?"

"You'll find it eventually."

"Sure. But till then I need to crawl further under that man's armour and take him for a good test ride. I had a dream about him a few nights back. I forgot to tell you at the spa, but it was so hot… we were on this shiny black piano, his head between my legs giving me the best orgasm of all time, I swear I woke up screaming in pleasure when he-"

"Yet again, I did not want to know that." Oliver stepped out of his office, Victor in tow.

"Yeah. I did not need that visual thanks Dinah." Victor agreed.

"You boys really should pay attention. Finally learn to satisfy a woman." she countered.

"I think I speak for both of us when I say we're good. Now go home and stop tainting Chloe."

"You're not stopping?" Chloe turned back to Dinah, feeling surprised and drained.

"Wish I could Chlo. But I'm on bed rest and Vic only needed to come over for some techno geek disk thing. Since I bugged him so much he said I could tag along. But he's dead if I tear my stitches."

Dinah and Victor left and seemed to take a huge chunk of Chloe with them. Oliver's arms came around her. She couldn't hold back the jump at his touch.

"Bed rest doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Com'on. Back to sleep." he coaxed.

"No… I-I don't feel like it."

"Please try." Not finding the will to fight she just nodded. She still battled against sleep, staying wide awake while Oliver fiddled on his laptop. Every so often he would rub a hand across his eyes, or fluff his hair, trying to stay awake. "Alright. Put these in." She blinked, looking up at his hands.

"I thought I was sleeping." she questioned seeing her iPod in his hands.

"You are. Now lay back and close your eyes."

"Oliver…"

"Not in arguing mode Chloe. Please." She didn't want eyes closed, she didn't want the rush of her brain taking over. Still, Oliver needed sleep as well and she was brawling with her free will every second to remain awake. Cautiously she took the earphones, placing them in each respective ear. A soft piano tune came to her brain. "I made you a playlist. Soft, calming and you don't have to worry about night terrors while you sleep. Close your eyes." Her heart warmed that he cared so much about her and she fell to his charm once again, closing her eyes and letting her head switch off. Lullabies of sweet serenade took control, dancing melodies through her ears. She felt herself dropping off, and as much as her mind fought against it she was dragged under, kicking and screaming.

Oliver's just the sweetest, ain't he?

Sure, he can get a little testy, but Chloe freaked out while half naked across him, he's been living off ice-cream and with the notion of Chloe's life's been sucked out of her. Not to mention his terrible timing on Dinah conversations which I like to put it whenever Dinah visits.

Thing will improve. They have to.