This chapters smoothes out the intense, then fires you right back up again. I figured it was only fair to show a flip of the caring relationship Oliver and Chloe have.
Chapter Thirty Six; Wife's duty
Pizza came and went. A sleepless night followed suit. Soon they were stood opposite on the mats, sweat dripping from every inch of skin. Oliver had put on some rock music to fill the room, to give them a beat to play with as they tangled with each other, fists flying in every direction.
"You're doing it again." he stated. He was back to being the harsh teacher who showed no compassion. If he couldn't join Chloe in death he'd make damn sure she never died.
"Urgh!" she groaned, already tired of those words.
"Don't moan at me." he reprimanded with a chuckle and she shot out her left leg at him in punishment. He stepped back, her toes a centimetre from touching him.
"I can't help it. It just feels natural."
"Then change it and make it un-natural. I'm not meant to be able to predict your moves." She hissed at him and stepped forward again. She was light on her toes as usual, dodging most of his attacks and blocking where that could not be used. He led her into backed corners on purpose, he played dirty and put her through her paces over and over. "Chloe you're doing it again." He laughed and she stomped her foot down to the floor.
"I've told you I can't help it."
"I've told you it will be your downfall. Don't make me chop off your arms." He'd started to mention patterns now, telling her how he always knew which moves she was making. It seemed she had a tendency to dip left before she made movement. She also had a tendency to lead with her left side rather than right. Considering she was right handed he found it comical and relatively weird. She did not.
"Yeah well. You always block for high and dodge for low. Nobody's perfect."
"My tendencies don't give my attacker any advantages. Either way I'm safe from their attempts. You however, give a clear signal of what you're going to do and when. I shouldn't be able to predict you."
"And I shouldn't be wanting to throw my fist through your face. Like I said; nobody's perfect." she ground out between her teeth.
"I'll stop dodging if you stop leading left." he proposed. She nodded and they carried on across the mats.
More than she can count she had physically lifted her shoulder back up as she consciously felt it drop. Of course the extreme concentration left her open to rookie errors and she was pressed against a corner with no escape before she was even aware she had moved backwards. She ducked under his flying arm and rounded him. He followed fast and flew out a leg to trip hers. She rolled with a flare of elegance and grace and was back on her feet again.
They resumed positions and it started again. Her anger rose, bubbling, and she slowly forgot about her left leading. "You're leading left." he corrected and she ground her teeth. "Do it again and I won't be as nice." The threat wasn't angry, and she knew it was for educational purposes but it didn't dull the sting, nor cool the boiling heat under her skin. Her fists became harder and less controlled. Ollie knew she was falling prey to her emotions. "Don't let the anger control you. Fight because you have to, not because you want to."
"The only thing I want to do is knock you unconscious." she hissed.
"You can try. But you'll fail."
"Cocky ass." she muttered and they started again. She tried to keep a hold on her anger, a lock on her position to the wall… and… she was sure there was something else. Shit! Leading left. Oliver caught her left forearm as she tilted her shoulder and then she was on the floor, her arm behind her back. One tug and he'd have it broken. The position itself should have terrified her. But this was Ollie and he wouldn't. She trusted him with every inch of her body.
"The cocky ass just pinned you darling. So how about we try this again without the left arm at all?" She bucked her hips up to no avail. She wriggled but she was pinned down by his weight. His hand stroked her side, the other still on her arm, holding her down. "Maybe it's not a fight you're after." he purred, another need taking over.
"Ass." she snarled.
"Owch. You love my ass."
"Egotistical jerk."
"Now you're just jealous." He released her arm, using both hands to turn her around under him. She had a grin on her face hidden under a wave of anger.
"There's nothing to be jealous about sweetie pie. I know I'm better than you."
"Do you now?" She nodded.
"Females are the superior species after all."
"Is that so?"
"Could you imagine a world without women? It would be catastrophe. But a world without men… pure bliss." she teased.
"I think you'd miss me after a while."
"Maybe." she allowed. "You are pretty entertaining."
"Entertaining? I'm so much more."
"Here we go." She rolled her eyes.
"I'm adorable. I'm super clever. I'm talented up to my eyeballs. I can-" She pulled him down to her, colliding her lips to his and effectively silencing him.
"You can be silenced and whipped to the will of a woman. Hence, I win." she whispered against his lips. He grinned.
"I won't disagree with that."
Chloe grinned, letting him discard her clothing and pillage and plunder her body to his heart's content. Finally christening the floor of his training room properly.
Oliver lay naked, no care for modesty while she slipped his t-shirt over her head, letting it drown her again and cuddling back up to his side.
"Ever thought about it?" he asked. "Settling down and having little rugrats?" She grinned. She knew where the question had come from. Sex had been condom's a go since doctor evil hadn't exactly been keeping up with her daily pill when he captured her.
"I don't know. You?"
"I've thought about it once or twice. Never thought I'd ever be in a position where it mattered as to a point it needed a decision."
"You'd want kids." she guessed. His soft expression said it all.
"Sure. I suppose so. I always thought I'd make a fantastic dad."
She poked him.
"That ego's shining through a little. At least pretend to be modest."
"Apologies. Let me amend. I always thought I'd make an alright dad."
"Nonsense. You'd be a great dad." She grinned cheekily. " What kid wouldn't want a superhero for a father?"
He beamed.
"How about you? Kids?"
"Never thought about it. I would despise the actual part of being a fat pregnant woman, but I think afterwards, when they start drawing with crayon on the walls and screaming in the middle of the night. Then it would all be worth it." She laughed.
"You seriously never thought about it have you." He was shocked her mothering instinct was so strong over her heroes, but not herself. "Not even with Jimmy?" She sighed.
"With Jimmy there were a lot of other things going on. It was hard to find a stable period where we could have even considered it." She scratched absently at her shoulder and rolled to snuggled closer to him.
"I think you'd make a good mother. Brilliant even." She tucked her head in against him. "Then again. I also think you should marry me and let me make you fat and happy." She froze up against him. He didn't curse his decision to open his mouth. She deserved to know just how much he wanted her.
"That's the third time you've dropped that hint Oliver. Consider this the last time I blatantly ignore it and save you an awkward conversation."
"Why won't you marry me?" he asked, sincerely wanting to know what she didn't see in him.
"Ask a less loaded question."
"Don't dance around the question."
"Don't ask it then." she hissed back and shoved up from him. "And put some damn clothes on." She hissed as she went from the room. He tugged on the jeans in a swift motion and followed her trail.
How was she meant to tell him how she felt, that she wanted all he had to offer, when for all she knew she was going to die next week? Time was running out and to give Oliver that hope of a future with her when he would have nothing was a cruelty she would not perform. It didn't mean she enjoyed it though. She would have loved to say yes, to get pregnant with his children and watch them run rings around him. It hurt her more than he could understand to pull out that harshness and destroy him like she did. She could see the breaking across his features as she spoke the words, and she'd be damned if she had to do it again.
Oliver may think he was the master of disguise, but he was easily readable, and he radiated hurt at her sharp words. Chloe was better; she could put on the hard cold mask of deception and wear it any way she liked for her audience. It didn't stop the feelings underneath from having weight though. They tugged more so, to make up for it.
The wind rushed her body as she headed out the balcony, hoping the fresh air would calm her head and cool her blood. The door opened again behind her. She didn't need to turn from her view of the streets below to read him.
"If you're here for an answer I suggest you go back inside."
"I just want to know."
"Then I suggest you turn around and go back inside." she repeated.
"I'm serious about what I said Chloe. I want everything. Marriage, kids. The dogs and play afternoons with the super freaks."
"I'm equally serious in saying let it drop before you get hurt."
"Tell me why you won't." he pleaded.
"I never said I wouldn't. I said to drop it. Which I suggest you take the advice of."
"Chl-"
"You said you wouldn't push your feelings onto me." she snapped, turning her head back to him for a second before turning back.
"So I did." He slipped back, she could hear his bare feet against the stone. Then he paused. "Answer me, truthfully, and I'll never ask again. What would your answer be, if I asked you to marry me?" A tear dropped from her cheek to the pavement below as she answered.
"Outside of this situation now; it would be yes. But I won't." Oliver nodded solemnly and ducked back into the apartment. He thought he understood her, he thought he could read her like his favourite book. But now, he was so close, but with no idea of anything anymore.
They worked around each other for the rest of the day. Chloe in the bedroom with a raging head and an easy reading book. She'd been up and down the internet for a while for something to take her mind from him. But what else was there to do that wasn't Ollie. Her headache was burning at her. Two days in a row, the thought chimed, time to call Emil maybe? She shook the possibility off. It was just a headache.
Oliver came back upstairs around 6 for a shower.
"You alright?" he asked as he spotted her on the bed. She just nodded. "Going for a shower." he informed her, the invite open. She just nodded again and slunk away from temptation as he turned on the water.
She went back to the comfort of the coffee, hating herself for ever saying anything. She repeated that she had done the right thing. She spoke again that it would be easier on Ollie, but the words had no effect on the guilt. If she had only kept her mouth shut she could be up there with him right now. No, she argued. He brought it up. It was his mistake. But Oliver could do no wrong. He was perfection; any woman would be thrilled to have him.
She sat hugging her knees on the sofa, letting the blame run wild in her head, thinking how she could smooth things out. Again, the time machine theory looked pretty tempting. But there was another worry creeping up with every painful tick of the clock. Oliver was going out to face her demon tonight. There was a chance he wasn't coming back whole. Surely they could put aside a tiny argument while he was being needlessly reckless. She stood up as she heard him on the stairs and ran to meet him.
"Don't go." she spoke. He smiled and met her at the bottom of the stairs.
"You know I have to. And you know I'm coming back." He was half changed into Green Arrow. The hooded top and accessories the only think left to go on.
"No. I don't." His arm came around her and his lips touched to her forehead.
"Yes. You do. I'll be back in one piece and ready for some serious snuggling." She breathed a laugh at the deadly Green Arrow wanting to snuggle, but it didn't bring her out of her worried state.
"I don't want you to go. Send Clark. You can stay here with me."
"Chloe, as tempting as that sounds you know Clark can't go. If something happens and he takes Clark's powers we may as well have handed you over in a body bag."
"Ollie, you could die."
"I'm a stubborn man Chloe. I won't be dying till I have a ring on your finger and we're both old and grey. So deal with that." He kissed her again and slipped aside to his equipment room behind the clock face. "Besides. Vic is running computer systems, you can keep an eye on me."
"I'd rather not watch you die in high definition. But thanks for the offer." she muttered.
"Chloe. Have a little faith. I'm not dying."
"I didn't set out with the idea of dying either." she mumbled.
"And look at you. You're still alive and kicking. I'll be fine. Your worry is sweet, but completely un-necessary." Why did that suddenly feel like a brush off? Why was her temper boiling again?
"Sweet?" she repeated, feeling a little more than irked at his careless tone. "My worry is sweet? You're possibly about to meet a grizzly end and you think me caring about that is sweet?" She could see it now, he was paying her back for that marriage conversation this morning. She didn't care about that, he doesn't care about this. "Listen to me Mr Queen. I have every right to have my own opinion about marriage and you will not guilt me into shoving a ring on my finger or letting you knock me up. I may care about you a hell of a lot more than I planned, and I may want to see a future with you, but right now I cannot. And you will accept that. Do you hear me? You will not cast me aside because I don't fall at your feet. I'm trying to save you from your cockiness killing you and all you can say is my worry is sweet!"
"That's a hell of a long way to go to tell me you love me." He smirked draining every last drop of blazing rage from her.
"I-"
"I love you too Chlo." he answered and pulled her too him, lips locked to hers. "But I'll be back later. That I promise." He held her close. "Then we can argue about how much you're head over heels for me." He winked and silenced her again with a kiss. "Now go take a shower before your cousin comes and accuses me of slavery." She probably was a bit raggedy looking after her emotional adventure this afternoon. Plus… she was still wearing one of Ollie's shirts. Money really did buy comfort. Well, at least in men's shirts it did. "Go on. I won't leave before you've finished." She stepped back from his open arms.
"If you do die. I will kill you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Oliver turned to her an hour later with half apologetic eyes. His other half was eager to get his hands on, to get active against her demon. Dinah was sat tormenting Vic. Clark and Lois verbally sparring in the training room and Bart hovering by the door, waiting.
"You'll be back." The tone asked for confirmation. He gave her that and more.
"I wouldn't dare stay away too long. Besides, we have some missed time to catch up on today."
"No dying."
"Not even for fun." he agreed. She turned to Bart.
"Be careful Bart. Make sure you stay safe."
"Of course Chlo-a-licious." He grinned. "Anything for you." She watched as he took his leave, giving them a few moments alone.
"See, why can't you just say that to me?" she whispered to her leather clad hero.
"Because you'd abuse the power and make me do all your evil bidding." he teased.
"Come back safe."
"No need to worry ma'am." She hooked her hand around his neck, reaching up to her tiptoes to lay her lips to his. She parted them easily, tasting his sweet scent another hit of the drug she craved.
"You want more, you come back scar free." She breathed against him as she broke it off. He grinned.
"Yes ma'am." he purred and she stepped back from her hold. He slipped on the shades and voice distorter before saluting her and vanishing out the door.
She felt like he'd stolen half of herself as he went. What was she to do now?
Sighing she pocketed her suddenly cold and empty hands and wandered back into the living area. Dinah sat with a magazine huffing about her lack of activity due to injury. Lois had finished her arguing and was sitting with her laptop and coffee writing up some new story. Chloe drifted over, hovering behind Victor.
"I can feel you gaze on my back Chloe." he stated without turning.
"Where are they?" she asked, watching as he pulled up the screens to show her they were only just leaving. Oliver on the bike, Bart speeding on foot. Vic slipped his hand over the microphone on the headset and turned back to her.
"I'm so not meant to be telling you this, but they will be alright. They both have tracers and as a precaution Bart has practically signed in blood agreeing to piggyback Oliver and speed off if things go wacky. Nothing can go wrong."
"Batman isn't coming?" she noted realising the lack of mention.
"He's already there. Been there for the last hour hiding out. He's yet another line of defence. If things start looking bad he fires off a few rounds and distracts from the distraction. See, there is nothing we haven't thought of. Everyone's safe."
"And what about Batman?" Chloe asked. "If shadow guy goes toward him, who saves him?"
"He'll be in a different building from the electronically timed shots he signals wirelessly. He's in not danger. Only a precaution to aid Oliver and Bart if they need." Victor leaned back further, his voice dropping quieter. "Besides, Dinah has some power over him making death the last thing on his mind. Don't ask, he won't tell. And neither will she." Chloe turned back to Dinah who was grumbling to Lois about the lack of activity. Pretty soon the two of them would be barricading them in just for something to do, that or storming out and going girl power on the nearest criminal they met. It was dangerous to put such strong women together.
Luckily, or not so for him, Clark was in control. Right now he was halfway across the room, daydreaming out the window. Chloe turned back to Lois, she was taking all glances she could to dead eye his back like she herself could see straight through him if she looked hard enough.
"What's up with the love bird?" Chloe asked as Victor followed her gaze.
"Lois is piecing more stuff together. She wanted to go and see Jor-el since he's Clark's real father. Clark said no-"
"With good reason." Clark answered from across the room. Lois shot him another dirty look.
"I don't see why you won't. He's your father. I let you meet my father, which I strongly believe is worse than whatever you can come up with."
"Lois it's too dangerous. I don't even know how he'll react. If he does something to hurt you I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Dinah rolled her eyes simultaneously with Chloe and Victor as the two stubborn lovers met head on, rattling horns.
"I swear you could make a tv series about their lives. It's so dramatic all the time." Vic complained.
"Care to cut back on the gossip drama ladies and actually pull some weight?" Oliver's distorted voice snapped back Victor's attention to the screens. Chloe pulled up a chair, despite Victors expressed dislike of backseat controlling. She wouldn't leave him alone.
Oliver kicked down on the dirt stepping off the bike. Bart was beside him a few moments later having circled the area twice.
"All clear. Shadows are still up in the windows. You're up Arrow."
"1 minute, max. As agreed." Bart nodded and disappeared. Oliver would get there, crossing the concrete lot and grass banking on foot. He'd come all bows blazing for revenge and draw shadow out. Bart would wait one minute at most before taking the opportunity to flash inside and steal the goods. Chloe had told him they would mostly be stored in briefcases and described the colouring of the serums so they would be easy to find.
Oliver pulled at the gloves, making sure they fit perfectly. Any margin of error could be his downfall. He muttered a curse up, realising what he was doing. He was nervous. Never before on mission had he been nervous. Maybe a few butterflies when it got a bit big, but he always knew what he was going toward. Now his little blonde angel had got doubts flying in his head. He shook them out and settled the crossbow in his hands offering him more comfort than anything else. He was ready.
The shadows vibrated in the small windows, almost calling a man forward. Oliver stood and squared himself. A mental countdown sounded and he fired his first shot to break the window followed by a smoke grenade through the gap. He waited, they wouldn't need any verbal torment to come to him, just a few clear physical symbols. A grenade should do that.
"Green Arrow." Oliver turned to the voice, the man was cloaked in shadows standing before his smoking building like the only layer of guard before it. Oliver knew better. "I suppose you're here for some revenge attack."
"You could say that." The voice distorter gave him more confidence than he had.
"I assure you. Miss Sullivan was treated with the uppermost of care." An arrow shot through the head of the shadow. It did no harm, but it made him feel a hell of a lot better. He loaded up another arrow, surprised when he wasn't attacked during his loading time. "You must be Oliver." Oliver's head snapped up. The shadows laughed. "I see that got your attention. But where were you when she was screaming your name? Praying you would come to her rescue. Where were you when she cried her rivers of blood? Every hour she lost hope in that hero coming to save her. It wouldn't surprise me if she was huddled in a corner breaking apart right now." Oliver's jaw locked. He stopped the reaction to fire off another arrow. He needed them for later and they did no effect to his enemy. "Or is she listening in? Watching as you try to save her from her nightmares?" The shadows crept forward.
"No." Oliver answered despite the voice in his earpiece from Chloe saying different.
"Hmmm. Then you won't mind passing along a message will you? Tell her… Tell her our re-union will be explosive, that I look forward to seeing her." He laughed a deep soulless sound and the darkness vibrated with his movements as he circled Oliver. "Where are your other men? We both know you're not stupid enough to come alone."
"Revenge doesn't tend to pause for intelligence or reason."
"That is true enough. Yes. But I doubt even you are that stupid." Oliver whipped around in a circle. The shadows playing with him as they darted around. "But what exactly do you intend to do to me with that flimsy bow?" Said bow was yanked from his grip and thrown across the concrete. "Or really, what do you intend to do at all? I can't be hurt, and now you're pray to my mercy. Or rather. To his." The shadows stepped back as Blast came from around the corner, fists formed and ready for some hurt. He looked as deadly as before and with enough anger to slice straight through someone. Blast charged and the fight began again.
Bart stayed hidden, watching the guard of the door leave to fight Oliver and leave it wide open for him. He darted in, speeding around corners and following the straightest path possible. He kept moving, kept searching in the different rooms. Was it not here? Was it fruitless? He paused, scanning to make sure no-one was around and hooked back up to Victor.
"Cyborg. I'm not finding anything man." he complained and stalked around a few more corridors
"Keep looking. Our water birds aren't finding anything either. It has to be around here somewhere." Bart sped off again, back into rooms he'd already been in, looking for secret openings or anything out of the ordinary. Bart burst into another room and skidded to a stop. A man sat casually on the desk; behind him were shelves of briefcases. Bingo! Vic confirmed his thoughts, watching through his sunglasses. Just one guard in the way.
"Child I think you're lost." he deadpanned, his head whipping up. Bart grinned and super speeded past him… or he would have if he still had his power. Like an entire lock down on his muscles he could only move at human pace. "Like I said. You're a lost cause now child."
"Cyborg. Little bit of help maybe?" Bart muttered and ducked backwards. The foe was slow, barely able to move himself without a strain on his body. But as seconds passed, Bart felt himself slow and his foe speed up.
"Impulse, get out of there!" Chloe's voice came through "He's siphoning your power." It explained how powers had been stolen. It also explained why they hadn't seen him before. He was a weak fighter unless given the time needed to drain his victims.
"No. He has the powers." Bart protested and slithered around growing weaker by the second. Would this be permanent? Would he forever be this slow? He wondered... but this was for Chloe, he'd sacrifice his power if it meant keeping her safe. But as he thought this he knew it wasn't just the power slipping from his grasp. His heart was slowing it's beats...
"Keep away from him. Help is on the way. Don't let him touch you." Chloe ordered, taking back control while Victor called in Batman with positions of Bart.
"Leave off him." The shadow man ordered his servant and Blast stepped back to the wall. "Do you really want to avenge the pain your lover felt?" he whispered across the ground to where Oliver was pushing up from. He had bruises the size of Texas across him, but as he promised Chloe, he was scar free. "How can you?" he challenged. "You don't even know the half of what she felt. Luckily I don't mind showing you." Oliver found his footing only to be shot back down as his body was wrapped in shadows and fears. "Oh there are so many." The voice purred. "Let's choose this one to start."
"What are you going to do?" he asked, stepping across the room.
"What do you think Oliver? I'm not keeping it." she protested and shoved more clothes in the bag.
"But I love you Chloe." She smiled turning back to him.
"Like you loved the maid, the tailor, the waitress, the hostess, the stewardess, the entire fleet of models and the female clients you control. I'm just another one of the many. We said this to start with and I'm sticking with that."
"Chloe, they didn't mean anything. Not compared to you."
"I've heard the lines before Oliver. I've heard all you could ever create. The words have lost meaning. I'm sorry, but I won't be a single mother." She turned back to the bag, zipping it up as it filled.
"You won't be. Why won't you hear me? I love you Chloe. I want to marry you."
"And I wanted to marry Batman. Thoughts are fleeting, especially in your head. You'll get over me in the next pair of breasts that claim your attention." She wasn't angry, wasn't even sad. Just accepting. Passive.
"No. You. Only ever you."
"Only ever me and thousands of others. I'm tired of competing for you Oliver. We had sex, we made a mistake, I got pregnant. I'm having it aborted next Wednesday. You don't need to do anything but fill up your glass with whisky and praise god for dodging another bullet."
"Chloe. Listen to me. You're not another bullet. I love you damn it. Stay with me."
"I've already overstayed my welcome. I'll text you when I've had it done. Later Ollie." She kissed his cheek like an old friend habit and was gone, leaving him alone and shattered.
Shadow's wavered but cloaked him once again. Thousands of blurs of Chloe whirled past before it settled. He'd seen her beaten, locked inside her mind once again. A mute to all. He'd seen her marry Bart. He'd seen her dying a million different ways in his arms, but this hurt a lot more.
"You're my wife god damn it! You will come back here." he ordered storming through the mansion he owned. The mansion she was living in.
"I wear your ring, but I'm not your wife. Hell, I don't even want your stupid ring anymore!" She pulled the band from around her finger and threw it to his chest before turning and taking off again. She wore a dress of black, long and flowing to her ankles. A long sleeved cardigan sat atop. She owned none of it. He owned everything about her. She was his.
"Come back here now! I tell you when you can leave."
"Not anymore Ollie. I'm sick of this." He ran to catch up with her, grabbing her wrist painfully hard and dragging her to the floor.
"Who would have you, you whore? You're used goods. Nobody would want you." She shied away from him, expecting the slap. "Who did you tell?" he hissed. She wriggled trying to find her feet, he knocked her back down. "Who did you tell bitch? Tell me or you'll regret it." Her heart beat thundered again. Tears of anger and hate rolled the familiar track. "Tell me." He twisted the wrist he still had hold of. A shriek left her lips.
"Bart. Ah. Please Oliver, let go. I told Bart. He saw the bruises."
"Bart saw the bruises, and how would he see them? Have you been stripping off for another man?" The wrist turned tighter and she squealed, the bone protesting, the tears running free.
"No. No I swear I haven't. I tripped on some stairs, my blouse came up. I told him I was clumsy and it was an accident."
"He didn't believe you though did he? How much does he know?" She paused and he turned sharply again. The bones broke cleanly, the sound of her screams shoved through the air. They didn't bother him at all. He enjoyed the power. Making her his. He discarded the broken wrist, throwing it back to her. "How much does he know?"
"I didn't tell him anything." she sobbed "He started asking questions, that's all. I swear Oliver I didn't say a word."
"What did you tell him?" His hand grasped her blond hair. She held it herself, one hand over his, the broken one cradled to her chest.
"You got angry one night. It was all an accident. You didn't mean it. I told him it was accidental, but he wants me to stay with him."
"And you said yes." he finished for her and threw her back down to the floor. "You are mine. You are my wife and my property. I decide what you do and what you say. Not that tiny head of yours."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please Oliver."
"You should beg. I don't know what I'm going to do now." He turned sharp back to her. "Go to the bedroom. I'll deal with you later. I have business to do." She pushed to her feet through the tears and he followed her back to the bedroom, locking it from the outside to keep her in. He pocketed the key and went to find a gun. Bart was a dead man.
Chloe cradled her broken wrist. How many times could she 'fall down the stairs' before the hospital started to get suspicious? How many times had she been hit by a car to explain the bruising across her middle and the broken ribs? How many times had she been raped by the man who claimed to love her? How much longer would this go on? She knew, like she knew he would want to beat on her again when he came back, that he'd be loading up a gun and going out to find Bart. He was as good as dead. Even with the speed. If he didn't see the bullet he'd be bleeding out on the ground. He'd join the graves of the rest of the team. Chloe walked over to the dresser. She couldn't take anymore. Not trapped with this lunatic of a man. Her hand found the bottle of aspirin he had been 'kind enough' to provide and counted out the 16 small tablets. One after the other she threw them down. The taste may have been terrible, but living was so much worse. She crashed to the floor, closed her eyes and invited death.
Oliver knelt over on the floor, coughing out his tears. His eyes burned raw, his stomach was threatening to erupt. Chloe's voice was full of concern in his ear tormenting him further. He took it out, throwing it across the concrete, he couldn't listen to her. Not like that. Not with her sweet voice comforting him when he had done such vile things.
"How the mighty fall…" The narration came from the shadow man. "Should I kill you now, or let you self destruct. Maybe you'd like to see more. I can show you your future with your bride. But I can't guarantee everything works out well."
More visions came flooding into him as the shadows returned. Each worse than the previous. They played on his fears, made him do things he wouldn't dream of. They were just flashes, just tiny titbits as he decided which to use, but the feeling behind them had his insides rotting, a black death rolling in his lungs, the sting in his eyes creeping further into his head. He saw his fists flying at her. He heard her screams of agony as he pulled clothes from her, bending her further to his will. She was his play toy, nothing more. He wanted to release some anger; she was there to take it. He wanted to fuck; she took it. It was what his wife was for.
Then it was gone. An explosion sounded behind in the factory. The shadows sank back to their master.
"Blast, you know where to meet me." Then it was all clear, the large brute barrelled into the fire to save what he could, the flames did nothing to him. The shadows were gone. Oliver scrambled to his feet, away from the flames and smoke. He made it as far as the small trees before his stomach failed him. He clutched the tree and felt his insides turn out. Bart came to him a few minutes later supported by Batman's shoulder.
"You okay?" Batman asked. Ollie just nodded and wiped his hand over his mouth. Oliver eyes caught Bart, questioning his lack of cheerleader pep he usually carried. "No super speed." Bart looked drained, half dead.
"We got the cases. 10 of them in total. We got them all. Creep guy got away, but we got the juice." Bart smiled, proud of himself, but the power down over him was making everything seem less sunshiny.
Oliver. Poor darling Oliver's out of his mind.
Bart's possibly lost his powers.
It's a cruel world. But Chloe will always love them. Xx