Chapter 10

"Martha? Could you get that, please?" Chloe yelled down, just as she stepped into the shower. Martha took a break from the game of Monolopy she was losing to the twins to pick up the ringing cordless phone in the kitchen.

"Hello?" She greeted with a smile.

"Mom?" Clark asked on the other end.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm fine. What are you doing at the farm?"

"Oh, just decided to come out for a couple of days. I needed a break," Martha answered.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I also wanted to come out and see Chloe. I read the article you wrote about her assistant."

"How is she?"

"She's okay. She says she still blames herself, but I keep telling her there was no way to know what that crazy man had planned," Martha told him.

"Is she around? I need to talk to her," Clark replied.

"She just got in the shower. Do you need me to give her a message?" Martha offered.

"Yeah. I was supposed to keep the boys tonight but Perry just assigned me and Lois to cover the Halloween Costume Ball that Oliver is throwing."

"No problem. I'll let her know. I can sit with them. I didn't have any plans for tonight anyway."

"Would you mind, Mom?"

Martha turned her head and looked at Connor and Kaid, who were smiling angelically at her. They'd hidden her game piece again. "Not at all."

An hour or so later, while Martha was at the stove showing Connor and Kaid how to make pudding that wasn't from a box, the doorbell rang.

"You keep stirring," She instructed Connor, handing him the whisk. "Clockwise." Wiping her hands on her apron, Martha went to the door to find a tall, imposing man in a smart black suit and driver's cap.

"Good evening," the man said, his deep voice rolling.

"Good evening," Martha replied. "I'll get Chloe. Would you like to come in?"

"No, I'll wait for Ms. Sullivan on the porch," he said before taking up stance at the porch beam. Martha bit back a laugh as she closed the door. Takes his job seriously, Martha thought.

"Chloe!" She called up the stairs. "The limo is here!"

"Be right down!" A muffled voice carried down to Martha.

Martha went back to her silver pot and two little boys. "Let's see what we got."

Ten minutes later, when Martha was sticking her finger in the pudding to taste test, she heard some commotion on the stairs.

"How do I look?" Chloe asked, holding her arms out as she stood at the bottom of the steps.

"Oh!" Martha gasped at the sight of her. "Aren't you precious?"

"Yeah, well, Oliver was feeling whimsical this year. Can you help me?" Chloe spoke in a grumble as she kept slapping at a wayward glittering wing behind her.

"I think you are just the cutest fairy I have seen in a long time," Martha told her as she stepped behind Chloe to fasten the set of sheer wings more securely to the back of Chloe's satiny dress the color of spring grass.

"Well, this is one fairy who wants her wings clipped," Chloe retorted as she glared over her shoulder .

"You look darling, though," Martha replied, taking in her artfully styled hair pulled into an elegant French twist to her golden colored slippers with a big white puff on either toe. "I'm guessing Oliver is the boy who never grew up?"

"Ironic, given he's finally grown out of the Peter Pan Syndrome. You don't think it's too short?" Chloe asked as she yanked on the pointed ends of her skirt, trying to move it past her mid-thigh.

"No, it looks fine. Do you have a coat you can wear? It's chilly out there," Martha told her. She doubted that even if the costume did have long sleeves it wouldn't insulate Chloe against the wind.

"Not one I can wear over these stupid wings and I don't feel like finding someone at the party to play Fairy Godmother," Chloe said, putting her cell phone and some lip balm into the golden clutch she'd set by the door. "I won't be going outside. I'll be fine."

"Okay, well, have fun. See if you can get a picture of Clark. He said Lois was picking out their costumes. I'm very curious to see what she dressed him up in," Martha smiled deviously at Chloe as the two walked to the front door.

"If Lois knows what's good for her, she'll have stayed away from anything 'form-fitting'," Chloe replied. "Guys, I'm leaving!" There was a rush of footsteps and Connor and Kaid came barreling around the corner, both wrapped in over-sized aprons Martha had unearthed from somewhere.

"Bye Mom!" The twins said together, hugging her waist.

"Hey, you be good for Martha. And don't let her ply you with too many home baked goods," Chloe teased. "I'll be home later." Connor and Kaid, without her normal added four inches of height, reached right under her chest. They would be tall. But there was never a question about that. She kissed each boy's head. "Thanks, Martha. For everything."

"You're welcome." Martha reached over and hugged Chloe again. "We'll see you later."

With a wave, Chloe exited the house and followed the driver into the limo. Once inside, she allowed the nerves she was feeling to surface. She was planning to talk to Oliver tonight. Martha had made her see she was living in fear and that was one of the main reasons she was still lying to Clark. And with the Thanksgiving ultimatum looming before her, Chloe knew she needed to do all she could to bulk up her courage. She already had Martha Kent in her corner, which helped. She would soon have Oliver and Lois. Chloe knew, with all those people pushing her, she could do it. She could find the bravery to tell Clark they had two children and the scariest thing of all, that she still loved him. Chloe thought she'd told him before he left, but now she wondered if that had been a dream when she woke alone.

The 90 minute drive did nothing to help her compose. Every time she tried to gather her thoughts, they would shoot out and away, like bullets from a gun, traveling so fast she couldn't remember what they were or where they had gone. She reached down and scratched her ankle through the flesh colored fishnet stockings. She hated this outfit! It was short and itchy and cold. The only thing she liked about it was the fact that it actually showed off her hips in a very flattering way, which had gained a few more inches after the twins. Besides that, she felt as if she was wearing a green bathing suit with sleeves. And the shoes! How would she be able to look anyone in the eye, literally, tonight?

She felt the limo pull to a stop and took a look out the tinted windows. The tall Queen Industries building towered from her vantage point, a warm glow shining out from the banquet room on the twenty-second floor where the Halloween party was being held. Farther above that, at the very pinnacle of the building, another light was on. Oliver's office, Chloe's destination. The door opened and the driver, whose name Chloe didn't catch, held out a hand.

"Thank you," she said, still looking up at the top of the building. "Here we go."

The chair creaked as Oliver rocked back and forth. He'd been dressed for the past hour, just passing the time with a game of computer solitaire. All things were set for the team's trip to Russia. Lately he'd been thinking of going soon, not waiting around. They were getting no where in their investigation of the Lex's Ultimate Weapon here in the states. Maybe the prison in Russia held some answers. With every day, he could tell his guys were getting antsy. He and Clark took turns calling to check on Chloe, who was getting very annoyed with both of them. Not to mention sending Bart out for perimeter checks every two or three hours. Oliver knew when Lex finished formulating his plan, he would waste no time in pouncing. They needed to be ready at a moments notice, as well. But how could Oliver and his group hope to ready, without knowing the full plan?

Not for the first time, Oliver thought about going to visit Lex in prison. With the man being in isolation, the only visitors he was allowed were those of a medical variety, including that hack Dr. Mickler. Maybe with enough money slipped into the right pocket, Oliver could arrange a short meeting with Lex. Baldie might not give him anything except dark and twisted business platitudes he'd turned into points to live by, but maybe within those would be clues to what was going down. He made a mental note to look into getting an audience with his Craziness. The enormity of the task ahead of the Justice League threatened to astound him and then he remembered they had Clark. Oliver smiled. He and Clark had bumped heads a few times back in their younger years, but they made a good team. Add Chloe into the mix and they were unstoppable. Chloe had the brains, Clark had the brawn and Oliver had the will.

Thinking of Chloe, Oliver's smile faltered. They would need to talk. And soon. The way they were going, could not continue. He wasn't happy, she wasn't happy and Clark sure as hell wasn't happy. Chloe and him had never talked about what might happen if Clark ever did come back in their lifetime. It was not a subject either of them wanted to discuss. Discussing it seemed to foster the hope Clark would return and as long as Chloe had hope, she was miserable while he was gone. She had been the happiest Oliver had ever seen her in the fifteen months following Connor and Kaid's birth. As the date for Clark's return got closer and closer, Chloe alternated between boughts of nervousness and down-right panic. She'd told Oliver many times she was scared and excited at the same time. Would Clark want to acknowledge the boys? Would Clark be mad she hadn't tried to contact him? Would he still be Clark Kent? Afterwards, it was painful to watch her. Lois and him witnessed Chloe, would had always been on the curvy side, waste away to almost nothing. She wouldn't eat, she wouldn't sleep, she wouldn't move.

Oliver cared enough about Chloe to want her to be happy. He'd told her about a thousand times since he'd found her and Clark in the barn over a month ago. The only commitment the two had to each other was the Justice League, to making the world a safe place once again. Dating for them was an easy solution to both of their problems with loneliness. He could be himself with Chloe and she accepted his dual identity. She never asked for anything more than what he could give her and expected him to put everything else ahead of her. Both of them understood their first priority wasn't to each other. When Oliver first met Chloe, she seemed liked a shorter version of Lois. But as time went on, the differences between the two women were like night and day. Though Lois seemed independent and head-strong, Oliver could always tell she needed him. She didn't want to, but she did. Their love affair had been a wild and passionate ride, one Oliver knew he'd never experience again. He still thought fondly of his time with Lois. It was short, but unforgettable and Oliver was still trying to get over that tall siren.

Chloe didn't need him. Chloe didn't need anything, except for Clark. Oliver wanted to be that to someone. He envied the love Chloe and Clark evidently had for each other and he would no longer allow Chloe to disregard the connection between her and Clark. It was time for her to face the music. The two of them had basically broken up, they just needed to make it official. As if her ears were itching, Oliver looked up as the automated doors to his office hissed open and Chloe sauntered in. He took a long, appreciative glance at her in the short, green dress he'd picked out.

"Now I see why Peter Pan didn't want to leave Neverland," Oliver said with a lifted eyebrow. He stood and walked around his desk toward her.

"Thank you," Chloe said brightly with a smile. She caught sight of the green hose hugging Oliver's long legs. "Now, those my green-hue addicted friend, are tights."

"Thought I'd try 'em out, see how they felt," Oliver replied, moving forward and hugging her, placing a kiss on her forehead. They'd fallen easily into the pattern of a couple and now it seemed they would fall as easily back out. "You're early."

Chloe glanced over at his desk clock. "Only by thirty minutes."

"How did it look down there?" Oliver asked, leaning back against his desk still facing her.

"Like the Tooth Fairy died," Chloe teased.

Oliver slipped his hands down from her shoulders to take her hands in his. "Are you counting the hours until this is over?"

"I should have come as a pocket-watch," Chloe groaned.

"Well, I don't think anyone would find a pocket-watch as appealing," Oliver replied. Silence fell between them, turning the moment awkward.

"So, you want to go first?" Oliver offered.

"You knew this was coming," Chloe stated.

"We both knew. When are you going to tell him?"

Chloe squeezed his hands in return before turning and retreating to the uncomfortable looking love seat. "Martha came into town. Either I tell him by Thanksgiving or she cooks my turkey."

"Aw," Oliver said with contrition. "So you're only telling Clark because Ma Kent is threatening to give up the game."

"It's not just that, Oliver. I want the boys to know where they come from. I saw what Clark went through when we were younger, searching for where he came from, trying to understand why he was different. I don't want Connor and Kaid to feel like that. I don't want Connor and Kaid to feel isolated or cut off from people. You were right, this is what is best for them. Martha made me see that living in fear, I'm not only hurting myself, but I'm hurting the boys and Clark."

"I'll help you tell him, Chloe. You won't have to do this alone," Oliver told her.

"I was afraid, but not anymore. If I believe Martha, Clark and I love each other enough to get through this. Time will tell," Chloe replied.

"What do you think he'll do?"

"I don't know. Clark didn't think he could get anyone pregnant. He probably won't believe me at first. I just hope he doesn't run away. He has a nasty habit of doing that when things get complicated."

"So that's where you learned it from," Oliver replied.

"What?" Chloe asked.

"Running away. You must have learned it from Clark."

"I don't run away," Chloe said incredously.

"Yes, you do, Chloe," Oliver said again from his perch against his desk. "The Chloe I first met would never have kept Clark in the dark this long. The Chloe I first met was not afraid of anything, least of all her six foot three, two hundred plus pound, alien best friend."

Chloe smiled at Oliver's description of Clark, but soon turned somber. There was a shred of truth in what he'd said. "You're wrong, you know."

Oliver cocked an eyebrow.

"I dive in head first to any investigation. I throw myself into any mission. I'm not scared of anything. Anything, except Clark Kent. He's always scared the crap out of me," Chloe told Oliver quietly. She'd thought the way she loved Clark was only something she'd read in those trashy romance novels she hid in her underwear drawer when she was thirteen. She thought it was just a literary invention to justify the torment the two characters went through before they were allowed to be brought together. But it wasn't. It was real. And all these years, with Clark gone, it had still only grown stronger instead of weaker. "At the risk of sounding like a bad Rita Hayworth movie, I would do anything for that man. And that is what scares me the most."

"He would do the same for you. You have to believe that. I think Mrs. Kent is right," Oliver responded as he pushed away from the desk and joined her on the sofa. Reaching over, he took both her hands in one of his in a comforting gesture. "Clark loves you. You two can work through this."

"Thank you, Oliver. Thank you so much. I don't know what I would have done without you all these years," Chloe said with affection.

"I think we helped each other out. I'm just glad one of us gets the happy ending," Oliver replied.

"Oliver," Chloe admonished. "You know, she hasn't dated anyone seriously since you. Are you sure-"

"Chloe," Oliver interrupted, matching her tone. "You know what she said. She can't handle my double life. Not all of us are as lucky as Clark."

"But did you ever give her the chance?"

"Look who is talking!" Oliver laughed.

Chloe had the grace to look shameful. "You never fought for her, though. You just took her at her word. If I can take a chance on Clark, I think you can take a chance on Lois. We both need to face our fears, Oliver."

Oliver and Chloe sat for the next hour, talking quietly. Each could tell they cared deeply for the other, but both their hearts lied elsewhere. They parted as friends, realizing they'd never been anything else but, really. The phone on Oliver's desk rang,causing Chloe to jump.

"Krenshaw?" Oliver said with surprise into the phone. "Yes, we'll be right down." He replaced the head-piece and turned to Chloe. "Seems our guests await us."

"What time is it?" Chloe asked as she stood from the couch.

"Time for our last fashionably late entrance," Oliver said with a sad smile. He would miss Chloe. He would miss the world he'd created with her, if only for a short time. Her words about facing fears floated around in his mind, but with mental shove, he pushed them away. He almost envied Clark in this moment. Almost.

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell arrived outside the banquet room doors five minutes later. It was flanked by none other than Krenshaw and Allistor. Krenshaw moved his head, speaking into the mic on the lapel as Allistor put a hand on the fancy door knob. From inside, Chloe could hear the Emcee of the evening begin his introductions. This was the part she hated. She pasted a bright smile on her face as the doors swung open.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our gracious host for the evening and his lovely counterpart," Oliver slipped an arm around her waist and squeezed. "CEO's of Queen Industries and Isis Foundation, Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan!" The roar of applause coming from the extravagantly large room was deafening as Chloe allowed Oliver to steer her inside. Oliver, being expected to speak as he always was, made his way to the platform that had been erected to support the small concert orchestra he had hired and the microphone stand, Chloe still on his arm.

"Hello everyone, thanks for coming." Oliver began reciting the same words he said year after year. Chloe's cheeks hurt from smiling prettily as she scanned the crowd for any familiar faces. As if a magnetic force drew her, Chloe eyes connected instantly with the sea-green pair she knew so well. Her smile became real as she took in his face. He was scowling. And Chloe quickly saw why as she fought hard not snort in laughter.

Lois and Clark walked around, their press passes clipped to their shoulders like scarlet letters. No one was coming near them. A waiter in a snowy white waistcoat sailed by and Lois snagged two tall flutes if champagne, handing one to Clark before downing hers like a Tequila shot.

"I could be mid-way through dinner foreplay right about now if it weren't for you," Lois growled, replacing the empty flute back on another tray sailing past her by another waiter.

"You know, Lois, I think you got your revenge, so why don't you let it go?" Clark said tightly, placing the glass on the table behind him. True, he'd ruined her date. But did he really deserve. . . this?

Lois glanced to her left. She smiled genuinely as she spied the Mayor's wife admiring Clark from behind. "Oh, come on now, Clark. You can't tell me you mind being one of the only best pieces of eye candy here tonight? I never knew you had all that." Lois leered playfully at him, causing Clark to lean away from her like she was contagious.

Clark cleared his throat and clasped his hands in front of himself. "Just for the record? I hate you."

"Oh, it's mutual, sweetie," Lois replied with her own tight smile. "Listen, I think I see the County Commissioner over there, why don't we-"

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Emcee began. "Our gracious host for the evening and his lovely counterpart, CEO's of Queen Industries and Isis Foundation, Oliver Queen and Chloe Sullivan!"

Lois and Clark turned their attention to the doors as Chloe and Oliver came through. Clark's mouth dropped. He wasn't the only one who was exposed. He hadn't seen Chloe in a skirt that short since they were in high school and even then she wore tights or pants under them in her own funky fashion. Clark didn't know if it was Chloe or just how he would react to any woman in a next to nothing curve clinging. . . He glanced over at Lois, dressed as a slutty Red Riding Hood. Yeah, it was Chloe. Clark swallowed and gritted his teeth as Oliver guided Chloe to the stage by her hip. He should be over the jealousy by now.

Clark began listening to Oliver's speech, so he could dictate it down later at the Planet, but Chloe found him and smiled. Something was different. He could see it in her face. It was as if the burden she'd carried since he'd returned had dissolved. Clark felt his frowning facial muscles relax into his own easy grin. He didn't know what it was, but she was looking at him like she used to. When it had been the two of them against the world and she knew they would win. What's changed? Clark wondered.

". . .enjoy tonight and Happy Halloween!" Oliver finished to applause.

Dang it.

Oliver and Chloe stepped off. Oliver was stopped immediately, but Chloe continued on toward Lois and Clark. As she got closer, Clark could see her features were held firmly in place, trying not to laugh.

"Hey, guys," she greeted. "Glad you could find costumes on such short notice."

"Well, it wasn't easy," Lois answered after she'd hugged Chloe. Needing to do something with his hands, Clark picked up the glass behind him and raised it to his lips. "Not like Jumbo here fits easily into tight places."

The champagne Clark had filled his mouth with sprayed out in a golden mist. He turned wide eyes to Lois.

"What?" Lois asked when she saw him. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Smallville." Chloe, not able to hold her composure much longer, lost it completely when she heard Lois mutter, "Not like she hasn't see it before."

Clark knocked back the rest of the alcohol, wishing it had some kind of effect of him. Maybe then he could get through the rest of the night without throttling Lois.

"And just what are you supposed to be?" Oliver had finally made it to where they were standing. He, too, eyed Clark with blatant curiosity. Clark noticed he stood easily beside Chloe, but they didn't touch.

"I am Little Red Riding Hood," Lois answered in a sugary voice, curtsying in her low-cut white peasant top. The view couldn't even be obscured by the floor length red cloak she wore tied around her neck.

"I assumed that, Lois. But what about your friend?" Oliver motioned to Clark. "You want to tell us what this is about, Clark?"

Clark glowered at all of them, including Chloe who was no longer bothering to try and hide her giggles.

"Go on. Tell them, Clark," Lois ordered him sweetly.

"The trmpk," Clark muttered.

"The what?"

Clark glared at Lois. "The Tick," he repeated with enunciation.

"The Tick?" Chloe and Oliver asked.

"It was the only costume that would fit him! The fabric is so stretchy!" Lois demonstrated by pinching some of thin royal blue fabric and pulling it outward before letting it snap back into place. Clark, unconvincingly, played like it hurt.

"Fifth time tonight," he whispered at Chloe.

Chloe stepped back and looked at him. The costume was a one piece, a brilliant shade of royal blue. It had a separate head piece with two stubby antennae on top pointing out in different directions under which Clark's thick mop of black hair was stuffed. Whatever the fabric was, it hugged his whole body like Oliver's hose hugged his legs, ending inside a pair of tall, red boots.

"Wasn't the Tick all blue? And, um, insane?" Chloe asked, successfully controlling her laughter.

"Yes, yes he was," Lois answered. "Clark's feet wouldn't fit into the blue boots that went with the costume so the shop girl found these for us and maybe he's not insane, but The Tick and Clark do share some of the same qualities. They're both parasites."

"Clark? You have anything to say to defend yourself?" Oliver suggested.

"No," Clark ground out.

"OK, guys. I think we've ribbed Clark enough. They're just jealous. Not all of us look so good in, what is it?" Chloe reached out herself and felt the smooth, almost silk-like material. She felt the warmth of Clark's skin radiating outward.

"I don't know," Lois answered, pulling on the costume again. "I will say this, though, 'cuz. You know how to pick 'em! He's not padded. Anywhere!"

Oliver laughed. "Just how much champagne have you had, Lois?"

"Enough to have the great tingly feeling in my toes."

"I think we need to get some food in you, Lois," Chloe said, taking hold of her cousin's arm.

"I'll take her," Clark groaned. "You two are being summoned." His head cocked to the young woman with a PDA and an ear piece heading their way.

"Yes, the first dance. We have to lead it. You two have fun," Oliver told Clark as the men took an arm of Chloe and Lois, leading them in different directions.

Clark marched Lois over to a long table covered in gourmet dishes. He picked up a plate and started filling it with bread and a couple of cold cuts. Out of the corner of his eye, Clark saw Lois try to snag another glass of bubbly and quickly put down the plate and yanked her wrist. "No," Clark said sternly.

"Killjoy," Lois snarled as Clark forced the food on her. "You wanted to come."

"I didn't think I'd be trading one baby-sitting job for another," Clark muttered.

"That'll teach you," Lois giggled. She popped a piece of bread into her mouth, looking toward the dance floor. Oliver and Chloe were in the middle, dancing casually to a slow, jazzy beat. Others were joining them, steadily obscuring Chloe from her view. Lois looked over at Clark. His eyes were trained, as well, on the couple. Remembering the last time her and Clark watched Chloe dance with another man from afar, Lois shivered with uneasiness. "I'm going to go mingle. Wouldn't want you getting any ideas," she finished with knowing eyes. When the girl Clark was currently pining for was taken away, he got ideas. Lois doubted he'd changed in the years he'd been gone.

"Lois-"

"I'm not going to drink anymore, Clark, so you can put your little tee-totaler pad away," Lois threw over her shoulder before she stuffed some more food into her mouth and lost herself in the crowd.

Clark stood alone again, attempting to hold his hands in front of him. It was very uncomfortable being on display.

"Come on, Smallville. You played football," Lois had crowed from outside the dressing room. "How is this any different than tiny white pants?" The difference was, on the field, all the guys were wearing them and most people in the crowd were busy watching where the ball was going. Clark had already been whistled at, pinched, poked and prodded within the hour of him and Lois arriving. Twice by Mayor Kennington's wife alone.

"You should be flattered," a female voice simpered beside him. Clark rolled his eyes and looked to his left to where the voice had sounded only to find empty air. "Down here."

"Chloe!" Clark turned his head downward, surprised to see her head just barely reaching his shoulder. Has she always been this little? "What are you doing down there?"

"I've been demoted," Chloe answered, holding out a tiny foot, showing off the shiny golden flat slipper with a large white puff on the toe.

"Cute," Clark said, taking in her wings. "Tinkerbell?"

"Oliver insisted he pick this year," Chloe replied, taking a sip of her champagne.

"Why? Afraid you'd put him tights? Because he ended up there anyway."

"Last year we came as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. He has something against an ascot, I think. So, how did Lois talk you into this one?" Chloe asked, allowing her eyes to travel slowly down and back up.

"It really was the only thing that would fit me," Clark admitted.

"Why didn't you just come as James Bond or some other debonair man? Something that would leave a little to the imagination?"

"I thought you said I should be flattered! What should I be flattered about, by the way?"

"For starters, Oliver usually is the best looking thing at this event," Chloe began. "This year, all the women want to know who the hunk in the blue suit is."

Clark groaned.

"And, you look, well, hot."

Clark glanced down at Chloe. She'd caught her bottom lip between her teeth, but quickly released it and smiled when she met Clark's eyes. Clark turned to her. "Why aren't you out there with Oliver?"

"Because Lois abandoned you and you looked lonely," Chloe answered, facing away and looking out upon the crowd. She took another sip from her glass. Clark saw her hand tremble.

He took the glass from her and put it on a tray that passed by. Chloe looked at him with questioning eyes.

"What is it, Chloe? What happened?"

"Nothing, Clark, why do think something happened?"

"Because I know you. Something happened. What? Is it Dr. Mickler? Did he call you-"

"Whoa, Clark. Slow down. No, nothing happened today. I'm just. . ." Chloe's voice trailed off. Clark stood close to her, his arms crossed over his chest, looking quite imposing in the skin-tight blue suit. Except for the antennae on his head. That ruined the whole image. "I'm just a little out of it, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm-"

"Clark Kent?"

Chloe and Clark turned to the new voice. It was a smoker's voice and it belonged to none other than Clark's number one admirer of the night, Mrs. Kennington, the mayor's wife.

"Mrs. Kennington. It's lovely to see you again," Chloe greeted the dark haired woman politely, but the she didn't hear a word Chloe said. She was too busy licking her chops in Clark's direction. Vivian Kennington was known for her cougar appetite concerning other men who were not her husband. It would have amazed Chloe how her poor husband got re-elected every time with Vivian as a wife had Chloe not known what a dirty politician he was. This was why she hated this party. She was forced to be pleasant to the people she was trying hard to avoid at all costs, both professionally and personally.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kennington." Clark held out a hand.

Vivian took it eagerly in her own, pulling herself up to Clark. She looked like a soft-core version of Morticia from the Addams Family. "I've had my eye on you all night. How would you care for an up close and personal exclusivewith the first lady of Metropolis?"

"That would be great!" Clark exclaimed. "Just let me go and get my partner and we'll set up a time for your interview."

"I wouldn't think a big man like yourself would want to share your by-line."

Chloe couldn't believe her ears. The sentence itself was purely innocent, but spoken by Vivian Kennington it came out filled with innuendo.

"No, no. I'm very generous with my by-line," Clark replied. "Let me just go and get-"

"How about we start the interview now, then? Just you and me on the dance floor?" Vivian pressed her fake upper body flush against Clark's side, causing Clark to go red.

"Well, the song is about to end and I'm sure-"

"Then we'll wait for the next one. I'll go request a nice long one," Vivian smiled, showing all her perfect teeth.

"Actually, I've promised my next dance to Ms. Sullivan here," Clark told Vivian frantically.

Vivian, not used to being shunned, turned her cold, blue eyes to Chloe, daring her to support Clark's obvious lie and attempt to avoid her. Chloe, only to happy to oblige Clark, slipped her arm through Clark's and smiled sweetly at Vivian.

"That's right, you did."

"And I would hate to disappoint you," Clark said to Chloe, clumsily untangling himself from Vivian's vice-like grip. The music ended to the sound of applause, only to start up again, playing a softer and more melodic version of a popular Broadway song.

"Maybe Lois and I can do your interview some other time," Clark said hurriedly to Vivian before pulling Chloe roughly through the crowd of people and onto the dance floor. He swung her out and in, catching her in his arms.

"That was close," Chloe laughed as she settled her hands on Clark's broad shoulders. All she could see was the massive expanse of his blue chest. She tilted back to look into his face.

"I never knew the woman was such a-"

"Venus Man Trap? She's been through most of the Metropolis Sharks already."

"Don't tell me that," Clark whined with a playful smile. "You and Mom do anything special today?"

"Clark? I'm getting a crick," Chloe teased in way of avoidance.

"Then we'll just dance," Clark responded easily. He pulled her in closer, settling his hands at her waist. Chloe laid her head on his chest and leaned against him, letting Clark support her as they swayed to the music. Something was different. Clark could feel it. His heart sped up as he wrapped his arms around her tighter, wondering what could have changed. His chin rested on top of her head as he looked around the tastefully decorated room. He met Vivian Kennington's eyes which were currently shooting him death glares as she stood next to the elbow of her husband.

The song came to end, but when Chloe made no attempt to step away from him, Clark stayed where he was, mentally thanking the orchestra for playing yet another slow tempo song. When another set, a tribute to Elvis, began and Chloe still didn't leave him, Clark started to get slightly worried about her reputation. What would people think to see Oliver Queen's girlfriend spending the whole night in another man's arms? What would Oliver think? Quickly, Clark scanned the crowd.

He found Oliver standing quietly by himself, watching the two of them with intense interest. Clark lifted his head, preparing to push Chloe away when Oliver did something unexpected. He lifted his scotch glass as if he was toasting someone and smiled, looking strangely. . . satisfied.

"Chloe?" Clark whispered.

"Hmm?" Chloe murmured from her resting place.

"Is Oliver. . .OK?" He asked tentatively.

Chloe stirred against him and followed his gaze, seeing what Clark saw. Chloe smiled softly and waved before turning back to Clark. "He's fine. We're both fine. Better than we've been in a long time." Chloe watched Clark take his eyes from Oliver and place them back on her.

"I need to tell you something, Clark. I've needed to tell you since you came back, but I. . . didn't know how," Chloe told him before she could lose her nerve.

"You can tell me anything, Chloe," Clark replied, smoothing a loose curl behind her ear.

Chloe smiled shyly. "Meet me in the boardroom in ten minutes." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Clark's cheek before scampering away from him and out of sight.

"Just a few questions, Mr. Ruthers. Are there any truth to the rumors surrounding your recent infidelity with three of your four Teaching Assistants? Any comment at all?" Lois cried after the intelligent looking professor stalking away from her dressed as a research scientist. Lois groaned.

"That went well," Oliver said behind her shoulder. She turned, looking at Oliver in his Peter Pan costume, which was very similar to his Robin Hood outfit.

"I started with the easy ones first," Lois said, stuffing the last of her food into her mouth and ridding herself of the plate.

"Lois, the man is one of the leading experts in his field of Automated Geographic Particles at Met U. Do you have to ruin the his life five minutes after meeting him?" Oliver questioned as he nursed his Scotch on the Rocks.

"Perry sent Clark and I here to sniff out a story. And all I've smelt tonight are cheap avoidance tactics."

"Why don't you take a break from the hunt for a few minutes? How about a dance?" Oliver asked, downing the rest of his drink.

"You know I can never refuse a man in tights," Lois smirked as she took Oliver's hand and followed him. The two talked comfortably as Oliver spun her around the floor. "I forgot how good you were at this."

"You're not too bad yourself. You haven't stepped on my foot yet," Oliver teased.

"If they weren't always in my way," Lois countered. "You liked it, anyway."

"I do have a weakness for women who think they can walk all over me."

"I can tell. Out of all the women in Metropolis or Star City, you manage to pick two of most stubborn and head-strong women to shower with your affection."

"It's a sickness really."

"It is," Lois smiled. She spied Clark and Chloe over Oliver's shoulder, the two not so much dancing as holding each other and swaying. She looked back at Oliver. He seemed different tonight. More flirtatious than she'd seen him in a long time. Lois cleared her throat as she felt the familiar stirring in her stomach whenever she was close to Oliver.

"How are you doing with all this? Clark, I mean," Lois asked seriously.

"I'm fine with it. She's finally going to tell him," Oliver answered.

"She is? What does that mean for you and her?"

"It means we broke up," Oliver replied simply.

"And you're okay with that?"

"I am," Oliver said with a smile. "I want to see her happy, Lois. I want to see the both of you happy."

Lois met Oliver's eyes with surprise. "I am happy," she said quietly, not sure why she felt she needed to assure him. Her eyes strayed over to Clark and Chloe again. "You and Clark are somehow friends, you think he's going to hurt her again?"

"I don't know. I don't think so, but none of us ever know what will happen."

"I can't watch her go through pain again, Oliver. Not over Clark Kent, not one more time," Lois told him.

"She's strong. She'll be fine," Oliver assured her.

"I wish I could be that strong," Lois whispered.

"You are strong."

"No, Ollie. Not like her." Lois turned her eyes back to Oliver, tears shining in them. "Chloe's not afraid of love. She loves with her whole heart, never holding anything back. She's taught me everything I know. She taught me about friendship, she taught me how to be a good reporter. She taught me how to be in love. But she never taught me how to be strong like her."

Oliver didn't say anything. He knew Lois was only warming up.

"It's funny, I always thought of her as needing my protection from things. I always thought I was stronger than her because I wouldn't allow myself to feel that deeply. But that's not true," Lois finished softly.

"Sometimes walking away can be the greatest show of strength," Oliver said, knowing where Lois was headed.

"And sometimes it's staying and facing your fears," Lois replied.

Chloe found the vacant boardroom just down the hall. She slipped in quietly and shut the door behind her. Feeling her way along the walls, she found the light console in a corner. Twisting the knob, she turned up the lights but kept them dim. It wasn't her ideal setting for this talk, but it had a lot of leg room for Clark to pace, which he liked to do when freaked out. She had no idea what she was going tell him or how she was going to start.

"Use your time wisely, Sullivan," Chloe whispered to herself. She walked around the gleaming walnut table a couple of times before taking a place in front of one of the long windows, looking down upon a busy Metropolis Avenue where the brake lights of all the vehicles down below looked like tiny red ants marching in a line. She hummed to the tune of Elvis' Now or Never drifting in from the banquet room. The door clicked behind her. She released a breath. Had it been ten minutes yet? It didn't matter. The time had come. Straightening her spine, Chloe turned.

The lights blazed brightly as the dimmer switch was turned higher, revealing the man standing across the room from her. Chloe's throat closed.

"You," she croaked.

Clark shuffled around, looking at his watch practically every minute. What did Chloe need to tell him? What secrets could they possibly have from one another now? Clark glanced around. Lois and Oliver had taken to the dance floor not long after he and Chloe had vacated it. He watched them now, speaking softly into each other's ears. Clark made a confused expression. Tonight was turning into a mind puzzler. There could only be one explanation for it. Clark didn't even dare to hope it was what he thought. Perry had said there were sources saying the Golden Couple of Metropolis were hitting troubled waters. But Clark spent most of his evenings with said couple, wouldn't he have seen something? He hadn't and that was his answer. Clark looked back at his watch. He guessed he'd be getting more answers in two minutes.

"And sometimes it's staying and facing your fears," Lois replied.

Oliver kept his eyes trained on Lois. Had she really just said-

There was a tap on his shoulder. Pressing his mouth into a tight line, Oliver turned, keeping Lois in his arms. Krenshaw stood a few inches behind him.

"Yes?" Oliver asked brusquely.

"You have a call, Mr. Queen," the head of security told him.

"Krenshaw," Oliver said, trying to keep his irritation in check. "Can you take a message?"

"No, Mr. Queen. You need to take this call."

Clark found the boardroom on the twenty-second floor. . . Empty. Paranoia set in and Clark fought hard not to panic. This was the first time she'd been allowed out of the house since Jillian's funeral. Then she was guarded by both him and Oliver. And he'd let her walk away from him, alone, tonight. But he thought she'd be safe. There was security all over the place. She must have meant another boardroom. Bursting into super-speed, Clark checked all rooms on the floor, even the women's restroom. He sharpened his hearing to listen for sounds of distress. He picked up two heart beats, both agitated. Clark turned toward the sound only to find Oliver and Lois barreling down the hall toward him. It was their heart beats Clark heard.

"Clark," Oliver barked as the three met in the middle of the hallway. "Where's Chloe?"

"I don't know. She's. . . She disappeared, Oliver. I can't find her."

"We will. She probably just stepped out for some air but we need to find her as soon as possible," Oliver said.

Clark could tell something else was wrong, especially by the way Lois looked both scared and excited. The way she looked when she was on the heels of a major story. "What is it? What's going on?"

Oliver met Clark's eyes, his face hard with anger. "I just got word that Lex escaped from prison two hours ago."