Sorry guys, I've been out of the game for awhile. I'm going to try and update everything over the next while. Let me know if it sucks! :p

oOo

She found him in the library the next day, perusing Bruce's first editions. "So now you're on vacation?"

He shrugged. "I'm here as long as it takes."

"Takes for what?"

He looked up, eyes drilling into hers. "To bring you home."

She moved away, hand trailing along the books' spines. "I don't need you to save me, Oliver."

"I don't want to save you, Chloe. I want you to come home. I want you to come work for me. I want to be able to come home and find you working at my apartment and have dinner with you and fall asleep on the couch with you watching a movie."

"I can't come back. There's no place for me anymore."

He raised an eyebrow. "C'mon Sidekick."

"Clark has Lana, Lois has work and a new boy toy every week, you guys have each other…." She shrugged. "I don't fit."

"You do. You-"

"Don't say it. Don't even think it, Oliver. I know what you're going to say but I don't believe you. I think you're saying things that I want to hear so I come back but you had your chance. I wanted to work for you, Oliver but you thought it was too dangerous. So, what? You bring me back to Metropolis or, hell, even Star City, and then what? You put me in a glass cage so I won't get hurt? I will. That's part of life. Bruce understands that. He trusts me."

He wanted to shake her. Wanted to throw her over his shoulder and run from the mansion. "So, what? I just missed out? That's it? You know I don't give up easily."

She nodded. "I know. Oliver, it's just… I like it here. I like being on my own. I like being part of a team, an integral part of the team. Bruce trusts me, he knows I can get the job done and he lets me do it my own way."

"I would let you do it your own way," he replied stubbornly, quietly.

Her eyes bore into him. "You would want to protect me too much."

He moved, cat-quick, and suddenly he was right in front of her, backing her up against the bookshelf, his hands coming up on either side of her, cutting off any chance of escape. "Only because I care."

She could feel his breath against her cheek as he bent down to murmur in her ear, his forehead touching hers,

"I need you, Sidekick. Not the team, not Metropolis. Yes, the team misses you. We want Watchtower back online. I want Watchtower back online. You're an integral part of our team, I can't deny it. But for me too. And I know you think this is a ploy to get you to come back but it's not. If that's what it takes, I'll move to Gotham. I doubt Bruce would be too happy but I'm willing to open up some offices of Queen Industries."

"You're building offices in Gotham?"

He shrugged. "Why not? I've begun brokering a deal with Wayne Enterprises. Why not stick around to make sure it works out. Star City's offices are covered, Metropolis is like a well-oiled machine. And it's not that far."

She closed her eyes, feeling powerless. "Oliver, why are you pushing?"

"Because I can't stop thinking about you. Because ever since that night when you threw yourself off that building, I get scared when I hear a story on the Batman. Because I'm waiting for the casualty list. Looking for a small blond."

"So what, Oliver? You going to be my second protector? You going to stalk me around making sure I'm okay? What a waste."

"I'm tired of putting the world ahead of myself. I'm being selfish. For once. Well…" He allowed himself a sardonic smile. "Not for once. But at least this time it's not to my own self destruction."

She tried not to smile. "Says you."

"But, I also want you more than I've wanted anything for a long time. Since I met you…" He groaned and suddenly she felt his lips on her collarbone, whispering across her throat, up to her chin. "Why won't you let me in Chloe?" He kissed the side of her mouth.

She tried to stay strong, tried to not feel all the things she was feeling as he kissed her. "Oliver…" she said feebly.

"I won't make you give it up. I won't." His arms were now around her slight body, pulling her to him.

She stood motionless in his arms, not knowing what to do. Could she trust Oliver? Could she believe him when he said he wanted her? After watching him play around with people like Lois. "I should go." She pulled herself from his grasp. "Sorry."

oOo