A/N: So it's been awhile! First of all, thank you thank you thank you for the reviews. Please keep it up- tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, or just stop by to say that you read it. Reviews are basically the only indication that I have of people actually reading, and feedback is great.
Oh, and here's question for you guys: I only have 6 episodes left as far as the season is concerned. The fic will probably end after the Salvation episode. So my question is: Would you like to see a sequel focusing on my version of Season 10?
Anyway, here's the thirteenth chapter- it takes place during the Escape episode. And it's extra long to make up for the absence, so I really hope that you like it.
Chapter Thirteen: Time
A screen popped up on every monitor, and a voice sounded. "Activating home beacon."
Suddenly, there was a flash of red and yellow. Impulse had arrived. He looked around the Watchtower. Everything seemed to be in order, and Chloe and Oliver were smiling at him.
"I'll be right back", he said.
He sped away, and returned with AC, and then Victor. He disappeared one last time and came back with Dinah. After setting her down on the floor, he sped around the kitchen and quickly made himself a sandwich. He sat down at the couch and put his feet up at the table as he ate.
"So, what's new?" Bart asked Chloe and Oliver after gulping down his food
"There's something that we need to fill you in on", Oliver said.
"I filled in Dinah weeks ago when she was in town, but I didn't tell anybody else." Chloe started. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep anything a secret from you. It's just that it's huge. Not exactly something I can just send out in an e-mail."
"We're here now, Chloe." AC told her. "So what's going on?"
"Do you guys remember Lois' weird dream, and the psychotherapist that we paid off to plant the idea that Clark Kent and the Blur were two separate people?" She asked the group.
The group nodded. "Good times", Bart called out.
"Well, turns out that the dreams were actually memories of the future. We were right- Lois used the Legion ring." Chloe said
"Tess Mercer found out and kidnapped her. She hooked Lois up to a machine that extracted her memories. We sent Clark into the memories to see what would happen, and after we pulled him out, Dr. Hamilton erased the memories. Lois has no recollection of what happened." Oliver continued.
"The problem is the future that Lois saw", Dinah spoke up, walking over to join Chloe. "It's a Kandorian apocalypse. They turn the sun's rays red, rendering Clark powerless and giving themselves the power. In the future, we're all dead."
Bart put his feet down, and stood up. "We die? All of us?"
Chloe nodded. "Clark destroyed the satellites that they were creating- the one that was supposed to turn the atmosphere red, but Zod isn't going to stop. He'll find a way to get powers; it's only a matter of when."
"So what's the plan?" Victor asked
"Clark's trying a peaceful approach. He's making friends with the Kandorians, and hoping that they'll integrate into society." Oliver told him
"And if that doesn't work? We'll be sitting ducks", AC said.
"If Clark thinks that he can handle it, then he can handle it", Bart told AC.
"Guys…" Dinah said, trying to restore order.
"Clark's spreading himself too thin. He'll fail." Victor said
"Guys…" Oliver warned
"Clark's come through time and again. We need to trust him", Bart said.
"Yeah, because that was such a great idea last year." Victor scoffed.
"Enough." Chloe said firmly.
Everyone stopped their bickering and looked at her.
"First of all, quit arguing- we can't turn on each other, not in the face of a possible alien apocalypse. So for now, we're just going to have to trust Clark. But we do have a backup plan. Dinah and I designed Kryptonite weapons that Oliver is keeping safe. If Clark fails and the Kandorians have their powers, then we'll be ready."
"In the meantime, we all have to look out for each other", Oliver added the group. "So I think that we should all keep in contact with Watchtower while we're on patrol, in case something goes wrong."
The group nodded.
"This is pretty heavy stuff to deal with on your own. You two seriously need a vacation." Bart said
Chloe and Oliver looked at each other for a moment and started laughing. There was always something going on- the idea of getting away from all of their responsibilities was simply laughable.
Chloe was the first to regain her composure. The idea may have been comical, but Bart had a point. She had been stuck in the Watchtower for so long that it was blurring her moral lines. Maybe a vacation would help.
"You know Bart, you might be right. Oliver and I need to get away for a little while. But we're needed here. We can't just drop our responsibilities."
"Now, wait just a second", AC started. "You have a laptop, Chloe. You can take your work wherever you want."
Chloe was starting to get nervous. The idea of bringing her laptop with her wasn't incredibly far-fetched. "It would be limited", she countered.
"You're plenty capable", Victor chimed in.
"I can't just go on vacation. I get in trouble enough with the Green Arrow and the Blur in the same city."
"Then take Oliver with you", Dinah told her. "He needs the break as much as you do, and this way, you'll still be safe."
Chloe raised an eyebrow. Dinah had a soft spot for Oliver- why was she encouraging this?
"What about the Green Arrow? Anyone interested in taking up archery and wearing green leather?" She asked
"Make plans, Chloe. I'll cover Oliver's patrol while you guys are out of town", Bart told her.
"What if something happens to you? You're not indestructible, Bart."
She looked at Oliver for a little bit of assistance.
"You know what? I think it's a good idea, Chloe." Oliver said
She looked at him nervously. "But…"
"Slightest of hitches, and we'll know, won't we Impulse?" he asked
Bart nodded.
"Okay…" Chloe thought for a moment, to see how she was going to pull this off. "Well, it's Thursday right now. It's going to take me about a week to make arrangements. I'll do that, and Bart, if you're still feeling up to it on Wednesday, I'll send you the address of the hotel. The slightest glitch, and you're picking us up, you hear me?" she asked Bart, giving him a sharp poke.
He nodded.
"It's going to be fine", Dinah assured her.
"Alright, meeting adjourned, I guess."
Impulse took everyone back to their respective places before he too took off.
The absence of the team's pressure made Chloe realize what she had just agreed to.
"A vacation?" She asked Oliver
"Why not?"
"Because it's completely insane."
"When was the last time you went on a completely stress-free vacation?"
She thought for a moment. "Okay. Good point. But how are we going to do all of that, and still keep everything a secret from the press, not to mention our two favorite Daily Planet reporters?"
"Plan everything at your apartment- you know as well as I do that Clark doesn't necessarily need a key to this place. He won't speed to the apartment for fear of getting caught by Lois."
"And since Lois spends all her time at the Planet these days anyway…"
"It's perfect", he finished her sentence for her.
It was Tuesday, and Oliver was sure that deciding to go on vacation was some sort of curse. Between work and patrol, he hardly had time to sleep. The end of the day eventually came along, and fortunately, his work load had lessened significantly.
He headed over to his car, and confirmed with Chloe via text message that Lois was not at the Talon. He started the drive to Smallville. His week may have been near impossible so far, but he hadn't seen Chloe since the League meeting almost a week prior. She had probably spent the entire week trying to fit vacation planning in with her Watchtower duties, leading to sleep deprivation.
He sighed to himself, and grabbed her some coffee on his way to the Talon. At least she was at her apartment these days. Getting out of the Watchtower was good for her, and hopefully if he had his way, they would be out of Metropolis by the end of the week.
He parked his car nearby, and climbed the flight of stairs before knocking on the apartment door, and holding the coffee behind his back. She opened the door, and let him in.
"Hey, stranger", she greeted as he stepped inside.
He gave her a quick look-over. The circles under her eyes had confirmed his suspicions, but other than that, she was okay. There were no cuts, no bruises, and no broken bones.
She closed the door, and gave the air a small sniff. "You brought me coffee, didn't you?"
He revealed the coffee behind his back, but held it out of her reach. "Only if you promise to get 8 hours of sleep later."
She sighed, and looked down at her feet for a moment. Apparently, she was hoping that he wouldn't notice.
"Chloe…"
"I promise", she told him.
He studied her face closely. She was telling the truth.
"Good." He said, offering her the coffee.
She took it and set it down beside her laptop. "Angel", she said, giving him a hug.
She sat back down at the table, and started browsing for vacation spots. He pulled up a chair.
"Let me just get rid of some of Lois' things", he muttered, clearing some space on the floor before setting the chair beside her.
She gave him a questioning look. "What?" he asked her as he sat down
"How did you know that those were Lois' clothes?"
"Context clues"
"Oh really? How so?"
He shrugged. "I know you." He picked up one of Lois' blouses. "You see this?"
She nodded.
"This barely covers anything. You're more of a professional person. Not that I would be complaining if you wore this, but it would show some battle wounds. Lois would be suspicious, and Clark would feel guilty."
She picked up a dark blue thong, and held it up to him. "What about this?" she asked mischievously
"Green's more your color."
She blushed as she dropped it and focused her attention on her computer.
He also looked at the screen. "?" he asked with a chuckle
"Well, I haven't picked out a good location yet."
"We don't need a website. Let's just hop in the jet and go to Paris."
"I decided that we're only going away for the weekend. Any longer than that isn't fair to the League. Which means no international trips; I don't want to spend more time travelling than relaxing."
"How about somewhere local?" He asked
"Where can we go without someone recognizing you?"
"We're doomed", he said bluntly.
"Not necessarily. We just need a place where they won't recognize you by face. We'll use aliases so they won't recognize you by name."
"Aliases? What do you have in mind?"
She stared at his olive green dress shirt, and tugged at the collar slightly. "Mr. and Mrs. Green"
So, if he wasn't Oliver Queen, acting CEO of Queen Industries, and she wasn't Chloe Sullivan, the Watchtower of the Justice League, she would be okay with being married to him. Good to know.
He smiled at her. "Perfect."
She sipped her coffee, and continued to tap away at the computer. He watched her work until her fingers stopped moving.
"Hey, what about this? The McDougal Inn. Little family owned place a couple hours away."
"How popular is it?" Oliver asked
"Let's talk about how unpopular it is. It's surrounded by a forest, and is a little Scottish Bed and Breakfast. Definitely not a tourist hot-spot- the society pages won't even think about looking for you there. Even if someone did recognize you, the press would never believe them."
"Sounds good."
"I'm printing out a brochure", she said, hitting a button on her laptop. The printer suddenly sprang to life, and spat out a couple of pages. Chloe walked over to retrieve her print-out, and handed it to him.
He skimmed the pages. "Looks like we're headed to the McDougal Inn this weekend."
It was Wednesday, and Clark Kent was on his way to work after a morning of patrolling as the Blur. He was driving for the purpose of maintaining his reporter cover, when suddenly his phone rang.
It was Lois. She asked him to pick up her flash drive from the Talon, since it contained a story that she had been working on. Luckily, he was passing the Talon as she called, and pulled in. He opened the door to the apartment, and started looking around for the small flash drive. There was clothing scattered everywhere, and sheets of paper covering every table.
He found the flash drive, and was about to leave the apartment when a paper caught his eye. It was lying on a side-table. Clark picked it up, and started reading. It was a brochure for the McDougal Inn- maybe Lois wanted to go there, but was just too shy to ask him. It would make sense; their relationship was new, and a weekend away at a local bed and breakfast would definitely suggest taking everything to the next level.
Thankfully, his recent training with Jor-El had helped him control his powers. Lois was in no danger. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, and made a reservation.
After he made a last minute reservation for this coming weekend, he called John Jones, and asked him to take over patrol as the Blur while he was gone. He was thankful that Jones agreed- this was kind of a spontaneous decision, and was completely not like him. Hopefully, Lois would be pleasantly surprised.
After hanging up with John Jones, he called Chloe. She was probably working at the Watchtower. It was a quick run from the Talon, but he was already late.
She picked up fairly quickly.
"Hello?"
"Chloe, it's me. Listen, you're not doing anything special this weekend, are you?"
"No, just a quiet weekend at home."
"Good. Lois and I are getting away from Metropolis for the weekend, and I wanted to make sure that someone will be around while we're gone."
"Getting away, huh? You guys aren't eloping on me, are you?" She laughed
"No, just escaping from work for a little bit. Is that okay?"
"Clark, it's fine. Have fun!"
He hung up. Maybe this would work out, after all.
"Who was that?" Bart asked
"It was Clark. Looks like he's escaping with Lois for the weekend." Chloe answered. She gave Oliver a look.
"I didn't say anything", he assured her.
"Well it's good that he won't be around when I cover Oliver's patrol. I don't want to lie to him." Bart said
"I'm more worried about you", Chloe told him. "You're sure you can cover Oliver's patrol? You can still back out, you know."
"Don't worry, Chloe. I'll be fine." He gave her a quick hug, and sped away.
"I should actually head to the Daily Planet", she told Oliver. "When Clark tells Lois that they're going out of town for the weekend, she's going to want me around to help her shop and pack."
"Ah, the joys of being a woman."
"I know", she groaned as she shut down the last computer. "I'll see you later?"
He nodded.
Lois was at her desk when Chloe arrived.
"Hey!" Lois greeted her cousin "I was just about to call you!"
"How come?" Chloe asked, pretending to be oblivious
"Clark's taking me for a weekend getaway this weekend. I know, it's completely spontaneous and unlike him. Help me pack?"
"What, no shopping beforehand?"
"Of course we're going shopping beforehand! Smallville hasn't given me a single clue as to where we're headed- I have to cover all of the necessary bases."
"Obviously", Chloe said with a hint of sarcasm. "So what are we doing waiting around here? Let's go." She turned to leave
"Chloe, hang on a second. I want you to meet someone."
She turned around, and raised her eyebrows at her cousin. Lois was not trying to set her up with somebody from the Daily Planet.
Lois pulled a confused man aside. "Robert, this is my cousin Chloe."
"Hi", the man said nervously, shaking her hand.
"Chloe, this is Robert. He's a junior reporter- lots of promise."
"Thank you Miss Lane", he replied automatically.
"You're welcome", she replied sweetly. Chloe, I'll be waiting in the car when you're ready."
Lois turned around, and climbed up the stairs. Chloe glared at her back as she disappeared. She sighed to herself, and turned to face Robert. She might as well be civil to this guy; he too was a victim of Lois Lane's match-making.
"So, you're a junior reporter?" she asked politely
"Yeah, the Planet hired me fresh out of college."
"Journalism major?"
"4 years at Met U", he responded cheerfully. "Now I'm just trying to make a difference in the world one article at a time."
She saw her past in this guy, back when exposing meteor freaks was the most important thing.
"You're right. I've seen enough now to see that sooner or later, they all…snap. So, from now on, it's open season on the infected. What do you say we clean up this town, partner?"
Jimmy said that to her at one point, after nearly freezing to death by a meteor-infected woman. And it had been her own belief for years. But not anymore.
She wanted to enlighten this man, to tell him that an article wasn't going to do any real good in the world. But then, he would ask for an explanation as to why not, and that was something that she could not do.
She looked up at him and smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Robert." Chloe climbed the stairs, and left the Daily Planet building.
She took out her keys, and got in her car. "I cannot believe you tried to set me up with someone. Again."
Lois was looking at her eagerly. "Come on, it couldn't have been that bad."
"It was a nice gesture on your part, Lo, but I'm honestly not interested right now."
Chloe started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot.
"I'm sorry, it's just that Clark and I are going away for the weekend…" Lois started
"-and you didn't want to leave poor Chloe alone. I get it, I do. But you don't have to worry about me."
"I'm your big cousin. It's in my nature to worry."
"Isn't that the big sister's job? Why aren't you this concerned about Lucy?"
Lois scowled. "Lucy and I don't get along, you know that."
"Didn't you say that you got a hold of her number under the influence of the wacky Valentine's Day powder?"
"Yeah, the General gave it to me. To be honest, I was thinking about just throwing it out."
"She's been in hiding for years, and now you know how to reach her. Why don't you try to make amends?"
Lois was quiet for a moment. "Maybe I'll hold onto her number, so that I can one day."
Bart hated to wait. He figured that since he was staying in Metropolis for the weekend, he had better get a feel for the local areas- food joints included. He sped over on Thursday, and decided to take a look around.
He found a promising Mexican place, and after getting his hands on a couple of burritos, he headed over to the line to pay for his food.
He thought about Clark, Oliver, and Chloe as he waited. The three were so different now from when he met them years ago. Clark and Chloe used to have an unshakable friendship, and Oliver was the outsider of the trio. And now, it was Chloe and Oliver with the unshakable bond with Clark as the outsider.
They had changed his life. Before he met Clark and Oliver, he was just a pick-pocketing kid trying to survive. Clark gave him a strong moral code, and Oliver prevented him from wasting his powers. After Doomsday, he had been so afraid that he would slip back into his old habits. It took drastic measures in order to stay honest.
He had hope that someday, Oliver would find him again. It was Chloe who tracked him down, with her smile and a reinstated sense of purpose. She gave him his powers back, and brought the team back together- Bart would never forget that. If that meant that he died within the year under her leadership, then so be it.
Bart paid for his food and left the restaurant. He was about to head over to a dark alleyway where he could speed off unnoticed, when he heard someone call out his name.
He turned around and saw Clark Kent staring at him. Clark wasn't wearing his usual flannel and jeans, but a button down shirt and dress pants. That was something different.
"Hey Clark", he greeted.
"What are you doing in Metropolis?"
"Well you know me, can't stay in one place for too long."
Clark nodded. "How long are you staying?"
"Only for a couple of days."
"Are you here for a mission?" Clark asked suspiciously
"No, I'm not. Why, is there something that you need help with?"
Bart hoped that Clark would tell him about the Kandorians. That he would ask for help. But there was no such luck.
"Nothing new here." Clark checked his watch. "Listen, I would love to catch up this weekend, but I'm going out of town. And I'm actually running a little late, so I'm going to have to get going. But hey, if you have the chance, you should visit Chloe. I'm sure she would appreciate the visit."
So Clark didn't know about Chloe's weekend plans. And Bart wasn't going to tell him- that was Chloe's decision to make. He just smiled at Clark. "Yeah, maybe I will pay Chloe a visit. See you around."
He turned away from him and sped away.
Oliver had just finished loading the entirety of the luggage into Chloe's car. They were going away for the weekend- Friday was finally here, and his work day was over. He closed the trunk, and climbed up the Watchtower stairs.
He opened the doors, and found Chloe shutting down the last computer.
"Ready to go?" he asked
She stood back, and looked around. Everything seemed to be in order. All that was needed now was for her to walk out the double doors.
She turned to face him. "Yeah, it just feels weird. Leaving."
He nodded. "And it feels weird knowing that I'm not going to be patrolling tonight. But getting out of Metropolis, stepping out of our lives for a little while is going to be good."
She felt her confidence coming back to her. She quickly grabbed her purse and walked out. "Let's go."
"Let's go", he repeated, following her.
They got in the car, and Oliver started the car. He pulled out, and began to drive. "So, where do I go from here?" he asked
"And here I thought I was taking a small break from being Watchtower", she laughed.
"Hey, you're the one who made the reservations. And you're the passenger, so you have to be my personal Mapquest for now."
She reached into her bag and pulled out her laptop. She opened it and turned it on.
"Make a right turn here."
Two coffee stops and three house later, it was night. Clark called so that Chloe could walk him through his last patrol.
It was a rarity for Watchtower to follow Clark; however, with both the Green Arrow and the Blur away for the weekend Chloe became concerned for the safety of Metropolis. Clark was also uneasy about leaving Metropolis behind, so when Chloe insisted on guiding him on his patrol, he agreed.
"Okay Clark, we have a carjacking over at Samson Street".
"On my way", he said. She heard him speed over.
"Bad day for that guy", she laughed. "Now, we have a mugging on Halpert", she said, eyeing the blip on her screen.
"Got him."
"Nice one", she told him. "And just around the corner, there's a"
"-done." He said
"Wow. That was fast, even for you." She checked the blueprints of the city. Everything was clear. "Okay cowboy, looks like we're all clear on the western front. For now." She said, closing her laptop.
"I'm handing over the reins to John Jones. He's going to patrol while I'm out of the town with Lois."
She nodded, knowing that he couldn't hear her. "Don't worry, I think that Metropolis can handle one weekend without the Blur", she said more for her own benefit than for Clark's.
"Now the real question is can the Blur handle two nights with Lois?" she asked him, smiling
"I think I'm up to the challenge. But I have my cell, so if anything comes up…"
"Clark, it's one weekend. Enjoy it.", she said, interrupting him.
"I heard Bart's in town. You two should hang out."
"Thank you for the not-so-subtle contribution to the Chloe Sullivan case. But Lois already made a kind donation in your name", she told him, remembering Robert the junior reporter.
"I'm hanging up now", she said.
"Bye Chloe."
"Have fun."
"You too."
Chloe took off the Bluetooth headset. She looked at Oliver, and smiled. She didn't need Lois or Clark to set her up with someone. She was good.
"You should learn to take your own advice", Oliver told her.
"I just might. The Inn's right there", she pointed to a sign, as she put away her laptop.
Oliver pulled into the small parking lot, and the two stepped outside of the car. He opened the trunk, and started to take out the luggage. Chloe helped him, and they walked over to the door, where a man took their things.
"If you could just sign the guestbook, we can get you all squared away", he said.
They walked over to the front desk, and greeted the owner of the inn before Chloe took the pen and signed Mr. and Mrs. Green. She dropped the pen in the book.
"I have your room already, Mrs. Green. Except you didn't say what size bed you prefer", the woman said.
She looked at Oliver, and said, "Make it a queen."
"Okay", the woman said. "Welcome to the McDougal Inn." She held out the key to room 8.
Chloe grabbed it. She looked at Oliver, and saw that he was also reaching out for the key.
"I got it", she told Oliver, who had an arm wrapped around her. He looked at her and smiled.
They headed upstairs to room 8, where they found their luggage.
"I'm going to take a quick shower", Oliver said as Chloe kicked off her heels and sat on the bed.
"Okay", she said as she pulled out her laptop. "I'm just going to make sure that Bart's doing okay on his patrol." She slipped her headset back over her ear and turned it on.
Oliver kissed her on the cheek before heading over to the bathroom. He showered and changed into a bathrobe. Chloe was still checking over the city's grids, police reports, and video footage.
"It's been a long journey. Maybe you should take a shower", he told her as he sat next to her.
"Alright, keep an eye on the screen okay? If a blip pops up, call Impulse and tell him where to go."
"Okay."
She looked up at him before getting out of the bed. "Nice robe", she said with a smirk as she walked over to the bathroom
He grinned. "There's one for you too."
He stared at the screen as he heard the bathroom door close.
Oliver continued to stare at the screen, bored since there was no activity. Suddenly, there was an orange blip, indicating that there was a robbery in progress. He called
Bart. "Impulse, there is a robbery on the corner of Thompson and Third."
"I'm on it, Arrow." He replied
He heard Impulse super-speeding to the scene. "Got it. Where's Watchtower?"
"Taking a shower. She hasn't done anything but work since she's been here."
"She's just having a little bit of trouble being away from everything. She'll loosen up in time."
Oliver stared at the closed bathroom door. "I know. I just don't want her to regret getting out of the Watchtower."
"You can't let that happen. You know how she gets when she isolates herself. And we've all tried to get her out of it- she doesn't listen to us. You, though- you, she'll listen to."
"Wow, no pressure there."
"It'll be fine. Are there any more emergencies?"
He studied the screen. It was blip-free. "No, nothing."
"Everything's clear here. I'm going to go crash at the Watchtower. It's going to be fine. Just be patient."
Just then, the bathroom door opened and Chloe walked into the room. "Okay, thanks. We'll check in tomorrow."
Oliver disconnected the headset, and turned off the laptop.
"Who was that? What happened?" she asked
"There as a little robbery going on, Impulse took care of it. Everything is fine in Metropolis", he said, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to his lap.
"Bart's safe?"
He nodded.
She kissed him softly. "Thank you for being so patient with me today. I know I've been a little crazy."
"Well that's okay. We're here now."
He lowered his head, and pressed his lips onto hers. His hands fingered through her golden curls as she pushed him onto the bed.
Suddenly, there was a screeching noise, and Chloe froze.
"What was that?" she asked
"I have no idea", he answered as she got up. He wanted to just ignore the sound, but at the same time, he knew that Chloe would not be able to get her mind off of the sound until she knew what it was. He got up when the power suddenly went out. "Let's go check it out."
"Okay."
They opened the door and he went down the stairs first. Oliver took Chloe's hand when he had reached the bottom.
"Everyone go back to bed", the owner called out.
The lights flickered back on, and they suddenly found themselves in front of Lois and Clark.
Oliver looked at the couple, and let go of Chloe's hand in surprise. He knew that Lois and Clark were going out of town for a getaway of their own, but what were the chances that they were going to be in the same hotel?
"Twist", he heard Lois say.
He knew that although there was a power struggle over the keys, Chloe would be looking to him for a reaction. He was honestly okay with Lois and Clark finding out about them- their reactions would be interesting, but it was nothing that they couldn't handle. He shrugged his shoulders, and Chloe followed suit.
He realized that they were wearing matching bath-robes, and started looking at his attire. Chloe wanted them to be in a no-strings relationship, and they had the appearance of a couple. And right now, Oliver was okay with that.
They turned around guiltily, and headed back to their rooms quietly. They didn't say a word until the door was closed and locked.
"Wow." Chloe let out
"Yeah."
"Lois. And. Clark." She accented each word
"The two people we were trying to keep this from."
"Lois is going to write a story about this."
"She won't. You won't let her."
"Clark's going to kill you."
"I'm actually thankful for those Kryptonite weapons right about now."
Chloe let out a deep breath. "What are we going to do about this?" she asked, letting her rational side take over as she sat down on the bed
"Well, we knew that they were going to find out eventually", he said, walking over to her. "It'll be hard to explain, but we'll deal with it then."
She groaned. "I don't want to go to sleep, because then we'll have to deal with this when we bump into them tomorrow."
"I can help with that."
"Hmmm, you can, can't you?"
It was past noon the next day before Chloe and Oliver got out of bed and showered.
"I can't remember the last time I slept so well" she said as she finished curling her hair.
"Or slept so many hours", he agreed as he tied his shoelaces.
"And here's another Brightside- it's so late that there's a good chance that Lois and Clark won't even be downstairs."
"Coffee?" he asked
"Coffee."
"I remember a time when I didn't know about your coffee addiction", he said as Chloe opened the door.
"Really?" she asked, surprised
"No."
She started to laugh, but the laughter was suddenly cut short. "Oh God", she said as she looked down to see Lois and Clark eating.
Oliver followed her vision. "You know what we could do? We could pretend not to see them."
Chloe chuckled as Lois spotted the couple and beckoned for them to come over. "Oh, come on, Ollie. Throw up the white flag. It's Lois- she makes Susan B. Anthony look like a quitter."
He waved at Lois and followed Chloe downstairs.
"Hey, guys!" Lois exclaimed when they reached the bottom of the staircase. "Come here, sit with us!"
Suddenly, Lois' table for two became a table for four as waiters put out chairs and linked two tables together.
They walked over to the table.
"Quiet weekend at home, huh?" Clark asked Chloe
"Trust me, we had no idea the two of you would be here", Chloe said as Lois pulled her down in a chair. No longer being able to sit next to Chloe, Oliver awkwardly sat next to Clark.
"And we had no idea that there was even a 'you two'. Which I think is perfect; I think fate has brought us together."
Oliver looked at his empty plate nervously. They were taking things slow- he didn't need Lois to ruin it or make Chloe uncomfortable by talking about fate.
"Well, it's uh, little less fate actually", he said.
"More fame." Chloe finished.
"I like fame", he said gratefully.
"This inn is so far off the beaten path that even the society pages couldn't find Star City's most eligible bachelor here", she explained.
"You mean, ex-bachelor", Lois corrected her.
Said ex-bachelor wished that Lois would stop making him the center of discussion. It was embarrassing, and he knew that Chloe was getting nervous. This was probably exactly why she didn't want anything to be out in the open.
"Okay, enough about that", Chloe said, trying to change the topic. "How did you guys manage to find the road less travelled?"
"Well, I found the brochure for the inn at the apartment. I figured that Lois wanted to come here", Clark explained.
"What brochure?" Lois asked
"That wasn't Lois' brochure Clark", Chloe said. "That was mine."
Clark shot Oliver a look. Oliver was trying not to laugh at the irony of this situation. He suggested that Chloe plan everything at the Talon for the very purpose of Clark not finding out where they were going. So much for that.
"How was I supposed to know that Oliver…" Clark started
"You weren't", Chloe quickly interrupted. "That's the point."
He gave Oliver another piercing look. He was starting to feel unsafe.
"Don't look at me. I learned a long time ago not to assume what belongs to who in that apartment. You've got to use context clues."
Oliver didn't have to look at Chloe to know the image that was going through her mind right now. Him picking up a blue thong and telling her that green was a better color on her. He watched as Chloe looked down at her plate uncomfortably.
"Speaking of clues", Lois said, obviously not getting the inside joke, "let's talk about Mr. Green", she glanced at Oliver "in the bedroom, with my cousin."
"There it is!" Oliver said loudly, in order to prevent Clark from saying anything.
"You know Lois, I think they came here for brunch", Clark said.
"Good point." She said
Oliver looked up from his plate. Were they letting him off the hook?
"Look Chloe, there's food."
Chloe quickly nodded, and together the girls left the table. He watched as Lois pulled her away from the breakfast buffet and into another room. He was left alone with Clark now.
"Little jellies", Oliver said awkwardly, pointing out the small pastries on the table.
There was a long period of silence. He couldn't leave, and at the same time, Clark didn't seem very keen on starting up a conversation. He watched as Clark took a sip from his teacup. After knowing Chloe for a decade, he was still drinking tea?
Oliver let out a breath. Looked like starting up a conversation was his job now.
"So", he started, trying to find a good topic for small talk. "You uh, save any orphans recently? Old ladies, maybe? Anything like that?"
"I did stop a bank robbery", Clark answered.
"Yeah?" he asked enthusiastically. "That's nice, that's fun stuff."
"Thanks."
There was a short silence. "How about you? Anything new?"
So Clark was hoping for a full on divulgence of information on his new relationship with Chloe. Not going to happen.
"No. No, no. Just uh…oh, well, there's a new compound bow that I'm trying out. Yeah, seems pretty good. We'll see how that works."
Clark scowled. "I know it's not my place to say anything"
"-then don't say anything." Oliver told him quickly.
"But- after- everything- Chloe's- been- through- I- don't- want- to- see- her- get-hurt." Clark said one quick breath, staring straight ahead.
"Well, that's good." He said. Clark honestly didn't believe that anything had changed in his friendship with Chloe, did he? He was that blind. And to top it off, Clark jumped to the conclusion that he would hurt her. "You know, she's stronger than you think she is, though", he told Clark, thinking of everything that Chloe had to deal with on her own.
"Yeah, but one of her strengths is giving people what they need and sacrificing what she wants."
"Well, how do you know this isn't what she wants?" he asked
"Just don't take her for granted." Clark told him
Oliver nodded. He got up from the table, and told Clark that he was going to find Chloe. He went off in the direction that she was dragged away earlier, but not before fixing her a large cup of coffee to go.
He walked around with the coffee in his hand, and found Chloe and Lois chatting animatedly. At least it wasn't awkward between them anymore.
"Thought you would need this", he said as he approached them.
Chloe sprang up, and reached for it. She took a large sip. "Thank god."
"And I was right", he answered. He could feel Lois' eyes on him, and it was starting to make him feel uncomfortable again.
Chloe glanced at him, Lois, and then him again. Oliver could tell that she really wanted to stick around and catch up with Lois for the time being.
"I'm actually going to take a look around. It doesn't seem as if we saw too much last night, and it has a nice feel to it."
Lois smiled as Chloe answered. "Sounds like a good idea."
He was about to turn around to leave when she stopped him.
"Hey, is everything okay between you and Clark?"
"Awkward, but it'll be fine. Hey, how about I meet you back here in a couple of hours so we can grab an early dinner?"
"Sure."
"Okay, I'll see you then", he said. "Lois", he acknowledged before leaving.
He walked around the small inn aimlessly with Clark's words in his head. Just don't take her for granted. The truth was that Oliver took Chloe for granted every single day just by continuing this no-strings relationship. And that wasn't right.
He stepped into the small gift shop, and looked around. Usually, his first instinct would have been to find the most expensive piece of jewelry that he could get his hands on and leaving, but Oliver found himself quickly walking past that section of the store.
He was in there for what felt like hours, examining every single item. He looked at every coffee mug, sweatshirt, and pen. He smelled assorted perfumes, creams, and bath soaps.
The truth of the matter was that none of this was right for Chloe. She had enough coffee mugs, and would preferred business clothing to sweatshirts. If he purchased the pen, she would raise an eyebrow and show him the Watchtower computers in a sarcastic attempt to introduce him to the new millennium. Oliver was a little reluctant to purchase the bath soaps- he loved the way that Chloe smelled.
He was frustrated, to the point of leaving the store without purchasing anything. Things were going great right now- he shouldn't let Clark make him doubt himself. He put down the bath soaps and let out a sigh.
"Mr. Green, can I help you with something?"
He turned around to see the owner smiling at him. Maybe she could actually help. "Actually, yeah. I'm looking for something special."
"For Mrs. Green?" she asked
"Yeah." He almost forgot that he was supposed to be an alias.
"Well, we have a good collection of jewelry."
"I'm looking for something not so…cliché." He explained
"I have just the thing."
She walked to the other side of the store, and handed him a small box. Oliver opened it, and saw a silver spoon, with the words McDougal Inn written on the handle in an elegant cursive.
"My parents used to run this inn. When I became old enough to take over, they retired."
"Okay…"
"They started to travel- Europe, Asia, you name it. And wherever they go, they pick up a spoon for their collection", she started.
"We haven't been together for very long", Oliver said.
She smiled at him knowingly. "That may be the case, but I saw last night the way you look at her. It's the same way that my father looks at my mother."
"Why spoons? Why not collectable knives or forks?" he asked, trying to change the topic
"Because forks and knives have sharp edges- they can betray you, even unintentionally. Spoons? They're smooth all around. But they're still sharp enough to cut; enough to get through the bad things with patience and a little bit of pressure."
Oliver nodded. He wanted to things to be like that. "I'll take it."
He paid for the spoon, and had it gift-wrapped. After putting it on the bed in their room, he went to meet Chloe for dinner.
The door to the hotel room opened, and a slightly tipsy Chloe walked in, Oliver hot on her tail. They were able to enjoy dinner without mentioning work once, and he had a great time.
"I must say, your taste in wine is almost as good as your taste in women", Chloe said, walking backwards into the room.
They might have also shared a bottle of wine at dinner, but that was only to help her loosen up.
"Why, thank you", he said, running his hands up and down her back. "You have a little bit of Pinot right there, actually." He touched her lips with a finger before leaning down and kissing her. "Well, look at that- I got it", he said, now focusing on her neck.
She let out a carefree laugh, and pulled away from him. He gave her a questioning look, and followed her stare- she found the present.
She cleared her throat. "Unless Christmas came early this year, that better not have my name on it."
"Oh. Well, maybe you've just been especially good this year." He kept hold of her hand as he reached down, and grabbed the gift from the bed.
He put the present in her hand. "Maybe a guy shouldn't take someone like you for granted."
"I didn't think you were, Ollie", she said as she looked at the bottom of the box. She saw the McDougal Inn sticker.
"Clark said something, didn't he?"
So what if he did? "It's just a gift."
"No. No-no, it's a slippery slope", she said, putting the gift back on the bed and walking to the other side of the room. "Just-because gifts are never just because. There's always some unspoken part, like 'I'm sorry', or 'I feel very strongly about you'. Both of which are complicated.
He shook his head slightly, feeling hurt. It was apparently a crime to feel very strongly about her. He wanted to tell her everything; that he wanted to feel like part of a spoon, but right now all he could feel was something pricking him.
"Oliver, I wanted to keep things simple, you know? With no strings…or ribbons."
She grabbed her coat, and headed for the door.
"Wait, hold on, where are you going?" he asked
"I'm going for a walk", she said with a look that clearly told him not to stop her. "When I come back, can we just hit the reset button and play our favorite indoor game again?"
She left before he could even respond. He sat down on the bed next to the present, and held his head in his hands. He let out a deep breath. This was a mess.
After about a minute of replaying what had just happened in his head and regretting ruining an otherwise nice evening with a spoon, he held the present in his hand. He had half a mind to just return the stupid thing. Instead, he reached for his cell phone and called Bart. He would know what to do.
"Hello?"
"I did a bad thing." Oliver said quickly.
"What happened?"
"Well…" he realized that Bart didn't even know what was going on between him and Chloe. And Bart had an eye for Chloe. Maybe he should have called AC.
"Just say it."
"I'm sleeping with Chloe", he blurted out.
"You're what?"
"I'm sleeping with Watchtower. Have been for a couple of months now. We're supposed to be in a no-strings relationship. Her idea, not mine."
"And you did something that suggested otherwise?"
Damn, he was good. "Well, let me start at the beginning."
"Good idea."
"Remember when you, me, and Chloe were at the Watchtower finalizing the details for this weekend, and Chloe got a phone call from Clark, saying that he was getting away with Lois for the weekend too?"
"Mmhmm"
"Well, they're here. And they found us here. Together."
"Wow, that must have been awkward."
Oliver let out a laugh. "You have no idea. Well anyway, Chloe and Lois left me alone with Clark, and he told me not to take her for granted. So I went out and got her a present."
"What was it?"
"Doesn't matter", Oliver mumbled, looking at the unopened present in his hand. "She didn't even open it."
"Did she say why?"
"She didn't want to complicate things with ribbons. I'm considering just returning the thing."
"Be patient with her- she was just a little overwhelmed. Give her some time to come around, and then you can give her the present."
Oliver sighed. "Okay. I guess I should go look for her."
"Yes, you should."
"Is everything okay in Metropolis?"
"Everything's fine. You guys worry too much."
"Okay, I'll check in later."
He hung up the phone, and put the present back on the bed. Right now, he was going to go find Chloe. He needed to fix things. And it had been a while since she went on a walk. She wasn't back yet, and he was getting worried.
He walked out of the hotel room, and was about to go downstairs when he saw Lois.
"Hey." He looked at the ridiculous outfit that she was wearing and tried hard not to laugh. "You got any bagpipes to go with that outfit there, lassie?"
She just smiled at him.
"I mean, you guys are having a little fun. I think it's cute" he said. "Hey, listen, I'm looking for Chloe. She took a walk a while ago, she hasn't returned, and I'm getting a little worried about her."
"I was just with her, actually", Lois told him.
"You were? Okay."
She didn't respond. So Chloe went to Lois for some quality venting time, and now Lois was mad at him. "Oh, right, okay, lay it on me", he said, bracing for impact.
"Why don't I just take you to see Chloe instead?" Lois asked. "You will never win a woman's heart by waiting for her to come to you."
Lois was acting weird, but why not? "Okay. You lead the way."
She grabbed her coat, and they left the inn. He followed her as they went deep into the forest.
"So, what happened when you were with Chloe, anyway?" Oliver asked casually. "I mean, what did you guys talk about?"
"We didn't talk, really. I walked in on her having a shower with Clark."
Oliver was thankful that it was so dark. He didn't want Lois to see his jaw locking or his hand curling up into a fist. He just continued to walk silently behind her.
Ten minutes passed, and they were still walking in the forest. He realized that he had no idea where he was, and worried about Chloe. Maybe she was lost.
"Who told Chloe to walk in the woods anyway? Was it Hansel and Gretel, do you suppose?"
"It's not much farther", Lois told him.
"Well, I hope she left a trail of breadcrumbs, because if she didn't, we might never find our way out of here."
Chloe probably did know how to get back. She was smart like that. She was so smart.
"Oh, I'll be leaving these woods." Suddenly, Lois grabbed him and forcefully pushed him up against a tree. "But you won't."
She lifted him up, and threw him down on the earth. Oliver watched her eyes flash. So Lois was possessed. And whatever possessed her was probably responsible for the weird noise last night.
She picked him up, and threw him again. As he struggled to get up, he saw a blinding flash of light. She turned into a monster.
"I was denied vengeance, just as I was denied power. But now I shall have both", the monster said in a Scottish accent.
"Well, I'm all about the girl power, really", he said as he got up. "But I've got to be honest with you, I don't see you breaking through any glass ceilings with that hair."
Oliver covered his ears as she let out a piercing scream. It sounded like a magnified version of the Canary Cry that Dinah used. He tried to resist it, but it was no use. He fell down to his knees, and then all was black.
Oliver woke up in his hotel room alone. His suitcase was already packed, and a note was left on the nightstand. It was short and to the point. Eat breakfast and meet me in the front when you're ready to go.
He checked the date: it was Sunday. It was time to go back home.
Chloe left him the bare necessities, and after getting ready he packed those too. He went down the stairs, and checked out at the desk.
He opened the front door, and was about to walk outside when he saw Chloe sitting there with her gift. He stayed back so that she wouldn't see him.
He smiled slightly as he saw her untying the ribbon slowly. She was almost there when she suddenly stopped, and stashed the present away in her bag. So she wasn't ready for the strings and ribbons just yet. But Bart was right- if Oliver was just a little patient with her, she would be ready soon.
He came out into plain view. "It's a spoon."
She looked at him in confusion.
"I bought you a spoon- one of those little…" he started. He wanted to tell her the entire story, but she wasn't ready for that yet. "People collect them. I thought about getting you some of those little decorative soaps- but ultimately, you didn't really need either one of them, did you?"
"Well, I don't know about that", she said standing up and walking towards him. "I mean, I'm more partial to sporks myself, but a girl can never have too many…spoons?"
"Yeah, well I never should have wrapped up that Pandora's box to begin with, and second guessed myself. Or us, and from now on I won't."
"Maybe we should just say that next time, you won't take advice about relationships from Clark Kent."
"You know, speaking of Clark", he began. "For future reference- strictly for environmental purposes, the next time you want to take a shower with someone, Chloe? You can just ask me." He told her with a laugh and a smile
"I can't remember blacking out, and I wish I could forget waking up."
So Chloe was possessed too. But that didn't make everything better.
"Really?" he asked "Well, it couldn't have been that bad, right? I mean, wasn't there a time when you would have given just about anything to stare at the farmer's tan and all its glory, I'm guessing?"
"That was a long time ago. Like in a Smallville far, far away."
But Oliver could tell that there was more to that. There always was.
"I mean, okay, yeah. I did love Clark. A lot. And I waited for years for him to see that. To see- me. But even with his x-ray vision, he never did. And more than that, I just wanted someone who would get me." She explained. He nodded.
"And as good as Clark is, he's never going to be that person." She continued
"Which is fine, really", she assured him. "I mean, those wounds healed over a thousand super-saves ago. Now, there are just scars."
He smiled slightly. They both had scars- literal and otherwise. "It's Clark's loss", he whispered.
"What about your loss?" she asked, walking to the railing, and leaning against it. "I'm sure Lois didn't have to drag you into the woods kicking and screaming."
"Uh, it's…" he started, walking over to her. "Funny thing about scars- they're always there." Which was the truth. A part of him would always have feelings for Lois. And as Clark's girlfriend and Chloe's cousin, Lois was always going to be around. But that didn't mean that he was in love with her anymore.
He watched Chloe as she looked down at her feet in disappointment. She was trying to be brave.
"Doesn't mean that they haven't healed", he finished.
She quickly looked at him again and smiled.
"Sometimes, they can be kind of cute too", he went on with a smirk. "You have one in particular that I'm partial to", he said in reference to the little birthmark she had on her butt.
She rolled her eyes, and pulled him close to her, cutting him off with a kiss. She broke off the kiss, and looked at him. "Shhh"
They stared at each other for a moment, until she spoke. "Let's go back home, Mr. Green", she said.
He nodded, and they headed back to the car.