Part Ten

Oliver paced the waiting room at Metropolis General. They had brought Chloe in a half hour earlier, and since then they hadn't heard a word from Emil or anyone else. He strode over to the nurse's station again. "I need to know how Chloe Sullivan is doing. And this time, I don't want to hear that you don't know anything yet. You send someone back there and…"

"Oliver."

He turned to see Emil standing behind him, a disapproving expression on his face. "Intimidating the hospital staff doesn't actually make the lab results come back any faster."

Oliver chose to ignore that as the others walked over to join them. "How is she?"

"She's dehydrated, but I suspect she has that problem often due to the fact that she drinks more coffee than water," Emil replied. "As for the drug, it seems to be burning through her system at a more rapid rate than I was expecting. Perhaps that's because of…"

"She has a fast metabolism," Clark suddenly interrupted him with a slight shake of his head, cutting his eyes toward Lois.

Understanding dawned on Emil's face. "Yes, uh, her metabolism. We've sedated her at this point, and she's resting. If her labs look good tomorrow, she can go home." Emil adjusted his glasses. "As for the vitamin water sample you gave me, it's definitely been laced with the drug but in a much smaller dose than I was expecting. It appears that someone was attempting to create an energy formula. It's down now, but Chloe's blood pressure was quite high when you brought her in."

"So we've got red kryptonite mixed with a designer drug that was also modified and used in a vitamin water energy drink," Victor commented. "Now that we know Chloe is ok, we should get back out there and see if we can track this formula to its source."

"You guys go," Oliver said. "I'm going to stay here for a while. If you need me then call, but otherwise…"

AC clapped him on the shoulder. "Not a problem, Ollie. We've got this."

Clark glanced at Emil. "Can we see her?"

"I don't see why not. Just keep it quiet and let her rest."

Oliver, Lois and Clark followed Emil through the emergency doors and took the elevator up to the third floor where Chloe was resting in one of the best private rooms Met Gen had to offer. Two nurses were monitoring her. At Emil's nod, one of them left while the other handed her chart to him.

Oliver walked over to the bed and picked up the small hand not connected to the IV. It was cold, and he folded his larger hands around hers, dropping his head to kiss her palm. When he looked up, both Clark and Lois were staring at him.

Clark cleared his throat and walked over to the other side of the bed. He looked down on his friend and ran a hand over her hair, smoothing it back before looking at Emil. "And you're sure she'll be fine?"

Emil nodded. "The main reason we sedated her was because of the red kryptonite side effects. She became rather loud at one point in her demands to see Oliver."

Under any other circumstances, Oliver might have laughed at that. But even knowing Chloe would be fine didn't make seeing her in a hospital bed any less disturbing.

Clark glanced at Oliver. "Right. I'll check back in, but I want to go with the guys and see what we can find out about this drug. Are you staying here, Lois?"

"Of course," Lois confirmed. "I should be here when she wakes up."

"Ok. I'll be back later, then." Clark leaned down and kissed Chloe's cheek before walking out of the room.

Oliver could feel Lois' gaze on him. "Okay, Lois, out with it."

Lois moved around to the other side of the bed and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs arranged for visitors. "When did this start with you and Chloe?"

"We weren't hiding it," he answered. "Remember that party I got Chloe into at Leiman's?" When Lois nodded, he continued. "We almost got caught getting the information we were after."

"I know. That's the reason Chloe asked me to write the story."

"Chloe kissed me that night – it was a cover for us being in his home office. But that kiss just sparked something… like this attraction had been lying dormant and she poured lighter fluid on it. I didn't even know what to think about it or what to say to her that night. So I didn't say anything and then I got called back to Star City. And when I couldn't stop thinking about her, I decided to arrange things so I could stay in Metropolis and see if there was something to it. Only…"

"Only she had moved in with Jimmy by the time you got back," Lois finished the sentence. She sighed. "I knew she was rushing into that decision, I just didn't why."

Oliver nodded. "Yeah, well, there wasn't much I could do at that point. We never even talked about it before today. But it's still there Lois – that fire. And I'm really hoping that you can understand it and help Chloe feel like it's ok for us to move forward."

Lois considered that for a moment. "Do you love her?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "But the one thing I do know is that I have stronger feelings for her than I can ever remember having for anyone else. And I swear to you that I would never do anything to hurt her. And she knows about my side gig – she helps me and the team out with research."

"That's not surprising, actually." Lois sat back in the chair and crossed her arms. "Look, Ollie, you're my friend and I love you, but I love Chloe more and I won't apologize for that. She deserves to be someone's first priority – not come in second or third to all of your other responsibilities."

"It won't be like that. Trust me – I've had five months to think about the pros and cons of a relationship with Chloe, and I want this. And I'm willing to put in the work to get us where we need to be."

Lois stared him down but he didn't flinch. Suddenly, she smiled. "Well then – I have absolutely no problem with you bumping uglies with my little cousin."

Oliver shook his head, amused. "How about we not phrase it that way. I mean, we haven't even gotten to that part of the relationship yet."

"God, Queen, you must be losing your edge. I mean, you've been with her all day," she teased him before turning serious again. "Promise you'll take care of her?"

Oliver looked back at Chloe, his hands tightening around hers. "I think that'll be the easiest promise I've ever made."

Chloe sat back in her chair, holding her phone to hear with one hand while pinching the bridge of her nose with the other. "Uncle Sam, you cannot believe everything you read in the tabloids. And those photos especially – I was basically roofied while I was tracking down leads on a story – it wasn't Oliver's fault." She heard a throat clear and looked up to see Lois standing beside her desk. "I know – I love you too. Say hi to Lucy for me." She hung up and dropped her head to her desk.

"Sorry, but there was no stopping him," Lois said sympathetically. "He's already called me twice, and I talked to Uncle Gabe today again too."

Chloe raised her head. "It's been a week – don't the tabloids have anything more interesting to report on?"

"More interesting than Oliver Queen and his little school girl making out at cuddle parties and clubs?" She held up The Inquisitor which was still running the photos of Chloe straddling Oliver at Gatecrashers, followed by the ones of her lunging at Lois. "At least they're not reporting you as under age anymore."

"My dad and Uncle Sam are coming out here, I think," Chloe replied with a grimace.

"Well, consider how it looks to them. You were on again and off again with Jimmy, and then you just up and moved in together, which lasted two months. And now you're with Oliver Queen, my ex and the same guy who was photographed frolicking with not one but three supermodels at a club in Vegas just six months ago."

"I set that up, Lois – we needed him to be visible that night for reasons I can't go into here," Chloe hissed, exasperated.

"Yeah, but it's not like you can tell them that," Lois pointed out. "You two are just going to have to suck it up and endure the fatherly lecturing coming your way."

"We've barely had a chance to talk about this ourselves," Chloe sighed, leaning back in her chair. The previous week had been very busy with the team tracking the source of the red kryptonite drugs – a Met U grad student by the name of Kevin Bontrager. He had been studying properties of various meteorites found in and around Smallville. He had also been funding his research by creating a new designer drug for the head of a local crime syndicate, a woman named Nicki Snowden. When he accidentally got the red kryptonite mixed in with some of his drug samples, he discovered the red K masked certain properties of the drug. Snowden had then set up a human trial by distributing the samples of vitamin water laced with the drug.

When the team busted the operation and all the parties had been rounded up by MPD's finest, Chloe broke the story. But it had been somewhat overshadowed by stories of her relationship with Oliver that hit all the entertainment news outlets soon after. It had been more than a little embarrassing to walk into the Daily Planet after photos of her in her school girl costume were published – particularly since they featured her plastered all over Oliver and attacking her cousin. The first stories speculated on a love triangle, but the articles changed direction after learning that she'd been dosed with a drug on the night in question. And even though Lois and Clark had made it clear to all curious parties at the office that none of it had been Chloe's fault, inquiring minds still wanted to know about her relationship with Oliver. Kahn had gone so far as to label Chloe's private life strictly off limits to Planet staff, stating that they were not in the habit of printing salacious gossip when there was real news to break.

However, that didn't stop the curious looks she got at work, nor did it stop the paparazzi from following her to and from work. She and Oliver had talked briefly when he took her home from the hospital, and he'd stayed with her the entire day and night following her release. Since then they'd tried to keep a low profile, but they were both tired of it.

"Well, it's quitting time anyway. Oliver's picking you up, right?" Lois watched as Chloe powered down her computer and stood, slinging her laptop bag over her shoulder.

"Yes – this isn't going to die down any faster if we hide it, so Oliver and I decided that while we're still going for discretion, we're not going to allow it to rule our lives. We're having dinner at his place tonight," Chloe replied as she grabbed her purse and a small overnight bag that she'd packed.

Lois raised a brow when she saw the overnight bag. "You're having dinner or each other?"

"He does have a guest room, you know."

Lois snorted. "Oh please – maybe Smallville believes that, but I know better. Have fun!" She smirked at her cousin before heading back to her own desk.

Chloe shook her head and made her way to the elevator, pausing when she saw that Jimmy was already there. She sighed and stepped on. "Hey Jimmy. How are you?" Even though they both worked at the Planet, Chloe hadn't seen much of him since he moved out.

Jimmy smiled, though he looked a bit uncomfortable. "I'm fine. Uh, you should know there are photographers outside. I saw them earlier when I was coming in from taking pictures of that fire in Grandville."

"Oh… thanks." Chloe figured they had followed Oliver over since he was picking her up. She glanced at the numbers lighting up to show the progress of their ascent – had this elevator always been so slow?

Jimmy cleared his throat. "It's ok you know – about you and Queen."

Chloe glanced at him, raising her brows. "Okay."

"Not that you need my permission or anything," he hastened to explain. "It's just that I don't want you to think we have to be weird about it. I've actually been seeing someone for a couple of months now – you know Sara Burkett? She's one of the copy editors on the second floor."

Chloe had a vague recollection of a pretty, auburn haired girl who liked baking and bringing her culinary creations to share with co-workers. "She bakes, right?"

Jimmy smiled. "Yeah that's her."

"Well, I'm happy for you," she said. They were on the first floor now, and she let Jimmy push open the doors for her. Slipping on her sunglasses, she saw Oliver leaning against one of the stone supports. A few photographers were waiting near the street, obviously afraid to actually trespass on Daily Planet property. She glanced at Jimmy and said goodbye before walking over to meet Oliver.

Oliver straightened as she approached and took her bag as he leaned down to kiss her. "Still okay with this?" He nodded to the photographers.

"Not really, and I'm sorry to tell you that we'll likely be getting a visit from both my father and Lois' father in the very near future," Chloe answered as he slipped an arm around her and led her down the steps to his car. He ushered her in, ignoring the whirr of cameras as he walked around to the driver's side.

"It'll get better," he said as he merged into traffic and drove toward the Clocktower. "It's just the way it all came out. And both your father and the General are coming?" He couldn't contain his grimace.

"Yeah, well, one of us has a very unfortunate reputation you know," she reminded him with a smirk. "My father was a little upset when he started Googling you and found the photos of you and those three supermodels in Vegas."

"That was your idea!"

She couldn't help laughing. "Don't worry; they're both busy with work, so we probably have at least a few weeks before my family descends on us Sullivan-Lane style. And we have Lois and Clark in our corner."

Oliver glanced over at her. "So what do you want to do about dinner? Do you want to brave the paparazzi and go out or just order in?"

Chloe's stomach tightened as she said, "I vote for staying in." She was pretty sure she knew where this night was going, and she was both excited and nervous about it. Despite the fact that Oliver had stayed with her the night after she was released from the hospital, they had done nothing but talk and then sleep. And though he had told her that he was fine with waiting for her to be ready, she didn't really want to wait any longer.

When they got to the penthouse, Chloe changed into more comfortable clothes and emerged to find Oliver finishing up their order.

He hung up the phone and put the menu back in the kitchen drawer. "Food should be here in about thirty minutes."

She felt almost shy as she joined him. "Okay."

Oliver held out his arms. "Come here."

Chloe didn't hesitate, wrapping her arms tightly around him as he lifted her onto the counter and kissed her thoroughly.

He pulled away slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Hi."

She smiled at him. "Hi yourself." She kissed him again. "How was work?"

"Boring. You?" He kissed her neck, sending a shiver through her.

"Definitely not boring – too many people staring at me for that," she answered. "And some of the female reporters have been downright catty this week."

Oliver smirked at her. "They're just jealous – I mean, you are dating the Oliver Queen."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Shut up and kiss me, Queen."

The kissing continued until dinner arrived – and then it continued during dinner, with both of them feeding each other bits of food. But the food was soon forgotten when Chloe ended up in Oliver's lap at the table and things got even more heated.

She pulled back and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Why don't you clean up here and I'll meet you in your room in a few minutes?"

Oliver was also breathing heavily, his eyes dark with desire. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." She kissed him one more time before getting up, grabbing her overnight bag, and heading for the guest bathroom.

Oliver cleaned up the remains of their dinner quickly and then took a quick shower. Slipping on a pair of boxers, he sat against the headboard and waited for Chloe. Ten minutes later he heard the door open and when he saw her walk into his bedroom, every part of his body hummed to attention.

She was wearing the same school girl costume she had worn on Halloween, and Oliver swallowed hard. She looked impossibly sexy and adorable and almost innocent, a combination he couldn't imagine anyone else pulling off. Slipping off the heels, she climbed up onto the bed and straddled his lap.

Her breathing hitched as she felt the evidence of his arousal against her. "Since Halloween didn't quite turn out like we planned, I thought I'd give this another try."

"You are definitely not wearing this out in public again," Oliver said as he ran his hands down her back before squeezing her ass. "But you can wear it here every night if you want to."

"I'd say that's negotiable," Chloe said, leaning forward to kiss him. "What are you offering in return?"

She shrieked as he turned them suddenly and she found herself staring up at him. His hips instinctively found the cradle of her thighs, and he was amazed by how well they fit together. "Well I'm a master negotiator, but I'd say you can probably get anything you want."

She giggled as he buried his face in her neck. "Careful – a girl could take advantage of an offer like that."

"Feel free to take advantage any time you want," he whispered in her ear, teeth scraping her earlobe. He felt her shudder and moan, and he raised his head to look at her. With her flushed cheeks and lips swollen and pink from their kisses, he'd never seen her look more desirable. "God, you're beautiful – and I have never wanted anyone more than I want you right now. And I'd give you whatever you wanted to keep you here with me."

He could see that she was startled by the serious turn their conversation had taken. But then she smiled and raised her hand to trace the cleft in his chin. "Lucky for you, I have everything I want right here."

As she leaned up to kiss him, he knew she was right about one thing – he was damn lucky to finally have Chloe Sullivan in his arms.

A/N: Finished! Hope you enjoyed the caper – it's possible I'll write a one shot in this 'verse later on. I'm still playing with the idea though. I'll be posting on other stories soon – I want to get 'Wild Side' finished up as soon as possible, so look for that update next. Thanks for reading!