So Close

Chapter 3

Emerald Archer, a matchmaker (Fierce)

"Chloester?" Oliver Queen said the word with a mix of amusement and disbelief.

"It's not funny!" Chloe Sullivan retorted impatiently.

"It's a little funny." Oliver replied. "How does he come up with this stuff?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "He thinks he's so clever. He even called Jimmy panda boy."

"So Jimmy's back, huh?"

She smiled at Ollie's tone. It was speculative and slightly possessive. Her boyfriend, how she loved him. "Yeah, he's back and he's to blame for why I have to be in Smallville for a couple of days." Annoyance once again permeated her tone. "Now I have to see if Lois will let me crash on her couch and Jimmy suggested we go to Clark's."

"I think you're better off at the farm." Oliver was wholeheartedly on Jimmy's side on this one. Lex was still Lois' landlord and he was still not comfortable with the idea of Chloe residing anywhere near Lex had access.

Chloe shook her head. "Kara's there. And she is unaccustomed to keeping her…talents on the down low. Jimmy might end up discovering all about intergalactic travelers." She replied as she finally zipped her bag close. Jimmy insisted that they carpool together, save the planet and everything. Oliver was so quiet that she wondered if the connection ended for some reason.

"You know, you can stay at one of the apartments I bought." He said. "There's also a farm but I think the manager I hired is living there." Oliver remembered that one apartment building had a unit that was fully furnished but unoccupied, so the manager could show it to potential renters.

Her brows furrowed. She didn't know that Oliver had any real estate in Smallville. "You bought apartment buildings, plural, in Smallville?" She asked incredulously.

Of course Oliver could not tell her about the war that he was waging behind the scenes against Lex Luthor. He had been shadowing the other man's every move and making countermoves in order to blindside him. "I figured it would be a good investment. And I was right." Defensiveness colored his voice. "Besides I wanted Lois to have other choices if she ever smartened up and decided to move out of the Talon."

She sighed. Typical Oliver. Chloe supposed she should feel something positive that he was looking out for her cousin but she had a niggling feeling that Ollie's investments was not just because of Lois. "Okay, then. I think I'll take you up on your offer." It wouldn't hurt. Oliver probably installed security measures that normal buildings didn't have. "Thanks."

"Anything for you, darling." Oliver said the words, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. The two of them really weren't the type to settle on pet names.

Chloe wrinkled her nose that the word. "Darling, really?"

"Just trying it out." Oliver said laughingly then he saw Victor gesturing to his watch. "Love, I got to go. I'll call you later."

She smiled, that was more like it. "Okay, I love you, be safe."

"Always."

Chloe laughed. "That's why he was so intent."

Oliver smiled at the mood that Chloe was clearly in. "And why are you so amused?"

"Because now you can stop being so suspicious whenever I bring up his name." Chloe said teasingly.

He harrumphed with great exaggeration. "I am not suspicious whenever you bring up his name. I am merely politely inquiring whether he made a move on my girlfriend when I am not there."

Chloe giggled and it pleased him to no end. "He wasn't making a move." She denied halfheartedly.

"Yes he was. How did you describe it? Basement, low lights and film noir playing on the screen which everyone knows is your favorite. Popcorn on the table in front of small sofa, yeah he was trying to move in on my territory." Oliver grumbled under his breath.

It was just insanely sweet, that was how she finds Oliver's reaction to Jimmy. She giggled again. "Well, worry no more. Because I totally saw Jimmy making eyes at Kara. That's why he wanted to stay at the farm. He wanted to get to know the newest member of the Kent family."

Oliver smiled again. "Is he okay now?" He asked with mild concern for the photographer. Chloe called to tell him about what happened to Jimmy and how Kara saved him from turning into some ice popsicle.

"Yeah, he's doing better." Chloe finally became serious as she leaned forward to look at Oliver's pixilated image more closely, assessing if there were any hidden damage in her boyfriend. "How about you? Are you okay?" He had been mum about the mission that the team was engaged in Australia but she knew it was serious business because he called her earlier just to hear her voice.

He nodded. "The team's okay. We're heading back to Star City the day after tomorrow." He too leaned forward. "I miss you."

Her heart melted a bit at the words. "I miss you too." Long distance relationships sucked, she decided. But she was willing to do anything to be with the man on her screen.

"Front page! Congratulations." Jimmy practically shouted at her as she was coming down the stairs from Lois' place. She ended up staying over at Lois, her place had been empty for the past few weeks and she needed to remind the residents of Smallville that someone lived there.

She smiled mildly at Jimmy's words. It felt wrong to write about the meteor-infected, especially writing them in such a horrible light. Chloe knew that she had to somehow reconcile her job and her own status as a meteor freak. "Thanks."

Jimmy looked like he was looking for someone. The two of them were on their way back to Metropolis and she had a feeling that Jimmy wanted to say goodbye to Kara. Chloe shook her head and decided to load her own stuff in Jimmy's car, give him time to find Kara, who just got a job at the Talon. Chloe is still unsure about the wisdom of the decision. She staggered to a full stop when she saw someone standing by the door.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, surprise tinged her entire expression.

"I missed you." Oliver said simply.

The two of them closed the distance between them and he wrapped her in his arms. Chloe reveled at the feeling. Once they parted Oliver kissed her chastely.

Chloe was positively beaming. She had a front page article and the man she loves was right here with her. "You're really here." She said in a low voice.

Oliver nodded. "I'm really here."

"Hey Oliver!" Jimmy greeted with such enthusiasm. Chloe smiled when she saw that he found Kara.

"Jimmy." Oliver nodded in the younger man's direction. "Kara, how are you?" He asked, his arm was still around Chloe.

"I'm fine, thanks Oliver." Kara answered.

Jimmy's brow furrowed, apparently unsure how he knew Clark's cousin.

"So did I hear it right? Front page?" Oliver, a smile played on his lips.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah."

"Enough to want to celebrate?" His brow rose in question.

"You're here, that's enough reason to celebrate." Chloe relied firmly.

Oliver could see from the corner of his eye the looks that Jimmy and Kara were exchanging. "Are you guys in?"

Chloe blinked in surprise. She thought that the celebration would be just the two of them. She didn't anticipate having to share her boyfriend with anyone else. "Oliver." She said warningly.

He simply smiled at her innocently.

"I don't know…" Jimmy shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

Kara remained quiet.

"Rain check then?" Chloe spoke up. "Is it okay if I ride to the city with Ollie?"

Oliver looked like he was about to protest until she shot him a glare.

Jimmy jumped on the idea almost immediately. "Yeah, I'm a little tired, so I might stay here another night. Is it okay to stay up there?" He gestured to Lois' place.

"You can stay at the farm, if you like." Kara suggested before Chloe could answer.

"Yeah?" Jimmy's focus was on Kara and Kara alone.

"Yeah." Kara was smiling in return.

"Okay, then. Shall we?" Chloe looked up at Oliver.

He looked at Kara and Jimmy before looking at her. His eyes softened with fondness. "We shall." He took her suitcase from her and steered the two of them out of the Talon.

The two of them reached his dark green Bugatti veyron. He opened the passenger door for her and waited until she was inside before going to his own door. Once he entered the vehicle he found her looking at her through narrowed eyes.

"What?" He asked sweetly.

She raised a brow at him. "Don't think I didn't know what you were trying to do."

He shook his head. "I don't think I know what you're talking about."

Chloe eyed him suspiciously as he buckled up and made sure she did too.

The roar of the vehicle settled over them.

"A matchmaker you are not." She quipped as she settled her hand over his on the gear shift.

He smiled wryly. "I wasn't really-"

"Yes you were." Chloe interjected.

Oliver remained remarkably silent.

"And I understand." She squeezed his hand. "But these things need to develop organically. You can't play matchmaker and maybe you don't even need to."

"I did see something there already." He said matter-of-factly.

Chloe looked forward. "The Green Arrow is not Cupid. And you shouldn't want to be either."

"I just want Jimmy to find happiness."

She giggled. "Try again."

He rolled his eyes. "I want him to find happiness. As long as it is nowhere near my girlfriend."

It was Chloe's turn to roll her eyes. "I think you and I know that he won't."

Oliver grinned. "That's what I like to hear." He raised her hand to his lips and they raced back to Metropolis.