The Longer You Run (20/29)
Jan. 15th, 2014 11:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
serafina19Author: 
serafina19
Title: The Longer You Run
Summary: On the surface, the only thing that tied together Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen was a story. But behind closed doors was an accidental relationship that unintentionally changed everything.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language, AU.
Thanks to:aradira for the fabulous banner.
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Staring ahead, Chloe knew it wasn’t her usual story. However, she had tried everything else, from taking some time for herself to working herself to the bone, and there was always something that didn’t feel right. And even though she had only been here for a few minutes, this was the closest she had felt to her life resetting.
That could be because, for once, the story was simple. The upcoming opening of the new aquarium in Metropolis had been met with its fair set of criticism, but based on Chloe’s research, it was a fabulous project, taking in wounded animals and giving them a second chance at life. It was a smaller aquarium, as it only had a few exhibits and a handful of employees, but the two partners who opened the aquarium were almost singelhandedly a cover story.
Tess Hamilton was a woman who rose from the ashes of a life to graduate from Harvard's marine biology program at age 17, while the other, a guy who simply went by AC, was much smarter than he looked based on how his partner spoke of him. Even now, as they were about begin the interview, they were dedicated to their work, as they stood inside the glass, AC feeding the dolphins.
“So what drew you to marine biology?” Chloe asked him.
AC laughed as he stood up, wiping the water from his hands on his shorts. “I’ve been a water fanatic since I was a kid. Most people see me as a surfer bum, which I know is a strange title in the Midwest, but I’ve always felt at home in the water, helping animals.”
“That’s true,” Tess added. “When I met AC, he was an activist on the west coast.”
After a quick smile to his partner, AC looked at Chloe once more. “If you would have told me last year that I would be working in an aquarium right now, I would have laughed. But Tess approached me, told me all the work that could be done here to help animals.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I was already studying animal science at Star City University, so the shift wasn’t much for me. The move was another matter, but Tess made the transition easy.”
“He gives me too much credit. We had something in common, a desire to make the world a better place.” Leaning down to pet one of the dolphins, Tess smiled. “I commend my husband’s ability to maintain the stress levels of humans, but I find that animals are much easier to deal with.”
“I could definitely believe that,” Chloe replied.
Turning her head, Tess waved Chloe over. “C'mon. Put the pen down for a minute and meet Isis.”
Chloe was tempted to say no, but there was something about both of them that caused her to comply. As she kneeled down in front of the dolphin, Chloe's eyes lit up and her interactions with Isis allowed her to relax for the rest of the interview.
AC had to leave a little early for a lunch date, which worked fine for Chloe, but she had been caught off-guard by what Tess said in response. “Give Dinah my best, AC.”
“Thank you both,” he said, smiling at Chloe before offering his hand. “Great meeting you Chloe. Feel free to stop by anytime.”
“I will,” Chloe said slowly as she shook her hand, but she waited for the door to close behind AC before speaking. “Is he...”
“Radio sensation Dinah Lance’s boyfriend?” Tess interjected, recognizing the look in Chloe’s eyes. It was one she had seen many times. “I certainly didn’t understand what he saw in her, but they have a quiet bond that speaks volumes if you ever get to know them. Although the reason he goes by AC around here is because it’s a way to have his own life around hers.” After a sigh, she added, “This goes without saying, but I’d appreciate it if –”
“I’m not a gossip columnist.” Chloe understood all too well what it was like to have a life in someone’s shadow and she saw no need in illuminating that fact. “This is purely about the aquarium and the work you’re doing.”
Tess smiled, grateful to hear that, although it wasn’t unexpected based on what she knew about Chloe’s character. “Do you like coffee, Miss Sullivan?”
“Love it,” Chloe replied, only acutely aware that it had been a few hours since her last cup and she had a feeling she could use a caffeine jolt.
“C’mon, let’s finish this in my office.”
Chloe obliged her, following Tess back through the door and down the hallway to her office. It couldn’t have been much larger than a broom closet, but Tess didn’t seem to mind as she put on her coffee machine.
“I have to admit,” Tess said as she leaned down to pull out a mug for Chloe, “I was a little surprised to hear that Metropolis’ star freelancer wanted to write about our project.”
“To be honest, I wanted to go back to my roots and this fit the bill.” Grinning at Tess as she took her mug, Chloe then tilted her head, suddenly realizing that she recognized Tess from somewhere else. “This is going to sound strange, but have we met before?”
Tess smiled. “We haven’t officially met, but I took over Rachel Allenmeyer’s place at Rylan after she passed away last year.”
Of course. Chloe had caught Tess’ stay at Rylan, but she felt like kicking herself over missing the more recent connection. “I forgot about that. You must have known her quite well.”
“Rylan was the first place I could call home and Rachel was the closest thing I had to a mother figure, but she was also a dear friend.” In fact, Rachel was one of the few people who had been there for Tess after she ran away from her abusive foster father and apathetic foster mother. “I saved up every penny for college, relying on scholarships to get by, but thanks to Rachel, I don’t think about the fact that I was abandoned by my birth parents and screwed over by the foster system. I focus on the good things, things she taught me.”
Dipping her head, Chloe took a sip from her coffee, understanding completely where Tess was coming from, even if her case was less dramatic. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the night she sat with me in the hospital, not knowing whether I was going to be an orphan or not. It was one night, but it meant everything to me at the time.”
“Well, she talked about you, said how impressed she was considering your situation.” Leaning against the side of her desk, Tess asked, “How is your mom doing?”
“As good as can be expected.” Chloe sighed as her gaze remained down. “Every day is a miracle at this point.”
“It takes a really strong person to stick by her after all these years.”
Chloe swallowed hard, re-living all that time in her head. It was hard, but there was always someone that had it worse. “I don’t know, it’s nothing quite like running away from the foster system.”
“That’s why I’ll never forget the days when she told me to look around at my life and ask myself if I was happy.” The last time was the day her biological father had reached out to Tess and offered her everything a person could ask for, but thanks to Rachel, she turned him down.
He was disappointed and then he let her go, but he gave her enough money to eventually buy the building for the aquarium. It didn’t make up for what her father did and she didn’t like taking the money, but Tess never regretted that decision. “Believe it or not, I could have been in your shoes, but I realized that I had everything right in front of me.”
A great husband, a stable income at the time, plus Tess wasn’t someone that wanted the money or fame. More importantly, she didn’t want to change because of it. “Don’t get me wrong, change can be great, but you don’t want to lose out on something in your life that you love more. Because in the end, we choose the happiness we get. So if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it, right?”
“It’s a reminder of where we come from, what we started with. And that makes us grateful for what we have, reminding everyone to hold onto everything that matters to us, because you never know when you are going to lose it.”
Chloe’s breath had hitched at the similarity, causing her to swallow hard in embarrassment. “Sorry about that.”
“Are you okay?”
Nodding as she took another sip of her coffee, “Yeah, I’m fine.” She held out the mug after taking the final sip. “Thank you for the coffee and your time Mrs. Hamilton, I’ll be in touch.”
Tess took the cup and gave Chloe a quick grin. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Sullivan.”
Returning the grin before she left the office, Chloe could still feel her head spinning when she exited the aquarium. For an hour, maybe two, she had seen her life coming back to her. But no matter how hard she tried, Chloe couldn’t seem to bury him from her mind.
Don’t get me wrong, change can be great, but you don’t want to lose out on something in your life that you love more.
Was that what she was doing? Was she...
No.
That, him... it was what it was. No matter how much had changed between them, she was home, so was he. It was time to go back to reality, because Chloe was pretty convinced that Oliver wasn't coming back.
Standing there, hearing him answer the questions, the confidence exuding from his voice, Lois could see everything Chloe had told her about. He hid it well, but if the past months had taught her anything, it was that the world didn’t really know Oliver Queen.
Even something as simple as announcing his new project at this press conference. The way he spoke about S.T.A.R. labs, he focused on offering new jobs and building the local economy, providing a service, not the usual company growth crap she had heard from Queen Industries in the past. Part of her was tempted to record the interview, give Chloe a piece of mind over what she was missing, but that would come when Lois was back in Kansas. For now, she had another person to question and he was easier to talk to right now.
Of course, it wouldn’t be without a little effort, as she had to find the loophole in his security once he thanked the press and went backstage. Pushing through the crowd, Lois plead her usual case to the guards, eventually spotting the loophole not far from where she was. However, before she had a chance to test it, she heard a familiar voice call out.
"Let her through."
It didn't surprise Oliver that she was here, as the moment he included the Daily Planet, he knew Lois would be the one to make the trip. When Oliver saw her in the crowd, he realized that he wanted to get this conversation over with, to have a sense of control when it came. “Get in,” he said, pointing to his car, as he figured they could handle what needed to be said within a car ride.
Lois obliged and when he asked, she gave him her hotel address, his car's engine revving as they took off. “So... you've had quite the last few months,” she said, breaking the silence between them. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say that my cousin was a good luck charm."
Rolling his eyes, he clutched the steering wheel tighter. "It wasn't like that," he said through gritted teeth.
It was a reaction Lois was waiting for, hoping for in fact. "I know." She wasn't blind after all, she had seen them interact at the event, the way her cousin's face looked the morning after. No matter what label they hid behind, it was no surprise the tabs reported what they did. "You see it... don't you?" she asked, knowing that he did. All this time, she wanted to punish him for leaving, but he was hurting enough as it was.
And he knew better than to deny it. "Your point?"
"Do I need to have one?" Lois asked, confused that he didn't immediately put two-and-two together. “Why didn’t you invite her too?”
“I did.” Oliver pursed her lips together as he stared ahead. “No answer.”
That wasn’t comforting, but it wasn’t surprising either. After a sigh, Lois glanced over in Oliver’s direction. “Look, this is probably a unique situation for you, but based on personal experience, sometimes it’s better to go for it. Trust me, it's worth it."
"If Clark wouldn’t have stepped up... would you have?"
Lois’ head jerked back, not expecting the shift to her love life. "What if I was the one who spoke up?”
“That question alone implies that wasn't the case.” There was also the manner of Lois’ and Clark’s character. Based on what little interaction he had with them, Oliver had a sense of how their relationship worked. “Something tells me that you and I have more in common than you think, Miss Lane, because I believe that we both struggle to let people in. When it happens, it’s usually by accident. Even though we fight for what matters to us, we’re also the type to avoid conflict and complication.”
Her head tilted as she took in his words, but it wasn’t going to stop her from pressing. "Is that supposed to be some sort of explanation? Because the idea that you came here because you’re afraid of the commitment isn’t exactly encouraging.”
“I figured it might sound better than It’s complicated.”
She had caught the humour in his tone, but Lois wasn’t in a joking mood. “Not by much.” Seeing Oliver’s grin fall, Lois sighed. "What made you stop reading the signs and screw the arrangement?”
"I kind of did the latter,” Oliver pointed out, knowing it wouldn’t please Lois, but the truth was all he had. “Look, that arrangement... it was the only way she got to know me, but re-defining our relationship isn't as easy as it looks. But I don't regret ending it, I had to."
"Out of curiosity...did you intend to actually get to know her?"
“I don’t know,” Oliver replied, not seeing a possible answer that would satisfy Lois Lane. No would be a lie, and the last thing she wanted to hear, but yes wasn’t much better. She likely would question his tactics, or something like that, and unfortunately, Oliver couldn’t find to words to explain his motives.
Because when it came to Chloe Sullivan, he never really knew why he did the things he did, he just wanted to do it. He wanted to know her because his mind wouldn’t let him forget her, even miles away and knowing there was a chance she would forget every inch of what they’ve been through together.
“But you miss her.” Hearing him laugh, Lois’ eyes narrowed. “What?”
Turning his head to face her, Oliver was quick to answer, “You’re talking as if you already have all of the answers, so I’m not sure what you want from me."
"What you said has a decent amount of merit, but you forgot one person who doesn’t let people in easy anymore.” When it came to relationships, Chloe was probably worse than she was, which was why Lois was working hard to ensure that all the progress she had seen in her cousin wasn’t for nothing. “I just want to know that you won’t give up so easily. Maybe you’ll even be braver than me and take the first step."
Oliver shook his head, because as far as he was concerned, he took that step already. Unorthodox, yes, but things had to change. There were so many other facets of their lives that they had to settle before they would ever find peace, and he couldn’t ask her to be more until he was sure. After all, this was one person he didn’t want to piss off, one woman he didn’t want to betray or hurt.
But Chloe was excellent at playing her cards close to her chest. Oliver knew that he meant something to her, but he couldn’t figure that out if she never spoke to him. He had texted a few times, called once or twice, but his attempts remained unanswered or a gained a minimalist response.
So when he saw the hotel come into sight, Oliver said, "I never stopped reading the signs, you know." As he caught the surprised look in his passenger’s eyes, he shrugged a shoulder and stared ahead once more. “Lois, she has to want it too. Maybe one day, just not now."
Lois grinned, as that was an answer she could work with. “Alright." Without a further word, she left the car, knowing that she had a flight to catch tonight.
Pausing at her cousin’s door, Lois sighed. She had a key to get inside, but this wasn’t like any other day. Lois had lost count of how many girl nights they had, the frustrations of men getting to them as they drowned themselves in vodka or single malt, depending on the night.
All these years, Chloe had picked men she didn’t deserve or relationships she wasn’t ready for, which usually meant they didn’t last long. The more Lois thought about it, this... thing Chloe had with Oliver lasted longer than most of her relationships and now it was as if they were playing reverse relationship chicken. Once they reached the cliff, they both suddenly stopped, deciding to back away. In doing so, they refuse to let themselves fall, therefore avoiding the pain that any real relationship may cause.
But unlike cars on a dirt road, residual feelings remained. Lois had seen it with Chloe in the weeks that had passed, but today, she had seen it on Oliver’s face too. She had promised Chloe she wouldn’t meddle, but her cousin was making it impossible for Lois not to, so she opened the door, surprised not to see her cousin working on her computer, her usual go-to since Oliver left.
“Chloe?” she called out, only hearing a faint sound coming from the kitchen as Lois took off her shoes.
“In here,” Chloe yelled from her kitchen, emerging a few seconds later with a towel in her hand. “Sorry, just finishing up dishes, I’ll be finished in a sec.”
“No need to rush, my flight came in early.”
Chloe nodded as she turned back to the chore at hand. When she heard Lois enter the kitchen, she asked, “How was the trek to California?”
“Good.” Lois bit the inside of her lip as she noticed the hint of regret in her cousin’s eyes, but this wasn’t the time to push yet. “I mean, I can’t complain about a first class seat and a hotel suite to cover a front page article.” Hearing Chloe laugh, Lois felt herself smile in response. “I can complain about the inexperienced idiots who clearly have never been to a press conference before, but I suppose we all have to start somewhere.”
Looking up from her dishes, Chloe turned her head over her shoulder. “Remember your early days as a tabloid reporter?”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me.” After a breath, Lois was reminded of how many tabloid representatives that were at the press conference, how many bad things that were said about Chloe. They were smart enough to say most of those things under their breath though, as most recognized Lois.
After all, Chloe wasn’t the only one who had her public profile expanded, as Clark and Lois both experienced the odd tabloid appearance. It had an added professional benefit, but those stories had also sent the message that Lois wouldn’t hesitate to knock those idiots into next Sunday. This time, besides the odd glare, Lois remained professional, suddenly grateful for the life she had left behind. “I’m so glad I didn’t stay in that business because they never really get the true story, do they?”
The double meaning wasn’t lost on Chloe, her eyes closing. “Just say it Lois.”
Lois feigned ignorance, leaning against the wall, still not wanting to enter unwanted territory yet. “Oliver looked good.”
Chloe laughed as she walked over to her long-abandoned coffee cup, sipping it despite its temperature. “I doubt you would see him on a bad hair day. Especially considering what the press conferences mean to the company.”
“He asked about you.”
Chloe swallowed hard, realizing that somehow Oliver and Lois had a chance to talk, which wasn’t the best news for her to hear. Putting down her mug, Chloe scoffed. “No he didn’t... you brought me up.”
After a subtle nod, Lois decided to press in another direction. “You passed on a great story for what, exactly?”
“No offence, but that is a story everyone has. One more take isn’t going to make a difference, especially from a freelancer.” That wasn’t completely accurate, as Oliver had told her about S.T.A.R Labs numerous times, the intricate details about the initiative and why it was so essential to win the Schullman account.
After that, they tended to remember other details of that night and get distracted, but Chloe knew it was a good initiative and that Lois was going to write a great piece. It was her time this time, as Chloe had the last one.
However, Lois didn’t see it that way. “That may be true, but you didn’t even try.” From where Lois was standing, it was easy to see that Chloe was afraid to see him again.
“Lois, please stop,” Chloe said, her hand clenching the plate she was washing under the water.
“Then stop saying you don’t care about him.”
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, grateful that her cousin wasn’t facing her in this moment. “This wasn’t just a personal decision Lois.” Continuing the scrub the food, Chloe continued, “I didn’t go to California for multiple reasons, one of them being that I won’t have my journalistic career rely on my connections. It’s helped me get this far, but I needed something to remind myself why I got into journalism in the first place.”
After a few seconds of silence, Chloe realized that she wasn’t focusing on the dishes anymore, so she let the plate go, walking over to the towel to dry her hands again. “Yes, I know the aquarium story is a little out of my wheelhouse, but this is where I started and the work they are doing is really commendable.”
“Okay, but you could have done that interview any other day.” Stopping in a place where Chloe was forced to look at her when she turned around, Lois ensured that Chloe heard what she said next. “Oliver said that he called you. If professional reasons mattered most... you would have returned at least one of his phone calls in six weeks. Face it Chloe, you know that you’re avoiding him.”
She wanted to prove Lois wrong, but Chloe knew better, especially now. That was why she merely replied, “So?” It caught Lois off-guard enough so that Chloe could walk around her, but she stopped, figuring that she could at least give her cousin the truth. “As much as I appreciated him in my life, I was doing favours, not running on the ground floor. I’m not saying I lost sight of myself, but in a lot of ways, Oliver helped me pick myself up from my mess. It’s my time to do the rest of the work.”
“Who says you have to do that alone?”
“No one, and last I checked, I have you and Clark.” Chloe smiled as she turned her head to look at Lois, hoping that her cousin would match her expression, but when Lois didn’t, Chloe sighed. “This way is for the best... for the both of us.”
That was bullshit in Lois’ mind, but she wasn’t going to get anywhere telling her cousin that way. “You do realize that you two weren’t exactly friends, right?”
Chloe nodded. “I’m not going to stand here and say that there wasn’t something, because that’s not the problem.” Oddly enough, both Oliver and her knew the problem, which made it hurt that much more. “I’m not leaving my mom and he waited years for his moment to go back to Star City. I couldn’t ask him to sacrifice that for me, especially when I can’t be the person who would go with him.”
The way Chloe saw it, if she told him how she felt and they went to Star City together, Chloe would always be looking the other way and she’d probably resent him for it. If he stayed, then she’d resent herself for being selfish. Either way, she knew that considering current circumstances, “No matter what we were, it wouldn’t have lasted.”
Chloe had froze after that, but Lois had heard enough excuses between the two parties. That’s why she walked up to her cousin and grabbed her shoulders, tempted to shake Chloe silly. “Maybe not, but is it wrong that I’d rather see you make that mistake?” Trying to smile, Lois added, “Go there and make that mistake, but at least in the interim, you’re with someone who understand you.”
Lois had expected some form of negative reaction and Chloe didn't disappoint when she rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe this. I’m with Jimmy for two years and you hated him, yet in under six months, you’re Oliver Queen’s number one fan.”
Taking a big step back, Chloe’s eyes didn’t waver from Lois, so the elder cousin crossed her arms and said, “This compares to your reaction to Clark’s relationships how?”
Lois had seen Chloe’s various reactions to the Clark and Lana saga, from supportive to exasperated. Lois wasn’t ever really supportive of Chloe and Jimmy together, but Chloe had been Clark and Lois’ biggest cheerleader for years, even if the night they officially got together was ill-timed.
“You’re my cousin,” Chloe replied, not seeing the parallel quite like Lois was. “Clark knew you for years before I realized how well you’d fit together.”
“Except you always used to tell me that you knew because of how I looked at Clark.” Lois sighed as she took a step forward. “I wish I could show you how you look at Oliver.”
Chloe scoffed, shaking her head as her eyes showed the truth. “Trust me, I’m more than aware.”
“So... ” Lois replied, her eyes slowly widening. “You know too.”
Blinking at the last word, Chloe tried to bite back her surprise. Turning back towards the sink of dishes, Chloe curled her fingers around the edge of the counter, trying to find the right words. “I know that we picked each out of a tailspin, I know we’re grateful to the belief we’ve shown each other. But it’s time to put our lives together by ourselves. If it leads us back to the same place, then I’m fine with that."
Bringing up her head slowly, Chloe added, “However, I’m not going to sit around and wait for him, nor will I rely on what he gave me. That’s not who I am and it’s not the woman he’d want to keep in his life.”
“I never said that –”
“I know you mean well Lois, I do.” Chloe chuckled quietly to herself. “But Oliver did the right thing ending things and I did the right thing staying here.”
“Is it wrong that I think you both are overthinking things? That maybe you’re too smart for your own good?”
Chloe laughed again, out loud this time. “No, it’s not. I’d expect no less from you and I know the moment I screw up, you’ll tell me to get off my ass and fight.” Turning her head over her shoulder, Chloe smiled genuinely. “Faith cuz... is all I ask for now.”
It wasn’t much, but seeing her cousin smile brought some light to Lois’ face. “Okay, but the moment I see you being miserable, I’m buying you a first class seat to see him.”
“Deal,” Chloe said with a nod.
Chapter 20
.
serafina19Title: The Longer You Run
Summary: On the surface, the only thing that tied together Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen was a story. But behind closed doors was an accidental relationship that unintentionally changed everything.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language, AU.
Thanks to:
aradira for the fabulous banner.Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Staring ahead, Chloe knew it wasn’t her usual story. However, she had tried everything else, from taking some time for herself to working herself to the bone, and there was always something that didn’t feel right. And even though she had only been here for a few minutes, this was the closest she had felt to her life resetting.
That could be because, for once, the story was simple. The upcoming opening of the new aquarium in Metropolis had been met with its fair set of criticism, but based on Chloe’s research, it was a fabulous project, taking in wounded animals and giving them a second chance at life. It was a smaller aquarium, as it only had a few exhibits and a handful of employees, but the two partners who opened the aquarium were almost singelhandedly a cover story.
Tess Hamilton was a woman who rose from the ashes of a life to graduate from Harvard's marine biology program at age 17, while the other, a guy who simply went by AC, was much smarter than he looked based on how his partner spoke of him. Even now, as they were about begin the interview, they were dedicated to their work, as they stood inside the glass, AC feeding the dolphins.
“So what drew you to marine biology?” Chloe asked him.
AC laughed as he stood up, wiping the water from his hands on his shorts. “I’ve been a water fanatic since I was a kid. Most people see me as a surfer bum, which I know is a strange title in the Midwest, but I’ve always felt at home in the water, helping animals.”
“That’s true,” Tess added. “When I met AC, he was an activist on the west coast.”
After a quick smile to his partner, AC looked at Chloe once more. “If you would have told me last year that I would be working in an aquarium right now, I would have laughed. But Tess approached me, told me all the work that could be done here to help animals.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I was already studying animal science at Star City University, so the shift wasn’t much for me. The move was another matter, but Tess made the transition easy.”
“He gives me too much credit. We had something in common, a desire to make the world a better place.” Leaning down to pet one of the dolphins, Tess smiled. “I commend my husband’s ability to maintain the stress levels of humans, but I find that animals are much easier to deal with.”
“I could definitely believe that,” Chloe replied.
Turning her head, Tess waved Chloe over. “C'mon. Put the pen down for a minute and meet Isis.”
Chloe was tempted to say no, but there was something about both of them that caused her to comply. As she kneeled down in front of the dolphin, Chloe's eyes lit up and her interactions with Isis allowed her to relax for the rest of the interview.
AC had to leave a little early for a lunch date, which worked fine for Chloe, but she had been caught off-guard by what Tess said in response. “Give Dinah my best, AC.”
“Thank you both,” he said, smiling at Chloe before offering his hand. “Great meeting you Chloe. Feel free to stop by anytime.”
“I will,” Chloe said slowly as she shook her hand, but she waited for the door to close behind AC before speaking. “Is he...”
“Radio sensation Dinah Lance’s boyfriend?” Tess interjected, recognizing the look in Chloe’s eyes. It was one she had seen many times. “I certainly didn’t understand what he saw in her, but they have a quiet bond that speaks volumes if you ever get to know them. Although the reason he goes by AC around here is because it’s a way to have his own life around hers.” After a sigh, she added, “This goes without saying, but I’d appreciate it if –”
“I’m not a gossip columnist.” Chloe understood all too well what it was like to have a life in someone’s shadow and she saw no need in illuminating that fact. “This is purely about the aquarium and the work you’re doing.”
Tess smiled, grateful to hear that, although it wasn’t unexpected based on what she knew about Chloe’s character. “Do you like coffee, Miss Sullivan?”
“Love it,” Chloe replied, only acutely aware that it had been a few hours since her last cup and she had a feeling she could use a caffeine jolt.
“C’mon, let’s finish this in my office.”
Chloe obliged her, following Tess back through the door and down the hallway to her office. It couldn’t have been much larger than a broom closet, but Tess didn’t seem to mind as she put on her coffee machine.
“I have to admit,” Tess said as she leaned down to pull out a mug for Chloe, “I was a little surprised to hear that Metropolis’ star freelancer wanted to write about our project.”
“To be honest, I wanted to go back to my roots and this fit the bill.” Grinning at Tess as she took her mug, Chloe then tilted her head, suddenly realizing that she recognized Tess from somewhere else. “This is going to sound strange, but have we met before?”
Tess smiled. “We haven’t officially met, but I took over Rachel Allenmeyer’s place at Rylan after she passed away last year.”
Of course. Chloe had caught Tess’ stay at Rylan, but she felt like kicking herself over missing the more recent connection. “I forgot about that. You must have known her quite well.”
“Rylan was the first place I could call home and Rachel was the closest thing I had to a mother figure, but she was also a dear friend.” In fact, Rachel was one of the few people who had been there for Tess after she ran away from her abusive foster father and apathetic foster mother. “I saved up every penny for college, relying on scholarships to get by, but thanks to Rachel, I don’t think about the fact that I was abandoned by my birth parents and screwed over by the foster system. I focus on the good things, things she taught me.”
Dipping her head, Chloe took a sip from her coffee, understanding completely where Tess was coming from, even if her case was less dramatic. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the night she sat with me in the hospital, not knowing whether I was going to be an orphan or not. It was one night, but it meant everything to me at the time.”
“Well, she talked about you, said how impressed she was considering your situation.” Leaning against the side of her desk, Tess asked, “How is your mom doing?”
“As good as can be expected.” Chloe sighed as her gaze remained down. “Every day is a miracle at this point.”
“It takes a really strong person to stick by her after all these years.”
Chloe swallowed hard, re-living all that time in her head. It was hard, but there was always someone that had it worse. “I don’t know, it’s nothing quite like running away from the foster system.”
“That’s why I’ll never forget the days when she told me to look around at my life and ask myself if I was happy.” The last time was the day her biological father had reached out to Tess and offered her everything a person could ask for, but thanks to Rachel, she turned him down.
He was disappointed and then he let her go, but he gave her enough money to eventually buy the building for the aquarium. It didn’t make up for what her father did and she didn’t like taking the money, but Tess never regretted that decision. “Believe it or not, I could have been in your shoes, but I realized that I had everything right in front of me.”
A great husband, a stable income at the time, plus Tess wasn’t someone that wanted the money or fame. More importantly, she didn’t want to change because of it. “Don’t get me wrong, change can be great, but you don’t want to lose out on something in your life that you love more. Because in the end, we choose the happiness we get. So if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it, right?”
“It’s a reminder of where we come from, what we started with. And that makes us grateful for what we have, reminding everyone to hold onto everything that matters to us, because you never know when you are going to lose it.”
Chloe’s breath had hitched at the similarity, causing her to swallow hard in embarrassment. “Sorry about that.”
“Are you okay?”
Nodding as she took another sip of her coffee, “Yeah, I’m fine.” She held out the mug after taking the final sip. “Thank you for the coffee and your time Mrs. Hamilton, I’ll be in touch.”
Tess took the cup and gave Chloe a quick grin. “It’s been a pleasure, Miss Sullivan.”
Returning the grin before she left the office, Chloe could still feel her head spinning when she exited the aquarium. For an hour, maybe two, she had seen her life coming back to her. But no matter how hard she tried, Chloe couldn’t seem to bury him from her mind.
Don’t get me wrong, change can be great, but you don’t want to lose out on something in your life that you love more.
Was that what she was doing? Was she...
No.
That, him... it was what it was. No matter how much had changed between them, she was home, so was he. It was time to go back to reality, because Chloe was pretty convinced that Oliver wasn't coming back.
~0~
Standing there, hearing him answer the questions, the confidence exuding from his voice, Lois could see everything Chloe had told her about. He hid it well, but if the past months had taught her anything, it was that the world didn’t really know Oliver Queen.
Even something as simple as announcing his new project at this press conference. The way he spoke about S.T.A.R. labs, he focused on offering new jobs and building the local economy, providing a service, not the usual company growth crap she had heard from Queen Industries in the past. Part of her was tempted to record the interview, give Chloe a piece of mind over what she was missing, but that would come when Lois was back in Kansas. For now, she had another person to question and he was easier to talk to right now.
Of course, it wouldn’t be without a little effort, as she had to find the loophole in his security once he thanked the press and went backstage. Pushing through the crowd, Lois plead her usual case to the guards, eventually spotting the loophole not far from where she was. However, before she had a chance to test it, she heard a familiar voice call out.
"Let her through."
It didn't surprise Oliver that she was here, as the moment he included the Daily Planet, he knew Lois would be the one to make the trip. When Oliver saw her in the crowd, he realized that he wanted to get this conversation over with, to have a sense of control when it came. “Get in,” he said, pointing to his car, as he figured they could handle what needed to be said within a car ride.
Lois obliged and when he asked, she gave him her hotel address, his car's engine revving as they took off. “So... you've had quite the last few months,” she said, breaking the silence between them. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say that my cousin was a good luck charm."
Rolling his eyes, he clutched the steering wheel tighter. "It wasn't like that," he said through gritted teeth.
It was a reaction Lois was waiting for, hoping for in fact. "I know." She wasn't blind after all, she had seen them interact at the event, the way her cousin's face looked the morning after. No matter what label they hid behind, it was no surprise the tabs reported what they did. "You see it... don't you?" she asked, knowing that he did. All this time, she wanted to punish him for leaving, but he was hurting enough as it was.
And he knew better than to deny it. "Your point?"
"Do I need to have one?" Lois asked, confused that he didn't immediately put two-and-two together. “Why didn’t you invite her too?”
“I did.” Oliver pursed her lips together as he stared ahead. “No answer.”
That wasn’t comforting, but it wasn’t surprising either. After a sigh, Lois glanced over in Oliver’s direction. “Look, this is probably a unique situation for you, but based on personal experience, sometimes it’s better to go for it. Trust me, it's worth it."
"If Clark wouldn’t have stepped up... would you have?"
Lois’ head jerked back, not expecting the shift to her love life. "What if I was the one who spoke up?”
“That question alone implies that wasn't the case.” There was also the manner of Lois’ and Clark’s character. Based on what little interaction he had with them, Oliver had a sense of how their relationship worked. “Something tells me that you and I have more in common than you think, Miss Lane, because I believe that we both struggle to let people in. When it happens, it’s usually by accident. Even though we fight for what matters to us, we’re also the type to avoid conflict and complication.”
Her head tilted as she took in his words, but it wasn’t going to stop her from pressing. "Is that supposed to be some sort of explanation? Because the idea that you came here because you’re afraid of the commitment isn’t exactly encouraging.”
“I figured it might sound better than It’s complicated.”
She had caught the humour in his tone, but Lois wasn’t in a joking mood. “Not by much.” Seeing Oliver’s grin fall, Lois sighed. "What made you stop reading the signs and screw the arrangement?”
"I kind of did the latter,” Oliver pointed out, knowing it wouldn’t please Lois, but the truth was all he had. “Look, that arrangement... it was the only way she got to know me, but re-defining our relationship isn't as easy as it looks. But I don't regret ending it, I had to."
"Out of curiosity...did you intend to actually get to know her?"
“I don’t know,” Oliver replied, not seeing a possible answer that would satisfy Lois Lane. No would be a lie, and the last thing she wanted to hear, but yes wasn’t much better. She likely would question his tactics, or something like that, and unfortunately, Oliver couldn’t find to words to explain his motives.
Because when it came to Chloe Sullivan, he never really knew why he did the things he did, he just wanted to do it. He wanted to know her because his mind wouldn’t let him forget her, even miles away and knowing there was a chance she would forget every inch of what they’ve been through together.
“But you miss her.” Hearing him laugh, Lois’ eyes narrowed. “What?”
Turning his head to face her, Oliver was quick to answer, “You’re talking as if you already have all of the answers, so I’m not sure what you want from me."
"What you said has a decent amount of merit, but you forgot one person who doesn’t let people in easy anymore.” When it came to relationships, Chloe was probably worse than she was, which was why Lois was working hard to ensure that all the progress she had seen in her cousin wasn’t for nothing. “I just want to know that you won’t give up so easily. Maybe you’ll even be braver than me and take the first step."
Oliver shook his head, because as far as he was concerned, he took that step already. Unorthodox, yes, but things had to change. There were so many other facets of their lives that they had to settle before they would ever find peace, and he couldn’t ask her to be more until he was sure. After all, this was one person he didn’t want to piss off, one woman he didn’t want to betray or hurt.
But Chloe was excellent at playing her cards close to her chest. Oliver knew that he meant something to her, but he couldn’t figure that out if she never spoke to him. He had texted a few times, called once or twice, but his attempts remained unanswered or a gained a minimalist response.
So when he saw the hotel come into sight, Oliver said, "I never stopped reading the signs, you know." As he caught the surprised look in his passenger’s eyes, he shrugged a shoulder and stared ahead once more. “Lois, she has to want it too. Maybe one day, just not now."
Lois grinned, as that was an answer she could work with. “Alright." Without a further word, she left the car, knowing that she had a flight to catch tonight.
~0~
Pausing at her cousin’s door, Lois sighed. She had a key to get inside, but this wasn’t like any other day. Lois had lost count of how many girl nights they had, the frustrations of men getting to them as they drowned themselves in vodka or single malt, depending on the night.
All these years, Chloe had picked men she didn’t deserve or relationships she wasn’t ready for, which usually meant they didn’t last long. The more Lois thought about it, this... thing Chloe had with Oliver lasted longer than most of her relationships and now it was as if they were playing reverse relationship chicken. Once they reached the cliff, they both suddenly stopped, deciding to back away. In doing so, they refuse to let themselves fall, therefore avoiding the pain that any real relationship may cause.
But unlike cars on a dirt road, residual feelings remained. Lois had seen it with Chloe in the weeks that had passed, but today, she had seen it on Oliver’s face too. She had promised Chloe she wouldn’t meddle, but her cousin was making it impossible for Lois not to, so she opened the door, surprised not to see her cousin working on her computer, her usual go-to since Oliver left.
“Chloe?” she called out, only hearing a faint sound coming from the kitchen as Lois took off her shoes.
“In here,” Chloe yelled from her kitchen, emerging a few seconds later with a towel in her hand. “Sorry, just finishing up dishes, I’ll be finished in a sec.”
“No need to rush, my flight came in early.”
Chloe nodded as she turned back to the chore at hand. When she heard Lois enter the kitchen, she asked, “How was the trek to California?”
“Good.” Lois bit the inside of her lip as she noticed the hint of regret in her cousin’s eyes, but this wasn’t the time to push yet. “I mean, I can’t complain about a first class seat and a hotel suite to cover a front page article.” Hearing Chloe laugh, Lois felt herself smile in response. “I can complain about the inexperienced idiots who clearly have never been to a press conference before, but I suppose we all have to start somewhere.”
Looking up from her dishes, Chloe turned her head over her shoulder. “Remember your early days as a tabloid reporter?”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me.” After a breath, Lois was reminded of how many tabloid representatives that were at the press conference, how many bad things that were said about Chloe. They were smart enough to say most of those things under their breath though, as most recognized Lois.
After all, Chloe wasn’t the only one who had her public profile expanded, as Clark and Lois both experienced the odd tabloid appearance. It had an added professional benefit, but those stories had also sent the message that Lois wouldn’t hesitate to knock those idiots into next Sunday. This time, besides the odd glare, Lois remained professional, suddenly grateful for the life she had left behind. “I’m so glad I didn’t stay in that business because they never really get the true story, do they?”
The double meaning wasn’t lost on Chloe, her eyes closing. “Just say it Lois.”
Lois feigned ignorance, leaning against the wall, still not wanting to enter unwanted territory yet. “Oliver looked good.”
Chloe laughed as she walked over to her long-abandoned coffee cup, sipping it despite its temperature. “I doubt you would see him on a bad hair day. Especially considering what the press conferences mean to the company.”
“He asked about you.”
Chloe swallowed hard, realizing that somehow Oliver and Lois had a chance to talk, which wasn’t the best news for her to hear. Putting down her mug, Chloe scoffed. “No he didn’t... you brought me up.”
After a subtle nod, Lois decided to press in another direction. “You passed on a great story for what, exactly?”
“No offence, but that is a story everyone has. One more take isn’t going to make a difference, especially from a freelancer.” That wasn’t completely accurate, as Oliver had told her about S.T.A.R Labs numerous times, the intricate details about the initiative and why it was so essential to win the Schullman account.
After that, they tended to remember other details of that night and get distracted, but Chloe knew it was a good initiative and that Lois was going to write a great piece. It was her time this time, as Chloe had the last one.
However, Lois didn’t see it that way. “That may be true, but you didn’t even try.” From where Lois was standing, it was easy to see that Chloe was afraid to see him again.
“Lois, please stop,” Chloe said, her hand clenching the plate she was washing under the water.
“Then stop saying you don’t care about him.”
Chloe squeezed her eyes shut, grateful that her cousin wasn’t facing her in this moment. “This wasn’t just a personal decision Lois.” Continuing the scrub the food, Chloe continued, “I didn’t go to California for multiple reasons, one of them being that I won’t have my journalistic career rely on my connections. It’s helped me get this far, but I needed something to remind myself why I got into journalism in the first place.”
After a few seconds of silence, Chloe realized that she wasn’t focusing on the dishes anymore, so she let the plate go, walking over to the towel to dry her hands again. “Yes, I know the aquarium story is a little out of my wheelhouse, but this is where I started and the work they are doing is really commendable.”
“Okay, but you could have done that interview any other day.” Stopping in a place where Chloe was forced to look at her when she turned around, Lois ensured that Chloe heard what she said next. “Oliver said that he called you. If professional reasons mattered most... you would have returned at least one of his phone calls in six weeks. Face it Chloe, you know that you’re avoiding him.”
She wanted to prove Lois wrong, but Chloe knew better, especially now. That was why she merely replied, “So?” It caught Lois off-guard enough so that Chloe could walk around her, but she stopped, figuring that she could at least give her cousin the truth. “As much as I appreciated him in my life, I was doing favours, not running on the ground floor. I’m not saying I lost sight of myself, but in a lot of ways, Oliver helped me pick myself up from my mess. It’s my time to do the rest of the work.”
“Who says you have to do that alone?”
“No one, and last I checked, I have you and Clark.” Chloe smiled as she turned her head to look at Lois, hoping that her cousin would match her expression, but when Lois didn’t, Chloe sighed. “This way is for the best... for the both of us.”
That was bullshit in Lois’ mind, but she wasn’t going to get anywhere telling her cousin that way. “You do realize that you two weren’t exactly friends, right?”
Chloe nodded. “I’m not going to stand here and say that there wasn’t something, because that’s not the problem.” Oddly enough, both Oliver and her knew the problem, which made it hurt that much more. “I’m not leaving my mom and he waited years for his moment to go back to Star City. I couldn’t ask him to sacrifice that for me, especially when I can’t be the person who would go with him.”
The way Chloe saw it, if she told him how she felt and they went to Star City together, Chloe would always be looking the other way and she’d probably resent him for it. If he stayed, then she’d resent herself for being selfish. Either way, she knew that considering current circumstances, “No matter what we were, it wouldn’t have lasted.”
Chloe had froze after that, but Lois had heard enough excuses between the two parties. That’s why she walked up to her cousin and grabbed her shoulders, tempted to shake Chloe silly. “Maybe not, but is it wrong that I’d rather see you make that mistake?” Trying to smile, Lois added, “Go there and make that mistake, but at least in the interim, you’re with someone who understand you.”
Lois had expected some form of negative reaction and Chloe didn't disappoint when she rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe this. I’m with Jimmy for two years and you hated him, yet in under six months, you’re Oliver Queen’s number one fan.”
Taking a big step back, Chloe’s eyes didn’t waver from Lois, so the elder cousin crossed her arms and said, “This compares to your reaction to Clark’s relationships how?”
Lois had seen Chloe’s various reactions to the Clark and Lana saga, from supportive to exasperated. Lois wasn’t ever really supportive of Chloe and Jimmy together, but Chloe had been Clark and Lois’ biggest cheerleader for years, even if the night they officially got together was ill-timed.
“You’re my cousin,” Chloe replied, not seeing the parallel quite like Lois was. “Clark knew you for years before I realized how well you’d fit together.”
“Except you always used to tell me that you knew because of how I looked at Clark.” Lois sighed as she took a step forward. “I wish I could show you how you look at Oliver.”
Chloe scoffed, shaking her head as her eyes showed the truth. “Trust me, I’m more than aware.”
“So... ” Lois replied, her eyes slowly widening. “You know too.”
Blinking at the last word, Chloe tried to bite back her surprise. Turning back towards the sink of dishes, Chloe curled her fingers around the edge of the counter, trying to find the right words. “I know that we picked each out of a tailspin, I know we’re grateful to the belief we’ve shown each other. But it’s time to put our lives together by ourselves. If it leads us back to the same place, then I’m fine with that."
Bringing up her head slowly, Chloe added, “However, I’m not going to sit around and wait for him, nor will I rely on what he gave me. That’s not who I am and it’s not the woman he’d want to keep in his life.”
“I never said that –”
“I know you mean well Lois, I do.” Chloe chuckled quietly to herself. “But Oliver did the right thing ending things and I did the right thing staying here.”
“Is it wrong that I think you both are overthinking things? That maybe you’re too smart for your own good?”
Chloe laughed again, out loud this time. “No, it’s not. I’d expect no less from you and I know the moment I screw up, you’ll tell me to get off my ass and fight.” Turning her head over her shoulder, Chloe smiled genuinely. “Faith cuz... is all I ask for now.”
It wasn’t much, but seeing her cousin smile brought some light to Lois’ face. “Okay, but the moment I see you being miserable, I’m buying you a first class seat to see him.”
“Deal,” Chloe said with a nod.
Chapter 20
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