The Longer You Run (3/?)
Jul. 25th, 2013 10:40 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, possible OOC due to the AU.
Thanks to:aradira for the fabulous banner.
Prologue Chapter 1
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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, possible OOC due to the AU.
Thanks to:
aradira for the fabulous banner.Prologue Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Walking through the elevator doors, Chloe’s heels clacked through the hallway as she approached what she assumed was Oliver’s office. There wasn’t anyone around right now, not even his assistant, as the desk in front of his office was vacant.
But in no time, Oliver himself had stepped out of his office and spotted her. “Miss Sullivan, please... right this way.”
Was it wrong that she actually felt a little nervous? She had tried to hide it, but Chloe knew that he had to notice that she swallowed hard as she came closer. “Personal greeting... you must be serious about this article.”
“My assistant is taking some holiday time.” He notice her pause in the doorway, but he insisted that she enter first. Once she was inside, Chloe turned to look at him, her look purely business, which was exactly what he was looking for. “I was surprised when Lauren told me that you booked so soon.”
Then again, he also figured Chloe would call him on his cell, give him a piece of his mind, maybe even pick his mind for awhile. But instead, she called his assistant, apparently wanting to speak to the person who ran his calendar. Then she scheduled the interview three days after Christmas, which was a fact that didn’t seem to shake her one bit, as she just plainly shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
“Yet here we are.” After all, if Chloe was a betting woman, she figured that Oliver Queen enjoyed the holidays just as much as she did, so he probably appreciated the distraction. Meanwhile, it got the article off her mind before the new year bells rang and she could put this odd sense of coincidences behind her. It was a win-win.
“In that case,” Oliver said before walking towards her again, “I wanted to thank you for accepting my offer.”
He had stuck out his hand for her to shake it, a simple gesture, but it took Chloe longer than it should for her to accept it. Even though she was here, that didn’t mean that she was overly comfortable with his current proximity. “No need, this is a great opportunity for me.” Releasing his hand, Chloe took a few calculated steps back, establishing the necessary buffer zone. “Your assistant was very thorough in the details of these projects.”
That was something Oliver insisted upon, as he went a little above the normal media protocol. “I wanted you to be prepared.”
Chloe nodded before she opened her notebook to her questions, taking note of how he walked over his desk and leaned against the edge. It couldn't be the most comfortable thing to lean against, as there were chairs across the room, probably ones that cost more than her average pay cheque, but not once did he offer a seat, nor did he indulge without her. For some reason, he seemed to be a little restless, as his fingers tapped gently against the desk, not long after he pushed himself off it again, the whole time his eyes focused everywhere.
Narrowing her eyes, Chloe tried to figure out what was going on in his head. “You... you do realize that I’m still developing my name as a freelance writer. I’m just a name.”
Oliver scoffed, as she may not highlight papers across the country, but among the reasons he wanted Chloe Sullivan to write this piece was the fact that she had more talent than even she gave herself credit. “Well, it’s a name that has been on the front page of the Daily Planet on multiple occasions, not to mention that you’ve written numerous freelance pieces across the state and received a personal recommendation from Perry White... even though he never worked with you.”
Sure, her work had slowed down lately, likely linked to the quarter-life crisis she had experienced since leaving the Daily Planet, but Chloe was one of a very select group of journalists. One that wrote the truth no matter what it took, one that didn’t care who she pissed off and got the job done. Oliver admired her for that.
He finally glanced in her direction, just in time to see her clamp her mouth shut. It was clear that she didn’t expect him to know so much about her, which was a fair assumption, but if he was going to be taken seriously by her, especially after the last time they were alone together in the same room, he had to level the playing field at least a little bit.
Clearing her throat, Chloe said dryly, “You did your homework I see.” For although the assessment wasn’t completely accurate, it was pretty damn close. Perry’s recommendation had nothing to do with her professional work, but she would wasn’t about to tell him that.
“I won’t lie when I said that I was hoping to see you again.” Oliver grinned as her head popped up from her notes, but he just grinned, gave a slight shrug. He knew that she would assume that his intentions for that comment were related to a completely different subject, but that was fine with him. “Your cousin would have been an alright substitute, but...I had a feeling that I could trust you more.”
Furrowing her eyebrows, Chloe unconsciously took a step towards him. “Trust is an interesting word choice.”
Oliver responded by taking a few steps of his own. “I’ve been told that if you want to convince the world, you start with your toughest critic.”
She laughed dryly at that comment. “Little ol’ me?” At this point, he was close enough that Chloe had to crane her neck, but she was used to being shorter and she learned a long time ago that size never defined intimidation. So she kept her composure and replied strongly, “Mr. Queen, let me assure you, I may be a critic, but I’m far from your toughest. And no article is going to dull the hatred you and Lex Luthor have for each other.”
Leaning his head down, Oliver smirked, taking note that when the moment was right, she was just as fiery sober than she was after a few drinks. Not that it surprised him, but that realization came with a few unfortunate consequences, as this was actually turning him on a little and the fact his face was inches from hers didn’t help. “I guess only time will tell.”
Chloe wasn’t doing much better, as his words had caused her breathing to slow immediately. He was almost too good at that, which was pathetic for her to think, but she couldn’t help but remember that night and how satisfied it made her feel. Not to mention it was an empty office floor and...
And what was she thinking? This wasn’t the time to be unprofessional. Somehow, Chloe managed to calmly walk past Oliver, looking firmly down at her pad as her heels clicked on the floor once more. “So shall we get started?”
“I’m ready when you are.”
“Okay... what’s your favourite colour?” Seeing the disapproval on his face, Chloe bit her bottom lip to hold back her laughter before asking the question she really wanted to ask. “How about we start with your latest satellite technology? In the last year, your satellites were one of the few to hold up after a freak blackout incident and now you’re saying that they’re improved. Care to elaborate on the potential for this technology and what makes Queen Industries satellites hold up so well?”
After a short pause, Oliver replied, “You know I can’t disclose intellectual property.”
Of course Chloe knew that, but that didn’t stop her from taking this interview seriously. It was what he wanted after all. “You’ve spun this question before and you told me that I could ask ten questions, so what can you tell me?”
“That my favourite colour is green.” He could see her understandably about to protest, but he held a finger up to stop her. “And no, it has nothing to do with money, nor a convenient answer towards the fact the world is moving in a more environmentally-friendly direction, although nature is part of the reason.” Oliver walked towards the window, placing his fingers delicately against the glass upon arrival. “My mom... always lit up when the first signs of spring showed up.”
“You grew up in California,” he heard her comment softly, in fact a lot quieter than the insinuation he had been expecting.
He was tempted to address that comment, tell her how he had witnessed the changing of seasons plenty in his life, but now wasn’t the time. “Green represents new life, a sense of hope in the darkness as grass and dandelions grow between the cracks on the pavements. It’s a reminder of where we come from, what we started with.”
Turning around, he grinned at Chloe before finishing his point. “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 mouth opened, but she waited for him in case he wasn’t finished. It wasn’t as if she expected Oliver to take that question seriously... or answer it so seriously... or at all. Tapping her pen against the notepad, she wrote down a few essential points. “That... that doesn’t answer my question.”
“Not your most recent one, but it does answer one of your questions.” He saw her eyes widen, but Oliver knew he had made himself clear regarding the quantity of questions. If she missed out on something, that was her fault. “Now about the satellites...”
The rest of the interview went smoothly, as Chloe found a way to everything she needed with eight of the many questions she had outlined. The colour question wasn’t supposed to count, but he gave her some decent quote fodder, so she played along with it.
That left one more question, one that Chloe was debating asking now because it because it felt so trivial. But in the end... this was about the man as much as it was about the company. “I know this teeters on personal territory, but with you, this place always has a hint of personal involved. People constantly compare you to your parents, weighing their expectations against you while you run the company they left behind.”
“Is there a question in there?”
Chloe nodded as she sat down at on the arm of one of the chairs, her feet starting to bother her after standing for so long. “Very few people could imagine what it’s like to lose both of their parents and take on a company at the age of ten. But you did and the company is still standing and in its best place since your parents’ died.”
It wasn’t a fact Chloe had realized until she prepared for this interview. People, including herself, thought he was just a figurehead, but the numbers didn’t lie and it was clear that Oliver was behind most of it, no matter how much he hid from real publicity. “This sounds clichéd, I know, but I’m curious... if you could tell your parents anything right now... what would it be?”
Oliver paused as the question finished in his head, a smile forming as it sunk in. “It’s funny, because I have been asked this before, and every time I give a different answer. However, I don’t think I would have said any of those things.”
Before, no one really cared about his relationship with his parents, just the legacy. The media wanted the sentimental goodbyes, the loving words, but life had taught him something that made him realize his true answer.
“In the end, the one true regret people like me have is that we didn’t get to say goodbye.” True, his final memory of his parents was a positive one, but it still hurt knowing that he went to sleep one night with his parents next to him and the next night... they were gone.
“Looking at them, even if they just heard my voice...the fact that I love them would be clear, the fact that I’m nervous to see if I’ll live up to their standard would be obvious and they would know that I would never forget them.”
It felt wrong to just summarize so many feelings in one sentence, but Oliver was also a realist. He knew it wasn’t possible, so there wasn’t much point on dwelling on long-winded speeches. “I mean, I can only hope that they’re proud of me.” Shrugging, Oliver turned his head over his shoulder to meet Chloe’s eyes. “So in the end... I would just want to say goodbye.”
From the moment he spoke, Chloe sat silently, listening to his answer. When she wrote that question, it was supposed to be a light way to end the interview and only if she had a question to burn, but with each answer, Chloe wanted to know this answer. It was a selfish purpose, one she wasn’t proud of, as there was only so much of that response that Chloe could use, but that didn't stop her from freezing momentarily as the words repeated in her head.
However, it was clear that he was finished, so Chloe got her business face back on. Standing up, Chloe closed her pad and put it in her purse. “That should be all I need. I’ll be in touch once the piece is ready.”
As Chloe walked towards the door, Oliver matched her stride, holding the door open for her to exit. “I look forward to your call.”
Leaning back in her chair, Chloe pieced together her notes, the quotes and overall content and smiled. She knew he offered to pay her, but she was going to do this her way, especially with the connection she could use in this case.
Holding up his card, Chloe tapped it once against the base of her laptop. Last time she had heard from him was a few months ago, telling her that he didn’t have space for the article she had sent him. It was understandable that he couldn’t always pull strings for her; after all, he was getting stories from everywhere.
Even at Metropolis University, Matt Wallace was the talk of the town before Oliver showed up. Even though he was an heir to a magazine empire, Matt left Chicago because he was determined to make his own way in the world. It was actually the Daily Planet that brought him to Kansas, but his mother passed away from cancer two years ago, and because he didn't trust anyone to commit the same type of effort his mother did, Matt picked up the torch and never looked back.
As for the reason she had his card, the answer was quite simple. They had shared a friendly, yet competitive camaraderie at Met U, being one and two in class rankings, but in the end, Chloe didn’t mind losing to him. After all, Matt was probably the one person who came from money that she could stand.
So she dialled his number, knowing the article was still in early draft form, but she had to act quickly with this one or else she was going to lose this opportunity. Fortunately for her, she wasn't the only one avoiding Christmas break, as Matt answered on the second ring. “Chloe, have you changed you mind about coming to work here?”
Chloe shook her head before replying, “Not yet.” Every time he would ask that, even when she was working at the Daily Planet, but the answer was the same.
There was a short silence on the line, so Matt swallowed loudly. “This isn’t about your last piece getting cut, is it?”
Grinning as she stood up, Chloe closed her eyes, wanting to give them a break from the laptop. “It wasn’t my best work, so I’m not mad that you changed your mind... although my wallet is a different manner.” Peering back towards her screen, she could see the document staring back at her. “I have a new piece that may serve as your next cover.”
“Is that so?”
Leaning against the back of her couch, Chloe smiled. “Your technology issue is next, which means you likely want some groundbreaking material. How does an exclusive with Oliver Queen on his company’s most-recent innovations with a short inside profile on the man himself sound?”
Matt’s eyes narrowed immediately, almost in disbelief. “You’re telling me that the woman who sat next to me in university has an exclusive article on the man who doesn’t give exclusives?”
Chloe laughed, despite the fact that she knew what he said was completely valid. This was a strange occurrence, but it couldn’t be unheard of, right? Besides, it wasn’t as if her friend was struggling either. “Says the youngest national magazine editor in the United States.”
“It’s a little different when it’s your birthright,” Matt immediately countered, as he knew that getting Oliver Queen to give more than a few quotes lately was incredible. The man would hold press conferences, sure, but to give a one-on-one like this didn’t usually happen.
“Yeah, well, you worked hard for it too.”
“Well, you know the drill,” Matt said as he deleted a few emails, glad to hear that he had a new cover story to look forward to. “Pass the piece my way and we’ll go from there.” Because he knew Chloe Sullivan enough to know when she believed in something, listening to her never led to disappointment.
No matter what, this was their tradition. The Kent farm, pitch black skies, the three of them, sometimes with Mrs. Kent if she could take some time off, but not this year. Boyfriends and girlfriends weren’t allowed, which was probably wrong considering the new year’s cliché, but to the three of them, it was about family. It was a reminder that no matter what, they always had each other. And as long as they had each other, there was always a sense of hope, even when Clark and Lois would likely kiss at midnight, leaving Chloe alone. But she was fine with that, she was happy for them… and their happiness gave her hope for herself.
Because this was one year Chloe was ready to put behind her. It wasn't her best, nor was it her worst, but after months of punishing herself, Chloe had settled into a sense of normal, so she was ready to take a few steps forward.
For that was what new years were for, right? To erase the hopelessness, the frustration of the year's past. She supposed there was supposed to be an essence of celebration of the year that was, but that wasn't the case for her. Last year, she had someone's arms wrapped around her when she got home from the fireworks, but that arm faded away a few months later, while her professional life fell apart in the months that followed.
She knew there was a job in Chicago if she ever wanted to leave this place behind, and it was highly tempting. But she couldn't leave Metropolis, not yet. There was still family here, a sense of home, and that was something Chloe wasn't going to let go of that.
And so what if last year sucked? This year was going to be different, as it was going to start in the right direction with the publishing of one of the biggest pieces she had ever written. She had submitted it to Matt hours ago, and Chloe had to admit, it seemed like a damn good cover story to her.
It sounded wrong in her head, but she wanted to do it full justice. Oliver Queen of all people sought her out, he trusted her, and for some reason, he even saw more in Chloe than she saw in herself. Not to mention that he seemed pleased with the first draft she sent to him yesterday, the one Chloe had ripped to shreds just hours before the last draft was finalized.
Then again, who knows if he read the darn thing, but that didn't matter to her, because she was proud of the final product. It wasn't like she had to get attached to what he thought. All he did was provide her an opportunity, nothing more. Granted, it wasn't as painful as she thought, but she was ready to cut that cord.
But that thought didn't stop her from smiling as the fireworks lit the sky with various golds, greens and reds. Chloe closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying the crackle and audible explosions in the sky. Oblivious to the kiss happening across the field, she took a deep breath and enjoyed the show, knowing the only reason she was smiling was because of the hope he had given her.
Who knew that she would find a Christmas miracle in Oliver Queen?
Chapter 3
Walking through the elevator doors, Chloe’s heels clacked through the hallway as she approached what she assumed was Oliver’s office. There wasn’t anyone around right now, not even his assistant, as the desk in front of his office was vacant.
But in no time, Oliver himself had stepped out of his office and spotted her. “Miss Sullivan, please... right this way.”
Was it wrong that she actually felt a little nervous? She had tried to hide it, but Chloe knew that he had to notice that she swallowed hard as she came closer. “Personal greeting... you must be serious about this article.”
“My assistant is taking some holiday time.” He notice her pause in the doorway, but he insisted that she enter first. Once she was inside, Chloe turned to look at him, her look purely business, which was exactly what he was looking for. “I was surprised when Lauren told me that you booked so soon.”
Then again, he also figured Chloe would call him on his cell, give him a piece of his mind, maybe even pick his mind for awhile. But instead, she called his assistant, apparently wanting to speak to the person who ran his calendar. Then she scheduled the interview three days after Christmas, which was a fact that didn’t seem to shake her one bit, as she just plainly shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
“Yet here we are.” After all, if Chloe was a betting woman, she figured that Oliver Queen enjoyed the holidays just as much as she did, so he probably appreciated the distraction. Meanwhile, it got the article off her mind before the new year bells rang and she could put this odd sense of coincidences behind her. It was a win-win.
“In that case,” Oliver said before walking towards her again, “I wanted to thank you for accepting my offer.”
He had stuck out his hand for her to shake it, a simple gesture, but it took Chloe longer than it should for her to accept it. Even though she was here, that didn’t mean that she was overly comfortable with his current proximity. “No need, this is a great opportunity for me.” Releasing his hand, Chloe took a few calculated steps back, establishing the necessary buffer zone. “Your assistant was very thorough in the details of these projects.”
That was something Oliver insisted upon, as he went a little above the normal media protocol. “I wanted you to be prepared.”
Chloe nodded before she opened her notebook to her questions, taking note of how he walked over his desk and leaned against the edge. It couldn't be the most comfortable thing to lean against, as there were chairs across the room, probably ones that cost more than her average pay cheque, but not once did he offer a seat, nor did he indulge without her. For some reason, he seemed to be a little restless, as his fingers tapped gently against the desk, not long after he pushed himself off it again, the whole time his eyes focused everywhere.
Narrowing her eyes, Chloe tried to figure out what was going on in his head. “You... you do realize that I’m still developing my name as a freelance writer. I’m just a name.”
Oliver scoffed, as she may not highlight papers across the country, but among the reasons he wanted Chloe Sullivan to write this piece was the fact that she had more talent than even she gave herself credit. “Well, it’s a name that has been on the front page of the Daily Planet on multiple occasions, not to mention that you’ve written numerous freelance pieces across the state and received a personal recommendation from Perry White... even though he never worked with you.”
Sure, her work had slowed down lately, likely linked to the quarter-life crisis she had experienced since leaving the Daily Planet, but Chloe was one of a very select group of journalists. One that wrote the truth no matter what it took, one that didn’t care who she pissed off and got the job done. Oliver admired her for that.
He finally glanced in her direction, just in time to see her clamp her mouth shut. It was clear that she didn’t expect him to know so much about her, which was a fair assumption, but if he was going to be taken seriously by her, especially after the last time they were alone together in the same room, he had to level the playing field at least a little bit.
Clearing her throat, Chloe said dryly, “You did your homework I see.” For although the assessment wasn’t completely accurate, it was pretty damn close. Perry’s recommendation had nothing to do with her professional work, but she would wasn’t about to tell him that.
“I won’t lie when I said that I was hoping to see you again.” Oliver grinned as her head popped up from her notes, but he just grinned, gave a slight shrug. He knew that she would assume that his intentions for that comment were related to a completely different subject, but that was fine with him. “Your cousin would have been an alright substitute, but...I had a feeling that I could trust you more.”
Furrowing her eyebrows, Chloe unconsciously took a step towards him. “Trust is an interesting word choice.”
Oliver responded by taking a few steps of his own. “I’ve been told that if you want to convince the world, you start with your toughest critic.”
She laughed dryly at that comment. “Little ol’ me?” At this point, he was close enough that Chloe had to crane her neck, but she was used to being shorter and she learned a long time ago that size never defined intimidation. So she kept her composure and replied strongly, “Mr. Queen, let me assure you, I may be a critic, but I’m far from your toughest. And no article is going to dull the hatred you and Lex Luthor have for each other.”
Leaning his head down, Oliver smirked, taking note that when the moment was right, she was just as fiery sober than she was after a few drinks. Not that it surprised him, but that realization came with a few unfortunate consequences, as this was actually turning him on a little and the fact his face was inches from hers didn’t help. “I guess only time will tell.”
Chloe wasn’t doing much better, as his words had caused her breathing to slow immediately. He was almost too good at that, which was pathetic for her to think, but she couldn’t help but remember that night and how satisfied it made her feel. Not to mention it was an empty office floor and...
And what was she thinking? This wasn’t the time to be unprofessional. Somehow, Chloe managed to calmly walk past Oliver, looking firmly down at her pad as her heels clicked on the floor once more. “So shall we get started?”
“I’m ready when you are.”
“Okay... what’s your favourite colour?” Seeing the disapproval on his face, Chloe bit her bottom lip to hold back her laughter before asking the question she really wanted to ask. “How about we start with your latest satellite technology? In the last year, your satellites were one of the few to hold up after a freak blackout incident and now you’re saying that they’re improved. Care to elaborate on the potential for this technology and what makes Queen Industries satellites hold up so well?”
After a short pause, Oliver replied, “You know I can’t disclose intellectual property.”
Of course Chloe knew that, but that didn’t stop her from taking this interview seriously. It was what he wanted after all. “You’ve spun this question before and you told me that I could ask ten questions, so what can you tell me?”
“That my favourite colour is green.” He could see her understandably about to protest, but he held a finger up to stop her. “And no, it has nothing to do with money, nor a convenient answer towards the fact the world is moving in a more environmentally-friendly direction, although nature is part of the reason.” Oliver walked towards the window, placing his fingers delicately against the glass upon arrival. “My mom... always lit up when the first signs of spring showed up.”
“You grew up in California,” he heard her comment softly, in fact a lot quieter than the insinuation he had been expecting.
He was tempted to address that comment, tell her how he had witnessed the changing of seasons plenty in his life, but now wasn’t the time. “Green represents new life, a sense of hope in the darkness as grass and dandelions grow between the cracks on the pavements. It’s a reminder of where we come from, what we started with.”
Turning around, he grinned at Chloe before finishing his point. “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 mouth opened, but she waited for him in case he wasn’t finished. It wasn’t as if she expected Oliver to take that question seriously... or answer it so seriously... or at all. Tapping her pen against the notepad, she wrote down a few essential points. “That... that doesn’t answer my question.”
“Not your most recent one, but it does answer one of your questions.” He saw her eyes widen, but Oliver knew he had made himself clear regarding the quantity of questions. If she missed out on something, that was her fault. “Now about the satellites...”
~0~
The rest of the interview went smoothly, as Chloe found a way to everything she needed with eight of the many questions she had outlined. The colour question wasn’t supposed to count, but he gave her some decent quote fodder, so she played along with it.
That left one more question, one that Chloe was debating asking now because it because it felt so trivial. But in the end... this was about the man as much as it was about the company. “I know this teeters on personal territory, but with you, this place always has a hint of personal involved. People constantly compare you to your parents, weighing their expectations against you while you run the company they left behind.”
“Is there a question in there?”
Chloe nodded as she sat down at on the arm of one of the chairs, her feet starting to bother her after standing for so long. “Very few people could imagine what it’s like to lose both of their parents and take on a company at the age of ten. But you did and the company is still standing and in its best place since your parents’ died.”
It wasn’t a fact Chloe had realized until she prepared for this interview. People, including herself, thought he was just a figurehead, but the numbers didn’t lie and it was clear that Oliver was behind most of it, no matter how much he hid from real publicity. “This sounds clichéd, I know, but I’m curious... if you could tell your parents anything right now... what would it be?”
Oliver paused as the question finished in his head, a smile forming as it sunk in. “It’s funny, because I have been asked this before, and every time I give a different answer. However, I don’t think I would have said any of those things.”
Before, no one really cared about his relationship with his parents, just the legacy. The media wanted the sentimental goodbyes, the loving words, but life had taught him something that made him realize his true answer.
“In the end, the one true regret people like me have is that we didn’t get to say goodbye.” True, his final memory of his parents was a positive one, but it still hurt knowing that he went to sleep one night with his parents next to him and the next night... they were gone.
“Looking at them, even if they just heard my voice...the fact that I love them would be clear, the fact that I’m nervous to see if I’ll live up to their standard would be obvious and they would know that I would never forget them.”
It felt wrong to just summarize so many feelings in one sentence, but Oliver was also a realist. He knew it wasn’t possible, so there wasn’t much point on dwelling on long-winded speeches. “I mean, I can only hope that they’re proud of me.” Shrugging, Oliver turned his head over his shoulder to meet Chloe’s eyes. “So in the end... I would just want to say goodbye.”
From the moment he spoke, Chloe sat silently, listening to his answer. When she wrote that question, it was supposed to be a light way to end the interview and only if she had a question to burn, but with each answer, Chloe wanted to know this answer. It was a selfish purpose, one she wasn’t proud of, as there was only so much of that response that Chloe could use, but that didn't stop her from freezing momentarily as the words repeated in her head.
However, it was clear that he was finished, so Chloe got her business face back on. Standing up, Chloe closed her pad and put it in her purse. “That should be all I need. I’ll be in touch once the piece is ready.”
As Chloe walked towards the door, Oliver matched her stride, holding the door open for her to exit. “I look forward to your call.”
~0~
Leaning back in her chair, Chloe pieced together her notes, the quotes and overall content and smiled. She knew he offered to pay her, but she was going to do this her way, especially with the connection she could use in this case.
Holding up his card, Chloe tapped it once against the base of her laptop. Last time she had heard from him was a few months ago, telling her that he didn’t have space for the article she had sent him. It was understandable that he couldn’t always pull strings for her; after all, he was getting stories from everywhere.
Even at Metropolis University, Matt Wallace was the talk of the town before Oliver showed up. Even though he was an heir to a magazine empire, Matt left Chicago because he was determined to make his own way in the world. It was actually the Daily Planet that brought him to Kansas, but his mother passed away from cancer two years ago, and because he didn't trust anyone to commit the same type of effort his mother did, Matt picked up the torch and never looked back.
As for the reason she had his card, the answer was quite simple. They had shared a friendly, yet competitive camaraderie at Met U, being one and two in class rankings, but in the end, Chloe didn’t mind losing to him. After all, Matt was probably the one person who came from money that she could stand.
So she dialled his number, knowing the article was still in early draft form, but she had to act quickly with this one or else she was going to lose this opportunity. Fortunately for her, she wasn't the only one avoiding Christmas break, as Matt answered on the second ring. “Chloe, have you changed you mind about coming to work here?”
Chloe shook her head before replying, “Not yet.” Every time he would ask that, even when she was working at the Daily Planet, but the answer was the same.
There was a short silence on the line, so Matt swallowed loudly. “This isn’t about your last piece getting cut, is it?”
Grinning as she stood up, Chloe closed her eyes, wanting to give them a break from the laptop. “It wasn’t my best work, so I’m not mad that you changed your mind... although my wallet is a different manner.” Peering back towards her screen, she could see the document staring back at her. “I have a new piece that may serve as your next cover.”
“Is that so?”
Leaning against the back of her couch, Chloe smiled. “Your technology issue is next, which means you likely want some groundbreaking material. How does an exclusive with Oliver Queen on his company’s most-recent innovations with a short inside profile on the man himself sound?”
Matt’s eyes narrowed immediately, almost in disbelief. “You’re telling me that the woman who sat next to me in university has an exclusive article on the man who doesn’t give exclusives?”
Chloe laughed, despite the fact that she knew what he said was completely valid. This was a strange occurrence, but it couldn’t be unheard of, right? Besides, it wasn’t as if her friend was struggling either. “Says the youngest national magazine editor in the United States.”
“It’s a little different when it’s your birthright,” Matt immediately countered, as he knew that getting Oliver Queen to give more than a few quotes lately was incredible. The man would hold press conferences, sure, but to give a one-on-one like this didn’t usually happen.
“Yeah, well, you worked hard for it too.”
“Well, you know the drill,” Matt said as he deleted a few emails, glad to hear that he had a new cover story to look forward to. “Pass the piece my way and we’ll go from there.” Because he knew Chloe Sullivan enough to know when she believed in something, listening to her never led to disappointment.
~0~
No matter what, this was their tradition. The Kent farm, pitch black skies, the three of them, sometimes with Mrs. Kent if she could take some time off, but not this year. Boyfriends and girlfriends weren’t allowed, which was probably wrong considering the new year’s cliché, but to the three of them, it was about family. It was a reminder that no matter what, they always had each other. And as long as they had each other, there was always a sense of hope, even when Clark and Lois would likely kiss at midnight, leaving Chloe alone. But she was fine with that, she was happy for them… and their happiness gave her hope for herself.
Because this was one year Chloe was ready to put behind her. It wasn't her best, nor was it her worst, but after months of punishing herself, Chloe had settled into a sense of normal, so she was ready to take a few steps forward.
For that was what new years were for, right? To erase the hopelessness, the frustration of the year's past. She supposed there was supposed to be an essence of celebration of the year that was, but that wasn't the case for her. Last year, she had someone's arms wrapped around her when she got home from the fireworks, but that arm faded away a few months later, while her professional life fell apart in the months that followed.
She knew there was a job in Chicago if she ever wanted to leave this place behind, and it was highly tempting. But she couldn't leave Metropolis, not yet. There was still family here, a sense of home, and that was something Chloe wasn't going to let go of that.
And so what if last year sucked? This year was going to be different, as it was going to start in the right direction with the publishing of one of the biggest pieces she had ever written. She had submitted it to Matt hours ago, and Chloe had to admit, it seemed like a damn good cover story to her.
It sounded wrong in her head, but she wanted to do it full justice. Oliver Queen of all people sought her out, he trusted her, and for some reason, he even saw more in Chloe than she saw in herself. Not to mention that he seemed pleased with the first draft she sent to him yesterday, the one Chloe had ripped to shreds just hours before the last draft was finalized.
Then again, who knows if he read the darn thing, but that didn't matter to her, because she was proud of the final product. It wasn't like she had to get attached to what he thought. All he did was provide her an opportunity, nothing more. Granted, it wasn't as painful as she thought, but she was ready to cut that cord.
But that thought didn't stop her from smiling as the fireworks lit the sky with various golds, greens and reds. Chloe closed her eyes momentarily, enjoying the crackle and audible explosions in the sky. Oblivious to the kiss happening across the field, she took a deep breath and enjoyed the show, knowing the only reason she was smiling was because of the hope he had given her.
Who knew that she would find a Christmas miracle in Oliver Queen?
Chapter 3
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