Chlollie Fanfic: Love For Realsies, Chapter 25/26
Here you go, as promised! A tad later than advertised; been a busy weekend.
Enjoy!
Title: Love for Realsies ***Winner of 3 Chlollie Fanfic Awards***
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13) Sequel to Just for Funsies.
Warnings: None
Timeline: Season 9 (Conspiracy- Checkmate) and beyond
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: Chloe finds it increasingly difficult to resist Ollie’s affections.
Feedback: …Gimme, gimme! J
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 25
She couldn’t have made him any happier that if she’d actually said ‘I love you.’
Joy bubbled up in Oliver’s chest at Chloe’s confident words. It was interesting to observe that she’d answered the question from her own perspective, not from Clark’s like she usually did. Oh, Clark doesn’t think of me like that…Clark’s never wanted me that way…he’s with Lois, he doesn’t love me…
Oliver stared at a spot on the wall, thinking hard. Any of those responses would have been indicators that she was with him by default, but the answer she’d given him more than answered his question.
She loved him.
His protracted silence and preoccupied thoughts had her wringing her hands anxiously. “What, still not convinced?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Um…I can do song lyrics, if that helps. Who do you like; Beatles, Dido, Lifehouse…? Anyone but Celine Dion, because I can’t hit that range.”
Was she serious? Surely not…
He shook his head. “Chloe, you don’t have to-”
She cleared her throat and his brows rose as she started singing.
Find me here, and speak to me
I want to feel you…
Oliver stared at her incredulously, still not quite believing what he was seeing - and hearing. Chloe held on to his hand like a lifeline and went on.
“You are the light that’s leading me
To the place where I’ll find peace…again…”
Wow. Oliver blinked in numb shock. Chloe Sullivan, the strongest woman he knew, was naked, kneeling in front of him and serenading him with a sappy love song. It was like some bizarre episode of The Twilight Zone.
“…And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?
Cause you’re all I want-”
“Shut up,” he said bluntly. “Just…just shut up.”
She froze mid-sentence, the song dying on her lips.
“What, not a Lifehouse fan? Um…okay then, how about-”
“Chloe, I said stop.”
The hope in her eyes began to fade, but she swallowed and spoke.
“What do I need to do, Ollie?” she asked quietly. “Tell me.”
He folded his arms resolutely. “Nothing.”
Her eyes widened. “Nothing?” she whispered.
“You’re wasting your time,” he said shortly. “And mine.”
A stricken expression crossed her face. “Please don’t say that,” she pleaded.
He stared directly at her. “Chloe, I’m not lying to you. I appreciate the gesture, but as beautiful as your voice is, I’m afraid it’s not going to make a difference.”
Chloe took a shaky breath and a tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t care what you say, Ollie, I think what we have is totally worth fighting for and I’m not going to give up until I get through to you.”
He sighed in exasperation. “Chloe…listen, I -”
“Okay, I admit that throwing up was probably not the best way to respond to your declaration of love, but I couldn’t help it; I panicked!” she said desperately. “Haven’t you ever panicked and made the wrong decision out of fear?”
“Chloe-”
She barrelled on. “I know…I know I was too scared to accept it, accept us, but I’m not afraid anymore, and I know we can make this work. You said it yourself, weeks ago -”
“You had me when you crashed through the window.”
“…that you didn’t know what I was so scared of, and I…” Chloe’s frantic babbling trailed off and she stared at him as his words sunk in. “What?” she whispered.
He smiled. “The moment you burst in here. I knew.”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you saying that…?”
“That I love you and I know you love me too, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives making each other happy?” He gave her a wide, toothy grin. “Hell, yes.”
Chloe blinked and leaned back in a daze. “Oh! But…but you said you didn’t believe me, that you needed to hear me actually say…”
He shrugged again and his smile turned sheepish. “I had to try.”
She stared at him as if she didn’t quite believe she had actually gotten through to him. Her brow furrowed and she tilted her head and studied his expression, trying to gauge whether he was serious or not.
God, she was so adorable. And naked.
And she was all his.
Oliver smiled his first real smile in weeks, and held out his hand to her. “Come here, you silly girl.”
Still uncertain, Chloe slowly took his hand and curled her fingers around his. Oliver reached out with his other hand and stroked her cheek, looking into her questioning eyes.
“I believe you,” he whispered.
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and a smile began to lift the corners of her mouth. “You do?” she asked breathlessly.
“I do.”
With a sob, she flung herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him so tight she’d have given a boa constrictor a run for its money.
“Oh my God, I thought I’d lost you,” she sobbed in a muffled voice, holding him tighter still. “You big bully, why did you scare me like that?”
Oliver breathed deeply as his body reacquainted with Chloe’s. It was indescribable, how good it felt to be back in her arms. He burrowed one hand in her hair and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her closer still.
“I needed to know,” he said, breathing in the scent of her hair deeply. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be harsh with you; I just figured if I’m not going to get an ‘I love you’ out of you for a while, then I had to know why.”
“So, it wasn’t payback for me puking when you first told me you loved me?” she asked timidly.
He chuckled. “Maybe just a little.”
She pulled her head back and smiled at him through her tears. “I’m sorry,” she said hoarsely. “I’m sorry it took me so long…”
“Shh,” he soothed, stroking her cheek. “It’s okay. It’s okay, my love.”
“I thought you’d given up on me,” she said tremulously.
“Hey, I promised you earlier that you’d never lose me, didn’t I?” he said, smiling as he ruffled her hair. “I meant it; I’m not going anywhere. I’m in it for the long haul, Chloe so you’d better get used to me.”
Chloe smiled, her grin so wide it could easily illuminate the entire apartment. She grabbed his face and pressed her lips to his, kissing him with ardent fervour. He returned her kisses with equal passion, threading his hands through her hair and tangling his tongue with hers.
Oliver groaned deeply as her tongue swept into his mouth and yanked her up against him, flattening her against his chest. God, he’d missed her; missed her terribly over the last couple of weeks. He had to remember to make a conscious effort not to squeeze her too tightly because of her injuries.
Without breaking the kiss he eased his hold and put some space between them, but Chloe took full advantage of the situation, reaching between them to tug his t-shirt out of his jeans. Oliver lifted his head and grabbed hold of her wrists, breathing hard.
“What are you doing?” he panted.
“What does it look like?” she retorted, trying to tug her wrists free.
He had a point; his question had been totally rhetorical. He wanted what she was offering, wanted it badly. But he would be the worst kind of animal to pounce on a wounded woman.
“Chloe…you need to rest, honey,” he said raggedly. “I can wait until tomorrow, honestly. What’s one more night?”
Chloe shook her head stubbornly and finally managed to yank her hands free. “It’s like you said, Ollie,” she breathed as she slipped her hands beneath the hem of his t-shirt and slid them upwards. “I’ve wasted far too much time already.”
***
Chapter 26…
Author’s Note: Okay, one more chapter after this, I promise! Cross my heart!! Boy, this story needs some serious closure…as do I! J
…And because it’s so darned sweet and so completely fitting for these two (and because I’ve driven my family nuts with this song on a loop and it’s only fair that y'all embrace the madness as well!), here’s the song Chloe was singing to Oliver.
Everything, by Lifehouse
Find me here, and speak to me
I want to feel you, I need to hear you
You are the light that’s leading me
To the place where I’ll find peace…again…
You are the strength that keeps me walking
You are the hope that keeps me trusting
You are the light to my soul
You are my purpose; you’re everything
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?”
You calm the storms and you give me rest
You hold me in your hands, you won’t let me fold
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now…
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?
Cause you’re all I want
You’re all I need
You’re everything…everything
Cause you’re all I want
You’re all I need
You’re everything…everything
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better…any better than this?
Would you tell me, how could it be any better than this?
***