Defining Moments 4/?
‘I'm guessing you didn't get me over here to spoon you chicken soup.’
Oliver shot a flirtatious grin at the nurse, but was suddenly completely distracted as Chloe walked into the room. He hadn’t been alone with her since before the disastrous wedding, and he had been nervous as to what would happen since calling her. She glared at the nurse, who had quickly rushed out the room.
She stayed away from him, closer to the door than to him. She was joking with him, which he assumed was a good sign, but quickly slipped into a professional mode, asking him why he had called her.
He grimaced slightly, but started to inform her about Winslow Scott and how he was responsible for the explosion at LuthorCorp. He told her not to tell Clark that he thought Winslow was working for Lex Luthor and her eyes widened.
She understood what he was actually thinking instantly, something that only Chloe seemed able to do. She realised that he wanted to find Lex. Oliver frowned, reminding her that Clark would never allow him to do what he was planning.
She had snapped at him, and Oliver could tell that she was shocked he was considering killing Lex. He frowned, correcting her - he wasn’t killing Lex, he was saving the world from what could happen if Lex was left in charge.
She clearly didn’t agree with him, but she wasn’t leaving, just protesting that she couldn’t lie to Clark.
Oliver had one last resort, Clark. He reminded Chloe that Lex knew Clark’s secret before slipping even lower and asking her if she could handle anything happening to Clark when she could have stopped it.
She glared at him, and Oliver’s gaze was drawn to her face. And then her lips.
He swallowed, staring determinedly back at her, unsure what to say as he realised that something was drawing him to her. The intensity of her glare had lessened and she looked more confused than angry.
“Chloe...” he started, uncertain as to how he could even approach the topic of what had happened last time they were alone together.
She inhaled sharply as Oliver tried to get up from the bed, stepping closer just to push him back down. “Just don’t.” she muttered. “I have to get home.”
“What…?”
“Jimmy’s expecting a call from me.” she finished. “He’s getting moved to Metropolis soon.”
Oliver didn’t know how to respond, instead watching as Chloe fidgeted with her hands. “Ok.”
She smiled weakly, leaning over to press a light kiss to his forehead. “Get better soon.”
Oliver nodded slightly, watching as she walked away.
‘This is Justice’
To be honest, he was expecting her to figure out it was him who killed Lex, just not this fast. Within hours, he was at Isis and she was glaring at him.
He had calmly told her that Lex deserved to die and she growled at him, demanding to know what Clark thought of what he had done. Oliver had rolled his eyes and told her what he had told Clark - it was Winslow who killed him.
Chloe wasn’t dumb enough to believe that, staring at him with repulsion as she spoke. Oliver looked away, knowing that what she was saying was true, but already having an excuse tumbling out his mouth. She rolled her eyes.
Oliver frowned, for some reason needing to make Chloe believe that he did it for the right reasons - making the world a safer place, protecting Clark. She grimaced, before spitting ‘This is murder’ and starting to leave.
Oliver was suddenly angry, grabbing her arm tightly and spinning her back to him, reminding her of a recent meeting with Sebastian Kane. She recoiled, looking up at him and already saying what he knew she was going to say.
“It was Brainiac…not me.”
“So, after your coma, was Brainiac controlling you?” Oliver asked, watching triumphantly as she struggled for an answer. “Was it Brainiac that made you say yes when Jimmy proposed, that made you marry Jimmy?”
Chloe’s jaw dropped. “Of course not. I love Jimmy.”
Oliver looked up at the ceiling, exasperated. “So, you had some control over it, didn’t you?”
She seemed to realise where this was going. “You don’t understand.”
“So, let me get this clear.” Oliver snarled. “Brainiac made you kill Sebastian Kane, but you yourself chose to marry Jimmy. And since you’re so in love with him, I’m guessing it was Brainiac that made you kiss me.”
“If I remember, you kissed me.”
Oliver rolled his eyes. “Technicalities.” He stared at her intently. “So was it Brainiac that made you kiss back?”
She seemed to be floundering for something to say, but Oliver just waited. She swallowed, then her gaze hardened. “I don’t have time for this. Why are we acting like we’re at high school when we have more important things to talk about?” she snarled. “Like the murder of Lex Luthor?”
“Sebastian Kane is just as important.”
She exhaled impatiently. “Oliver, it was Brainiac. Sometimes, he overpowered me and I couldn’t control it.”
Oliver nodded reluctantly. “Don’t tell me you’re not relieved he’s gone.”
“Who? Brainiac?” she asked, clearly knowing he was really talking about Lex. “Of course.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I want to say it’s not true.” she said, frowning. “But…”
She turned away, leaving Oliver knowing what she was about to say. “Chloe.” he called after her, holding his breath when she turned around. “Just a question.”
“One question.” she agreed.
Oliver grinned, sauntering over to her so that they were closer than they had been for a long time, capturing her eyes with his own. “Was it Brainiac that made you kiss me back around a week before your wedding?”
She swallowed and Oliver felt her breathing quicken. “I…um…” she looked away from him and at the floor. “I want to say yes.”
Oliver took that as a no, furiously grabbing her hips and pulling her against him, his lips finding hers. She gasped slightly, her arms limp at her sides as he attempted to pull her even closer. He pulled away, staring at her.
“Chloe, come on.” he murmured, pressing a light kiss against her lips and smirking as her eyes fluttered closed.
She sobbed slightly, raising her arms to wrap around his neck. Oliver smiled gently, kissing her slowly as her hands tangled with the hair at the back of his neck.
They broke apart and Chloe collapsed slightly into his arms, weeping. “Oliver…” she whispered, breathing in quickly when he pressed a kiss against the top of her head. “I can’t. Its different now.” she pulled away from him, composing herself. “I’m married.”
Oliver tensed. He knew that. Of course he knew that. But it was enough to make him step away from her and turn away, unable to look at her.
When he turned back round, she was gone.