All the Right Moves 9/10
Title: All the Right Moves
Author: ihearttvsnark
Chapter: 9/10
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen
Banners: geek_or_unique
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 7,127 (total)
Summary: This is the sequel to Everybody Loves M e. When Oliver returns from the other universe, he realizes that he wants the kind of life the other Oliver has. Chloe is determined to help him become the man she knows he’s capable of being, but it’s not an easy road for either one of them.
Previous Chapters: | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight |
Chapter 9: Part 1: Rain Can Fall Only When it’s Over Our Heads
Chloe let herself into the command center, set her stuff down on the table and made her way to the main terminal. She went through her standard daily checks, starting with the overnight crime reports and then moving on to look at the statuses of various searches she had running. Everything appeared to be running smoothly which wasn’t much of a surprise. She’d been there until almost two the night before while AC and Bart handled the Friday night patrols and it was a little after eleven now. She would have been worried if there had been a huge spike in the crime rate during the time she’d been sleeping.
She went into the small kitchen, started a fresh pot of coffee and then wandered to the newly added door that hid the staircase leading to the remodeled apartment below. The contractors Oliver had hired had finished all the renovations earlier that week and Chloe had been blown away by the results. Walking down the stairs, she pushed open the door at the bottom and stepped into the ridiculously large apartment Oliver had created for her. She’d told him that he’d gone overboard and he’d just given her that knowing look of his that somehow made her want to slap him and kiss him at the same time.
The contractors had knocked out all the original walls and turned three units into one. Even though Chloe still thought it was too much, especially since it was just supposed to be a place for her to sleep once in awhile, but she had to admit that it was gorgeous. There were hardwood floors throughout along with floor-to-ceiling windows and a kitchen filled with modern appliances that she was never going to use. But Oliver had also put in several couches and chairs and a home entertainment system so the guys could hang out if they wanted to, which they had been since they’d all moved into the apartments Oliver had set up for them the weekend before.
Chloe definitely didn’t mind the company. Oliver had been out of town all week on a business trip and things had been fairly slow at the office. Technically, things hadn’t been that slow, but Chloe had been getting her work done faster than usual to take her mind off missing Oliver. She knew her behavior was borderline ridiculous, but this was the longest he’d been gone since they’d started seeing each other and she missed him. He called and texted whenever he could, but that wasn’t the same as falling asleep in his arms at night.
“You are pathetic,” Chloe admonished herself. He was going to be back in two days and she was irritated with herself for thinking that was an eternity. But Lois was on another “assignment” in Metropolis for the weekend and Chloe was caught up on all her errands and she’d read three books and watched four movies over the past few days and that still wasn’t enough to distract her. She was moping like a lovesick teenager and she knew she needed to stop.
Her coffee was probably ready so Chloe turned and headed back up the stairs. She poured herself a cup and carried over to the main terminal to check the searches again. There had to be something out there that would keep her busy for a few hours. She took a sip of her coffee just as she heard the door open behind her. Chloe glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Victor. “Hey Vic,” she said. “How are you?”
“Not bad,” Victor replied. He returned her smile and closed the door at his back before he crossed the room to stand beside her at the terminal, his eyes moving over the screen for a minute. “How are things going? It seemed like Bart and AC were busy last night.”
“They were,” Chloe confirmed as she gestured for Victor to have a seat on the couch. She sat down in the chair across from him, folding her legs beneath her. “What about you? Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked. Victor had been out of town for most of the week too, investigating a black market organization that he’d come across. He knew they dealt in stolen artwork and weapons, but he’d told Chloe that he suspected they were much more sinister than that.
Victor nodded. “That’s why I’m here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small USB drive. “This contains pictures of everything that I came across in South America, but this group spans the globe, Chloe. I found connections in Asia, Europe and even here in North America. Nothing in the U.S. but there are branches in Canada and Mexico,” he said.
Chloe took the drive from him, but remained in her seat even though she was anxious to see what was on it. She could tell by the expression on Victor’s face that he had something else to tell her. “Vic, what did you find?” she asked quietly as a hint of fear curled in her stomach.
“I was right about the art and weapons being the tip of the iceberg. They also run drugs and people. Mostly young girls who have been kidnapped and forced into prostitution,” Victor explained. His expression hardened as he met Chloe’s eyes. “The people in charge of this are sick bastards. I’ve narrowed down the leaders.” He pointed to the drive in her hand. “All the profiles are there, including their last known locations. Some of these guys hide in plain sight while others stay underground.”
“That’s awful,” Chloe replied, disgusted. She knew they were going to have to act fast and it sounded like they were going to need extra manpower. “We can put a mission together to find all of these guys and bring them to justice. I’m sure Clark would be willing to help and Ollie is supposed to be back soon. I can fill him in and we’ll come up with a strategy.”
Victor nodded. “I talked to Oliver after I sent him the footage last night and I think he already called Clark. He doesn’t think it’s a good idea for all of us to abandon Star City at once but he figured either Bart of Clark could stay behind since they can travel the fastest if we need backup.”
“Oh,” Chloe said, surprised that Victor had already discussed this with Oliver. She wondered why Oliver hadn’t called her himself to talk about it. She wasn’t sure why the thought bothered her so much. Chloe pushed it aside and focused on the matter at hand. “Do you know how long the team would need to be gone?” she asked.
“Probably a few weeks,” Victor said, too focused on the mission to notice her reaction. “We’d have to go back to South America first and then probably Japan and Russia. It’s a good thing that Oliver speaks nearly every language under the sun. He’s already working on arranging passports and lodging for us where we can stay off the radar.”
Chloe nodded as that strange feeling of hurt welled in her chest again. She couldn’t really pinpoint why it bothered her so much that Oliver had done all of that without talking to her first, but she knew it wasn’t the time to dwell on it. “Ollie is definitely resourceful,” she said as she got to her feet, needing to move. Chloe walked back to the terminal and plugged the USB drive into the computer, speaking to Victor over her shoulder as she accessed the files.
“I’m going to go over these and get caught up. Bart and AC are probably both sleeping in after last night, but maybe later the three of you can coordinate patrols for tonight. I think it’s best to send everyone out again in case things are crazy,” she said.
“Sure thing,” Victor agreed. He got to his feet as well and walked toward the door. “I’ll check in with you later. Thanks, Chloe,” he added.
She heard the door close a few seconds later and Chloe sighed, her thoughts still on Oliver even as she started opening the files. He’d called her late last night to check in and he hadn’t said a word about talking to Victor or about the fact that he was obviously planning on leaving town indefinitely for a mission. She would think that was the kind of thing that he would discuss with her.
Chloe chewed on the corner of her lip, wondering if she was making a big deal out of nothing. Oliver would be back in two days and they could talk then. In the meantime, she needed to get up to speed on the organization they were plotting to take down.
***
Oliver was exhausted as he stood in the elevator, impatiently watching the numbers tick by as the metal box ascended toward his penthouse. He’d had to add an extra day to his business trip and then his flight had been delayed because of storms. It was a little after eleven in California, but he’d been on New York time for over a week and all he wanted to do was sleep for at least twelve hours. The doors opened and Oliver let out a grateful sigh as he made his way into the apartment.
He pulled out his cell phone with his free hand to make sure that he didn’t have any messages from Chloe. He’d called her when the plane landed and had gotten her voicemail so he assumed she was busy or already home for the night. There weren’t any messages so he slipped the phone back in his pocket, deciding he’d call her again after he took a quick shower. As Oliver passed the living room, he paused when he spotted Chloe sitting on the couch. “Hey,” he said, his mood instantly brightening as he dropped the bag he was carrying on the floor and moved toward her.
“Hi,” Chloe replied, getting to her feet so she could hug him. She’d been so disappointed when his trip had been extended and she’d had to wait an extra day to see him. Ten days was too long. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him, standing on her toes to press a kiss to the sensitive spot beneath his ear. “I missed you,” she said.
Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off her feet as he held her body tightly against his. “I missed you too,” he replied. Oliver turned his head and covered her mouth with his, the tension and frustration of the past few days melting away as he focused on kissing her and being grateful that she was in his arms. He knew part of the reason his business trip had been so dreadful was because he’d spent most of it missing her.
Air started to become an issue, but Oliver ignored the need to breathe as he moved toward the couch, sitting down with her in his lap. He tangled one of his hands in her hair, finally breaking the kiss to suck in a deep breath before he lowered his head to her neck and began trailing kisses across her skin. “How was your day?” he asked as he let his other hand slide beneath her shirt to caress her lower back.
“Long,” Chloe admitted, arching into him as she tilted her head to give him better access to her neck. She held onto his shoulders for balance as she repositioned herself, wanting to be as close to him as possible. “I’m sorry your flight got delayed. You must be exhausted,” she said, moaning as he teased her pulse point with his tongue.
“I was, but I suddenly have plenty of energy,” Oliver replied. He lifted his head from her neck and met her gaze, his hand still caressing her bare skin. “Do you have any idea how much I missed you?” he asked.
Chloe swallowed hard at the intensity in his eyes and nodded her head. “I think I have some idea,” she replied. They looked at each other for a moment, neither of them saying anything and then Chloe had no idea who moved first, but suddenly they were kissing again, hands frantically pushing and pulling clothing out of their way until he was able to slide inside of her in one smooth stroke.
Oliver groaned at the sensation of her wet heat surrounding him as she began to move above him, setting an almost desperate pace. He bucked his hips against her as his mouth devoured every inch of her skin that he could reach. Oliver could already feel how close she was and he slipped his hand between their bodies, rubbing her clit as she continued to bounce on his lap, her nails digging into his skin as she cried out. Her orgasm hit her hard, his name falling from her lips and his release followed quickly. Oliver clung to Chloe, both of them breathing harshly as their bodies tried to recover.
“That was definitely the best ‘welcome home’ a guy could ask for,” he said, smiling as he brushed her hair back from her face. “Now what do you say we continue this in the bedroom?”
Chloe returned his smile, mischief in her eyes as she ran her hands over his chest. “I’d say that sounds pretty ambitious, Mr. Queen. Didn’t you say something about being exhausted?” she teased.
“That doesn’t ring a bell,” Oliver replied. He kissed her again as he got to his feet with Chloe in his arms and carried her to his bedroom, grateful to be home and back with her where he belonged.
***
Chloe shifted as she felt herself starting to wake up, her body aching in the most pleasant way. A smile crossed her lips and she reached out for Oliver, but all she found was cool sheets. Opening her eyes, Chloe glanced around and saw the bedroom was empty. The clock said it was a little after eight which seemed much too early for Oliver to already be up and out of bed after being away on business for so long. She pushed the blankets aside and got up, grabbing Oliver’s shirt from the floor and pulling it over her head before she left the room to search for him.
She started in the training room, but that was empty. Chloe walked down the hall toward the kitchen and stopped when she heard his voice coming from the other direction. She turned around, pausing in the doorway of his home office. Oliver was sitting behind his desk, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, looking at something on his computer while he was on his cell phone. He glanced up and gave her a tight smile that instantly worried her. What could already be wrong this early in the morning?
“Okay, I’m uploading them now and I’ll be ready to move out tonight. Call me if there are any changes,” Oliver added. He ended the call; tossed the phone on the desk and quickly sent the files he needed to before he turned to Chloe again. “Hey, did I wake you?” he asked.
“No,” Chloe replied as she watched him get distracted by the computer again. “Oliver, what’s going on? Is it work?” she asked even though she was fairly certain it wasn’t. Things had been running like clockwork and if there had been some sort of crisis, Oliver would be dressed for the office.
Oliver shook his head as he got to his feet and slipped his phone into his pocket. “No, it’s this mission Vic is putting together. One of the guys has already disappeared from his last known address. There’s a chance he was killed but Vic is worried he might have gotten tipped off so he wants to put a rush on us leaving.” He pressed a quick kiss to Chloe’s lips and tugged on her hand, pulling her back toward the bedroom. “We need to get to the command center,” he said.
Chloe’s head was spinning as her mind tried to catch up. She’d forgotten all about the mission and everything Victor had told her because she’d been so happy that Oliver was back. Guilt churned in her stomach but Chloe pushed it aside in favor of the hurt that had returned as soon as Oliver had started talking about the mission. “Were you going to tell me about this?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” Oliver asked, glancing back at her as they crossed the threshold into his bedroom. He stopped walking when he saw the look on her face. She looked angry, but she also seemed hurt and Oliver had a feeling he was missing something.
“This big mission that you’re planning,” Chloe replied. She could see that he was confused but somehow that just made her angrier. “Were you going to tell me anything or just leave me a note when you left again?” she asked. It was bad enough that he hadn’t discussed things with her when he’d been away, but she was literally in the same room with him and he’d just left her sleeping.
“Chloe, what the hell are you talking about?” Oliver asked. “Victor told me he gave you all the files he brought back from South America and filled you in. I woke up early this morning because of the jetlag and I figured I’d let you sleep. I didn’t realize you would take me being nice as some kind of personal attack.” He didn’t understand why she was so upset.
“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on? You didn’t say a word when you called me the other night,” Chloe pointed out. There was a voice in her head that told her that she was being irrational, but it didn’t matter. They were supposed to be a team and he was making huge decisions that would put him at risk without even consulting her. “This mission you’re talking about is dangerous, Oliver.”
He stared at her, not saying anything for a full minute as he tried to wrap his mind around what she was saying. It sounded like she was angry that he hadn’t told her about the mission even though Victor had which made even less sense. But now she was telling him that it was dangerous like that was something new. “Where is this coming from?” he asked. “Chloe, I’m pretty sure I put myself in danger every time I go out there. Isn’t that the point?”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “The point is not to put yourself in danger. This isn’t about you being reckless, Oliver.” She busied herself with picking up her scattered clothes. Chloe was suddenly feeling very exposed in just his t-shirt. She had a bag of her stuff that she kept in his closet, but it was just easier to put on what she’d been wearing the night before. She turned her back to him and started to change.
Oliver’s mouth fell open and once again he had no idea where he was supposed to start. Her logic was lacking at best. “Are you angry with me for being Green Arrow?” As he asked the question, Oliver knew that couldn’t be it. He knew Chloe was proud of him and the work that he had done, the work that they had done together. So why was she suddenly throwing a fit at the idea of him going off on a mission? Judging by the way she refused to look at him, Oliver doubted it had anything to do with her missing him while he was gone.
She finished changing her clothes, but kept her back to him as she carefully folded his t-shirt even though it would end up in the hamper. The more Oliver tried to understand what was going through her head, the more Chloe realized just how irrational she was being. She wasn’t angry at him for being Green Arrow or for wanting to help take down a destructive organization. But something about this was rubbing her the wrong way.
“I don’t understand why you left me out of the planning,” Chloe said as she finally turned to face him again. He was looking at her like she’d lost her mind and she ignored the pang of hurt that sprang up in her chest. “Is it because you knew I’d suggest that you be the one to stay in Star City?” she asked.
“What?” Oliver rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath so he wouldn’t lose his temper. “Chloe, that doesn’t make sense. We need someone to stay here who can move fast since we’re cutting the people patrolling the area from four to one,” he reminded her. Chloe was one of the most logical people he’d ever met and Oliver didn’t understand why she was having such a hard time seeing the rationale behind the decision.
“There are several nights a week where only one of you is patrolling,” Chloe countered. “Why are you so determined to throw yourself into this situation? Don’t you think you should get more experience before you partake in a lengthy mission?”
Oliver opened and closed his mouth several times as realization set in. She wasn’t upset that he hadn’t talked to her about the mission; she was upset because he wanted to be part of it. “You don’t think I’m capable of this, do you?” He rolled his eyes, irritation coursing through his veins. “All this time and you still think I’m just a screw up, is that it, Chloe?”
“I didn’t say that,” Chloe snapped, annoyed that he was putting words in her mouth. “You’re impulsive, Oliver. I know you want to help but I don’t think you’ve thought this through. Victor told me this mission could last weeks. That’s a long time and a lot of work. All I’m saying…”
“You’re saying that you still don’t trust me. Damnit, Chloe,” Oliver interrupted her sharply before she had a chance to finish her thought. “How can you not trust me after everything we’ve been through?” he demanded, not bothering to keep the hurt out of his voice. Oliver couldn’t fathom how it was possible that Chloe still had such a low opinion of him. “Why are you even with me?”
“Do not put words in my mouth, Oliver,” Chloe replied. She hated seeing the hurt look on his face, but she was too angry to give in to the urge to make him feel better. “This isn’t about me trusting you. This is about what’s best for the team and the mission and I think the reason you didn’t discuss this with me is because you know that it’s a bad idea.”
“You’re acting like I went behind your back and planned some sort of covert takeover. Victor told me he was going to see you on Saturday so I knew he was going to fill you in. When I called you, I wanted to talk to my girlfriend because I missed her. Is that really a crime, Chloe?” Oliver asked. It had been late and he’d known she would have been busy watching the team’s patrols so he’d kept the conversation short and focused on what mattered or what he’d thought mattered.
She bit her lip, ignoring the overwhelming urge to burst into tears. “Oliver, you’re overreacting,” Chloe told him quietly, forcing herself to hold it together. “I think it’s too soon for you to do something like this. That’s not a personal slight against you. You haven’t even been Green Arrow for a year yet.”
Oliver shook his head. She was grasping at straws and she had to know that on some level. He’d had a lot of fights with Chloe over the years and she was always much quicker than this when it came to gathering ammunition. She was an excellent debater, even when she was angry. But now she was barely making sense and she kept hitting the same points over and over again. “Why don’t you just admit that you don’t want me to go on the mission because you don’t think I can handle it? Come on, Chloe,” he urged. “You’ve been treating me with kid gloves this entire time.”
“I have not,” Chloe replied defensively even as that little voice in her head reminded her that there was some truth to his words. She had been more protective of Oliver than the other guys, but that was because he was new at this and she didn’t want to see him get hurt. “I just know how reckless you can be and I don’t want to see you or someone else get hurt.”
Her words stung like she’d slapped him. Oliver grappled with his temper, fighting the urge to react defensively. Oliver didn’t want to say something he couldn’t take back. “I wish you had a higher opinion of me,” he said simply. “I can do this, Chloe, and I’m going to whether you like it or not.”
“I guess that’s it then,” Chloe replied quietly. Her chest was so tight that each breath hurt and all she wanted to do was run into his arms and beg him to hold her. But she didn’t. Instead, she turned and headed down the hallway, stopping in the living room to grab her purse before she made her way into the elevator. She pressed the button for the lobby, leaning heavily against the wall as she tried to get the hurt look on Oliver’s face out of her head.
Part Two.