All the Right Moves 10/10

[ihearttvsnark]

Title: All the Right Moves
Author: ihearttvsnark
Chapter: 10/10
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen 
Banners: geek_or_unique
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 6,325
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 |Nine|






Chapter 10: We’ve Got It Good

It was nearly two in the morning when Oliver returned home. He stripped off his gear and stepped out of the equipment room in his boxer briefs, making his way down the hall to his bedroom. His body was exhausted but his mind was still wide awake, both from the adrenaline that had yet to wear off and from the fight he’d had with Chloe earlier. He wasn’t sure it really classified as a fight, but he didn’t know what else to call it. Oliver still couldn’t believe she had walked out on him. He’d considered going after her, but she obviously wanted time to herself and he had to respect her enough to give her that.

Oliver flipped on the light in his room and did a double take when he saw Chloe. She was lying on the bed, curled up against his pillow. As he got closer to her, Oliver could see the tear streaks on her face and his chest tightened as he wondered how long she’d been there and why she hadn’t called him. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her, reaching out to stroke her hair. “Chloe,” he said softly, not wanting to scare her. “Chloe, wake up.”

She stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open before they widened in surprise. “Oliver!” Chloe sat up quickly and threw her arms around his neck, holding onto him as tight as she could. “I’m so sorry. I thought…” Her voice trailed off as tears welled in her eyes once more. Chloe ignored them, clinging to Oliver, relieved that he was still there. “I thought you were gone and it was too late. I’m sorry,” she said again.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Oliver replied. He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her as he shifted on the bed to lean against the headboard. “I was helping AC with that mission in Centre City. It took longer than we thought it would, but everything is taken care of,” he said.

“Oh,” Chloe whispered. Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. She’d forgotten all about the mission even though she’d planned it herself. “I was supposed to guide you guys through it. I’m sorry,” she said again as she ordered herself to get a grip. She couldn’t just sit there and cry. Oliver wasn’t gone and she needed to tell him everything before she lost her nerve.

“You don’t have to apologize. Vic handled things and we took care of all the bad guys,” Oliver said. He brushed her hair back from her face and leaned in to kiss her softly. “I want you to relax and tell me what’s going on. I’m right here, Chloe,” he reminded her. Oliver wasn’t used to seeing Chloe let herself be vulnerable and between this and what had happened earlier, she was starting to worry him.

Chloe nodded and took a deep breath. She could see that Oliver looked concerned and she couldn’t really blame him for that considering her erratic behavior. “Ollie, I’m sorry about what happened this morning. I believe in you,” she stressed as she reached out and cupped his cheek in her hand. “I think you’re amazing and you’ve come so far and I don’t want you to think for one second that I don’t want to be with you. Ollie, you’re a hero and I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Oliver replied sincerely as he tightened his grip on her. He knew Chloe believed in him, or he’d thought she had until the incident that morning. It had hurt thinking that she didn’t have faith in him but Oliver had known there was more to her reaction than she’d let on. Chloe was good at hiding her emotions and covering up her true feelings, but he could see right through the walls she tried to put up between them. He’d taken a gamble by giving her space to work through things and he was glad that he’d made the right call.

“So now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, would you like to tell me the real story?” Oliver asked. He still couldn’t figure out what had set her off. It wasn’t like Chloe to be upset that he wanted to be part of a mission or help the team. He also knew that she was smart enough to see the bigger picture and that it made sense for Clark to be the one to stay behind while the rest of the team left town to round up the members of the black market organization.

Her cheeks heated with embarrassment again as shame coursed through her. Chloe didn’t want to admit how selfish she was to Oliver, but she knew she had to tell him the truth. “I was afraid,” she said quietly. “It’s a dangerous mission, Ollie. I know you can handle it and I know the guys will be there to back you up, but I was still afraid. I don’t want to lose you.” Her voice was barely above a whisper as fresh tears filled her eyes. “I know it’s selfish of me, but you mean so much to me.” Chloe bit into her bottom lip as she shifted her gaze to the bed, unable to meet his eyes.

Oliver wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting her to say, but her words took him by surprise. He knew how difficult it was for Chloe to admit that she needed anyone, let alone him, and he couldn’t help the warmth that spread through his chest. He reached for her, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. “No one has ever mattered to me the way that you do, Chloe. We both know there are no guarantees in life so I’m not going to make you false promises. But I swear to you on my life that I will always do everything in my power to come home to you. I love you, Chloe,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

Chloe’s eyes widened, a gasp coming from her throat as she quickly brought her hand to her mouth in a belated attempt to cover the sound. Oliver loved her. She was so taken aback that she could do nothing for the moment except sit there, stunned, as she tried to absorb that. Chloe realized she was just staring at him and he was probably expecting her to say something. She opened her mouth but Oliver pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her before she had a chance to speak.

“You don’t have to say anything, Chloe,” Oliver said. He hadn’t said the words because he wanted to hear them back; he’d said them because he’d been feeling that way for a long time and he thought it was long overdue that he let Chloe in on how he felt about her. “I understand that you’re worried about the mission, but you know how important it is. I’m going to be okay.”

She nodded even though the mission was the last thing on her mind at the moment. Chloe was still trying to absorb the fact that Oliver had just told her that he loved her. “Ollie, I…” She chewed on her lip, not sure what to say. Chloe was so used to burying her feelings and putting everyone else’s needs before her own that she’d never really considered the possibility that he could fall in love with her. But she could see it in the way he looked at her and she felt it every time he touched her, even something as simple as holding her hand.

Chloe’s heart was beating uncontrollably and she swallowed hard, forcing aside her natural instinct to run away from anything that felt too real. A few minutes ago, she’d thought she’d lost Oliver and now he was sitting there telling her how he felt and she knew she owed it to him to do the same. More than that, she realized for the first time, she wanted to tell him. Chloe didn’t want to hide things anymore or pretend something wasn’t happening because she was afraid of getting hurt. It was always going to be a risk, but it was one that she needed to take.

“I love you too, Ollie,” she said finally as she met his gaze. “I’m sorry if I ever made you think otherwise.” Chloe reached out and cupped his cheek in her hand. “I’ve never been good at letting people in and I always assume that they’re eventually going to leave me because everyone always does.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, ignoring the tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes. “But the last thing I want is to push you away.”

A large grin spread across his face. Even though he’d resigned himself to being okay with Chloe not returning his feelings, Oliver was really glad that she did. He leaned in and kissed her, intending to keep it soft, but throwing that notion out the window the second his lips touched hers. Oliver pulled Chloe closer to him, deepening the kiss as warmth filled his chest. He’d never really believed that love was in the cards for him and now the most amazing woman he’d ever met loved him. He knew he didn’t deserve her but he was going to make damn sure that she never regretted opening herself up to him.

The kiss broke and Oliver rested his forehead against hers, the smile back on his face as he watched her eyes flutter open. “I’m really glad you came back, Chloe. But you have to know that I never would have left for the mission without saying goodbye to you. I know it’s not easy for either of us to trust anyone, but I need you to try for me,” Oliver said.

Chloe nodded. She knew he was right. Oliver had gone above and beyond over the past few months to prove himself and it wasn’t fair that she’d made him think she doubted him. “I do trust you, Oliver. It’s me that I have issues with. I promise I will try harder. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to worry while you’re gone, but I know you need to go. It’s the right decision for you and for the team.”

“I’m glad we agree,” Oliver replied. He pressed another kiss to her lips, managing to keep it light this time. “We’re not leaving for two days though,” he pointed out as he gently pushed Chloe back against the pillows, smirking as he ran his hand down her side. “I’m all yours until then.”

She raised an eyebrow as she wrapped her leg around his hip, bringing his body closer to hers. “I like the sound of that, Mr. Queen.” Chloe smiled at him before she kissed him softly. She had every intention of taking full advantage of the next two days.

***

Chloe rolled her eyes as she took Oliver’s outstretched hand and tugged him toward the building’s entrance. “You’re exaggerating, Ollie. It wasn’t that bad,” she insisted. He’d been complaining about the charity benefit that they’d just left for the entire twenty minute car ride back from the hotel. “Besides, it’s over now,” she reminded him as they made their way into the elevator and she pushed the button for her floor.

Oliver shook his head. “That’s three hours of my life that I’m never getting back, Chloe,” he countered. “I still can’t believe you made me go there when I just got home. Don’t you know there are better things we could have been doing?” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, dipping his head to kiss her neck. “It’s been almost three weeks since I’ve seen you,” he whispered against her skin.

“Seventeen and a half days,” Chloe pointed out. She relaxed against him, letting her eyes drift shut as she practically melted into him. She reached up, sliding her hand into his hair as his mouth closed over her pulse point. “It was important that people saw your pretty face tonight. You’ve been off the radar a long time.” Her words turned into a moan when he sucked harder on her neck. She’d missed him every second that he was gone for the mission, but Chloe knew that they needed to keep up appearances, which was why she’d insisted they attend the fundraiser even though he’d gotten off the jet only a few hours before it had started.

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival and she turned around in his arms, gripping the sides of his jacket as she pulled him out of the elevator with her. “I just need to grab my phone and then we can go back to your place,” she promised. Chloe had left the office later than she’d planned and she’d been anxious to see Oliver so she’d forgotten her phone in her rush to leave the apartment and as much as she wanted to just get lost in Oliver, Victor and Bart were still finishing up their parts of the mission and she needed to be available to them.

“Or we could just stay here,” Oliver said. He leaned down and kissed her before she had a chance to answer. Seventeen days was a long time to be away and he knew they had things to go over regarding the mission and what he’d missed at the office, but all of that could wait as far as he was concerned.

“You do not play fair,” Chloe teased, trying to catch her breath as she fumbled with her keys. She managed to get the door unlocked and pushed it open, tugging on Oliver’s tie to pull him into the apartment with her. “We can…” She paused in the doorway, causing Oliver to bump into her. Chloe pressed her hand against his chest, meeting his eyes and tilting her head in the direction of the couch before she loudly cleared her throat.

Oliver laughed when he saw Lois nearly fall off Clark’s lap as she scrambled to pull her dress back into place. Clark was shirtless, his pants undone and his face was bright red as he opened and closed his mouth several times before he looked at Lois for guidance. “It’s always a pleasure to see both of you,” Oliver commented, still laughing as he pushed the door closed behind him.

Lois rolled her eyes at him as she adjusted her dress straps and sat down beside Clark, reaching up to smooth her hair. “I didn’t realize you were back in town already. I suppose for Chloe’s sake it’s nice to see that you came home in one piece,” she replied warily.

“That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Oliver joked. He raised an eyebrow at Clark who was still avoiding eye contact with everyone. “Hey man,” he said. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” Clark mumbled as he leaned over to pick up his shirt from the floor. “How are you? How did things go in Russia? Hi Chloe,” he added as he pulled the shirt over his head and buckled his belt.

“Clark, you and Oliver should go get a drink,” Lois interjected before Oliver had a chance to answer any of Clark’s questions. “There’s a bar like two blocks over that’s decent. I’m sure Oliver can show you where it is and you two can catch up. That way I can talk to Chloe,” she said, giving Clark a pointed look.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, confused as to why Lois was suddenly anxious to get rid of Oliver and Clark. She knew her cousin must have something she wanted to tell her and it was obviously big. She turned to face Oliver, resting her hand on his chest once more. “Do you mind, Ollie? I promise I’m all yours for after this,” she said. Chloe felt bad asking him to wait, but she wanted to make sure everything was okay with Lois.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Oliver replied. He wasn’t thrilled about the new development, but he understood why Chloe needed to see what was going on with her cousin. He leaned down, brushing his nose lightly against hers and then kissed her. “Text when you’re ready to go and I’ll pick you up. Make you bring everything you need,” he added, not wanting anything else to get in their way.

“I will,” Chloe assured him. She gave him another kiss, grateful that he was being so understanding and then reluctantly pulled away. “I’m going to go change and grab my phone. I’ll be right back, Lois.”

Oliver watched her disappear down the hall and turned to Clark. “Come on, man,” he said. “We can have a drink and you can tell me all about this stunning new development in your life where you’re suddenly making out with Lois. I had no idea,” he quipped, smirking.

Lois narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t know what my cousin sees in you.” She turned to Clark and smiled before she leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Sorry about this, but it won’t be too long,” she said.

Clark nodded. “I’ll be back soon,” he replied. Clark got to his feet and followed Oliver out the door and Lois made her way into the kitchen, poured two generous glasses of wine and headed back to the couch just as Chloe came out of her room, dressed casually in jeans and a light green blouse. She accepted one of the glasses of wine from Lois and took a seat on the couch, pulling her legs underneath her.

“All right, Lois,” Chloe said as she watched her cousin settle into the spot across from her. “You’ve got my undivided attention. What’s with the mysterious need to chat?” she asked. Chloe had admittedly been keeping herself extra busy lately as a distraction from missing Oliver, but she’d seen Lois that morning and her cousin hadn’t said anything about needing to talk to her.

“Don’t worry, cuz,” Lois replied. “It’s not the life and death stuff you usually deal with, but it’s still a big change.” She took a sip of her wine and then set the glass down on the table. Lois had never been the beat around the bush type, but she was a little nervous about telling Chloe her news. “You know how I’ve had a few assignments in Metropolis lately?” she asked.

“Yes,” Chloe said. She’d assumed they had just been excuses to see Clark, but Lois had been writing articles about the volatile political scene in the city. “Do they want you to do more since we’re getting closer to the primary elections?” she guessed. Her cousin was an excellent investigative reporter and she was always managing to uncover things that other people never even dreamed of. Chloe was incredibly proud of her.

“Sort of,” Lois replied. “But not for the Register. Lex sold the Daily Planet last month so it’s no longer under Luthor Corp. control and there’s a real editor-in-chief there now. He offered me a job,” she said, watching her cousin carefully for her reaction.

Chloe’s jaw dropped. “Lois, that’s amazing!” She set her wine down on the table as well and practically tackled her cousin in a fierce hug. Chloe knew how angry Lois had been when Lex had fired her and even though she loved her job at the Register, it wasn’t the same as working for the Planet. “I’m so happy for you,” she said.

“Thanks, cuz,” Lois replied as she hugged Chloe just as tight. She hadn’t said anything to Chloe or Clark about the job possibility until it was a done deal. She hadn’t wanted to get her hopes on and she definitely hadn’t wanted anyone else to feel bad for her if it didn’t work out. But Lois was ecstatic about the opportunity. There was just one drawback. “I have to move back to Metropolis,” she said as she pulled out of the hug to meet Chloe’s eyes.

“Oh,” Chloe said, the smile fading from her face. She’d been so excited for her cousin that she hadn’t really thought about what a job at the Daily Planet meant. Now she understood why Lois had been so hesitant to tell her the news and why she’d given her wine. “Wow, Lois, it’s going to be really strange living in a different state from you.” The two of them had been living together since Chloe had graduated from high school.

“I know,” Lois replied sadly. “You’re welcome to come with me, cuz,” she added, not wanting Chloe to think that the offer wasn’t on the table. “But I get the feeling you won’t be leaving that annoying boss of yours anytime soon.” She made a face. “What possessed you to fall in love with him anyway? Now I’ll never be rid of him,” she complained exasperatedly.

Chloe laughed, knowing that Lois was kidding for the most part. “Lois, you know that even if I wasn’t in love with Oliver, I’d want to stay here. I like it here. I fit here,” she said. Chloe loved her job and she loved working with the team. She felt more at home in Star City than she ever had in Metropolis even though she’d been born there and lived there all her life until she’d graduated from college. “I’m going to miss you though.”

“Me too,” Lois replied. She pulled Chloe into another hug and blinked back the tears that had sprung up in her eyes. There was no reason to cry. She was moving a few states away and they both had access to people who could literally run between the two cities in a manner of seconds. Lois knew all it would take was a food bribe to get Bart to run Chloe to Metropolis. Or if she wanted to travel the normal way, Oliver had a private jet. But it wasn’t going to be the same and they both knew it.

“Hey, it’s going to be fine,” Chloe said. She pulled back from the hug and gave Lois a reassuring smile. “We’ll just rack up the long distance phone bills. This is going to be great for you, Lo.” Chloe was going to miss her cousin like crazy, but she was genuinely happy for her and she knew it was an amazing opportunity. “I bet Clark is excited at the prospect of you being closer.”

Lois rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face. “He’s already brought me the apartment listings and warned me which parts of the city are best. I think he forgot that I used to live there. He suggested that I stay at the farm with him until I find a place that I like. I had to explain to him that I need my space. That Farm Boy is going to be the death of me, Chlo,” she joked as she reached for her wine.

“Why can’t you just admit that you love him and part of you is flattered that he asked you to live with him even if it’s only temporary?” Chloe asked. The secret was out of the bag and she didn’t doubt for a second that her cousin was head over heels in love with Clark.

“I can admit it to you,” Lois replied, giving Chloe a warning look. “But Clark would just grin at me in that way of his and then I’d just end up agreeing. Come on, Chlo,” she stressed, “You remember how clean and organized that farmhouse was. Can you imagine me living there?” She gestured to the apartment that had Lois’s stuff pretty much everywhere. “He’d change his mind before the first night was over.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I get enough dramatics from Ollie, Lois. I don’t need them from you too,” she teased. “Clark is crazy about you and you just need to let yourself be happy. You deserve it,” she told her.

“Damnit cuz, you’re going to make me cry again,” Lois grumbled. She shifted on the couch and rested her head against Chloe’s shoulder. “I do love him and I’m happy that we’re going to be together. I’m happy for you and Oliver too.” Lois rolled her eyes at all the sappiness. “I’m also happy that you won’t be there to make me admit I have feelings and emotions,” she teased.

“Ditto,” Chloe replied as she rested her head against Lois’s.

***

“Wow,” Oliver said after Clark had finished telling him about Lois’s new job and how she was going to be moving to Metropolis. He’d known that Lex had sold the Planet because he still kept tabs on every deal Luthor Corp. made, but he hadn’t paid much attention to the news since he had no interest in owning a newspaper. “That’s great news for you,” he commented as he reached for his beer. “You won’t have to run out here all the time anymore.”

Clark nodded as he took a sip of his drink. He’d been grinning since Lois had told him the good news and he still couldn’t really believe that it was happening. “I can still be here anytime you or Chloe need me for anything, but it will be nice not to have to run back and forth as much,” he admitted. It wasn’t that it was difficult or time consuming, but Clark loved Smallville and Metropolis and he couldn’t help feeling like he was neglecting them since he’d spent so much time in Star City as of late.

“I think Lois was a little nervous about telling Chloe,” Clark continued, curious to hear what Oliver thought about that. “They’ve lived together for a long time. Do you think she’ll be upset?” he asked.

“Chloe loves Lois and she’d never want her to miss out on an opportunity because of her,” Oliver replied. “She’s going to be sad and she’ll miss her, but she’ll be happy for her. That’s who she is,” he said. Oliver didn’t doubt that Chloe would be upset because it would be a big adjustment, but she wouldn’t focus on that part.

Clark nodded and took another sip of his beer. He knew Lois was upset about leaving too and he’d told her that she didn’t have to hold back with him. He wanted to be there for her any way that he could be. “So how did things go in Russia?” he asked. Chloe had given him regular updates, but he didn’t know many details.

“Overall everything went well,” Oliver replied. The mission had taken a lot out of all of them and it still wouldn’t be complete until Victor and Bart returned in a few days. “Some of the suspects were well hidden and we had to change course a few times to make sure they didn’t get away. Let’s just say that I’m glad to be home,” he said. Oliver was looking forward to sleeping in his own bed with Chloe in his arms and not have to worry about being attacked.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Clark said. He hesitated for a moment, playing with his mug before he glanced up at Oliver again. “I know you don’t really need help with training anymore and now Lois is going to be in Metropolis so I won’t be back here as often, but if you ever just want to grab a drink or something, you can call me,” he said.

Oliver bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. Clark Kent was the only person he knew who would be embarrassed about something as simple as asking him to stay in touch. “Clark, we’re friends,” he reminded him. “Even if we didn’t need you for the team, you and I would still be friends.” Aside from Chloe, Clark had helped him the most with his transition and he would always be grateful to him for that. Despite Clark’s awkward tendencies, Oliver liked him. He was a good guy and they’d been through a lot together.

“Besides,” he teased, attempting to lighten the mood. “You’re going to need someone to vent to about Lois because she’s going to drive you absolutely crazy. Now might be the time to rethink this, man. You could always abandon Smallville and move out here. I can set up an apartment for you at the command center.”

Clark shook his head. “Don’t you think it’s time that you and Lois ended this feud that you have going on?” he asked. Clark had posed the same question to Lois earlier and she’d looked at him like he’d grown a second head. He saw a similar look on Oliver’s face and sighed. “Or you could just keep pretending like you hate each other,” he said.

“We’re not pretending,” Oliver replied even though he knew that wasn’t exactly true any longer. He knew Lois didn’t particularly like him and he wasn’t a fan of hers either, but they weren’t enemies anymore. But that didn’t mean that they were suddenly going to become lifelong friends either. They had Chloe and Clark in common and that was about it. They could be in the same room without sniping at each other now and Oliver thought that was a pretty big accomplishment considering all the times they’d threatened each other over the years.

“Sorry I brought it up,” Clark said. He thought Oliver and Lois were both protesting a little too much, but he knew better than to point that out. “Are you staying in town for awhile?” he asked. The mission was over, but Clark knew that Oliver went away on business a lot.

Oliver nodded. “I don’t have any trips scheduled and I’m hoping to keep it that way although I wouldn’t be opposed to trying to convince Chloe to take a vacation with me.” He paused, pondering the idea. “Actually, I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do. How long before Lois has to report to the Planet?” he asked.

“She’s giving her two weeks’ notice tomorrow and then she asked for an additional week to handle moving. Why?” Clark asked, confused by the abrupt change in topic.

“That confused look is why we’re always going to be friends, man. It’s priceless,” Oliver teased. He finished his beer and laughed when Clark shot him a glare across the table. “I want to take Chloe on a trip, but I’ll wait until after Lois leaves so I can try and take her mind off things,” he explained. “I want it to be a surprise, so don’t say anything,” he added as he pulled out his cell phone to check his calendar.

“Okay,” Clark agreed. He still wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but he was used to that when it came to Oliver.

***

Chloe chewed on her bottom lip as she studied the throw pillows she’d tossed on the couch. She wasn’t sure she liked the way they looked. She pulled one off and moved another one to the middle and stood back to survey them again. There was something missing. She rearranged them one more time and noticed the picture frames on the table by the stairs were crooked. She made her way over to them and straightened them out, making a mental note to remind Bart not to rush through the apartment at full speed anymore. She turned to walk back toward the couch when she heard the door at the top of the stairs open.

“Chloe, are you down here?” Oliver called. He jogged down the stairs, dressed in his gear without the hood and glasses. He paused on the last step when he saw her staring at the couch with a look of pure concentration on her face. “Are you debating a nap?” he teased.

She shook her head. “No, I’m trying to decide if I like these pillows here or not. They’re the ones from the other apartment, but I’m not sure they go with the couch. What do you think?” Chloe motioned for him to come over and look at them.

Oliver raised an eyebrow. It had been two days since Lois had left for Metropolis and Chloe had moved all of her stuff out of the apartment they had shared and into the one below the command center. She’d decided that it didn’t make sense for her to have two apartments, especially since she spent most of her nights with Oliver anyway. In those two days, Chloe had already redecorated the living room six times and it looked like she was on her way to a seventh.

“Chloe, the pillows look fine,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. “You know the guys are just going to come in here and throw them on the floor anyway.”

She wrinkled her nose, irritated because Bart and AC had done that earlier. “You think I’m being crazy, don’t you?” Chloe asked as she settled her hands on his biceps, just below his armbands. She knew she’d been acting a little out of sorts, but she was trying to adjust to the new place and she couldn’t help missing Lois. Chloe knew it was silly because it wasn’t like they’d spent much time together during the week, but leaving their apartment for good had felt all too real.

“I didn’t say that,” Oliver pointed out. He tightened his grip on her as he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “I think you’re sad that Lois is gone and you’re trying to distract yourself,” he said as he rested his forehead against hers. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But I also think we can do better than rearranging pillows.”

Chloe smirked. “I’m sure you do, Mr. Queen, but you need to go out and patrol the city. Remember?” she asked as she tapped her finger against his armband.

Oliver laughed. “That wasn’t what I was referring to. That wasn’t all I was referring to,” he corrected himself. Chloe rolled her eyes, but he could see that she was fighting back a smile and he thought that was an improvement. “I do need to patrol and then I’m going to come back here and take you home with me. Then, tomorrow morning we’re going to get on the jet and you’re finally going to use some of that vacation time you’ve been accumulating.”

“Vacation time?” Chloe repeated, confused. Her brow furrowed as she looked at him, trying to determine if he was serious or not. She was fairly certain that he was and he seemed quite proud of himself. “Oliver, you can’t just tell me we’re going on a spur of the moment trip. I need to know where we’re going and I need to let the team know and Lois and…” Her words were cut off when he covered her mouth with his.

He could feel her protesting even as he kissed her, but Oliver kept kissing her until she finally responded, opening her mouth beneath his and letting him deepen the kiss as her hands tightened on his arms. He didn’t pull back until air started to become an issue. Oliver cupped her face in his hands, watching as her eyes fluttered open. “I took care of everything, Chloe. Victor is going to handle the command center, AC and Bart are going to alternate patrols and Clark is on standby if they need additional backup,” he explained.

“Okay,” Chloe said. She took a small step back from him, needing some distance so he’d stopped distracting her with his mouth. “What about Queen Industries?” she asked. “We’ve never been gone at the same time. Who’s going to handle things there if something comes up?”

“The company vice presidents and account managers who I pay a great deal of money to do their jobs correctly,” Oliver replied. “Vic will be around to handle any technical issues and I promise the company will survive without us for two weeks.” He saw her eyes widen and Oliver pulled her close again, dipping his head to nuzzle her neck. “Yes, two weeks and it’s nonnegotiable. Come on, Chloe. Trust me,” he whispered against her skin.

“Ollie,” Chloe said, trying to sound stern, but unable to pull it off when she gave into the urge to moan. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the tension out of her body as she focused on how good he felt. She knew there was no point in arguing and if she was being honest, she didn’t want to argue. The idea of a two week vacation alone with Oliver sounded incredible. “You have to at least tell me where we’re going so I can pack,” she said.

“Nope,” Oliver replied. He pressed another kiss to her neck and then pulled back, smirking as his eyes met hers. “I had Clark bring Lois here earlier and she packed for you. Your suitcase is at my place, ready to go. Do you have any other excuses you want to get out or can I go patrol now?” he teased.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, ignoring his arrogance for the time being. “You asked Lois to help you?” She moved closer to him and stood on her toes to kiss him. “Thank you, Ollie,” she said sincerely.

He smiled as he brushed a piece of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear. “I love you, Chloe. I’d do anything for you including put up with Lois.” Oliver kissed her again until they were both breathless and then reluctantly pulled away. “I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as the streets are safe for the night.” He winked at her as he tugged his hood into place.

“I love you too,” Chloe said as she watched him go, a dreamy smile on her face.

The End.

Author’s Note: There will be another story in this series, Marching On, which will take place approximately one year from where this one ends.  Thanks so much for reading. ♥