Crossroads 5/?
Summary: Oliver doesn't know about superheros, secret societies, villains, who are after more than just his business until he gets caught in the middle. Meeting Chloe will offer both far more than they'd have ever expected.
This is AU set a few months after Chloe graduated from college.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters used in here belong to The CW and DC Comics. No money is made from this, it's for entertainment only.
A BIG thank you to Lucy aka Smallvillefics for editing this! You're awesome!
Oliver had practically tossed her into his car, before he had taken off with squealing ties. They hadn't spoken during the short drive over to his apartment. He was fuming, she could see that.
"You can let go of my arm now, I'm not going anywhere," Chloe told him when they arrived at his floor. He scowled, but let her go.
"What were you doing in that alley at this time of the night?"
"I was going for a walk, relaxing from work."
He snorted at her. "You'd better not give me that crap, okay. I had a shitty day at work and I'm really not in the mood for such bull."
Chloe shrugged. "If you'd just let me go, I'd be on my way home already and you could do whatever it was you wanted to."
Oliver shook his head, "Oh no, Miss Sullivan. I want some answers and I want them now."
"So what were you doing there? Don't tell me it was coincidence that led you to the QI building," he barked.
"Don't flatter yourself, Mister Queen," Chloe retorted. "The planet isn't that far away. But if that already pretty big ego of yours needed that extra boost, I'm glad I could help," she snarled.
Oliver couldn't help the smile, albeit very small, that was creeping upon his face, letting the corners of his mouth switch slightly.
He had never met someone like her before, someone who was contradicting him more often than not.
The money and the looks were usually working for him and women were giving themselves all too easily. He wasn't stupid, he knew that not one of his dates had ever really considered to get to know the man behind it all. It was exactly the way he wanted it to be, no strings attached, wasn't it?
But here she was right in front of him - the woman who seemed to be completely oblivious to it all and Oliver wasn't sure wether he should be insulted or complimented by it.
"You should be glad I was there in time, Chloe. I don't think that guy only wanted to talk." Oliver hissed, his former anger returning.
"Ha. I would have fought him off eventually," Chloe hit back.
"No, you wouldn't have- and we both know it." Oliver took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
"I'm gonna call my driver to take you home," he announced, his tone leave little room for argument.
Chloe resisted the urge to discuss it any further. He looked tired and so was she. With the adrenaline wearing off she felt pretty shaken. Maybe it was best to just go to bed and forget about the whole incident.
So she only nodded. "Yeah thanks... And thanks for the help earlier," she added, barely audible.
0-0-0-0-
She was about to step into the elevator, when she suddenly turned. This was her chance to finally talk to him and she wouldn't waste it.
Turning to him again she confessed, "You're right. It wasn't coincidence."
"Yeah, I guessed that much," Oliver answered flatly, walking over to his cabinet to grab himself a glass of whiskey. "Okay, since you've just started to go with the truth, who's Clark?"
"I wasn't lying before," she cut in to defend herself.
Oliver laughed humorlessly. "But you weren't exactly honest, either. So I'm going to ask you again. Who's Clark? And don't even think about coming up with some wishy-washy stuff like you did before."
"How do you know about Clark?" Chloe asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"You were yelling his name when you got attacked in the alley. But for all I saw, there were only the three of us. So does he have super-hearing or something?"
"Or something," Chloe mumbled.
Pouring himself another drink, Oliver watched her wearily. Summoning all the energy he had left he shouted, "So God help me if this whole thing was staged ..."
Chloe sighed deeply, "Look, I'm getting tired of this." She rolled up her arm-sleeves to reveal a nasty bruise that had formed on her upper arm. "I got it okay? You don't trust me and I'm stupid enough to try to convince you otherwise, but does this look like a fake?"
Flinching slightly he touched her arm gingerly. "I'm sorry. You should put some ice on it. Let me get you a pack."
"It's okay. I've been through worse. All I want to do is going home, all right? So if we're finished here, Mr. Queen..."
"Oh no, you obviously wanted to talk so badly - then do it," Oliver demanded.
"If you had planned this through, what was the purpose of hiding in the dark? Why didn't you just wait inside the building if it was so damn important?"
"Be …because..." she fumbled over her words. 'Oh great, Sullivan. Now you're stuttering,' she thought, her cheeks heating up under his intense stare.
Closing her eyes she admitted, "Because I was sure you wouldn't be happy to see me." Oliver nodded. "Call me crazy, but I wanted to make sure you were doing better than all signs showed," she added, her voice only slightly steadier than before.
"Signs? Did you hope to find them when you hacked into my security system as well?"
Chloe winced. "If you know about that, why didn't you ..."
"...call the police?" he finished for her, shrugging.
"Just tell me one thing - you did that, because you wanted what?" He stared at her, almost making her crumble. "Oh right, you wanted to make sure I was doing okay," he said his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What is it, Chloe? Is your own life that pathetic that you have to invade mine?"
Now it was her turn to be getting furious. So far she had tried to stay calm, because she knew that his anger was at least partly justified. But she wouldn't let him call her pathetic.
"Forget it, okay? Just forget it!" she said, riled up. "Get yourself some help … I wouldn't want to be the one who has to write about your down fall." With that she grabbed her purse and stormed over to the elevator. "You haven't changed one bit! I don't know what I was thinking, offering help to such arrogant ass," she muttered under her breath.
0-0-0-0-
Hesitating for only a second or two he jogged over to her.
"Chloe, wait … I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you - not now and not when I accused you for working for Luthor," he added.
Chloe looked up at him, surprise written over her face. "What makes you ... you've investigated me again?" she asked, but it was more a statement than a question.
He nodded, before he started to talk again. "Look, I'm not used to someone who wants to do something for me unselfishly, for no other reason, but to help, without awaiting a reward," he said softly.
"I learned very early that everything comes at a price, at least in my life," he told her with trepidation.
Pushing the anger back, Chloe smiled softly at him. "Well, then maybe it's time to join us ordinary people," she joked.
Turning earnest again she pleaded, "Just look for someone who can help you cope, alright? Friends, a counselor - who ever, just somebody. Promise me, okay?"
The pleading look of hers was what finally crumbled his resolve to handle it alone. Maybe it was time to trust someone again. He knew he had a long road ahead of him, but if Chloe was willing to walk alongside him, he'd try.
"You think that whoever could be you?"