Fic: A Walk on the Wild Side (Chlollie, 10/10)
Awesome banner by: Energis121bgd
Author: poetgirl925
Title: A Walk on the Wild Side
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Chloe makes some impromptu purchases one night after running into Jimmy and his new girlfriend. When a very surprised Oliver finds them, a misunderstanding sends them down a new path in their relationship. But as Chloe's feelings deepen and Oliver struggles with emotional intimacy, she wonders how much of Oliver's public playboy lifestyle she can really handle.
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Chloe/Oliver
Warnings: Spoilers at least through Season 7 'Siren' but I take some liberties with canon. Assume late Season 7 - early Season 8.
Disclaimer: Don't own, just playing :)
Previous Chapters: Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII (1) Part VII (2) Part VIII (1) Part VIII (2) Part IX
A/N - This part is safe for all readers
Part X
Chloe had always known that Lois could be a nag when it came to the people she cared about. Usually she just accepted it as one of her cousin’s less endearing qualities. Lately, however, Lois had taken nagging to a whole new level.
Chloe had been fighting the urge to throw her textbook at Lois for almost an hour. “Lois, I have a final coming up soon.”
“I’d just like to know how long you two are going to keep hiding,” Lois replied stubbornly. “I mean, you’re getting ready to graduate and I’m planning your graduation party.”
“We’re not hiding, we’re taking things slowly.” Seriously, she’d never felt more like throttling her cousin than she did at that moment. “And whether or not Oliver and I go public has absolutely no bearing on your party planning.”
“This isn’t moving at all anymore, Chloe! You’re standing still while he’s full speed ahead with his life. Don’t you want more than this?”
“What I don’t want is to have to deal with tabloid trash about us while we’re figuring things out, Lois. It would only make the situation worse.”
“Worse than you seeing story after story about him hooking up with this actress or that model when you haven’t actually laid eyes on each other in a month?” Lois demanded.
“We Skype. And even you have to admit those stories are garbage.” It still hurts to see them. Chloe ignored that little voice that had been speaking up more and more often of late.
“Ok, I stand corrected - you’re romancing your computer.” Lois threw up her hands in exasperation.
“Lois, I just need you to promise me you’ll stay out of it. He and I have to be the ones to work this out, and he’s actually talking to me - that’s a huge step forward from where we were before. And don’t think I don’t know that you’ve been messing with Oliver’s head a little. I know about your almost daily emails.” The warning in Chloe’s voice was clear.
“Chloe, you know I love Oliver. I also think that you two are a really good match in so many ways that he and I weren’t. And if he were making you happy, I’d be waving my pompoms and telling you to go get him. But as much as you may want to, you’re never going to be able to make the relationship work alone - not if he’s not ready for it. You deserve better than him hiding behind his public image while he squirrels you away in his tower. I know you well enough to know you’re not going to be happy with that for long.”
Chloe tried to ignore the anxious feelings that crept over her whenever Lois started on what had become her favorite soapbox of late. The truth was that she had doubts about Oliver’s overall commitment; she could deny them to Lois but not to herself. For one thing, she wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t mustered the courage to go see Oliver the night of the bachelorette party. Seeing him drive away from her dorm had seemed final in a way she wasn’t ready to accept despite the fact that she’d still been angry. But what if she hadn’t?
He’d obviously thought about letting her go. That much was clear from his words that night, but it gave her hope that he’d made the first step by apologizing and sending the flowers. And the fact that he had taken the time to learn something so personal as her favorite flowers and the meaning behind them also gave her a little branch to cling to. The problem now was that rather than flourishing, she still felt like she was clinging. Frankly, it was exhausting.
They’d had only two days together before Oliver had been called back to Star City for endless meetings with his board about future projects. At first he’d thought it would only be for a few days. And when a few days turned into two weeks, he’d surprised her by sending Bart to give her an express ride to California. They’d had the weekend together and Oliver promised he would come to her the next time. But with him being back in his hometown for the first time in months, he had a lot of social commitments to catch up on. So one week passed and then another; and since Chloe had finals coming up in addition to her work at the Planet, she couldn’t very well take off to Star City every weekend.
They’d made tentative plans for Thanksgiving, but then Chloe’s father arrived unexpectedly in Metropolis along with the General and Lucy. Martha had invited them all to the farm for the day, and there was no way that Chloe could skip out on the joint family weekend. She’d thought about asking him to join them but didn’t for two reasons. First, she was afraid Lois would accidentally out them to her family, and that wasn’t the way she wanted to tell everyone. And second, she wasn’t certain Oliver would even agree to come - it was the second reason more than anything else that kept her silent on the subject.
Chloe wondered when she had become that girl - the kind who held onto a guy even when he had one foot out the door. She knew why Oliver said he wanted to keep things private, and she even agreed with some of his reasons. She was graduating soon and the last thing she needed was to be a topic of media scrutiny. She hoped to secure a permanent position at the Daily Planet, and being a tabloid staple probably wouldn’t impress Kahn. She also wasn’t eager to be back on Lex’s radar. Since his wedding to Lana, they’d maintained a civil façade whenever necessary, but it was likely that being connected to Oliver romantically would bring his attention back to her in a negative way. She’d be a weakness Oliver could ill afford.
And yet she couldn’t help wishing that they could be together openly. Sure, it would be messy in the beginning - Clark wouldn’t like it, her father and the General probably wouldn’t like it, and she’d be the topic of all kinds of gossip at work and school. It would make her life ten kinds of complicated, and it would be a headache at the end of the day. But if she went home to Oliver at the end of that day, she knew it wouldn’t matter.
She didn’t have to wonder anymore what that meant about her feelings for Oliver. She knew she was in love with him - had known it since the night of the bachelorette party. She loved him, and she was beginning to think Oliver didn’t return her feelings; or at least, not to the same degree. And the branch she was clinging to weakened a little more with each day that passed.
Some of what Chloe was thinking must have shown on her face because Lois suddenly looked contrite. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I’ll just let you finish studying while I throw together some dinner, by which I mean I’ll be ordering in. How about that new Greek place?”
Chloe nodded. “That’s fine.” When Lois left to find the delivery menu, she glanced at the magazine her cousin had left on the coffee table. The cover featured Oliver at a popular L.A. night club, and he wasn’t alone. The actress draped all over him had a reputation that made other troubled young Hollywood starlets look like choir girls in comparison.
He’d told her about being in L.A. for business, but he hadn’t mentioned the night club. He certainly hadn’t mentioned party girl actresses either. Chloe picked up the magazine, tore the cover off, and wadded it up, feeling some satisfaction as she squeezed the paper in her fist. She tossed it toward the wastebasket and watched it circle the rim before falling in. Score one for Sullivan, she thought before turning back to her book.
**
Ten days later, Chloe was sitting at her desk at the Planet trying to juggle her day planner. Between the wedding, finals, and holiday parties, she’d barely had a moment to breathe lately. But finals were over, and she’d be walking across the stage accepting her diploma in just a few hours. Even better, Kahn had informed her that after the first of the year, she’d be the newest junior reporter on staff.
When her phone rang, she jumped on it. “Hey, where are you?”
“I’m still in Star City.”
Chloe gripped the phone and took a deep breath. She couldn’t say she was surprised because she’d known there was a good chance he wouldn’t be able to get away. Still, she’d gotten her hopes up. “Oh. So your trip was extended again?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.” His voice was wary, and it was clear that he wasn’t any happier than she was.
“I know.” Chloe tried to swallow her disappointment. “When do you think you’re coming back?”
“Right now, I don’t know.”
“So you’re there indefinitely.” Her voice sounded oddly flat as she struggled to keep her hurt feelings contained.
“Not indefinitely. I promise I’ll work something out, or you could join me out here for a few days.”
“Ollie, I have work - you know that. I can’t just take off, especially not now that I’ve been hired on as a permanent reporter.” Chloe broke off for a moment and tried to gather her thoughts. “Maybe we should just admit this isn’t working right now.”
“Chloe…”
Chloe heard Kahn calling for the staff meeting and took a deep breath. “Ollie, l’m not blaming you. You have commitments, and I’ve always known that. But I need more than this… there’s no fault here, it’s just… it is what it is. I have to go because we have a staff meeting starting. Stay safe out there, ok?” She hung up before Oliver had a chance to speak, knowing that he’d probably be able to talk her out of her decision if she gave him half a chance.
**
Oliver stared at the phone for a moment in stunned disbelief. He couldn’t believe Chloe had ended things so abruptly. He’d known she wasn’t thrilled about his extended stay in Star City, but he thought she understood it was necessary.
Just because she understands it doesn’t mean she’s happy, his conscience prodded him. She’d been at the bottom of his list of priorities for months, and her life was in Metropolis. Right now, his was in Star City. But did it have to be?
He was growing increasingly frustrated by the meetings with his board members because they weren’t accomplishing anything that couldn’t be accomplished by regular trips back to Star City for the monthly meetings. They wanted to sit and review contracts and deals line by line, and it seemed they wanted Oliver to account for every moment of his time lately. That wasn’t the purpose of the board, and they were certainly overstepping, but he’d allowed it because he wanted to make up for the deal he lost to Lex. He wanted to prove he could be the man his father was.
He supposed he would always have some doubts about whether or not he was living up to what his parents wanted him to be. Queen Industries had been important to his father, and helping others had been something both his parents involved themselves with through various charities. But at the end of the day, his father had made it a priority to be home with him and his mother. Of course there had been business trips and benefits, but his parents had believed in making their family a top level priority.
Deep down Oliver suspected that the one thing his parents would disapprove of most would be how he’d shuffled his personal relationships to the end of his list. Lately, his life had been mission first followed closely by business, and his personal life was whatever he could squeeze into his remaining time. He knew that Chloe deserved better, and he missed her a lot more than he ever told her.
He’d also worried that she would eventually tire of the distance between them - both physical and metaphorical. Sharing wasn’t really his thing, and frankly, it never had been. He’d learned early to keep people at arms’ length, and he wielded sarcasm and a flippant attitude with the skill of a master when necessary. But for the first time in his life, he wanted to let someone in.
Oliver could remember asking his mother once what love was. It had been shortly before the plane crash and at the time, he’d had a major crush on Ashley Waverly. He’d been convinced that love was a willingness to part with his favorite cookies at lunch every day as well as having his driver give her a ride home from school. His mother hadn’t laughed at his youthful earnestness. Instead, she sat him down and told him that love was simply being willing to share yourself with another person - your time, your thoughts, and your feelings. And if two people could share enough to make each other happy, they were a good match.
That had seemed easy enough back then. And though Oliver wanted to open up to Chloe like that, he’d allowed himself to be sidetracked by everything else going on in his life. He knew he couldn’t blame her for wanting to cut her losses. At this point, he had to look like a bad relationship bet.
Oliver thought about the frequent emails he’d been receiving from Lois. She kept him up to date on life in Metropolis complete with photos. He had taken his favorite photos of Chloe and turned them into a screensaver for his PC. Some of them he’d deleted - the ones featuring George, for example.
He was certain it was Lois’ way of trying to make him jealous, and he’d told himself not to take the bait. Some of the photos were of Chloe with George at their friends’ wedding. They’d obviously been having fun, and Oliver hadn’t liked seeing them together. The most recent ones had been of the Daily Planet’s annual holiday party, and there George was again. So he’d casually asked Chloe how often she saw George, surprised to find they’d developed a tentative friendship. They had mutual friends, and while Oliver certainly trusted Chloe, he still didn’t like it.
Oliver had no doubt that George was keeping his foot in the door because he’d be crazy not to. And yeah, he knew that Chloe and Oliver were involved, but it wasn’t public knowledge. George probably took that as a sign that it was just a matter of time until he had a chance with her, and he couldn’t exactly blame the guy. Oliver knew he’d do the same if he were in the other man’s shoes.
He figured he had a small window of opportunity to convince Chloe that they could make things work between them. So far she’d done most of the heavy lifting in that department, and he knew it was time to step up and share his feelings. Because the one thing he was sure of at this point was if he didn’t, he was going to lose her. As far as he was concerned, that was unacceptable.
He sat down and started going through his schedule. There was a board meeting that afternoon, and he intended to be ready for them. Like it or not, things had to change.
**
Oliver sat calmly at the head of the table as his board members began to protest.
“Oliver, your company is here. What’s so important in Metropolis, anyway?” Jowls quivering, Larson Miles stared him down across the table. He’d been one of the most demanding board members, so Oliver wasn’t surprised by his directness.
“That’s really not your business,” Oliver replied,” but I’ll humor you. Short answer? I have friends there and someone who cares about me. And she’s put up with a lot from me in recent months - I’ve disappointed her and I’ve juggled my responsibilities rather badly. I thought I could find a balance between my company and my personal life, but it’s getting out of hand. Yes, I lost a deal and believe me when I tell you I am just as unhappy about it as you are. But this is business, ladies and gentlemen, and you don’t win them all every time - no one does. And these constant, tedious meetings we’ve been having in order to question every decision I make aren’t helping anyone.”
“He has a point.” Madeline Chen spoke up. “We haven’t really accomplished anything by meeting more frequently.”
“Maybe he does, but if this is about one of his women then I have to question his judgment,” Miles muttered. “It was just last week that the papers reported him stumbling out of a nightclub with a couple of circus performers.”
“I saw that story. Unless he was juggling those acrobats in his office, I have to call bullshit,” Ben Gratham commented, “because I stopped by that night to tell him to get the hell out of here for a change. He’s had a few public appearances, but six nights out of seven, he’s right here until well past 9:00 or 10:00 every night trying to make all of us happy. I’d like to know how many of you are working that much and never seeing your loved ones. The truth is that Oliver has really dedicated himself to this company over the last couple of years, and I think his father would approve of his efforts. I sure as hell do, and we’ve all shared in his success. We’ll have to shoulder the losses sometimes too.”
Oliver sat back, grateful for the defense. Ben had been on the board since his father’s time, and he’d always been a straight shooter. It was something that Oliver appreciated even when Ben felt the need to take him to task for something. His opinion also carried a lot of weight with the others.
It took a couple of hours, but in the end the board members agreed that all of the additional meetings weren’t productive. Ultimately, it was a matter of trusting Oliver’s business decisions, and the numbers were in Oliver’s favor. The recent botched deal aside, Queen Industries was a leader in technology and had certainly surpassed Luthor Corp. Industry insiders named QI and Wayne Enterprises as the top two companies in the technology field and with the current deal Oliver had in the works to partner with Bruce Wayne on a few projects, both the company and the board stood to profit.
As the board members left, Oliver stopped Ben. “Thanks. For uh, for what you said about my father - that he’d be proud of what I’ve accomplished.”
Ben clapped Oliver on the shoulder. “I just call it like I see it, son. Now, you’d best be getting things settled so you can head back to Metropolis. That pretty blonde of yours must be missing you.”
“How did you know…?”
“You got rid of your screensaver pretty fast the other day, but I saw those photos. That little lady is too pretty to be all alone for long, but I’m sure you’re smart enough to know that. And I have to say I’m glad she’s not one of those models or actresses - I think your parents would have wanted better for you.”
Oliver smiled. “I couldn’t ask for better than Chloe. I just hope I’m not too late.”
“I’ll give you some advice. Women are romantics at heart. Now, maybe not all of them, but even the most pragmatic ones reserve a little corner of themselves for romance. Take my wife - now there’s a pragmatic and sensible woman, but she loves a grand gesture now and then. It makes her happy. And I don’t think it’s so much the what, it’s the fact that I took the time to plan it out just for her.”
“Grand gesture, huh?”
“Sarah and I have been married for forty-five years. It always worked for me. And I expect you to bring your Chloe out to Star City for a proper visit. I have a feeling Sarah and I would both enjoy meeting her.” He winked at Oliver and walked out.
**
Chloe felt like she’d been sleepwalking for the last few days. She was just tired - tired of missing Oliver, tired of wondering if she’d made a mistake - but mostly tired of all the second guessing.
It’s done, she told herself. You needed to pull yourself out of a situation that had the potential to turn toxic because you were going to end up resenting him, maybe even hating him. It’s done, and you’re better off.
She didn’t feel better off though. She felt like her heart was broken and she’d never get over it. It was a literal pain in her chest that made it hard to breathe sometimes, and it was keeping her awake at night.
Lois had noticed right away, and so Chloe told her the truth. Surprisingly, her cousin hadn’t been happy about it. She’d just been sad that Chloe was hurting, and that had been the thing that broke Chloe’s barrier of reserve she’d held onto throughout her graduation ceremony. She’d smiled through dinner with her father, uncle, Lois, Lucy, Martha, and Clark. When Martha asked if she was feeling okay, she excused her lack of enthusiasm by saying that she’d been so busy that she was exhausted.
She even made it through her graduation party, accepting well wishes and congratulations from fellow graduates as well as Planet staffers. With Lois at the helm, the party was a huge success, and no one noticed when Chloe slipped out quietly with George. He’d noticed her subdued mood right away. He must have guessed the reason because he never asked her what was wrong; he simply offered to drive her home and told her to call him if she needed to talk.
And the next morning, Lois got up early and got Chloe’s favorite breakfast from a little diner one town over. Chloe cried then, and they both sniffled as they ate. That was two days ago, and now it was Saturday. Strictly speaking she didn’t have to be at work today. She actually didn’t have to report to work until after the first of the year, but she knew she’d go crazy sitting in Lois’ apartment by herself.
They’d spent the weekend clearing out her dorm room at Met U, and she was temporarily living with Lois until she could find a suitable apartment that fit her budget. With the money she’d received from her father and the General as a graduation gift, she could actually afford something on the right side of the tracks.
Chloe spent most of the morning outlining ideas for stories that she wanted to researching before switching to apartment hunting on various real estate sites. She’d been thinking of getting a kitten, so she made a note of which ones allowed pets. She’d never been allowed to have a pet when she was young. Her father had always said that puppies were too much work and couldn’t be left alone for long hours. She had to admit a puppy wouldn’t be practical for her, but she liked the idea of having a kitty to love and come home to.
She was so involved in taking notes on various apartments that she didn’t notice how the busy hum of activity suddenly spiked - she only noticed when it began to die down and a wave of whispers swept through the room. Chloe glanced up and froze when she saw Oliver standing mere feet away from her desk.
She opened her mouth only to close it again without speaking. And while she tried to corral her scattered thoughts and make sense of what he was doing there, Oliver stepped forward and took the lead.
“I’m sorry.”
Chloe stood up slowly and glanced around the room. All of the staff in the basement had stopped what they were doing and were instead watching the two of them with the kind of rabid interest only a room full of reporters could exhibit. What was he doing?
“I figured out something while I was away,” Oliver continued as he took another step forward. “I’ve been trying to make sure I give equal time to everything in my life, but it’s not possible to give equal time to everything all the time. For one thing, I can delegate more at the office if necessary - I’ve been trying to prove something the last couple of years to people who thought I couldn’t run my father’s company, I guess. I don’t have to keep proving myself, though. The company is thriving and I’ve had a lot to do with that. I can ask for help more often with my other projects too because we’re a team, and you’re a part of that, Chloe - one of the biggest parts, and it’s not fair that I’m pushing you to the end of the list all the time.”
Chloe bit her lip. “What about finding a balance? I don’t want to be the reason you let something else slip, Ollie. Not if it means you’ll beat yourself up about it and maybe even resent me for it.”
“That’s just it, though. You’re my balance, Chloe. You keep me grounded and you show me there are different ways to approach things. You keep me sane when things are falling apart. And I know this relationship has been kind of one-sided so far, but I’m going to do my best to change that because I love you.”
Chloe’s mouth fell open in surprise. “You…”
“I love you - a lot. More than I thought I could love anyone.” He walked around the desk and pulled her into his arms, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And I’m really hoping you feel the same way.”
Chloe looked around the room again. “Ollie, everyone can see us.” Ok, it was obvious, but she felt the need to state it because there was no way they were getting out of there with any form of anonymity intact.
“Good because this is me making a grand gesture, Chloe. I don’t want to hide anymore, and I want everyone to see that I’m in love with the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. ” Oliver stubbornly refused to let her pull away from him. “The only way I’m letting you go is if you tell me right here that you don’t love me.”
“Oliver…”
“I love you.” He was louder this time. “If there were a couch here, I’d jump on it. I guess I could use your desk, but it wouldn’t have the same effect.”
Chloe couldn’t help laughing. “You’re insane - and don’t even think about jumping on my desk.”
“I’m insanely in love with you, Chloe Sullivan.” Uncaring of the many interested eyes glued to their very public reunion, he kissed her slowly.
Chloe pulled back slightly and ran her fingers over his jaw. “I love you too, Ollie.”
“She loves me,” he called out, eliciting a round of laughter and some clapping from their audience. “This is going to be in the paper tomorrow, isn’t it?”
She raised a brow. “I’m pretty sure you knew that before you walked in here. As grand gestures go, it lacked subtlety.”
“Grand gestures and subtlety are mutually exclusive in my mind, so get used to it. Just be happy I didn’t go with the skywriter or Peter Gabriel blasting from a boom box outside on the steps.”
“What stopped you?”
“Knowing that it would give Lois one more reason to kill me if another paper broke the news before the Planet,” he admitted. “I figure if I give her an exclusive on us and a few business deals I’ve got in the works, she’ll come around eventually.”
“Well, get your pretty smile in place, Queen. I think I see Lois headed this way with not one but two photographers,” she replied as she noticed Jimmy and Stephanie following closely behind her cousin.
“It’s about damn time!” Lois announced as she hugged first Chloe and then Oliver. “I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to meddle.”
“You meddling, Lois? I can’t really picture that,” Oliver deadpanned, earning a glower from said meddlesome reporter.
“Keep in mind you’re not exactly off my shit list yet,” she warned in a half-serious tone. “Now, we need to find a quiet little corner and hash out the details of your debut as an official twosome. Feel free to elaborate on any current business deals as well - I’ve heard rumors.”
Chloe shook her head in amusement at Lois’ abrupt shift. She looked over at Jimmy and Stephanie, and she almost laughed at their expressions. It was clear that they were busy putting two and two together and coming up with a very kinky image of Oliver Queen.
Jimmy confirmed this when he cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “So, uh - that guy was uh…”
“Why don’t we all pretend we never saw each other that night,” Chloe interjected. “Because this can only lead to places none of us want to visit.”
“No yeah, you’re right,” Jimmy answered hastily as Stephanie jabbed him none too gently in the ribs with her elbow. “I just need to get my other camera if we’re going to do a photo.”
“Oh, there will be photos,” Lois confirmed. “Now, you two ready to come out of hiding?”
Chloe took a calming breath and tightened her grip on Oliver’s hand. She had butterflies in her stomach, squirming and rolling in unison. But when she looked at Oliver, her nerves faded because for once, he wasn’t guarding his feelings. His expression was open and the way he felt about her had to be obvious to everyone looking at him in that moment.
With a bright smile, she answered her cousin. “I think we’re finally ready.”
A/N: Ok, so this isn’t the end because while I was editing, an epilogue just started writing itself in my head. At first I thought I would add it to the end of this chapter, but it’s too long. So, one more post before this baby is a wrap. I’ll try not to take too long, but I’ve had a cold and have also been crazy busy with classes and workshops. The epilogue is mostly written and features friends and family reactions to their “coming out” and occurs around the Christmas holiday. If there’s something in particular you’d like to see, I could try to work it in this week while I’m fleshing out my scenes. Thanks to all who read and review - I appreciate it!