Love by a Different Name (9/14)
Title: Love by a Different Name
Summary: "It was nothing but a chance encounter, a simple set-up that neither of them wanted to attend. But they did, and they had found each other." Sequel to “Time Makes it Harder,” takes place in the Mirror-verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language.
Dedication: To
daydreamer22688, I don't know if you remembering asking for this, but ask and you shall receive.
Thanks to:
alxnhnt22 for the banner.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
Part 9
She couldn’t wait anymore. She tried, but it just wasn’t working. Scenarios were running wild in her head and she wanted to get this settled once and for all. The only way to do that was to see Oliver himself.
Knocking hard on his door, Tess waited, practically ready to give Oliver a piece of her mind as the worst case scenario seemed the most plausible in this moment. So when he did open the door, she walked right past him. “Tell me she knows.”
He rolled his eyes, closing the door. “Please... come in.” His sarcasm was duly noted, but after Tess entered the apartment, she impatiently tapped her foot, waiting for a response. Oliver just shrugged because he genuinely didn’t know what she was talking about, but that didn’t sit well with Tess either.
Yet she couldn’t risk a small smile breaking out when she admitted, “I saw Chloe with you last week. She looks good for someone who’s supposed to be dead.” It explained so much, like Oliver’s sudden eagerness to come back to Star City. However, there had been a pause in the air every time Tess would mention Oliver taking over, so it wasn’t hard to put two-and-two together. “So please tell me she knows everything.”
Taking a minute to respond, Oliver eventually replied, “She knows most of it.”
Most wasn’t going to cut it in this case, because Chloe might as well know nothing if Oliver wasn’t going to tell her the whole story. “How long have you known she was alive?” At this point, Tess hoped that there was a slight chance they had magically found each other in Star City.
“A month.” It wasn’t the answer that Tess was looking for, Oliver knew that, but there was no point in lying. Watching the woman roll her eyes, he tried to explain his position. “Finding each other was enough of a bombshell at the time and I’m not planning on keeping her in the dark for much longer.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Tess replied, her gaze at her feet. This was what she came to do, even if it was a hard notion to bear. But if this was the consequence for her past actions, then she was willing to pay that price. “I’m willing to let you back out of the deal, let you live on as Roy Connor.”
“What?” All this time, Oliver had been grateful for Tess saving his life, diligently taking care of his company, but this was a step above that.
“I honestly don’t mind,” Tess said softly, ignoring the shocked look on Oliver’s face. “Consider this my redemption.” For while she had a life that could buy anything, that was really all she wanted. She stripped herself of the Luthor name, but the blood still trickled through her veins and she never thought she would be clear of her actions, not to mention her family’s.
But Oliver saw things differently; saw that Tess had received her redemption long ago. He shook his head, despite being flattered by the offer, but he knew his responsibility in this. “Tess, you’ve done your part, and I’m more than willing to follow through with mine.”
Tess didn’t get it, she knew Oliver wasn’t this naive, yet he was pretending like everything would go back to normal; a hard feat considering any chance of normal went out the window when Chloe faked her death. So she said, “You and I both know that it’s not going to be that easy,” hoping a dose of reality would hit Oliver. Tess didn’t want to crush his hopes, but they had to look at the full picture. “Look, you can still maintain your advisory role, and Victor can keep you in the loop if you’re worried. But I can assure you Oliver that-”
“You don’t think Chloe would stay with me if I follow through,” he interjected quietly. He knew that was a possibility, it was probably why he dragged his feet a little in telling her, but Tess wasn’t even considering the possibility that Chloe would take that chance.
“If Oliver Queen comes back to life, so does Chloe Sullivan.” Tess shrugged as she sat down on the arm of the couch. “If nothing else, I believe déjà vu applies in this case.” She noticed the flicker in his eyes as Tess knew he knew the truth in what she said. Even if Clark had changed, it didn’t mean there weren’t new villains out there.
However, it was more than that. It was the hope in their eyes Tess saw when she saw them walking down the street. It was love, a clichéd word in today’s generation, but despite being a woman who never experienced love in her life; it was an easy concept to spot when she saw Chloe and Oliver. “It may not be my place to say this, but the only time either of you lived your own life was when you were together. You both deserve that much.”
Oliver had stayed silent as Tess said what she had to and plenty of it was valid, but this was his decision to make and not hers. So he wasn’t about to address what she said, settling for a simple question. “Why tell me this now?”
That answer was easy for Tess. “You can’t string her along and then spill everything the night before. Not when this has been something you’ve known for so long.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m planning on telling her.” Tess was right about one thing; Oliver couldn’t go any longer without telling her. But he couldn’t hide this from Chloe forever either. Regardless of his decision, Chloe deserved to know the whole truth before she figured it out.
Nodding, Tess walked around Oliver, replying, “Good luck then,” as she opened the door to exit the apartment.
She walked down the flights of stairs, not wanting to take the elevators in that moment because she wanted to clear her head. As she heard her heels click against the stairs, Tess could only hope Chloe would be as accepting as Oliver thought she would be.
Exiting the main door, Tess glanced quickly both ways before crossing the street to get to her car. In the distance, she could see a women walking up the block. She couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed like Oliver had less time to deliberate her words than she thought.
~0~
Squinting her eyes, Chloe noticed Tess get into her car, conveniently parked in front of Oliver’s building. It appeared that running late was probably working out in her favour.
She swore that things were starting to get frustrating. When Oliver came to Star City, her life had been finally begun to find some sort of peace, but then Emily starting acting strange. For a girl that hid behind a huge secret of her own, not to mention Oliver’s and hers, Emily had this way of her poker face slipping. Chloe knew something was bothering her, but when Em didn’t want to talk, there was no point in trying to figure it out.
Knocking on Oliver’s door, she decided to put that behind her, smiling widely as Oliver opened it. “Hey,” she said, leaning up to kiss him. “How was your talk with Tess?”
His eyes initially narrowed, but he figured it wasn’t much of a stretch that Chloe would see Tess leave the building, especially considering her timing. “Fine,” he lied, as she had left him with plenty to think about.
He had planned to tell Chloe the truth tonight, but along with offering him a way out, Tess had planted a seed of doubt in Oliver’s mind. “She was checking up on me,” he added, “Making sure there’s a smooth transition from Coast City to here.”
Sitting down on the couch, Chloe stretched her legs across to rest her feet on the coffee table. “Does she keep you in touch with everything?”
Oliver nodded as he sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders without a second thought. “Yeah she does.” Tess’ training had its limits, so Oliver often had to give her advice during the first six months, but she had come a long way since then.
Chloe leaned closer to his side. “Do you ever miss it?”
“Of course,” he replied honestly, “but certain sacrifices had to be made.”
Feeling him thread his fingers through her hair, Chloe leaned her head back against his chest, eyes momentarily closing. “I can see she’s changed.” Chloe had gone to school with Tess and the person she was seeing now wasn’t something Chloe thought was possible years ago. “Offering to take over your company… it’s a pretty big gesture.”
Taking a deep breath, Oliver prepared himself, knowing this was as good of a segue as he was going to get. “It’s not for good.”
“Obviously,” Chloe replied casually, as she knew things at Queen Industries weren’t going as smoothly lately. “It wouldn’t surprise me if someone else stood at the top soon.”
“That’s the plan.”
There was something in his voice that stuck with Chloe and she sat up slowly processing his words. Then it hit her, so she bolted off the couch, taking a couple paces away. When Oliver stood up, he gave her a knowing look, but all Chloe could do was shake her head. There really was a reason Oliver was being transferred to Star City, she had just been too stupid to see it. “When?”
“The original plan was in a month, but I’m willing to delay this.”
“So...” Chloe drew out, noticing how he had begun to approach her, “Oliver Queen isn’t staying dead?”
With a quick shake of his head, Oliver stopped to stand within inches of her. Reaching his arm out to rest on her shoulder, he was almost surprised that Chloe let him. “I said that we could start again, but... we really can.”
Her mouth gaped open, trying to process everything. She glanced towards his hand, the soothing nature of the way his skin contacted her, and soon enough, she felt herself swallow hard. “I... never thought of it that way.”
Oliver asked optimistically, “Would that be so bad?”
“Look what happened the first time.” She didn’t want to bring it up, but they couldn’t ignore the facts either. They hadn’t been together that long before Chloe had to disappear. Meanwhile, Oliver always had a target on his back, it was just worse with Chloe at his side.
He tilted his head slightly. “I’m full aware of that, and so is Tess.” Her indirect mention of déjà vu had already gone to fruition, so Oliver figured it was only fitting that he informed Chloe that Tess knew about her. “She’s willing to back out, to let me live on as Roy.”
Chloe was quick to point out, “Which you’ve clearly just stated that you don’t want to do.”
However, Oliver was ready for that remark. “If it’s what it takes to keep you in my life... I’m willing to do it.”
That should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing the slippery slope they were on, knowing the words she had to say wouldn’t help, but they had to be said. “You know I can’t do let you do that. I know what Queen Industries means to you.”
“So what are you saying?”
Chloe bit her bottom lip hard and then said with as much conviction she could manage, “You should have told me sooner.” All that time they had spent together, they had just gotten used to each other’s company again and now this comes up.
Oliver rolled his eyes, not wanting to, but that wasn’t the response he was hoping for. “Would you walk out on me like you’re about to if I did?” It wasn’t what Oliver wanted to say, but the more they talked, the more Tess’ words were ringing true.
Chloe’s eyes snapped up when she heard that particular question. After everything they had gone through, she couldn’t believe how fast he jumped to that conclusion. “If I knew that you had a shot at getting your company back...” Her voice trailed, as Chloe reminded herself of everything she had put him through since the day they met. “It’s what you have left of your family. That will never change.”
Not like them. Even with the years that had passed and the obstacles overcame, the doubts never left Chloe. Taking his hand in hers, she whispered, “I won’t let you sacrifice everything for me.”
The problem was that it wasn’t a sacrifice for Oliver and it hurt that she thought of it that way. While he didn’t want to walk away from his company, he wanted to know, “Would you consider being Chloe Sullivan again?”
She immediately whispered, “It’s more complicated than that.” In their case, it was more than a name. Her murder was national news, but before Clark targeted her, Chloe barely got a taste of what that life was like. Being a cross-country friend was a little different than being star-crossed lovers. Not only that, but Chloe would also be pretty close to celebrity status no matter where she went. Her anonymity, her privacy, would disappear in seconds.
“You don’t think that I....” His voice trailed, as it felt rhetorical to say he knew the complications of this decision. While he respected the fact that this was a lot to tell Chloe right now, there was the simple fact that she never answered any question directly. She was deflecting and Oliver couldn’t get a sense that Chloe would do this. .
As much as he wanted to fight for her more, Oliver realized that ripping off the band-aid was becoming the best option. “Forget it.”
Seeing the passion leave his eyes, Chloe felt him pulling away. “Ollie, I-”
“Would you come back as Chloe Sullivan?” Oliver asked again, hoping for an actual answer this time. He took a couple of steps back, feeling his fingers skim the edge of Chloe’s fingertips before his arm eventually fell to his side. “Forget what happened to us, what might happen to us, and whatever worst case scenario you’ve probably concocted in your head. Would you do it?”
Chloe knew what Oliver wanted, but she couldn’t give him a certainty. Things were different now and as much as she loved him, and as many days she spent, hoping to find her way back to him, Chloe had caused him so much pain. “I don’t know.”
Oliver stared at her, seeing the confusion in her eyes and recognizing the honesty in her voice. “Fine.”
She shook her head, knowing that Oliver wasn’t okay with what she told him, but she knew it was better to be honest than to promise something she wasn’t sure she could handle. With Oliver, she could handle being Chloe Sullivan, but out there, being what the world wanted her to be, for once she cared about that. She had to. Standing alongside Oliver meant that people would look at her, and potentially use that against Oliver.
Standing in the spotlight wasn’t a forte of Chloe’s, as for years, she had hid in plain sight. Furthermore, she had never really been a part of Oliver’s world, as she was usually his escape. Seeing what was ahead, Chloe wasn’t sure if she could live up to those standards and the idea of losing Oliver after that sacrifice, even if he was still alive, was too much to bear.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, desperately breaking the silence in the air. “But I can’t say anything for sure.”
“Why not?”
“This isn’t just Chloe Sullivan coming back to life. You know what you’re getting into. I had two months Oliver... and then we went through this.” That much, she knew he had to understand, but Chloe knew it was best to cover as many bases as possible. “The publicity will be tenfold because the press didn’t even have time to acknowledge our status. They were too busy trying to prove it.”
“You can handle it, I know you can.”
“Do you really?” Chloe replied, not wanting to underestimate herself, but again, honesty held more value here than assumptions. “Oliver, I love you, but my life has been in the shadows. Doing my job has relied on that fact. Your life would have stability, certainty... and I’m not so sure that mine will have that same transition.”
Nodding, Oliver took in her words. Part of him couldn't believe that she didn't think she could handle the transition, for while some of what she had said was valid, he knew Chloe had gone through worse. However, Oliver had already said as much, which Chloe had already responded in doubts. And if those doubts were that strong, he didn't see another choice ahead, causing him to utter a sentence that he thought he would never say to her, “So... this is it then?”
Her head jerking back in response, Chloe countered. “That’s what you got out of what I said?” Unless her memory was shaky, she didn't remember saying no, or that it would never happen.
However, the only thing Oliver heard was Chloe continuing to avoid giving him a real answer, which he interpreted as her way of letting him down easier. At this point, he could hardly bear to hear it anymore. “If there’s something in there about your willingness to do this that I’m missing, please... say it now,” he said, his breathing feeling harder by the second. “Otherwise, I think you should leave.”
Chloe’s eyes widened upon hearing his cold tone as he delivered the words. Now he wouldn’t even look at her. Opening her mouth to say something, Chloe tried to determine what would change his mind, but she knew there was nothing she could say confidently. This was too big of a step right now and she wanted at least a chance to think it over, but that time seemed to be more than Oliver was willing to give.
Holding back her voice, she turned around, walking towards the door to leave Oliver’s apartment. When the door closed behind her, she leaned back against the wall next to it, wondering if she had made a terrible mistake. But when nothing but silence filled the air, Chloe began walking away.
Part 10
Sera’s Scribbles: Let it be known how much I hate “break-up” scenes. I’ve written a grand total of two and they’ve both been absolute thorns in my side (for my twitter followers- this was the ‘chapter of doom’). I am so sorry for the almost two-month delay, but I had to re-write this a couple of times and it got to the point where I had to take a break from this story altogether. I also have to recognize poetgirl925 for all of her support. Your comments were appreciated and they really helped make this better. I hope.
Now this is done... this story might actually get some momentum. Part 10 is done minus minor edits and part 11 is pretty close to that. I can't promise anything, but I don't see any more month-long delays in this fic's future.
Summary: "It was nothing but a chance encounter, a simple set-up that neither of them wanted to attend. But they did, and they had found each other." Sequel to “Time Makes it Harder,” takes place in the Mirror-verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language.
Dedication: To
daydreamer22688, I don't know if you remembering asking for this, but ask and you shall receive.
Thanks to:
alxnhnt22 for the banner.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
Part 9
She couldn’t wait anymore. She tried, but it just wasn’t working. Scenarios were running wild in her head and she wanted to get this settled once and for all. The only way to do that was to see Oliver himself.
Knocking hard on his door, Tess waited, practically ready to give Oliver a piece of her mind as the worst case scenario seemed the most plausible in this moment. So when he did open the door, she walked right past him. “Tell me she knows.”
He rolled his eyes, closing the door. “Please... come in.” His sarcasm was duly noted, but after Tess entered the apartment, she impatiently tapped her foot, waiting for a response. Oliver just shrugged because he genuinely didn’t know what she was talking about, but that didn’t sit well with Tess either.
Yet she couldn’t risk a small smile breaking out when she admitted, “I saw Chloe with you last week. She looks good for someone who’s supposed to be dead.” It explained so much, like Oliver’s sudden eagerness to come back to Star City. However, there had been a pause in the air every time Tess would mention Oliver taking over, so it wasn’t hard to put two-and-two together. “So please tell me she knows everything.”
Taking a minute to respond, Oliver eventually replied, “She knows most of it.”
Most wasn’t going to cut it in this case, because Chloe might as well know nothing if Oliver wasn’t going to tell her the whole story. “How long have you known she was alive?” At this point, Tess hoped that there was a slight chance they had magically found each other in Star City.
“A month.” It wasn’t the answer that Tess was looking for, Oliver knew that, but there was no point in lying. Watching the woman roll her eyes, he tried to explain his position. “Finding each other was enough of a bombshell at the time and I’m not planning on keeping her in the dark for much longer.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Tess replied, her gaze at her feet. This was what she came to do, even if it was a hard notion to bear. But if this was the consequence for her past actions, then she was willing to pay that price. “I’m willing to let you back out of the deal, let you live on as Roy Connor.”
“What?” All this time, Oliver had been grateful for Tess saving his life, diligently taking care of his company, but this was a step above that.
“I honestly don’t mind,” Tess said softly, ignoring the shocked look on Oliver’s face. “Consider this my redemption.” For while she had a life that could buy anything, that was really all she wanted. She stripped herself of the Luthor name, but the blood still trickled through her veins and she never thought she would be clear of her actions, not to mention her family’s.
But Oliver saw things differently; saw that Tess had received her redemption long ago. He shook his head, despite being flattered by the offer, but he knew his responsibility in this. “Tess, you’ve done your part, and I’m more than willing to follow through with mine.”
Tess didn’t get it, she knew Oliver wasn’t this naive, yet he was pretending like everything would go back to normal; a hard feat considering any chance of normal went out the window when Chloe faked her death. So she said, “You and I both know that it’s not going to be that easy,” hoping a dose of reality would hit Oliver. Tess didn’t want to crush his hopes, but they had to look at the full picture. “Look, you can still maintain your advisory role, and Victor can keep you in the loop if you’re worried. But I can assure you Oliver that-”
“You don’t think Chloe would stay with me if I follow through,” he interjected quietly. He knew that was a possibility, it was probably why he dragged his feet a little in telling her, but Tess wasn’t even considering the possibility that Chloe would take that chance.
“If Oliver Queen comes back to life, so does Chloe Sullivan.” Tess shrugged as she sat down on the arm of the couch. “If nothing else, I believe déjà vu applies in this case.” She noticed the flicker in his eyes as Tess knew he knew the truth in what she said. Even if Clark had changed, it didn’t mean there weren’t new villains out there.
However, it was more than that. It was the hope in their eyes Tess saw when she saw them walking down the street. It was love, a clichéd word in today’s generation, but despite being a woman who never experienced love in her life; it was an easy concept to spot when she saw Chloe and Oliver. “It may not be my place to say this, but the only time either of you lived your own life was when you were together. You both deserve that much.”
Oliver had stayed silent as Tess said what she had to and plenty of it was valid, but this was his decision to make and not hers. So he wasn’t about to address what she said, settling for a simple question. “Why tell me this now?”
That answer was easy for Tess. “You can’t string her along and then spill everything the night before. Not when this has been something you’ve known for so long.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m planning on telling her.” Tess was right about one thing; Oliver couldn’t go any longer without telling her. But he couldn’t hide this from Chloe forever either. Regardless of his decision, Chloe deserved to know the whole truth before she figured it out.
Nodding, Tess walked around Oliver, replying, “Good luck then,” as she opened the door to exit the apartment.
She walked down the flights of stairs, not wanting to take the elevators in that moment because she wanted to clear her head. As she heard her heels click against the stairs, Tess could only hope Chloe would be as accepting as Oliver thought she would be.
Exiting the main door, Tess glanced quickly both ways before crossing the street to get to her car. In the distance, she could see a women walking up the block. She couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed like Oliver had less time to deliberate her words than she thought.
~0~
Squinting her eyes, Chloe noticed Tess get into her car, conveniently parked in front of Oliver’s building. It appeared that running late was probably working out in her favour.
She swore that things were starting to get frustrating. When Oliver came to Star City, her life had been finally begun to find some sort of peace, but then Emily starting acting strange. For a girl that hid behind a huge secret of her own, not to mention Oliver’s and hers, Emily had this way of her poker face slipping. Chloe knew something was bothering her, but when Em didn’t want to talk, there was no point in trying to figure it out.
Knocking on Oliver’s door, she decided to put that behind her, smiling widely as Oliver opened it. “Hey,” she said, leaning up to kiss him. “How was your talk with Tess?”
His eyes initially narrowed, but he figured it wasn’t much of a stretch that Chloe would see Tess leave the building, especially considering her timing. “Fine,” he lied, as she had left him with plenty to think about.
He had planned to tell Chloe the truth tonight, but along with offering him a way out, Tess had planted a seed of doubt in Oliver’s mind. “She was checking up on me,” he added, “Making sure there’s a smooth transition from Coast City to here.”
Sitting down on the couch, Chloe stretched her legs across to rest her feet on the coffee table. “Does she keep you in touch with everything?”
Oliver nodded as he sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders without a second thought. “Yeah she does.” Tess’ training had its limits, so Oliver often had to give her advice during the first six months, but she had come a long way since then.
Chloe leaned closer to his side. “Do you ever miss it?”
“Of course,” he replied honestly, “but certain sacrifices had to be made.”
Feeling him thread his fingers through her hair, Chloe leaned her head back against his chest, eyes momentarily closing. “I can see she’s changed.” Chloe had gone to school with Tess and the person she was seeing now wasn’t something Chloe thought was possible years ago. “Offering to take over your company… it’s a pretty big gesture.”
Taking a deep breath, Oliver prepared himself, knowing this was as good of a segue as he was going to get. “It’s not for good.”
“Obviously,” Chloe replied casually, as she knew things at Queen Industries weren’t going as smoothly lately. “It wouldn’t surprise me if someone else stood at the top soon.”
“That’s the plan.”
There was something in his voice that stuck with Chloe and she sat up slowly processing his words. Then it hit her, so she bolted off the couch, taking a couple paces away. When Oliver stood up, he gave her a knowing look, but all Chloe could do was shake her head. There really was a reason Oliver was being transferred to Star City, she had just been too stupid to see it. “When?”
“The original plan was in a month, but I’m willing to delay this.”
“So...” Chloe drew out, noticing how he had begun to approach her, “Oliver Queen isn’t staying dead?”
With a quick shake of his head, Oliver stopped to stand within inches of her. Reaching his arm out to rest on her shoulder, he was almost surprised that Chloe let him. “I said that we could start again, but... we really can.”
Her mouth gaped open, trying to process everything. She glanced towards his hand, the soothing nature of the way his skin contacted her, and soon enough, she felt herself swallow hard. “I... never thought of it that way.”
Oliver asked optimistically, “Would that be so bad?”
“Look what happened the first time.” She didn’t want to bring it up, but they couldn’t ignore the facts either. They hadn’t been together that long before Chloe had to disappear. Meanwhile, Oliver always had a target on his back, it was just worse with Chloe at his side.
He tilted his head slightly. “I’m full aware of that, and so is Tess.” Her indirect mention of déjà vu had already gone to fruition, so Oliver figured it was only fitting that he informed Chloe that Tess knew about her. “She’s willing to back out, to let me live on as Roy.”
Chloe was quick to point out, “Which you’ve clearly just stated that you don’t want to do.”
However, Oliver was ready for that remark. “If it’s what it takes to keep you in my life... I’m willing to do it.”
That should have made her feel better, but it didn’t. She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing the slippery slope they were on, knowing the words she had to say wouldn’t help, but they had to be said. “You know I can’t do let you do that. I know what Queen Industries means to you.”
“So what are you saying?”
Chloe bit her bottom lip hard and then said with as much conviction she could manage, “You should have told me sooner.” All that time they had spent together, they had just gotten used to each other’s company again and now this comes up.
Oliver rolled his eyes, not wanting to, but that wasn’t the response he was hoping for. “Would you walk out on me like you’re about to if I did?” It wasn’t what Oliver wanted to say, but the more they talked, the more Tess’ words were ringing true.
Chloe’s eyes snapped up when she heard that particular question. After everything they had gone through, she couldn’t believe how fast he jumped to that conclusion. “If I knew that you had a shot at getting your company back...” Her voice trailed, as Chloe reminded herself of everything she had put him through since the day they met. “It’s what you have left of your family. That will never change.”
Not like them. Even with the years that had passed and the obstacles overcame, the doubts never left Chloe. Taking his hand in hers, she whispered, “I won’t let you sacrifice everything for me.”
The problem was that it wasn’t a sacrifice for Oliver and it hurt that she thought of it that way. While he didn’t want to walk away from his company, he wanted to know, “Would you consider being Chloe Sullivan again?”
She immediately whispered, “It’s more complicated than that.” In their case, it was more than a name. Her murder was national news, but before Clark targeted her, Chloe barely got a taste of what that life was like. Being a cross-country friend was a little different than being star-crossed lovers. Not only that, but Chloe would also be pretty close to celebrity status no matter where she went. Her anonymity, her privacy, would disappear in seconds.
“You don’t think that I....” His voice trailed, as it felt rhetorical to say he knew the complications of this decision. While he respected the fact that this was a lot to tell Chloe right now, there was the simple fact that she never answered any question directly. She was deflecting and Oliver couldn’t get a sense that Chloe would do this. .
As much as he wanted to fight for her more, Oliver realized that ripping off the band-aid was becoming the best option. “Forget it.”
Seeing the passion leave his eyes, Chloe felt him pulling away. “Ollie, I-”
“Would you come back as Chloe Sullivan?” Oliver asked again, hoping for an actual answer this time. He took a couple of steps back, feeling his fingers skim the edge of Chloe’s fingertips before his arm eventually fell to his side. “Forget what happened to us, what might happen to us, and whatever worst case scenario you’ve probably concocted in your head. Would you do it?”
Chloe knew what Oliver wanted, but she couldn’t give him a certainty. Things were different now and as much as she loved him, and as many days she spent, hoping to find her way back to him, Chloe had caused him so much pain. “I don’t know.”
Oliver stared at her, seeing the confusion in her eyes and recognizing the honesty in her voice. “Fine.”
She shook her head, knowing that Oliver wasn’t okay with what she told him, but she knew it was better to be honest than to promise something she wasn’t sure she could handle. With Oliver, she could handle being Chloe Sullivan, but out there, being what the world wanted her to be, for once she cared about that. She had to. Standing alongside Oliver meant that people would look at her, and potentially use that against Oliver.
Standing in the spotlight wasn’t a forte of Chloe’s, as for years, she had hid in plain sight. Furthermore, she had never really been a part of Oliver’s world, as she was usually his escape. Seeing what was ahead, Chloe wasn’t sure if she could live up to those standards and the idea of losing Oliver after that sacrifice, even if he was still alive, was too much to bear.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, desperately breaking the silence in the air. “But I can’t say anything for sure.”
“Why not?”
“This isn’t just Chloe Sullivan coming back to life. You know what you’re getting into. I had two months Oliver... and then we went through this.” That much, she knew he had to understand, but Chloe knew it was best to cover as many bases as possible. “The publicity will be tenfold because the press didn’t even have time to acknowledge our status. They were too busy trying to prove it.”
“You can handle it, I know you can.”
“Do you really?” Chloe replied, not wanting to underestimate herself, but again, honesty held more value here than assumptions. “Oliver, I love you, but my life has been in the shadows. Doing my job has relied on that fact. Your life would have stability, certainty... and I’m not so sure that mine will have that same transition.”
Nodding, Oliver took in her words. Part of him couldn't believe that she didn't think she could handle the transition, for while some of what she had said was valid, he knew Chloe had gone through worse. However, Oliver had already said as much, which Chloe had already responded in doubts. And if those doubts were that strong, he didn't see another choice ahead, causing him to utter a sentence that he thought he would never say to her, “So... this is it then?”
Her head jerking back in response, Chloe countered. “That’s what you got out of what I said?” Unless her memory was shaky, she didn't remember saying no, or that it would never happen.
However, the only thing Oliver heard was Chloe continuing to avoid giving him a real answer, which he interpreted as her way of letting him down easier. At this point, he could hardly bear to hear it anymore. “If there’s something in there about your willingness to do this that I’m missing, please... say it now,” he said, his breathing feeling harder by the second. “Otherwise, I think you should leave.”
Chloe’s eyes widened upon hearing his cold tone as he delivered the words. Now he wouldn’t even look at her. Opening her mouth to say something, Chloe tried to determine what would change his mind, but she knew there was nothing she could say confidently. This was too big of a step right now and she wanted at least a chance to think it over, but that time seemed to be more than Oliver was willing to give.
Holding back her voice, she turned around, walking towards the door to leave Oliver’s apartment. When the door closed behind her, she leaned back against the wall next to it, wondering if she had made a terrible mistake. But when nothing but silence filled the air, Chloe began walking away.
Part 10
Sera’s Scribbles: Let it be known how much I hate “break-up” scenes. I’ve written a grand total of two and they’ve both been absolute thorns in my side (for my twitter followers- this was the ‘chapter of doom’). I am so sorry for the almost two-month delay, but I had to re-write this a couple of times and it got to the point where I had to take a break from this story altogether. I also have to recognize poetgirl925 for all of her support. Your comments were appreciated and they really helped make this better. I hope.
Now this is done... this story might actually get some momentum. Part 10 is done minus minor edits and part 11 is pretty close to that. I can't promise anything, but I don't see any more month-long delays in this fic's future.