Fighting Echoes (9/?)
Author: 
serafina19
Title: Fighting Echoes
Summary: As identities and affiliations are exposed, the Justice League begins to form. But once an old foe re-emerges and raises the stakes, Evie is forced to determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect everyone she cares about. Sequel to “Notbroken,” and the final multi-chapter in the "Calendar Girl" verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Coarse language, violence and adult content.
Special thanks to:
552158 for the amazing banners that I couldn’t stop admiring when you sent them to me. Also, big love to
slytherinpunk, without you, I probably wouldn’t have the guts to try this.
August part 1 August part 2 September part 1 September part 2 October part 1 October part 2 October part 3 November part 1
November 28
Leaning his forehead against Chloe’s, Oliver said through his panting. “Thanks for helping me clean up.”
Chloe chuckled, staring at their current state of attire, or rather, their lack of it. “That’s what we were doing?” It had started that way, but somewhere along the way, it had lead to a couple of rounds on the countertop, and a grateful Chloe for the fact the counter was clean.
But Oliver just grinned back at her as he backed away slowly. “We may have gotten a little sidetracked.”
“Hold the little, Ollie.” Chloe got off the counter and began to gather her clothes that were scattered on the floor. “I think we broke a couple plates.”
Oliver slipped his shirt over his head before looking at the floor, which suggested that Chloe was right. But it wasn’t a big deal, so Oliver just shrugged. “I can afford more.”
“Well, that might be true,” Chloe replied as she adjusted her shirt against her body. Straightening up her hair as best as she could, she walked towards Oliver, kissed him lightly, so she didn’t start anything more than what they had already done, and backed away to walk to the elevator. “But I really should be going.”
Finding her purse nearby, Chloe began filtering through it to find her keys. But by the time she found them, she felt Oliver wrap his arms around her waist, whispering in her ear. “No reason you have to go.”
His seductive tone echoed in her ear, and it didn’t help that Oliver soon lowered his head to kiss a sensitive spot behind her ear. Initially, Chloe had leaned towards him, feeling the constant warmth that exuded from his skin. Part of her wanted to stay, knowing that it wouldn’t hurt, but she found the strength to pull away. “I have to spend at least some nights at my apartment.”
“Or you could just move in?” The moment that came out, Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, tempted to smack his forehead if his hands were in a different position. “I just said that aloud didn’t I?” He had been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, but this was far from the way he wanted to ask Chloe.
Chloe nodded, almost grateful that she was facing away from him. To be honest, she hadn’t been expecting that question. “Better question is... did you mean it?” She took a deep breath and turned around slowly, the answer clear in Oliver’s expression.
“If you think about it, it’s more along the lines of making it official. You spend most of your time here anyway.” That was the rationale behind the offer, but Chloe’s expression hadn’t changed. She seemed nervous, confused maybe. Regardless of the mood, her answer was the same. “But you prefer it the way it is.”
“It’s not you... it’s...” It seemed sudden, or something. Chloe couldn’t exactly phrase what she as feeling so she blurted the first thing she thought of. “I’m worried about Evie.”
It was a flimsy excuse, and one that had nothing to do with his offer, but there was truth to it. Since Evie revealed everything, Chloe hadn’t been around much lately, and while Evie understood and didn’t want Chloe to put her life on hold, that didn’t make what she was doing better. “She’s...helped me through so much, I feel like I need to... especially with Lois moving out recently...”
Oliver watched her stumble through her words, but the message was clear. “I get it,” he said sincerely, and saw how Chloe’s eyes flickered up. Stepping towards her, he gave Chloe a quick grin. “But the offer’s open.”
Chloe nodded as she took a couple paces forward, hoping to spin everything in a positive direction. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Oliver gave her a quick kiss, and added as he backed away. He knew that she meant it too, as even though Chloe always seemed to hesitate at any turn of a relationship, she was always honest, and did what she thought was best. It was also why Oliver knew that everything was okay, as her answer wasn’t a permanent No. She just needed time, and Oliver was fine with that. “Drive safe.”
~0~
And with that, Metro Cafe had survived another lunchtime rush. Looking around, Evie noticed that the store was in serious need of stocking, so she turned to head to the back, but was stopped by the familiar bell chime. Looking up, Evie smiled at the person coming inside the cafe. “My favourite customer.”
Chloe grinned back as she approached the counter. “Hey.”
“The usual?”
Giving her answer in the form of a shrug, Chloe replied, “What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.”
That Chloe definitely was, and of more than one habit at that. There was one in particular that Evie had to talk to her about. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
Pulling out some cash from her wallet, Chloe paid Evie’s co-worker at the till before replying, “Not at all.”
“Hold on a sec...” Evie finished making Chloe’s drink, passed it to her, and then headed around the counter. She was probably due for a break anyway, as she sat down at a nearby table. After Chloe sat across from her, Evie knew that she was about to meddle with her personal life, but it had to be said. “I know this is on the down-low, but when it comes to you... your boyfriend is the furthest from subtle with me.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes, as that wasn’t a question, far from it. “Sorry, I feel like I’m missing something.”
She was, and Evie was more than willing to fill in the blanks. She knew exactly what her friend was doing, and Evie wanted to set her straight. “Without actually asking me, Oliver pretty much wanted my permission for you to move in.”
Chloe had opened her mouth to interject, but Evie quickly held up her hand to stop her from talking. “Don’t even try to suggest that this is a new idea for you… I may have stepped over some proverbial line, but it was only because I knew Oliver was thinking about asking you soon.”
“When did he ask you?”
“Last week,” Evie replied, reminded of how Oliver had come in to buy coffee for Chloe, as he never drank the stuff himself. “I think he knew that I was an obstacle to you saying yes, and honestly, I thought he was crazy... until you came home last night.”
The only reason Evie even heard her come home was due to her ability. She always saw herself as a light sleeper, keeping an ear out for any strange noises, but all the while, appearing completely asleep. That particular skill had come in handy once Evie got it under control, in particular, Evie’s first New Year’s Eve with Chloe and Oliver.
The morning may have had its negative ramifications, but the grin on her face when she heard them wish each other a happy new year was pretty wide. Sure, Evie had genuinely fallen asleep soon after, alcohol did that to a person, but the gesture had been worth it.
This time, Chloe came back to the apartment almost silent. These days, it was rare for Evie to wake up and see someone else with her in the apartment, so she had been expecting Chloe’s response to her comment.
“I haven’t exactly been there for you recently... and I didn’t want to leave you by yourself.”
Evie laughed. “Chloe, I’ve been by myself, and right now I’m the furthest I’ve even been from that since you-know-where. Besides, it’s not like we won’t see each other, even if you spend your nights at Oliver’s.” She took a deep breath as they approached the door. “All I ask is what would your answer be if I wasn’t here? Because you’re lying to him and yourself if you think I’m the reason you hesitated.”
~0~
It hadn’t been long since Chloe had been here, the offer still fresh in her mind. There felt like plenty of reasons why she initially said no, but she took a couple hours off work, a trial period by herself, thinking over the decision again.
They were right, she spent as much time here as she could, but she had to hand it to both Evie and Oliver. Despite their obvious opinions, they still pushed Chloe to make her own decision. That’s what brought her to this moment. It was just her, as Oliver was at work for at least three more hours, and she had even called Lauren to make sure that he was still in the office.
She dropped her purse onto his desk, digging through her bag to promptly turn off her phone. Chloe knew, if she was going to do this right, there would be no distractions.
It was a bachelor pad, designed that way, and for a long time, that was the fact of Oliver’s status. Could she make it work here? Could changing their relationship be a good thing?
Listening to her hesitations brought her back to talking with Lois on the same matter not too long ago. It made sense for her and Clark. They had been dating for a lot longer than her and Oliver, that was the justification Chloe had been telling herself, but the more she said it, the less Chloe herself believed it.
Everyone had told her they saw it from day one. Her and Oliver... they were solid. It wasn’t a matter of commitment, as Oliver proved day after day, that he’d be by her side, and Chloe knew she didn’t mind that. So what exactly was scaring her so much?
Lifting her purse and her bags, she headed towards the bedroom, seeing the room she had occupied as a guest so many times. As her bags hit the floor, Chloe sat on the bed, smirking at the way that Oliver’s pillow made an outline of his head. It was hard to believe that in their short time together, they had determined domestic elements like ‘sides,’ and the more Chloe thought about it, Oliver was right, the only thing that was missing was the formality.
He knew how to make her coffee in the morning, Chloe knew his favourite take-out place for when he worked late, and there was always a warm bed to come home to.
Filtering her fingers through her side of the closet, Chloe paused at the word she just associated with this place. Home.
Smirking, she realized... maybe she could do this after all.
~0~
Her clothes were already off, across the room on one of the various hooks in the bathroom. Chloe had honestly forgotten how large this room was, but such is the advantage of being a billionaire, not that her financial state was terrible.
Most of the money she gained from leading Oliver’s company was still present in her accounts, but Chloe was never really about frivolously throwing it away. Sure, donations were given to charities, and it was well known while she was in Star City that she was well-off, but that press died down in Metropolis, as Chloe preferred to save her money for a rainy day, or techno-updates at Watchtower.
Still, when Chloe lived this kind of lifestyle, it was the only time Oliver wasn’t with her, and suddenly a chill went up her spine, causing her to pull the white robe closer to her body. She quickly pushed that reminder away because of how things had turned out. Also because her mind was made up, and she wasn’t about to mess with it.
So Chloe turned around, beginning to untie the knot in the sash, she decided a little phone call to the man in question would prevent her from chickening out. The expression when Chloe turned him down wasn’t one she wanted to see again, and she knew that letting him know that she was here... well, it would be a good way to perk his mood up at work.
Feeling the tie slip through her fingers, she reached up to slip the robe off her shoulders, but her eyes glanced towards the door, a glance that almost caused her to lose her balance. Standing in the doorway was Oliver, cocky grin and all, giving her an appreciative glance. “Please, there’s no reason stop undressing on my account.”
True, he had seen everything that was to see, but Chloe was initially a little apprehensive, so her hand came to her side. “You were supposed to be at work for a couple more hours.”
“I overheard that last part of your conversation with Lauren, told her I changed my mind, but not to call you back.” He had to admit, he enjoyed the camaraderie his assistant and Chloe shared, even if it meant Lauren was tight-lipped on the matter. It didn’t matter, as Oliver put the pieces together himself and he thought about staying at work, but taking off early tended to have positive consequences.
Pushing himself from the doorway, Oliver took a couple steps to enter the bathroom. “So what are you doing here?” He came to the clocktower, expecting to surprise her, but Chloe surprised him first, as he noticed the suitcases in his bedroom. Except Oliver had a feeling that it wouldn’t just be his for very long.
“About to have a bath,” Chloe replied before suggestively raising her eyebrow. “You care to join me?”
Initially, Oliver couldn’t tell if Chloe was trying to persuade him that she had changed her mind, or she was trying to distract him as she pushed the bathrobe off both her shoulders. The movement caused the material to lay loose on her arms, her cleavage more visible to his eyes. But Oliver pried his eyes up. “I can see that, and while I fully intend on joining, that wasn’t what I meant.”
Taking a step closer, Chloe tried to read Oliver’s expression, wondering if that meant what she thought. It didn’t long for her to realize it did. “I talked to Evie about... us... and she insisted that I needed to really think about the offer.” She didn’t find it necessary to tell Oliver about his lack of subtlety.
Oliver nodded, reaching his hand forward to cradle the side of her head. “Something you want to tell me?”
“You were right,” she replied, her breathing heavy. They had been together long enough that Oliver’s proximity shouldn’t have this kind of effect on Chloe, but he did, so as he tangled his fingertips in her hair, she couldn’t help but shut her eyes. “I think I was scared it was too fast, not that I doubt what we have.” She sighed, knowing how it sounded, but wanting to be honest, clear. “But the moment I got here, I decided to have a couple hours to myself, figure out if I could handle it, being here.”
Oliver grinned, glad to hear that she was coming around to the idea, but it sounded like she still needed time to make her decision. “In that case, I can make myself scarce.” He wasn’t about to mess this up by rushing her, so he started to turn, but he felt Chloe grab his wrist in order to impede his progress.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but last I checked,” Chloe stated, suggestively glancing back towards the tub, “you’re part of the package.”
Next thing Oliver knew, Chloe had untucked his shirt from his slacks, sliding her hands underneath it to feel his skin on her fingertips. It was clear that any intention that Oliver had of leaving went out the window, as even his words were limited.
“I am.”
Chloe couldn’t help but smirk at the way Oliver looked at her right now. There really was something great about having someone love her as much as she loved him. “And I think,” she whispered as she leaned on her tiptoes to be closer to him. “You might be the difference maker in this decision.”
With that, Oliver had enough as he closed the remaining distance between them, kissing Chloe hard on the lips as he worked her back towards the bathtub. It didn’t take long for the bathrobe to fall from her arms, nor did it take much longer for Chloe to work off Oliver’s jacket and tie.
Once she got to his shirt, buttons were lost haphazardly, but Oliver couldn’t care less. Moving his lips from hers, he eyed Chloe’s naked form in front of him. “So I’m clear,” he asked, not wanting to ruin the mood, but still wanting to be sure, “You are moving in?”
At that moment, Chloe had finished with Oliver's belt, and she couldn’t resist a laugh when she heard that question, as she thought she had been clear. But if needed more convincing then so be it. She thought about undoing his pants, but instead, she decided to palm him over his pants, feel the reaction she made him feel. Sure enough, his length twitched as she slightly moved her hands over his crotch.
Looking up, she teased him with a spark in her eye. “What do you think Oliver?”
She felt Oliver move her hand away from him and before she could say anything further, Chloe felt her feet leave the ground. “I think,” he replied before kissing Chloe, “That bath might have to wait.”
November 30
As Lois opened her eyes, she took in the semi-familiar surroundings. She was back at her old apartment, the one she shared with Chloe and Evie, except she had no idea how she got here.
The room was dark, which wasn’t a surprise considering there were no windows in their bedroom, but it seemed to be still very early in the morning, a fact confirmed by the glowing light on the alarm clock. 5:30 a.m. A couple of hours ago, Lois was meeting a source and then... well, it was hazy now.
The door creaked open, and Evie came in with a smile. “Good to see you up again.”
Lois momentarily smiled back as she looked down at herself. Still wearing the clothes she was earlier, and overall, she seemed to be in okay shape. That, and Evie was calm, but still seemed to be harbouring something. “How did I get here exactly?”
“The short version,” Evie replied, flipping the light switch before sitting down on the bed across from Lois, “I followed you.”
“Why?”
“Because you went against your boyfriend’s word and ran down a lead.” Evie watched Lois’ eyes widen, but she couldn’t back down on this. Evie had to stress at the dangers of the situation she had saved Lois from. “On a story that Tess knows nothing about, nor Clark, nor any one for that matter.”
Lois nodded, and then looked up towards the door. If Evie called Clark, it would take seconds for him to get here, and honestly, Lois wanted to get this whole thing over with. “Where is he?”
Evie just smirked. Sure, Clark was the one that told Evie to look after Lois, but her attackers were in jail, and Lois was fine. As far as Evie was concerned, what he wouldn’t know, wouldn’t hurt him. “He has no idea what happened, and I’m willing to keep that way.”
“If...”
“If you tell me what had you at Suicide Slums at two in the morning,” Evie quickly finished. She knew Lois enough to know she’d be out on the streets again if she didn’t get what she wanted. If Evie could help it, she was hoping to persuade Lois to take another story, or at the very least, maybe even help her before Lois did get hurt.
But Lois wasn’t really up to answering that just yet. It didn’t make sense, as Lois always ensured to check over her shoulder for anyone tailing her. If Evie had been following her, Lois would have liked to think she would have noticed. “How did you find me?”
For Evie, that answer was easy. If Clark was worried, then Suicide Slums would usually be the target destination. She had Victor run the tracker Clark had planted on her phone, and from there, it was cake. But Lois couldn’t find out about that. “I’ll answer that question if you answer mine.” Evie had to be firm on this, to know what Lois was getting herself into.
Lois shrugged as she got out of bed. It seemed like they were at a standstill, but she wasn’t about to budge just yet. “It was a hunch at best before... but it’s nothing more than a dead end now.” Figuring that was enough, she gestured towards Evie. “Your turn.”
“Lois.” But when Lois wasn’t giving more details, Evie came clean. Someone had to.
~0~
When Evie agreed to keep an eye on Lois, she just thought Clark was being paranoid. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch. But it appeared that he had a rational reason to be worried. Initially, she had been caught off-guard when he asked her of all people to keep an eye on Lois, but apparently Clark had been impressed by the way she hid behind the scenes.
She kept a two-block distance, but once Lois had turned down an alley, it took Evie everything she had not to groan aloud. Alley, early morning or late night depending on the definition, alone... come on Lois. Last time Evie heard about an incident like this regarding Lois, she was in Star City General Hospital, nursing a nasty concussion.
Evie walked closer, eventually within earshot. Lois asked a man what information he had for her, in reply, the man said enough to link it to the source. Evie missed whatever Lois said back thanks to the beginning of a struggle, so Evie turned her head around the corner.
Two guys, okay, this was doable.
Turning the corner, Evie pulled her gun, took a minute to aim, and fired away. Perfect shots, it seems that all her practice with Riley at the safehouse paid off after all. Granted, she hated real guns, hence the tranquilizer gun in her hand now. Good thing, because she had shot Lois by accident too. So now she had to carry her home... great.
~0~
Lois stood there, her mouth gaping open by the second. Evie looked like she still had more to say, but Lois blurted, “You carried me home?”
“Dragged is more like it.” Evie brought her hand up to her shoulder, which was still hurting after the multiple blocks she had to go in order to get to her car. “You really could lay off the maple doughnuts.”
Lois snorted. “Well, you didn’t have to shoot me.”
“I didn’t have to tell you anything, but I did.” Remaining on the bed, Evie crossed her arms. “So what’s the story?”
Staring back for a minute, Lois sighed. It seemed that she wasn’t getting out of this without at least telling someone. “The shooting in the Slums last week...it’s a cover-up for something.”
Evie had heard the story, but it had seemed fairly cut and dry. Then again, things always were more than what they seemed, but she chose to ignore it. She had enough going on as it was. “How?”
Lois walked over to her bag, pulled out a file folder and laid it on the bed where Evie was sitting. “I got Emil to run a favour for me and he agreed to run the autopsy. There was no victim, because the guy had been dead for years.”
That caught Evie’s attention. “Who was the victim?” She turned around on the bed and read the name on the folder, answering her own question. “That’s... not possible.”
“Evie... you know this guy?” Lois lowered herself to meet her friend’s eyes, trying to understand the change in her expression. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, maybe Evie was the break she was looking for. “The file on the guy is little to nil, but he was kidnapped or something.”
Swallowing hard in response, Evie realized that she forgot to fill in Lois on that little detail of her past. “Or shot dead at a 33.1 facility.”
If this meant what Lois thought it did, this clearly wasn’t good. “Is that linked to... you?”
Evie didn’t even bothering answering that directly as she took the folder into her hands, trying to figure out why now. Lex was trying to send a message, he was trying to reach out to her, to see if she really was still alive. It seemed like patrolling would have to wait even longer now. Seeing the picture in front of her, Evie smoothed her fingers down it, breaking her silence. “I can’t believe they held onto that body for all this time.”
Lois sat down behind Evie, reading the details in the folder again over Evie’s shoulder. “Meaning?”
Taking a deep breath, Evie slammed the folder shut and pushed it aside. Shifting her body to face Lois straight-on, she divulged more of her past. “Meaning that he betrayed LuthorCorp... he’s the reason I got out. Well, him and Victor sacrificing himself before Clark got him out.”
“You probably want me to drop the story, I take it.” It was a solid lead, but not one Lois was looking for. It wasn’t like she could dig into this, and she wasn’t about to risk Evie’s nor Victor’s safety in doing so.
Evie smiled. “I was going to ask, yes.” Her eyes looked downward as she added, “People digging around in my past... only gets them hurt.” Messing with her past, trying to shut down Lex, it's what allowed her to get on Lex's radar in the first place. A simple deed with the right intentions brought her back to the days of living as if she was walking on eggshells.
Reaching out to touch her friend’s shoulder, Lois said, “For what it’s worth... thanks. You’re a really good friend.” Regardless of her methods, Evie likely saved Lois from a bad situation. It may not have been the news she wanted to hear, but at least it was Lois covering it. If this cover-up did go public, things had a chance to go from bad to worse from her.
“You too Lois.” After all, it wasn’t everyday that someone was willing to drop a potential Pulitzer piece for a friend.
December
serafina19
Title: Fighting Echoes
Summary: As identities and affiliations are exposed, the Justice League begins to form. But once an old foe re-emerges and raises the stakes, Evie is forced to determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect everyone she cares about. Sequel to “Notbroken,” and the final multi-chapter in the "Calendar Girl" verse.
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Coarse language, violence and adult content.
Special thanks to:
552158 for the amazing banners that I couldn’t stop admiring when you sent them to me. Also, big love to
slytherinpunk, without you, I probably wouldn’t have the guts to try this.
August part 1 August part 2 September part 1 September part 2 October part 1 October part 2 October part 3 November part 1
November 28
Leaning his forehead against Chloe’s, Oliver said through his panting. “Thanks for helping me clean up.”
Chloe chuckled, staring at their current state of attire, or rather, their lack of it. “That’s what we were doing?” It had started that way, but somewhere along the way, it had lead to a couple of rounds on the countertop, and a grateful Chloe for the fact the counter was clean.
But Oliver just grinned back at her as he backed away slowly. “We may have gotten a little sidetracked.”
“Hold the little, Ollie.” Chloe got off the counter and began to gather her clothes that were scattered on the floor. “I think we broke a couple plates.”
Oliver slipped his shirt over his head before looking at the floor, which suggested that Chloe was right. But it wasn’t a big deal, so Oliver just shrugged. “I can afford more.”
“Well, that might be true,” Chloe replied as she adjusted her shirt against her body. Straightening up her hair as best as she could, she walked towards Oliver, kissed him lightly, so she didn’t start anything more than what they had already done, and backed away to walk to the elevator. “But I really should be going.”
Finding her purse nearby, Chloe began filtering through it to find her keys. But by the time she found them, she felt Oliver wrap his arms around her waist, whispering in her ear. “No reason you have to go.”
His seductive tone echoed in her ear, and it didn’t help that Oliver soon lowered his head to kiss a sensitive spot behind her ear. Initially, Chloe had leaned towards him, feeling the constant warmth that exuded from his skin. Part of her wanted to stay, knowing that it wouldn’t hurt, but she found the strength to pull away. “I have to spend at least some nights at my apartment.”
“Or you could just move in?” The moment that came out, Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, tempted to smack his forehead if his hands were in a different position. “I just said that aloud didn’t I?” He had been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, but this was far from the way he wanted to ask Chloe.
Chloe nodded, almost grateful that she was facing away from him. To be honest, she hadn’t been expecting that question. “Better question is... did you mean it?” She took a deep breath and turned around slowly, the answer clear in Oliver’s expression.
“If you think about it, it’s more along the lines of making it official. You spend most of your time here anyway.” That was the rationale behind the offer, but Chloe’s expression hadn’t changed. She seemed nervous, confused maybe. Regardless of the mood, her answer was the same. “But you prefer it the way it is.”
“It’s not you... it’s...” It seemed sudden, or something. Chloe couldn’t exactly phrase what she as feeling so she blurted the first thing she thought of. “I’m worried about Evie.”
It was a flimsy excuse, and one that had nothing to do with his offer, but there was truth to it. Since Evie revealed everything, Chloe hadn’t been around much lately, and while Evie understood and didn’t want Chloe to put her life on hold, that didn’t make what she was doing better. “She’s...helped me through so much, I feel like I need to... especially with Lois moving out recently...”
Oliver watched her stumble through her words, but the message was clear. “I get it,” he said sincerely, and saw how Chloe’s eyes flickered up. Stepping towards her, he gave Chloe a quick grin. “But the offer’s open.”
Chloe nodded as she took a couple paces forward, hoping to spin everything in a positive direction. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” Oliver gave her a quick kiss, and added as he backed away. He knew that she meant it too, as even though Chloe always seemed to hesitate at any turn of a relationship, she was always honest, and did what she thought was best. It was also why Oliver knew that everything was okay, as her answer wasn’t a permanent No. She just needed time, and Oliver was fine with that. “Drive safe.”
~0~
And with that, Metro Cafe had survived another lunchtime rush. Looking around, Evie noticed that the store was in serious need of stocking, so she turned to head to the back, but was stopped by the familiar bell chime. Looking up, Evie smiled at the person coming inside the cafe. “My favourite customer.”
Chloe grinned back as she approached the counter. “Hey.”
“The usual?”
Giving her answer in the form of a shrug, Chloe replied, “What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.”
That Chloe definitely was, and of more than one habit at that. There was one in particular that Evie had to talk to her about. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
Pulling out some cash from her wallet, Chloe paid Evie’s co-worker at the till before replying, “Not at all.”
“Hold on a sec...” Evie finished making Chloe’s drink, passed it to her, and then headed around the counter. She was probably due for a break anyway, as she sat down at a nearby table. After Chloe sat across from her, Evie knew that she was about to meddle with her personal life, but it had to be said. “I know this is on the down-low, but when it comes to you... your boyfriend is the furthest from subtle with me.”
Chloe narrowed her eyes, as that wasn’t a question, far from it. “Sorry, I feel like I’m missing something.”
She was, and Evie was more than willing to fill in the blanks. She knew exactly what her friend was doing, and Evie wanted to set her straight. “Without actually asking me, Oliver pretty much wanted my permission for you to move in.”
Chloe had opened her mouth to interject, but Evie quickly held up her hand to stop her from talking. “Don’t even try to suggest that this is a new idea for you… I may have stepped over some proverbial line, but it was only because I knew Oliver was thinking about asking you soon.”
“When did he ask you?”
“Last week,” Evie replied, reminded of how Oliver had come in to buy coffee for Chloe, as he never drank the stuff himself. “I think he knew that I was an obstacle to you saying yes, and honestly, I thought he was crazy... until you came home last night.”
The only reason Evie even heard her come home was due to her ability. She always saw herself as a light sleeper, keeping an ear out for any strange noises, but all the while, appearing completely asleep. That particular skill had come in handy once Evie got it under control, in particular, Evie’s first New Year’s Eve with Chloe and Oliver.
The morning may have had its negative ramifications, but the grin on her face when she heard them wish each other a happy new year was pretty wide. Sure, Evie had genuinely fallen asleep soon after, alcohol did that to a person, but the gesture had been worth it.
This time, Chloe came back to the apartment almost silent. These days, it was rare for Evie to wake up and see someone else with her in the apartment, so she had been expecting Chloe’s response to her comment.
“I haven’t exactly been there for you recently... and I didn’t want to leave you by yourself.”
Evie laughed. “Chloe, I’ve been by myself, and right now I’m the furthest I’ve even been from that since you-know-where. Besides, it’s not like we won’t see each other, even if you spend your nights at Oliver’s.” She took a deep breath as they approached the door. “All I ask is what would your answer be if I wasn’t here? Because you’re lying to him and yourself if you think I’m the reason you hesitated.”
~0~
It hadn’t been long since Chloe had been here, the offer still fresh in her mind. There felt like plenty of reasons why she initially said no, but she took a couple hours off work, a trial period by herself, thinking over the decision again.
They were right, she spent as much time here as she could, but she had to hand it to both Evie and Oliver. Despite their obvious opinions, they still pushed Chloe to make her own decision. That’s what brought her to this moment. It was just her, as Oliver was at work for at least three more hours, and she had even called Lauren to make sure that he was still in the office.
She dropped her purse onto his desk, digging through her bag to promptly turn off her phone. Chloe knew, if she was going to do this right, there would be no distractions.
It was a bachelor pad, designed that way, and for a long time, that was the fact of Oliver’s status. Could she make it work here? Could changing their relationship be a good thing?
Listening to her hesitations brought her back to talking with Lois on the same matter not too long ago. It made sense for her and Clark. They had been dating for a lot longer than her and Oliver, that was the justification Chloe had been telling herself, but the more she said it, the less Chloe herself believed it.
Everyone had told her they saw it from day one. Her and Oliver... they were solid. It wasn’t a matter of commitment, as Oliver proved day after day, that he’d be by her side, and Chloe knew she didn’t mind that. So what exactly was scaring her so much?
Lifting her purse and her bags, she headed towards the bedroom, seeing the room she had occupied as a guest so many times. As her bags hit the floor, Chloe sat on the bed, smirking at the way that Oliver’s pillow made an outline of his head. It was hard to believe that in their short time together, they had determined domestic elements like ‘sides,’ and the more Chloe thought about it, Oliver was right, the only thing that was missing was the formality.
He knew how to make her coffee in the morning, Chloe knew his favourite take-out place for when he worked late, and there was always a warm bed to come home to.
Filtering her fingers through her side of the closet, Chloe paused at the word she just associated with this place. Home.
Smirking, she realized... maybe she could do this after all.
~0~
Her clothes were already off, across the room on one of the various hooks in the bathroom. Chloe had honestly forgotten how large this room was, but such is the advantage of being a billionaire, not that her financial state was terrible.
Most of the money she gained from leading Oliver’s company was still present in her accounts, but Chloe was never really about frivolously throwing it away. Sure, donations were given to charities, and it was well known while she was in Star City that she was well-off, but that press died down in Metropolis, as Chloe preferred to save her money for a rainy day, or techno-updates at Watchtower.
Still, when Chloe lived this kind of lifestyle, it was the only time Oliver wasn’t with her, and suddenly a chill went up her spine, causing her to pull the white robe closer to her body. She quickly pushed that reminder away because of how things had turned out. Also because her mind was made up, and she wasn’t about to mess with it.
So Chloe turned around, beginning to untie the knot in the sash, she decided a little phone call to the man in question would prevent her from chickening out. The expression when Chloe turned him down wasn’t one she wanted to see again, and she knew that letting him know that she was here... well, it would be a good way to perk his mood up at work.
Feeling the tie slip through her fingers, she reached up to slip the robe off her shoulders, but her eyes glanced towards the door, a glance that almost caused her to lose her balance. Standing in the doorway was Oliver, cocky grin and all, giving her an appreciative glance. “Please, there’s no reason stop undressing on my account.”
True, he had seen everything that was to see, but Chloe was initially a little apprehensive, so her hand came to her side. “You were supposed to be at work for a couple more hours.”
“I overheard that last part of your conversation with Lauren, told her I changed my mind, but not to call you back.” He had to admit, he enjoyed the camaraderie his assistant and Chloe shared, even if it meant Lauren was tight-lipped on the matter. It didn’t matter, as Oliver put the pieces together himself and he thought about staying at work, but taking off early tended to have positive consequences.
Pushing himself from the doorway, Oliver took a couple steps to enter the bathroom. “So what are you doing here?” He came to the clocktower, expecting to surprise her, but Chloe surprised him first, as he noticed the suitcases in his bedroom. Except Oliver had a feeling that it wouldn’t just be his for very long.
“About to have a bath,” Chloe replied before suggestively raising her eyebrow. “You care to join me?”
Initially, Oliver couldn’t tell if Chloe was trying to persuade him that she had changed her mind, or she was trying to distract him as she pushed the bathrobe off both her shoulders. The movement caused the material to lay loose on her arms, her cleavage more visible to his eyes. But Oliver pried his eyes up. “I can see that, and while I fully intend on joining, that wasn’t what I meant.”
Taking a step closer, Chloe tried to read Oliver’s expression, wondering if that meant what she thought. It didn’t long for her to realize it did. “I talked to Evie about... us... and she insisted that I needed to really think about the offer.” She didn’t find it necessary to tell Oliver about his lack of subtlety.
Oliver nodded, reaching his hand forward to cradle the side of her head. “Something you want to tell me?”
“You were right,” she replied, her breathing heavy. They had been together long enough that Oliver’s proximity shouldn’t have this kind of effect on Chloe, but he did, so as he tangled his fingertips in her hair, she couldn’t help but shut her eyes. “I think I was scared it was too fast, not that I doubt what we have.” She sighed, knowing how it sounded, but wanting to be honest, clear. “But the moment I got here, I decided to have a couple hours to myself, figure out if I could handle it, being here.”
Oliver grinned, glad to hear that she was coming around to the idea, but it sounded like she still needed time to make her decision. “In that case, I can make myself scarce.” He wasn’t about to mess this up by rushing her, so he started to turn, but he felt Chloe grab his wrist in order to impede his progress.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but last I checked,” Chloe stated, suggestively glancing back towards the tub, “you’re part of the package.”
Next thing Oliver knew, Chloe had untucked his shirt from his slacks, sliding her hands underneath it to feel his skin on her fingertips. It was clear that any intention that Oliver had of leaving went out the window, as even his words were limited.
“I am.”
Chloe couldn’t help but smirk at the way Oliver looked at her right now. There really was something great about having someone love her as much as she loved him. “And I think,” she whispered as she leaned on her tiptoes to be closer to him. “You might be the difference maker in this decision.”
With that, Oliver had enough as he closed the remaining distance between them, kissing Chloe hard on the lips as he worked her back towards the bathtub. It didn’t take long for the bathrobe to fall from her arms, nor did it take much longer for Chloe to work off Oliver’s jacket and tie.
Once she got to his shirt, buttons were lost haphazardly, but Oliver couldn’t care less. Moving his lips from hers, he eyed Chloe’s naked form in front of him. “So I’m clear,” he asked, not wanting to ruin the mood, but still wanting to be sure, “You are moving in?”
At that moment, Chloe had finished with Oliver's belt, and she couldn’t resist a laugh when she heard that question, as she thought she had been clear. But if needed more convincing then so be it. She thought about undoing his pants, but instead, she decided to palm him over his pants, feel the reaction she made him feel. Sure enough, his length twitched as she slightly moved her hands over his crotch.
Looking up, she teased him with a spark in her eye. “What do you think Oliver?”
She felt Oliver move her hand away from him and before she could say anything further, Chloe felt her feet leave the ground. “I think,” he replied before kissing Chloe, “That bath might have to wait.”
November 30
As Lois opened her eyes, she took in the semi-familiar surroundings. She was back at her old apartment, the one she shared with Chloe and Evie, except she had no idea how she got here.
The room was dark, which wasn’t a surprise considering there were no windows in their bedroom, but it seemed to be still very early in the morning, a fact confirmed by the glowing light on the alarm clock. 5:30 a.m. A couple of hours ago, Lois was meeting a source and then... well, it was hazy now.
The door creaked open, and Evie came in with a smile. “Good to see you up again.”
Lois momentarily smiled back as she looked down at herself. Still wearing the clothes she was earlier, and overall, she seemed to be in okay shape. That, and Evie was calm, but still seemed to be harbouring something. “How did I get here exactly?”
“The short version,” Evie replied, flipping the light switch before sitting down on the bed across from Lois, “I followed you.”
“Why?”
“Because you went against your boyfriend’s word and ran down a lead.” Evie watched Lois’ eyes widen, but she couldn’t back down on this. Evie had to stress at the dangers of the situation she had saved Lois from. “On a story that Tess knows nothing about, nor Clark, nor any one for that matter.”
Lois nodded, and then looked up towards the door. If Evie called Clark, it would take seconds for him to get here, and honestly, Lois wanted to get this whole thing over with. “Where is he?”
Evie just smirked. Sure, Clark was the one that told Evie to look after Lois, but her attackers were in jail, and Lois was fine. As far as Evie was concerned, what he wouldn’t know, wouldn’t hurt him. “He has no idea what happened, and I’m willing to keep that way.”
“If...”
“If you tell me what had you at Suicide Slums at two in the morning,” Evie quickly finished. She knew Lois enough to know she’d be out on the streets again if she didn’t get what she wanted. If Evie could help it, she was hoping to persuade Lois to take another story, or at the very least, maybe even help her before Lois did get hurt.
But Lois wasn’t really up to answering that just yet. It didn’t make sense, as Lois always ensured to check over her shoulder for anyone tailing her. If Evie had been following her, Lois would have liked to think she would have noticed. “How did you find me?”
For Evie, that answer was easy. If Clark was worried, then Suicide Slums would usually be the target destination. She had Victor run the tracker Clark had planted on her phone, and from there, it was cake. But Lois couldn’t find out about that. “I’ll answer that question if you answer mine.” Evie had to be firm on this, to know what Lois was getting herself into.
Lois shrugged as she got out of bed. It seemed like they were at a standstill, but she wasn’t about to budge just yet. “It was a hunch at best before... but it’s nothing more than a dead end now.” Figuring that was enough, she gestured towards Evie. “Your turn.”
“Lois.” But when Lois wasn’t giving more details, Evie came clean. Someone had to.
~0~
When Evie agreed to keep an eye on Lois, she just thought Clark was being paranoid. It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch. But it appeared that he had a rational reason to be worried. Initially, she had been caught off-guard when he asked her of all people to keep an eye on Lois, but apparently Clark had been impressed by the way she hid behind the scenes.
She kept a two-block distance, but once Lois had turned down an alley, it took Evie everything she had not to groan aloud. Alley, early morning or late night depending on the definition, alone... come on Lois. Last time Evie heard about an incident like this regarding Lois, she was in Star City General Hospital, nursing a nasty concussion.
Evie walked closer, eventually within earshot. Lois asked a man what information he had for her, in reply, the man said enough to link it to the source. Evie missed whatever Lois said back thanks to the beginning of a struggle, so Evie turned her head around the corner.
Two guys, okay, this was doable.
Turning the corner, Evie pulled her gun, took a minute to aim, and fired away. Perfect shots, it seems that all her practice with Riley at the safehouse paid off after all. Granted, she hated real guns, hence the tranquilizer gun in her hand now. Good thing, because she had shot Lois by accident too. So now she had to carry her home... great.
~0~
Lois stood there, her mouth gaping open by the second. Evie looked like she still had more to say, but Lois blurted, “You carried me home?”
“Dragged is more like it.” Evie brought her hand up to her shoulder, which was still hurting after the multiple blocks she had to go in order to get to her car. “You really could lay off the maple doughnuts.”
Lois snorted. “Well, you didn’t have to shoot me.”
“I didn’t have to tell you anything, but I did.” Remaining on the bed, Evie crossed her arms. “So what’s the story?”
Staring back for a minute, Lois sighed. It seemed that she wasn’t getting out of this without at least telling someone. “The shooting in the Slums last week...it’s a cover-up for something.”
Evie had heard the story, but it had seemed fairly cut and dry. Then again, things always were more than what they seemed, but she chose to ignore it. She had enough going on as it was. “How?”
Lois walked over to her bag, pulled out a file folder and laid it on the bed where Evie was sitting. “I got Emil to run a favour for me and he agreed to run the autopsy. There was no victim, because the guy had been dead for years.”
That caught Evie’s attention. “Who was the victim?” She turned around on the bed and read the name on the folder, answering her own question. “That’s... not possible.”
“Evie... you know this guy?” Lois lowered herself to meet her friend’s eyes, trying to understand the change in her expression. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, maybe Evie was the break she was looking for. “The file on the guy is little to nil, but he was kidnapped or something.”
Swallowing hard in response, Evie realized that she forgot to fill in Lois on that little detail of her past. “Or shot dead at a 33.1 facility.”
If this meant what Lois thought it did, this clearly wasn’t good. “Is that linked to... you?”
Evie didn’t even bothering answering that directly as she took the folder into her hands, trying to figure out why now. Lex was trying to send a message, he was trying to reach out to her, to see if she really was still alive. It seemed like patrolling would have to wait even longer now. Seeing the picture in front of her, Evie smoothed her fingers down it, breaking her silence. “I can’t believe they held onto that body for all this time.”
Lois sat down behind Evie, reading the details in the folder again over Evie’s shoulder. “Meaning?”
Taking a deep breath, Evie slammed the folder shut and pushed it aside. Shifting her body to face Lois straight-on, she divulged more of her past. “Meaning that he betrayed LuthorCorp... he’s the reason I got out. Well, him and Victor sacrificing himself before Clark got him out.”
“You probably want me to drop the story, I take it.” It was a solid lead, but not one Lois was looking for. It wasn’t like she could dig into this, and she wasn’t about to risk Evie’s nor Victor’s safety in doing so.
Evie smiled. “I was going to ask, yes.” Her eyes looked downward as she added, “People digging around in my past... only gets them hurt.” Messing with her past, trying to shut down Lex, it's what allowed her to get on Lex's radar in the first place. A simple deed with the right intentions brought her back to the days of living as if she was walking on eggshells.
Reaching out to touch her friend’s shoulder, Lois said, “For what it’s worth... thanks. You’re a really good friend.” Regardless of her methods, Evie likely saved Lois from a bad situation. It may not have been the news she wanted to hear, but at least it was Lois covering it. If this cover-up did go public, things had a chance to go from bad to worse from her.
“You too Lois.” After all, it wasn’t everyday that someone was willing to drop a potential Pulitzer piece for a friend.
December