The Longer You Run (19/28)
Author: serafina19
Title: The Longer You Run
Summary: On the surface, the only thing that tied together Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen was a story. But behind closed doors was an accidental relationship that unintentionally changed everything.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language, AU.
Thanks to: aradira for the fabulous banner.
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17
Chapter 18
In all the years he had known Chloe, he had never seen her like this.
Granted, it had been awhile since Matt had seen Chloe in person before the Queen Industries gala, but the difference was easy to see. Professional success always suited her and he was glad to see her smile again. However, Matt knew her enough to know that wasn’t the reason for the extra jump in her step.
There was a part of him that didn’t like recognizing it, that same part of him hoping he was wrong. After all, if there was anything Chloe Sullivan was good at hiding, it was personal happiness. However, despite the time that had passed, Chloe still had similar tells to her days at Met U.
Her relationship status may not have been responsible for those tells, but Matt knew that this time, that was the case. Her smile was heightened just slightly, tension loosened in her shoulders and for once, Chloe seemed relaxed. Impressive considering the last time she had seen Matt in person was mere days after her engagement to Jimmy.
Matt knew that he didn’t take the news well and his own girlfriend deserved better than the guy he was during that period. After the runaway wedding, he wanted to reach out, tell Chloe how sorry he was, but he knew better because his intentions weren’t exactly pure. In a way, Matt knew that he had to let Chloe go, that their time to be anything more than friends had passed.
However, that lingering what if was hard to bury, especially with her in front of him now, but he had come to understand his place in Chloe’s life. It was actually something he picked up from her after her relationship with Clark. Matt had seen every facet of their friendship, but she had learned to let go, and slowly, he was learning to do the same.
It was for the best, as he was appreciative for the time they got to spend together while he was in Metropolis, including the usual trip to see Mrs. Sullivan in her care home. It never ceased to amaze Matt how much Chloe took care of her mother, but he realized they could probably use a moment alone, so he rose from his chair.
“Mrs. Sullivan,” he said once Chloe stopped speaking, “It was wonderful to see you again. I’ll try to make my next visit a little sooner.” He shook her hand and then left the room after giving Chloe a knowing look.
He walked over the window, seeing the car that had taken both of them here. It had actually shocked him to see her pull up to his hotel with it, but he was glad she allowed him to help. After a minute, he heard footsteps behind him, so Matt turned and said, “I didn’t intend to rush you.”
“No, it’s okay, I’ve been visiting her a lot lately.” Chloe smiled as she gestured her head down the hallway. "This is probably the most people she’s seen in awhile.”
“Who else has come to visit?”
Chloe’s mouth widened, as she slowly realized her earlier slip. “I, um, she met Oliver last week.”
“Oh,” Matt replied, trying to contain his surprise.
“With the press,” Chloe said quickly, “I figured it was time to tell my side of the story to her...and he was willing.”
Matt nodded, but even she knew that he recognized her lie. There was no way that Chloe would bend to media pressure when it came to her mother. However, it wasn’t his place to call her on it, especially considering how often Chloe over-thought things. The fact that Oliver was alright with seeing Chloe’s mother alone spoke volumes, but knowing Chloe, and what little he knew about their relationship, what that meant for them was likely murky at best.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Matt gave her a quick grin before turning his head to stare ahead. “Well, your mother looks great Chloe.”
Grateful for the shift in conversation, Chloe shrugged. “She’s holding on I guess. At this point I’m just grateful she’s okay.” Her hand rustled in her purse, trying to find what she was looking for before they reached the reception desk. “Before we go for coffee, I just have to drop off my cheque, do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
Chloe smiled as she pulled the cheque out, dropping it on the desk upon arrival. “Hey Nora, I know I’m a couple days late for my payment, but things have been crazy lately.”
"We get it, Chloe, no worries." Nora typed away on the keyboard, pulling up Chloe's file, surprised by what she saw. “Except you've already paid in full for the next three months.”
There was no way that was true, because even though Chloe had balanced a better number of stories lately, she didn't have that much cash hanging around. “Are you sure?”
Turning the monitor so Chloe could see it, Nora pointed to a date on the screen. “Says here you paid last week.”
And then suddenly, everything made sense. What the hell was he thinking? She didn't need his money, she never wanted his money.
“Chloe,” Matt asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah," Chloe lied, "everything’s fine.” Except after a quick breath, she broke from the desk to practically race out of the building to her car, unaware of the footsteps that followed her.
She unlocked her car doors, ready to leave, but as she opened the door, another hand reached out to close it. “I know what you’re thinking,” Matt said, leaning down to see her eyes, “and there’s -”
“Matt, this is something you won’t understand,” Chloe interjected, not wanting to hear how he would rationalize it because she had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before she heard another excuse. She didn’t need to hear this one. “Please... let me handle it.”
Stepping back, Matt shrugged, knowing that there was no way he was going to convince Chloe to do the same. “I’ll take a cab back to my hotel, but...take it easy on him.” Because Matt knew all too well what it took to convince Chloe to take money from someone who came from money. It took years for her to be comfortable with it, and even when she was, it took a healthy amount of convincing. The car that stood between them now was proof enough of that fact.
He watched her try to smile, but instead of following through, she shook her head before opening her car door once more. “Not this time, Matt.” Getting inside, Chloe did up her seatbelt and turned the key in the ignition. “Not this time.”
She backed the car out of the parking stall and drove down the aisle, not surprised to see her friend still looking at her car as she drove away. Matt wanted to help, as he probably understood more than everyone else, but Chloe couldn’t explain the true situation between her and Oliver.
She couldn’t explain that all this started from an ill-advised one-night-stand, only to turn into a casual arrangement that had spiraled out of control into something Chloe didn’t even know how to define. Somewhere along the line, Oliver had come to mean something to her and that’s why finding out about this stung more than it should.
It wasn’t his intention, Chloe knew that, as she knew that Oliver’s intentions were in the right place, but she couldn’t let him do this anymore. All this time, Oliver had never dared pull a stunt like this and Chloe always figured that was because he understood her. Something was wrong, something had to be.
Of course, there was a chance that maybe she was wrong, but Chloe knew that they had been on this slippery slope for awhile and Oliver had to know that he had done enough. The recommendations, the fancy parties, the introductions were tolerable and slightly understandable after the whole world found out. But money only complicated matters, especially considering what this arrangement was supposed to be. It didn’t help that there was a small part of Chloe that felt as if her career was based on what he gave her.
Pulling into the parking garage, Chloe paused as she sat in her car, knowing she wasn’t past the point of no-return yet, but her curiosity, her need to know the truth, would always win out. But with each step she took after leaving her car, her feet felt like weights, knowing she was overreacting to something that was supposed to be a blessing.
Now inside the elevator, Chloe’s fingers hovered over the numbers to enter the passcode, her brain foggy as she glanced up the camera. She prayed he wasn’t watching her right now, as the pain on her face was apparent, trying to understand why he would do this.
Stepping forward, Chloe leaned her head down to lean against the elevator wall, her fingers finally entering the code. Her chest tightened, knowing that she hadn’t seen him since that day, as Queen Industries took over his life with all of the new projects coming to light soon, so beneath all of the anger was anticipation to see him.
Her eyes closed as she visualized all of the good he had brought to her life. Oliver was one of the few that always let her decide, and he let her live the way she wanted to. He never judged her and he never pitied her, he was just... there.
You could let this go, she thought. He’s only trying to help you, so for once in your life, let him without a fight.
It wasn’t like he bought her a car or a mansion, just a few hospital payments, but Chloe knew this was another slippery slope that she had to avoid. As much as she doubted the woman she was in this arrangement, this was something she knew. Shirts and clothing were one thing because Oliver was smart about it., but Chloe wasn’t this woman, she wasn’t this person who wanted people to fight her battles for her. Accepting his first cheque was enough and as much as Chloe wanted to pretend she never found out, she knew that she couldn’t as the elevator harshly stopped.
Lifting her head, Chloe fisted her hand around the gate, pulling it back slowly. She had only made a few steps inside before she saw Oliver round the corner. “Chloe, hey,” he said, his smile greeting her, often how it usually did. Trying to find her words, Chloe lowered her head once more, not wanting to ruin the good mood he was in, but there was no way to avoid it now. Not helping matters was the fact that he had placed his hands on her waist. "Something wrong?"
Chloe swallowed hard. “Yes,” she whispered, pushing his hands away, trying to build a space buffer once more. “Yes there is.” The terrace soon came into her view, flashbacks of her birthday coming to mind as tears started to form in her eyes. "You know, I actually believed you when you said that you were going to the bathroom. I never thought -" Her voice stopped abruptly as she turned her head to face him. “I thought I was pretty clear when I said that I wasn’t interested in your money… that I didn’t need any financial help from you.”
He opened his mouth to answer a few times, but she could see that he was a little stunned by how hard she was taking this, something she couldn’t blame him for. Eventually, Oliver finally found his words. “This is something that means a lot to you." Or at least enough to use his money the first time, so instead of getting her something, Oliver put it towards something she wouldn't and couldn't refuse. "Chloe, I just wanted to do something to say thank you.”
Why was going to be the first word out of her mouth, but she stilled when she noticed the suitcases near the elevator. “What’s going on?”
She had asked that question, but by the time the words were spoken, she had answered it in her head. Initially, she hoped that they were Hal's, but they were a lot nicer than the duffel he travelled with and Oliver travelled with only one bag for business trips. That left only one possible conclusion.
“I'm leaving for Star City soon, and... I don’t know when I’ll be back.” He watched as her hand came up towards her face, but Chloe had flinched to control and conceal the reaction. Closing his eyes, Oliver took a shaky breath, knowing this wasn’t the way he wanted to tell her about this. However, he knew that no matter how she found out, it probably wouldn’t have hurt any less. “I’ve been avoiding this as long as I can, but there are things I can’t accomplish through teleconference anymore.”
At least that answered her unspoken question, but all Chloe could do was bite the inside of her lip in response. She always knew a day of this persuasion would come, but it wasn't supposed to feel like a kick to the gut. Her chest wasn’t supposed to feel this heavy. "This... us... it’s over isn’t it?”
He wanted to say no, but they both knew that wasn’t the truth. “It has to be.” It wasn't fair to her, nor was it fair to him to continue the arrangement during the busiest time of his professional career. His departure date had been delayed long enough because he had to handle things with her, and he couldn’t afford to lose focus any longer. Besides, they had started this whole thing with an expiration date, so there was no need to kid themselves and think that today wasn't going to inevitably happen.
That's what Oliver told himself, trying to make himself understand why this had to happen, but there were a thousand other reasons... just not the one he was ready to accept yet.
Chloe nodded, forgetting her previous anger, even the reason behind it as she knew it was time for her to leave. “Okay.”
“But maybe we can still be friends," she heard Oliver call out, resulting in Chloe turning around once more. "You know, phone calls and emails... maybe we could visit each other some time.”
It wasn't much, but he knew it was better than losing her altogether. The distance was going to be tough, but he wanted to know for sure that the personal distance between them had shrunk as well.
“I... think that’s a great idea.” She exhaled loudly, almost out of relief, and the next thing she knew, her feet were moving. Reaching her arms forward, she wrapped them around his back, her head resting on his chest, glad to see him almost immediately respond to the embrace. Squeezing her eyes shut, feeling the tears come, Chloe did her best to hold them back. “I’m... actually going to miss you.”
Oliver laughed lightly as he smoothed his hand through her hair. “This isn’t goodbye you know.”
Chloe wasn’t as sure about that as she backed away, wanting nothing more than to get her emotions in check. She walked towards the elevator, took a look around before her fingers took to the gate. She wanted to run out, but instead, her head dipped.
He stood in his place, watching her pause. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but it was something he had to do. Turning around, Oliver went back to his desk, knowing that there was still a tough road ahead. He expected to hear the gate open, for her to leave, but instead he heard her voice.
"You're allowed to be great, you know."
Oliver looked up from his work, staring at her familiar green eyes. He clucked his tongue against his cheek, which seemed to be enough of a response to her.
Pushing herself from against the gate, Chloe confidently strode towards the desk. "Your parents were great people, no one is arguing that. Queen Industries is an incredible place to work, I can see that and I've only had the one-day tour. Their legacy, your company’s reputation, those aren’t going anywhere."
"Chloe..."
"One day, you have to stop shooting yourself in the foot and let the rest of the world see what I do.” Reaching across the desk, she took his hand in hers, squeezed it tight, but her eyes never left his. “Because you deserve your own legacy, Oliver… and everyone deserves to see who you really are."
Once she stopped speaking, Oliver stared down at their intertwined hands, her words ringing in his ears. "Thank you," he whispered, barely trusting his voice as Chloe had made this encounter even harder than he could have possibly imagined.
She sighed as she matched his gaze downward. "It's what friends are for, right?" Even now, even as they admitted that was what they were, the word made Chloe sick. "Just promise me that you won’t fall back into your old habits."
Turning their hands to hold hers firmly, implying a handshake, Oliver said, "I promise." He had learned plenty while he was with her, but something that he had come to realize was that caring meant more than he thought. Showing that he cared about himself only added to his credibility, the legacy Chloe implied.
She smiled at him, glad to hear the confidence in his voice, but she pulled her hand away, her walls working their way back up. "Well... I'd better get going." After a quick nod, Chloe added, “Safe travels,” before going inside the elevator, little hesitance this time as she pulled the gate open and closed while her eyes faced the back wall.
Oliver leaned back in his chair, knowing that he couldn’t get back to work if he tried. In fact, it only took a few more seconds to get up and walk over to his bags. It wasn’t often Oliver considered himself a coward, but in this case, the shoe fit. He knew he had marked tomorrow on his calendar to leave for almost two weeks, but he never had the heart to tell her the truth.
There wasn’t even a plan to tell her, as Oliver had almost considered skimming over the truth, something he knew wasn’t fair to her, but it hurt less than seeing that look in her eyes. Maybe he could have changed that if he would have been fully honest with her, but Oliver couldn’t do it, even if someone else would object to it.
“How long had you been standing there?” he called out, turning his head over his shoulder to meet eyes with Hal. His friend had come to help him with the move, but Hal was stunned that Chloe never knew Oliver’s plan. Again, he let himself be an idle bystander, but watching Oliver after Chloe left ensured Hal that he couldn’t be that way anymore.
“Long enough to not understand how you’re letting her go,” he finally replied, taking a few steps to enter the room. Oliver had walked back to his desk, looking at one of the many stacks of paper on top of it. “I don’t get it man...she’s what you’ve been waiting for.”
“I know.” It wasn’t the easiest thing for Oliver to say, but there was no way around it. He recognized the surprise on Hal’s face, but that wasn’t going to last once he added, “But she’s destined for better things than this life.” Shuffling a few papers, he closed the folder.
“Don’t you think that’s her decision?”
Oliver shrugged. “No matter how much I want to be selfish... ending things is the only way she will see us as anything other than what we are.”
He had said the words, but Hal could easily see that wasn’t the whole problem. “You’re wrong. There are other ways to do that,” he pointed out, not understanding how his friend was walking around the fact that, “One of those... is telling her the truth.”
“I know this doesn’t make sense, but this really is the only way.” Oliver scoffed as he walked over to where Chloe was standing before, staring at the terrace, knowing she wasn’t the only one with fond memories of that night. There was something truly incredible about it, as after that night, Oliver had a sense of hope that they could keep this going.
However, as their relationship kept becoming more complicated, he realized that staying here wasn’t that easy and asking her if she felt more may not bring the long-term results he wanted. “I know how I feel today, I know how I feel before the storm really starts. With everything in my life, with her career picking up again, things might change, I could fall back to old habits.” Oliver shut his eyes, his throat feeling like it was closing with every word he said. “Hal, I hate saying this, because I want to tell her to come with me, but if I screw up...”
After a deep breath, Oliver braved opening his eyes, the sight in front of him even harder to bear, not that any other place he looked was much better, as he seemed to have a memory of Chloe everywhere. Another reason Oliver knew it was best to leave while the wound was fresh.
“If,” Hal said, recognizing that Oliver was struggling to finish his sentence. “Not when.” For he had seen the way Oliver had changed, the differences in everything he did.
But that wasn’t enough for Oliver. Even if he had never felt this strongly about a woman before, he had been at this point with women before. It never ended well, it never ended in a place where Oliver was proud of himself and he couldn’t bear to add Chloe to that list. “I’d never forgive myself if I hurt her or held her back.”
“And if you’ve done that anyway?” Watching as Oliver finally turned towards him, Hal shrugged. “What if there is no going back from this and she moves on?” As much as Oliver wanted to hold onto Chloe, to be her friend, Hal could see that even Oliver knew better.
“It’ll hurt less now than leading her on,” Oliver replied, knowing that the idea of being just friends seemed a little crazy, but he was willing to try. “If Chloe finds happiness with someone else, then so be it.”
That last sentence left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Oliver didn’t say another word before walking past his friend, not wanting to discuss this anymore. He had a plane to catch tomorrow and he had gone too far to try and salvage what he had already lost.
Chapter 19
Sera's Scribbles: And with that...we begin the final act, which actually scares me the most realism-wise. The good news is once I get the next chapter ready, it should be smoother sailing posting-wise. Little victories right?
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Title: The Longer You Run
Summary: On the surface, the only thing that tied together Chloe Sullivan and Oliver Queen was a story. But behind closed doors was an accidental relationship that unintentionally changed everything.
Rating: NC-17
Warning: adult content, coarse language, AU.
Thanks to: aradira for the fabulous banner.
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17
Chapter 18
In all the years he had known Chloe, he had never seen her like this.
Granted, it had been awhile since Matt had seen Chloe in person before the Queen Industries gala, but the difference was easy to see. Professional success always suited her and he was glad to see her smile again. However, Matt knew her enough to know that wasn’t the reason for the extra jump in her step.
There was a part of him that didn’t like recognizing it, that same part of him hoping he was wrong. After all, if there was anything Chloe Sullivan was good at hiding, it was personal happiness. However, despite the time that had passed, Chloe still had similar tells to her days at Met U.
Her relationship status may not have been responsible for those tells, but Matt knew that this time, that was the case. Her smile was heightened just slightly, tension loosened in her shoulders and for once, Chloe seemed relaxed. Impressive considering the last time she had seen Matt in person was mere days after her engagement to Jimmy.
Matt knew that he didn’t take the news well and his own girlfriend deserved better than the guy he was during that period. After the runaway wedding, he wanted to reach out, tell Chloe how sorry he was, but he knew better because his intentions weren’t exactly pure. In a way, Matt knew that he had to let Chloe go, that their time to be anything more than friends had passed.
However, that lingering what if was hard to bury, especially with her in front of him now, but he had come to understand his place in Chloe’s life. It was actually something he picked up from her after her relationship with Clark. Matt had seen every facet of their friendship, but she had learned to let go, and slowly, he was learning to do the same.
It was for the best, as he was appreciative for the time they got to spend together while he was in Metropolis, including the usual trip to see Mrs. Sullivan in her care home. It never ceased to amaze Matt how much Chloe took care of her mother, but he realized they could probably use a moment alone, so he rose from his chair.
“Mrs. Sullivan,” he said once Chloe stopped speaking, “It was wonderful to see you again. I’ll try to make my next visit a little sooner.” He shook her hand and then left the room after giving Chloe a knowing look.
He walked over the window, seeing the car that had taken both of them here. It had actually shocked him to see her pull up to his hotel with it, but he was glad she allowed him to help. After a minute, he heard footsteps behind him, so Matt turned and said, “I didn’t intend to rush you.”
“No, it’s okay, I’ve been visiting her a lot lately.” Chloe smiled as she gestured her head down the hallway. "This is probably the most people she’s seen in awhile.”
“Who else has come to visit?”
Chloe’s mouth widened, as she slowly realized her earlier slip. “I, um, she met Oliver last week.”
“Oh,” Matt replied, trying to contain his surprise.
“With the press,” Chloe said quickly, “I figured it was time to tell my side of the story to her...and he was willing.”
Matt nodded, but even she knew that he recognized her lie. There was no way that Chloe would bend to media pressure when it came to her mother. However, it wasn’t his place to call her on it, especially considering how often Chloe over-thought things. The fact that Oliver was alright with seeing Chloe’s mother alone spoke volumes, but knowing Chloe, and what little he knew about their relationship, what that meant for them was likely murky at best.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Matt gave her a quick grin before turning his head to stare ahead. “Well, your mother looks great Chloe.”
Grateful for the shift in conversation, Chloe shrugged. “She’s holding on I guess. At this point I’m just grateful she’s okay.” Her hand rustled in her purse, trying to find what she was looking for before they reached the reception desk. “Before we go for coffee, I just have to drop off my cheque, do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
Chloe smiled as she pulled the cheque out, dropping it on the desk upon arrival. “Hey Nora, I know I’m a couple days late for my payment, but things have been crazy lately.”
"We get it, Chloe, no worries." Nora typed away on the keyboard, pulling up Chloe's file, surprised by what she saw. “Except you've already paid in full for the next three months.”
There was no way that was true, because even though Chloe had balanced a better number of stories lately, she didn't have that much cash hanging around. “Are you sure?”
Turning the monitor so Chloe could see it, Nora pointed to a date on the screen. “Says here you paid last week.”
And then suddenly, everything made sense. What the hell was he thinking? She didn't need his money, she never wanted his money.
“Chloe,” Matt asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah," Chloe lied, "everything’s fine.” Except after a quick breath, she broke from the desk to practically race out of the building to her car, unaware of the footsteps that followed her.
She unlocked her car doors, ready to leave, but as she opened the door, another hand reached out to close it. “I know what you’re thinking,” Matt said, leaning down to see her eyes, “and there’s -”
“Matt, this is something you won’t understand,” Chloe interjected, not wanting to hear how he would rationalize it because she had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before she heard another excuse. She didn’t need to hear this one. “Please... let me handle it.”
Stepping back, Matt shrugged, knowing that there was no way he was going to convince Chloe to do the same. “I’ll take a cab back to my hotel, but...take it easy on him.” Because Matt knew all too well what it took to convince Chloe to take money from someone who came from money. It took years for her to be comfortable with it, and even when she was, it took a healthy amount of convincing. The car that stood between them now was proof enough of that fact.
He watched her try to smile, but instead of following through, she shook her head before opening her car door once more. “Not this time, Matt.” Getting inside, Chloe did up her seatbelt and turned the key in the ignition. “Not this time.”
She backed the car out of the parking stall and drove down the aisle, not surprised to see her friend still looking at her car as she drove away. Matt wanted to help, as he probably understood more than everyone else, but Chloe couldn’t explain the true situation between her and Oliver.
She couldn’t explain that all this started from an ill-advised one-night-stand, only to turn into a casual arrangement that had spiraled out of control into something Chloe didn’t even know how to define. Somewhere along the line, Oliver had come to mean something to her and that’s why finding out about this stung more than it should.
It wasn’t his intention, Chloe knew that, as she knew that Oliver’s intentions were in the right place, but she couldn’t let him do this anymore. All this time, Oliver had never dared pull a stunt like this and Chloe always figured that was because he understood her. Something was wrong, something had to be.
Of course, there was a chance that maybe she was wrong, but Chloe knew that they had been on this slippery slope for awhile and Oliver had to know that he had done enough. The recommendations, the fancy parties, the introductions were tolerable and slightly understandable after the whole world found out. But money only complicated matters, especially considering what this arrangement was supposed to be. It didn’t help that there was a small part of Chloe that felt as if her career was based on what he gave her.
Pulling into the parking garage, Chloe paused as she sat in her car, knowing she wasn’t past the point of no-return yet, but her curiosity, her need to know the truth, would always win out. But with each step she took after leaving her car, her feet felt like weights, knowing she was overreacting to something that was supposed to be a blessing.
Now inside the elevator, Chloe’s fingers hovered over the numbers to enter the passcode, her brain foggy as she glanced up the camera. She prayed he wasn’t watching her right now, as the pain on her face was apparent, trying to understand why he would do this.
Stepping forward, Chloe leaned her head down to lean against the elevator wall, her fingers finally entering the code. Her chest tightened, knowing that she hadn’t seen him since that day, as Queen Industries took over his life with all of the new projects coming to light soon, so beneath all of the anger was anticipation to see him.
Her eyes closed as she visualized all of the good he had brought to her life. Oliver was one of the few that always let her decide, and he let her live the way she wanted to. He never judged her and he never pitied her, he was just... there.
You could let this go, she thought. He’s only trying to help you, so for once in your life, let him without a fight.
It wasn’t like he bought her a car or a mansion, just a few hospital payments, but Chloe knew this was another slippery slope that she had to avoid. As much as she doubted the woman she was in this arrangement, this was something she knew. Shirts and clothing were one thing because Oliver was smart about it., but Chloe wasn’t this woman, she wasn’t this person who wanted people to fight her battles for her. Accepting his first cheque was enough and as much as Chloe wanted to pretend she never found out, she knew that she couldn’t as the elevator harshly stopped.
Lifting her head, Chloe fisted her hand around the gate, pulling it back slowly. She had only made a few steps inside before she saw Oliver round the corner. “Chloe, hey,” he said, his smile greeting her, often how it usually did. Trying to find her words, Chloe lowered her head once more, not wanting to ruin the good mood he was in, but there was no way to avoid it now. Not helping matters was the fact that he had placed his hands on her waist. "Something wrong?"
Chloe swallowed hard. “Yes,” she whispered, pushing his hands away, trying to build a space buffer once more. “Yes there is.” The terrace soon came into her view, flashbacks of her birthday coming to mind as tears started to form in her eyes. "You know, I actually believed you when you said that you were going to the bathroom. I never thought -" Her voice stopped abruptly as she turned her head to face him. “I thought I was pretty clear when I said that I wasn’t interested in your money… that I didn’t need any financial help from you.”
He opened his mouth to answer a few times, but she could see that he was a little stunned by how hard she was taking this, something she couldn’t blame him for. Eventually, Oliver finally found his words. “This is something that means a lot to you." Or at least enough to use his money the first time, so instead of getting her something, Oliver put it towards something she wouldn't and couldn't refuse. "Chloe, I just wanted to do something to say thank you.”
Why was going to be the first word out of her mouth, but she stilled when she noticed the suitcases near the elevator. “What’s going on?”
She had asked that question, but by the time the words were spoken, she had answered it in her head. Initially, she hoped that they were Hal's, but they were a lot nicer than the duffel he travelled with and Oliver travelled with only one bag for business trips. That left only one possible conclusion.
“I'm leaving for Star City soon, and... I don’t know when I’ll be back.” He watched as her hand came up towards her face, but Chloe had flinched to control and conceal the reaction. Closing his eyes, Oliver took a shaky breath, knowing this wasn’t the way he wanted to tell her about this. However, he knew that no matter how she found out, it probably wouldn’t have hurt any less. “I’ve been avoiding this as long as I can, but there are things I can’t accomplish through teleconference anymore.”
At least that answered her unspoken question, but all Chloe could do was bite the inside of her lip in response. She always knew a day of this persuasion would come, but it wasn't supposed to feel like a kick to the gut. Her chest wasn’t supposed to feel this heavy. "This... us... it’s over isn’t it?”
He wanted to say no, but they both knew that wasn’t the truth. “It has to be.” It wasn't fair to her, nor was it fair to him to continue the arrangement during the busiest time of his professional career. His departure date had been delayed long enough because he had to handle things with her, and he couldn’t afford to lose focus any longer. Besides, they had started this whole thing with an expiration date, so there was no need to kid themselves and think that today wasn't going to inevitably happen.
That's what Oliver told himself, trying to make himself understand why this had to happen, but there were a thousand other reasons... just not the one he was ready to accept yet.
Chloe nodded, forgetting her previous anger, even the reason behind it as she knew it was time for her to leave. “Okay.”
“But maybe we can still be friends," she heard Oliver call out, resulting in Chloe turning around once more. "You know, phone calls and emails... maybe we could visit each other some time.”
It wasn't much, but he knew it was better than losing her altogether. The distance was going to be tough, but he wanted to know for sure that the personal distance between them had shrunk as well.
“I... think that’s a great idea.” She exhaled loudly, almost out of relief, and the next thing she knew, her feet were moving. Reaching her arms forward, she wrapped them around his back, her head resting on his chest, glad to see him almost immediately respond to the embrace. Squeezing her eyes shut, feeling the tears come, Chloe did her best to hold them back. “I’m... actually going to miss you.”
Oliver laughed lightly as he smoothed his hand through her hair. “This isn’t goodbye you know.”
Chloe wasn’t as sure about that as she backed away, wanting nothing more than to get her emotions in check. She walked towards the elevator, took a look around before her fingers took to the gate. She wanted to run out, but instead, her head dipped.
He stood in his place, watching her pause. It wasn’t what he wanted to do, but it was something he had to do. Turning around, Oliver went back to his desk, knowing that there was still a tough road ahead. He expected to hear the gate open, for her to leave, but instead he heard her voice.
"You're allowed to be great, you know."
Oliver looked up from his work, staring at her familiar green eyes. He clucked his tongue against his cheek, which seemed to be enough of a response to her.
Pushing herself from against the gate, Chloe confidently strode towards the desk. "Your parents were great people, no one is arguing that. Queen Industries is an incredible place to work, I can see that and I've only had the one-day tour. Their legacy, your company’s reputation, those aren’t going anywhere."
"Chloe..."
"One day, you have to stop shooting yourself in the foot and let the rest of the world see what I do.” Reaching across the desk, she took his hand in hers, squeezed it tight, but her eyes never left his. “Because you deserve your own legacy, Oliver… and everyone deserves to see who you really are."
Once she stopped speaking, Oliver stared down at their intertwined hands, her words ringing in his ears. "Thank you," he whispered, barely trusting his voice as Chloe had made this encounter even harder than he could have possibly imagined.
She sighed as she matched his gaze downward. "It's what friends are for, right?" Even now, even as they admitted that was what they were, the word made Chloe sick. "Just promise me that you won’t fall back into your old habits."
Turning their hands to hold hers firmly, implying a handshake, Oliver said, "I promise." He had learned plenty while he was with her, but something that he had come to realize was that caring meant more than he thought. Showing that he cared about himself only added to his credibility, the legacy Chloe implied.
She smiled at him, glad to hear the confidence in his voice, but she pulled her hand away, her walls working their way back up. "Well... I'd better get going." After a quick nod, Chloe added, “Safe travels,” before going inside the elevator, little hesitance this time as she pulled the gate open and closed while her eyes faced the back wall.
Oliver leaned back in his chair, knowing that he couldn’t get back to work if he tried. In fact, it only took a few more seconds to get up and walk over to his bags. It wasn’t often Oliver considered himself a coward, but in this case, the shoe fit. He knew he had marked tomorrow on his calendar to leave for almost two weeks, but he never had the heart to tell her the truth.
There wasn’t even a plan to tell her, as Oliver had almost considered skimming over the truth, something he knew wasn’t fair to her, but it hurt less than seeing that look in her eyes. Maybe he could have changed that if he would have been fully honest with her, but Oliver couldn’t do it, even if someone else would object to it.
“How long had you been standing there?” he called out, turning his head over his shoulder to meet eyes with Hal. His friend had come to help him with the move, but Hal was stunned that Chloe never knew Oliver’s plan. Again, he let himself be an idle bystander, but watching Oliver after Chloe left ensured Hal that he couldn’t be that way anymore.
“Long enough to not understand how you’re letting her go,” he finally replied, taking a few steps to enter the room. Oliver had walked back to his desk, looking at one of the many stacks of paper on top of it. “I don’t get it man...she’s what you’ve been waiting for.”
“I know.” It wasn’t the easiest thing for Oliver to say, but there was no way around it. He recognized the surprise on Hal’s face, but that wasn’t going to last once he added, “But she’s destined for better things than this life.” Shuffling a few papers, he closed the folder.
“Don’t you think that’s her decision?”
Oliver shrugged. “No matter how much I want to be selfish... ending things is the only way she will see us as anything other than what we are.”
He had said the words, but Hal could easily see that wasn’t the whole problem. “You’re wrong. There are other ways to do that,” he pointed out, not understanding how his friend was walking around the fact that, “One of those... is telling her the truth.”
“I know this doesn’t make sense, but this really is the only way.” Oliver scoffed as he walked over to where Chloe was standing before, staring at the terrace, knowing she wasn’t the only one with fond memories of that night. There was something truly incredible about it, as after that night, Oliver had a sense of hope that they could keep this going.
However, as their relationship kept becoming more complicated, he realized that staying here wasn’t that easy and asking her if she felt more may not bring the long-term results he wanted. “I know how I feel today, I know how I feel before the storm really starts. With everything in my life, with her career picking up again, things might change, I could fall back to old habits.” Oliver shut his eyes, his throat feeling like it was closing with every word he said. “Hal, I hate saying this, because I want to tell her to come with me, but if I screw up...”
After a deep breath, Oliver braved opening his eyes, the sight in front of him even harder to bear, not that any other place he looked was much better, as he seemed to have a memory of Chloe everywhere. Another reason Oliver knew it was best to leave while the wound was fresh.
“If,” Hal said, recognizing that Oliver was struggling to finish his sentence. “Not when.” For he had seen the way Oliver had changed, the differences in everything he did.
But that wasn’t enough for Oliver. Even if he had never felt this strongly about a woman before, he had been at this point with women before. It never ended well, it never ended in a place where Oliver was proud of himself and he couldn’t bear to add Chloe to that list. “I’d never forgive myself if I hurt her or held her back.”
“And if you’ve done that anyway?” Watching as Oliver finally turned towards him, Hal shrugged. “What if there is no going back from this and she moves on?” As much as Oliver wanted to hold onto Chloe, to be her friend, Hal could see that even Oliver knew better.
“It’ll hurt less now than leading her on,” Oliver replied, knowing that the idea of being just friends seemed a little crazy, but he was willing to try. “If Chloe finds happiness with someone else, then so be it.”
That last sentence left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Oliver didn’t say another word before walking past his friend, not wanting to discuss this anymore. He had a plane to catch tomorrow and he had gone too far to try and salvage what he had already lost.
Chapter 19
Sera's Scribbles: And with that...we begin the final act, which actually scares me the most realism-wise. The good news is once I get the next chapter ready, it should be smoother sailing posting-wise. Little victories right?
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