Turn the Page (7/20)
Author: 
serafina19
Title: Turn the Page
Rating: R
Summary: Oliver Queen meets Chloe Sullivan right before his life takes a turn for the worse. Together, they work to find peace in their lives and justice for the people they have lost.
Warning: coarse language, adult content, AU
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 7
It was hard to believe that three weeks had gone by since her initiation. Then again, it wasn't like a lot of Chloe’s life had changed. The main difference was that she would go to headquarters instead of home after her shift at Power Source. So far, Chloe had taken turns in almost everyone's ears, even Victor's, which meant it was usually her and Evie on the comms, as Evie brought her laptop to work on H.O.M.E between telling Bart to stop eating Mexican and save the day. Oddly enough, the team's headquarters had really started to feel like a home to Chloe. A place that she could let go and relax, which was a strong improvement from only getting that release from a first sip of coffee.
Of course, that didn't mean that her favourite drink at Christalia's didn't have the same effect, as she sighed after swallowing.
Unfortunately for her, Lois had been sitting across from her the whole time, watching her cousin's expression while Chloe was deep in thought. Lois knew it was more than just the coffee and she was tired of biting her tongue.
"I know what I promised," she said, "but seriously Chloe, what is going on between you and Oliver Queen?"
Chloe laughed, placing her drink back on the table. She hated that Lois would always make that conclusion, but it wasn’t like the truth was an option. "We talk, we drink, we... compare notes, I guess."
"Interesting," Lois replied, enunciating each syllable before taking a sip, which resulted in Chloe rolling her eyes.
"Not like that, Lo." Although that was a poor choice in words on her part, despite their accuracy. Oliver and her had both lost someone, they had both gone through their share of struggle in trying to figure out who was responsible. “By talking about who we’ve lost, we help each other heal… move on."
That made sense to Lois, but she wasn't blind. She could see the difference in how Chloe behaved around Oliver from when they first met to now. But Chloe was at least answering her questions, so Lois would play along this time. "Does he know anything about what caused his parent's plane to go down?"
Biting her lip, Chloe debated her answer. She did know, and she did trust Lois, but that was still something that didn't feel right for Chloe to know under 'normal' circumstances. "I don't think he'd trust me with that."
Lois nose scrunched before she took a sip of coffee. "To be honest, I'm trying to figure out if this is healthy." It sure didn't seem that way, as they clearly weren't defining what they were, which never ended well. Or at least, based on personal experience, it didn't, but Lois didn't think that this was any different.
At least Chloe wasn't completely blind to that fact. "So am I," she said with a sigh, "but having someone to talk to, someone who gets it, that does help."
That comment stung Lois more than she wanted to admit. Swallowing hard, she hated that she wasn't the one who would bring her cousin out of her funk when it came to Jimmy's death. It wasn't for a lack of trying, something that Chloe appreciated, but Chloe was right about Oliver helping her. She was smiling a lot more than she usually did in the past year.
But while that was a positive sign, Lois couldn't ignore the signs she had witnessed in the last few weeks. "That can't be everything though." Looking down at her phone, at the pictures that were still on her screen, Lois couldn't help but form a particular conclusion. "These for example..."
"You wanted to know what happens behind closed doors, that's it," Chloe interjected. She knew that Lois wouldn't believe her, but it was the truth. "We put on a show out here. It's what people want to see." This time, Lois let her skepticism show with a raised eyebrow, so Chloe gave in a little. "Well, okay, that's not completely true, as if I didn't like him, I wouldn't do this."
Lois head tilted to the side, her mouth stretching to a smirk. "So you do like him?"
Chloe matched the expression, as Lois thought that she had caught her, but that wasn't the case. "As much you..." Her voice trailed as she realized something, laughing a few times in consequence. "Never mind, you hated Jimmy."
"Not hated, he was fine," Lois corrected. Because despite their disagreements, that didn't mean that he wasn't a good guy. If he was just her co-worker, they probably could have been friends. But he wasn't just her co-worker. "Admit it Chloe, he didn't even bring this out of you."
Since the news broke about her and Oliver doing whatever it was they were doing, it was like a light switch had gone off in Chloe. She was always a confident person, but Lois could sense the drive and passion that she hadn't seen in a very long time. Considering that Oliver was the only change in her life, Lois could only assume that was the reason.
Even though, technically, Lois was right, only Chloe knew that it was a lot more than that. But that didn't mean that Oliver wasn't contributing to the jump Chloe could feel in her step. "That's because Oliver and I have something in common that Jimmy and I never did."
“Blonde hair and perfect DNA for adorable babies?” Chris suggested as she started refilling their coffee. She caught the glare that Chloe gave her, but she shrugged. “It may not be what you meant, but it's still accurate."
“We’re not dating,” Chloe insisted, not wanting to get into a conversation like this with these two. Once they started, it wasn't easy to get out.
"Relax," Chris said as she put the coffee pot down to clean up one of the nearby tables. “I’m only having fun because you guys do the same to me.” She wasn't usually the best at teasing them, as usually they were the ones with the quips, but that was one she couldn't pass up.
Chloe seemed to sense that, so she let it go. “Okay, that’s fair,” she said, giving Chris a knowing look that was all she was going to say.
Fortunately for her, Chris got her message. “Good, because I need to follow this up with asking you for a favour. My home computer is acting up and I don’t have time to bring it into the shop. Do you think you could stop by to fix it? I'm making spaghetti carbonara tonight.”
“I'll be there,” Chloe replied, which was true even if she could pass up Chris' cooking.
~0~
Armed with her computer stuff, Chloe walked up to Chris' apartment and knocked on the door. Only it was a different woman to answer the door. “Evie?”
“Hey," she said, just as confused as Chloe, "what brings you by?” However, she answered her own question as she looked down at what the other woman was holding.
Seeing Evie grin in response, Chloe wasn't sure what that meant, but if Evie was here, then Chris could have told her that she didn't need help anymore. But she hadn't. “I… don’t know anymore.”
“Because I lied to both of you,” Chris called from the kitchen. It wasn't long before the woman herself came into the front entry area. “We need to talk.”
With that, she pointed towards her sitting area, so Evie and Chloe obliged, sitting down next to each other, albeit across from the chair that Chris had settled in.
“I’ve tried ignoring this," Chris said, "but when you befriend a journalist and the head of a meta-related charity, I just want to get my facts straight.” She sighed, not liking what she had to ask next. “Are you two friends with me because of what happened to my sister?”
Evie glanced at Chloe before answering. “You may not believe us, but no.” It was a really crappy way of telling her the truth, as Evie knew exactly who she was before they met, but technically, the answer to Chris' answer was no. “Chloe introduced us through your coffee cart, and if I’m not mistaken, it was the fact that your coffee was the best that built our friendship... and our business partnership for the shop.”
Chris nodded and spoke up before Chloe had a chance to answer her question. “But you know about my sister’s death.”
“We do,” replied Chloe. “But I found out afterward. You mentioned that you did online orders for some of your blends, so when I looked up your website using your name…it brought up interesting results.”
Unlike Evie, Chloe hadn't looked for it. She knew a bit about the meta disappearances and murders in Star City, but not enough to know the name of the up-and-coming lawyer set on defending those who didn’t have a voice. Especially because the shop was inspired by Chris’ and her sister’s name, that tragedy was always going to follow Chris around. Once the shop opened, that was one of the questions in a feature article in a local magazine. However, Chloe had hoped that her knowledge about this wouldn’t matter, but since Chris and her had grown close, it made things complicated.
Biting her tongue, Chris stared at floor before she said, “Do you… do you know about me?” When she was met with silence, she looked up, surprised to see the look on her friends’ faces. “Wow, you don’t. God where do I start with this?" Shaking her head, Chris got over her nerves. "I… I’m, or at least I used to be, a meta.”
Evie's mouth opened, but initially no words came out. Of everything she had expected tonight upon seeing Chloe, this wasn't it. “I don’t know about Chloe, but I had no idea.”
Noticing how Chloe held a similar reaction, Chris pursed her lips. “My sister Talia, we took the idea of twintuition to a whole new level.” She was never a fan of the word but it the easiest way to explain that she could talk to her sister without saying a word, without being in the same room. “That’s how I knew that they arrested the wrong man for her murder.”
“That’s what tonight is really about, isn’t it?” Chloe asked, because based on the news coverage on the Talia Vermette murder, it wasn’t a secret that Chris was frustrated with the result of the case.
“I just have this feeling that if anyone can figure out… it’s you two.” Knowing what Evie did for a living, the determination she had for finding justice for metas, not to mention Chloe’s tenacity for the truth, to Chris, it seemed like a promising combination.
Chloe glanced at Evie, wondering just how much their mutual friend knew. But she decided to take this one step at a time. “So who do you think did it?”
“Her boyfriend, Harry Winters.”
“Really?”
Chris sighed, knowing how crazy it sounded. He was someone who was beloved in the city, constantly giving back to the community and always saying the right things. On paper he was perfect, but Chris knew he wasn't all that he appeared to be. “At the very least he’s involved, even though he'll never be a suspect without a smoking gun. Such are the perks of being a name partner in one of the biggest law firms in the country.”
Despite everything that had happened since, it still felt like yesterday that Talia told Chris about her first job out of law school. She was so excited to start her career at Baker, Proctor & Winters, and for a few years, the dream job was everything she wanted it to be and more. Then everything changed.
Chris got the call about her sister's death, but she had already been mourning the loss before she said Hello. “He told me that he loved her at her funeral, but all I wanted was to wring his neck and ask him why.”
“What made you suspect him?” Evie asked. Because she had read the police files for this case and besides Harry being a witness, there was no sign of him in the paperwork.
“Harry’s in on it. Be careful.” Chris whispered, the words enough to spring a tear from her eyes. “That was the last message my sister sent me. Or at least the last coherent one. There is truly nothing like listening to your sister die and not be able to do anything about it.”
Chris had done her best with that information, which included an attempt to trap Harry into admitting everything, but he never broke his performance of heartbroken boyfriend. In the end, she knew it was a battle she was going to lose.
“Did your sister know that the victim she was defending was a meta?” Evie asked, hoping that focusing on the case was easier than her sister. Unfortunately, despite the multiple missing persons’ cases, only one murder was being prosecuted. For so long, no one took the case before Talia stood up.
“Oh yeah, it’s why she insisted on taking the case, despite her bosses' efforts to stop her," Chris said. “She told me the day before she died that this case was covering something up and it involved a lot of higher-ups. There was this investment bank that she was investigating and she got Harry to get her in the door for an event at their offices."
Talia didn't tell her too much about her cases, but when Chris found the case files, she had no choice. After that, Talia made Chris swear to never tell anyone that she knew. She kept that promise until today. "I refuse to believe her death that night was a coincidence."
Chloe swallowed hard, now understanding how much Chris had kept quiet all these years, and some of the reasons why. "I hate to ask this, but have you ever considered that maybe it was? That maybe your sister was wrong about the lead?"
"I doubt it,” Chris replied with a dry chuckle. “I used to joke that I got the short end of the DNA stick, because Talia was that smart. Maybe she couldn't get her full message out to me, but there's something to this."
Evie nodded, knowing that going to the police wasn’t the easiest solution, but knowing that Chris knew that much about the previous murder case meant that it wouldn’t take much for her to do what Chloe and the team had done. "Did you ever think of investigating this yourself?"
"I did." Chris had technically thought about it, but the moment she stepped outside, determined to figure out the truth, she felt her feet stop in place. She had no idea where to start, not then, not now. “Talia was the investigative one. The shop is about the scariest thing I'll ever do."
Chloe knew that much about Chris, but there was one thing that was still bugging her. "Why are you telling us this now?"
This wasn’t the easiest thing for Chris to explain. She knew that all of them had their secrets, but one of the perks of being their coffee provider was that she noticed some of the looks that Evie and Chloe shared. Suddenly, their secrets didn’t seem so solitary.
That’s why she wanted to come clean to both of them, to allow them to understand she knew more than they thought. “I may not have full-time telepathy, but you two seem closer lately."
"I do," Evie said, laughing once to hide her smirk.
"What?"
Evie couldn’t blame Chris’ confusion. She hadn’t anticipated coming clean tonight, but after everything Chris had told them, it was only fair. "You’re not the only meta in the room."
"Oh." Chris stared at Evie, more than a little surprised at her admission, but when she thought back to things that had happened, a smile replace her surprise. "That makes sense."
"But you're right,” Evie replied, before she bumped her shoulder with Chloe’s. “I told Chloe last month about my abilities."
Chris’ eyes narrowed. "Wait, you have more than one?"
Shaking her head, Evie knew that they were getting off-track. "Yeah, but that’s a conversation for another night."
"Right,” Chris replied, clapping her hands together. “Well, I figured that you were helping Chloe and... I don't know, but I figured if you two were on board then... I was hoping there was a chance that maybe if I told you the truth that maybe we could find some peace."
Turning her head to focus on Chloe, Chris shook her head before admitting, "I had hoped that Jimmy's and Talia's deaths weren't related, but I couldn’t ignore the signs, even if all law enforcement in Metropolis and Star City do."
Chloe grinned. "You know,” she said, “you're smarter than you give yourself credit." Because Chris was right. The police had gone out of their way to say that their deaths were connected, not to mention the spin the media put in things.
"Thanks,” Chris replied with a smile. “Does that mean..."
"Of course.” Evie looked at Chloe to confirm, and when she nodded, she turned to look at Chris. “We will do everything we can."
"Thanks," she said again, feeling a lot more relieved.
"No problem.” With a smile, Evie stood up and promptly went to the kitchen. “Now, I was promised carbonara."
~0~
When the elevator arrived, Oliver was there to greet her as usual, but Chloe didn’t meet his eyes. Every day that passed, it felt like one surprise after another. This one wasn’t as big as the others, but it appeared that everyone in her life had a secret.
“Hey, everything okay?” he asked her, and Chloe noticed that he had come closer than she realized as she looked up.
She grinned as she nodded. “Chris just called Evie and I on the connections between what we do and what happened her sister.” Seeing Oliver’s mouth gape, she dropped her purse and walked around him. “Can’t say I’m surprised. If anything, I’ve surprised it took her this long.”
Not long ago, Oliver himself was in that situation, so he understood, but instead of voicing that, he focused on the fact that Chloe suddenly seemed more determined. “How’d she take it?”
“Fairly well,” Chloe said with a shrug, “considering she told us that she was a meta.” Smiling as she found her laptop on Oliver's desk, she turned it on, waiting for him to process his surprise. Or at least, that was the plan.
Instead, Oliver sighed as he stared at the floor. “I know.”
Chloe’s head tilted. The only reason she had told him that was because it was bound to come up during their conversations at headquarters. “You knew?” she asked, turning her body to face him. “Evie had no idea.”
“I never told anyone, there was no need.” After her sister died, Chris’ ability was pretty nonexistent, so there was no point bringing that up.
However, Chloe sensed that there was something more going on here. More than once, Chris was brought up in conversation about this case, and it was clear that something about Talia’s death was taboo. “Because you knew her sister,” she said as she sat down. “Were you in love with her or something?”
His head jerked back in response. “Where did you get that idea?”
“Evie mentioned that you wanted to make amends with Chris, hence her partnership with your money.” It made no sense, knowing that Talia was in a long-term relationship, but Chloe was drawing blanks elsewhere. “It’s the only explanation I can come up with.”
Oliver took a second, realizing where she was coming from, before sitting next to Chloe on the couch. “Talia was our first exposure to this case.”
He had been Green Arrow in Star City for a few years, but not a lot of people supported his efforts. Talia was different, as she set up a mugging to get his attention. “She couldn’t trust the cops because they could be bought, but she was planning on getting the proof she needed the night she died and she thought I had the resources to make people listen.”
Two years had gone by, and yet Oliver could still visualize that night like it was yesterday. “I was supposed to meet her that night, but she never showed.” All that time, he stood on that roof, while she lay dead two buildings over. He had considered offering her help as Oliver Queen, as he had an invite to the event where she was killed, but instead, he chose to protect his cover and stood back to let her become their latest victim.
The next few months weren’t a pretty time in his life. Oliver knew that he didn’t pull the trigger, but he still wanted to believe that he could have done more. It’s why her original case was always in the back of his mind. “We thought the trail had gone cold, but then Evie’s clients started going missing. We knew better than consider it a coincidence.”
Then his parents’ died, and the more time that passed, he couldn’t help but wonder if the message was meant for them… or him.
Chloe shook her head. “Ollie… you can’t blame yourself.”
That wasn’t fair for her to say, as she was doing the same thing when it came to the death of Jimmy Olsen. However, Oliver knew better than to say that, mainly because it didn’t make Chloe any less right. He knew what he was doing wasn’t healthy, but it wasn’t exactly something he could switch off. However, he didn’t want to tell her that either, so he shifted the conversation. “You know, I’ve never asked you how you got into this.”
“Dirty politician,” she admitted, surprised at how easily it rolled off her tongue. After everything that had happened, Chloe had almost forgotten why this all started. “Councilmen Hetherington was running for mayor, and everyone loved him. But you know the saying, if something’s too good to be true -”
“It usually is,” Oliver finished, as he remembered reading about Hetherington’s death. In all the work that the team did, that wasn’t a name that they thought was connected, but thinking about the details of the case, it made sense.
Chloe smirked as her eyes shut momentarily. “I actually know how Talia feels,” she said as she opened her laptop. “That night… that was the tip I was waiting for.” Not only that, but Chris’ story also resonated, what with the loving figure having a dark secret.
She opened up an internet browser, determined to look into this lead, see if there was any links she could use. But before she could get anywhere, she saw her screen move back down, Oliver’s hand resting on top of her laptop. “I know what you’re trying to do right now,” he said, “but since his death, you’ve never let yourself take a night off to get away from it.”
“That’s not true.” But Chloe knew what Oliver meant, as it was clear how much his death still haunted her. “I mean, usually it’s through persuasion, but I’m not completely adverse to the idea.”
Oliver leaned down, trying to have their eyes meet. When they did, he grinned at Chloe. “Then this is me persuading you to have one drink with me and then take the rest of the night off for a change.”
She wanted to say no, that this was another break in this case, but it wasn’t like anything that she would find would be any different tomorrow morning. “Fine.” Chloe brought her hands up, letting Oliver take the laptop from her. When he got up from the couch, Chloe looked around and saw the arrows in the target across the room. “I have to admit… I wouldn’t have guessed you’d have that good accuracy after a couple of drinks.”
Oliver chuckled as he looked up from pouring the scotch. “Lots of training in that department.” He wished that he was kidding, but there had been a few occasions when that was the case. “Never know when you need to storm the field.”
“You know,” Chloe said as she got up to take the arrows out of the target, “it still blows my mind that you play cops and robbers in tights.”
“They’re not tights,” Oliver replied, trading Chloe her drink for his arrows, their hands lingering for an extra second before he backed away to put them away.
Chloe cleared her throat, taking a sip before finding her way back to the couch. “Seriously, what made you start this whole thing?” It wasn’t exactly a regular billionaire hobby. Not that Chloe would know, but while they did tend to go for adrenaline-related activities, dressing up in leather to fight crime was unique.
So was Oliver’s answer. “Hal, actually.”
“Really?” Chloe hadn’t anticipated that, as based on what she knew about Hal Jordan, it seemed more likely that Oliver had convinced him to do this.
That was the downside to this explanation, because Chloe didn’t know Hal like Oliver did. “He got his powers… and he trusted me with his secrets, including the fact that he was using his abilities to help people.”
It was a struggle for Hal initially, as he had been living the high life for years. They both used to thrive in the playboy lifestyle, but Hal becoming Green Lantern made Oliver realize that there was a way that they could do something good that wouldn’t be defined by their bank accounts or their looks.
“Being the son of living and beloved legends isn’t an easy task,” Oliver said. “One day, I realized that no matter what I did, I would pale in their shadows. Even though I didn’t have abilities, I did have the resources… and I wanted to do something good without getting credit, without being connected to my family name.”
Chloe nodded. “Did your parents know?”
“I don’t know, maybe?” Part of Oliver had suspected that they knew, but he never got the courage to tell them, something that he had a feeling he had in common with Chloe. Then again, as much time as they had spent together, Oliver didn’t know much about her personal life. “I just realized that you don't talk about your family much.”
“There's not really much to tell.” She bit her lip before taking a drink. “My mom left when I was a kid, and my dad and I lost touch to ensure his safety.”
Oliver swallowed hard, not realizing the memories that had made her relive. “So you were that star witness against Lionel.”
“Not that it ended up mattering in the end.” As per usual with influential people, Lionel Luthor avoided prison. The only reason she survived all this time was because his son had something on him, but Lex couldn’t guarantee the same safety for her father. “Lex used his connections to ensure my dad was safe. Not even he knows where he is now.”
It hurt being so far from her dad, but it was for the best. Chloe wasn’t exactly the daughter he remembered, and if he was happy where he was now, that was all that mattered. It helped that Chloe was never really alone. “I always had Lois, but it’s not the same as immediate family.”
However, that worked for her. Chloe’s life was never going to be normal, so it was fitting. But when Chloe looked up at Oliver, she was reminded of how hard these months had been since he lost his parents. “But I suppose I shouldn’t argue with that, especially considering your situation.”
“It’s okay,” Oliver said, his lips pursing before he took his first drink. “I know for a fact that I took my parents for granted.” They loved him no matter what, but in a lot of ways, they never got to see who he really was. All the time he was Green Arrow, he had to convince everyone of the story that he wanted them to believe, which wasn’t the image he wanted his parents to see.
“I don’t know about that,” Chloe said, her eyes staring at the skyline in front of them. “The company’s reputation has maintained its strength with you at the helm, you’re doing something about curbing crime in the city and the playboy persona is just that.” She grinned before chinking her glass against his. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
Oliver wanted to accept the compliment and move on, but he knew that he had held back enough tonight. “How about you then? You’re worth much more than what you’re doing.”
She really hated when he did that. The parallels were there, and while it was probably what she needed to hear, she didn’t necessarily want to hear it. “It’s something I can do. It’s safe.”
“While you’re working on the most dangerous story of your career.”
Feeling a bit of déjà vu from when she talked to Lois a while back, Chloe went back to some of the words she used that day. “I tried to bury the story after he died.” Like she had told Lois, it wasn’t entirely voluntary, as all her leads went dry, but the effort was there. “Even if I never get justice for Jimmy, I want justice for all the people whose lives they've affected.”
“I’m sorry,” Oliver said with a sigh, “I know you don’t like talking about Jimmy.” But to his surprise, she didn’t take the out.
“It was supposed to be me in that alley, not getting a note telling me where his body was, telling me not to make the same mistake.” Chloe rolled her eyes as she finished her drink. “He just wanted to prove himself at the paper. He didn’t have to… but I think he also wanted to prove himself to me.”
Oliver leaned forward, leaving his glass on the table while his body shifted towards Chloe. “I thought he was a photographer.”
“He was, but he saw how Clark and Lois worked together and he wanted that for us. I told him it was too dangerous, that he wasn’t built for that, and that was okay.” She thought Jimmy had heard her that night, but it appeared that he had his fingers crossed behind his back. “Three hours later, he took a call on my cell phone while I was in the shower, leaving me a note telling me that we’d see who was right.”
“Chloe,” Oliver said, covering her hands with his, “you don’t have to tell me this.”
Except all she did was shake her head. Chloe was too far down this story to go back now. “He was missing for two days before I got that note on my doorstep. He was innocent in all this, and seeing his body in the alley, left there to die, I…”
She could feel tears starting to form in her eyes, but Chloe swallowed hard, clearing her throat to hold them back. “You want to know the worst part? We were this close to breaking up.” They were even having fights about how they should call the wedding off, but they were too afraid to completely cut the cord. “He knew it, so that was probably the hail mary to save our relationship. I knew better, it was why we could never set a date. I just couldn’t do it.”
With a sigh, Chloe dipped her head. “But it was never supposed to end like that. That’s why I need justice, I need to …”
Oliver squeezed her hand. “You need closure… to allow you to move forward.”
“I just want to look in the mirror and know that I didn’t let him down,” Chloe replied. “But that doesn’t leave me with much of a social life. Don’t even get me started on the set-ups that my friends and Lois give me. That’s one perk of this whole thing.”
“Just the one?” Oliver asked with a smile, a gesture that Chloe couldn’t help but return.
“You kidding me? King-sized bed, Egyptian cotton sheets, all the expensive coffee I can drink. The morning routine alone is worth it.” With a chuckle, Chloe glanced back towards the clockface, remembering that first night, the trust that it represented, and the light it brought back into her life. “Actually, it’s working the comms that’s the most rewarding… almost feels like I have a purpose again when all I wanted to do was avoid the hero world.”
Seeing Chloe relax, Oliver smiled before moving his hand back. “I’m glad you accepted the offer. I admit, I was incredibly skeptical initially, but it’s easy to see what they see in you.”
“Really?”
As Oliver stood up, he chuckled. “Chloe, you shouldn’t doubt this by now.”
“True,” she replied, knowing how much he had confided in her, all the ways they had grown close in the few months they knew each other. “But it’s still nice to hear.”
He nodded as he brought his scotch over to where they were sitting. “Top-up?”
Chloe lifted her glass. “If you don’t mind.” It wasn’t like before, when she needed to feel the burn on her throat. This time, she planned to enjoy it, to embrace the fact that there was a light in the investigation again, that she could talk to someone about Jimmy and not feel ashamed.
“Wouldn’t offer if I did.” But as he filled up her glass, he felt her watching him. “What?”
“So how did the rest of group form?” It was kind of a random question, one that Chloe wanted to ask during initiation but between everything they had discussed, she forgot. “I have a hard time believing that Bart found you.”
“That’s because I found him.” It felt like ages ago now, Hal and him tracking down this mysterious speedster, a kid that stole because he didn’t know better, and he didn’t have anyone in his life to tell him better. “Told him he wouldn’t have to steal if he changed his ways. But the only thing Bart cared about was getting his cousin back.”
“So you gave a stranger hope, changed his life, saved two people’s lives… all in one act.”
“It’s the job,” Oliver said with a shrug.
“One you didn’t have to do,” Chloe clarified. For as much confidence as Oliver Queen exuded in the spotlight, the more she got to know him, the more cracks that showed in his self-confidence.
But her comment got him to grin as he looked towards her. “No, I suppose not, but I have no intention of stopping.”
“Good,” she replied, matching his expression. “You shouldn’t.”
As his grin widened to a smile, he lifted his glass up, moving it towards hers. “To saving the world, one night at a time.”
Chloe nodded as her glass hit his. “Cheers.”
Chapter 8
.
serafina19
Title: Turn the Page
Rating: R
Summary: Oliver Queen meets Chloe Sullivan right before his life takes a turn for the worse. Together, they work to find peace in their lives and justice for the people they have lost.
Warning: coarse language, adult content, AU
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 7
It was hard to believe that three weeks had gone by since her initiation. Then again, it wasn't like a lot of Chloe’s life had changed. The main difference was that she would go to headquarters instead of home after her shift at Power Source. So far, Chloe had taken turns in almost everyone's ears, even Victor's, which meant it was usually her and Evie on the comms, as Evie brought her laptop to work on H.O.M.E between telling Bart to stop eating Mexican and save the day. Oddly enough, the team's headquarters had really started to feel like a home to Chloe. A place that she could let go and relax, which was a strong improvement from only getting that release from a first sip of coffee.
Of course, that didn't mean that her favourite drink at Christalia's didn't have the same effect, as she sighed after swallowing.
Unfortunately for her, Lois had been sitting across from her the whole time, watching her cousin's expression while Chloe was deep in thought. Lois knew it was more than just the coffee and she was tired of biting her tongue.
"I know what I promised," she said, "but seriously Chloe, what is going on between you and Oliver Queen?"
Chloe laughed, placing her drink back on the table. She hated that Lois would always make that conclusion, but it wasn’t like the truth was an option. "We talk, we drink, we... compare notes, I guess."
"Interesting," Lois replied, enunciating each syllable before taking a sip, which resulted in Chloe rolling her eyes.
"Not like that, Lo." Although that was a poor choice in words on her part, despite their accuracy. Oliver and her had both lost someone, they had both gone through their share of struggle in trying to figure out who was responsible. “By talking about who we’ve lost, we help each other heal… move on."
That made sense to Lois, but she wasn't blind. She could see the difference in how Chloe behaved around Oliver from when they first met to now. But Chloe was at least answering her questions, so Lois would play along this time. "Does he know anything about what caused his parent's plane to go down?"
Biting her lip, Chloe debated her answer. She did know, and she did trust Lois, but that was still something that didn't feel right for Chloe to know under 'normal' circumstances. "I don't think he'd trust me with that."
Lois nose scrunched before she took a sip of coffee. "To be honest, I'm trying to figure out if this is healthy." It sure didn't seem that way, as they clearly weren't defining what they were, which never ended well. Or at least, based on personal experience, it didn't, but Lois didn't think that this was any different.
At least Chloe wasn't completely blind to that fact. "So am I," she said with a sigh, "but having someone to talk to, someone who gets it, that does help."
That comment stung Lois more than she wanted to admit. Swallowing hard, she hated that she wasn't the one who would bring her cousin out of her funk when it came to Jimmy's death. It wasn't for a lack of trying, something that Chloe appreciated, but Chloe was right about Oliver helping her. She was smiling a lot more than she usually did in the past year.
But while that was a positive sign, Lois couldn't ignore the signs she had witnessed in the last few weeks. "That can't be everything though." Looking down at her phone, at the pictures that were still on her screen, Lois couldn't help but form a particular conclusion. "These for example..."
"You wanted to know what happens behind closed doors, that's it," Chloe interjected. She knew that Lois wouldn't believe her, but it was the truth. "We put on a show out here. It's what people want to see." This time, Lois let her skepticism show with a raised eyebrow, so Chloe gave in a little. "Well, okay, that's not completely true, as if I didn't like him, I wouldn't do this."
Lois head tilted to the side, her mouth stretching to a smirk. "So you do like him?"
Chloe matched the expression, as Lois thought that she had caught her, but that wasn't the case. "As much you..." Her voice trailed as she realized something, laughing a few times in consequence. "Never mind, you hated Jimmy."
"Not hated, he was fine," Lois corrected. Because despite their disagreements, that didn't mean that he wasn't a good guy. If he was just her co-worker, they probably could have been friends. But he wasn't just her co-worker. "Admit it Chloe, he didn't even bring this out of you."
Since the news broke about her and Oliver doing whatever it was they were doing, it was like a light switch had gone off in Chloe. She was always a confident person, but Lois could sense the drive and passion that she hadn't seen in a very long time. Considering that Oliver was the only change in her life, Lois could only assume that was the reason.
Even though, technically, Lois was right, only Chloe knew that it was a lot more than that. But that didn't mean that Oliver wasn't contributing to the jump Chloe could feel in her step. "That's because Oliver and I have something in common that Jimmy and I never did."
“Blonde hair and perfect DNA for adorable babies?” Chris suggested as she started refilling their coffee. She caught the glare that Chloe gave her, but she shrugged. “It may not be what you meant, but it's still accurate."
“We’re not dating,” Chloe insisted, not wanting to get into a conversation like this with these two. Once they started, it wasn't easy to get out.
"Relax," Chris said as she put the coffee pot down to clean up one of the nearby tables. “I’m only having fun because you guys do the same to me.” She wasn't usually the best at teasing them, as usually they were the ones with the quips, but that was one she couldn't pass up.
Chloe seemed to sense that, so she let it go. “Okay, that’s fair,” she said, giving Chris a knowing look that was all she was going to say.
Fortunately for her, Chris got her message. “Good, because I need to follow this up with asking you for a favour. My home computer is acting up and I don’t have time to bring it into the shop. Do you think you could stop by to fix it? I'm making spaghetti carbonara tonight.”
“I'll be there,” Chloe replied, which was true even if she could pass up Chris' cooking.
~0~
Armed with her computer stuff, Chloe walked up to Chris' apartment and knocked on the door. Only it was a different woman to answer the door. “Evie?”
“Hey," she said, just as confused as Chloe, "what brings you by?” However, she answered her own question as she looked down at what the other woman was holding.
Seeing Evie grin in response, Chloe wasn't sure what that meant, but if Evie was here, then Chris could have told her that she didn't need help anymore. But she hadn't. “I… don’t know anymore.”
“Because I lied to both of you,” Chris called from the kitchen. It wasn't long before the woman herself came into the front entry area. “We need to talk.”
With that, she pointed towards her sitting area, so Evie and Chloe obliged, sitting down next to each other, albeit across from the chair that Chris had settled in.
“I’ve tried ignoring this," Chris said, "but when you befriend a journalist and the head of a meta-related charity, I just want to get my facts straight.” She sighed, not liking what she had to ask next. “Are you two friends with me because of what happened to my sister?”
Evie glanced at Chloe before answering. “You may not believe us, but no.” It was a really crappy way of telling her the truth, as Evie knew exactly who she was before they met, but technically, the answer to Chris' answer was no. “Chloe introduced us through your coffee cart, and if I’m not mistaken, it was the fact that your coffee was the best that built our friendship... and our business partnership for the shop.”
Chris nodded and spoke up before Chloe had a chance to answer her question. “But you know about my sister’s death.”
“We do,” replied Chloe. “But I found out afterward. You mentioned that you did online orders for some of your blends, so when I looked up your website using your name…it brought up interesting results.”
Unlike Evie, Chloe hadn't looked for it. She knew a bit about the meta disappearances and murders in Star City, but not enough to know the name of the up-and-coming lawyer set on defending those who didn’t have a voice. Especially because the shop was inspired by Chris’ and her sister’s name, that tragedy was always going to follow Chris around. Once the shop opened, that was one of the questions in a feature article in a local magazine. However, Chloe had hoped that her knowledge about this wouldn’t matter, but since Chris and her had grown close, it made things complicated.
Biting her tongue, Chris stared at floor before she said, “Do you… do you know about me?” When she was met with silence, she looked up, surprised to see the look on her friends’ faces. “Wow, you don’t. God where do I start with this?" Shaking her head, Chris got over her nerves. "I… I’m, or at least I used to be, a meta.”
Evie's mouth opened, but initially no words came out. Of everything she had expected tonight upon seeing Chloe, this wasn't it. “I don’t know about Chloe, but I had no idea.”
Noticing how Chloe held a similar reaction, Chris pursed her lips. “My sister Talia, we took the idea of twintuition to a whole new level.” She was never a fan of the word but it the easiest way to explain that she could talk to her sister without saying a word, without being in the same room. “That’s how I knew that they arrested the wrong man for her murder.”
“That’s what tonight is really about, isn’t it?” Chloe asked, because based on the news coverage on the Talia Vermette murder, it wasn’t a secret that Chris was frustrated with the result of the case.
“I just have this feeling that if anyone can figure out… it’s you two.” Knowing what Evie did for a living, the determination she had for finding justice for metas, not to mention Chloe’s tenacity for the truth, to Chris, it seemed like a promising combination.
Chloe glanced at Evie, wondering just how much their mutual friend knew. But she decided to take this one step at a time. “So who do you think did it?”
“Her boyfriend, Harry Winters.”
“Really?”
Chris sighed, knowing how crazy it sounded. He was someone who was beloved in the city, constantly giving back to the community and always saying the right things. On paper he was perfect, but Chris knew he wasn't all that he appeared to be. “At the very least he’s involved, even though he'll never be a suspect without a smoking gun. Such are the perks of being a name partner in one of the biggest law firms in the country.”
Despite everything that had happened since, it still felt like yesterday that Talia told Chris about her first job out of law school. She was so excited to start her career at Baker, Proctor & Winters, and for a few years, the dream job was everything she wanted it to be and more. Then everything changed.
Chris got the call about her sister's death, but she had already been mourning the loss before she said Hello. “He told me that he loved her at her funeral, but all I wanted was to wring his neck and ask him why.”
“What made you suspect him?” Evie asked. Because she had read the police files for this case and besides Harry being a witness, there was no sign of him in the paperwork.
“Harry’s in on it. Be careful.” Chris whispered, the words enough to spring a tear from her eyes. “That was the last message my sister sent me. Or at least the last coherent one. There is truly nothing like listening to your sister die and not be able to do anything about it.”
Chris had done her best with that information, which included an attempt to trap Harry into admitting everything, but he never broke his performance of heartbroken boyfriend. In the end, she knew it was a battle she was going to lose.
“Did your sister know that the victim she was defending was a meta?” Evie asked, hoping that focusing on the case was easier than her sister. Unfortunately, despite the multiple missing persons’ cases, only one murder was being prosecuted. For so long, no one took the case before Talia stood up.
“Oh yeah, it’s why she insisted on taking the case, despite her bosses' efforts to stop her," Chris said. “She told me the day before she died that this case was covering something up and it involved a lot of higher-ups. There was this investment bank that she was investigating and she got Harry to get her in the door for an event at their offices."
Talia didn't tell her too much about her cases, but when Chris found the case files, she had no choice. After that, Talia made Chris swear to never tell anyone that she knew. She kept that promise until today. "I refuse to believe her death that night was a coincidence."
Chloe swallowed hard, now understanding how much Chris had kept quiet all these years, and some of the reasons why. "I hate to ask this, but have you ever considered that maybe it was? That maybe your sister was wrong about the lead?"
"I doubt it,” Chris replied with a dry chuckle. “I used to joke that I got the short end of the DNA stick, because Talia was that smart. Maybe she couldn't get her full message out to me, but there's something to this."
Evie nodded, knowing that going to the police wasn’t the easiest solution, but knowing that Chris knew that much about the previous murder case meant that it wouldn’t take much for her to do what Chloe and the team had done. "Did you ever think of investigating this yourself?"
"I did." Chris had technically thought about it, but the moment she stepped outside, determined to figure out the truth, she felt her feet stop in place. She had no idea where to start, not then, not now. “Talia was the investigative one. The shop is about the scariest thing I'll ever do."
Chloe knew that much about Chris, but there was one thing that was still bugging her. "Why are you telling us this now?"
This wasn’t the easiest thing for Chris to explain. She knew that all of them had their secrets, but one of the perks of being their coffee provider was that she noticed some of the looks that Evie and Chloe shared. Suddenly, their secrets didn’t seem so solitary.
That’s why she wanted to come clean to both of them, to allow them to understand she knew more than they thought. “I may not have full-time telepathy, but you two seem closer lately."
"I do," Evie said, laughing once to hide her smirk.
"What?"
Evie couldn’t blame Chris’ confusion. She hadn’t anticipated coming clean tonight, but after everything Chris had told them, it was only fair. "You’re not the only meta in the room."
"Oh." Chris stared at Evie, more than a little surprised at her admission, but when she thought back to things that had happened, a smile replace her surprise. "That makes sense."
"But you're right,” Evie replied, before she bumped her shoulder with Chloe’s. “I told Chloe last month about my abilities."
Chris’ eyes narrowed. "Wait, you have more than one?"
Shaking her head, Evie knew that they were getting off-track. "Yeah, but that’s a conversation for another night."
"Right,” Chris replied, clapping her hands together. “Well, I figured that you were helping Chloe and... I don't know, but I figured if you two were on board then... I was hoping there was a chance that maybe if I told you the truth that maybe we could find some peace."
Turning her head to focus on Chloe, Chris shook her head before admitting, "I had hoped that Jimmy's and Talia's deaths weren't related, but I couldn’t ignore the signs, even if all law enforcement in Metropolis and Star City do."
Chloe grinned. "You know,” she said, “you're smarter than you give yourself credit." Because Chris was right. The police had gone out of their way to say that their deaths were connected, not to mention the spin the media put in things.
"Thanks,” Chris replied with a smile. “Does that mean..."
"Of course.” Evie looked at Chloe to confirm, and when she nodded, she turned to look at Chris. “We will do everything we can."
"Thanks," she said again, feeling a lot more relieved.
"No problem.” With a smile, Evie stood up and promptly went to the kitchen. “Now, I was promised carbonara."
~0~
When the elevator arrived, Oliver was there to greet her as usual, but Chloe didn’t meet his eyes. Every day that passed, it felt like one surprise after another. This one wasn’t as big as the others, but it appeared that everyone in her life had a secret.
“Hey, everything okay?” he asked her, and Chloe noticed that he had come closer than she realized as she looked up.
She grinned as she nodded. “Chris just called Evie and I on the connections between what we do and what happened her sister.” Seeing Oliver’s mouth gape, she dropped her purse and walked around him. “Can’t say I’m surprised. If anything, I’ve surprised it took her this long.”
Not long ago, Oliver himself was in that situation, so he understood, but instead of voicing that, he focused on the fact that Chloe suddenly seemed more determined. “How’d she take it?”
“Fairly well,” Chloe said with a shrug, “considering she told us that she was a meta.” Smiling as she found her laptop on Oliver's desk, she turned it on, waiting for him to process his surprise. Or at least, that was the plan.
Instead, Oliver sighed as he stared at the floor. “I know.”
Chloe’s head tilted. The only reason she had told him that was because it was bound to come up during their conversations at headquarters. “You knew?” she asked, turning her body to face him. “Evie had no idea.”
“I never told anyone, there was no need.” After her sister died, Chris’ ability was pretty nonexistent, so there was no point bringing that up.
However, Chloe sensed that there was something more going on here. More than once, Chris was brought up in conversation about this case, and it was clear that something about Talia’s death was taboo. “Because you knew her sister,” she said as she sat down. “Were you in love with her or something?”
His head jerked back in response. “Where did you get that idea?”
“Evie mentioned that you wanted to make amends with Chris, hence her partnership with your money.” It made no sense, knowing that Talia was in a long-term relationship, but Chloe was drawing blanks elsewhere. “It’s the only explanation I can come up with.”
Oliver took a second, realizing where she was coming from, before sitting next to Chloe on the couch. “Talia was our first exposure to this case.”
He had been Green Arrow in Star City for a few years, but not a lot of people supported his efforts. Talia was different, as she set up a mugging to get his attention. “She couldn’t trust the cops because they could be bought, but she was planning on getting the proof she needed the night she died and she thought I had the resources to make people listen.”
Two years had gone by, and yet Oliver could still visualize that night like it was yesterday. “I was supposed to meet her that night, but she never showed.” All that time, he stood on that roof, while she lay dead two buildings over. He had considered offering her help as Oliver Queen, as he had an invite to the event where she was killed, but instead, he chose to protect his cover and stood back to let her become their latest victim.
The next few months weren’t a pretty time in his life. Oliver knew that he didn’t pull the trigger, but he still wanted to believe that he could have done more. It’s why her original case was always in the back of his mind. “We thought the trail had gone cold, but then Evie’s clients started going missing. We knew better than consider it a coincidence.”
Then his parents’ died, and the more time that passed, he couldn’t help but wonder if the message was meant for them… or him.
Chloe shook her head. “Ollie… you can’t blame yourself.”
That wasn’t fair for her to say, as she was doing the same thing when it came to the death of Jimmy Olsen. However, Oliver knew better than to say that, mainly because it didn’t make Chloe any less right. He knew what he was doing wasn’t healthy, but it wasn’t exactly something he could switch off. However, he didn’t want to tell her that either, so he shifted the conversation. “You know, I’ve never asked you how you got into this.”
“Dirty politician,” she admitted, surprised at how easily it rolled off her tongue. After everything that had happened, Chloe had almost forgotten why this all started. “Councilmen Hetherington was running for mayor, and everyone loved him. But you know the saying, if something’s too good to be true -”
“It usually is,” Oliver finished, as he remembered reading about Hetherington’s death. In all the work that the team did, that wasn’t a name that they thought was connected, but thinking about the details of the case, it made sense.
Chloe smirked as her eyes shut momentarily. “I actually know how Talia feels,” she said as she opened her laptop. “That night… that was the tip I was waiting for.” Not only that, but Chris’ story also resonated, what with the loving figure having a dark secret.
She opened up an internet browser, determined to look into this lead, see if there was any links she could use. But before she could get anywhere, she saw her screen move back down, Oliver’s hand resting on top of her laptop. “I know what you’re trying to do right now,” he said, “but since his death, you’ve never let yourself take a night off to get away from it.”
“That’s not true.” But Chloe knew what Oliver meant, as it was clear how much his death still haunted her. “I mean, usually it’s through persuasion, but I’m not completely adverse to the idea.”
Oliver leaned down, trying to have their eyes meet. When they did, he grinned at Chloe. “Then this is me persuading you to have one drink with me and then take the rest of the night off for a change.”
She wanted to say no, that this was another break in this case, but it wasn’t like anything that she would find would be any different tomorrow morning. “Fine.” Chloe brought her hands up, letting Oliver take the laptop from her. When he got up from the couch, Chloe looked around and saw the arrows in the target across the room. “I have to admit… I wouldn’t have guessed you’d have that good accuracy after a couple of drinks.”
Oliver chuckled as he looked up from pouring the scotch. “Lots of training in that department.” He wished that he was kidding, but there had been a few occasions when that was the case. “Never know when you need to storm the field.”
“You know,” Chloe said as she got up to take the arrows out of the target, “it still blows my mind that you play cops and robbers in tights.”
“They’re not tights,” Oliver replied, trading Chloe her drink for his arrows, their hands lingering for an extra second before he backed away to put them away.
Chloe cleared her throat, taking a sip before finding her way back to the couch. “Seriously, what made you start this whole thing?” It wasn’t exactly a regular billionaire hobby. Not that Chloe would know, but while they did tend to go for adrenaline-related activities, dressing up in leather to fight crime was unique.
So was Oliver’s answer. “Hal, actually.”
“Really?” Chloe hadn’t anticipated that, as based on what she knew about Hal Jordan, it seemed more likely that Oliver had convinced him to do this.
That was the downside to this explanation, because Chloe didn’t know Hal like Oliver did. “He got his powers… and he trusted me with his secrets, including the fact that he was using his abilities to help people.”
It was a struggle for Hal initially, as he had been living the high life for years. They both used to thrive in the playboy lifestyle, but Hal becoming Green Lantern made Oliver realize that there was a way that they could do something good that wouldn’t be defined by their bank accounts or their looks.
“Being the son of living and beloved legends isn’t an easy task,” Oliver said. “One day, I realized that no matter what I did, I would pale in their shadows. Even though I didn’t have abilities, I did have the resources… and I wanted to do something good without getting credit, without being connected to my family name.”
Chloe nodded. “Did your parents know?”
“I don’t know, maybe?” Part of Oliver had suspected that they knew, but he never got the courage to tell them, something that he had a feeling he had in common with Chloe. Then again, as much time as they had spent together, Oliver didn’t know much about her personal life. “I just realized that you don't talk about your family much.”
“There's not really much to tell.” She bit her lip before taking a drink. “My mom left when I was a kid, and my dad and I lost touch to ensure his safety.”
Oliver swallowed hard, not realizing the memories that had made her relive. “So you were that star witness against Lionel.”
“Not that it ended up mattering in the end.” As per usual with influential people, Lionel Luthor avoided prison. The only reason she survived all this time was because his son had something on him, but Lex couldn’t guarantee the same safety for her father. “Lex used his connections to ensure my dad was safe. Not even he knows where he is now.”
It hurt being so far from her dad, but it was for the best. Chloe wasn’t exactly the daughter he remembered, and if he was happy where he was now, that was all that mattered. It helped that Chloe was never really alone. “I always had Lois, but it’s not the same as immediate family.”
However, that worked for her. Chloe’s life was never going to be normal, so it was fitting. But when Chloe looked up at Oliver, she was reminded of how hard these months had been since he lost his parents. “But I suppose I shouldn’t argue with that, especially considering your situation.”
“It’s okay,” Oliver said, his lips pursing before he took his first drink. “I know for a fact that I took my parents for granted.” They loved him no matter what, but in a lot of ways, they never got to see who he really was. All the time he was Green Arrow, he had to convince everyone of the story that he wanted them to believe, which wasn’t the image he wanted his parents to see.
“I don’t know about that,” Chloe said, her eyes staring at the skyline in front of them. “The company’s reputation has maintained its strength with you at the helm, you’re doing something about curbing crime in the city and the playboy persona is just that.” She grinned before chinking her glass against his. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
Oliver wanted to accept the compliment and move on, but he knew that he had held back enough tonight. “How about you then? You’re worth much more than what you’re doing.”
She really hated when he did that. The parallels were there, and while it was probably what she needed to hear, she didn’t necessarily want to hear it. “It’s something I can do. It’s safe.”
“While you’re working on the most dangerous story of your career.”
Feeling a bit of déjà vu from when she talked to Lois a while back, Chloe went back to some of the words she used that day. “I tried to bury the story after he died.” Like she had told Lois, it wasn’t entirely voluntary, as all her leads went dry, but the effort was there. “Even if I never get justice for Jimmy, I want justice for all the people whose lives they've affected.”
“I’m sorry,” Oliver said with a sigh, “I know you don’t like talking about Jimmy.” But to his surprise, she didn’t take the out.
“It was supposed to be me in that alley, not getting a note telling me where his body was, telling me not to make the same mistake.” Chloe rolled her eyes as she finished her drink. “He just wanted to prove himself at the paper. He didn’t have to… but I think he also wanted to prove himself to me.”
Oliver leaned forward, leaving his glass on the table while his body shifted towards Chloe. “I thought he was a photographer.”
“He was, but he saw how Clark and Lois worked together and he wanted that for us. I told him it was too dangerous, that he wasn’t built for that, and that was okay.” She thought Jimmy had heard her that night, but it appeared that he had his fingers crossed behind his back. “Three hours later, he took a call on my cell phone while I was in the shower, leaving me a note telling me that we’d see who was right.”
“Chloe,” Oliver said, covering her hands with his, “you don’t have to tell me this.”
Except all she did was shake her head. Chloe was too far down this story to go back now. “He was missing for two days before I got that note on my doorstep. He was innocent in all this, and seeing his body in the alley, left there to die, I…”
She could feel tears starting to form in her eyes, but Chloe swallowed hard, clearing her throat to hold them back. “You want to know the worst part? We were this close to breaking up.” They were even having fights about how they should call the wedding off, but they were too afraid to completely cut the cord. “He knew it, so that was probably the hail mary to save our relationship. I knew better, it was why we could never set a date. I just couldn’t do it.”
With a sigh, Chloe dipped her head. “But it was never supposed to end like that. That’s why I need justice, I need to …”
Oliver squeezed her hand. “You need closure… to allow you to move forward.”
“I just want to look in the mirror and know that I didn’t let him down,” Chloe replied. “But that doesn’t leave me with much of a social life. Don’t even get me started on the set-ups that my friends and Lois give me. That’s one perk of this whole thing.”
“Just the one?” Oliver asked with a smile, a gesture that Chloe couldn’t help but return.
“You kidding me? King-sized bed, Egyptian cotton sheets, all the expensive coffee I can drink. The morning routine alone is worth it.” With a chuckle, Chloe glanced back towards the clockface, remembering that first night, the trust that it represented, and the light it brought back into her life. “Actually, it’s working the comms that’s the most rewarding… almost feels like I have a purpose again when all I wanted to do was avoid the hero world.”
Seeing Chloe relax, Oliver smiled before moving his hand back. “I’m glad you accepted the offer. I admit, I was incredibly skeptical initially, but it’s easy to see what they see in you.”
“Really?”
As Oliver stood up, he chuckled. “Chloe, you shouldn’t doubt this by now.”
“True,” she replied, knowing how much he had confided in her, all the ways they had grown close in the few months they knew each other. “But it’s still nice to hear.”
He nodded as he brought his scotch over to where they were sitting. “Top-up?”
Chloe lifted her glass. “If you don’t mind.” It wasn’t like before, when she needed to feel the burn on her throat. This time, she planned to enjoy it, to embrace the fact that there was a light in the investigation again, that she could talk to someone about Jimmy and not feel ashamed.
“Wouldn’t offer if I did.” But as he filled up her glass, he felt her watching him. “What?”
“So how did the rest of group form?” It was kind of a random question, one that Chloe wanted to ask during initiation but between everything they had discussed, she forgot. “I have a hard time believing that Bart found you.”
“That’s because I found him.” It felt like ages ago now, Hal and him tracking down this mysterious speedster, a kid that stole because he didn’t know better, and he didn’t have anyone in his life to tell him better. “Told him he wouldn’t have to steal if he changed his ways. But the only thing Bart cared about was getting his cousin back.”
“So you gave a stranger hope, changed his life, saved two people’s lives… all in one act.”
“It’s the job,” Oliver said with a shrug.
“One you didn’t have to do,” Chloe clarified. For as much confidence as Oliver Queen exuded in the spotlight, the more she got to know him, the more cracks that showed in his self-confidence.
But her comment got him to grin as he looked towards her. “No, I suppose not, but I have no intention of stopping.”
“Good,” she replied, matching his expression. “You shouldn’t.”
As his grin widened to a smile, he lifted his glass up, moving it towards hers. “To saving the world, one night at a time.”
Chloe nodded as her glass hit his. “Cheers.”
Chapter 8
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