Lost and Found (2/4)
Author: 
serafina19
Title: Lost and Found
Summary: Chloe decides that she needs space after her divorce and the Davis debacle. But she forgot that there were familiar faces in Star City until one of them approaches her in a crowded bar.
Timeline: AU Season 8
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
When Chloe woke up the next day, she almost thought what had happened last night was a dream, but there was Oliver's card on the bedside table. It was weird to glimpse back to a time in her life that she felt happier, more relaxed, but it felt better than she thought.
Oliver hadn't changed much, cocky as ever, with his usual side of caring. Sitting up, she flapped the card in her fingers, wondering if it would be a stretch to call him again. But soon after, she shook her head. He was busy enough without her bothering him and that wasn't why she had come all this way. She got out of her bed and grabbed her bathing suit. Her hotel had a great outdoor pool and considering the weather, it was the perfect day to use it.
She wasn't the only one with that idea, but luckily, Chloe was able to find an area that was a bit secluded. Taking off her cover-up, she set up her towel on one of the chairs and laid down.
Sure enough, once enough time had passed, she felt herself getting restless.
Relax? You?
She didn't want to admit that those were questions that had crossed her mind, but she was determined to try, so Chloe closed her eyes and it didn't take long for her breathing to slow down. But then her mind started wandering again and that did no good, as all she could think of was her mistakes.
It was supposed to easy to empty her mind, that was what people told her, but by clearing her mind of the present, the past was all that remained, as the future wasn't exactly a great concept. She was unemployed, likely unable to pay rent for the Talon if Lois didn't live there with her, fragmented social life. Not exactly the ideal resume, not to mention the fact that Lex probably had blacklisted her. Or the fact that she couldn't exactly answer the question, so what have you done since your last position?
She really was messed up.
Having enough, she opened her eyes and sat up. Taking a swig from her water bottle, she watched the kids playing in the pool, the smiles on the other people's faces. For a few minutes, it seemed to help, so Chloe picked up her book and opened it to the first page. Back when she was in school, she must have consumed books left right and centre, but in the last couple of months, she couldn't remember the last time she had genuinely read a book. It was good, escapism from her crazy life.
And it was a sufficient distraction for a couple of chapters, but as she started to find herself relating to the main character, she couldn't focus. Another sigh escaped her and Chloe found herself staring ahead, wondering how she was supposed to get through the next few weeks if she couldn't even survive a morning.
However, for once, the world seemed to be looking out for her, as she felt a familiar whoosh next to her. Initially, she figured it was Clark, but she smiled upon realizing a different speedster was in her midst.
“Bart! Wait, how did -?”
“I’ve been combing the hotels down this street until I found you. Then I rushed off to Europe for these!”
He brought his arm forward, showing the flowers that were behind his back. Tulips, her favorite. “Thanks," she said, taking the bouquet and smelling them. It had also been a long time since she had gotten flowers. “Oliver told you that I was in town right?”
Bart shrugged. “He may have let it slip.” His grin didn't fade in the slightest as he said it, he was just glad this morning's teleconference was optional because he could catch up with the guys tonight, but Chloe was a different matter.
However, his presence got Chloe thinking that there was something more was going on. "Don't tell me that he told you to come here."
Holding back his scoff, Bart remembered his boss' face as he reacted to the news. "He might have, if I had let him finish. I was out the door mid-sentence." Which was a mistake, because all he knew about where he was going was the general area the hotel was in. But Chloe laughed, which brought his smile back to the surface. "Have to admit, I didn't think this was your style."
Chloe looked around her. "What do you mean?" This was what a tourist was supposed to do right? Sure, she knew what Oliver had said, but this was Bart. He didn't notice these things did he?
"It's not active enough." He watched her eyes widen, but he didn't back down. "If you stay still, your mind does you no favours." He held his hand out to her. "We should go to the fair a few blocks down. It'll take your mind off your problems and I can win you a big stuffed animal."
It was really hard to turn down Bart's smile, but she had come here to get refreshed, to find peace within herself and she couldn't do that with Bart around. "Honestly, I'm fine here."
This time, Bart scoffed, as she didn't look fine. "Which explains why I haven't seen you relax for more than two minutes." He wasn't completely selfish in wanting to see her. If she was happy, he wouldn't have come over, but that wasn't the case. The book had almost worked, but then he watched her glance away, he knew he had to intervene.
Impressed, Chloe closed her book and put it back in her bag. "You know, you're smarter than most people give you credit."
Feeling smug, Bart gave a casual sigh. "I keep telling people, but they don't listen."
"Well," Chloe said as she continued to pack up her things. "I'm making an exception, lead the way." After all, it couldn't be worse than trying to relax. Picking up the tulips from her towel, she fit them in her purse and stood up. "Regular speed though."
~0~
She had to admit, today was fun. Chloe couldn't remember the last time she had let out her inner child and she couldn't remember the last time she hadn't thought about work for more than 3 hours.
Plus, it was fun for Bart too. The look on his face when he won something (without his abilities) for her was priceless and she would always remember it. Granted, she had no idea what she was going to do with the giant teddy bear, as it hardly fit in the cab back to her hotel, but the sentiment was nonetheless appreciated. As was his willingness to let her take a cab back to her hotel.
Sitting on her bed, she turned on the TV, and she had the news in the background while looking over her messages. Sure, she felt bad for not saying anything back to Lois and Clark, but at the end of the day, it wasn't like she was staying here for good.
Although she had started to think about it. It felt like a better idea now than before. She had a different support system, a place for a fresh start and --
No.
She wouldn't let Lex beat her. She had never let her obstacles get the best of her and she wouldn't start now. But last night hadn't been the most successful, so she considered that maybe a night in with some room service would do her some good. After all, Chloe had to get used to silence and boredom at some point.
Or at least, that was before she got a knock on her door. Having a feeling that Bart had followed her to the hotel, she sighed before getting off her bed. However, when she looked through the peephole, she found out she was wrong. Again.
Then again, who was there instead didn't surprise her. “Let me guess, Bart told you my hotel? Or did you look it up on your database?”
Victor knew better than to give that question a response. “Oliver's making dinner for the team and we think you should be with family tonight.”
The word family felt especially strong considering how long she had worked with the team, but she didn't correct him. "This your idea or his?"
"Meeting of the minds," Victor countered, as he figured she would question this offer. Especially considering what had happened, it didn't surprise him that she was apprehensive of going out. "Worst case, I figured we could do something quieter after a day with Bart."
Chloe laughed as she realized that option would mean she was practically taking turns with the team members. "So I take it that means AC will be taking me for an ocean excursion tomorrow morning?"
Victor laughed, seeing her point. "Nah, fish-sticks is on a side mission right now. He's bummed to miss you though. Told me to say hi."
They stared at each other for a few minutes, as Victor waited for her verdict. She was determined to recharge, to relax, but so far, none of that had gone to plan thanks to the team. Although, that was also the times she had the most fun.
"Come on in. I need five minutes to change, but I can't really say no to a free meal."
~0~
Getting in the elevator at Oliver's place, Chloe leaned back against the wall as Victor punched in the access code. When he relaxed against the opposite wall, she said, "So it's safe to assume that you've kept tabs on us since leaving?"
"Maybe," he replied with a smirk. It wasn't personal, but he owed them a lot and he wanted to ensure that they were still okay. "Not as much as I would have liked. In hindsight, I wished that I would have looked harder."
Chloe shook her head. "Look, I made mistakes, but I'll get through it."
"I don't doubt you.” That wasn’t the problem in his mind. She never seemed to be great at accepting help, even now. “But you deserved better than to go through what you did." He watched as her head whirled in his direction.
"How much do you know?"
"Enough,” was all Victor could say for now.
Biting the inside of her lip, Chloe glanced towards the elevator doors, wondering what she was really walking into. "How much does everyone else know?"
Victor was quick to dissuade her theory, as for the most part, there wasn’t an ulterior motive for tonight. "They knew that you were close to the corn field killer." Seeing her nod, Victor admitted, "I spared them the messy personal details. Again, starting to regret that decision."
"Don't." She sighed as the elevator stopped moving. "It's better this way."
Victor opened his mouth, but doors opening up forced him to hold his opinion back. He clearly didn't agree with her, but Chloe didn't care. More people involved would have caused them all to go to this place. As it stood, it was over, and she could move on slowly. No crazy collateral damage to everyone else's lives around her.
"Hey," Oliver said as he emerged from the kitchen. "You made it."
Chloe tried her best to hold back a laugh. Yeah, she didn't know him that well, but she had never seen him so domestic. The apron was an especially nice touch, so she decided to let it out when Bart zipped by to hug her. “You guys are making it hard to say no," she replied as she returned the embrace.
Her eyes came up again, meeting Oliver's, who grinned back at her. "No complaints here," he said before heading back to the kitchen.
Patting Bart's back, Chloe looked around the room and noticed a blonde woman sitting on the arm on the couch. She had just put away her phone, so Chloe figured it was best to introduce herself. “Hi, you must be Canary.”
The other woman's eyes widened, as she struggled to answer Chloe. Luckily, Victor broke the silence. “She’s as trustworthy as they come, Dinah.”
Suddenly, Chloe knew exactly who she was talking to. “Dinah Lance. I thought I recognized you.” The woman was a popular radio personality after all. Her hair had thrown her off, but Chloe supposed that was a part of the cover. Dinah still looked skeptical, so Chloe put her hands up and shook her head. “Seriously, I’m not going to tell anyone.”
That seemed to help relax Dinah, as a realization hit her. “You’re Watchtower," she said, holding her hand out. She had heard about a temporary team member who had run the comms with ease. All this time, Dinah figured that she never would meet her. “That explains a lot. And it’s nice to have another bit of estrogen on the team.”
Chloe swallowed hard. “Oh, I’m not on the team. This is purely a social call.”
“Too bad. The guys need some decent structure. Oliver can only do so much and I'm part-time."
Victor chuckled from behind them, causing Chloe to turn her head over her shoulder. "I wish I could disagree with her, but I know better." Glancing over to Chloe, his expression changed. "But that was just a one-time thing, right Chloe?"
She knew that he was testing her, but she couldn't say anything to the contrary. "I... don't know. Honestly, my life is a bit of a mess right now."
"So? You're far from alone on that on the team. Bossman almost had -"
"Bart!" Victor interjected.
"What?” Bart turned towards his teammate, clearly confused. “She's like family to half of us."
"Not to him, Bart," Chloe said. "It's fine. I don't need to know."
But that didn't stop her from looking over towards the kitchen. She may not know whatever recent struggle Oliver had gone through, but she knew that he had a lot on his plate and she never knew how he could manage it.
Managing one of the country's largest technology companies. Trying to save the world. Managing a straight face even when times were dire. She envied Oliver for that, but then Chloe thought about seeing him at the bar, about he was so focused on helping her. Maybe he was there that night because he was struggling just as much as she was.
~0~
As Victor pulled up to her hotel, he said, “I'm sorry if I put you on the spot regarding the team back there. I just wanted you to know that we’re here for you. And that I’ve missed you."
"I miss you guys too. More than I thought." It was funny, because this was the most at peace she had felt in months. She never imagined that surrounding herself with the team again would do that. Even Dinah was pretty cool. "And no apology needed. I get it."
"Cool."
After sharing a grin, she looked towards her hotel, trying to figure out how she was supposed to beat today's fun tomorrow. "Thanks for the lift, Vic. Take care."
He nodded. "See you around, Chloe."
She got out of the car, waving at Victor as he took off down the road. Entering the hotel, Chloe was unable to resist people watching as she walked through the lobby. There were couples at the front desk, business men typing away on their phones in the bar, even a few families nearby who likely just wanted to put their kids to bed.
In a weird way, she had been all of these people in the last few years. That was part of the problem, as somewhere along the line, she had lost sight of who she was. In trying to balance her various roles, it was like the world was giving her life the virtual blue screen of death. At that time, nothing worked, but with some renewed mentality and less on her plate, maybe there was a chance that she could move on.
But with one look at a person who she had momentarily left behind, Chloe knew resetting her life was a bit more complicated than buying a new laptop.
She didn't let Clark distract her though, as she walked past him wordlessly to hit the elevator button. “You wasted a trip. I’m fine.”
Clark scoffed. “That’s how you explain leaving without giving us a clue as to where you were?” The note was appreciated, but it left a lot of possibilities, which wasn't great with Lois around tossing around conspiracy theories, blaming him and Jimmy.
But Chloe didn't want to talk to Clark about her life in Metropolis right now. More importantly, she didn't want to undo the peace she had felt tonight. “My flight is Tuesday morning, we can talk when I get home.” The elevator came, so Chloe got inside, not surprised to see Clark follow her. She had expected him to hit the emergency stop, but when he didn't, she felt grateful that at least that was going her way. “How did you even find me?”
“We were worried, so I asked John to use his police resources.”
“Wow,” Chloe said sincerely, oddly flattered by the amount of effort that they put in. “It wasn't anything personal, Clark. I just wanted a few days to myself.”
Knowing that her floor was coming up, Clark stepped forward so that he could see her eyes better. “So you’re not leaving for good?”
Of all of her theories as to why Clark was here, this didn't cross her mind. Chloe never would have guessed that her best friend was this scared of losing her. “Don't get me wrong, I thought about it, but no.”
Clark let his relief show in his face, as a smile slowly grew. But it disappeared just as fast as the elevator stopped. "We didn't cause this, did we?"
Chloe wanted to tell him that wasn’t the case, but it was more complicated than that. "I won't say that you didn't contribute towards it, but most of this was just a need to recharge."
After a nod, he turned around and exited the elevator, Chloe right behind him. "You look better."
"I feel better." She swallowed hard, as there was something she wanted to know, and Clark would be the only one who would know. "How's Jimmy?"
"Looking at a transfer for another paper. He thought you had the right idea leaving town and thought he needed a fresh start."
"Good." The last thing that she wanted was for his life to get derailed with hers. "He deserves that."
Stopping in front of Chloe’s hotel room, Clark realized that he had heard everything he needed. "So do you," he said, having a feeling that he should have said that a lot sooner. "Sorry if I ruined your vacation." He had hoped that wasn't the case, because she seemed more relaxed than usual.
Fortunately, Chloe shook her head, as she thought a conversation like this was overdue. "Showing you care doesn't ruin it, Clark. It reminds me that my life isn't as messed up as I thought it was."
He smiled as she put in her keycard to enter the room. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of days then.”
“Yeah,” she said, her hand still on her doorknob as she glanced back. “You think you can keep Lois calm until then?”
He nodded. "You've handled much worse for me. I think I can handle this."
"Thanks," she said, and with that, Clark walked back to the elevator. Closing the door behind her, Chloe tried to maintain her smile, as that was a positive conversation, but seeing Clark brought everything back to the surface.
What if all of this was a smoke screen? Sure, the words were great, but Chloe had gone through her share of words falling through. While she needed today to see the purpose in her life again, that didn’t mean it would transfer to her everyday life.
It was what she was hoping for this trip, to forget about those problems. Except Chloe was reminded of all of the great people around her and she didn’t feel like she could live up to their expectations. Her decision making skills had taken a hit lately, not to mention her judgement of character. Even if she could joke with them over dinner, she couldn't guarentee that she could be the Chloe they remembered in the long run.
Collapsing on her bed, Chloe closed her eyes, trying to focus on today, but instead, the past came back, and she felt skeptical that moving forward would be that easy anymore. However, when she opened her eyes again, she noticed something in her peripheral vision.
It was just a business card, but it held a promise.
But know that if that ever changes, you can call me. Anytime, anywhere.
Deep down, Chloe had a feeling that if anyone understood her struggle, it was Oliver. It was a strange thing to admit, but they had enough in common and he was far from this issue to give some perspective. Maybe he could provide some of the answers she was looking for.
Sitting up, Chloe picked up her phone and dialed, hoping he meant the anytime, because it wasn’t exactly early.
“Who is this?” he said when he picked up, and she couldn’t blame him. She had switched phones since they had last seen each other, and it wasn’t like she had a reason to call him until now.
“I’m sorry,” she said, swallowing hard as she looked up. “Your offer. Does it still stand?”
There was a pause on the line, and Chloe was tempted to take it back, but then he said , “A cab will be at your hotel in five minutes. Elevator code is 51992.”
Chapter 3
Sera’s Scribbles: Sorry for the delay. I got distracted writing Chapters 3 and 4, as well as new fandom works (I’m a little addicted to the main ship for Brooklyn Nine-Nine). The good news is that Chapter 3 is almost ready and I might be able to get it up later this week.
Oh, and here's a link for those who don't know what a "virtual blue screen of death" is.
.
serafina19
Title: Lost and Found
Summary: Chloe decides that she needs space after her divorce and the Davis debacle. But she forgot that there were familiar faces in Star City until one of them approaches her in a crowded bar.
Timeline: AU Season 8
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
When Chloe woke up the next day, she almost thought what had happened last night was a dream, but there was Oliver's card on the bedside table. It was weird to glimpse back to a time in her life that she felt happier, more relaxed, but it felt better than she thought.
Oliver hadn't changed much, cocky as ever, with his usual side of caring. Sitting up, she flapped the card in her fingers, wondering if it would be a stretch to call him again. But soon after, she shook her head. He was busy enough without her bothering him and that wasn't why she had come all this way. She got out of her bed and grabbed her bathing suit. Her hotel had a great outdoor pool and considering the weather, it was the perfect day to use it.
She wasn't the only one with that idea, but luckily, Chloe was able to find an area that was a bit secluded. Taking off her cover-up, she set up her towel on one of the chairs and laid down.
Sure enough, once enough time had passed, she felt herself getting restless.
Relax? You?
She didn't want to admit that those were questions that had crossed her mind, but she was determined to try, so Chloe closed her eyes and it didn't take long for her breathing to slow down. But then her mind started wandering again and that did no good, as all she could think of was her mistakes.
It was supposed to easy to empty her mind, that was what people told her, but by clearing her mind of the present, the past was all that remained, as the future wasn't exactly a great concept. She was unemployed, likely unable to pay rent for the Talon if Lois didn't live there with her, fragmented social life. Not exactly the ideal resume, not to mention the fact that Lex probably had blacklisted her. Or the fact that she couldn't exactly answer the question, so what have you done since your last position?
She really was messed up.
Having enough, she opened her eyes and sat up. Taking a swig from her water bottle, she watched the kids playing in the pool, the smiles on the other people's faces. For a few minutes, it seemed to help, so Chloe picked up her book and opened it to the first page. Back when she was in school, she must have consumed books left right and centre, but in the last couple of months, she couldn't remember the last time she had genuinely read a book. It was good, escapism from her crazy life.
And it was a sufficient distraction for a couple of chapters, but as she started to find herself relating to the main character, she couldn't focus. Another sigh escaped her and Chloe found herself staring ahead, wondering how she was supposed to get through the next few weeks if she couldn't even survive a morning.
However, for once, the world seemed to be looking out for her, as she felt a familiar whoosh next to her. Initially, she figured it was Clark, but she smiled upon realizing a different speedster was in her midst.
“Bart! Wait, how did -?”
“I’ve been combing the hotels down this street until I found you. Then I rushed off to Europe for these!”
He brought his arm forward, showing the flowers that were behind his back. Tulips, her favorite. “Thanks," she said, taking the bouquet and smelling them. It had also been a long time since she had gotten flowers. “Oliver told you that I was in town right?”
Bart shrugged. “He may have let it slip.” His grin didn't fade in the slightest as he said it, he was just glad this morning's teleconference was optional because he could catch up with the guys tonight, but Chloe was a different matter.
However, his presence got Chloe thinking that there was something more was going on. "Don't tell me that he told you to come here."
Holding back his scoff, Bart remembered his boss' face as he reacted to the news. "He might have, if I had let him finish. I was out the door mid-sentence." Which was a mistake, because all he knew about where he was going was the general area the hotel was in. But Chloe laughed, which brought his smile back to the surface. "Have to admit, I didn't think this was your style."
Chloe looked around her. "What do you mean?" This was what a tourist was supposed to do right? Sure, she knew what Oliver had said, but this was Bart. He didn't notice these things did he?
"It's not active enough." He watched her eyes widen, but he didn't back down. "If you stay still, your mind does you no favours." He held his hand out to her. "We should go to the fair a few blocks down. It'll take your mind off your problems and I can win you a big stuffed animal."
It was really hard to turn down Bart's smile, but she had come here to get refreshed, to find peace within herself and she couldn't do that with Bart around. "Honestly, I'm fine here."
This time, Bart scoffed, as she didn't look fine. "Which explains why I haven't seen you relax for more than two minutes." He wasn't completely selfish in wanting to see her. If she was happy, he wouldn't have come over, but that wasn't the case. The book had almost worked, but then he watched her glance away, he knew he had to intervene.
Impressed, Chloe closed her book and put it back in her bag. "You know, you're smarter than most people give you credit."
Feeling smug, Bart gave a casual sigh. "I keep telling people, but they don't listen."
"Well," Chloe said as she continued to pack up her things. "I'm making an exception, lead the way." After all, it couldn't be worse than trying to relax. Picking up the tulips from her towel, she fit them in her purse and stood up. "Regular speed though."
~0~
She had to admit, today was fun. Chloe couldn't remember the last time she had let out her inner child and she couldn't remember the last time she hadn't thought about work for more than 3 hours.
Plus, it was fun for Bart too. The look on his face when he won something (without his abilities) for her was priceless and she would always remember it. Granted, she had no idea what she was going to do with the giant teddy bear, as it hardly fit in the cab back to her hotel, but the sentiment was nonetheless appreciated. As was his willingness to let her take a cab back to her hotel.
Sitting on her bed, she turned on the TV, and she had the news in the background while looking over her messages. Sure, she felt bad for not saying anything back to Lois and Clark, but at the end of the day, it wasn't like she was staying here for good.
Although she had started to think about it. It felt like a better idea now than before. She had a different support system, a place for a fresh start and --
No.
She wouldn't let Lex beat her. She had never let her obstacles get the best of her and she wouldn't start now. But last night hadn't been the most successful, so she considered that maybe a night in with some room service would do her some good. After all, Chloe had to get used to silence and boredom at some point.
Or at least, that was before she got a knock on her door. Having a feeling that Bart had followed her to the hotel, she sighed before getting off her bed. However, when she looked through the peephole, she found out she was wrong. Again.
Then again, who was there instead didn't surprise her. “Let me guess, Bart told you my hotel? Or did you look it up on your database?”
Victor knew better than to give that question a response. “Oliver's making dinner for the team and we think you should be with family tonight.”
The word family felt especially strong considering how long she had worked with the team, but she didn't correct him. "This your idea or his?"
"Meeting of the minds," Victor countered, as he figured she would question this offer. Especially considering what had happened, it didn't surprise him that she was apprehensive of going out. "Worst case, I figured we could do something quieter after a day with Bart."
Chloe laughed as she realized that option would mean she was practically taking turns with the team members. "So I take it that means AC will be taking me for an ocean excursion tomorrow morning?"
Victor laughed, seeing her point. "Nah, fish-sticks is on a side mission right now. He's bummed to miss you though. Told me to say hi."
They stared at each other for a few minutes, as Victor waited for her verdict. She was determined to recharge, to relax, but so far, none of that had gone to plan thanks to the team. Although, that was also the times she had the most fun.
"Come on in. I need five minutes to change, but I can't really say no to a free meal."
~0~
Getting in the elevator at Oliver's place, Chloe leaned back against the wall as Victor punched in the access code. When he relaxed against the opposite wall, she said, "So it's safe to assume that you've kept tabs on us since leaving?"
"Maybe," he replied with a smirk. It wasn't personal, but he owed them a lot and he wanted to ensure that they were still okay. "Not as much as I would have liked. In hindsight, I wished that I would have looked harder."
Chloe shook her head. "Look, I made mistakes, but I'll get through it."
"I don't doubt you.” That wasn’t the problem in his mind. She never seemed to be great at accepting help, even now. “But you deserved better than to go through what you did." He watched as her head whirled in his direction.
"How much do you know?"
"Enough,” was all Victor could say for now.
Biting the inside of her lip, Chloe glanced towards the elevator doors, wondering what she was really walking into. "How much does everyone else know?"
Victor was quick to dissuade her theory, as for the most part, there wasn’t an ulterior motive for tonight. "They knew that you were close to the corn field killer." Seeing her nod, Victor admitted, "I spared them the messy personal details. Again, starting to regret that decision."
"Don't." She sighed as the elevator stopped moving. "It's better this way."
Victor opened his mouth, but doors opening up forced him to hold his opinion back. He clearly didn't agree with her, but Chloe didn't care. More people involved would have caused them all to go to this place. As it stood, it was over, and she could move on slowly. No crazy collateral damage to everyone else's lives around her.
"Hey," Oliver said as he emerged from the kitchen. "You made it."
Chloe tried her best to hold back a laugh. Yeah, she didn't know him that well, but she had never seen him so domestic. The apron was an especially nice touch, so she decided to let it out when Bart zipped by to hug her. “You guys are making it hard to say no," she replied as she returned the embrace.
Her eyes came up again, meeting Oliver's, who grinned back at her. "No complaints here," he said before heading back to the kitchen.
Patting Bart's back, Chloe looked around the room and noticed a blonde woman sitting on the arm on the couch. She had just put away her phone, so Chloe figured it was best to introduce herself. “Hi, you must be Canary.”
The other woman's eyes widened, as she struggled to answer Chloe. Luckily, Victor broke the silence. “She’s as trustworthy as they come, Dinah.”
Suddenly, Chloe knew exactly who she was talking to. “Dinah Lance. I thought I recognized you.” The woman was a popular radio personality after all. Her hair had thrown her off, but Chloe supposed that was a part of the cover. Dinah still looked skeptical, so Chloe put her hands up and shook her head. “Seriously, I’m not going to tell anyone.”
That seemed to help relax Dinah, as a realization hit her. “You’re Watchtower," she said, holding her hand out. She had heard about a temporary team member who had run the comms with ease. All this time, Dinah figured that she never would meet her. “That explains a lot. And it’s nice to have another bit of estrogen on the team.”
Chloe swallowed hard. “Oh, I’m not on the team. This is purely a social call.”
“Too bad. The guys need some decent structure. Oliver can only do so much and I'm part-time."
Victor chuckled from behind them, causing Chloe to turn her head over her shoulder. "I wish I could disagree with her, but I know better." Glancing over to Chloe, his expression changed. "But that was just a one-time thing, right Chloe?"
She knew that he was testing her, but she couldn't say anything to the contrary. "I... don't know. Honestly, my life is a bit of a mess right now."
"So? You're far from alone on that on the team. Bossman almost had -"
"Bart!" Victor interjected.
"What?” Bart turned towards his teammate, clearly confused. “She's like family to half of us."
"Not to him, Bart," Chloe said. "It's fine. I don't need to know."
But that didn't stop her from looking over towards the kitchen. She may not know whatever recent struggle Oliver had gone through, but she knew that he had a lot on his plate and she never knew how he could manage it.
Managing one of the country's largest technology companies. Trying to save the world. Managing a straight face even when times were dire. She envied Oliver for that, but then Chloe thought about seeing him at the bar, about he was so focused on helping her. Maybe he was there that night because he was struggling just as much as she was.
~0~
As Victor pulled up to her hotel, he said, “I'm sorry if I put you on the spot regarding the team back there. I just wanted you to know that we’re here for you. And that I’ve missed you."
"I miss you guys too. More than I thought." It was funny, because this was the most at peace she had felt in months. She never imagined that surrounding herself with the team again would do that. Even Dinah was pretty cool. "And no apology needed. I get it."
"Cool."
After sharing a grin, she looked towards her hotel, trying to figure out how she was supposed to beat today's fun tomorrow. "Thanks for the lift, Vic. Take care."
He nodded. "See you around, Chloe."
She got out of the car, waving at Victor as he took off down the road. Entering the hotel, Chloe was unable to resist people watching as she walked through the lobby. There were couples at the front desk, business men typing away on their phones in the bar, even a few families nearby who likely just wanted to put their kids to bed.
In a weird way, she had been all of these people in the last few years. That was part of the problem, as somewhere along the line, she had lost sight of who she was. In trying to balance her various roles, it was like the world was giving her life the virtual blue screen of death. At that time, nothing worked, but with some renewed mentality and less on her plate, maybe there was a chance that she could move on.
But with one look at a person who she had momentarily left behind, Chloe knew resetting her life was a bit more complicated than buying a new laptop.
She didn't let Clark distract her though, as she walked past him wordlessly to hit the elevator button. “You wasted a trip. I’m fine.”
Clark scoffed. “That’s how you explain leaving without giving us a clue as to where you were?” The note was appreciated, but it left a lot of possibilities, which wasn't great with Lois around tossing around conspiracy theories, blaming him and Jimmy.
But Chloe didn't want to talk to Clark about her life in Metropolis right now. More importantly, she didn't want to undo the peace she had felt tonight. “My flight is Tuesday morning, we can talk when I get home.” The elevator came, so Chloe got inside, not surprised to see Clark follow her. She had expected him to hit the emergency stop, but when he didn't, she felt grateful that at least that was going her way. “How did you even find me?”
“We were worried, so I asked John to use his police resources.”
“Wow,” Chloe said sincerely, oddly flattered by the amount of effort that they put in. “It wasn't anything personal, Clark. I just wanted a few days to myself.”
Knowing that her floor was coming up, Clark stepped forward so that he could see her eyes better. “So you’re not leaving for good?”
Of all of her theories as to why Clark was here, this didn't cross her mind. Chloe never would have guessed that her best friend was this scared of losing her. “Don't get me wrong, I thought about it, but no.”
Clark let his relief show in his face, as a smile slowly grew. But it disappeared just as fast as the elevator stopped. "We didn't cause this, did we?"
Chloe wanted to tell him that wasn’t the case, but it was more complicated than that. "I won't say that you didn't contribute towards it, but most of this was just a need to recharge."
After a nod, he turned around and exited the elevator, Chloe right behind him. "You look better."
"I feel better." She swallowed hard, as there was something she wanted to know, and Clark would be the only one who would know. "How's Jimmy?"
"Looking at a transfer for another paper. He thought you had the right idea leaving town and thought he needed a fresh start."
"Good." The last thing that she wanted was for his life to get derailed with hers. "He deserves that."
Stopping in front of Chloe’s hotel room, Clark realized that he had heard everything he needed. "So do you," he said, having a feeling that he should have said that a lot sooner. "Sorry if I ruined your vacation." He had hoped that wasn't the case, because she seemed more relaxed than usual.
Fortunately, Chloe shook her head, as she thought a conversation like this was overdue. "Showing you care doesn't ruin it, Clark. It reminds me that my life isn't as messed up as I thought it was."
He smiled as she put in her keycard to enter the room. "I guess I'll see you in a couple of days then.”
“Yeah,” she said, her hand still on her doorknob as she glanced back. “You think you can keep Lois calm until then?”
He nodded. "You've handled much worse for me. I think I can handle this."
"Thanks," she said, and with that, Clark walked back to the elevator. Closing the door behind her, Chloe tried to maintain her smile, as that was a positive conversation, but seeing Clark brought everything back to the surface.
What if all of this was a smoke screen? Sure, the words were great, but Chloe had gone through her share of words falling through. While she needed today to see the purpose in her life again, that didn’t mean it would transfer to her everyday life.
It was what she was hoping for this trip, to forget about those problems. Except Chloe was reminded of all of the great people around her and she didn’t feel like she could live up to their expectations. Her decision making skills had taken a hit lately, not to mention her judgement of character. Even if she could joke with them over dinner, she couldn't guarentee that she could be the Chloe they remembered in the long run.
Collapsing on her bed, Chloe closed her eyes, trying to focus on today, but instead, the past came back, and she felt skeptical that moving forward would be that easy anymore. However, when she opened her eyes again, she noticed something in her peripheral vision.
It was just a business card, but it held a promise.
But know that if that ever changes, you can call me. Anytime, anywhere.
Deep down, Chloe had a feeling that if anyone understood her struggle, it was Oliver. It was a strange thing to admit, but they had enough in common and he was far from this issue to give some perspective. Maybe he could provide some of the answers she was looking for.
Sitting up, Chloe picked up her phone and dialed, hoping he meant the anytime, because it wasn’t exactly early.
“Who is this?” he said when he picked up, and she couldn’t blame him. She had switched phones since they had last seen each other, and it wasn’t like she had a reason to call him until now.
“I’m sorry,” she said, swallowing hard as she looked up. “Your offer. Does it still stand?”
There was a pause on the line, and Chloe was tempted to take it back, but then he said , “A cab will be at your hotel in five minutes. Elevator code is 51992.”
Chapter 3
Sera’s Scribbles: Sorry for the delay. I got distracted writing Chapters 3 and 4, as well as new fandom works (I’m a little addicted to the main ship for Brooklyn Nine-Nine). The good news is that Chapter 3 is almost ready and I might be able to get it up later this week.
Oh, and here's a link for those who don't know what a "virtual blue screen of death" is.
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