Anything But Ordinary
Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Chloe sat at the same outdoor café table she’d occupied a few days before with Lois, warming her hands around a large take-out cup of coffee. The heat of summer had begun to give way to milder temperatures as the first breath of autumn was fast approaching. She usually loved this time of year when the world would soon become a blaze of fall colors, but now the leaves were beginning to turn without her notice.
This time she sat alone. She’d picked up her dress from the seamstress, and the gown was now ready to be worn, fitted perfectly to her figure. She glanced sadly at the thick, black garment bag slung over the back of the empty chair next to her, not really wanting to consider its contents, thankful that the bag was not made of clear plastic. It would end up in the back of a closet, or boxed up in storage, eventually long forgotten.
“Hey.” Davis Bloom waited until she lifted her eyes to his, rousing her from her reverie. She offered him a tentative smile.
“Hey.”
“Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all,” she answered, sitting up taller, gesturing toward the seat opposite. “No work today?” She asked, noting he was dressed casually in blue jeans, t-shirt and dark, hooded sweat jacket.
“Nope. Day off. Are you okay?” His voice, deeply male and touched with concern, he sat down, forearms leaning against the polished wood tabletop.
She waved off his concern with a shake of her head and a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Yeah,” she sighed. “I’m fine.”
His eyes, deep, dark and mysterious, studied her. “That’s not the smile I’m used to seeing. Want to talk about it?” he asked gently.
Chloe’s smile faded as she gazed out over the bustling streets of Metropolis watching but not really seeing the people passing by. She didn’t speak for a few moments. “Ever feel as though you’re just not sure where you fit in the grand scheme of things?”
“All the time.”
Chloe’s eyes returned to him, her gaze sympathetic and understanding, as though regarding a kindred spirit.
“You know, I was a foster kid,” Davis went on. “Lived in so many different places growing up. On one hand I felt like a chameleon, always having to change on the surface, on the other hand never really finding anyplace to call home, never fitting in, not really. I’ve always felt… different somehow.”
“I’m sorry. It must have been hard for you.”
He laughed it off. “Nah. It’s no big deal really,” he shrugged. “But yeah, I think I can relate a little bit. I think everyone wonders about that question at some point in their lives.”
Chloe looked away. “Yeah, I suppose.”
“Hey.” Davis waited till her eyes lifted to his, before he spoke again. “You’re pretty amazing, you know that? I mean, the work you do, it’s important. You’re helping people.”
Chloe blushed and looked down at her hands, a shy smile ghosting on her lips. “Well, my friend started ISIS, I’m just picking up the mantle, but… thanks, Davis.” Her lips curved up at the corners.
“Anytime. And there’s the smile I’ve been waiting to see.” He offered her a charming grin of his own, his eyes darkening, mysteriously sensuous. He gazed at her for long moments, his eyes intimately probing hers, and Chloe wondered what he sought there. “Look, I uh… about Jimmy…”
Chloe’s cheeks colored. She waved a hand, letting her fingers settle on the tabletop. “It’s… it’s fine. Really. I’ll be fine,” she interrupted, realizing Jimmy must have told him about the breakup during one of their ambulance runs.
The urge to reach for her hand across from him grew stronger, and just as he inched toward her, a voice called out.
“Chloe.”
Davis pulled his hand back discreetly, as both he and Chloe turned their heads at the approach of Oliver Queen walking purposefully toward them. Oliver had called her over the past few days, but she seemed disinclined toward any conversation that was not League related, and he wondered if what he’d witnessed on the rooftop nights ago was more serious, causing his concern for her to grow. Then Clark told him that she’d broken off her engagement, and her sudden distant behavior made sense. He understood her pain all too well, the need to close herself off, but he couldn’t help feeling a sense of relief that she wasn’t planning on marrying the photographer, and if being glad of it was bad on his part, then so be it. The guy just wasn’t right for her.
Davis’s eyes narrowed, assessing the blonde billionaire, dressed in a brown leather jacket and dark slacks and shirt. The guy’s clothes probably cost more than Davis would make in a year. As he eyed him, however, some primal instinct warned him that this male approaching with his confident stride, was an adversary, and that his interest in Chloe went beyond friendship, just as his own did. A muscle flicked in his jaw as he rose from his seat, and beneath the calm façade, lay an edge of fury and frustration. And as Oliver shook his hand in greeting, Davis gritted his teeth, fighting down the snarl of anger nearly choking him.
“Davis, right?” Oliver asked pleasantly enough, but with an undertone of barely contained male posturing, sensing the violence radiating off of the man in front of him.
“That’s right,” Davis replied as they each dropped hands.
“Nice to see you again,” Oliver wasn’t intimidated, and gave Davis a piece of himself, daring him with his eyes to do or say anything untoward.
Their body language said it all. The exchange, which lasted less than a minute, did not go unnoticed by Chloe, and she rolled her eyes inwardly at the little pissing contest taking place without words.
“Chloe.” Oliver turned his attention to Chloe, smiling warmly, his features softening with what Davis could see was obvious affection for her. “I’m glad I caught up with you. I was wondering if you could help me with something.”
“Oh. Okay. Right now?”
“Yes. It’s important. My car is just over there,” he gestured behind him toward the street.
Davis watched them, his eyes thinning suspiciously. What help could a multi-billionaire with countless resources possibly need from Chloe Sullivan? Perhaps this was merely a ploy to get her away from him, the thought forming a knot of anger in his gut.
She stood up, offering Davis an apologetic look. “Sorry I have to run off, but thanks … for everything.”
Davis nodded his understanding, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets. “No problem. See you later.” He turned to leave but not before exchanging a glance of acknowledgement with his adversary. Oliver met his gaze unflinchingly as he grasped Chloe by the elbow and began to lead her away, his hand falling to the small of her back. Davis looked down, then away, and headed toward the opposite side of the street.
“Wait. I almost forgot,” she said, stopping up short and turning back toward the table.
Oliver watched her eye the garment bag for a few seconds, before picking it up. He could guess what was in it. Wordlessly, he reached for the bag, attempting to take it from her hands. Chloe blinked up at him, and saw the compassion in his eyes, telling her it was all right. She relinquished the dress with some hesitation, letting him carry it to the car.
“What was that all about?” She asked as they walked, her wedding gown draped over his arm.
“What?”
“You don’t like Davis, do you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I barely know him.”
She sighed. “Ugh. Between you and Clark…”
“Just watching out for the trusty Sidekick is all,” he defended good-naturedly as he stepped toward the passenger side, opened the car door and arranged the long garment bag neatly on the back seat. He then pushed the front seat back in place, and gestured for her to get in with a gallant sweep of his hand. “After you, miss.”
Chloe smiled up at him as she took her seat. She hadn’t seen a genuine Oliver Queen grin like that in a long time and it struck her to find that she’d missed it. “Thank you kind sir.”
He closed the door and rounded the car, getting in and starting the engine.
“What’s so important?”
“A lead on Tess,” he said as he checked the street, then pulled out from the parking space. “She may have found something in the Arctic while searching for Lex.” His eyes flitted briefly to hers. “Something that belongs to Clark.”
“Does Clark know?”
“No. I want to be certain first. So that means busting into Luthorcorp tonight.” He paused for a moment gauging her reaction, not certain she’d want to join him. “With your help.” He cast a conspiratorial glance her way, his brows quirking playfully, challenging her. “That’s if you think you’re up to it, Sidekick.”
A slow smile spread, her lips curving upward. “Does this mean the Green Arrow is back?”
His mouth twitched at one end into a sly grin, a glint of mischief in his brown eyes. “Come with me tonight and find out,” he dared.
Oliver’s challenge sent a surge of excitement over their impending shared adventure coursing through her. It was a sensation she’d not felt in a long time. Chloe hadn’t realized it then, but in the last ten minutes or so, she hadn’t thought of Jimmy, not once.
“You’re on, Queen.”
Oliver smiled broadly as he turned a corner driving into the underground garage entrance of the Tower penthouse; pleased with the spirited gleam he saw lighting her beautiful green eyes, happy that he could be the one to put it there.
* * * * *
She met him in the darkened alley behind Queen Tower where he’d been waiting for her. “Video and security systems at Luthorcorp are down and re-routed,” she said, slinging a laptop bag on her back.
“Good,” he grinned, handing her a comlink earpiece for use in the event they were separated. “Let’s go.” He swung his leg over the seat of his motorcycle. Arrow didn’t think twice about grasping her hand, and pulling her toward him, helping her onto the seat behind.
Chloe didn’t think twice about wrapping her arms around his waist, and fitting her body against his back, her thighs around his hips as he took off with a start.
When they’d reached the Luthorcorp building, he hid the bike behind a dumpster. They moved stealthily around the building until Oliver found a spot to his liking. He looked up gauging the distance, then reached for his crossbow, firing off a shot into the sky, and then testing the line.
With his arm raised over his head as he held onto the crossbow, he gazed down at her. “Hold onto me.”
“What?”
“Come on Tower, you’ve been on this ride before. Piece of cake.”
“Yes, but… I mean, I wasn’t… I didn’t… that time was a complete surprise.” She peered up into the distant night sky and the Luthorcorp building looming above them. “And… and it wasn’t as high as… THIS IS!” Her voice trailed off on a high-pitched squeal as a strong arm suddenly swept her up, and her feet were no longer touching the ground. “Okay, okay, I’m holding on!”
His deep laughter rumbled in his chest against her ear. “Don’t look down, and don’t let go, I might need two hands for this.”
Chloe pressed her cheek against his chest, her arms gripping him tightly as they flew ever higher. Her stomach dropped. She’d kill him for this, and yet she had to admit that part of her found it thrilling and exhilarating at the same time. She stifled the scream that threatened to burst from her lips as he swung them up and over the rooftop ledge, burying her face in his leather tunic. They’d landed safely and Oliver set her on her feet, but she kept her face hidden in his chest for a few long seconds, her entire body clinging, molded against his. Finally she lifted her head to find him smiling down at her indulgently.
“Very funny.”
“I know you’d like to keep your arms around me all night, but we have work to do, Watchtower.”
“I’m surprised you could carry me along with the weight of that huge ego of yours,” she pulled away from him, ignoring his sly grin.
“Good thing you’re tiny enough.”
She grinned back with a slight rolling of her eyes, then glanced around, ready to get to the business at hand. “According to the schematics, there should be an entrance, just this way,” she pointed to the left, and began walking. “Come on hero, keep up.”
Oliver got them inside, and it didn’t take long to sneak past security, override the codes and enter Tess’s office. Chloe hacked Lex’s systems and copied all the files, while Oliver kept watch. It would be no problem for her to gain access to them once back at the tower. The adrenaline rush alone was worth the risk, and Oliver was glad he’d asked her to come along. He realized this little mission was something they both needed. Once they’d made it back down into the alley, which included another hair-raising, clinging ride on the Green Arrow express, he’d grasped her hand, leading her back toward the bike in the darkness.
Oliver moved toward the dumpster to retrieve his motorcycle, thinking that the entire caper was almost too easy.
“Okay, I’ll admit it was kind of fun.”
“What was?” He turned the bike around, rolling it up next to her, and then straddled the seat.
“Swinging from a zip-line.”
He grinned at her in the darkness, a Cheshire cat smile stretched wide. Chloe smiled back. The hood and dark glasses almost made him unreadable, but she held his gaze for long silent moments, their smiles softening, and suddenly the air between them was humming, thick with something tender yet sensuous, some emotion that beckoned, like a glimmer of light beneath a lifting fog. Wordlessly, Oliver stretched out his hand to her, and she took it, her body, her entire being acutely aware of him as she placed her small hand in his.
Before he could pull her onto the bike a low growl sounded nearby. “Did you hear that?” Chloe asked, pivoting toward the sound.
“Hurry, get on,” he commanded, pulling her toward him. Chloe scrambled up behind him, holding him tightly. A large shape loomed, red glowing eyes appeared, a rush of air flew past her, brute force connected, knocking them both from the bike. An ear-piercing screech filled the night air.
Chloe realized that Oliver was nowhere near her, when seconds before she’d been hanging onto him. “Arrow!” Chloe lifted her head from the ground, bracing herself on her hands and knees, and rising to her feet, her eyes searching the darkness frantically. She heard him fire off an arrow. More growling, snarling, and unearthly screams.
“Chloe!” It was Oliver’s voice over the beastly noises, but where was he? “Run!”
Instead she moved toward the sound of his voice some distance away, icy fear wrapping around her heart.
“No, Chloe! Run!” And then she heard his strangled sound of pain, mingled with loud snarls.
“Oliver!”
Glowing eyes appeared a few feet in front of her, blocking her path, a flash of bloodied teeth and claws. Chloe bit off the urge to scream, panting, her heart pounding wildly, as she stared wide-eyed at the two red orbs staring back at her, another whoosh, something powerful knocking her off her feet onto the hard concrete beneath her. And then it was gone.
End Chapter 6
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