Signal Fire
The perfect words never crossed my mind
'Cause there was nothing in there but you
I felt every ounce of me, screaming out
But the sound was trapped deep in me
All I wanted just sped right past me
But I was rooted fast to the earth
I could be stuck here for a thousand years
Without your arms to drag me out
There you are, standing right in front of me
There you are, standing right in front of me
All this fear falls away, you leave me naked
Hold me close, 'cause I need you to guide me to safety
No, I don't wanna wait forever
No, I don't wanna wait forever
In the confusion and the aftermath
You are my signal fire
The only resolution and the only joy
Is the faint spark of forgiveness in your eyes
There you are, standing right in front of me
There you are, standing right in front of me
All this fear falls away, you leave me naked
Hold me close, cause I need you to guide me to safety
There you are, standing right in front of me
There you are, standing right in front of me
All this fear falls away, you leave me naked
Hold me close, cause I need you to guide me to safety
No, I don't wanna wait forever
No, I don't wanna wait forever
No, I don't wanna wait forever
--Snow Patrol
“Chloooeeeee,” Oliver called from the bedroom, as he rummaged through the large walk-in closet they shared. She’d gone into her office to gather up her notes for a story she’d been working on with a partner at the Star City Gazette. “Where’s my burgundy tie? The one with…”
He stopped his yelling, turning to find her grinning up him, rolling her eyes playfully as said burgundy tie dangled from her fingertips. She held it aloft for him.
He grinned at her sheepishly, taking the tie and lifting the collar of his white dress shirt. “How’d you know that’s the one I wanted?” he asked, slipping the tie around his neck and flipping over the end to form the knot.
“How you ever got dressed without me is a mystery,” she teased, vaguely wondering if it was a quirk of all men to think that women knew where everything was in the house. ‘Chloe where’s my this, Chloe where’s my that, Chloe have you seen my whatchamacallit?’ And why they never seemed to remember where they’d left things. She reached up to adjust the newly tied article of clothing, fixing his collar, her palms moving over the hard muscles of his chest to smooth down his shirt. It was a wonder she didn’t have to show him how to put on his Green Arrow suit. At least he’d started remembering to put the toilet seat down, even when he cheekily insisted that it was she who kept forgetting to put it back up. She sighed. Progress, one step at a time.
His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her up against him. “Maybe I just like having an excuse for you to have your hands on me,” he whispered, dipping his head to touch soft lips to the tip of her nose.
She laughed lightly at him, smiling saucily. “As if I’ve ever needed an excuse to touch you.”
His hands slid down the curve of her spine, over the fabric of her dark pencil skirt, fingertips reaching for her bottom. He nudged her forward. “Just… lately we’ve both been so busy, I feel as though I haven’t had a moment to get you alone.”
They’d been living together in the manor house for nearly six months. Oliver couldn’t be happier, and knew asking her to move to Star City with him was the best thing he’d ever done. Her career at the Star City Gazette was taking off. She’d made a few friends, and was beginning to make a name for herself as a cub reporter there. He was proud of her, and every day that passed had him falling ever more deeply in love with her. She was still the Watchtower to his Green Arrow, she was his best friend, his information gatherer, she was his love, and now more than ever, he’d been thinking about Lois’s not-so-subtle suggestions to ‘make it legal.’ He wanted Chloe to marry him, but thus far hadn’t asked the question. There was time, he could wait. Besides, with her work so important and time consuming, as well as the ever-pressing Queen Industries business and the League, both of them saving the world, there just never seemed to be the right time to ask or talk about their future together.
Chloe had adjusted well. The tabloids, not finding any worthy scathing stories about them, tended to leave them alone now. In the beginning, Chloe bristled at the unflattering headlines pondering Star City’s most eligible bachelor’s attempt at domestic bliss with a simple Kansas cub reporter. Oliver was good at ignoring it, and after a time it just didn’t bother her anymore.
Oliver continued to press soft kisses over her cheek, creating a heated path toward the pulse point at her throat. “What about tonight?” he whispered against her skin.
“Mmmm. I’d love to, but I might be late, I have a deadline. Philip and I have to have our copy in before tomorrow morning, and there’s one more source we need to see,” she murmured, her voice husky, arching her body up into his, thinking that if he kept that up, they’d never get out of the house this morning. “Just came up, out of nowhere. Phil thinks it’s important.”
His lips traveled, meeting hers, kissing her soundly. “I’ll wait.” He lifted his head, giving her bottom a squeeze. “Be careful, Sidekick. Star City political corruption schemes run deep, you’ll be ruffling some pretty well established feathers.”
“Don’t worry about me, hero. My article on city jobs in exchange for money and favors is hardly deep enough in the underbelly to warrant any concern over danger.” She stepped up on tiptoe to kiss the dimple in his chin, then nipping it lightly, a soft giggle escaping her, when he scowled at her action. She always did that when he least expected it. He always pretended it bothered him. They both knew it didn’t. Oliver stopped her giggle, taking her mouth once more with a growl.
The limousine driver stopped at the Gazette first, dropping Chloe off, she kissed Oliver quickly, with promises to call him before she came home. The car then headed toward Queen Towers for Oliver to begin his day.
Chloe entered the large basement office, not unlike the one at the Daily Planet, dropping her bag on the floor next to her desk, turning on her computer.
“Hey Sullivan, you’re late,” a voice called, causing Chloe to lift her head.
She checked her watch. Then grinned at her handsome, dark-haired friend. “Late for what?”
He handed her a steaming cup of coffee, which she gratefully accepted. He then leaned casually on the corner of her desk. His blue eyes glinted playfully. “I need to see your notes. Besides, I’ve got a bet over there with Wilson,” he inclined his head toward a stout older man typing away at his keyboard, intent on whatever he was working on.
Chloe swallowed the sip of coffee she’d just taken, glancing over at Wilson. “A bet about what?”
“That you and I will have our copy in tonight, kick off early, and head out over to celebrate our breaking story with free flowing libations,” he winked at her.
“Well, if we do happen to finish early, I’ve got a hot date, sorry, Phil.” She indicated Wilson with a nod of her head. “Why don’t you ask him,” she whispered conspiratorially. “I think he likes you.”
“Awww, come on Sullivan. What’s Queen got that I haven’t? Looks, money? Uh… on second thought… never mind.” He feigned an exaggerated, crestfallen expression. “Right. Damn.”
Phil made her laugh, sometimes trying to make a comical play for her, knowing she was off the market, taken by Star City’s resident billionaire bachelor. “Sorry big boy,” she patted his hand in mock sympathy. “Shouldn’t have taken that bet with Wilson. Now, what have you got so far? If you want to get out of here early, we need to get this done.”
Phillip for all his silly flirtations and antics was a good reporter, and didn’t fail her. He showed her his work, most of the information they’d gathered, he’d already compiled. He was a wonderful writer too, and Chloe was certain he’d be under the Tiffany lamps before she ever would. She liked him well enough; he was funny, friendly, and never forgot to greet her every day with a cup of her favorite brew.
She lifted her eyes from the paper she was reading. “Wow, this is really good.”
Phil puffed out his chest. “I know.”
Chloe rolled her eyes, handing him her notes. “What time are we meeting this source, Mr. Ambrose?”
He checked his watch. “In a couple of hours.”
“I’ll add my section to yours, and then we can check it over,” she said taking another sip of coffee, and settling in.
Philip nodded thoughtfully, leaving her to her work. He walked over to his desk, slipping his hand into the suit jacket that hung over the back of his chair. The cell phone he pulled out wasn’t his, but he’d been instructed when to use it. He dialed a number and waited, casting a backward glance at Chloe to make sure she was still working, before he stepped toward the stairwell exit.
“Has everything been arranged?” A male voice on the other end asked.
“Right on time,” Phil answered leaning against the wall.
“Make sure she’s at the rendezvous, no exceptions.”
“Have I ever let the boss down before? Relax. She’ll be there. You just make sure you keep your end of the bargain, or he’ll be hearing from me personally.”
“What about Queen?”
“It’s all set up. She’ll see him with a pretty little dove, and I’ll be there to pick up the pieces. I’ve got a strong shoulder she can cry on.”
“You sure she trusts you?”
“Are you kidding? I’ll be her knight in shining armor after this,” Phil chuckled humorlessly.
“Don’t mess around Phil. This girl’s too important.”
“I’m not messing around. I've been on this case too long already. I know how important she is to Mr. Luthor.”
“Good.”
Philip closed the phone and headed back toward Chloe’s desk. He stopped and stared at her while she worked. She was smart, sassy, and he had to admit, beautiful. He didn’t know why his boss thought the woman was so important, but he was going to keep his end of the bargain. He’d been on this particular job too long to screw up now. Phil approached her desk, nearly startling her. “Looks like neither one of us will get off early.”
Chloe lifted her eyes to his, her brows furrowing in question. “Why?”
“That was Mr. Ambrose on the phone,” he lied. “Wants us to meet him around 7:00 tonight.”
Chloe bit her lip. She didn’t want to disappoint Oliver. He’d been right. They hadn’t spent much time alone together lately. “Really?” She didn't sound too thrilled.
“Hey, look… I’m sorry, Chlo. Why don’t you call your guy and just tell him to meet you at that little Italian place over on 5th street Del Monaco’s? We won’t be far from there and you can meet him.”
Chloe hesitated, her hand on her cell phone.
“They’ve got this cozy little bar there, he can wait for you,” Phil continued, urging her. “I’m sure he’ll understand.”
Of course he would. He was her Oliver. He’d understand her need to get a job done, just as she had done for him countless times. She lifted the phone from her desk, dialing. “Hey, Ollie….?”
Philip returned to his desk picking up his own phone this time. He swiveled in his chair, away from Chloe, his voice lowered. “Adriana? It’s on. Yeah, be there on time. Don’t forget to slip him the stuff.”
Phil closed his phone, sitting back in his chair. Soon this would all be over. Now, everything had to go off without a hitch, and he could go back to Metropolis. Maybe he wouldn’t have to do grunt work anymore. Maybe he’d even get a promotion, working alongside Lex Luthor. Now that Tess Mercer was pretty much out of the picture, Phil was certain Mr. Luthor would need someone trustworthy to act as his right hand man.
End Chapter 1
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