Alive: Chapter 2
I need you right here, by my side
You're everything I'm not in my life.
We're indestructible, we are untouchable
Nothing can take us down tonight
You are so beautiful, it should be criminal
Chapter 2: News
Bruce Wayne surveyed the crowd, his birthday party in full swing. As his eyes darted across the room, he noticed the Mayor sucking up to some of his guests. Probably looking for money for his re-election campaign, no doubt, Bruce thought disgustedly, shaking his head. Only in Gotham could a man as corrupt as him get elected into office. He also saw Commissioner Gordon dancing with his wife as well as multiple detectives from Gotham PD. Towards the back corner of the room Bruce noticed none other than Oliver Queen, his old schoolmate from Excelsior. He chucked, thinking of old times. A lot had changed since those days though. Like Oliver’s newfound love for green leather, Bruce thought to himself, thinking back to that night when the Green Arrow had paid him a visit.
Gotham City, Night, September 2011
Bruce was just finishing up his sweep of the city when he noticed the familiar signal lighting up the sky. He made his way over to the police station, landing stealthily in the shadows. He had already noticed that the rooftop was seemingly empty and figured something must be going on. His eyes scanned the rooftop. Suddenly Bruce saw a flash of green out of the corner of his eye. He turned and came face to face with none other than the Green Arrow. Bruce had been keeping an eye on him and his little superhero club. They had done some admirable work in Metropolis, taking down many of Lex Luthor’s experimental labs until he had mysteriously died in a truck explosion. Good riddance he thought bitterly to himself. Lex was a sick and twisted man and the world was better off without him, as far as Bruce was concerned. But that didn’t explain why the Green Arrow was here in Gotham.
“Batman, right?“ the Green Arrow asked. Bruce was silent. “Whatever, I’m not here to make small talk. I’m here because I need your help with something,” Arrow continued.
”Sorry but I have enough problems here as it is. You’re going to have to get help elsewhere,” Batman replied gruffly, turning away.
“Well you’re just as much of a jackass as everyone said you were. I knew this was going to be a waste of time” Arrow muttered bitterly to himself.
Bruce paused, looking back over his caped shoulder. “You’ve got one minute to explain,” he growled. His curiosity was now piqued and oddly, something about this man in green leather, seemed familiar but he couldn’t place it.
The Green Arrow stepped forward and took a deep breath. “I need your help finding someone. Her name is Chloe Sullivan but her entire existence has been erased. She’s been missing for a few days. She means everything to me… I need to find her,” he said, a hint of desperation detectable in his voice despite the distorter he was using.
Bruce’s heart ached as thoughts of Rachel filled his mind. He shook his head. “What makes you so sure she’s even still alive?” he replied curtly.
“I just know.” the other man retorted.
“I’m afraid I can’t help you. I have too much to do already without hunting around for this woman. How do I know she’s actually missing and that you’re not just some deranged ex-boyfriend who can’t let go?” Bruce inquired.
“Whatever, you’re wasting my time. I’ll find help somewhere else,” the Green Arrow replied irritably, and turned to leave.
“Wait…” Bruce said, “I hope you find her.”
As he turned to reply, Batman was gone. “Jackass” he muttered under his breath. Bruce watched from the shadows as the Green Arrow left. He honestly felt sorry for the other man but Batman had to take care of Gotham first. He didn’t have time to go searching for this mystery woman. He fleetingly wondered at her importance to the Green Arrow.
Imagine his surprise when a few days later, a national press conference aired, and Oliver Queen confessed that he was the Green Arrow. Well… Oliver always had an affinity for the color green Bruce thought with a chuckle as he turned up the television in his study, no wonder the leather-clad hero had seemed so familiar. He watched his old schoolmate admit that he was a hero and that he had lost someone close to him. He saw the pain deep in Oliver’s eyes and once more his heart ached, remembering his own loss. Maybe once he got his city under control, he would give Oliver Queen a call and offer his help. But until then, the Batman had work to do.
Bruce shook his head, returning to the present. Looking closer, he noticed that his former classmate was quite enamored with the petite blonde in his arms. Probably his new flavor of the week, he mused. She had her back to him, but something about her seemed familiar. Bruce made his way toward them, winding through the crowd and nodding hello to many of the guests he passed. As he got closer to the couple, he heard her laugh at something Oliver had said, and what a beautiful sound it was. Then he noticed the sparkling diamond on her left hand, currently grasped inside Queen’s larger one. Hmm, that’s interesting Bruce thought, somewhat surprised at the idea of Oliver actually settling down, I wonder if this was the woman he was looking for?
Oliver had been so engrossed in telling Chloe stories about some of the youthful pranks he’d pulled at Excelsior, that he hadn’t noticed his old friend approaching them. He glanced up over Chloe’s shoulder. His warm brown eyes met Bruce’s steely blues, which were currently roaming up and down his wife’s body. Oliver quickly pulled her around and stepped slightly in front of her, shielding her from Bruce’s gaze. There was something more to the way he was looking at Chloe, as though he were trying to place her in his mind. Oliver noted, for the briefest moment, a flicker of recognition cross Bruce’s features. And then as fast as it appeared it was gone, and the cool playboy façade was back, complete with the trademark grin. Oliver didn’t like the fact that Wayne seemed to know his wife and he really didn’t like the way he was looking at her hungrily, as though he were on death row and she was his last meal. Oliver made a mental note to ask Chloe about that when they got back to their hotel room.
“Well, well, well… Oliver Queen! How long has it been? I have to say I’m hurt that I wasn’t even invited to the wedding!” Bruce said with an amused grin as he shook Oliver’s hand, bringing him out of his thoughts.
“It was more of a private affair,” Oliver replied. Chloe smiled softly, Ollie’s words bringing back the memory of the night he had pulled out his half of the marriage certificate. She couldn’t remember ever feeling happier. “Bruce, this is my wife Chloe Queen. Chloe, this is the infamous Bruce Wayne.” Oliver stated, although he had the sneaking suspicion that they already knew each other. Did she meet him when she was in Gotham last November? he wondered. She had mentioned her run-in with Batman, which had resulted in a stern lecture from him about traveling alone and also launched her full-fledged campaign to get him to join the League. Frankly, Oliver thought the guy was a bit of a jerk and couldn’t care less if he joined them. But never once had she mentioned Bruce Wayne. He’d have to remember to ask her about that later.
“It’s an honor to meet the woman who tamed Oliver Queen,” Bruce replied, taking Chloe’s hand and pulling it to his lips while Oliver rolled his eyes at the charade. Bruce’s eyes flitted to Chloe’s and for the briefest moment their eyes connected. That’s when it hit him like a two-ton truck. She was the woman from the alley, the one who had propositioned him to join her little band of superheroes. Bruce glanced quickly at Oliver. If she’d been recruiting heroes, she’s obviously been working with the Green Arrow. This must be the woman he’d been searching for. Bruce saw that she seemed to be avoiding his gaze and he wondered why. She pulled her hand out of his and took a step back beside her husband. Oliver observed their interaction as he felt jealousy creep up into his chest.
An awkward silence ensued for a moment when the band began to play a new song. “May I have this dance, Mrs. Queen?” Bruce implored; his playboy-smirk firmly in place as he locked eyes with Oliver. Getting under his skin never gets old, Bruce thought as he saw the rage boil behind the other man’s eyes. He chuckled to himself. Glancing back at Chloe, he sensed her hesitation. “It is my birthday after all,” he reminded her, his grin broadening as he extended his hand towards her.
Chloe glanced up at Oliver, who looked like he was about two seconds away from punching the other man in the face. She put a placating hand on his arm, drawing him out of his rage, his face softening as he gazed lovingly down at his wife. “Go ahead Sidekick, I don’t mind,” Oliver replied. What a terrible liar, Chloe thought to herself. She could see the war going on in his head and she felt terrible that he was hurting but she knew that Bruce had recognized her. She had hoped to get in his good graces before attempting another recruitment speech. Somewhat reluctantly, she took Bruce’s hand and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Oliver moved to the side of the room, grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing waiter’s tray and draining it in two gulps. He slammed it back down on the tray as the waiter glared at him, but Oliver didn’t notice. His gaze never left the couple in the center of the floor. If there was one person he found more irritating than Batman, it was Bruce Wayne.
As Bruce moved with Chloe around the dance floor, aware that her husband’s eyes never left them for a second, he pondered the use of the nickname Oliver had used earlier. Oliver’s use of the term ‘sidekick’ confirmed Bruce’s suspicions about this woman. Not only that, he thought, but she had kept Oliver’s- along with the other heroes she had mentioned- identity a secret for who knows how long. Maybe she could keep mine as well. And it couldn’t hurt be part of a team; to have people he could actually count on, could it? As his mental war went on he pulled Chloe even closer, much to Oliver’s obvious dismay. As he looked down at her, he noticed she seemed to be trying wrestling with something to say. “Something on your mind, beautiful?” Bruce asked. His voice startled Chloe from her thoughts. She hadn’t even noticed that he had been watching her.
Rolling her eyes at his antics, she looked up at him and replied with a smile “Just wondering why you love tormenting my husband so much.”
He chuckled, feeling at ease with the blonde in his arms. He could see why Queen loved her. She was beautiful, of course, but she was also intelligent, witty, and from what he could recall she could hold her own. Chloe’s eyes searched his face, looking for some sort of crack in his armor but she found none. He was well practiced at putting up the mask, at hiding who he really was. Bruce suddenly felt uncomfortable under her gaze, his defenses slipping slightly. It felt like she could see right through him. Did she know? No, that’s impossible. How could she? Chloe opened her mouth to ask him something when the music stopped. He wasted no time in putting distance between them. “Thank you for the dance, but you should be getting back to your husband, Mrs. Queen.” he said, quickly turning on his heel and heading in the opposite direction, leaving no time for her to reply.
What the hell was that all about? It was like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough. Oh well Chloe thought, somewhat disappointed.
Chloe returned to her husband, finding him in full pout mode. ”So, did you two have a nice time?” Oliver asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as he brought his champagne flute to his lips and took a large gulp. How many of those has he had? Chloe wondered. She sighed and shook her head, amazed that after all this time Oliver still got jealous when she got any sort of male attention. She turned so she was facing him and placed her hand on the side of his face. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, immediately relaxing. She smiled, stood up on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips. He responded immediately, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other sliding to the back of her neck. He deepened the kiss, his tongue parting her lips as it explored every inch of her mouth. She moaned into his mouth, feeling dizzy from the lack of oxygen and the intense heat radiating from his body. They broke apart and she felt disappointed at the loss of his lips. He smiled down at her, leaning in and rubbing his nose against hers. “I love you, Chloe,” he said gently. She grinned up at him “I love you too, Ollie. Never forget that.”
The party had gone on well into the night, as was expected of a Bruce Wayne bash. Chloe had insisted they hang around until the end. She was hoping to catch Bruce alone for a little while so when Oliver went to get their coats, she made her move. As the crowd thinned out, Bruce made his rounds and began wishing everyone a good night when he noticed Chloe making her way towards him. “You just can’t get enough of me, can you?” he smirked. She sighed and insisted, “I was hoping we could speak in private,” the look in her eyes leaving little room for argument.
Bruce replied, suddenly nervous. “I suppose we cou-“. Just then, Alfred called out to him. He sighed, thankful for the interruption. What was it about this woman that terrified him? He excused himself from Chloe and rushed over to his old friend. It seemed that there was some sort of trouble involving the Joker and an orphanage that required the aid of Batman. Bruce quickly said goodnight to the rest of his guests and hurried to his study, sliding into the hidden passage behind the grandfather clock. As he rushed to put on his gear, he couldn’t help but think how nice it would be to have back up for situations like this.
Chloe had been quiet for the whole ride back to the hotel and Oliver wondered what was troubling her. He reached for Chloe’s hand and she looked over at him, giving him a tired smile. “How about you and me take a nice hot bath when we get back to the hotel, hmm?” he suggested, raising his eyebrows suggestively. She chuckled softly. Oliver always knew what to say to make her feel better. “Oh, and have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Her smile grew as she tried to forget about her troubles. She just had a feeling about Bruce. He was walking a dangerous path and he needed the team as much as they needed him.
They got back to the hotel around 2 AM. Chloe immediately removed her heels, rubbing her feet slightly as she let out a groan. “Ohhh that’s so much better” she murmured.
Oliver laughed lightly, and stepped up behind her. He scooped her up bridal style and she squealed in delight. “How about that bubble bath, Mrs. Queen?” he reminded her.
She grinned and replied, “I think that sounds fantastic, Mr. Queen.”
He carried her to the bathroom and set her on her feet. He started the water as she began stripping off her dress. He stopped her, reminding her that she had promised that he got to remove it. Chloe giggled softly and let him take over. He made his way back into the living room. “Not going to join me, husband?” she called out.
He smiled and replied over his shoulder “I’ll be back in a little bit. I just have a few work-related emails to check up on. You get started and I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Alright, you better hurry,” she replied, slipping into the tub and leaning back against the head rest. She moaned and felt her body relax.
“Chloe,” he groaned, voice floating from the other room, “If you keep moaning like that, I’m not going to get any work done”. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes.
Oliver was sitting on the sofa, his laptop in his lap as he checked what felt like the hundredth email, when he heard the bathroom door open. He glanced up to see his wife in nothing but a towel, the water still glistening on her body.
“My water got cold and my husband never joined me for some wet, sexy fun,” she pouted.
He glanced at the time and was shocked to realize almost an hour had gone by. “Chloe, God, I’m sorry I just got caught up in my work.” he said apologetically, moving the laptop to the coffee table in front of him.
She made her way over to him, swaying her hips suggestively. “Perhaps you could make it up to me…” she trailed off, running her hands up her body as she unfastened her towel and dropped it to the floor. “Oops,” she whispered breathily.
He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on hers as he replied, “What exactly did you have in mind?” She smiled seductively and crawled onto the sofa, straddling his lap. His hands went to her hips and she moaned into his ear “Oh I think you can come up with something…” He leaned forward and began kissing her neck, his tongue darting out to lick the water droplets off her skin. She sighed softly and tilted her head to the side as he tasted her. Chloe ran her palms down his chest then proceeded to unbuckle his belt with deft hands.
Just then, Oliver’s cell phone began buzzing on the end table. They paused in their movements as Chloe glanced toward the phone, checking the caller ID. “It’s Clark…” she said, disappointed at the interruption.
Oliver glared at the intrusive device then turned back to his wife. “Let it go to voicemail… I’ll call him back later,” he breathed and pulled her close again.
She grinned, trailing peppered kisses over his chest, her fingers working on the waistband of his trousers. As she opened his pants, she slipped one hand into his boxers and moaned into his ear “Tell me what you want to do to me.”
He gulped. He really loved it when she took control. “Well, I -…“ His reply was cut short by the annoying buzz of his phone.
“It’s probably important, you should answer. Then we can get back to your apology,” Chloe said with a small smile.
Oliver growled and reached for his phone. “This better be good, Boyscout, you’re interrupting…..” he trailed off, eyebrows furrowing at Clark’s urgent tone. Chloe watched as the expression on Oliver’s face hardened. “Your one hundred percent sure?” he said harshly. She heard Clark’s frantic voice on the other end and then Oliver’s face fell. Suddenly, he stood up and threw his phone across the room. It smashed into pieces as it hit the wall hard.
Chloe stood up quickly, startled at his outburst as he ran his fingers through his hair and let out a growl of frustration. “Oliver, what is it?” Chloe asked, searching his face for answers. She stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. “Oliver, answer me!” she pleaded.
He glanced up at her, his eyes red. “Lex is alive.” he choked out. Chloe’s brow furrowed. “You’re sure? I mean last time we-” Her inquiry was cut off by Oliver, his voice ragged. “Clark saw him with his own eyes, Chloe.” he replied, “and that’s not all…” She looked up at him, meeting his sad gaze. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, a tear falling down his cheek. “He killed Tess.”
Chapter 1 Chapter 3
A/N: I know it seems like there's lots of Bruce, but I promise it's for a good reason. And I apologize to any Batman comicbook fans, if any of the facts are wrong... I just get my information from the movies :) Comments are appreciated. xo