Forgiveness 4/?
Title: Forgiveness 4/?
Summary: Two people that have wronged each other and their friends will only find forgiveness with one another.
Rating: M
“This is horrible weather.” Chloe tightened her new coat around body. Before leaving Star City Oliver had insisted they stop and buy her warmer clothes and a jacket. She was glad he had. The weather in Gotham City was dank, misty, and a chill that reached the bone. It was miserable. “I just want to get back to the hotel and crawl under the covers.” She groaned out loud at the pain underneath her arm and readjusted the crutch she was using for support. Hopefully someone would answer the door soon; she couldn’t stand waiting much longer.
“I’d like to crawl under your covers too.” All thoughts of cold left her mind as she turned to him. Oliver turned his head towards her and cocked an eyebrow.
“I can’t believe you said that.”
Oliver shrugged. “Neither can I.”
“This place is huge.” She looked up in awe. Chloe knew who Bruce Wayne was, but she still hadn’t been prepared for what she saw when they drove through the gates.
“Please.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t insult me.”
Chloe glanced over at Oliver and smirked. “Yours is bigger then?”
“Probably.” The truth was he wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t about to admit defeat. “My parents house probably.”
Chloe didn’t think that the townhouse he lived in now was where he grew up, it was small, seemed more like a bachelor pad. “Then why don’t you live there?”
Oliver shrugged. It wasn’t exactly the best time to get into his parent issues. “To big.” Luckily the door opened just then and Chloe dropped it.
“Mr. Queen?” The old butler asked courteously.
“Yes.”
“Mr. Wayne has been expecting you. If you would please follow me.”
Chloe felt Oliver’s hand on her back, hinting for her to go first. She stepped into the mansion and couldn’t control her eyes from scanning over the large foyer.
“May I take your jackets?”
Oliver’s fingers brushed against her neck and she allowed him to slip her jacket off your shoulders. She was sure Oliver had manners, but she just had never really been on the receiving end of them. After the butler took their jackets he led them out of the foyer. Their long walk eventually ended in another room which appeared to be an office.
“Mr. Wayne will be with you in a moment. May I offer you anything?”
“No, thank you.” Chloe said and smiled kindly. After the butler closed the door behind then took a seat. Oliver did not. “What’s wrong?”
“What makes you think anything is wrong?” He didn’t look at her when he spoke; instead his eyes covered the entire room, taking everything in.
“Like I said. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like this.”
Just his words made her worry. “I thought you said you trusted him?”
“I do. But we ran into enough trouble yesterday.” He turned to her with a frown. “This time they would be ready for us.” He walked over and took a seat next to her. “Chloe, that alien language, can’t you just tell him what to do.”
“No.” She sighed and scrunched her brow in confusion. “It’s weird. It doesn’t work like that. I don’t remember it. It just happens, subconsciously.”
Oliver sighed and sat back. Of course she would have to say that. The door opened and he sighed before standing up and turning around. “Bruce.”
“Oliver.” They stood in silence staring at one another until Bruce caught site of the woman at Oliver’s side. “You didn’t mention that you were bringing a friend.”
Chloe held out her hand. “Chloe Sullivan, also known as the only person in the world who can break into alien computers.” The other man took her hand in his and shook it.
“Please to meet you. Have a seat.” Bruce walked around to one of the other chairs and took a seat. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to do so?”
Chloe looked over at Oliver, not sure how much information he wanted her to divulge, but he just nodded. “We um, broke in.” She turned backed to him. “I couldn’t remote in to the server. I had to do it in person at the computer.”
“That could be a problem.” Bruce looked at Oliver, hoping he caught his hint.
“Why?” She looked at Oliver then Bruce again. “Hello?”
“My help, they like to work alone.” Bruce said evenly, not taking his eyes off of Oliver. He hadn’t been planning on anyone besides Oliver.
“If you don’t mind me asking a question.” She waited till she had the attention of both men and continued. “I’m noticing some similarities between the two of you. Rich, bachelors, lots of money at your disposal, you’re both the head of billion dollarcompanies that can make all kinds of fun toys and you both have two super heroes that live in both your cities.” Chloe smiled knowingly. “Now considering that you seem to be aware of Oliver’s green leather fetish I would only assume your preference is black and you like things with wings. Batman I presume?” He just looked at her. She looked at Oliver for confirmation, but he wasn’t meeting her eyes. “Look you need me to get into that thing, and I’m not getting in there on my own.”
“I didn’t say a word.” Oliver said and held his hands up in defense when Bruce turned to glare at him. “Don’t feel bad, she figured out who I was on her own too.”
“Your secret is safe with me. I know a lot of people who like running around in disguise saving the world.”
“Explain to me how exactly you were able to break into the computers hard drive.”
Chloe frowned, knowing he was skating around admitting who he was. “I was possessed by someone, his name was Braniac, and he wasn’t human. For a time I was actually able to connect to computers, I could get into them, like plugging myself into a wall. Needless to say Braniac took over. My friends were able to get rid of him though.” She paused for a moment her mind momentarily filling with thoughts of Clark. “But I’ve held on to some of the knowledge. I can read the language and I understand how it works and operates.”
Bruce looked to Oliver for confirmation.
“Oh she’s telling the truth. Tossed my ass all the way across the room and knocked me out.”
Bruce nodded thoughtfully. “I’ve been searching for about a month now to find some way to disable it. I had been monitoring the situation in Star City for about the same amount of time.”
“Do you know who it is?” Oliver asked.
“I have some theories, but nothing concrete.” He looked at her foot then at the crutch. “Your current condition would make it rather difficult to get in and out quickly.”
Chloe sighed and mentally cursed her ankle.
“About seven to ten days if not more.” Oliver said matter of factly, having already considered the problem.
“That is a problem.”
Oliver narrowed his eyes at him. “Deal with it. I’m taking her back to Metropolis tomorrow. Get a plan together and let me know who you need.”
“And there is no other way?” Bruce said to the women across from him.
Chloe shook her head. “We tried more then once to remote in, I couldn’t do it. Trust me, if I didn’t have to go on a mission I wouldn’t. I’m not that good at it. How do you think I got this sprained ankle?”
Before Bruce could speak up again Oliver cut in. “Ten days. If she isn’t well enough by then you’ll have to wait.”
“Ten days then.”
Oliver nodded and stood up. Turning to Chloe he grabbed her arm and gently lifted her up from the chair. “Let me know what you need. I’ll give you an update in a few days about her condition. And I want the safest way in and the safest way out for her. No accidents, no running, no guns. If it isn’t safe then you’re on your own.”
Chloe almost opened her mouth to tell him to stop being ridiculous. They couldn’t not help him. But she didn’t say anything. Oliver still felt guilty about what happened the other night, and something about his rush to protect her left her a little shocked. He was the same Oliver Queen, but there was a side of him that she was just beginning to see.
“Of course.” Bruce said and stood up. He held his hand out to Chloe. “It’s was a pleasure to meet you.”
“And you.” She smiled warmly and shook his hand.
Bruce walked them to the door and Chloe and Oliver made their way slowly down the steps in silence, the chil once again sinking into her. But she didn’t even notice, not when she could tell that something was bothering Oliver. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” They made their way to the rental car in silence and Oliver helped her into the passenger seat.
Chloe waited until they were off of Bruce Wayne’s property before she tried again. “Oliver don’t lie. What is it?”
“I don’t like this.” How many times had she found herself in dangerous situations? Her hand brushed the one he had resting over the shift. He looked down and found her small hand sliding into his. Oliver threaded his fingers through hers and looked back at the road ahead of them.
Oliver sighed and sat on the bed. Tiredly he began unbuttoning his shirt. Before he even had the opportunity to pull it off his cell rang and he groaned. He reached it and fell back onto the bed. “Hello?”
“Just to let you know, I checked out your friend Chloe.”
“I figured you would.” Oliver rolled his eyes and let them shut. “Anything good?”
“Her life is rather interesting, but I’m sure it isn’t anything you don’t already know about. Especially considering you are employing her.”
“I do conduct thorough background checks. But that isn’t why you called, is it Bruce?”
“No, when you asked earlier who I thought was behind the alien computers. I do have a theory that I didn’t want to share in front of Ms. Sullivan.”
There was a pause and Oliver waited.
“Lex Luthor.”
Oliver sat up and felt his breath catch in his throat. “He’s dead.”
“I’m sure you made sure of that. But that is beside the point. I’m not positive. And if I’m correct Queen Industries has born the brunt of the virus created.”
Even if Lex was still alive there was no way he could know it was Oliver who had attempted to take his life. Chloe had made sure there was no evidence. But Lex had been trying to kill him up until Oliver planted that bomb. “Thanks.” Oliver hung up the phone and stood up, intent on going to Chloe’s room and give her the news, but he couldn’t bring himself to move. How the hell was he supposed to tell her that he screwed up ridding the world of Lex Luthor? She hadn’t agreed with his actions, but he knew she had been relieved by them. If Lex was alive he would be after Oliver again, Chloe, Clark, all of them.
A light knock filled her hotel room.
“Chloe, it’s me.”
“Oliver?” She asked in confusion. They were only a phone away. What reason did he have to be at her door? With a frustrated sigh she pushed herself up and used the furniture and wall to help her hobble to the door. Upon opening it she found him standing in the hallway in a tanktop and sweats. “You’re a little under dressed.”
“I was planning on going to bed at some point.” He noticed her holding onto the door and the immediately noticed her missing crutch. “Come on.” He stepped in and wrapped an arm around her waste.
Chloe allowed him to lead her to the sofa and set her down. “Why do you have that look?”
He sighed and took a seat next to her. “Bruce just called. It seems he does have some suspicions as to who the man is behind these computers. He seems to think it could be Lex.”
Chloe frowned. “While on the jet today I was trying to pull up some information that I stole the night before. Luthorcorp had come up a few times. But Luthorcorp has been involved in so many other things and Tess….” Chloe left it hanging. “We don’t know for sure, and if it is him then we’ll deal with it.” But she could see how apprehensive he was. Oliver had put a lot on the line, sacrificed a part of himself. Now to hear that all of that was in vain. She couldn’t imagine what it felt like. “There is always going to be something. It just happens that most of the time it’s Lex.”
“When did you become so positive?”
“Since I got warm.” She smiled. But his question pulled at her. Lately she hadn’t had much to be positive about. They sat in silence for a while and she knew where they were heading. She wanted him to touch her, press his lips to her. She wanted to reach out and slide her hands over his hard arms and underneath his shirt.
It would have been so easy for him just to push her back onto the sofa and crawl on top of her. But they couldn’t continue to go on like that, because eventually he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop.
“I think this is a good time to talk.”
“You’re not ready.” Her eyebrows rose at his exclamation and he knew he would need to explain. “Two of the most important people in your life have disappeared. Then what happened a month ago…” Oliver refused to say Davis’ name. “And Jimmy.” Something felt like it was crushing his chest and Oliver knew what it was, guilt. He’d done so much to help the young man along and he wound up dying in the end for doing the right thing. What kind of friend was Oliver to be making out with the widow only a month after his death? “I just don’t think we should do this.”
Chloe nodded thoughtfully. It was the same thing she had said a couple of days ago. Then something changed for her. It probably wasn’t right, and maybe she was just totally off balance and falling for him because it was better then just falling. But the problem was she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t turn the switch off, even if he was going to try too.
She felt like she was going to be sick. If she hadn’t had a sprained ankle she probably would have taken off to her room.
“You know…” Chloe grabbed her crutch roughly and ignored the noise it made as it hit the leg of the coffee table, “you did this.” She pushed herself up off of the sofa and stood up. “You kissed me two weeks ago. Then two days ago you brought it up again. Then after deciding we would put it out of our minds, ignore it, you kiss me again! Now you’re going to come back again and tell me I’m not ready? You knew two weeks ago I wasn’t ready. But why not wait a little bit, play with Chloe’s feelings, and then decide it was a bad idea.” She hobbled away from him and then stopped and turned around. “I mean why all the theatrics? Why not just leave it alone?”
“It wasn’t that easy.” He was determined to just listen. He deserved it. Chloe had lost a lot more then him recently and was still dealing with it. What right did he have to shake up her life so soon?
“Whatever, I don’t care. Now we just have another reason to be at odds I guess.” The crutch caught on the leg of the sofa and she growled angrily. She could heal other people but couldn’t even help herself. Without even a thought she threw the crutch angrily to the ground and rested her hand against the wall for support. It was pathetic of her to be throwing a tantrum right there in front of him, but she was so fed up with everything. Not one thing would work out for her. Not that Oliver was the answer to her problems, but she had to admit he had helped.
She started to make her way towards her bedroom, knowing she probably looked foolish, but she had to keep some kind of dignity. But she wouldn’t turn around and face him. For all she knew he was still sitting on the sofa. At least she thought so until his arm wrapped around her free arm. “Let go.” She grounded out.
“Chloe…” He moved to stand in front of her while still holding her arm. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want your apology. I don’t need it. Let me go.” She tried to move again but he tightened his hold on her arm. “Look I’m mad. I’ll get over it.” She sighed and tried to release some of her anger. “Just let me go.”
“You can’t tell me that tomorrow morning when I see you that you aren’t going to give me the cold shoulder, that you aren’t going to stop answering my phone calls and only communicate through e-mail.”
“No. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” He still didn’t release her and she wasn’t quite sure what he was looking for. If he wanted her to tell him it was okay she wasn’t going to. “What?”
“This isn’t what I wanted.”
“Then what did you want?”
His mind immediately went back to the previous night when she had asked him the same question. The problem was that he wanted the same thing at that moment that he wanted then. “We already know that what I want isn’t the issue.”
“Yes, it is.” He wouldn’t answer her, and that only made her want to know more. “What do you want?”
“Chloe…” He couldn’t answer her; if he did then that would be the end of it. Oliver knew what he wanted, and it wasn’t to let her go.
“Then let me go.” His hand fell away from her and her heart plummeted with it. He was going to let her go. Perhaps he didn’t want to. Maybe he wanted to hold on to her as much as she wanted to hold on to him, but he wouldn’t. So she dug up what dignity she had left and hobbled to her room. His hand was on her arm again and then she felt his body against her back and she would swear that she shivered.
“You. I want you.” He whispered softly into her ear. “I’m trying to avoid making a mistake with you, but you’re making it really damn hard.” He walked around and stood in front of her again.
His hand slid over her hip and wrapped around her back. As his arm tightened she felt him pulling her closer and up his body. “You can’t keep changing your mind.”
“I know.” It was so pointless to try keeping away from her. He wanted her and there was no escaping that. So he gave in and lowered his lips to hers. They were soft, warm, and there was the faint taste of mint making him wonder why he hadn’t brushed his teeth before he showed up at her door. All of the anger in her seemed to have vanished as she allowed him to pull her close and gave in to his kiss. She was all his. Everything was going great until she cried out and wrenched her mouth away. “What?”
“My ankle.” Unknowingly she’d let her foot fall back to the ground and had even tried to stand on it to take pressure off of her only good leg. Hands traveled over her backside and then she felt his hands grip her thighs before lifting her up and off the ground. Chloe immediately wrapped her arms and legs around his body in fear of falling.
“Better?”
Her breath came out as a shudder when she exhaled. “Yes.”
His fingers buried in her hair, pulling her head to him. This time he thrust his tongue into her mouth, fisting her blond hair in his hand, and pulling it gently until she gasped and tilted her head back giving him access to the smooth skin of her neck. His lips trailed over her, nibbling and sucking at every exposed piece of skin he could reach. Her legs tightened around him in response, heals digging almost painfully into his back. Their current position wouldn’t satisfy him for long.
Chloe felt him moving and only barely opened her eyes to see that they were leaving the living room for her bedroom. His lips only left her neck when he settled her on the mattress. He pulled away from and she whimpered in protest. It wasn’t long before he had his shirt off and kneeling back on the bed. She scooted back, trying to be thoughtful and allow more room for his long body, but he grabbed her good ankle and yanked her back down the bed. To her mortification she giggled.
“You can’t get away that easily.” He pressed a knee between her legs and leaned over her body, placing a gentle kiss on her stomach which had become exposed when he pulled her down the bed.
“I’m crippled, I can’t go anywhere.” His tongue was wet and cold against her bare skin and only made her shiver as he made his way down her stomach to the waistband of her shorts.
“How do you know I didn’t push you down the other night so you couldn’t run?” He looked up at her and bit down gently on the skin he had exposed from her shorts.
“I wouldn’t doubt it.” He bit her again, this time almost painfully. She looked down to admonish him, but he was grinning. “Not funny.”
“Yes it is.” He crawled the rest of the way up her body until he was looking down into her face. “What do you want?”
The hand that had slid over his shoulder and was making a trail down his back stilled. “What?”
“You want to know what I want. I’m asking you what you want.” There was fear behind her eyes, he knew that she didn’t want to expose herself to him.
“I want to be happier for longer then three minutes. I want just for one time everything to be perfect. I don’t want to make another mistake. I want everyone I care about to stop disappearing.” She could have cried, and she probably would have if it wasn’t for the fact that it would ruin the mood.
“You’re asking a lot.” She smiled in response and just shrugged. “How about we work on one at a time.” Oliver brushed her hair out of her face and then met her eyes again. “I’m not going to disappear.” Her palm pressed gently against his face, cradling his cheek in her hand. But it was the smile on her face that bothered him; it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” She asked and idly brushed his lips with her thumb.
“Sad.” He dropped his head, intent on putting it out of her mind, and kissed her hard. Chloe’s body pressed up and against him, rubbing her hips against his. He nipped at her lower lip and trailed kissed down her neck until he got the neck of her t-shirt.
Chloe knotted her fingers through his hair and attempted to pull him back up, but instead he went further down her body. She wasn’t even sure what he was doing until she felt his mouth wrap around her nipple through her shirt. “Oh god.” Teeth scrapped against the moistened material and for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why she didn’t put on a bra when she answered the door. “Oliver.”
Her hands pulled almost painfully at his hair, but he wasn’t done. He took the other nipple in his mouth, showing it just as much attention as the last. Her body arched underneath him urging him on even as she continued to try and pull him away. When he finally did move back up her body, he slid his hand under her shirt and brushed one of the hardened peaks with his thumb. Just as he kissed her and gently pinched her nipple she wrapped her legs around him, grinding against his hardening erection. Oliver groaned into her neck and forced himself to grab her hip and push it back into the bed. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“Why?” She didn’t recognize the breathy voice as her own. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting closer to him. But somehow he managed to hold her down. Slightly upset, she whimpered beneath him and slid her hands between their bodies to grab his enlarged length.
His breath caught in his throat and he unknowing jerked forward into her hand. His will won out though and he grabbed her wrists, pulling them above her head and holding them there. “Because if you don’t I’ll take you right here and now and I know you would regret it.” Her eyes bore into his and then she sighed and relaxed into the bed. “Sorry. I hadn’t planned on us getting out of control like this.”
“I’ll keep my hands to myself, I promise.” Slowly, his hands released her wrists and he released her.
Oliver rolled off of her body with a groan and closed his eyes. Before he could even look at her he had to get some semblance of control back. He felt her body move and her breast press against his side. He ignored it. Then she trailed her fingers down his chest and over his stomach until he snatched her hand. “Chloe.”
The warning tone in his voice would have been comical if it wasn’t for the fact that she wanted to throw her leg over him and straddle his body. “Sorry. I mean it this time.” His grip on her hand loosened and she followed through with her promise by sliding her hand back up his body and rested it on his chest. “Oliver?”
“Hm?” His eyes slid shut again and he began counting.
“Will you stay?”
Her leg slid over his and he had a feeling she did it on purpose. Against his better judgment he slid his hand over her exposed thigh. “I certainly can’t walk out in the hallway with a hard on.” She giggled softly and buried her face into his chest. The sexual tension began to fade away and he looked down at her with an amused glance. She was soon quite again and trailing her fingers up and down his chest. “I hadn’t planned on leaving.”
“Good.” She sighed and let her eyes close. Whether or not she was ready for Oliver she didn’t know, but in that moment, in his arms, she was able to forget about everything else.