Fic: Start Over (1/17), Chloe/Oliver, PG
Fic: Start Over (1/17)
Rating: PG (may be subject to change)
Summary: What if Oliver had been a supporter of Senator Kent from the very beginning of his campaign?
Character/Pairing: Oliver/Chloe, Clark, Lois, Martha, Jonathon.
Word Count: 2238 (this chapter)
Spoilers: 5.10. This takes place between Lois and Martha’s talk about there being no money left for the campaign and Martha going to Lionel.
A/N: Ok I realise that most of you have probably read and are over fics like this but I’m new to this pairing and I’ve been dying to write something like this for a while, so here it is. Please comment, let me know if you’d like me to continue, cause I probably won’t if no one wants me to. Also this isn’t beta’d but if anyone would like to offer to beta I wouldn’t say no considering I know I have faults when it comes to punctuation and grammar. Oh and I’m Australian so if any of the words are spelt funny let me know and I’ll fix them into American English : )
Enjoy and feel free to comment!
Oliver sighed and closed the folder in front of him. He would read it again tomorrow when he had a chance but for now there was something else that needed his attention. Sadly his time under the radar in Metropolis was over, especially with the senate race that was currently happening, and now he was expected to make a decision on whom to back. He couldn’t see a point really. He hadn’t been in Kansas long enough to get to know Jonathan Kent and there was no way he was going to back Lex, although the bald billionaire didn’t know that, hence why he was sitting just outside his office door.
Pressing the intercom button he called out to his sectary, “Miss Button let Mr Luthor in please and then go home.”
“Right away, sir.”
Standing and fixing his jacket Oliver smiled as Lex entered his office, “What can I do for you Lex?”
“Well, Oliver, I was hoping for the support of an old friend.” Lex replied, an arrogant smirk in place.
“Now why would you think that I’d back you?”
“Maybe ‘cause I’m the best choice, or just because you know there’s no way a farm hand from a small town is going to beat me.”
“Normally I would have a list of reasons to disagree with you. All I really know at the moment is that there is no way this state would benefit from having you as its senator. Though don’t be discouraged I plan to meet and research Jonathon Kent thoroughly before backing him. Though from what I’ve read so far it’s safe to say I’m backing him.” Oliver said, moving back to his seat, “If that’s all,” he continued, motioning towards the door.
“Yes, that’s all,” Lex sneered before leaving.
Oliver sighed as the door slammed shut. He had been hoping that Lex wasn’t holding onto all the left over anger from their days together at Excelsior’s but obviously that wasn’t the case. Picking up the file to his left he looked over what he had discovered about Jonathan Kent’s beliefs and promises once more before leaving the office and heading to meet the man he was sure that he was going to back.
*******
Standing by the stove, stirring the gravy for Mrs Kent, Chloe couldn’t help but wonder how she had gotten here. After all it wasn’t everyday that a family as welcoming and caring as the Kent’s let you through the door. Though currently she was hiding in the kitchen with Clark and Lois as Martha and Jonathon were arguing about money in the other room.
“I can’t believe you’re considering taking money from Lionel Luther!”
“We have to do something to keep going otherwise we aren’t going to survive.”
Chloe winced at the intensity in their voices. She had never heard them disagree before and it made her a little sad that it was happening because of money. She had always thought that they could make it through anything.
A knock at the door brought Chloe from her thoughts and the Kent’s from their dispute. Watching as Martha moved to open the door her jaw dropped as a stunning blond haired man was revealed. His grin was not wide enough to cause suspicion but not too small to seem creepy. It showed the perfect number of teeth and seemed a little too charming to be on one man’s face. His body was the perfect form of chiselled, been worked on just enough to look great but not too over done, and his suit displayed his features without going over the top and that green tie was just the right colour to bring out the soft brown in his eyes.
Not listening to whatever he was saying to Jonathon, who had moved to join him at the door, she moved to where Lois was and dragged her to see the man.
“Oh, wow,” Lois said, checking out the male from head to toe, “He is all kinds of fine.”
“I know, right,” Chloe whispered, “I have no idea what he’s doing here but I’m just glad.”
Lois chuckled, “I know right.”
“What are you two looking at?” Clark asked, revealing both girls to the group at the door.
“Nothing out the ordinary,” Chloe replied, shooting a death glare at her friend, “I’m going to check on the gravy.”
Moving back to her place in the kitchen she caught her breath and switched off the stove. She couldn’t believe how much just looking at this man was affecting her. Nothing like this had happened to her before with a person who wasn’t Clark. Hearing the door close she assumed that the mystery visitor had gone and thinking it was safe she headed into the lounge room to inform the arguing couple that they should come and get dinner before she burnt it one them. Stopping in the doorway she noticed that the man hadn’t actually left but had been invited in.
*********
Knocking on the Kent’s door Oliver felt a little self conscious. It was a weird way feel but he couldn’t explain it, not that it mattered now, soon he would be learning whether or not the senator was a proud man or not.
Hearing the door open he shook his head to rid him of those thoughts so he could pay attention to the task at hand. Smiling warmly he greeted the woman at the door, “Hi, I was hoping to talk to Jonathon Kent.”
The woman shook her head, a little dazed, “What can he do for you?”
“It’s more what I can do for him,” Oliver replied widen the smile on his face.
“Martha. Who’s at the door?” Jonathan said as he moved to the doorway.
Taking one step in Oliver offered his hand to the man, “I’m Oliver Queen, sir and I’m here to offer my assistance in your senate campaign.”
Watching silently as the man looked down at his hand then back up at him, “And what strings does your help come with?”
“Well, I think your plan for more farmers’ relief needs more refining and you’re going to need to put more money behind your education plan but as far as I’m concerned your doing a good job with what you’ve got,” Oliver replied lowering his hand. “But more importantly I quite like the way you’re planning realistic things for the state and they, if implemented right, will actually help the people of Kansas.”
Watching as Jonathon nodded to what he was saying, a tinge of disbelief in his eyes, Oliver knew that his reasons where sound enough to get him through the door. Hearing a noise he looked over the Kent’s shoulder to where three more people stood, watching them, and waited as they retreated into the kitchen, one of them, at least, having the nerve to look a bit embarrassed.
“Well I think you better come in,” Jonathan said opening the door further and gesturing him into the lounge room. Looking around he saw the place was just as quant as what it look like on the outside. It had the homey feel that his apartments and penthouse always seemed to lack. One that only ever seemed to come from having a loving family around constantly filling the place with memories and placing their own personal touches on it. It made him feel more like he was doing was right. Here was a family guy who wanted to help change a part of the world and if he couldn’t back this guy he couldn’t back anyone.
“Well I’ll go set you a place at dinner,” Mrs Kent said turning to leave before he could protest. Noticing the blond girl in the door way for the first time he was entranced. How could he not be? Just that smile alone was more than enough to love, not that her other physical attributes weren’t, but that smile, it was more than enough to take his breath away. She was small in size, at least a head short than he was, and her blond hair running in waves down to her shoulders. The green v neck top she was wearing brought out the amazing shade of green in her eyes and her pencil skirt hugged her hips and legs perfectly. If he wasn’t worried about making a good first impression when it came to the Kent’s he was sure that he would be drooling all over the place.
“Ah, dinner is some form of ready but it’d be best if you came in and took over now whilst I know I haven’t burnt it,” she said.
“I was just coming to check, Chloe. Why don’t you set a place at the table for Mr Queen while Lois and I start serving?” Mrs Kent suggested as she ushered Chloe back into the kitchen.
“Easy job, I so can do it,” Chloe replied, her grin lighting up her face again.
Oliver shook his head at the easy feel between these people. Smiling warmly he allowed Jonathon to lead him into the kitchen.
“Clark, Chloe, Lois, this is Oliver Queen. Mr Queen, my son Clark, his best friend Chloe and her cousin Lois,” Jonathon said introducing them.
“Please call me Oliver,” he replied shaking their hands. He held onto Chloe’s for just a fraction longer than necessary, not that he thought she realised. It was nice to know what her skin felt like, even if it was just her hand.
“Well I’ll show you to the table,” Lois said, a bright smile on her face, as she linked her arms through his and lead him to the table, sitting him directly opposite Chloe. “So, Oliver, why are you here?”
Oliver bit his lip to stop himself from chuckling before answering, “I’m here to offer my support and money to help make Jonathon Kent a senator.”
He couldn’t believe that her smile grew wider than before, “Then we’ll be working together. I’m Mr Kent’s campaign manager.”
“For all of two days,” Chloe snarked causing Oliver to smile when he realised that she was trying to save him from her cousin.
“Well we’ve all got to start somewhere.”
********
“So I feel at a slight disadvantage,” Oliver said.
“Because you’re not doing the dishes,” Chloe replied with a smirk. Dinner had gone well. There was fun and laughter to be had by all. Even she was feeling swayed by Oliver’s argument as to why he should not only support Mr Kent but give him any necessary resources and money that he needed to win the election.
“No, I don’t know what you do for a living and you know what I do and now I know what Lois does but you, not so much.”
“Well why don’t you guess?” Chloe replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Ok, so you’re obviously a city girl, based on your clothes, I’d have to say you have some kind of full time job in a professional business.”
“Hmm well I do work for a professional profession but not full time.”
“Ok, so that would make you most likely a student then and you don’t seem like the lawyer type so that leaves us with buddy CEO or some form of serious journalist.”
“So which is it superfly?”
Oliver raised an eyebrow, “Superfly? Really?” Chloe shrugged, “Ok, I’ve been called worse things and I’m going to have to go with journalist, just cause of the way your cousin talked about your work.”
“Ah, well,” Chloe sighed.
“There’s no way you’re a CEO,” Oliver replied with a chuckle.
“That’s true but I’m not quite a reporter yet either. I’m intern at the Daily Planet.”
“Nice,” Oliver said with an excited nod of his head, “Only the best work at the Daily Planet”
“Well I am going for a Pulitzer”
“Girl who aims big, I like it,” Oliver said flashing her with a charming smile.
Chloe laughed, “Your charms won’t work on me, Mr Queen”
“Well I guess I’ll have to find some other way to win you over.”
“Win who over what?” Lois asked returning to the dining room carrying desert for the three of them.
“Nothing,” the pair said at the same time accepting their bowls form Lois.
“Ok but whatever it is I’m going to find out sooner or later.”
“You believe that all you want but I’m like a steel vault,” Oliver said not taking his eyes of off Chloe.
Clark chuckled as he re-entered the room, “Somehow I think that’s a good trait in a CEO.”
“Most people seem to think so.”
***********
A few hours later Oliver said his goodbyes to the Kent’s and Lois, Chloe having left an hour before him. As he headed to his car he couldn’t help but find the blond reporter captivating. It was weird his mind was already trying to think of ways to see her again even though it probably wouldn’t happen. Lois was heavily flirting and he really wanted to back Mr Kent so it didn’t seem right to go after Chloe, even if he really wanted to, so he wouldn’t upset anyone, especially Lois.
Sighing he started his engine already planning to head back to Metropolis. He’d been here a month already so he figured it was finally be safe to finally bring out his green leather other half and go patrolling, after all he could really use the distraction right about now.
chapter two