The Trouble with Love Chapter 11
“... insiders have told our reporter Jack Fern that Lex Luthor stayed with Chloe Sullivan at the hospital at Yukon.
The two were seen leaving the hospital together...”
Bart scrunched his face in disbelief as a video of Lex and Chloe was shown as they left the hospital, with Lex
holding Chloe’s arm in a tight grip. He changed the channel, not wanting to watch any more bullshit.
After flicking through different channels, Bart finally settled for a Japanese game show that had contestants
fighting through an obstacle course. He looked behind him and saw Connor, head buried in books as the boy
studied for his exams.
Connor on the other hand, pretended to read his books as he glanced at Bart. He looked at his watch, and he
knew he had to make sure he’s got the timing right, or he’s plan wouldn’t work. He kept on looking at the time,
and when it was finally seven pm, he made his move. He stood up from his chair and walked over to Bart.
“Come on, Uncle Bart. I’m hungry.”
Bart rolled his eyes. “I told you we should’ve called for pizza already. It would’ve been here by now.”
“I don’t feel like having pizza.” Connor replied as he crossed his fingers behind his back. “I want to go to Papa’s Tapas.”
“You want to go where?” Bart asked. “Why do you want to go to that place? They’re all a bunch of snobs. C’mon Connor. Pizza! You love pizza!”
“I just want to try something different. Dad left us enough money anyway.” Connor reasoned out as he looked at Bart. “Besides, it’s Friday. I don’t want to stay inside, and Papa’s isn’t that far to walk... please!”
When Connor pulled his puppy eyes, no one stood a chance. Bart just looked at Connor before he sighed. “I’m not exactly dressed for a place like that.”
“Who cares? Come on, I want to go now!”
“Okay, okay. Let’s just get cleaned this place up, then we’ll go.”
Fifteen minutes later, Bart watched as Connor practically skipped ahead of him towards the restaurant. He had
a funny feeling that Connor had something up in his sleeve, but couldn’t figure out what. He grinned as he matched
the boy’s pace. “So, is it a girl?”
“What?” Connor asked as he nearly tripped. “What girl?”
“Why you want to go to Papa’s of all places. Is she cute?” Bart asked as he wiggled his brows and Connor just scowled.
Bart laughed when Connor didn’t answer him as they reached the restaurant. They were about to walk in when he
noticed the scowl disappear from Connor’s face. He looked at what made Connor smile and paused as he grabbed
the back of Connor’s jacket.
In the corner of the restaurant, Chloe looked radiant as she laughed at something the dark haired detective said.
Just as Connor began to move, he gently pulled the protesting boy outside.
He looked down at the boy sternly. “Tell me you didn’t drag me here so you can mess up Chloe’s date.”
“No...”
Bart rolled his eyes at the guilty expression on Connor’s face. “Look, I know you worry about your Aunt Chloe,
but you got to let her have some fun as well. I mean look at her, she looks like she’s enjoying herself.”
“She can have fun with me! We always have fun when we’re together.”
Bart scratched his head. Times like this he wished he was the responsible adult type who knew exactly what to say.
“Look, I know it’s not easy, I mean Chloelicous...”
“Stop calling her that!” Connor snapped. “You’re objectifying her!”
“Objecti... what? Where did you learn that word?”
“At school!”
Bart sighed. “Dude, I would never objectify Chloe. Ever. I have the biggest respect for her, and I always will.
But I also want her to have some... fun.” Bart said, not knowing how to phrase it properly for Connor.
“You know, go out and date...”
“Why? Why can’t she just stay with me?”
“Connor,” Bart said as he gently manoeuvred them away from the restaurant windows. “Chloe’s not going anywhere.”
“Yes, she will. Anna left because of Duke; I don’t want Aunt Chloe to leave me too!”
Bart finally understood. “Champ, come on. Anna ‘s still around when you need her, right?”
“It’s not the same.” Connor muttered as he looked away from him.
“Okay, I’m going to say something to you that you will hate, because I hated it too when people said it to me.”
Bart said before he took a deep breath. “You’ll understand when you’re older, and I know that doesn’t make sense,
but it will. Look at the window and tell me what you see.”
They both turned to watch as Chloe move her arms animatedly as she spoke to George. Her smile sparkled through
the distance and Connor grumbled something under his breath.
“What was that?” Bart asked.
“I guess you’re right.”
“Okay, what do you say about pizza?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Connor! Come on, I know you’re not happy, but you have to eat. Besides, I can hear your tummy grumbling.”
“It’s not!” Connor said as he turned red when he heard it too.
Bart just chuckled at Connor who still looked unhappy. “So, pizza?”
“Extra cheese?”
Bart nodded. “Lots and lots of it! Come on, let’s go.”
Connor reluctantly left with Bart, all the while trying to look back at the restaurant. “How did you find out about this date anyway?”
“I heard her talking to him last week.”
Bart sighed as they walked home. “It’s going to be fine, Connor. Don’t worry.”
_*_*
“Thank you, I had a great time.”
George grinned as he followed Chloe towards her apartment.
“So did I. I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to able to convince you to have dinner with me.”
Chloe was actually surprised that she enjoyed the night with George. He was so easy to talk to, and there was nothing pretentious about him. He had a great sense of humour, and he seemed to really care about the youths he worked with.
“Well, I can definitely offer you coffee. So, detective, what’s your poison?”
“I’m afraid I’m just your normal filter coffee type of guy.”
Chloe laughed as they walked inside. “I think I can do that for you.”
George looked around and admired the small coffee house. “This must be heaven for you, considering how much you love coffee,”
Chloe nodded as she looked around. This place had so many memories, good and bad. There was a time when she, Clark and Lana were innocent, with big hopes and dreams for the future. They’ve all grown up now, and in their own way, have paid the price for the loss of that innocence.
“It has its advantages.” Chloe replied as she prepared George’s coffee. She handed George his coffee before she spoke up. “I think Connor is terrified of something, I’ve tried to talk to him about what happened to the museum, but he won’t talk about it.”
George just nodded before he took a sip. “Would his dad allow us to speak to him again?”
“I’ll ask if him.” Chloe replied as she prepared her own coffee.
“Thank you.” George replied as he looked at Chloe. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. “So, can I ask for another night?”
Chloe smiled and George grinned, both unaware that they were being watched.
__*_*_*
At the penthouse, Bart was grateful Connor had fallen asleep. He couldn’t blame the kid for forming such an attachment to Chloe. It was like everything just happened yesterday when he saw the fifteen month old Connor escape from Emil and Oliver, and ran straight towards Chloe, and bumped into her legs.
Chloe looked at the crying toddler for a brief second before she picked him up, hands covered in chocolate. She didn’t seem to mind that Connor had smudged his dirty hands on her face and clothes.
Bart smiled at the memory. Oliver wanted Connor immunised, but the kid would not cooperate, and Emil couldn’t even get Connor to stay on the weighing scale for a routine check-up. The moment Oliver set Connor to the ground; the boy made a run for it with his short, pudgy legs and didn’t get far when Chloe appeared.
He didn’t know how Chloe did it, but in less than five minutes, she managed to calm Connor enough to get him his shot and Emil managed to finish the check-up without a fuss.
“You’re a lucky kid, you know that?” Bart asked a sleeping Connor, and he knew that Connor wasn’t the only one. They were all lucky to have Chloe in their lives.
A small sound alerted Bart to Oliver’s presence and he watched as the Green Arrow pulled of his hood and glasses. “Is everything alright?”
“No dramas.” Bart replied as he stood up. “Uh... well, Connor tried to break up Chloe’s date...”
“I know.”
Bart’s eyes widened at Oliver’s reply.
“You do?”
“I was coming back early on patrol when I followed the two of you.”
“How come you’re just home now?”
“I got distracted with a mugging on 23rd Avenue. Thanks for watching him Bart.”
“You know it’s not a problem. Call me anytime, bossman!” With that, Bart was gone and Oliver was left with a sleeping Connor.
He wasn’t lying when he said that he was coming back early from patrol. The night started out well enough, but he could feel something different. He ran faster, his hearing was better. He was like a new man. He was still vulnerable; the scratch on his arm had proven that. He didn’t know if he should call Emil to let him know what was going on.
Connor mumbled in his sleep and Oliver sat on his son’s bed and looked at the sleeping boy.
“You’re going to hate me, buddy.” Oliver said softly as he recalled Connor’s expression that day with the comment from Lois. He knew how attached his son was to Chloe. The last thing he wanted to do was to weigh Chloe down, but he needed someone he can trust to look after Connor. There weren’t many people he can trust with his son, especially with his duty as the Green Arrow.
“Yes, she will. Anna left because of Duke; I don’t want Aunt Chloe to leave me too!”
Lois was right though, he couldn’t just expect Chloe, or any other league members to keep on looking after Connor. This was one of the hardest decisions in his life. He wanted nothing more than to keep Connor close to him, but it was getting harder to balance his life as Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow.
His thoughts were interrupted as Connor grumbled in his sleep and sighed as he noticed the pizza sauce on Connor’s lips. He carefully wiped the smudge with his hands and pushed any other thoughts from his mind away. Oliver just sighed and watched contentedly as his son continued to sleep.
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