Breaking All The Rules

Title: Breaking all the Rules
Rating: PG-13
Author: Reportergirl13
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Oliver/Chloe
Word Count: 3,610
Song: “Hazy” Rosi Golan from Chlarks_Cupid

What if I fall and hurt myself
Would you know how to fix me?

Chloe glanced down at him as strong blood covered hands wrapped the gauze around her arm. She could feel the way they shook slightly as he secured the bandage with medical tape. He hadn’t looked her in the eye since he started patching her up and it worried her.

Oliver tried to keep his hands steady as he smoothed a hand over her gauze carefully swallowing hard. All he kept seeing were his hands covered in her blood. When he saw her on the floor of the clock tower, blood pooling around her nothing had ever terrified him more.

She watched him ball together the wrappers and bloody cloth getting up and tossing them in the garbage in the kitchen. His movements were measured as he reached over to the sink and she could see him scrub roughly at his hands.

Diluted red colored the stainless steel of the sink as he washed the last bit of it from under his fingernails. He’d almost lost her. His heart clenched as he thought about what his life would be like without her in it. It looked bleak and the thought made him nauseous. But this wasn’t about him; right now it was about taking care of her.

He was still clad in his Green Arrow gear as he moved to the fridge pouring a glass of water and pulling out a couple of pills from the cabinet. He was going to want to know what happened. How Tess got in, why she was there, if she was keeping secrets from him again. She couldn’t deal with an inquisition right now she was tired and hurt.

He wanted to know what the hell was going on. Oliver was almost certain she hadn’t been keeping anything from him, not since the weapons, which was water under the bridge. They had long since passed that trial in their relationship. But now wasn’t the time. She’d fill him in when she was ready.

When he handed her the glass of water and pills without a word she was surprised. Chloe was sure he’d start in on the questions any second, but he didn’t. He just plopped back down on the chair in front of her dark look in his chocolate eyes.

Oliver opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He shook his head and swallowed hard wetting his dry throat. When he finally spoke his voice was hoarse with emotion and he winced. The last thing he wanted was her running off, but surprisingly she hadn’t yet. Things had changed since Checkmate abducted them.

“You scared me half to death.”

“I’m sorry.”

“When the Code Red went out I was coming up the back way. I watched Watchtower lock down…I couldn’t get in and when I heard the gunshot…”

His voice trailed off and her heart ached as she reached forward caressing his cheek. The pain on his face was palpable and she had an urge to wrap him in her arms, reassure him that everything was fine. Ever since the whole Checkmate debacle things had been different between them.

“Ollie…I’m fine. It was just a graze.”

He looked up at her catching her eyes and he could see her need to reassure him. The corner of his mouth lifted in a tame smirk as he nodded.

“I know Sidekick…I just…you’ve gotta stop attracting so much trouble. I’m way too young to have gray hair.”

She chuckled lightly her heartbeat picking up speed when his fingertips grazed her good arm. Every time she fell he was there to pick her up. It could be as little as the splinter she got last week or today when she’d needed patching up. He always knew what to say, how to fix her.

“I’ll do what I can.”

“Good.”

“About what happened…”

Oliver waved her off as he helped her stand.

“Later. I’ve had a pretty rough day and from the looks of it yours hasn’t been much better. Tomorrow…we’ll deal with this tomorrow. For now…come home with me?”

She knew he meant it to be a statement, but his hesitance made it a question. Chloe could see that he was trying not to push his luck with her. She gave him a warm smile before stretching and placing a gently kiss against his lips.

“Change out of your gear here and then I’m all yours.”

He glanced down realizing he was still suited up before giving her a sheepish grin and heading to switch back into regular clothes. Oliver made his way back to her less than ten minutes later warm hand closing around hers as he led her out of the clock tower.

She knew going back to his place with him was breaking the rules of their little agreement, but since she was the one who made the rules maybe it was time to go back to the drawing board and amend them for special circumstances.

He caught her thoughtful expression and nudged her. When she met his eyes a warm smile spread across her face. He returned it as they headed to her car in comfortable silence. Things had changed between them and though Chloe might not be ready to admit it he knew she realized it too. And for now that was good enough.




~*~*~*~*~*~



What if I went and lost myself
Would you know where to find me?

He sent a glare her way when she finally walked into the clock tower Bart and Victor by her side. She was driving him insane. How could one woman take over his life so completely? She wasn’t supposed to be out in the field and if she decided to go she was supposed to take him along for the ride.

In her defense, not that she deserved it, she had tried to call him several times and when he finally made it to the clock tower she’d left him a note telling him where she’d gone. When she didn’t answer her phone or return his calls he got worried.

So he Lo Jacked her and when he found her phone with no Chloe attached to it he’d called in the Calvary. Three worry filled hours later Bart and Victor had managed to extract Chloe from surprisingly an attempted kidnapping by the Kandorians.

He opened his mouth, but before anything could come out she pointed in his direction, voice hard.

“Don’t you dare say a word. I called you three times. I even left you a voicemail and I left a note. It’s not my fault you were busy.”

His jaw twitched and Victor and Bart watched them in confusion.

“You realize I do have another job right? I was in a board meeting. I can’t just bail as boring and mundane as it is I still have a business to run.”

Chloe shrugged as she pulled off her torn jacket and tossed it on the chair letting out a frustrated sigh.

“Okay, I understand that, but you could have text me back and said that.”

“You could have just waited until I got here.”

“There was no time.”

“No time? Chloe all we have is time. You’re the one who’s always telling us not to go running off half cocked and then you go and so the same thing with no backup.

She finally turned to face him and mixture of irritation and exhaustion on her face. That’s when he noticed her appearance. The shirt she was wearing was dirty and ripped. There was a tear in her skirt, a few cuts on her hands, and some bruises forming on her arms.

His face softened as he gave her a once over. Chloe saw the change in his stance as his shoulders deflated slightly. She glanced toward Bart and Victor who were watching them with curiosity. She turned in their direction and smiled.

“Thanks for the quick thinking boys. I really appreciate you coming to get me.”

Bart grinned and before Chloe could blink he was by her side kissing her hand.

“No problem senorita. You know I’m at your beck and call.”

He waggled his eyebrows and she chuckled. Victor moved over toward them and he pulled her into half a hug.

“Where just glad you’re okay. It was weird taking directions from Oliver. He was okay, but he’s no Watchtower. A.C. and Dinah would have come too but they’re…”

She cut him off.

“On an undercover mission. I know, who do you think has been guiding them around the tropical islands.”

He laughed and shook his head.

“What was I thinking.”

She glanced around eyes landing on Oliver as he leaned against her mainframe. She raised an eyebrow.

“Where’s Clark?”

She saw Oliver’s jaw clench as he folded his arms across his chest and the other’s quieted down. Chloe frowned while waiting for him to answer her question. Oliver shrugged.

“He was busy.”

The thought that he was too busy to help them rescue her stung. If she was telling the truth when Bart came speeding in to her rescue she’d been surprised, but hadn’t thought too much of it at the time. She swallowed hard and nodded.

“I’m sure he has a lot to do. So…are you guys staying for dinner?”

Bart chimed in.

“I’m always ready to eat.”

Oliver cleared his throat and all eyes turned to him.

“Why don’t you go grab some take out and call John, see if he wants to join us for dinner. Victor nodded.

“No problem boss.”

They made their way out of the tower and when he was sure they were gone he came up behind Chloe turning her to face him as his hands slid down her body making sure she was okay.

“You’re sure you’re fine?”

“Absolutely.”

“I feel like I’ve been saying this too much lately, but with the way you attract trouble do you really need to go looking for it too?”

She rolled her eyes.

“I said I was sorry. No harm no foul. I’m fine and now we know the Kandorians are plotting something. It’s a win, win situation.”

Oliver frowned.

“It’s not win, win when you put yourself at risk on purpose, no no don’t interrupt me. No lectures just…next time remember you and me…we’re a team. Include me in the plan you know I’ll always be there to back you up.”

Her eyes softened as something tugged at her heart, familiar emotions pouring through her. Whenever she got lost he was always there to find her. Chloe had never had anyone else understand her as well as Oliver. He didn’t pretend with her.

If he was angry she knew it, upset he told her, happy he showed her. Lately he’d become an open book and it made her feel things she wasn’t ready to accept yet. So she grinned at him placing a chance kiss on his lips that he soon deepened.

When they pulled apart the carefree look was back on his face and the thought that she put it there made her weak in the knees. Her stomach fluttered nervously as he looked down on her with an expression she refused to acknowledge.

“Fine, I promise the next time I decide to take a trip down the rabbit hole I’ll drag your leather clad butt with me. Deal?”

He nodded.

“Deal.”

Oliver went to lean in again when he heard the guys outside the door. She pulled back and he sighed as she turned smile on her face to greet them. Things had changed between them and eventually Chloe would accept them. And until then we’ll he be there waiting.




~*~*~*~*~*~



What if I forgot who I am
Would you please remind me?

He stood behind her, suited up, the rest of the team around circling them. His heart beat was frantic and he wasn’t sure what to do. Most of the Kandorians were dead or their powers had been stripped. They won the battle, the war was another story.

Chloe’s hand shook, the gun was pointed at Zod as he stood in the middle of the room knife to Tess’s throat. She didn’t know how they got here. How everything had gone so wrong in such a short amount of time. At the last minute when Tess realized Zod would never join Clark and planned to destroy him, she’d turned on him.

The team took the left over weapons and attacked the Kandorians while she and Tess worked together guiding them from afar. It was uncanny how much they were alike and yet so different at the same time. She met the other woman’s eyes unsure of what to do.

Oliver could see the hesitation in Chloe’s movements. Clark had succeeded in taking Zod’s powers from him. He was human. If Chloe pulled that trigger sure she’d be killing someone who tried to destroy the world, but she’d also be taking someone’s life.

That was something she couldn’t come back from. This wasn’t her. Somewhere in the last few hours she’d had a crisis of faith. Chloe had forgotten who she was and what she believed in. But she wasn’t alone and if she didn’t remember he’d remind her.

Because that’s what they did. They picked each other up when they didn’t have the faith or ability to pick themselves up. He wouldn’t lose her to the darkness, not now…he’d fallen too hard. He wasn’t ready to lose her.

She knew they were waiting for her next move. The atmosphere was tense and the only thing she wanted to see was Zod’s body on the ground. He was part of the reason her friendship with Clark still wasn’t repaired, he put her cousin in danger, and he almost killed Oliver a couple of weeks ago.

Just the thought of him in the hospital made her see red. She wanted it to be over and the look Tess was giving her was encouraging. She’d surprisingly turned out to be an asset during the fight. Chloe was glad for the moment that Tess was on their side.

Her finger pressed slightly harder on the trigger when a distorted voice made her pause.

“Don’t…Chloe this isn’t you. If you take his life…you won’t be any better than him. I know it’s hard, that it hurts, but I know you…you’ll never forgive yourself. Please…”

She could hear the pleading in his voice. She turned slightly to look at him and everything happened quickly. Bart shouted, speeding forward as several gunshots were fired. She heard the Green Arrow screaming her name as a flurry of activity whirled around her.

She frowned something wasn’t right. She glanced down at the blood on her hands when she felt strong arms pulling her up. When did she lie down? She couldn’t make out all the voices around her, ears ringing lightly as she closed her eyes.

She was so tired. Someone told her to keep her eyes open, but she ignored them, drifting off as silence filled her. Oliver was frantic as the scene unfolded before his eyes as if he weren’t there. Tess knocked the knife out of Zod’s hands reaching down to grab it as Zod moved for her discarded gun from earlier.

Bart yelled as he sped towards Zod, but by the time he knocked him down the gun had been fired three times. He tossed Bart off as Victor and Dinah charged him. He lifted the gun, but before he could shoot them Tess launched herself at his back with the knife.

He roared in pain turning on her, and pulled the trigger before falling to his knees. Chloe hit the ground before Oliver got to her and when he lifted her he could see she’d been hit twice. There was confusion in her eyes as he spoke to her before yelling for help.

While Dinah and Victor tried to help Tess he and Bart were by Chloe’s side. Fear filled him and he couldn’t help but think this was his fault. He couldn’t breathe as he leaned over her blood stained body tears pooling in his eyes. Everyone he had ever loved left him…he couldn’t let her go…he wouldn’t.




~*~*~*~*~*~



Coz without you things go hazy...

She opened her eyes with a gasp, frantically glancing around her trying to figure out where she was, chest rising and falling quickly. She took in the white sheets and sterile looking walls as she shifted wincing as a sharp pain sliced through her body.

She managed to lift her head a little and was unsurprised to find Oliver’s tall frame bunched over in a small plastic chair sleeping. It looked like he had at least three days worth of stubble on his cheeks. Her throat was dry and she still couldn’t remember what she was doing there.

The dull beep of the monitors annoyed her. She didn’t want to wake Oliver so she slowly reached for call button and pushed it. Less than five minutes later Emil barged through the door out of breath. She raised an eyebrow as he let out a sigh of relief.

“You’re awake.”

Her voice was low and rough.

“It looks that way.”

He walked across the room quietly, poured her some water and handed her the cup. She gulped it down and then another cup and a half after that. She let out a deep breath speaking softly.

“What happened?”

“You don’t remember?”

“I’m a little hazy on the details. I do remember the Kandorians attacking…and something with Zod. Did we at least win?”

He chuckled at the hopeful tone in her voice.

“We did. You’ve been out of it for four days. Need a refresher?”

She nodded and so he sat there and quietly told her everything that happened. By the end of the conversation everything had come back hitting her full force. She needed to talk to Oliver. Emil left telling her he’d be back to run some tests soon.

When he was gone she reached over and squeezed Oliver’s hand. He grunted in his sleep before rubbing his eyes and sitting up. He was confused for a second trying to figure out what had woke him up when he saw green eyes smiling at him.

“Chloe?”

“Ollie?”

He was out of the chair in a matter of second’s hands by her face, eyes red-rimmed as he mated their foreheads together. The broken sound in his voice made her heart ache.

“I thought I lost you…”

“Never.”

“I seem to recall having this conversation with you were you promised to stop attracting so much trouble…apparently that’s not working out so well huh?”

She smiled lightly.

“I seem to recall that conversation and I also recall saying I’d try no gurantees.”

“Mmm…Chloe…”

She raised an eyebrow at the serious look on his face.

“Hmm?”

He opened his mouth, hesitated and then she saw determination cross his features as he cleared his throat eyes meeting hers.

“I love you. I know…I know…I broke the rules. But to be honest I was never really good at following them anyway and we’ve been breaking all the rules for months now. Rules were made to be broken…and…I just I need you to know. I promised myself I wouldn’t push you that I’d keep all the feelings and emotions inside until you brought it up…”

She watched him frown and tilt his head to the side as he continued.

“But then I realized you’re Chloe, and thought with how stubborn you are it might be years before you actually admit it and well…with the lives we have any day could be our last so I needed you to know. And now that I’ve said it…and you’re giving me the oddest look I’m going to shut up.”

Amusement danced in her eyes as she curled her fingers around his. He was adorable when he babbled, which was very rarely. The weight of his body on her bed was comforting and that’s when she realized everything about him was comforting.

The way he was always there to make her laugh or pick her up when she fell. For so long Oliver had been her guiding light and she’d refused to see it because she knew if she did and she admitted it to herself…it would change everything.

Chloe was tired of hiding though. After everything that happened, she was ready. Ready to accept the way he felt about her, but most importantly ready to accept the way she felt about him and had for a while.

She could tell he was waiting for some kind of reaction from her and she didn’t disappoint him. She took a deep breath and spoke in a tone that left no room for misunderstandings or arguments.

“I love you too Ollie…I think I have for a while I was just afraid to admit it because it meant admitting that I got attached…that I cared and that you could hurt me. I’m tired of pretending though…”

A hint of a smile crossed her features, water pooling in her eyes as shock and then happiness registered on Oliver’s face. She gave him a sheepish one armed shrug.

“Sorry it took me so long to catch up Arrow.”

He cupped her cheek gently in his hand, moving forward until their lips were brushing against each other as he spoke, warm breath making her lips tingle.

“All that matters Sidekick is that we’re on the same page now.”

She nodded before he captured her lips with his. In that moment she agreed with Oliver, they had already broken all the rules…what was one more?