Waking Up in Vegas Chapter (4/15)

Banner By: Andrea

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Chapter 3



Oliver stared at the computer screen on his desk. Two days. It had been two days since he’d seen Chloe. He figured after she realized he couldn’t get away and she had found Dinah and A.C. that she and Mia would make their way back to Star City until he was able to leave for Metropolis.

He had thought wrong. He leaned back in his chair eyes straying towards the recycling bin that held yesterday’s and that morning’s paper. “Trouble in Paradise already?” and “Mia Dearden, Newest member of the Queen Family or Charity Case?” There were photos of him looking angry on the phone and photos of Mia and Chloe coming off the jet in Metropolis.

The headlines had only gotten worse since Mia and Chloe left Star City without him. He’d been doing his best to control the media, but right now all three of them were under a lot of scrutiny and in their type of business…that wasn’t good.

He hadn’t been able to go out patrolling since they got back from Vegas because he couldn’t take the chance that some nosey reporter was hiding outside his place and caught him sneaking in or out suited up.

He knew Chloe wasn’t having much more luck, but at least she had Bart and Clark who could speed her back and forth to Watchtower without anyone seeing. He sighed and buzzed his secretary.

“Yes Mr. Queen?”

“Can you please get my wife on the phone?”

“Of course.”

A minute later his office phone was ringing as she transferred Chloe to him.

“Hello?”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Just checking in seeing how you and Mia are holding up.”

“We’re okay. Mia is out with Lois and Dinah right now. They thought a little shopping would do her some good, help get her mind off of things.”

Oliver nodded.

“Yeah…that story this morning was pretty harsh.”

Chloe paused before speaking.

“Yea…about that, there’s gotta be some way for us to get these people off our backs. It’s bordering on ridiculous.”

“I’m doing the best I can. You and Mia being partway across the country isn’t really helping.”

He could hear her stop typing.

“Are you trying to say the articles are my fault?”

“No, but you aren’t helping them by staying in Metropolis.”

“Oliver I have things to do here. Most of the team is here, we having debriefing and I’ve got a ton of files to decode, it’s not like I’m not working.”

He let out a frustrated sigh.

“I know that Chloe, but the difference between your work and my work is you can bring yours here. I can outfit the computers here with the same programs that Watchtower has.”

“I can’t right now Oliver.”

His jaw clenched as he spoke and Chloe could hear the anger in his voice.

“You can’t or you won’t?”

Before she could answer his office door was pushed open and his secretary gave him an apologetic smile.

“Sorry to interrupt your phone call Mr. Queen, but Mr. Wilson and his daughter are here to see you.”

He nodded.

“Send them in. I have to go…I’ll talk to you later tonight.”

“Ollie--”

“Bye, Chloe.”

He pressed the end button right as Jack and Cynthia walked into his office. He stood and plastered a smile on his face.

“Jack, what can I do for you?”

He gave Oliver a tight smile.

“Just picking up the minutes from the meeting.”

“I would have emailed them to you.”

He shrugged and Oliver turned his gaze on Cynthia Wilson, eyes going slightly wide. He hadn’t seen her in close to two years, but she looked amazing. He grinned and moved around his desk to pull her into a hug. When they broke apart he shook his head.

“This can’t be who I think it is.”

She chuckled.

“How are you Ollie?”

“I’m good, you? How was graduate school?”

“Very good. I’m finally finished thankfully and just moving back to Star City.”

“That is probably the best news I’ve heard all day.”

He glanced at his watch and then looked back at Cynthia.

“You know it’s just about lunch time. What do you say we grab a bite to eat and you fill me in on what’s new?”

The red head in front of him smirked and linked her arm with his.

“I say Mr. Queen you have yourself a deal. You don’t mind do you Dad?”

Jack shook his head and he glanced between the two of them.

“No, not at all.”

Oliver nodded. He might not be Jack’s biggest fan, but he’d grown up with Cynthia and they had even dated briefly in the past. She was the only girlfriend from his youthful days that he managed to stay on good terms with. He nodded in the direction of the older man before steering her out the door.

“We’ll see you later then.”

The minute Oliver and his daughter were out of the office Jake picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. It was picked up after two rings.

“They just left…make sure you get the photos.”

“Will do sir.”

“Good.”

As He disconnected the call a grin slipped onto his face. He’d known Chloe Sullivan for a few years now and one thing he knew about her was she was a very private person. Something that worked in his favor. How long would she be able to stay married to a man that was seen all over the place with other women in her absence? Jack moved toward the elevator. Well, he was about to find out…




______


Mia grumbled as Lois and Dinah led her back towards Watchtower, finally managing to shake the photographer that had followed them to lunch earlier. She had a few bags in hand as they made their way towards the building. She turned toward Lois as she spoke quickly.

“I mean you’d think they’d give it up already really jeez. Do they have nothing better to do with their time?”

Dinah froze at the entrance of watchtower as she scrolled through her phone.

“Uht oh…”

Mia raised an eyebrow at them as Dinah showed Lois her phone. The brunette’s eyes widened as she grabbed the phone from Dinah’s hand and her face scrunched up as she glared down at whatever was on the screen.

“I’ll kill him!”

Mia frowned.

“Kill who?”

Lois was already heading into the building as Dinah showed the phone to Mia. And right there under the entertainment news feed was a photo of Oliver leaning across a table, grin on his face holding an attractive red heads hand. The headline read ‘Breaking News: Playboy Billionaire Oliver Queen Back to Womanizing Ways’

“Uht oh is right…crap.”

They jogged through the doors to catch up with Lois. Once they finally made it up the elevator, through the security, and into Watchtower they stopped as Lois stood there waiting for Chloe to finish up a phone call.

“That’s fine Emil. Sure. Okay great…yeah. You too, bye.”

She pressed the end button and turned to see hurricane Lois standing a few feet in front of her. She smiled and glanced between the three women in front of her with raised eyebrows.

“What’s up guys?

“He’s an ass Chloe!”

Mia shook her head and put her bags down by the desk before speaking.

“Lois you of all people should know that not everything you read in the paper or anywhere else for that matter is true.”

“Yeah well a picture says a thousand words.”

“Pictures can be misleading.”

Lois crossed her arms over her chest and spun towards Mia.

“Listen kid, I get that you think the world of Oliver, but seriously let the grown-ups talk.”

Mia opened her mouth, but Chloe cut her off before she could say anything.

“What’s going on here?”

“Any chance you’ve seen the most recent news report?”

Chloe shook her head.

“No is everything alright?”

Lois winced and Dinah cleared her throat.

“Lois means the entertainment news…you might want to bring it up online, though I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Lois glared at the Dinah who shrugged.

“What?”

Chloe typed a few things in on her computer and a couple of seconds later the photo of Oliver and the woman was on her screen. She swallowed hard at the smile on his face. She knew Oliver wouldn’t cheat on her…but looking at the photo and article in front of her…it made old doubts creep up.

It’s not like Oliver had never cheated on his girlfriends before, but he was different now. He wasn’t the same person he used to be…was he? She squared her shoulders, schooled her features and turned to face Dinah, Lois, and Mia.

“You guys are worried about this? Listen I appreciate your concern, but I know Oliver. He wouldn’t cheat on me. This is most likely just one more thing the press has blown out of proportion.”

Lois frowned, Dinah raised an eyebrow, and Mia smiled.

“But Chloe--”

She held up a hand stopping her cousin’s words.

“Not buts’. I appreciate you guys taking Mia shopping, but I’ve got a ton of stuff to do.”

Dinah could see where she was going with this so she said her goodbyes and tugged Lois along with her as the brunette reporter called out.

“If you need to talk just call me Chlo!”

Chloe waved and let out a sigh of relief as the doors shut behind them, her shoulders deflating slightly. She leaned against the mainframe and sighed before glancing at Mia.

“He’s angry with me.”

“Why?”

She shrugged.

“I don’t think it’s just one thing. I think it’s a combination of a few things if that makes sense.”

Mia studied Chloe closely and she could see a myriad of emotions on the older woman’s face. Things had been really hectic ever since Chloe and Oliver had picked her up from school. First Dinah and A.C. had been kidnapped, but Bart, Victor and Clark were able to find them with Chloe’s help and bring them back.

Then the stories started. It was like every time she woke up there was a new lie or truth being revealed to the public about their personal lives. It was like living in some kind of nightmare. It was overwhelming and hurtful.

She knew Oliver had been upset when she decided to go to Metropolis with Chloe, but right now Chloe needed the company more, and so did she. Mia knew he was trying to keep the press at bay he’d told her as much, but she also knew that he’d been dealing with this kind of thing his whole life. They hadn’t.

“Chloe?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think things will get better soon?”

She glanced at Mia and shrugged.

“I think that like Oliver said we need to ride things out.”

“You don’t believe the story right? Oliver wouldn’t do that…not to you.”

Chloe glanced over at Mia and met her eyes. She could see the pleading in them, the hope that Oliver’s words meant more than his actions. She pushed aside the small part of her that was doubting herself and Oliver and smiled.

“Of course not Mia no matter how angry we might be at each other or whether or not we fight…Oliver loves both of us. And he wouldn’t do that.”
Mia let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding and smiled as she nodded.

“Yeah…you’re right…I know you’re right. So…do you think maybe we could get out of here? You’ve been working nonstop for the past two days. You need a break and I need to have a little fun on my summer vacation!”

Chloe chuckled.

“Sure, just let me forward Watchtower’s system to mobile and we’ll head out.”

Mia grinned. Maybe the day wouldn’t be a total wash after all.





______


Cynthia took another sip of wine as Oliver chuckled and shook his head. He glanced down at his watch and his eyes widened.

“Wow, we’ve been gone close to two hours.”

“Have we? It doesn’t feel like it.”

“I know.”

He wiped his mouth with a napkin as she spoke.

“So I hear the playboy extraordinaire finally went and got himself hitched. I can’t even believe it.”

Oliver smiled.

“Yeah, a few days ago actually.”

Amusement filled her face as she spoke.

“Yes, I believe I saw the wedding on YouTube.”

He groaned as she laughed.

“Yeah…I don’t think we’ll ever live that down, but we’re going to have to have a real wedding because Chloe deserves better than a drunken ceremony in Vegas.”

“Is that her name?”

“Yes, Chloe Sullivan well Queen now but yea. We’ve been together for about three years. She’s amazing. There really is no other way to describe her.”

“You seem to love her quite a bit.”

“I do.”

“You should introduce us, I haven’t seen her yet. Maybe we could all grab dinner sometime?”

Oliver nodded.

“I’m sure as soon as she’s back in town she’d love to meet you.”

“Oh…is she away? So soon after the wedding?”

Oliver rolled his eyes.

“Stop fishing Cyn…nothing’s going on she just had to get back to work which is in Metropolis. She’ll probably be back in a few days as soon as work clears up.”

“Ah…”

He sighed.

“What?”

“Nothing…it’s just well…isn’t now a bad time to be taking off with all the bad press from the wedding?”

Oliver shifted uncomfortably.

“Well, work is work.”

“Of course.”

Silence settled over them and Oliver’s eyes drifted to the tables around them and frowned. People were staring and he was just about to ask Cynthia what they were looking at when his phone vibrated in his pocket.

He lifted it up and he had five different emails. One from Victor, one from Lois, one from Dinah, one from Clark, and one from his secretary all with the same thing attached. It was a photo of him and Cynthia sitting at the café and it did not look good.

He swore and she raised an eyebrow.

“I hate to do this to you but I need to head out. Looks like there’s been a change in plans.”

“Change in plans?”

“I need to go to Metropolis. It was really great seeing you and as soon as I’m back we’ll all have dinner together.”

He stood, dropped money on the table and waved before she could even say anything. She glared at his back as he took off to some stupid city in Kansas. It looked like things were going to be a little more difficult then she had originally thought. Oliver had changed, but she knew deep down he was still the guy who loved booze and women…and that guy had been away for too long. It was time for the real Oliver Queen to come out and play.

Chapter 4