No Regrets

Banner By: Andrea

Title: No Regrets
Rating: PG-13
Author: Sxymami0909 and Slytherinpunk
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Oliver/Chloe
Word Count: 5,651
Prompt: In response to Exchange #7 for the Chlollie Exchange



Chloe sat on a plush white couch glancing down at her laptop, scanning through another set of schematics as she spoke into her ear piece. “Remember guys once you get inside the coms won’t work. Radio silence until the mission is complete and you come back out of the facility. Cyborg do you remember the route I described for you to take and the plan I laid out?”

“Affirmative Watchtower.”

She bit her lip and glanced at Oliver who was sitting on the couch next to her, eyebrows furrowed at the screen. She paused, covering her mic and raised an eyebrow at him, “What’s wrong?”

Oliver frowned, "I should be with them...If something goes wrong..." Inwardly, he cursed the injury on his shoulder blade that he had suffered from a battle with the Dark Archer.

Thankfully, Emil had managed to remove the arrow without damaging any nerves, but unfortunately he was still out on recovery. At this point he still couldn't lift his bow as high as he needed to.

Chloe shook her head and held up a finger to Oliver before glancing back at the computer screen. “Okay guys, be safe if you don’t check in the exact minute you’re supposed to we’re coming in with back up to get you. Don’t try anything stupid and follow the plan I set out for you…impulse are you listening?”

There was a light chuckle over the com as he spoke, “I hear you ‘Licious. Impulse over and out.” She watched as both their coms went dark and she sighed as she pulled her earpiece out before looking at Oliver.

“I get it, I do, but Oliver right now you’d only be a liability and you know it. The team knows you’d be out there if you could.” She gave him a small grin attempting to lighten the mood with humor. “Besides at least with you hear I don’t have to go out of my mind with worry alone.”

Oliver snorted, "Please, you feel like a babysitter and you know it." He got up and shuffled around the room, though there wasn't a lot of walking space in the double bedroom they were occupying at the small Bed and Breakfast.

They ended up staying in the small name place to keep the Queen playboy billionaire from attracting some paparazzi at some hotel, and instead of curing his slight anxiety he only seemed to add to it as he ended up pacing. "What do you do to keep yourself from getting bored when you do this alone?"

She shrugged. “I work. You realize Watchtower runs twenty four seven right? Victor uploads new intel everyday…I have to go through and sort all of that. Dinah runs solo mission and occasionally even runs some with Zatana,”

She smirked and leaned back on the couch, “I know weird…it was only once or twice, but they seem to work fairly well together for now. Then there’s Clark and all the crap he comes to me for throughout the day that leaves me hacking into all kinds of data bases.”

A thoughtful look crossed her face as her arms crossed lightly over her chest before glancing over at Oliver’s pacing form with a smile. “And lately I’ve been helping Carter with a few things for the JSA. So there isn’t really much time to be bored…”

The smile slipped from her face as she took a deep breath, voice softening slightly. “Which is good because if I just sit here…I worry…with all of you out there…well it’s enough to give a girl gray hair.”

The corner of Oliver's lip twitched as he replayed Chloe's daily activities list.

"Do you sleep? Because you know that if you don't sleep the Umbrella Virus sets in and you literally become a zombie?" He teased her as he flopped down on what was supposed to be his bed for the evening. "Good thing I'm here Sidekick, or you'd die of not only boredom, but sleep deprivation."

She rolled her eyes. “I sleep…when I know the team is safe and home. I don’t like any of you going out without backup…” She gave him a pointed look. “You know…because when people do that they get hurt.” Her gaze shifted to his arm.

“I’m still angry with you for that by the way so don’t’ try to be all I’m Oliver Queen, smooth talker. You’re charm is lost on this girl.”

She turned back towards her computer, thoughts of that night setting an uneasy feeling into her stomach. It had been a long day and she must have passed out at Watchtower and instead of waking her, he suited up and let her sleep.

She woke up to alarms blaring as his stats were going crazy on the monitors. It had been one of the scariest moments of her life. And it took a couple of weeks for her to stop blaming herself for the incident.

Oliver lifted his good shoulder in his defense, "I can't help it if you looked too cute to wake up...And it's not like I had planned to run into an expert archer with a grudge."

He flashed her a smile with every intention of changing the subject, not wanting to go through the details, or the lecture of his mistake again. "And I'm still not convinced you're immune by the way, my theory is you're just stubborn."

Her mouth quirked at the corner, but her eyes stayed on the screen as she continued typing away. “Trust me…I’m immune. I’ve had my vaccinations and everything. I know you consider yourself a hunky piece of man candy, but let’s be serious. I’m not one of those girls who fall victim to the Queen charm…and thank god for that because I have a feeling you’d somehow respect me way less.”

She sent a smirk in his direction, amusement evident in her eyes as she spoke. Oliver grinned, seeing her usual banter and smirk for the challenge it was, "Trust me, Chloe..." His brown eyes blatantly traced over her every curve in a way he knew she couldn't ignore, but would try to anyways. "I would respect you in more ways than I ever did before."

She rolled her eyes and turned away from him to cover up the reaction his words had on her. This had been a bad idea. Letting him come with her. Lately their banter had somehow gotten less banter like and more flirt like, which was…different.

And not exactly a good thing when you were trying to keep things professional. But Oliver was one of her best friends, they’d been working together for over two years and they’d grown comfortable around each other.

“Keep it in your quiver Jolly Green Giant, or go find some country bumpkin to occupy your time while I work. Just don’t bring her back here, voyeurism really isn’t my thing.”

Oliver chuckled, getting up from the bed and walking over to her, grabbing her hand in his. "Come on then," he nudged his head in the direction of the door. "You're a country bumpkin from Smallville," his lips curled in amusement.

"And I want to explore, maybe find something to eat in the kitchen." He tugged on her hand, trying to rouse her from her seat and lifted a hand to protest when she opened her mouth, "Before you go all stubborn and argue, think of this: you know I'm not going to give up."

He gave her his best pout to go along with big brown, pleading eyes. "And I'll only hurt myself or tare the muscles in my mending shoulder trying to get your stubborn self to budge from that computer."

She sighed as she glanced up at him a feigned look of annoyance on her face. “First of all you take that back. I’m from Metropolis originally. A country bumpkin I am not. And you are such a petulant child sometimes. Fine. We’ll go find you some food, but then it’s drugs and bedtime for you Mr. Queen.”

She pressed a few buttons before sliding her laptop shut and standing. He smiled, enjoying the fact that he was getting his way. "You have your cell phone linked to the computer right?"

He asked before opening the door, "That way if anything goes wrong, or they check in we know?" He knew Watchtower was always at least five steps ahead, but his nerves weren't like the adrenaline that he felt when being out with the team, and he had a hard time maintaining a hold on them.

She gave him a skeptical look as they walked down the hallway stopping at the stairs as she turned to him.
“I’m sorry have we met? I’m Chloe Sullivan…and you are?”

She shook her head at him and laughed as she started down the stairs. Chloe gave his arm a short squeeze to show she wasn’t making fun of him and she understood he was anxious the team was out there without him.

“It will be fine. I guess that whole opposite day I was planning where we swap out roles and you play Watchtower while I put on the green leather won’t be working out too well with your momma hen complex.”

They hit the last step and made their way into the foyer. A laugh bellowed from him as he kept to her side, "I'm the one with a mother hen complex? Who's the one who gets so bent out of shape when my uniform is on the floor for a second?"

Her voice was hushed as they made their way into the small common room where there was a fire going and a table of food set up. “If you’re referring to when you’re out on patrol…I get bent out of shape because you train enough that you should be quicker than that…maybe it’s old age.”

She smirked moving over to the table and glancing at the array of pastries and beverages as she continued speaking softly, “And if you’re referring to when you’re in home base well you shouldn’t be stripping down in the middle of Watchtower! It’s…inappropriate. And you pay a lot of money to have that suit made…besides the floor of my Watchtower is not a hamper for your dirty clothes.”

Her hand shot out clasping a large mug in between her fingers as she poked his arm speaking in an excited whisper. “Look they have hazelnut hot chocolate.”

Oliver shook his head, "At least it's not caffeinated," he smirked down at her. "You don't need anything else prolonging your lack of sleep." He lifted a plate from the pile, grabbing a few small fruits, with crackers and cheese.

When he reached the hot chocolate, he grasped the handle of the mug, holding it out to her, "Would you mind pouring me a cup? Hot chocolate by the fire sounds pretty good right about now, what do you think?"

He glanced over his shoulder at the fireplace and turned back to her with a smile, "No one is sitting there." She nodded and poured him some before motioning with her head towards the cookies. “Grab me a cookie…scratch that grab me two cookies…one with sprinkles.”

She took his mug from him and headed towards the couch in front of the fire, Oliver trailing behind her. She sat down pulling her legs underneath her to give him more sitting room. She glanced up and noticed an older couple sitting diagonal to them on a love seat.

She smiled briefly as they spoke in hushed tones before glancing up at Oliver as he joined her and holding out his hot chocolate to him. “Trade…hot chocolate for one of my cookies.”

He smiled as he passed the old couple, joining Chloe beside the fireplace as he set the plate of snacks in between them and took his mug as he motioned to the plate. Her hand dove for the sprinkled cookie first.

"Just so you know, your sugar intake might also have something to do with why you can't sleep at night." He took a sip of his hot chocolate and grinned at her, "Then again, it could just be because you're a vampire."

She smirked and nodded. “Hmm…funny you should mention vampires…maybe that bite I got in college turned me into some crazy hybrid. Better watch out Oliver…I might get hungry later.”

Her eyes turned toward the fire as the voices of the couple sitting near them rose slightly catching their attention. “You did not just say that!” The older man, who seemed to be in fairly good shape for someone his age shifted in his seat and grinned at his wife. “So what if I did.”

“Anthony Barnes!”

The older man’s smile only seemed to widen at his wife’s outburst. “Take it back.” He shook his head.

“No, it’s true.”

“It is not true. I was not enamored by your charm you oaf.” She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she turned toward the cup to her side. Chloe bit her lip as she watched the woman turn away from the man she assumed was her husband.

She was wearing jeans and a sweater and if Chloe had to guess her age from looks alone she’d say the woman was in her late forties early fifties, but extremely well preserved. Anthony chuckled and nudged her. “Come on don’t be like that...we both know it’s true.”

Oliver glimpsed at the couple before turning back to Chloe, a pleased smirk on his face, "So apparently, all women deny falling to the charm of a suave man." He picked up a green grape from his plate and popped it into his mouth. "Maybe I should take a note from that gentleman and not believe you when you claim to be unaffected, after all."

Chloe snorted, "Please, all women do not say that. Most women fall for the charm. It’s the smart ones who fall for something entirely different. Men just always think it's their charm."

She pointed at him and opened her mouth to say something when they were interrupted by the couple in front of them.

"I couldn't have said it better myself."

Chloe turned startled as the woman sent a warm smile her way, "I'm Pamela by the way, and this annoying man here is my husband Anthony."

Chloe gave the older woman a small smile. "I'm Chloe," she glanced in Oliver's direction briefly, humor on her face. "And the doofus hogging the couch is Oliver."

Pamela let out a good natured laugh as she studied the young couple in front of her. She glanced between them her eyes falling on the young man as she spoke.

"What brings the two of you to the middle of nowhere? Romantic getaway?"

"No we're..." Oliver looked to Chloe before rubbing the back of his neck, "Not together...Like...That."

Chloe swallowed hard as she addressed Pamela. "We're friends. We're actually in town on business if you can believe it. How about the two of you?"

A genuine smile blossomed on Anthony's face as he took Pamela's hand and kissed it. "We're here for our anniversary. Twenty years today."

He raised an eyebrow in Oliver's direction, "I'm slightly shocked she's managed to put up with me for the last 35 years."

Chloe's brows furrowed, "Oh, I thought you said twenty years..."

Pamela smiled at Chloe and Oliver, a knowing look on her face. "We were friends first."

Oliver smiled, "Congratulations, what changed for you?"

Anthony glanced at his wife before clearing his throat. "I was shot."

Chloe's eyes widened and Pamela nodded a light laugh escaping her throat. "It was the best thing that ever happened to him."

Chloe opened and closed her mouth as she put her hot chocolate down leaning forward just slightly. "How is getting shot a good thing?"

Pamela gazed at Anthony her face softening, "It was what made me finally admit I was in love with him."

They leaned in and kissed chastely as Anthony rubbed her back lightly. Pamela leaned into the touch as she glanced at Chloe and Oliver.

"We met when I was 25...through mutual friends. He was a cop and I was a reporter. He got me out of a lot of trouble..."

She smirked and he shook his head at her affectionately before looking towards Oliver, "And she got me into a lot of trouble. You'd never believe what a magnet for danger this hellcat over here was."

Oliver’s eyes slid over to Chloe, his lip twitching slightly, "Oh...I bet I can imagine."

Anthony chuckled and Chloe glared at Oliver before letting out a 'humph" and turning back towards Pamela as she leaned on the arm of the couch.

"Then what happened?"

The older couple exchanged looks and smiled. Pamela shrugged, "And then we wasted ten perfectly good years being stubborn and dating all the wrong people....occasionally sabotaging each other’s dates..."

She trailed off and Anthony snorted, "Occasionally? Three women you sent running for the hills."

She waved him off. "It was two and it wasn't my fault they couldn't deal with dating a cop."

He smirked at his wife. "Mmm" she frowned and poked him. "Don't play innocent here."

She turned to Chloe and pointed at Anthony, "He ruined every date...every inkling of a date and grilled every potential boyfriend I might have had. It was exhausting."

Anthony glanced at Oliver and nodded. "It's true...but in my defense none of them were good enough for her. They didn't treat her the way she should be treated. You know?"

Oliver agreed with another nod as he scooped up a cracker with cheese from his plate, "So who admitted their feelings first?"

Anthony laughed. "It sort of happened at the same time. I was working late one night and got called in on a robbery. Got there, stopped it, but somehow managed to get myself shot in the process." He tilted his head like it was no big deal before continuing to speak. "Pitfalls of the life I chose."

Pamela nodded. "When I got the call...I just…I couldn't breathe. I spent five days at the hospital by his side and when he woke up...it hit me that I didn't want to waste another ten years pretending that he was only my best friend."

Anthony motioned to Pamela, "and while she was blathering at my hospital bed I was attempting to tell her I was in love with her but she wouldn't shut up long enough for me to get the words out."

Pamela gave them a sheepish look, "that part might be true. And then he told me to shut up and I was so furious I went to yell at him and then he blurted out he was in love with me. And while yelling back at him, I told him I loved him too."

Anthony rubbed her hand lightly as a loving look passed between them before Anthony spoke. "The day after I was released from the hospital, we eloped. Been together ever since."

Chloe stared in aww at the couple in front of her a hint of tears in her eyes as she spoke quietly. "Wow...that's...amazing."

They nodded and Pamela glanced in Oliver's direction as Chloe discretely wiped her eyes. "So do either of you have anyone special in your life?"

Oliver cleared his throat, watching Chloe from the corner of his eye, "Um... No. I haven't fou--I mean, I'm not with anyone."

There was a spark in her eye as she nodded and turned her head towards Chloe. "What about you dear?"

She shook her head. "I'm not seeing anyone either."

Anthony and Pamela exchanged yet another look before smiling at the pair in front of them. He cleared his throat as he glanced at the clock and stood slowly, Pamela following his lead.

"Well it's getting late, us old timers are gonna head off to bed...it was nice meeting you two."

Chloe and Oliver smiled as Pamela waved, Chloe's soft voice floating through the room. "It was nice meeting you too."

She watched them make their way upstairs whispering to each other as Anthony waggled his eyebrows and Pamela rolled her eyes affectionately.

They disappeared behind one of the doors leaving Oliver and Chloe alone in front of the fire. She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and bit her lip before reaching out for her other cookie, her hands needing to be busy.

"So...they were a sweet couple."

Her eyes didn't meet his, but focused on her cookie instead.

"Yeah, sweet couple," Oliver stared in the other direction while taking a long sip of his hazelnut flavored hot cocoa before finishing it and stretching from the couch. "We should probably get back to our room... It's probably almost check in time."

She took one last sip of her hot chocolate and nodded. She stood and followed him up the stairs and back to the room. The first thing she did was go to her computer, open it and log in.

Contrary to Oliver's words they still had quite a bit of time until the team checked in. She let out a puff of air and decided the best thing to do was to just focus on her work and not Oliver.

Pamela and Anthony's story had unnerved her slightly. Everything they were saying...the things they felt, their actions. It reminded her so much of the dynamic she had with Oliver that it scared the crap out of her.

But at the same time it made her wonder if maybe they were right. If ignoring any feelings, not that she had any, was the right thing to do. As the saying goes, you only live once…right?

Oliver glanced in Chloe's direction her brows creased in intense thought as she leaned over the computer screen.

Oliver rubbed the back of his head, "So...Ya know, now that I think about it, you don't ever talk about dating or being in a relationship..." He coughed, "Why is that, exactly?"

Her fingers froze and she chanced a glance at him, shrugging one shoulder slightly. “I date; just not often…it’s hard. What’s the point of having a relationship when all I’m going to be doing is lying to the person I’m with. That’s why things ended with Jimmy…I mean really what’s the point?”

She sat back against the small couch and studied him before speaking softly. “You don’t either you know…talk about dating or relationships…no prospects?”

Oliver's tongue pushed against the inside of his cheek, "Well... It's not like I can bring a girl over when Impulse or Boy Scout could zoom-in at any moment."

She smirked shaking her head. "And you think they don't zoom in on me? I can’t count the number of times they've both caught me half naked because neither of them can knock...it's like a free for all."

Oliver averted her gaze, "Right... We should set up new team rules..."

She nods, "Yeah...like knock before entering, not that either of them would bother following those rules. But their lack of manners doesn't mean you can't date. Now that I think about it I haven't seen one picture of you and some supermodel on a magazine in a long time."

His jaw tensed, "Yeah well..." He did his best to smile, trying to ignore how awkward he suddenly felt. "I'm not really interested in someone who wants to use me as their train to fame."

Chloe noticed the tension in his body and held up a hand in a 'relax' gesture. "Hey I was just making an observation...personally I like the change. Parading around with some piece of arm candy doesn't really suite you...you can do better."

He smiled at her, with a knowing look in his eye, "I agree...I could do better."

She gave him half a smile and shifted on the couch. "You know maybe you should look a little closer to home...What about Canary. She seems to like you. And you don't need to worry about lying to her. She already knows who you are and accepts you for you..."

Oliver frowned and licked his lips, "Look, no offense to Dinah...But if I'm going to date someone on the team, it's not going to be her." He held her gaze, hoping she understood what he wasn't saying.

She swallowed hard and tilted her head to the side as she pursed her lips together. "Ollie don't...don't say things you don't mean. You're...confused because of all the time we spend together..." She knew she was grasping at straws, but she had to try.

He swallowed the lump that was burning in his throat as he tried to summon his courage. "That's not true and you know it." A small smile turned up on his lips, "You wouldn't be this nervous if I didn't mean it."

A startled look crossed her face as she stood slowly. This was another problem. He knew her too well, she couldn’t lie to him. Chloe let out a nervous chuckled before speaking. "I'm not nervous."

Oliver let out a small laugh as he stood, closing the distance between them. "You are nervous," he towered over her, staring into her eyes as he lifted his hand to brush her bangs from her eyes. "And it's okay to be."

She sucked in a deep breath and took a step back as she shook her head and started to ramble. "Oliver it wouldn't work...we have to think about the team...Neither of us have good track records with relationships... If we get together and something happens...what then? There are people who count on us. I thought...I thought you understood that and you were okay with the way we are..."

He crossed his arms over his chest defensively and scoffed, "Oh so it's okay for me to date Dinah, who's on the team, but you've got a whole different set of rules for yourself?"

Her shoulders deflated and she frowned at him. “It’s different and you know it. People look to us for guidance. You and me. Everyone is important to this team, but you can’t honestly look at me and tell me they don’t look to us on how to run things.”

She paused, trying to calm her racing heart down as she chose her words carefully. “If you and I were to get together…and something went wrong it would damage the whole dynamic of a team you worked incredibly hard to build…I’m just…not convinced it’s worth the risk Oliver.”

"Okay, so what?" He threw his arms behind him toward the door, "You want to wait till I'm shot like Pam and Anthony Barnes did? Hoping you tell me how you really feel before it's too late?"

The volume of his voice elevated, "I was shot in the shoulder, and I was lucky, yeah. But you really want to waste time not being together after that close of a call?"

His arms dropped to his side, his eyes starting to water slightly as he stared at her, angry she wouldn't take the chance on him, "You really want me to settle for someone less than you?"

The emotion on his face had her looking away from him to try and get a handle on her own feelings. When she looked back at him there were tears in her eyes, her voice loud as she choked on her words. “That’s not fair and don’t you dare throw that in my face. Don’t you think I know that? Don’t you think I know every time you go out there it could be your last?”

Her hands flew in the air as she paced in front of him. “And yet I sit here and I never say anything because I know that this isn’t about me. That what you do matters and I wouldn’t want you to change because then you wouldn’t be the man that I fell….” she stopped moving, their eyes locking, “You wouldn’t be the man I care about.”

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard trying to moisten her throat. Her tone was lower now, and he could see the honesty in her eyes as she spoke. “I’m scared…you scare the crap out me Oliver…because if I admit how much you mean to me…”

She stopped a tear sliding down her cheek as she started over, “If I admit how much I need you…then I lose you…I don’t think I could handle it. My life without you…god the thought terrifies me. Don’t you understand that?”

He stepped closer to her, sliding his hand onto her cheek as his thumb dabbed her tears away, "The lives we live shouldn't be a reason to not be together."

He took a shaky breath and licked his lips nervously, "They should be the reason we don't waste anymore time."

She leaned into his touch, eyes sliding shut at the feel of his slightly callused palm against her cheek. When her eyes finally fluttered open they met deep brown pools of warmth and in seconds she was on her toes, hand clasping one side of his face as her lips crashed against his.

It was like she wasn’t in control of her own body. She didn’t know what had come over her, but she was tired both physically and emotionally of trying to keep her distance, of turning everything into a joke. She thought she’d be able to do it until he lost interest…but his persistence had proved greater than her own.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been in love with Oliver, but she was positive that after tonight she’d no longer be able to pretend that love wasn’t there.

He was right, she’d been stupid…if something happened to him tomorrow she’d regret never telling him…never knowing how his lips felt against her and so many other things.

He kissed her back with as much intensity as she used, his hand slipping to cup the back of her neck, keeping her head tilted back as he parted her mouth and worshiped her as if her mouth was a temple and his tongue the prayer.

After years of flirting and pent up attraction, he finally felt her stubborn walls fall around him and he couldn't help but grin against her mouth as he pulled his mouth back from hers.

He leaned down, resting his forehead on hers, bumping their noses together as he licked his lips, the taste of her and the hazelnut hot cocoa prominent. "So does this mean we're finally together now?" His nose nudged into hers, "Because the only other option was to fire you from the team so you couldn't use it as an excuse anymore," he teased before dipping his lips in to kiss her again.

She chuckled against his lips as she kissed him back her arms winding around his neck. A couple of seconds later they separated and she rolled her eyes. “Why must you label everything? Together not together…does it matter? We’re here…can’t you just enjoy it.”

Her hands slid up his chest, and she almost groaned at the hard plains under her palms. She was going to at some point enjoy that very much. There was a twinkle of mischief in her eyes when she finally looked back up at him and snorted at his other comment.

“And please…no offense Ollie but if you fired me you do realize the team would come with me right? I know Bart definitely would…and probably Victor…and Clark no doubt I’ve known him longer. AC and Dinah might stay with you, but they’d need me eventually.”

She grinned up at him her hand caressing his chest lightly. One of his hands gripped her hips tightly, his fingers flexing over her curves as he continued to hold her to him.

"I could care less... Because I need you." His other hand rubbed her neck, "It's not like I'm asking you to elope with me like Anthony and Pam Barnes did." He smirked and nodded at her, "Come on, Chloe and Oliver... That has a nice ring to it."

She shook her head affectionately at him, “Those are our names…” Her face turned serious for a second as she cupped his cheeks and spoke, “Promise me something…if we do this even if it doesn’t work out we put the team first. You won’t leave…I won’t leave. What we do is important and they need both of us.”

She swallowed hard. “Make me that one promise and…I’m all in. You and me…no regrets.”

"I promise," Oliver held her gaze seriously, "No regrets." He sealed their contract with a kiss, his heart swelling with something he hadn't felt in years. Chloe moaned against his mouth as she pulled him closer. She might not have said the words, but she was doing her best to make sure her actions spoke loud and clear.

For the first time in a long time, she felt happy…content. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist above the curve of her ass when the bedroom door was pushed open quietly.

Bart and Victor were dressed in regular clothes as they stood in the doorway watching their fearless leaders make out like a couple of teenagers. Bart was frowning holding a hand against his heart as Victor smirked. Bart spoke first

“Oh man…”

Victor chuckled, “At least we know why they weren’t answering when we tried to check in…you owe me fifteen bucks…”

Bart grumbled pulling money out of his pocket and handing over to Victor. “This blows…” Victor grabbed Bart by his collar and dragged him into the hallway as he shut the door quietly. “Leave them alone. It’s about damn time they admitted how they felt.”

“But…”

“No buts. Let’s go get some food.”

Bart perked up. “I could eat.” They made their way downstairs, Chloe and Oliver in their room completely oblivious to the world around them.