Afternoon Emergencies

Banner By: Stacy

Title: Afternoon Emergencies
Author: sxymami0909
Characters: Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane, implied Chlollie and Clois
Rating: PG-13
Fictable Prompt: #044 Piggybank for Ihearttvsnark
Word Count: 2,655
Summary: When Lois breaks her daughter’s piggybank she goes to the one person she knows can fix anything, Chloe.



Chloe stared at the broken porcelain spread out on her kitchen island, arms crossed over her chest as she glanced away from the shattered piggybank and up at her cousin, eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Is there a specific reason I’m looking at my niece’s broken piggybank?” She asked doing her best to hide her amusement. Chloe had been at lunch with Oliver when Lois called her frantic telling her she needed to meet her at the penthouse right away because there was an emergency.

Her husband had waved her off telling her it was fine; to go and tell Lois she owed him one. Less than fifteen minutes later Chloe was standing in her apartment with her cousin still unsure what exactly the emergency was.

Lois frowned and pointed towards the piggybank. “I broke it.” She explained as she pressed her palms flat against the granite counter top.

Chloe nodded. “Yes, I can see that.” She said slowly as she watched her cousin before shifting towards the island. “Do you want to tell me why you broke Ella’s piggybank? Did it offend you in some way?” She asked doing her best not to chuckle at the look on her cousin’s face.

Lois glared at Chloe as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “The stupid piggybank doesn’t have a place to take the money out of, I dropped my wallet at a crime scene, they were selling Maple donuts, and I had to buy the last one before Kat got her hands on it.” She said with a huff. The feud between her a Kat Grant had been going on for the past eight years ever since the perky blonde started working at the Planet.

Getting the damn donut wouldn’t have been such a big deal to Lois if the other woman hadn’t implied she was laying off the sweets because of the ‘extra baggage’ she seemed to be carrying. Just the implication that she was fat drove Lois crazy and so she had to have that last donut.

When Lois didn’t say anything else Chloe arched an eyebrow. “Okay…First of all it doesn’t have a place to take the money out because the entire purpose of the piggybank is to save money,” She said pointedly. “Second why did you have Ella’s piggybank at work with you and are you and Kat seriously still fighting Lois? It’s been years.” She said with a hint of exasperation in her tone.

Lois rolled her eyes. “Does it matter why I had it? It’s a long story okay, what I need from you now is to help me fix it before Smallville and Ella see it.” She explained while motioning to the mess on the counter as she plopped her purse down and pulled out the rest of the money that was inside of it, dropping it on the counter.

Chloe shook her head as she picked up a few of the pieces. “I’m pretty sure you killed it Lois, I don’t think we can put humpty dumpty together again,” She said amused as she glanced at the clock. “Where is Clark? And what time do you have to pick Ella up from daycare?” She asked while attempting to figure out which pieces went where.

“At four and Clark is out doing his Superman thing,” She told her cousin as she sat down on one of the stools, her brows furrowed. “Ella loves that piggybank. It’s her favorite gift from you and Oliver if she comes home and finds it shattered to pieces she’s going to be devastated,” She said as guilt filled her chest. “Then Clark is going to lecture me about Kat again.” She said with a huff, “You have to help me cuz. If it was Ethan’s piggybank you know I’d help you.” She pleaded with a wide grin.

Chloe chuckled lightly and held up a hand. “Relax Lois, of course I’ll help you, but you realize Ollie and I got this when we were in Tokyo on that business trip right? They don’t make them out here.” She explained as she pursed her lips. “I can see if we have some super glue,” She said lightly as she motioned for Lois to follow her as she moved into the hallway.

“Ethan has been using that bow and arrow Ollie brought back for him from his trip to England and he keeps breaking things,” She said with a light sigh, “So I’ve been stocking up on super glue.” She explained. Chloe and Oliver’s seven-year-old son was nothing if not active. He wanted to be just like his Father and because of that Chloe had become accustomed to broken odds and ends around the house.

Lois grinned as she followed Chloe through the hallway and towards the office. She was glad her cousin and Oliver were back in Metropolis for a while she had missed them when they moved back to Star City. “How is that nephew of mine? Is he enjoying that haughty taughty kindergarten of his?” She teased lightly.

Chloe rolled her eyes good naturedly as she pushed open the office door and moved into the room. “It’s a good school Lois, besides Ollie wanted him in private school and since Metropolis hasn’t always been the most welcoming place for Green Arrow, I backed him up on the decision. Plus you know by the time second grade starts we’ll most likely be back in Star City and it’s hard enough for him to change school, at least this way the environment will be the same.” She explained while pulling open one of the drawers.

Lois sat on the corner of the desk as she watched her cousin. “I’m Just messing with you cuz, I know why you and Ollie are sending Ethan to private school. It’s different for you guys. Clark and I are definitely going to be going the public school route with Ella that’s for sure.” She said with a light snort as she heard her cousin’s ‘ah ha’ and glanced up.

“I found it,” She said while waving it in the air and pointing towards the door. “Let’s go see if we can fix us a piggybank.” She said while linking her arm through her cousin’s and tugging her off the desk and back towards the kitchen.

An hour and a half later they sat in the kitchen working on the piggybank. Lois let out a frustrated sigh as she threw a piece of ceramic bouncing it off the kitchen island and onto the floor breaking it into even smaller pieces. “Damn it!” She practically growled, “This isn’t working.” She said frustration lacing her voice. “It’s almost three o’ clock; we’re never going to finish this in time.” She told her cousin while shaking her head.

Lois felt terrible. She’d been so worried about Kat and her need to show up the other woman that she had completely destroyed her kid’s piggybank. Something that she hadn’t even bothered to realize would upset her two-year-old daughter until after the fact. “I’m a terrible Mother,” She exclaimed as her shoulders slumped.

Chloe glanced at the counter and winced at the crazy glue that only seemed to be helping them glue things to the granite. Oliver was not going to be happy. Her eyes looked over the lopsided piggybank that was full of cracks and missing pieces. She turned to her cousin and tilted her head to the side. “You’re not a terrible Mother, jeez Lo quit being do dramatic, someone’s been hanging out with my husband too much.” She teased trying to break the bad mood in the room.

“We’re Sullivan-Lane’s, since when do we give up so easy?” She asked with an arched eyebrow as she tossed the broken super glue into the trash to avoid anymore incidents with it. “You know we could always just tell her what happened and buy a new.” She suggested lightly.

Lois shook her head. “No, Ella loved that piggybank. But you are right about one thing I’m a Lane and I don’t give up, though you cuz, well you’re a Queen.” She teased before smirking, “Which is going to work perfectly with my new plan.” She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Chloe knew that look. Her shoulders slumped and she sighed lightly. “Why do I feel like I’m not going to like what you’re about to say?” She asked her brow furrowed.

“Because you’re not,” She said casually as she pushed herself off the stool and grabbed the cordless phone. “Come on cuz, we’ve got work to do.” She said as she disappeared down the hallway leaving Chloe to shake her head and follow after her.



______

Oliver was in his office going over a contract when his computer dinged. He glanced over at his inbox and he frowned slightly putting the papers in his hand down before arching an eyebrow as he opened the email. His eyes scanned the content and they widened slightly before he glanced around the desk for his cell phone and lifted it up when he found it. Oliver pressed the speed dial for his wife’s number and leaned back in his seat waiting for her to answer.

Chloe was in the process of pushing the broken pieces of the failed attempt at fixing the piggybank into the garbage when her cell phone rang. Chloe smiled when she heard the ringer knowing it was Oliver. She could hear her cousin yelling about something as she reached forward and answered the phone. “Hey, you, how’s it going?” She asked him lightly while frowning as she tried to unstuck a piece of the ceramic from the granite.

“Hey, Sidekick it's going okay. How are things going by you?” He asked as his eyes went back to the email on his desktop waiting to see if she mentioned anything about it.

“It’s going; it’s been a long afternoon. How’s work? Have I mentioned I’m sorry about bailing on you at lunch earlier?” She asked while leaning forward and glancing at the time on the clock. It was almost time for her to leave and go pick up Ethan she really hoped everything worked out or her cousin was going to have a fit.

Oliver pursed his lips at her answer as he cocked his head to the side. “Works busy,” He said conversationally before clearing his throat. “Hey you wouldn’t happen to know why the company I worked with in Tokyo is emailing me apologizing about a custom made piggybank saying the new one should be ready within the hour…Do you know what time it is over there?” He asked curious as to what in the world was going on.

Chloe groaned. “I’m so sorry,” She said sheepishly. “Long story short, that piggybank we had custom made for Ella while we were there broke…or rather Lois broke it and she feels terrible because it’s Ella’s favorite thing from us.” She explained. “We tried to fix it, but that just lead to a bigger mess so Lois convinced me to call them and possibly use the fact that I’m your wife to persuade them to make another one…right now.” She said lightly.

Oliver sighed. “You do realize even if they do finish it, they are all the way in Tokyo and it’ll never make it here before Clark picks up Ella…right?” He asked knowing the other man would be heading to day care to pick up their niece at around four.

Chloe bit her lower lip. “Yeah…We might have anticipated that and worked around it,” She said casually as Lois walked back into the room. She glanced at her cousin as she slid the phone back into her pocket. “That was Clark, he said he’s going to pick up Ella,” Lois said as she sat in a stool next to Chloe.

“Where’s Shorty?” She asked while glancing around. Chloe opened her mouth, but before she could say anything Oliver’s voice came through the phone.

“Lois is still there? Don’t you need to pick up Ethan soon?” He asked eyebrow raised as he leaned forward and clicked out of his email.

“I do,” Chloe said right as a gust of wind flew through the room. She glanced to her right and saw Bart standing there grin on his face. “Special delivery for Mrs. Superman,” He said as he held out the box to Lois.

Chloe watched as her cousin practically leapt out of the seat and took the box from Bart quickly. “Oh thank god, you’re a life saver.” She said quickly and Bart nodded.

“It’s true, I am.” He glanced at Chloe a smirked, “Hey there Chloelicious, how’s it going?” He asked while zipping around the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water and some chips.

Chloe smiled. “It’s going,” She said before shifting slightly as her attention once again fell on her husband’s voice.

“You had Bart run to Tokyo to get a piggybank?” He asked while shaking his head. “I’m assuming by the fact that you guys are rushing to get this taken care of there’s a story behind it and you’ll tell me about it when I get home later?” He asked lightly.

Chloe nodded even though Oliver couldn’t see her. “There is and I will.” She said as she waved to Bart and pointed to the phone mouthing ‘Oliver’.

He nodded and called out, “Heya Bossman,” Before telling them he had to take off and promptly speeding off after that making the papers Chloe had on the island swirl around them. She reached out trying to hold them down as she sighed.

Oliver could hear the sigh through the phone and he smiled slightly. “Okay, it seems like you have a lot going on Sidekick, so I’ll let you go and you can tell me all about your crazy day when I get home. I love you,” He said while picking up his contracts again.

Chloe smiled. “Sounds good, I love you too, Hero.” She disconnected the call and glanced at her cousin. “What’s the verdict?” She asked as she motioned towards the box.

Lois quickly put it down and took it out of the box. She grinned, relief filling her face. “It’s looks identical.” She said as she started putting all the money into it including the money she used to buy the donut, which she borrowed from her cousin. When it was all put together Lois glanced at the clock and smiled. “All done with close to thirty minutes to spare. I’ve gotta go get this home before Smallville and Ella get home.” She said knowing that she could make it back to the apartment in less than fifteen minutes if she hurried.

She turned to face Chloe who was grabbing her keys and getting her bag together. “You heading out too?” She asked feeling a lot better now that she knew her daughter would no longer we upset.

Chloe nodded. “Yeah, I’ve gotta get Ethan.” She said as Lois got her things together. They moved towards the elevator together and once they were inside heading back down to the lobby Lois gave Chloe a sideways glance. “Have I mentioned you’re awesome cuz?”

Chloe chuckled, “It’s implied,” She teased as the elevator chimed and the doors slid open. They walked outside together and paused in front of the building. “Dinner this weekend?” She asked with a smile.

Lois nodded, “Sounds good, maybe we should invite a minister to dinner and give wedding number nine a try,” She joked as she waved. “Call me later and thanks again Chlo, I knew your last name would come in handy,” She called out while heading down the street.

Chloe shook her head and chuckled lightly as she watched her cousin go. She smiled, slipped on a pair of sunglasses and headed in the opposite direction as Lois to go pick up her son from school all the while thinking at least her life wasn’t boring.